This was a fun, charming read full of vivid scenery and dynamic characters. The time period only made it more interesting and fun to read. Hannah Fielding truly makes you feel as if you’re experiencing the good, companionship, and scenery that make up the story. I’m definitely planning to read more of Fielding’s work

Oriel is an English archaeologist and goes to Greece to work. Oriel’s special interest is Greek history and she specializes in underwater archaeology. She jumps at the chance to work on an ancient roman Galley shipwreck as it’s her dream job and opportunity of a lifetime. She had a one night stand along time ago and Damien was the man who when she woke up he was gone and she didn’t even know his name and that hurt Oriel. Six years later Damian saw her picture on the application for the diving job and knew he had to hire her. She so the best qualified for the job. Oriel is offered the diving expedition as senior archaeologist but isn’t as excited when she sees who is the head of the expedition. He still continues to affect her like he did that one fantastic night long ago that she never forgot . but neither had Damian. Damien owns and rules his island Helios. . He is also an archaeologist and is heading this project and therefore Oriel’s boss. Oriel makes it clear they were only to have a professional relationship. Damian is going to try to change Orioles mind. Damien narrates Greek myths and legends. Damian has had a lot of grief and mystery in his life like his brothers death in suspicious circumstances. He also has a beautiful but disabled unhinged cousin Helena who is in a wheelchair and who wants Damian with no one.
I really enjoyed this book. I felt like I was there with Damian and Oriel. I really liked how the author added at the end of the book what is factual and based on facts and what was not. I feel this was well written but I did think this could have been a little shorter. I didn’t want to put this down. I really enjoyed the mystery, and intrigue. Damian and Oriel did have hot chemistry. But there was some repetitive things on this book. I loved how Oriel stood up for herself. I really liked the plot. There are: ancient festivals, hot chemistry, a long ago one night stand, mystery, intrigue, a dead brother, a dead wife, a handicapped jealous cousin, a sunken ship, treasure, smuggling , even a volcano, sexual tension, and so much more in this book. I loved the characters and the twists and turns of this book and I recommend it.

The romance is delicious, full of longing and scorching tension that will keep you reading past your bedtime!

Hannah has created a vivid world full of greek wonder. It was so obvious how much the author loves the country from her heartfelt descriptions and it felt like the whole book was a praise to the country. The scenery is to die for, the food is the definition of food porn and the wine makes you want to drink a bottle in one sitting. She has seriously created a realistic environment full of historical holiday feels, and by the end of the book, I was looking at seaside holidays to Greece!

The blurb is pretty self-explanatory, it's not short and sweet that gives nothing away- you pretty much get what you read on the back. So I'm not going to narrow the story down for you when the author has already done the job in her own words.

But I am going to pick a bone that's been the reason for me skim reading 60% of the book, and that is how INCREDIBLY slow it is, and how much story there is. I have never taken so long to read an E-book, maximum around a week but this book has taken me months! Don't get me wrong I LOVE big books, but fantasy is a whole other world, and you can write so much diversity for each chapter. But for this book, it was all the same thing.

Chapter 8: Wine, food, scenery, sexual tension, brief encounter with Mr Sexy, going to her room for bed, weird dream
Chapter 10: Wine, food, scenery, sexual tension, brief encounter with Mr Sexy, going to her room to bed, weird dream
Chapter 20: Wine, food, scenery, sexual tension, brief encounter with Mr Sexy, going to her room to bed, weird dream

And can I ask, do chapters even exist in this book? I'm pretty sure the whole book is made up of like 4 chapters.

Its a summer read for sure, and if your a sucker for a long romance full of greek culture and a hint of mythology and archaeology, then this is for you! and I so thought it was for me because I LOVE greek history and I study archaeology, but it's just an extra touch to the story to make it interesting and give it a story and something to write about other than the romance between the main characters.

It could've been for me, there is so much potential that im beyond disappointed it wasn't executed right.

But it was an interesting experience and something different from what I normally pick up *sighs*

~~Reviewed by AnnMarie~~

Oriel Anderson is an archaeologist specialising in underwater archaeology. When she sees a job opening in Greece where she would be working on an ancient shipwreck she jumps at the chance. This was to be her dream job, the opportunity of a lifetime.

