This book did not survive the second book curse.

Did this book go through an editing process? This further deep dive into Hades and Persephone's story feels incredibly rushed or lacking a direct narrative.

It feels like the author couldn't figure out how to end a scene and was like "oh just let them have sex!" That was her solution and if they were good sex scenes I wouldn't complain but no they are at max maybe a page worth of foreplay before it fricks us over for lack of imagination.

Speaking about lack of imagination, I feel like that also leans heavily into the major plot issues and pacing issues this book has. Like St. Claire needed a way for Persephone to get out of the New Athens building but couldn't figure it out so had the whole unrequited love thing that ultimately went nowhere and served no real point to the plot. Or my real favorite is

Persephone's best friend dying, merting said best friendnin the Underworld where we learn she's committed suicide and will never remember her again to just pointless sex within three paragraphs.

And then we could get into the whole abusive relationship and how neither seem to grow despite using therapy lingo to seem like they ubderstand the topic, but I don't have the spoons to fully divulge into that conversation.

Honestly just sticking to the series, it's bad when a D plot about a mother figure is the most interesting part about your smutty book.