A big thank you Netgalley and HQ stories for the EARC and the chance to read and review this book!

2.5 ⭐️ rounded up.

I am a big Greek Mythology nerd and love finding new spins and perspectives, especially about the Goddesses!

As the title suggests this is about Aphrodite, Phoenicia is clearly very knowledgeable but to me it just didn’t hit it, it felt choppy and flat at times for me.
The use of pet names really grated on me, which spoilt the experience.

A very clever retelling, but just not for me.

I’ve found myself drawn to Greek mythology this year and I have to say I loved this retelling of Aphrodite. I felt it flowed really well and I was finishing the book wanting more. I enjoyed the pov of the other gods. Brilliant book

Thank you netgalley and HQ publishing for allowing me to read this ARC.
I absolutely loved this book, the multiple POV, but mainly focusing on Aphrodite was amazing. Her sarcasm, her little anecdotes through the book was just so fun. I love how we got to see the history of the titans and gods through her perspective, it just made fun and enjoyable. The different gods were hilarious, Zeus was accurately portrayed I have to admit 🤭.
Overall it was a fun book to read and I’ll be 100% buying a physical copy when it publishes!

I have always had an interest in greek mythology, but I've never actually read a retelling as there is so much choice, and quite often texts are a tough read. With Aphrodite, the author makes it so so easy. Easy, and fun.

The author's note at the beginning of the book (stylised as if it were a chapter from her pov) states "enjoy the book how you want to, not how you think I was you to". I love this - somehow it relieved some of the pressure I felt about starting a greek myth retelling, and set a nice tone for how the rest of the book and my reading was going to go!

The author has successfully given each god/goddess their own voice and personality. I loved the way she used these characters' different versions of events to showcase the contradicting stories often found within greek mythology.

Thanks for the ARC! I have never read anything by this author before, and I'm glad I've now been introduced to her. I will definitely be purchasing her previous book Herc in the near future.

Aphrodite – fate, goddess, fraud? Phoenicia Rogerson’s version of Aphrodite’s immortal life tracks her triumphant ascendance to Mount Olympus only to suffer at the hands of Zeus and his highly dysfunctional family. Fighting to survive in this toxic environment where power is valued above everything, it is little wonder that Aphrodite’s scheming and complicated machinations swell to a point where even she cannot quite remember what has really happened over the millennia.

In telling Aphrodite’s story from the points of view of different characters, Rogerson showcases her skill and flair in writing distinctive voices and personalities. Zeus’ short, sharp sentences and tone of voice perfectly conveyed his self-absorption and insecurity.

This novel had all the humour that I was hoping for after reading Rogerson’s brilliant debut novel, Herc. I was constantly amused by the novel’s wonderful imagery – Aphrodite flying her goose and Prometheus’ flat hair day. The chapter entitled The Trojan War: a Primer read like the who’s who of key players in a football team line-up.

This is a deftly woven tale about Aphrodite. As Rogerson mentioned in her author’s note, no hero or god lives in a vacuum and I loved being able to immerse myself in who was related to whom in Greek myth, while being thoroughly entertained.

I’m a huge fan of Rogerson’s previous novel, Herc, and was thrilled to be given the opportunity to read the Aphrodite eARC. Thank you so much to HQ Stories and NetGalley for sharing this copy with me in exchange for an honest review.

4.5⭐️
60 second review: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdNC2E8k/

Thank you to Harper Collins and Netgalley for this e-ARC.

This was a fantastic nuanced retelling of the story of Aphrodite.

I love the multiple POV and the fun take that Phoenica put onto this story!

It was honestly like the real housewives of Olympus and I was LIVING for it!!!

Sadly couldn’t get on with the writing style of this. Seemed not literary enough and too casual for the topic. DNF at 25%

A beautiful version of Aphrodite’s story, told from the perspective of several of the old gods. The humour, character, and revitalised plot made this one of my favourite reads this year so far.

This retelling of the myths surrounding tho legendary Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, offers an unusual take on her origin story and everything that happens thereafter.


Told in a style that uses contemporary language and idiom, the voice of Aphrodite is bracingly blunt and pulls no punches - whether she is criticizing Zeus or explaining her wily machinations to the reader.


While this is not my favourite retelling of the many I have read so far, it is quirky and humorous, and will no doubt find many fans.

Firstly, thank you so much to NetGalley and HQ for this advance ARC! I love Aphrodite and her story so reading a new novel with a fun and comedic take was so up my street!

