The #TFBookClub reads “Aphrodite’s Tears” by Hannah Fielding, set in the Cyclades, Greece

7th March 2018

Thank you for joining us as we read ‘Aphrodite’s Tears by Hannah Fielding, set in the Cyclades, Greece.

We hope you enjoy reading this enchanting tale, weaving romance with Greek mythology and history on the island of Helios, in the Cyclades (based on Santorini), as archaeologist Oriel Anderson investigates an ancient shipwreck.

Hannah Fielding

We will be chatting about the book throughout March and April 2018, so if you are reading it with us, please come and join the dialogue!

And look out for some other posts that will help bring the book’s destination to life.

The #TFBookClub is your book club – we are here to help you discover new titles that will transport you to interesting locations via top literature for some exceptional #literarywanderlust.

As you read, please come and chat and share your thoughts in several ways:

  • Here on our dedicated blogpost, leave your thoughts in the Comments section below
  • On FACEBOOK
  • On TWITTER using #TFBookClub
  • On INSTAGRAM using #TFBookClub
  • On PINTEREST following this link 
  • And once you’ve turned the final page, we’d love it if you could write your own review, which you can do on tripfiction.com using the Add A Review tab. Help us to build the #TFBookClub and the TripFiction website!

REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO READING THIS BOOK TOGETHER!

Andrew and Tina for the TripFiction Team

Catch Hannah on Twitter and on Facebook

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Comments

  1. User: Angela Paull

    Posted on: 13/04/2018 at 2:09 pm

    I have finally finished wading through this and pretty much agree with everyone else – it’s waaaaay too long.
    Romance novels are not my favourite genre if I’m honest – just too formulaic and you can generally predict the ending from page 1 – and at 550 pages this really was, at times, a boring and repetitive read.
    To be fair to the book, if this is your kind of thing then it’s probably done quite well but I think even the most hardened romance fans may start glazing over at the sheer length of the story.
    As a setting the island sounded beautiful and there were some lovely descriptions of the landscape, food and overall area. I liked the multiple references to greek legend too.
    Oriel was annoying and insipid and there was just too much hand wringing and angst filled nonsense. The villains/love rivals were just too much like caricatures to take seriously as well.

    Comment

    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 15/04/2018 at 9:54 am

      Thank you for leaving your review. You are indeed echoing what the majority have felt – about the length, the “will they/won’t they” that meandered through the text. Some redemption with the interesting snippets popped into the narrative – landscape descriptions, mythology etc.

      Comment

  2. User: Claire Harris

    Posted on: 01/04/2018 at 10:08 pm

    Well, I finally got to the end of this saga today, having abandoned it for a while halfway through, bored with Oriel’s “shall I, shan’t I have sex with Damian” question! ( By that point she already had…twice!!)
    The similes were relentless “Hair as dark as the devil’s soul..”, “her hair…pale and shining as the moon on water” and from very early into the novel I felt I was reading a Mills and Boon, albeit a very long one!
    I’m not very into romantic fiction and found this so long drawn out as to be painful. I did however enjoy the descriptions of the Greek Islands, Greek mythology & the archeology.
    Having said all this, it was well-written & very readable on the whole!

    Comment

    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 02/04/2018 at 10:04 am

      Ah, I think your feelings echo the majority of readers…. beautiful for location and the “feel” but frustration with the “will they/won’t they” relationship between Damian and Oriel….

      Comment

  3. User: Julie Ryan

    Posted on: 29/03/2018 at 7:03 am

    Like many of the other readers, I loved the sense of place. The descriptions of Greece were idyllic and I enjoyed how the snippets of history and culture were woven into the narrative. I did find my eyes glazing over at some of the lengthy sex scenes and one or two were even cringeworthy. This is such a pity as, without the drawn-out romance, this would have been a fantastic book.

    Comment

  4. User: Bev Bookless

    Posted on: 26/03/2018 at 10:07 am

    I eventually finished this book last night. In my view and as others have commented it was too long. I really enjoyed the descriptive narrative of the Greek islands, life on Helios and how Greek mythology was woven throughout the novel. I haven’t read a Mills and Boon book, but the seduction and sex scenes I felt were unnecessary. Oriel started to irritate me with her ongoing and drawn out ‘should I shouldn’t I’ and then the endless monkey on the shoulder conversation she had with herself.
    I really liked how she developed a relationship with Mattias and Anna. The description of the food and the festivals provided a good sense of the culture.
    In terms of a sense of place it worked well but was spoilt by the length and in my view unnecessary sex scenes.

