while this dark romantasy left me with so many questions and minimal answers, I still thought it was a compelling read! thankfully, this is only book 1, so I'm praying to all the gods that this is just a teaser of what's to come! the world that the author has built is one filled with both gods and their semi divine offspring, referred to as Mortal Gods, who rule over the humans, treating them like little more than playthings for their entertainment. the Divine are ruthless and unfeeling, caring only about their desires and maintaining power through fear and worship alike.

in this story, we follow Kiera, a lethal assassin in the service of the Underworld, an elite guild of the deadliest mortals who are wielded like a weapon for the gain of others. ripped away from her father as a child, she's lived her life bound to the woman who purchased and guided her, given a long leash to do as she pleases when not on a mission, but still at the beck and call of another. I love her tenacity, her intense sense of right and wrong in the face of such a harsh life, her boldness, her willpower. I'm a Kiera STAN. our gal doesn't take things lying down or without a fight. and she's got a secret, one that she's been guarding her whole life. she is a Mortal God. unclaimed by her God parent, hidden by the Underworld and her Mistress instead of sent off to the Mortal God Academy to join the ranks of the divine like a good soldier.

but when the opportunity to complete a hit for an incredible sum, a sum so large that it would pay off her contract and release from the debt she's been forced into, she can't turn down the offer. even if it puts her in the line of fire of the Mortal Gods and Divinities that she's been trying her whole life to avoid. so she goes undercover, infiltrates the MGA as a servant or "Terra" to the students, and awaits further instruction from her contacts. she does her best to treat this like any other job, despite the risks she's undertaking. little does she know, that's impossible. this isn't any other job. the stakes are so much higher, and the three Mortal God brothers that she's responsible for serving are unlike any she's encountered before.

the Darkhaven brothers are the cream of the crop at the MGA. dangerous, calculating, deadly. these three have been honed into unstoppable and unforgiving weapons, much like Kiera, with one exception. they have little regard for humanity. they've been elevated as superior, even amongst their own kind for their power, and it's made them even more ruthless than most. but Ruen, Theos, and Kallix finally meet their new Terra, they're intrigued. unlike most mortals, she doesn't cower in their presence. she challenges them. she surprises them. their curious about this mysterious new human that doesn't simply fawn at their feet, but keeps them on their toes. I looooved their banter. and while, I initially saw this advertised as 'Why Choose' romance (IT'S NOT!!!), I still loved seeing Kiera interact with each of them & am hoping for the delicious tension that's been built with all three to erupt in the next book!

this left me with soooo many questions that I'm literally aching for answerings!!!! who is Keira's god parent? what are her powers? we see snippets of this throughout, with her familiars and her abilities of persuasion. but I have the sense that there's sooo much more that she's been holding close the chest. she's spent her life keeping her Divinity hidden & I want our girl to LET LOOSE. that sentiment goes for our three broody & hot brothers. I just want a little more out of their development as the story goes! this ends on such a precipice and has so much potential for the story to grow. who is the hit that Kiera is here for? what does the Darkhaven brother's father have planned for them? what do the gods have planned for their army of children? so many possibilities!

Thank you to Lucinda Dark and Literally Yours for providing an ARC of this book.