Gentlest of Wild Things By Sarah Underwood

On the sun-drenched island of Zakynthos, Desire reigns supreme. Bottled and sold to the highest bidder by Leandros, a powerful descendant of the god Eros, this potent force controls the lives of many. Eirene and her twin sister, Phoebe, have long avoided its seductive pull, but when Leandros’s wife dies under suspicious circumstances, Phoebe becomes his next target. Desperate to protect her sister, Eirene strikes a dangerous deal with Leandros: she will undertake four perilous tasks, and in exchange, he will choose another bride.

As Eirene begins these grueling tasks, she uncovers that they are tied to something far more sinister—a plot involving Desire and Lamia, Leandros’s enigmatic, vampiric daughter, kept hidden away from the world. Lamia has lived her life isolated, told by her father that it’s for her own safety. But when she meets Eirene, a bond forms between them, sparking her yearning for freedom.

Yet something deadly stalks the island’s night, and the price of freedom might be paid in blood. As the connection between Eirene and Lamia deepens, they must navigate a treacherous web of secrets, ancient myths, and deadly machinations. Desire drives them, hunger compels them, but only love—if they can survive the trials and unravel the mysteries surrounding them—can set them free.

In this mesmerizing sapphic retelling of the Eros and Psyche myth, infused with vampiric legends of the empousa, Desire is an enthralling story of love, danger, and the price of freedom.