    Comment

  5. User: Janine Phillips

    Posted on: 24/03/2018 at 7:23 pm

    I have just finished this book and have to agree with the others, the long drawn out ‘will they/won’t they’ became irritating. That said, I enjoyed the history, archaeology and fabulous descriptions of the Greek Islands.

    Comment

  6. User: Sara Hill

    Posted on: 17/03/2018 at 7:14 pm

    I finished the book this morning and although I quite enjoyed it I too think it was much too long. The Mills and Boon style continued with some “bodice ripper” scenes too! I did enjoy the Greek Mythology and the story did develop especially in the last few (very long) chapters.

    Comment

    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 17/03/2018 at 8:33 pm

      I agree that it was too long in some ways, very rich prose, interesting in many ways… looking back it is a memorable read but there was one point about halfway through when I thought there was one scene that was ripe for the Bad Sex in Fiction Award (which really exists!)

      Comment

  7. User: Leah Tonna

    Posted on: 16/03/2018 at 8:46 am

    I finished reading Aphrodite’s Tears in the early hours today. At 550 pages long it was in my opinion, 150 pages of good story & 400 pages of wanting/not wanting sex or having/not having sex. I’m happily married many years to a dark, handsome, brooding Mediterranean island man, but sadly found quite a lot of this literary ‘romance’ rather dull & annoying….Maybe I’m just too cynical for Hannah Fielding!

    Comment

    1 Comment

    • User: Sara Hill

      Posted on: 17/03/2018 at 7:17 pm

      I agree with you Leah. I think this could even have been a short story!

      Comment

  8. User: Jane Willis

    Posted on: 16/03/2018 at 8:39 am

    I finished the book last night and apart from the predictable storyline (I was right, Tina!) and the “Black Lace Mills & Boon” aspect, I have to say I loved it! I’ve never visited Greece or its islands and yet I felt I could see, hear and smell every aspect of Helios. I got to know the people and their homes, could taste their food and understand their history and legends. In fact I’m now very tempted to re-read all the stories of Greek mythology that I’ve read in the past. Great book!

    Comment

    1 Comment

    • User: Leah Tonna

      Posted on: 16/03/2018 at 2:40 pm

      I have to agree with you about the food descriptions Jane, I’ve spent time this morning checking some Greek recipes as I got some lovely ripe aubergines & bell peppers from our local Turkish store. Also bought my Ancient Greece mad granddaughter a super Myths & Legends book. Aphrodite’s Tears has obviously sunk into my consciousness more than I thought. In fact I really fancy another Greek island holiday now, I’d love to visit the volcano at Nisyros again.

      Comment

  9. User: Leah Tonna

    Posted on: 15/03/2018 at 7:54 am

    Over half way through the book, Damian & Oriel have at last got it together, rather tackily in a room with a ceiling mirror, yuk! I’m still enjoying the history, mystery, the dives, & the lesser characters, but will probably speed-read through the “love” scenes from now on.

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    1 Comment

    • User: Jane Willis

      Posted on: 15/03/2018 at 10:58 am

      Haha, Leah, I have to admit to breathing a sigh of relief when they finally got on with the job, and then speed reading the next few pages. I really can’t be bothered with sex scenes unless something happens during one that moves the story on in some way. For instance if Damian’s scars had affected the scene in any way, there might have been a need to go into detail, otherwise I’m happy to just close the bedroom door and let them get on with it.

      Comment

  10. User: Bev Bookless

    Posted on: 14/03/2018 at 10:59 pm

    I’m not that far in yet only because I’m finding the time to read difficult at the moment. I am very much getting a sense of Helios and very much enjoying the descriptive passages about the sea, landscape etc and the links to Greek mythology. The bit I’m struggling with is the relationship between Oriel and Damian. I wonder if Hannah is wanting to build a tense, passionate atmosphere, but I’m finding it a little OTT. However, I may change my view as I read more. What do others think?

    Comment

    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 17/03/2018 at 8:36 pm

      I wonder how this novel is panning out for you…. the author is a really skilled raconteur but teases out the relationship just a tad too far, perhaps???

