Ever since I read the A Court of Thorns and Roses series and The Bridge Kingdom series, I’ve been in a bit of a fantasy romance dry spell. It’s almost as if those series were so good, I couldn’t picture finding another that was nearly as good.
Then, I discovered the Hades & Persephone series and started A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair. I think it’s rekindled the fantasy romance obsession in me. (Kindle | Kobo | Paperback)
In the following article, I’ve answered a number of the most frequently asked questions about the book, as well as included a list of five books like A Touch of Darkness for you to look into reading next. (Warning: This article contains spoilers)
What Is A Touch of Darkness About?
Unlike the other gods and goddesses in New Athens, Persephone, the Goddess of Spring has never shown any magical capabilities. So, her overprotective mother, Goddess of the Harvest, has allowed Persephone to borrow some of her magic and pose as a mortal in order to go to college and work as an intern at New Athens News. The catch? Persephone must promise to stay away from all gods and goddesses. She keeps this promise until one fateful night when she meets Hades, the God of the Dead, and unknowingly strikes a deal with him. Now she must find a way to create life in the underworld - and she only has six months to do so. All the while, she must evade her mother’s watchful eye and try to make sense of her intense and complicated relationship with Hades.
Is A Touch of Darkness an Enemies-to-Lovers Romance?
Yes - A Touch of Darkness is an enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance about two fated mates.
How Long Does It Take to Read A Touch of Darkness?
According to How Long to Read, it will take the average reader approximately 5 hours and 42 minutes to read A Touch of Darkness.
Is A Touch of Darkness Part of a Series?
Yes - A Touch of Darkness is part of the Hades & Persephone series by Scarlett St. Clair which contains four books. Here is the official order to read them in:
A Touch of Darkness
A Touch of Chaos (Coming November 2023)
What Are the Spicy Chapters in A Touch of Darkness?
For quite a short book, A Touch of Darkness is unexpectedly steamy and spicy. The spicy chapters in A Touch of Darkness are chapters XVI, XVII, XVIII, XIX, XXII, XXIII, XXIV, and the bonus chapter.
Does A Touch of Darkness Have a Happy Ending?
Yes - A Touch of Darkness has a happy ending! After finding out about Hades and Aphrodite’s bet, Persephone and Hades argue. During that argument, Persephone’s magic allows her to grow vines that restrain Hades. Hades releases her from their deal and she flees. She then has a fight with her mother but when her mother tries to trap her in the greenhouse, Persephone uses her magic to destroy it. She then discovers it was Hades’ assistant, Minthe, who took the photos Adonis used to blackmail Persephone. She punishes both of them by turning Minthe into a mint plant and making a bargain with Adonis that if he touches another person without consent, his arms will turn into vines. Persephone and Hades then reunite, express their love, and Persephone accepts the title of Queen of the Underworld.
5 Books Like A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair
First off, books two to four in the Hades & Persephone series will be the most like A Touch of Darkness. However, I want to offer you five options for books like A Touch of Darkness outside of the series. Here are my top five recommendations:
1. A Game of Fate by Scarlett St. Clair
Did you know Scarlett St. Clair wrote A Touch of Darkness from Hades' perspective? It's called A Game of Fate and it's absolutely the first book if you wrapped up the Hades & Persephone series but aren't quite ready to leave it entirely just yet. As one GoodReads reviewer explained, "This is just A Touch of Darkness but told through Hades' perspective, so naturally, everything was 100x funnier and 100x less annoying. Basically, Hades spends the entire book being angsty and horny. The writing is still the same, the drama is still the same, and, of course, the smut is the same. There was, however, an additional plotline because apparently, he doesn't just simp for Persephone in his free time, and we see a lot of the other gods, too."
2. The Hades Trials by Eliza Raine
When it comes to books like A Touch of Darkness, Eliza Raine's book, The Hades Trials, is just about as close as it gets. Not only is it about Persephone and Hades, but it also takes place in the modern world, is spicy, and is the first in a multi-book series. Don't worry though, it's not a complete dupe. It's just similar. Read the description and you'll see what I mean: "I've been kidnapped and forced to compete in a series of deadly trials for the position of Queen of the Underworld. If I win, it would mean marrying Hades, the Lord of the Dead. I have to get back home though - to New York and my brother. But I can't leave without completing the trials which have been designed for a godly Queen, not me, Persephone, a barista and botanical garden enthusiast. I'm going to have to prove to all of them that there's a goddess of hell inside me; it's the only way I'll survive the Hades Trials."
3. Neon Gods by Katee Robert
This is, again, another Persephone and Hades retelling. However, unlike Persephone in A Touch of Darkness who knew Hades existed, Persephone in Neon Gods by Katee Robert doesn't - she thinks she's a myth. Here's what the book is about: "Persephone planned to flee Olympus and its backstabbing politics in order to start over. But all that changes when her mother ambushes her with an engagement to Zeus. Desperate for an out, Persephone makes a bargain with a man she once believed a myth. Hades has spent his life in the shadows and has no intention of changing that. Yet every breathless night spent tangled together has given Hades a taste for Persephone, and he’ll go to war with Olympus itself to keep her close…"
4. River of Shadows by Karina Halle
Like A Touch of Darkness, River of Shadows, is about a woman who strikes a bargain with the God of Death and has to live in the Underworld. While this will sound similar, the book is actually based on Finnish mythology, not Greek. So, that should make it an interesting next read. Here's the description: "When Hanna's father dies, she reluctantly makes the trip to Finland for his funeral. When she arrives, Hanna discovers he actually entered Tuonela, the Realm of the Dead, to barter for more life. On her quest to rescue him, she ends up getting captured by the God of Death himself and as it turns out Death is intrigued by Hanna. So, he makes a bargain with her - marry him and spend eternity in the Realm of the Dead as his wife, then he'll set her father free. But even the noblest sacrifices come with hidden costs, and Hanna's might cost her her heart."
5. A Shadow in the Ember by Jennifer L. Armentrout
A Shadow in the Ember might not be a Hades and Persephone retelling but it's definitely inspired by it and in that way like A Touch of Darkness. Swap gods and goddesses for primals, Persephone for Seraphena, and Primal of Death for God of the Dead. See what I mean? Here's what it's about: "Born shrouded in the veil of the Primals, a Maiden as the Fates promised, Seraphena's future has never been hers. Chosen before birth to uphold the desperate deal her ancestor struck to save his people, Sera must leave behind her life and offer herself to the Primal of Death as his Consort. That's not all though. She's also on a mission to make him fall in love and then end him. But the Primal of Death’s unexpected words and deeds chase away the darkness inside her and his seductive touch ignites a passion she’s never felt before."