Blog Tour Review: Aphrodite's Tears - Hannah Fielding

In ancient Greece, one of the twelve labours of Heracles was to bring back a golden apple from the Garden of Hesperides. To archaeologist Oriel Anderson, joining a team of Greek divers on the island of Helios seems like the golden apple of her dreams. Yet the dream becomes a nightmare when she meets the devilish owner of the island, Damian Lekkas. In shocked recognition, she is flooded with the memory of a romantic night in a stranger’s arms, six summers ago. A very different man stands before her now, and Oriel senses that the sardonic Greek autocrat is hell-bent on playing a cat and mouse game with her. As they cross swords and passions mount, Oriel is aware that malevolent eyes watch her from the shadows. Dark rumours are whispered about the Lekkas family. What dangers lie in Helios, a bewitching land where ancient rituals are still enacted to appease the gods, young men risk their lives in the treacherous depths of the Ionian Sea, and the volatile earth can erupt at any moment? Will Oriel find the hidden treasures she seeks? Or will Damian’s tragic past catch up with them, threatening to engulf them both? 

Paperback, 624 pages
Expected publication: January 25th 2018 by London Wall Publishing
Romantic fiction
for review

My thoughts:
I think the 70s setting fitted this book, cos if she had written it to take place today, wow, *me hitting men in the head* Hehe. Just say some of the men were very old school, but for the most they were cool. But it was the 70s, it was Greece, it was a island where most were farmers or fishermen. And it was fitting. I do hate when they try to make things like the times wasn't. Like come on, do not shy away cos if it, how do you think someone would react if you swim around in a bikini in a place where women wear shawls and black clothes. So this guy points out that a one piece is better, that is it.

So Oriel comes to Greece to work. She is an archaeologist. She is good and tired of mud. Oh and she had this hot one night stand ages ago.

Damian rules the Island, yes I told you they are old school, he is also an archaeologist (match made in heaven). And honestly, he so fits the persona I would think from some 70s Greek, lol, ok I have read too many Mills and boon books, but hey in those the guys are still like that. Oh and he is the guy who seduced her and still has the hots for her.

So he is her boss. She is all, nope, I should not fancy him. There is a cousin who, yes, that woman has issues! She was the most old school of them all. In the end she might be the only one in fact. Ugh that woman.

But, the book was too long to be honest, I am so pressed for time these days, and 600 p is a lot. In that time there is drama, discoveries, jealousy, old flames, diving and happily ever after.

Conclusion:
A true Greek drama, with a happy ending.

Aphrodite’s Tears is out in paperback on 25th January for £7.99.

About the Author

Following her huge success as one of the UK’s leading romance authors with total sales of over 130k, Aphrodite’s Tears follows the award winning success of Hannah Fielding’s previous novels Burning Embers, Echoes of Love, Masquerade, Legacy and Indiscretion. Echoes of Love won Romance Novel of the Year at the IPB Awards in 2012 and Burning Embers was Amazon’s book of the month in 2011, while Hannah’s novels have been translated into 13 languages. With its spectacular setting and deep emotional drama, Aphrodite’s Tears will appeal both to fans of her backlist, as well as lovers of atmospheric travel writing including Santa Montefiore, Penny Vincenzie, Victoria Hislop and Lucinda Riley. 

Egyptian by birth Hannah is fluent in French, English and Arabic and has lived all over the world, she currently lives between her writing retreat in the South of France and her rambling family home in Ireland.  Hannah’s grandmother, Esther Fanous, was the revolutionary feminist writer in Egypt during the early 1900s.

Twitter: @fieldinghannah

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorHannahFielding/

 

Author Post and Giveaway: Hannah Fielding

 

 Delving into Spanish history

I have always been fascinated by history, and my favourite aspect of writing a new novel (aside from dreaming up a hero par excellence, of course!) is researching the era and setting for the story.

For my trilogy Andalusian Nights that meant a fantastic research trip to Spain, and immersing myself in books, films, music – even the cuisine. The challenge was to encapsulate the spirit and realities of different times in history. 

For Book 1, Indiscretion, that I enjoyed learning about what life was like in Andalusia in the 1950s. The story focuses on Alexandra, a half-English, half-Spanish girl who has grown up in England and comes to Spain to connect with her heritage. She steps into a world that is very different to that which she has known in England, more rustic, more impassioned and dramatic, and by far more steeped in customs and traditions. It is the latter which proves problematic for Alexandra: a woman in this time did not enjoy all the rights and freedoms we expect today – heaven forbid she commit an indiscretion. Machismo abounds, and Alexandra must struggle to assert herself as an independent woman in a society that demands women be good little wives and nothing more. 

