Let's be real for a second. If you grew up during the Disney Renaissance, you probably spent a significant amount of time wondering why Jafar was kind of... alluring? Or maybe why Megara seemed like the only person in Olympus with a personality. You weren't alone. Katee Robert took those subconscious childhood "villain crushes" and turned them into a seven-book contemporary romance powerhouse known as the Wicked Villains series.
This isn't your toddler's bedtime story. Honestly, it’s about as far from a G-rating as you can get.
The series is set in the gritty, neon-soaked streets of Carver City—a place where magic doesn't exist, but power certainly does. Instead of magic lamps and enchanted roses, we get boardrooms, BDSM clubs, and territory wars. Basically, Robert took the DNA of these classic characters and transplanted them into a world where they can finally be as "bad" as they want to be.
The Carver City Underworld Explained
You can't talk about Katee Robert Wicked Villains without talking about The Underworld. No, not the Greek one with the three-headed dog. In this universe, The Underworld is a high-end, exclusive kink club run by Hades. It serves as the connective tissue for the entire series. It’s where deals are brokered and where characters like Tink, Jasmine, and Belle realize they might actually enjoy being tied up.
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Here is the thing about the reading order: you don’t strictly have to read them in sequence, but you probably should. The politics of Carver City evolve, and characters who lead one book often pop up as side characters in the next.
- Desperate Measures: Jafar and Jasmine. This one is a power struggle. Jafar seizes Jasmine's father’s empire and offers her a choice: walk away with nothing or stay and submit. It’s a "Daddy" kink book, so if that’s not your vibe, maybe skip to the next.
- Learn My Lesson: Hades, Meg, and Hercules. This is a MMF triad. It’s messy, emotional, and deals with some heavy baggage regarding Hades’s reputation.
- A Worthy Opponent: Hook and Tink. Tink is a plus-size stylist with a "brat" streak, and Hook is the only one who can handle her.
- The Beast: Gaeton, Beast, and Isabelle. A MFM polyamorous retelling of Beauty and the Beast that focuses heavily on trust.
- The Sea Witch: Ursa, Alaric, and Zurielle. If you’ve ever wanted to see Ursula as a high-powered criminal mastermind, this is it.
- Queen Takes Rose: Malone (Maleficent) and Aurora. A dark, sapphic (FF) romance that flips the "Ice Queen" trope on its head.
- Wicked Villain Shorts: A collection of updates and "happily ever after" snippets for all the couples.
Why Does This Series Still Hit So Hard?
People usually come for the "spicy Disney" hook, but they stay because Katee Robert actually writes people well. These aren't just caricatures.
Take Jasmine in Desperate Measures. In the original movie, she’s a princess who wants to see the world. In Robert's version, she’s a woman who has been "caged" by her father’s mob-like control her whole life. Jafar isn’t just a creep with a staff; he’s the one who offers her the autonomy she’s never had, even if that autonomy comes through the lens of a kinky contract.
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It’s about agency.
Most of these stories revolve around the "heroines" realizing that the "villains" are the only ones who actually see them for who they are. It’s a bit of a middle finger to the traditional "prince" archetype. In this world, the princes are usually the villains (looking at you, Ali and Zeus).
Is it Connected to Dark Olympus?
This is a common point of confusion for fans. Katee Robert's other massive series, Dark Olympus (starting with Neon Gods), also features a Hades and a Meg.
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Are they the same? No. Think of it as a multiverse situation. The Hades in Wicked Villains is actually the father of the Hades in Dark Olympus. Robert has confirmed this in her own newsletters and short stories. Carver City and Olympus exist in the same world, but they operate under different "rules." Wicked Villains is much more focused on the kink/BDSM elements, while Dark Olympus leans harder into political intrigue and "mythic" drama.
Navigating the Content Warnings
Let's get serious for a second. These books are dark. They deal with themes of power exchange, dub-con (dubious consent) in some earlier entries, and heavy BDSM.
Honestly, check the trigger warnings on Robert’s website before you dive in. Desperate Measures in particular can be polarizing because of the "Daddy" dynamic and the intensity of the power imbalance. If you prefer your romance a bit more balanced, The Beast or Queen Takes Rose might be a better entry point for you.
Actionable Next Steps for Readers
If you're ready to start your Carver City journey, don't just grab the first book and hope for the best.
- Start with Desperate Measures if you love "Enemy to Lovers" and power exchange. It sets the foundation for the city's hierarchy.
- Sign up for Katee Robert’s newsletter. She often drops "Bonus Scenes" that aren't in the main books, including a crossover where the two different versions of Hades actually meet.
- Check out the Wicked Villains Boxset. It’s often cheaper than buying them individually, and it includes the first few books which are essential for understanding the layout of the club and the rivalries between characters like Hook and Peter.
- Look for the Special Editions. There are some truly gorgeous "discreet cover" versions out there if you don't want a shirtless man or a neon snake staring at you from your bookshelf.
Carver City isn't a place you go for a moral lesson. You go there because you want to see the "bad guy" win for once, and because the chemistry between these reimagined icons is, quite frankly, electric. If you've ever felt like the villains were more interesting than the heroes, you've found your new favorite series.