Nikos is a theology student, raised in a deeply devout Orthodox family, and dreams of retreating to a monastery on Mount Athos to dedicate his life to God. To take monastic vows, he must remain a virgin. He avoids looking at women and struggles mightily with his own desires. The image he carefully cultivates helps him avoid attracting the attention of the opposite sex during the day. But at night, desire often overcomes him, causing unbearable suffering.
A female figure that appears in his dreams gradually takes on the features of a real girl from the same university, named Aphrodite, who also happens to be the best friend of his twin sister. Aphrodite becomes a frequent guest in their home, and it seems as if she is deliberately trying to disrupt his plans to remain pure. Not only is Aphrodite stunningly beautiful, but everything about her is alluring-her voice, her movements, even her scent.
For Nikos, she becomes the greatest temptation, and he struggles to resist her. Little does he realize, however, how uneven this battle is. The higher powers have prepared a very different path for him.
Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Beauty is forced into an unwanted marriage the very evening she emerges from the sea. While Hephaestus is not terrible to her, she can't help but be enticed by his forbidden brother, Ares, and the other Gods who send her longing glances.
Will she settle for Hephaestus or will she search for more for her own love story?
*This story follows along some of Aphrodite's romances while married to Hephaestus. This story will not be a perfect timeline but will however, follow along a rough timeline according to my other book, Hades and Persephone.*
*Also, Aphrodite has her faults. A fair amount of faults in fact! If you know her mythology she turns out to be a very vengeful, self-centred, and self-involved Goddess, but this story is all about her slowly progressing throughout her marriage to Hephaestus. A sequel will follow beyond once this marriage ends.*
*This story is also not meant to be factually accurate, and is simply an interpretation of the story.