Masquerade, Book 2, tells the story of the next generation, with Alexandra’s daughter Luz as the protagonist. The year is 1976, and a new and exciting climate has sprung up in Spain following the death of the dictator Franco. Luz is essentially a heroine of the sexual revolution that swept through Spain at this time, challenging long-accepted values, rules and behaviour with regard to sexuality and relationships. What had been taboo, like the use of contraception and sex outside of marriage, became more acceptable, and women discovered hugely important new freedoms: the right to work, to own property, to have a personal account, to travel, to divorce: in short, to carve their own destinies. Imagine how it feels to be Luz in the midst of this massive social change. She can build a career; she can live independently; she can explore her sexuality. And yet… change is not quick, and many prejudices remain. Spain may be breaking down barriers for women to be themselves and follow their passions, but the taboo about falling for a gypsy is still deeply entrenched. Can Luz follow her heart and be herself, or will she be locked in a masquerade?

The final book in the series, Legacy, shifts to the more recent generation, where Andalusia is once more transformed by the galloping pace of progress. But does a more modern heroine have any easier a time of it when it comes to matters of the heart? How does her legacy define her and the choices she makes?

In truth, no matter the historical era and no matter the conditions in which heroines and heroes fall in love, I think the foundations of the story are the same. Love is love, whenever it blossoms – it is timeless, the common experience with which we all identify. Adversities change form; love does not. It is the one beautiful, soulful constant across history. It is what drives us on, what lifts us up, what defines us… and what impels me to write romance novels!

Introducing… Hannah Fielding

Hannah Fielding is an incurable romantic. The seeds for her writing career were sown in early childhood, spent in Egypt, when she came to an agreement with her governess Zula: for each fairy story Zula told, Hannah would invent and relate one of her own. Years later – following a degree in French literature, several years of travelling in Europe, falling in love with an Englishman, the arrival of two beautiful children and a career in property development – Hannah decided after so many years of yearning to write that the time was now. Today, she lives the dream: writing full time at her homes in Kent, England, and the South of France, where she dreams up romances overlooking breath-taking views of the Mediterranean.  

To date, Hannah has published four passionate, evocative novels: Burning Embers, a ‘romance like Hollywood used to make’, set in Kenya; the award-winning Echoes of Love, ‘an epic love story that is beautifully told’, set in Italy; and books 1 and 2 of the Andalusian Nights trilogy, set in sultry Spain, entitled Indiscretion and Masquerade. She is currently working on her fifth book, Legacy, which will publish this spring.

http://hannahfielding.net/

https://twitter.com/fieldinghannah

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hannah-Fielding-Author-Page/340558735991910

 

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Carole's SUnday Review: Masquerade - Hannah Fielding

Author: Hannah Fielding

Title: Masquerade (Andalucian Nights #2)

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 442

First Published: August 2015

Where I Got It: My shelf (given to me by the author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion)

A young writer becomes entangled in an illicit gypsy love affair, pulling her into a world of secrets, deception and dark desire. 

Summer, 1976. Luz de Rueda returns to her beloved Spain and takes a job as the biographer of a famous artist. On her first day back in Cádiz, she encounters a bewitching, passionate young gypsy, Leandro, who immediately captures her heart, even though relationships with his kind are taboo. Haunted by this forbidden love, she meets her new employer, the sophisticated Andrés de Calderón. Reserved yet darkly compelling, he is totally different to Leandro but almost the gypsy's double. Both men stir unfamiliar and exciting feelings in Luz, although mystery and danger surround them in ways she has still to discover.

Luz must decide what she truly desires as glistening Cádiz, with its enigmatic moon and whispering turquoise shores, seeps back into her blood. Why is she so drawn to the wild and magical sea gypsies? What is behind the old fortune-teller’s sinister warnings about ‘Gemini’? Through this maze of secrets and lies, will Luz finally find her happiness… or her ruin?

Masquerade is a story of forbidden love, truth and trust. Are appearances always deceptive?

This is the second novel of Andalucien trilogy. I read the first one a while back and I had liked it a lot. This one follows the story of Alexandra's and Salvador's daughter, Luz and her journey is the lavish Spain of the 70s.

Again...I am in love with the writing style of the author! It brings not only the world alive, but the characters as well. She creates so much emotion and feeling. I highly applaud the writing! She truly did justice with bringing the beauty and drama of Spanish society alive yet again. It makes me want to read more by the author.

