*Review* Psyche and Eros by Luna McNamara

 Genre: Fantasy/Mythology

Published: June 13, 2023

Pages: 347

Has the god of love finally met his match?

Prepare to fall for this glorious reimagining of Greek mythology about a god struck by his own cursed arrow and the mortal woman who teaches him what love truly means

Psyche, princess of Myce­nae, was born with a prophecy that she will one day conquer a great monster. Rejecting her royal duties, Psyche spends her youth mastering blade and bow, preparing for her destiny. Tales of her beauty and rebellious nature reach even the goddess Aphrodite, who decides to teach Psyche a lesson.

Aphro­dite commands Eros, the god of desire, to deliver a cruel love curse. After eons watching humanity misuse his gifts, the last thing Eros wants is to become involved in the chaos of the mortal world. But when he accidentally pricks himself with the arrow intended for Psyche, Eros finds himself doomed to yearn for a woman who will be torn from him the moment their eyes meet.

Thrown together by fate, headstrong Psyche and world-weary Eros will face challenges greater than they could have ever imagined. As the Trojan War begins and divine powers try to keep them apart, the pair must determine: could this be true love, or is that only a myth?

A joyous and subversive tale of gods, monsters, and the human heart and soul, Psyche and Eros dazzles the senses while exploring notions of trust, sacrifice, and what it truly means to be a hero. With unforgettably vivid characters, spellbinding prose, and delicious tension, Luna McNamara has crafted a shimmering and propulsive debut novel about a love so strong it defies the will of Olympus.

I received a copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads giveaway program. This is my honest review. 

I went through a mythology retelling obsession phase about a year ago, so I was so excited when I won this book. By the time it arrived, I was on the tail-end of that phase however, so I didn't read it right away. That's probably for the best because it meant I wasn't burnt out on retellings when I did pick it up. 

The story was told in alternating POVs between Psyche and Eros and the differences in their personalities really shone through. We also got to see both characters through an extended period of their respective lives, and that was really cool because I felt like I really knew both of them. Since I knew where the story was ultimately heading, diving deeply into the characters' origins was great. 

This book renewed my interest in mythology retellings after the burn out, but also reminded me to space them out some. Overall I give Psyche and Eros 4.1783 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

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Luna McNamara is a social worker by day, and by night she writes about historical women and forgotten gods.

Luna holds a master’s degree from Harvard University in the study of women and gender in world religions; she has also studied ancient Greek language and philosophy. She lives in Boston with her faithful lop rabbit, Leo.

Her first novel, Psyche & Eros, will be released May 25th 2023 by Orion Books in the UK and June 13th by HarperCollins in the US.