TENDER CRUELTY is book nine of author Katee Robert’s Dark Olympus series and is the story of the most recent Zeus and his wife/enemy, Hera. I won’t go into the formerly known as because I found it a bit confusing – especially for those who are not familiar with the series.
Basically, Olympus was a protected community ruled by 13 “gods and goddesses,” and they certainly act better than thou in their elite little world. Trying to one- up or even kill one another is, after all, everyday life. In TENDER CRUELTY, the barrier that protected Olympus has fallen, leaving a very frightened group of gods who have never had to fend for themselves against an outside force. This force is led by an angry former Hera – now known as Circe – who they thought had been killed by the former Zeus (the one in the hot seat, also known as Zeus, was his actual son).
TENDER CRUELTY kind of felt like a prelude for the finale. According to the author, there will be one more of her Dark Olympus books that will end the series. Hera and Zeus have a love/hate relationship where they are by day trying to kill each other, but at night they are all over each other. Now with the loss of the barrier, they have to work together to save their world, and in doing so, they find that their partner might not be so bad, and having common sworn enemies, they put aside some of the anger. Aside from the steamy hot nights, there is a lot of backstabbing and political maneuvering – even with the danger that could destroy everything they know and love.
With a more in-depth look into the mind of the harassed Zeus, we begin to understand what drives him. While he is trying to save his world, he is also hearing the voice of his hated father and needing to outsmart his not so beloved wife, it makes it interesting watching him work out a plan. Hera plans on ending her husband but being forced in working together, some of the hatred turns to something that will allow her to see the man as he is. Not just Zeus, but a man with some integrity.
After reading TENDER CRUELTY, I am very much looking forward to the next offering. I cannot wait to see what happens to Olympus. Will it survive as fans have come to know it, or will others (Circe and her bunch) take over? Will it be better or worse? Fans will have to wait and see, but of course, reading TENDER CRUELTY is the perfect reading pleasure for any time.
I was his wife. His lover. His sworn enemy. The ice queen to Olympus\'s most hated king.
*A scorchingly hot modern retelling of Hera and Zeus.*
The barrier that\'s protected Olympus for generations has fallen. The enemy\'s breached the gates and the Thirteen are scrambling to protect themselves, their loved ones, and the city they\'ve sworn to protect. At least they would be if they weren\'t at each others\' throats instead.
Hera has no intention of letting her husband, Zeus, survive the oncoming storm. But despite the white-hot hatred burning between them, when Hera and Zeus are forced to work together, enmity crystalizes into something brighter. Hotter. Too powerful to deny or destroy.
Hera never bartered on falling in love with the man she married—the man she once swore to kill. But now, standing back-to-back in the ruins of Olympus, she may be forced to admit that she\'s been wrong about Zeus all these years…and there may be something about their marriage worth saving if they can survive long enough to turn sworn enemies into something more.
No excerpt available.
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