Damian Theodorakis is the owner of the island that Oriel will be working from. He is gorgeous, he looks like a Greek God, and to Oriel’s immense shock he is also the man that she had had one night of the most intense, sensual, amazing sex with. A man who was gone the next morning and whom she had never learned the name of. She had never forgotten him, or that amazing night. Damian hadn’t forgotten her or it either. Six years later when he saw her photo on the applications for the diving job he immediately knew that he had to hire her. Thankfully she was the best qualified for the job too.

Straight away Oriel made sure that Damian realised that they would only have a professional relationship and that the past should be kept in the past. He hurt her when he just left before she even woke up all those years ago. Damian agrees to her stipulations but knows he is going to try his best to convince her to be more than just working acquaintances.

That particular part of the story could easily have been enough to fill a book, but Aphrodite’s Tears is so much more than just a romance, albeit a fabulously sensual, passionate, sigh-worthy one. There was also the archaeology that was fascinating, seeing what was discovered and learning the history of it and how it was linked to other areas mentioned in the story. There was a lot of history to be learned about Greece when Oriel and Damian were sightseeing, and there were ancient festivals that they took part in which were so delightful to read about. There is so much mythology to Greece and the author shared some of it in this book.

Add to that Damian’s mentally disturbed selfish sister, his murdered wife and brother, smuggling, and a looming volcano and you have one absolutely fabulous book. I would have liked to have read more about the archaeology side of things, but the book already could have been easily split into two parts as it was, so I can’t complain that the author had to keep certain parts of the story curtailed. Another thing that I really enjoyed was the author’s notes at the end of the book where we are told just what parts of the book were factual or based on fact, and which weren’t. I was amazed at just how much was factual! It may have taken a while to read this book but it was well worth every minute.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

From a thorn a rose emerges, and from a rose a thorn, we say in Greece.


Thanks to NetGalley for the advance review copy!

I was excited to start this book, the cover is absolutely stunning, and that description alone had me longing for a holiday on a Greek island. The plot itself reminded me of a mix of Victoria Holt with that hidden treasure movie with divers starring Jessica Alba and Paul Walker (blast from the past).

The book itself is told in rich, beautiful prose that will leave your mouth watering at the descriptions of yummy food, beautiful fashion and the extraordinary surroundings Oriel finds herself in. I adored reading about Greece in this beautifully descriptive writing style. The author really knows how to do justice to the islands, the beaches and the architectural style of the buildings. She made me want to go there and see it all in person – completely in love with her writing style, and that is enough to make me want to pick up more of Hannah Fielding’s books.

I absolutely can’t wait to pick up another of Fielding’s books, and in the Q&A section of the book, I saw that she grew up in Egypt… I am SO hoping she writes a book set there next! I would love to see her handle the pyramids and Egyptian mythology. I will be picking up a new book by her very soon.

Would recommend for: fans of Victoria Holt/Philippa Carr/Eleanor Hibbert as well as Audrey Howard! If you love historical romance with rich storytelling this could be your new favorite!

First of all, is that not one of the most eye catching covers you've ever seen? It is for me. *sigh* I love it.

This is one of those love stories for the ages you're always hearing about. Do not start this book unless you have time to get fully engrossed. I'm talking a whole day, fuzzy slippers, cup of tea, comfy blanket, tissues ready. That kind of book.

This story is full of vivid descriptions that make you feel as though you're really there, experiencing this story. (Also, now I want Greek food!) Fielding's writing is very detail oriented. Nothing is overlooked. Her writing is exceptional. The character development is great. The emotions just bleed through. This is a true epic love story.

Dark secrets under hot, breathless skies!

How much more can happen in one novel. Lost opportunities and lost dreams are bundled into this lengthy novel that leaves one exhausted.
Although I must admit the detail in the food descriptions are mouthwatering and left me scrabbling through my Greek Cookery books (Yes! I read novels on my kindle, but cookery and art books are definitely a hardcopy essential).
The archeological descriptions are crazy wonderful and inspire me to visit the Greek Islands.
The mythological stories inculcate the secrets of the past, sometimes romantic, at other times tragic, all underlined by the cruelty of the gods.
Mystery abounds about the major players.
There's torturous romance, torrid at times, twisted at others, sensitive and self absorbed.
All the key aspects for an exciting novel are there, and yes I kept on until the end. I felt the sunlight and the dark corners... and yet I felt I was watching a movie length production of The Bold and the Beautiful.
If you want a saga this is it!

A NetGalley ARC

This was a long read. I felt like it dragged on a bit in some parts, but the story was very interesting, suspenseful, mysterious and intriguing so I powered through. At times it was a bit difficult to connect to the main character.
Oriel and Damian were both a bit reluctant to admit their attraction to each other but their chemistry was strong.
*ARC graciously provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

This took me a while to read. It was long, but it was like a strong whiskey. Small sips at a time.

The story follows Oriel Anderson who randomly met a hot guy. They had a one night stand and she didn't see him again until years later. She is a big ol' archeologist and Damian the head of his family and a leader of his small island. Drama, love, hate, weirdness, passion, rumors, and treasure.

This certainly did have the feeling of a Greek tragedy and I liked it. I enjoyed Oriel's story. I felt so bad for her. I did feel bad for Damian too, but he annoyed me sometimes. I liked him, but he annoyed me at the same time. My feelings are complex and it is fitting.

The cousin was a crazy one and I just wanted her to go away. I get why she isn't all there in the head, but my goodness.

I did really enjoy the story, but I feel like it was too long. A little snipping would've been okay. Or maybe two books?

I am always in awe of the author's writing. She is so good.

But yes, overall, this was fun and I was not sure what was going to happen next. I had my doubts if Oriel and Damian could fix all their issues. I don't think I would've forgiven him myself...but I guess love and all.

In the end, this certainly was a modern Greek tragedy with some interesting characters. A little long for my liking, but worth the read. I'll give this 4 stars.

Fielding was a new author to me and I really enjoyed the book. It took me a little bit to get into but once I did, I was completely emerged. It was a fun and romantic read!

I simply couldn't get into this author's style of writing, nor did I connect with the main character. I also found the use of Greek words distracting in the text. While I understand their use, I personally did not care for it. Finding myself skimming the long-winded descriptions and rather bland plot, I stopped reading at about 10%. Based on this novel, I would not pick up another title by the author.

Another stunning romance from Hannah Fielding. A wonderful story to warm you up when the weather outside is freezing cold. I think I have read all this authors books now and have enjoyed every single one. Hopefully it won't be long before there is another one.

"Aphrodite's Tears" tells the love story of Oriel and Damian. He is the owner of the (fictional) island of Helios, where there are many archaeologically interesting sites, and she was hired by him to investigate a potentially sensational wreck together with a team. Oriel would like their relationship to stay strictly professional, but she and Damian spent a night together a few years ago and the chemistry between them is still very strong, even if she does not necessarily want it to be.

As in the "Andalucían Nights" series, the author's writing style is again appealing, and her descriptions of the landscape are truly visually stunning. Because of that, it was very easy to imagine being in Greece with the characters and examining the shipwreck or other architecturally important sites with them. The story takes place in the 1970s on a small island that is dominated by agriculture and fishing and this becomes obvious because of the mentality that many of the Greek men share; for our times, it seems to be a little backwards, especially in relation to the place of women in society. This portrayal is probably authentic and as Oriel, who is English and used to more freedoms, is often discussing this very topic and gets treated respectfully most of the time, it didn't bother me too much. I really liked the insights into Greek culture and, above all, the prominent role of mythology; no gods or mythical creatures appear, but there are some parallels to the narratives in the plot, and the beliefs in the old gods still seem to be present. Since I am very interested in Greek mythology, I found this aspect fascinating.

The main characters were both likeable, although Damian's motivations remain a mystery for a long time since the reader only gets small glimpses into his mind. I also liked the love story itself. From the very beginning it is obvious that the protagonists share a strong connection and that they are drawn to each other beyond the physical attraction. I liked the fact that Oriel doubted whether feelings that developed so fast could be real and that she was unsure about the apparent depth of their relationship because it made the romance more realistic for me. In addition, they also spend a lot of time together outside of their shared work, so it's safe to say that they got to know each other well and that they built a lot of trust regardless of the short amount of time they knew each other. Therefore, the close bond between them was believable to me.

The obstacles that came in their way were logical and did not seem to be constructed, though I have to say that there were a few problems too many, even if each one was consistent with the characters and their situation. Above all, I understood Oriel's insecurity about his personality and his relations with other women, since they have objectively only gotten to know each other recently. It is therefore understandable that she can be influenced by the words of others. The misunderstandings were well written and I liked that it was addressed when one of them behaved badly or in a particularly negative way, as such behaviour is overlooked in some books.

