Book Chat - Gentlest of Wild Things by Sarah Underwood in conversation with Barbie Robinson

A fantasy romance inspired by Greek mythology and the tale of Eros and Psyche.

On the island of Zakynthos, nothing is more powerful than Desire—love itself, bottled and sold to the highest bidder by Leandros, a power-hungry descendent of the god Eros.

Eirene and her beloved twin sister, Phoebe, have always managed to escape Desire’s thrall. Until Leandros’ wife dies mysteriously and he sets his sights on Phoebe. Determined to keep her sister safe, Eirene strikes a bargain with Leandros: if she can complete the four elaborate tasks he sets her, he will find another bride. But it soon becomes clear that the tasks are part of something bigger; something related to Desire and Lamia, the strange, neglected daughter Leandros keeps locked away.

Lamia knows her father hides her for her own protection, though as she and Eirene grow closer, she finds herself longing for the outside world. But the price of freedom is high, and with something deadly—something hungry—stalkingthe night, that price must be paid in blood...

Sarah Underwood grew up in Devon, England. A data scientist by training, she obtained her MEng in Computational Bioengineering at Imperial College, London and her MPhil in Population Health Sciences at the University of Cambridge. She now works in the Big Data Institute at the University of Oxford. 

Her first novel, Lies We Sing to the Sea, became an instant New York Times, indie, and international bestseller. Her second novel, Gentlest of Wild Things, which is a Young Adult fantasy inspired by the myth of Eros and Psyche (with a sapphic, vampiric twist) will be released on 4 September 2024.