She serves a divine purpose. He wants to challenge a deity. Together, they could reshape destiny... Ariadne is willing to do anything for her people. Commanded to sacrifice any husband she takes to her goddess, the Priestess of Artemis respects the power and duty she's been entrusted with. But when a man claiming to be the son of Zeus gives her illicit pleasure unlike any she's ever known, she begins to imagine a different future.
Dionysus wasn't planning to fall in love. Venturing to Crete to seduce the leader of Artemis's temple in revenge for denying his divinity, the new god of wine is enraptured by the strong-willed young mortal and uses trickery to win her as his bride. But his defiance quickly turns to despair when the furious goddess orders him to leave for three years, lest she kill his wife in childbirth.
With no memories of her marriage, Ariadne struggles with her mistress' decree to help Athenian tributes escape the Minotaur's labyrinth despite the danger to her own family. And even as Dionysus spreads his cult of winemaking and bacchanalia as far as India, he longs to return to his beloved.
Will this separated pair succumb to immortal plans, or can they find the joy they desperately seek?
With a deft pen and a modern sensibility, Zenobia Neil reimagines a classical myth for a contemporary audience. Sensual and sweeping, this boldly feminist retelling of the story of Ariadne and Dionysus will leave readers breathless and enchanted.
Ariadne Unraveled is a captivating historical romance. If you like powerful characters, lush mythic settings, and plenty of steam, then you'll adore Zenobia Neil's enthralling epic.
A fresh, exciting take on familiar myths. Zenobia Neil brings familiar figures to life and gives them real agency and depth on the page. Ariadne Unraveled is a must-read for anyone who loves myth-based fiction... and appreciates a little spice.
-Libbie Hawker Author of DAUGHTER OF SAND AND STONE: A NOVEL OF EMPRESS ZENOBIA ARIADNE UNRAVELED is one of the best retellings of an ancient Greek myth I've read, and if you aren't already in love with Dionysus, you will be. Neil's sweeping prose takes readers back to ancient Greece, where Ariadne proves to be one of the most fascinating characters in mythology. An absolutely fantastic read!
-Michelle Moran, USA Today Bestselling Author of CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER