Review: A Realm of Masks and Sorrow by Payton Rose

May 30, 2026

Synopsis:

Blamed for her brother’s death, Lia is sent by her father to a remote mental facility in Greece. There, she discovers that her ability to see and communicate with lost souls connects her to a world of divine secrets, ancient prophecies, and binds her fate to the gods and goddesses of the Greek pantheon.

Haunted by her past and battling the facility’s oppressive practices, Lia discovers unexpected connections, new found love, and friendships in a place she thought would offer none. Now, haunted by the Elders, she holds the key they have searched hundreds of years for. Lia must summon strength from within to ensure the survival of both the divine and mortal realms alike, and keep the Titans from being awoken.

Review:

I’m not an expert in Greek mythology, but I am familiar with some of the gods, so the idea of giving their stories a fresh twist immediately caught my interest.

Lia’s story, especially her struggle with the loss of her brother and being blamed for it, felt very emotional. What resonated with me most was how she spent much of her life being told that something was wrong with her and that she simply needed to “get better.” Watching her realise that she isn’t broken was a meaningful and satisfying part of her journey. The idea of a hidden child of prophecy who could influence the outcome of a war was interesting, even if it didn’t feel entirely new.

However, some elements didn’t fully work for me. While I understood why the gods needed to hide, the choice of a psychic facility as their refuge didn’t feel entirely convincing. If they were trying to remain hidden, it raised the question of why they didn’t choose a less noticeable place, especially since they seemed able to move freely. I also found it difficult to understand why a certain orderly was allowed to behave the way he did, and the romance, given the setting, felt somewhat out of place.

Overall, the story had a lot of potential, but it didn’t fully deliver on it for me. At times, the pacing felt slow, and I think a tighter structure could have helped maintain the flow. I noticed myself taking breaks and occasionally having to push through, rather than feeling fully drawn into the story.
Trigger warning at the beginning would have been beneficial also.

🌙 Recension: A Realm of Masks and Sorrow (Passions of Olympus #1) by Payton Rose
📚 Genre: Dark Romantasy
📅 Release Date: May 17, 2026 (Re-release with a new cover)
📗 available in various formats – included in Kindle Unlimited
📱 Read as: Kindle
💸 I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
🗣️ Language: English
📆 Pages: 508
⭐️ 3/5