Aphrodite's Island by Hilary Green

Aphrodite's Island by Hilary Green is my seventh read of 2025! I listened to the unabridged audio version, which is nicely narrated by Ana Clements.

It's no secret that I love historical fiction and a good mystery too. Aphrodite's Island falls into both genres nicely. Aphrodite's Island is essentially two stories in one. How these two stories meld together makes for fun reading.

The novel starts out set in the country of Cyprus in 1955 with British National Serviceman, Stephen Allenby. During Stephen Allenby's time in Cyprus he falls in love with a 17 year old local girl named, Ariadne. They want to marry each other, but it isn't possible due to the political climate in Cyprus at the time. Ariadne becomes pregnant with Stephen's baby, but they aren't able to connect so that Ariadne may share with Stephen's baby. Due to political climate, they never see each other again. What becomes of Ariadne?

Fast forward to the 1970s, where the point of view switches to Cressida Allenby. Cressida is the young daughter of Stephen Allenby and his wife, Laura, back in England. Laura and Stephen are both working as teachers and their marriage is in shambles. Stephen can't stand working as a teacher, but an opportunity to return to Cyprus for work purposes presents itself and Stephen and his family move there. Stephen hopes the change of scenery will invigorate his married life, but it doesn't. Another major upheaval occurs in Cyprus in the early 1970s due to political instability within Cyprus and expats must evacuate Cyprus asap.

Fast forward to the 1990s. Cressida Allenby is now an adult has lost her mother due to death, is dumped by her longtime boyfriend, and is feeling tired herself. So, Cressida decides to take a holiday in Cyprus to rejuvenate. During her time in Cyprus, Cressida begins to learn that her family's past may not be as it seems and begins investigating the past by reading a newly discovered journal belonging to her late mother and love letters written in Greek by her father to an unknown woman. Cressida begins to question things about her parents and their lives together as a family. Cressida never really knew her father very well and was told by her mother that he'd died when she was really young. Laura refused to discuss anything about Stephen with Cressida, despite Cressida wanting to know more about her father.

Also during this time in Cyprus, Cressida falls for a local man, but Cressida doesn't seem to think he has the same feelings for her... Or so she thinks! Cressida returns to London, England after her holiday in Cyprus and this is where a lot of the plot's twists and turns happen. AND there are a lot of twists and turns!

I won't continue my review any further for those that may want to read this novel. It is a good read.

Listening time for Aphrodite's Island by Hilary Green is 7 hours, 8 minutes.

Below is the publisher's summary for Aphrodite's Island by Hilary Green, which I found on Amazon's website:

One letter can change your whole life.

Cressida thought she knew her family’s history, but when she finds a box of old love letters, it makes her question everything.

Cyprus, 1955.

Seventeen-year-old Ariadne is in love with young British National Serviceman, Stephen Allenby. But her family are deeply involved with an organization campaigning for a union with Greece, and do not approve.

And they’re not the only ones.

It’s only a matter of time before Stephen is sent back to England, leaving Ariadne pregnant and alone. Stephen does his best to move on with his life. He marries Laura and has a baby girl called Cressida, but it’s not long before the cracks start to show and his marriage falls apart …

Cyprus, 1998.

Forty-three years later, Cressida goes to Cyprus to recover from the double trauma of her mother’s death and the desertion of her boyfriend. She wants to find out why her father disappeared from her life when she was six, and she’s convinced the island holds the answers.

The chance discovery of a box of love letters written in Greek to her father leads Cressida on a quest for the truth. Who wrote those letters? And are they somehow linked to her father’s disappearance?

Her search for answers leads her on a heartbreaking journey of love, loss, and discovery.

I am giving Aphrodite's Island by Hilary Green a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars. This is the first 4 star review I've given to a book this year. All of my previous reads this year have been 3 star reads.

Until my next post, happy reading!!