Aphrodite offers a refreshing and modern twist on the classic tale of the Greek goddess of love, beauty, and desire, blending humour with depth in a way that brings new life to the ancient myth. In this retelling, Aphrodite is portrayed with a sharp, witty edge that makes her feel both timeless and contemporary. The story takes her beyond her traditional role as the romantic and ethereal figure, giving her a relatable, humanized personality with flaws, insecurities, and a bit of sarcasm. Her beauty, once her sole source of power, is still central to her identity, but it’s explored with a modern sensibility, reflecting how society often elevates external appearance while ignoring the complexities underneath.

I really enjoyed the formatting of this novel – hearing from many different deities, gods, and goddesses during the story of Aphrodite. The comedy aspect was really fun too. There were a couple of sections where I thought this was slightly overdone but Aphrodite was quite dramatic so maybe was intentional?

I think a lot of people will love this book when it is published and personally will be picking up a beautiful finished copy!

I absolutely love a Greek retelling !
Anything to do with the Greek gods is always a hit with me , it’s one of my favorite kind of books to read so I was really looking forward this.
I fortunately this wasn’t for me an I’m even sadder to say I did not Finnish this, I tried over 3 times but it just wasn’t for me .
The writing style for me made this difficult to read , I found it very hard to understand. I could tell this was ment to be from a more comical angle but it didn’t hit right with me and also with the swearing I just could t continue

Aphrodite is an utter delight. The pace was masterful, the level of details really interesting and, to my surprise, the voice was humorous and arch.

Most of the mythology retellings I've read have been much more serious In tone, and I was unsure initially about one with so much more humour. I got over that within a handful of pages. Ultimately I loved this and I feel like there's space for both light and serious approaches within this popular subgenre of historical/myth.

Herc was one of my top books ever. It was incredible. If you think second books in the series go down in quality, think again. Aphrodite is truly a masterpiece.
The author can do no wrong in my eyes. She has woven her story threads with mastery and it really comes alive.
I’d give it a million stars if I could. Thank you for this arc, that I squealed over when I got it. I hovered between wanting to take my time and savour every word, and wanting to not sleep so I could finish it. I will buy this when it is released in paper form and for my friends. I’m obsessed.

Thank you Netgalley and HQ stories for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I am always, always going to gravitate towards a book that promises a new slant on Greek mythology, retelling or reworkings. Especially where it’s a figure who is underrepresented in what we have already. Seeing a book exploring the story of Aphrodite had me intrigued.

Unfortunately, despite the author’s obvious knowledge of the characters and breadth of interwoven mythology, this retelling fell flat for me. I love a bit of humour, especially when we’re dealing with capricious characters by nature, but the tone of this one took tongue-in-cheek and became ridiculous. The characters were underdeveloped and one dimensional, the polyphonic writing felt rushed and overly comedic (but unfunny), and having pet names ‘frodi’ ‘prom’ and ‘foamy’ haven’t yet stopped haunting me, was a hackneyed idea which went past unlikeable and just became aggravating to read.

The mashing of timelines and use of stories felt like too much was trying to be done, the pace was rushing about like a headless chicken without ever having time to really connect with any character.

I’m not the target audience for this book - I need my reworking to be sufficiently distant from trying to be in the correct time/following the known mythology, or close enough it feels like genuine historical fiction. This was a farce, which I struggle to enjoy on the page for longer than a few moments!

This was incredible. It's been a while since I read a myth retelling and this did not disappoint. Told primarily from the PoV of Aphrodite, this book was bitchy, backstabbing and at times, childish. Just like the Greek gods. They are all here, all displayed in their very flawed selves, although I would have loved a chapter from Persephone's PoV, or a little more than the tantalizing hints we got of Hades. For all that the kindle edition is 480 odd pages long, it doesn't feel like a long book, and I would gladly have read another hundred pages.

The author skilfully weaves together many of the different and at times conflicting, stories about our girl. As skilfully as Aphrodite herself weaves the strands of Fate.

It's a delightful romp through the ages of the world, from the forming of the cosmos, to the founding of Rome.

I had a smile on my face for the majority of the book, and devoured it in two reading sessions. I would have liked a little more conclusion, wrapping up a couple of character arcs that just seemed to fade away into nothing, but at the page count, there had to be an end somewhere.

I cannot wait to find out what mythical character the author will decide to focus on next and will be eagerly buying a physical edition of this book once it hits the shelves.

Greek Mythology has never been so engaging, witty and clever as now! The story/stories covered in Phoenicia Rogerson’s Aphrodite are perfectly suited to her clever approach, with carefully constructed narrative voices bringing personalities alive to examine the mad world of mythology. I love the way she interweaves such complexity, making tricky competing mythologies and multi-layered origin stories not only make sense but amuse and entertain as well. I know many of my students will consume this in one sitting and I can’t wait to use extracts in my introduction to Greek mythology unit! Love it!

