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7th Circle by Tate James
Series: Hades #1
Publication date: January 8th, 2021
Pages: 299
Synopsis:
Five years ago, I masterminded the infamous massacre of the Tri-state Timberwolves.
The streets outside the Wolves HQ ran red with the blood of the old guard, and not one of those members loyal to my father were spared mercy. Not a single one.
I let the media twist and distort the story. My new recruits eagerly proved themselves in spreading false news, in covering our tracks. To the general public, the Tri-state Timberwolves were extinct.
But that couldn't have been further from the truth. We changed, we grew, we evolved and came out stronger than ever. Now, I live, eat, sleep and breathe Timberwolves. I'll do anything to keep my empire safe and thriving. To keep the people depending on me safe.
So what do I do when it's my own weakness that places us all in danger? When I let sex cloud my judgment, and my people pay the price?
Simple. Kill the distractions.
I'm called Hades for a reason, after all.
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Review:
After reading the four books in the Madison Kate series (reviews to come) and being delivered a cliffhanger at the end of the series over who Hades actually was, I had to read her series. Hades had always struck me as a very masculine role so I was severely surprised when Hades turned out to be a woman (I would announce spoilers but you can kind of gather that from the synopsis of the book). So, eager to continue my excursion into the Madison Kate universe, I dove between the pages of Hades' story.
Hades is equally respected and feared by all who know her and even those who just know her by reputation alone. She is very initiative and not one to flinch when her hands get a little dirty. But she had secrets. She has a past that she had hoped died within the ruins of her usurping of the Timberwolves from her father's clutches. Now someone is back and shining a light on the questionable death of her ex-fiancé and threatening the lives of both herself and the people she loves. Hades needs to protect her young sister, her Timberwolves, and the three men who are quickly becoming the most important people in her life: a barely legal stripper, the head of the Reapers gang, and her second in command. Between the turmutuous waters of her love life, the threats to her life, and the chance of loose ends becoming untied, Hades will be lucky to if her body and heart make it out in one piece.
When I read the Madison Kate series I thought she was the toughest, no-nonsense character I had read about in a long time. Enter Hades. She has grown ass gangsters quivering in their combat boots. A lift of a brow is enough to make a grown man piss himself with fright... that's a bad ass chick. I loved that Hades is completely oblivious to everything going within her love life and just accepts that nobody truly wants her for anything more than bragging rights that they bedded the infamous Hades. Her three potential love interests all have varying degrees of expressing their desire for her.
Lucas expresses it with no worry of rejection or attempts to adopt a cool demeanor. He wears his heart on his sleeve and has not wavered on expressing just how much he desires Hades. Yes, he does come off a bit naïve but maybe that's what is so appealing to Hades. He's a breath of fresh air; an innocence not often found in her world.
Zed is torn between duty and affection for Hades. She is so blind to his feelings for her that she dismisses any sign of it he exhibits because reconciling within herself that he desires her is too farfetched to believe. Couple that with the fact that she is probably worried that any kind of relationship could potentially muddy the waters of their working interactions and it's not a wonder that Hades lives in denial.
Cass took a very Archer role in trying to shove Hades away and insult her at every turn to avoid coming to terms with any attraction he may have for her. He is a gruff and grumpy dude who is more afraid of admitting to his feelings over any amount of murder and maiming. He is a very fickle guy and it's hard to pinpoint how exactly he feels for Hades outside of the obvious lust.
The character development was stellar but where Madison Kate's reverse harem worked because all the dudes were super close, I don't know if I can see how this one could work out. None of the guys really know or like each other, let alone have any close bond that would make sharing alright for them. I am anxious to see how the author is going to make this work as easily as she did with Madison Kate.
7th Circle is the beginning of a spin-off that will have you just as flustered over the badass female protagonist as her three hot love interests.
