Review: Wicked Beauty

 #ThrowbackThursday

Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Turn on the fans - Wicked Beauty is a smoking hawt menage.  Just when I thought Ms. Robert was dialing back the erotic parts of this series, she throws in a primal menage triad.  Helen's ruthless power hungry father may be dead, but this doesn't mean she's suddenly free to do what she wants.  In this world, her brother ascending to the title of Zeus continues to complicate Helen's life.

Helen's never been taken seriously because her desires were stomped out by her father.  She kept things close to the chest for fear of her life.  When she finally gets the chance to prove herself, her way is in direct opposition for her brother, Zeus.  I love how the Thirteen are titles and a person's name is replaced once they ascend.  Kind of reminds me of the Pope.  Helen's family is a hereditary blood line into Zeus.  Unfortunately for her, what she wants will place a bad focus on her family as a power hungry as their father.  Still, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

Helen goes for it and fights to be the next Ares. What a disaster!  No seriously.  I admire that Helen wants to be in a position of power.  She is unfortunately completely unqualified for it.  As in, she has zero background, learning, or experience in military.  Ares is the god of WAR.  Helen may be versed in the backstabbing art of political warfare, but serious warfare?  She is completely outclassed.  This is the one part of the story where I'm going . . . I hope Helen loses in the competition.  I get that she doesn't want to be a good little wifey.  But seriously, we are talking about a nation's security.  

This being said, I did like the different challenges and games to make it to the Ares title.  It is a lovely nod to Greek mythology.  And, it brings forth a new foe.  This is the foreshadowing I saw in the previous book.  It is now showing up more prevalent with outsiders coming into a closed Olympus.  Outsiders who have names of famous Greek characters.  Love it!  

What I love even more is the menage between Helen, Achilles, and Patrocius.  These three are definitely a power house team - both in bed and not.  Now I can see where this is going.  This triad is truly what pulls the story together for me.  The three of them together and how the story concludes works so well for me.  Seeing Atlantis show up in this story as a secondary character also made me squee in delight.  This erotic romance is recommended for menage lovers who want their happily ever after.