Aphrodite by Phoenicia Rogerson is a bold, vibrant and richly layered take on the goddess of love, or perhaps more fittingly, the goddess of lies.

Told through multiple perspectives, the book reimagines Aphrodite as more than just a deity of passion. She is a weaver of fates, a breaker of hearts and a catalyst for war. Her place among the Olympians is not as secure as she would like, and those who stand against Zeus have a habit of disappearing. As she navigates power, deception and destiny, the question remains—how far will she go to ensure everything unfolds in her favour?

This is a gripping and inventive retelling that breathes new life into mythology, offering a fresh perspective on one of its most famous figures.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of this title.

I really adore the way Phoenicia Rogerson writes, much like Herc this is an account of Greek mythology with a unique comedic twist which actually makes it much more personable and unputdownable for me.

Expect multiple POV's, humour (duh), strong female energy, love, action, war, all packaged in a beautifully crafted, comprehensive story.

Highly recommend for all the Greek mythology girlies out there, and if you haven't already then I recommend reading Herc in the meantime.

Look forward to the next offering from Phoenicia Rogerson, I will be first in line.

For those familiar with Herc, this work maintains the same writing style, featuring multiple perspectives narrating stories over Aphrodite's lifespan. I greatly appreciate this aspect.

As an avid enthusiast of Greek Mythology retellings, I found this one to be quite satisfying. The only drawback of the ARC was that the family trees and Aphrodite’s footnotes, which are quite humorous, were not showing properly on the e-reader.

Phoenicia Rogerson’s Aphrodite offers an interesting, if not entirely successful, re-imagining of the goddess of love, beauty, and desire. From the outset, it's clear that the author isn’t interested in giving us a deep dive into Aphrodite's inner world. Instead, the book comes across as a collection of brief observations from an outsider—a storyteller who is more reporting what they've seen or heard than truly understanding the goddess. This approach creates an odd distance between the reader and Aphrodite, and unfortunately, that distance ends up undermining the portrayal of the goddess herself.

The tone of the book is perhaps the most jarring aspect. The chapters are short, the dialogue is often brief and informal, and at times, Aphrodite’s voice feels completely disconnected from her divine nature. There are moments where Aphrodite comes across as almost vapid and entirely human, which just doesn’t sit right. For example, on Page 318, she casually says, “Sorry, darling, I just realised I have a terrible hair emergency and I need to run home.” Lines like this—and her constant sign-offs with “Hugs and Kisses”—make it hard to take her seriously as a goddess, let alone as a figure who holds any real divine power.

This sense of humanization is reinforced throughout the book. On Page 95, there’s a “Goddess to-do list” that includes an instruction to “Be Me.” Later, on Page 97, there are what seem to be “Aphirmations” for Aphrodite herself, which come across like modern self-help jargon. These elements, though meant to add some depth or humor, only dilute Aphrodite’s identity as a goddess. At one point, Aphrodite even refers to her son Eros as “Ro-Ro” (Page 318), which feels more like a pet name than anything befitting a divine being.

While the author may be attempting to create a relatable, modern Aphrodite, the effect is that she feels more like a celebrity or a character from a reality show than a timeless, multifaceted deity. The author seems to misunderstand that part of what makes Aphrodite compelling is her mystery and her power. By stripping her down to something more approachable, more human, the goddess loses much of her mystique.

As the book continues, this issue only grows more pronounced. The tone shifts in strange ways—sometimes seeming more like a diary or journal, other times like a series of casual notes or letters. At one point, there’s a graphic of a note that reads “Do Not Open the Jar” (Page 145), referencing Pandora’s myth in a way that feels more like a gimmick than a meaningful exploration of the myth. And then there’s the transformation of Aphrodite into Venus, which is handled in a rush, as though the two are one and the same. The transition from Aphrodite to Venus is never fully explored or justified, leaving us to wonder if the two goddesses are truly the same or something entirely different.

In the end, Aphrodite could have been a fascinating examination of the goddess’s complexities, but instead, it reduces her to something almost entirely human. By the time we reach the final pages, the divine Aphrodite seems almost unrecognizable. Aphrodite’s fall from grace is depicted in a way that feels rushed and incomplete, and the book leaves us questioning whether this portrayal of her was the author’s intention or if it’s simply a misunderstanding of the goddess herself. Unfortunately, the end result is that Aphrodite is depicted as all too human, and that is unfortunate.