The other half of this relationship is centered on Cassandra. Don’t get me wrong-I love a brooding hero, but I can’t deny that Apollo was a breath of fresh air. That ability to swing between roles isn’t always easy, but Apollo does it effortlessly. He’s a practiced dominant, as good at aftercare as he is at commanding a sub to serve his needs. He longs to care for Cassandra, to show her that he can be gentle with her heart-but don’t mistake him for a pushover. As a member of the Thirteen, he’s probably done the unforgiveable on occasion, but his hands are cleaner than most. It’s served him well so far, but you also can’t deny that it’s a weakness in the eyes of those in the inner circle. Sure, he’s the spymaster, which means he deals in secrets and knows how to manipulate people, but he might be a little too honest to do that role justice. The Thirteen certainly have a reputation for ruthlessness, but all things considered, Apollo might be the best of them. Aside from that, you can also expect to see the “there’s only one bed trope,” a smattering of “good girl” praise, and a perfectly soft dom who knows how to straddle that line between firm and affectionate.

It should come as no surprise that this book features a grumpy X sunshine dynamic between Apollo (obviously the sunshine) and Cassandra (a perfect grumpy heroine), but it also has a little bit of a forbidden romance (Apollo is Cassandra’s boss) and a fake dating scenario. Related: ‘Wicked Beauty’ by Katee Robert: The story Helen deserved all along

I’ve loved them all so far, for vastly different reasons, but this one hit on so many of my favorites tropes and dynamics that I’d be lying to myself if I said it wasn’t right there at the top.

Truth be told, Radiant Sin might actually be my favorite book in the series. Of course, calling it the hottest one yet is highly subjective, but I couldn’t help a reference to the sun god himself. This Radiant Sin book review is a spoiler-free look at the fourth book in the Dark Olympus series-and it might be the hottest one yet.

Only time will tell book summary