Ooooh poor Luz. I do feel bad for her, oddly, because all she really wants is love and to have a perfect life in Spain. However, her parent's past is now haunting her unknowingly. Leandro's mom has revenge in store for Luz, even though Luz had NOTHING to do with what happened years previous - she wasn't even born yet! Yes, I do feel bad for Leandro as well (kinda) even though he felt entitled to help out his mom. I am annoyed that they fell so quickly for one another. They pretty much had lust and love from the moment they locked eyes. At first I was on team Leandro, but then he leaves her with a broken heart, so I am on team Andre. However...I don't trust Andre all the way either. 

I must admit....I did like the love triangle. WHAT? Yes, you read that last sentence correctly. It worked well and it made the story way more interesting. The two men are similar in looks, but they are polar opposites in lifestyle, but I don't trust either of them. Andre did earn major points in the end, but I still don't fully trust him.

The middle did have a dry spot for a few pages. Once the dry spot was over, I could hardly put it down.

THE ENDING!!! Ugh! Such a cliff-hanger. So many loose ends that need to tied up! Hopefully there is a continuation of the story. 

In the end, this was good. I liked it as much as the other one. I think I connected with Luz more so than Alexandra. Oddly enough, I liked the love triangle. It worked well and it mixed well and made sense. I am team Andre, buuuuuut I still don't trust him entirely. I don't trust either of the guys. I truly hope the next book is a continuation of this story, because I felt there were so many loose ends that I need a conclusion for. I highly encourage reading book 1 before diving into this one. There is so much back story that is essential to this story (at least in my opinion). Out of five stars, I stamp this with 4. 

Carole Reviews: Indiscretion - Hannah Fielding

Author: Hannah Fielding

Title: Indiscretion

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: ebook

First Published: April 2015

Where I Got It: My shelf (Given to me by the author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion)

A young woman's journey of discovery takes her to a world of forbidden passion, savage beauty, and revenge.

Spring, 1950. Alexandra de Falla, a half-English, half-Spanish young writer abandons her privileged but suffocating life in London and travels to Spain to be reunited with her long-estranged family.

Instead of providing the sense of belonging she yearns for, the de Fallas are driven by seething emotions, and in the grip of the wild customs and traditions of Andalucia, all of which are alien to Alexandra.

Among the strange characters and sultry heat of this country, she meets the man who awakens emotions she hardly knew existed. But their path is strewn with obstacles: dangerous rivals, unpredictable events, and inevitable indiscretions. What does Alexandra's destiny hold for her in this flamboyant land of drama and all-consuming passions, where blood is ritually poured on to the sands of sun-drenched bullfighting arenas, mysterious gypsies are embroiled in magic and revenge, and beautiful dark-eyed dancers hide their secrets behind elegant lacy fans?

"Indiscretion"is a story of love and identity, and the clash of ideals in the pursuit of happiness. But can love survive in a world where scandal and danger are never far away?

Where to even begin?

This was a lovely story. It was so beautifully written! It helped that the location was beautiful as well, but I felt like I was there. At some points I was more curious about the details and location then the actual story. Spain has always been an area that I wished more stories where set in, because it is a lovely area. It certainly added to the drama of the story!

At some points the book did get intense! I think setting made it feel more intense, but I enjoyed every moment of the unnecessary drama. Yes, unnecessary but entertaining nonetheless. This would make for a great movie! Just so much drama and beauty going around.

I was not a fan of Salvador. Yes, he was good looking, but he annoyed me. I would have kicked him to the curb if I was Alexandra. However, I do not care for complexity in my relationships. Not my thing, but not everyone is like me, so I was trying to understand her. I tried to understand and like her. I grew to like her as the story went on, but I just don't get WHY she stayed and WHY she was so in love. Everyone was so MEAN! It just seemed too much for me. I know when I am not wanted and I will not stay. However....that is me....Alexandra, I felt, needed to be loved by them. Poor girl.

Again...this was a lovely written book with some intense drama going on! I am curious to see what else the author is going to bring to the table! I want to read more. :) My only issue was Salvador himself. I grew to understand and like Alexandra, but it was still sad to see such a nice girl get treated like crap for a while. I highly recommend this to those that like historical fiction or what a book set in Spain. I will say it ONE last time....LOVELY! Out of five stars, I stamp this with 4. 

Favorite Character(s): The gypsies (couldn't help it)

Not-so Favorite Character(s): Salvador and the grandmother