Tuesday Reviews: Tender Cruelty by Katee Robert

I was his wife. His lover. His sworn enemy. The ice queen to Olympus's most hated king.

*A scorchingly hot modern retelling of Hera and Zeus.*

The barrier that's protected Olympus for generations has fallen. The enemy's breached the gates and the Thirteen are scrambling to protect themselves, their loved ones, and the city they've sworn to protect. At least they would be if they weren't at each others' throats instead.

Hera has no intention of letting her husband, Zeus, survive the oncoming storm. But despite the white-hot hatred burning between them, when Hera and Zeus are forced to work together, enmity crystalizes into something brighter. Hotter. Too powerful to deny or destroy.

Hera never bartered on falling in love with the man she married—the man she once swore to kill. But now, standing back-to-back in the ruins of Olympus, she may be forced to admit that she's been wrong about Zeus all these years…and there may be something about their marriage worth saving if they can survive long enough to turn sworn enemies into something more.

Tender Cruelty is the explosive ninth installment in Katee Robert’s Dark Olympus series, and it absolutely delivers on the long-awaited enemies-to-lovers tension between Zeus and Hera. After years of anticipation, their story finally takes center stage, and it is full of fire, sharp dialogue, and slow-burn emotion.

This is true enemies to lovers—there are assassination attempts, deep-seated grudges, and undeniable attraction simmering just beneath the surface. Hera is fierce, proud, and unyielding, while Zeus is powerful, controlled, and surprisingly vulnerable when it comes to her. Watching them clash and slowly begin to trust each other again is one of the most satisfying arcs in the entire series.

The pacing is quick and intense, focusing on power struggles, emotional tension, and the unraveling of long-held secrets. The world of Olympus feels richer and more layered here, as all the political machinations and alliances from previous books finally start to converge. The plot is packed with intrigue, revenge, and a surprising amount of tenderness amid the chaos.

My only real wish was for the story to be longer. After so much buildup over the series, Zeus and Hera deserved just a bit more space to explore their relationship beyond the constant turmoil. Still, their connection feels earned and incredibly human beneath all the power and danger.

Tender Cruelty is sharp, sexy, and full of heart. It bridges the gap to the series finale beautifully while giving fans the enemies-to-lovers payoff they’ve been waiting for.