All in all, I liked "Aphrodite's Tears" a lot. The author tells a beautiful, atmospherical love story and I particularly liked how cleverly she integrated Greek mythology into her plot.

Addicting & intriguing, this novel will stay with me for a long time.. The author has a new fan in me!

I thought this was a cracking read; imagine the stories of Mary Stewart updated to the late 1970s and crossed with Mills & Boon!

Oriel Anderson is an underwater archaeologist. The story begins with a description of what happened to her one night on a beach in the Greek islands. The action then moves on 6 years, with Oriel applying for a job on the island of Helios. The characters are well described and the air of mystery, secrets and unease comes across very vividly. As other reviewers have remarked, the description of the places and the food are incredibly detailed. I haven’t been to Greece, but with this writer, I could certainly imagine it very clearly.

This review has also been posted on my Goodreads page.

There are plenty of twists and turns in the plot that keep you wondering about how it will end. It’s also a decent sized story that was longer than iI anticipated - this added to my impression that it was a real quality piece of escapism.

I was tempted to read this book because of its title ' Aphrodite's Tears' and believe me, I am overjoyed that I chose this book to read. It took me on an archaelogical adventure of the Greek ruins and one topic that I enjoy reading is about Greek gods and their legends. This book gives you a fair share of these. The romance going between the Main Characters, Oriel, the Archaelogist and Damien Lekka, the owner of the island Heliuos was also full of ups and downs. Overall I found this book very fresh, full of interesting facts and hot romance and also with a novel experience of sea-diving. Please do read it to fully enjoy it.

I received an ARC copy from netgalley for my honest review,  so thank you netgalley and publishers for offering me this book! ♡
I'm not sure how I feel about this book, it sounded so amazing but I dont feel like it lived up to my expectations. I feel like the best part of this book was the descriptions of Greece and the greek peoples way of life. From the amazing scenery to the food. I felt like I was there in the story too ♡ The characters themselves were typical and predictable like most romances are. The story was easy to predict and honestly became more of a chore to finish this book the longer it went on.
I give this book a 2.5 star rating!

I so enjoyed Aphrodite's Tears. It was entertaining and I couldn't put the story down.

The story is set in the 1970-ties on a Greek Island. The book is freshly written but oozes the style of the old fashioned romance novels written in that era. Apart from one thing: here the main characters sleep with each other or pleasure each other manually and in the yellowed paperbacks I inherited the lights just faded. Still the "I can only sleep with the man who loves me, can I?" idea is still prevailing here. And because at the beginning of the story she looses her virginity exactly with that guy I was wondering why having a good time with him later on is seemingly so complicated. Not that I am so morally loose that I would say jump in the sack with every juicy dish you see but this Oriel was annoying. Even her love interest voices it at a certain time by stating she has to make up her mind as he is not interested in a woman who pushes him away all the time and then just uses him in bed to push him away again.

This girl was so annoying there was only one reason I finished the book: the gorgeous setting. I am sure the writer had a great time once visiting the Greek Isles on a holiday. National holidays,customs, landscapes and sites are lovingly depicted and with a Greek neighbour that kept me reading. In the story Oriel, in the seventies still the rare female senior archaeologist, goes to Helios to work at the site of an archaeological wreck.

At the end the book picks up speed when the mysteries around deaths in the past are solved.

All in all I think the book has potential but could do with a bit of weeding in the middle section of the romantic developments.

There is a lot going on in this novel to enjoy and the historical angle was really interesting. Sunken treasure and lost cities? Well that had me very alert. There was a lot of sensual encounters as with her other books and I admit I skipped over these as I was much more interested in the boats! Not sure what that says about me, but let's just say Oriel is a fast worker and I was amused rather than interested in her romantic entanglements. The mystery of the sunken treasure is very unique and even the author note had me googling and looking things up to explore more!

Oriel gets involved and immersed in her own story very quickly and the romantic entanglements are fraught with danger and intrigue. Once again, Hannah Fielding brings her characters and immerses them into some of the most fascinating locations in fiction. This story for me has a very unique premise and the mystery was nicely done.