Hot as Hades by Alisha Rai
Samhain Publishing
Erotic Fantasy
ISBN: 978-1-60928-628-6
Reviewed by Shayna




Unlike his siblings, Hades, God of the Underworld, lives a solitary life.  Or rather, he does so until a naked woman falls right into his lap.  Hades doesn’t know Persephone from Hera, but he can tell she’s a powerful goddess.  After years of protecting his realm from interlopers, that makes him suspicious of Persephone.  Yet there’s no denying his attraction to the beautiful goddess and before long Hades believes her story that she didn’t mean to enter his realm.  Since she can’t leave, Hades and Persephone are stuck in close quarters and it’s only a matter of time before they give into their desire for one another.  But Persephone can’t stay in the Underworld forever.  What will happen when she has to leave?

Alisha Rai gives the classic story of Persephone and Hades her own unique spin in Hot as Hades.  This aptly-titled story is wickedly erotic, but Ms. Rai’s mix of mythology and modern day vocabulary constantly pulled me out of the story.  I’ve read many books where Greek mythology is placed in a modern context, but in Hot as Hades, it just doesn’t work.  I can’t put my finger on whether it was the characters, setting, or dialogue, but the rhythm of the entire story felt stilted.  In addition, there was no real conflict.  This wouldn’t necessarily be a problem, save for the fact that obstacles are presented and then immediately beat down with effortless grace by the protagonists.  I give Ms. Rai high marks for heat and Hot as Hades did have its fun moments, but overall this retelling of a famous myth just didn’t hit the spot for me.