Ungodly Rich

Greek mythology, jealous power jockeying, and wealth porn animate the compulsively readable adult debut from bestselling YA author McGee (the American Royals series). It starts with a familiar setup: a down-to-earth woman must navigate the luxurious lifestyle and complex interpersonal politics of her soon-to-be in-laws. But here, the woman, Julia, doesn’t realize that the family she’s marrying into are the gods of Olympus. In the modern world, they operate under aliases as the powerful Ellene family, whose business empire extends into almost every market. Julia’s fiancé, Harry, is really Ares, who has been estranged from the family for three years after impulsively sleeping with his brother Hephaestus’s wife, Aphrodite. When oblivious Julia convinces him to return to the fold, she faces Aphrodite’s jealousy and Harry’s mother Hera’s suspicion as both women become convinced that there’s more to Julia than meets the eye. Meanwhile, Hades seeks to overthrow his brother, Zeus, and Hermes plays all sides. In McGee’s hands, these mythic figures are draped in couture and willing to do anything to secure their positions in the pantheon. Julia, in contrast to the scheming gods, can come across as a bit too perfect, but her sturdy, palpable love for Harry successfully grounds the novel’s excesses as the plot jets from Olympus to New York City, London, and beyond. It’s a juicy, glamorous romp. (July)