Summary
An urban fantasy Hades and Persephone retelling perfect for fans of Crescent City and The Cruel Prince.
“Putting aside the fact that he was my ex-boss and the fact he had orchestrated my kidnapping, I had no business being the wife of a king.”
Aidoneus
My first wife died three centuries ago. Now, Aranthium was facing a major threat. Time without having a queen had weakened my powers. In order to win the war against my brother Phelix, I needed to remarry.
After months of being paraded around with the most eligible Aranthian bachelorettes, I made my choice. Phaedra was not a princess, nor did she come from a powerful family. But, somehow, she had the power of the gods. She was exactly what I needed in my life.
The only problem was she made me feel things I had no right feeling for someone a quarter of my age.
Phaedra
I grew up in a gilded cage, unable to spread my wings. My mother never let me have the freedom I craved. Then, when I was beginning to live my life as an independent Angel in Olimpie, I was abducted by the King of the Daemons for my own “safety”.
I worked for him for years, but one day, things changed. After an attack on the city I had come to call my home, I was in a coma for months. When I woke up, new power flowed through my veins.
Aidoneus needed a wife. I needed someone to balance the power before it destroyed me. Hades approached me with a proposal: marriage. As friends. Nothing more.
Resisting the King of the Daemons was a lot more difficult than I had ever bargained for. This book is a complete, stand-alone story that is part of a larger series. “Romancing Aranthium” books are the perfect books for fans of fantasy romance who love sweet love stories, powerful ladies, danger, political intrigue, and epic journeys. Setting classic stories in an urban setting with vampires, fae, merpeople, angels, and were-shifters makes them all the more enticing.
Review
To anyone who has learned to love again, even after a stormy past. Life is full of second chances.
I was drawn in since the dedication.
Tarnished by Time has dual points of view from our two main characters, Aidoneus and Phaedra, jumping between the past and present. Usually, when books have time jumps, it can get confusing. However, it didn’t happen for me here. There was no point where I was confused about it because it was marked at the beginning of the chapter, even when it alternated.
AIDONEUS HADES. That’s it. I LOVE HIM. Usually, I’m not a fan of all caps, and I try to avoid using them as much as possible, but I think this case deserves an exception.
I was captivated the whole time, wanting to finish reading in one sitting. Even though that didn’t happen because it wasn’t possible, I was tempted to pick it back up every time I put it down so I could know what would happen next and finish the book.
I’ll be honest; it’s been a while since the last book in the series. I had forgotten what happened and who the main character was, even though there were cameos in The Pirate’s Deal. But that is more due to my memory than anything else. Even though I had forgotten, I could still understand what was happening as I was reading because little bits and pieces from the previous books came back to me. I wanted to know more about the side characters.
Tarnished by Time is fast-paced but can still grip you and take you to another world. Maybe it’s the third book, and the world has already been established. But not reading the other books won’t hinder that. Although I suggest that you read all of them because it makes the experience more enjoyable.
I love titles and all of the “Romancing Aranthium” books. I think the titles are cute and clever. The books are different retellings of stories people already know; Romeo and Juliet, The Little Mermaid, and Hades and Persephone. It’s a different adventure every time. And yet, Daniela A. Mera and Elayna R. Gallea managed to intertwine the storylines and make them cohesive, but they could also stand alone and be separate stories. I will absolutely read more from them when I have the chance.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5)
There were many quotes I loved from Tarnished by Time because I loved so many moments. However, it wasn’t easy to choose one without spoiling anything. So I decided to go with the dedication because I think it captures the book without giving too much away.
Looking back, I think I may change my ratings for the previous books in the series. I haven’t updated it on the other posts, but I will when I get the chance. So these are the most recent ratings.
Opposite Ends of the Sea ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.25)
The Pirate’s Deal ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
