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Cover of A Touch of Ruin

A Touch of Ruin

by Scarlett St. Clair

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️steamy·Hades x Persephone #2·Ongoing Series
3.5 on MoodReads (4 ratings)3.8 on Goodreads (197,406)

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Ending

reveal ending

Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?

The sophomore entry in the Hades x Persephone saga that trades first-book butterflies for raw relationship conflict—miscommunication, grief, bargains with consequences, and the kind of makeup scenes that set BookTok on fire.

Synopsis

Persephone's relationship with Hades has gone public and the resulting media storm disrupts her normal life and threatens to expose her as the Goddess of Spring. Hades, God of the Dead, is burdened by a hellish past that everyone's eager to expose in an effort to warn Persephone away. Things only get worse when a horrible tragedy leaves Persephone's heart in ruin and Hades refusing to help. Desperate, she takes matters into her own hands, striking bargains with severe consequences. Faced with a side of Hades she never knew and crushing loss, Persephone wonders if she can truly become Hades' queen.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

Book two of Hades x Persephone trades the honeymoon phase for the part where you actually have to communicate—and Persephone and Hades are spectacularly bad at it. There's less spice than book one but the emotional stakes skyrocket: grief, public scrutiny, bargains made in desperation. The miscommunication trope runs hot here, and some readers will find it frustrating, but when things finally snap back together it hits different because you've watched them earn it. Fair warning—ends on a cliffhanger that will have you immediately buying book three.

trope onetrope twotrope threetrope four

Book Details

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

3.79 ★ (197.4k)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

417 pages

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

2020

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

Romantasy

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

M/F

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

First Person

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

Established Relationship

CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.

reveal ending

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

Yes

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

Single Narrator (unspecified)

NarratorThe voice in your ears.

Meg Sylvan

Narrator Count

Single

TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
forbidden lovefated matestouch her and die
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

angstyintenseromanticdarkemotionaldramatic

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

emotionaldramaticengagingpunchy

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

medium

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

heavy

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

medium

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

Hades and Persephone retellingforbidden desire

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

reluctant chosen onesnarky/sarcastic

MMC ArchetypeWho is he? The male main character's core identity/role. Your exact flavor of book boyfriend.

possessive alphadark/tortured soulsecretly softgod/deity

Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.

hurt/comfortpossessive love interestpush and pullobsessive love interestforbidden love

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
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Spice Level 4

Spice StyleNot just how much spice, but what kind. Emotional intimacy? Explicit but vanilla? Plot-driven heat? Know your flavor.

intense / passionate

Getting SteamyGentle kinks. Fun but nothing too crazy. The appetizer, so to speak.

possessive/protectivemine declarationstensionwall pinningjaw holding / face cuppingneck kisses / neck touching

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

possessivedominanceclaiming
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (10)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
sexual assault (referenced)suicidekidnappingdeathviolencedepressiongriefanxietymental illnessbetrayal
Browse books by content warning →

World & Setting

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World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

mythological

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

underground / underworldbig city / metropolis

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

gods/deities

RepresentationIdentity representation in the book. LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, body type, age and more.

mental health rep

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

the angst deliveredobsessedferal brain activatedaddictive read

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

anytime

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

at nightbedtimelazy Sunday

Hades x Persephone

A Touch of Darkness

#1 A Touch of Darkness

A Touch of Ruin

#2 A Touch of Ruin

A Touch of Malice

#3 A Touch of Malice

A Touch of Chaos

#4 A Touch of Chaos

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Quick Facts

Spice LevelThe heat scale. 0=wholesome, 1=kisses, 2=fade-to-black, 3=tasteful spice, 4=explicit, 5=you need a cold shower. Know thyself.🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️steamy
PagesHow long the commitment is.417
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2020
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.3.79 ★ (197.4k)
EndingEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.reveal ending

SeriesThe series this book belongs to and where it falls in the reading order.

Hades x Persephone #2
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