      Comment

  11. User: Jane Willis

    Posted on: 13/03/2018 at 3:57 pm

    Well, now I’m getting further into the book I’m very intrigued by it. Sara says she is finding it a bit Mills and Boon, and I agree it has all the ingredients – dark, brooding but irresistible billionaire who has a secret, blonde heroine with beautiful eyes who is struggling to resist his charms, yet it seems to have a lot more going for it – lovely descriptions of scenery and less stilted use of language for example. It’s as if Hannah Fielding has read a trashy romance novel and thought, “Yeah, I could use that as a starting point and make it into so much more…”

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    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 17/03/2018 at 8:35 pm

      I think that is a really good observation.. it’s very rich prose that teeters between M & B and something so much more…. Tina

      Comment

  12. User: Leah Tonna

    Posted on: 13/03/2018 at 8:08 am

    Nearly 200 pages in & thoroughly enjoying reading about the Greek landscapes, the foods, the mythology. I haven’t yet worked out what the Lekkas family secrets are….but for goodness sake Oriel, just have sex with the man!
    Aphrodite’s Tears is a beautifully produced book, top quality & rather heavy to read in bed, hoping to read a few more chapters tonight.

    Comment

    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 13/03/2018 at 9:56 am

      Yes, the rich description and Greek information is wonderful, but as you say, get on with it Oriel, stop being so coy! 🙂

      Comment

  13. User: Jane Willis

    Posted on: 12/03/2018 at 10:02 am

    I started reading this yesterday and have read the prologue and part of the first chapter. I have a sneaky suspicion from what I’ve read that I can now predict exactly what will happen in the next 400 pages. I wonder whether I will be proved right?
    If I am it will be a pity in a way because there’s plenty room in such a long book to develop a complex plot. However so far it seems pleasant and readable so I’m sure I’ll enjoy it anyway, if only for the pleasure of handling such a beautifully produced volume.

    Comment

    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 12/03/2018 at 1:29 pm

      I wonder??? #givesnothingaway….

      Comment

  14. User: Bev Bookless

    Posted on: 10/03/2018 at 9:29 pm

    Started this last night and read the prologue only. Well, my first impression is that it is very readable. I found the prologue quite ‘steamy’! How did others find it?

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    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 11/03/2018 at 12:46 pm

      And (no spoilers I hope) there are more steamy scenes coming up……

      Comment

  15. User: Sara Hill

    Posted on: 10/03/2018 at 9:08 pm

    I have read the first 130 pages and so far I am finding it a bit Mills and Boon, big on description but not a lot of action. However I am not one to give up so I am sure the story will develop. As others have said it is beautifully crafted although a bit heavy to read in bed!

    Comment

    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 11/03/2018 at 12:47 pm

      You know, I agree. But it was the research on Greek mythology, setting and food that redressed the balance…

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  16. User: Julie

    Posted on: 10/03/2018 at 7:54 am

    I received my copy yesterday. Yes. Wow, what a size. It so beautiful and eye catching. 13 chapters for that thickness of book! I will be reading this but also have another book on the go (a library reservation very much in demand). Looking forward to starting this very soon.

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  17. User: tripfiction

    Posted on: 09/03/2018 at 7:00 pm

    I think my first impression when I picked up this book was how sumptuous and beautifully crafted it is… and a sumptuous and daunting size too… and how books of this volume are fairly unusual these days. Are they generally out of vogue? How did you feel when you first laid eyes on “Aphrodite’s Tears, I wonder?

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  18. User: Bev Bookless

    Posted on: 07/03/2018 at 6:35 pm

    When the postman put the parcel in my hands I thought, can’t remember ordering anything. What a lovely surprise to find the latest Tripfiction Book Club read. It looks quite a read and I hope it captures me from the start given its length. I quite like the cover, always a good start for me. I’m looking forward to starting it and being transported to Greece in a few days time when I’ve finished my current read.

    Comment

    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 13/03/2018 at 10:22 am

      Hopefully you are feeling the sun of Greece (through fiction)….

      Comment

  19. User: Angela Paull

    Posted on: 07/03/2018 at 4:53 pm

    The book arrived today! Crikey it’s massive – looks great though. Really looking forward to getting started

    Comment

    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 07/03/2018 at 5:41 pm

      I know. It made me realise that the big books like Gone With The Wind are no longer in vogue and so this book was quite surprise. But Hannah has a beautiful style of writing and observation (with simmering passion woven in) that makes it very readable so far… Most books I read now tend to be around 300 pages or so …Don’t be put off by the length! TF’s Tina

      Comment