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Three Women in Paradise
Set in Southern California, Three Women in Paradise tells the story of passionate student Elektra Brooke. When Elektra becomes entangled in a mesmerizing romance with her enigmatic medieval poetry professor, Dr. Gina Caldwell, she believes she’s discovered paradise. However, this idyllic world rapidly spirals into a nightmarish inferno. Elektra enters a world where the boundary between life and death is terrifyingly thin.
Guided by the ancient poet Virgil, she embarks on a chilling journey mirroring Dante’s descent into the Inferno, each step pulling her deeper into the shadows. Along this treacherous path, shocking truths her closest ally has betrayed her, her beloved dog turned hostile, her sanctuary of a home is no longer her own, her reflection morphed into a face she doesn’t recognize, and the very woman who vowed to cherish her forever has given her heart to another. Above all, a shadow of death looms over Elektra.
Driven by determination and desperation, Elektra vows to reclaim her lost paradise—even if that means risking everything. In this tale, love, betrayal, and redemption collide in the most unexpected ways.
Guided by the ancient poet Virgil, she embarks on a chilling journey mirroring Dante’s descent into the Inferno, each step pulling her deeper into the shadows. Along this treacherous path, shocking truths her closest ally has betrayed her, her beloved dog turned hostile, her sanctuary of a home is no longer her own, her reflection morphed into a face she doesn’t recognize, and the very woman who vowed to cherish her forever has given her heart to another. Above all, a shadow of death looms over Elektra.
Driven by determination and desperation, Elektra vows to reclaim her lost paradise—even if that means risking everything. In this tale, love, betrayal, and redemption collide in the most unexpected ways.
Audible Audio
Published September 13, 2024
About the author
Victoria Avilan
9 books29 followersAward winning author Victoria Avilan was born in Israel, where she learned art from her mother, and cared for sick NICU babies as a military nurse. She studied creative writing at UCLA with Australian author Claire McNab. She lives in Southern California with her wife and their Cocker Spaniels.
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facebook page:Victoria Avilan
Please do not use "Victoria Avilan Author." I don't have access to that facebook account.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 30, 2024
What a wild ride! This book was so unique and intelligently written.
September 19, 2024
This novel is a wild ride and it literally blew my mind! Sometimes you read a book which is so unique you know after the first few pages it will become a favourite. I will return to this novel over and over in the future.
There are not enough superlatives to describe Three Women in Paradise or the experience of reading it. This book is multi-layered, challenging and intelligently written. It is literary without excluding readers.
Avilan’s writing is sharp, witty and poetic. She guides the reader through a series of complex, ever changing realities with a playful hand and firm command of a plot that could have easily spiralled out of control. Her characterisation of the three women (four including Peggy) is sublime. Although the novel truly hinges on the strength of the main character Elektra (Ellie or Ella). In her, Avilan has created a singular, tortured tour de force.
This book is allegorical, romantic and fantastical! I loved it and I feel richer for having read it!
There are not enough superlatives to describe Three Women in Paradise or the experience of reading it. This book is multi-layered, challenging and intelligently written. It is literary without excluding readers.
Avilan’s writing is sharp, witty and poetic. She guides the reader through a series of complex, ever changing realities with a playful hand and firm command of a plot that could have easily spiralled out of control. Her characterisation of the three women (four including Peggy) is sublime. Although the novel truly hinges on the strength of the main character Elektra (Ellie or Ella). In her, Avilan has created a singular, tortured tour de force.
This book is allegorical, romantic and fantastical! I loved it and I feel richer for having read it!
August 29, 2024
What a Wild Ride!
A fun, sexy, twisty tale where nothing is as it seems. The characters are entertaining and the end will surprise you. Highly recommended!
A fun, sexy, twisty tale where nothing is as it seems. The characters are entertaining and the end will surprise you. Highly recommended!
August 24, 2024
Wonderful!
I wasn't sure what I was getting into with this book, but the premise intrigued me, so I decided to check it out. I'm so glad that I did!! This book takes you on quite the journey. Loss, happiness, love, joy, more loss. The main character is downright tortured, but it was all worth it in the end. Mythology, fantasy, and a sprinkle of romance made this book very hard to put down. I can't wait to read more by this author!
I wasn't sure what I was getting into with this book, but the premise intrigued me, so I decided to check it out. I'm so glad that I did!! This book takes you on quite the journey. Loss, happiness, love, joy, more loss. The main character is downright tortured, but it was all worth it in the end. Mythology, fantasy, and a sprinkle of romance made this book very hard to put down. I can't wait to read more by this author!
September 30, 2024
(rounded down from 4.25)
I expected this (based on the cover, the title, and the brief blurb about the plot) to be more hardcore literary but this ended up being engaging, a surprisingly easy read, and even fun!
The idea of shifting realities and the construction of a "Paradise" or a "Hell" based on what the changes are is an interesting one and well-explored in this book. The protagonist is a writer, deeply in love and married, and able to be generous with her money to her best friend before she is thrust into an alternate world where everything is horrifyingly and unacceptably different.
I enjoyed the idea of dead people just hanging out and being visible to a select few, them subtly influencing the world of the living, and the constant annoying of the few living people who can hear and see them. The protagonist is an interesting and well-fleshed-out person with an annoying penchant for correcting the grammar of people around her.
I don't want to spoil anything so suffice it to say that if the impression you got from the cover and title is more literary than contemporary fiction, this is well worth checking out anyway, particularly if you enjoy the idea of worlds shifting to create parallel lives while the dead manipulate things for mysterious reasons.
I expected this (based on the cover, the title, and the brief blurb about the plot) to be more hardcore literary but this ended up being engaging, a surprisingly easy read, and even fun!
The idea of shifting realities and the construction of a "Paradise" or a "Hell" based on what the changes are is an interesting one and well-explored in this book. The protagonist is a writer, deeply in love and married, and able to be generous with her money to her best friend before she is thrust into an alternate world where everything is horrifyingly and unacceptably different.
I enjoyed the idea of dead people just hanging out and being visible to a select few, them subtly influencing the world of the living, and the constant annoying of the few living people who can hear and see them. The protagonist is an interesting and well-fleshed-out person with an annoying penchant for correcting the grammar of people around her.
I don't want to spoil anything so suffice it to say that if the impression you got from the cover and title is more literary than contemporary fiction, this is well worth checking out anyway, particularly if you enjoy the idea of worlds shifting to create parallel lives while the dead manipulate things for mysterious reasons.
October 4, 2024
What a fun ride. I loved the main character and all her iterations. I won't talk about any spoilers but each character was well flushed out. I've read Ms.Avilan's other books and was ready for a good read but this will be up there with some of my great reads that I come back to time and again. I read this book in Kindle but will now buy it so it is a permanent part of my library.
September 24, 2024
I need a moment to gather my thoughts which are inundated with endless expressions that I can't even find words to describe the UTTER BRILLIANCE and PROFOUND TRANSCENDENCE of this MASTERPIECE.
" All hope abandon, ye who enter here! " ~ Dante Alighieri
Ok, here goes... (the following is my opinion and perspective, and mine alone)
This story TRANSCENDS any humanly described/felt ROMANCE and TRUE LOVE that I've ever read in any fiction (thusfar!). Love IS Classical. In the PUREST sense of the word. And Avilan manages to make you realise it, feel it, experience it. In all its literary glory.
"Three Women in Paradise" is one of the most romantic love stories ever told. The longing, the everlasting, the eternal, the undying, the unconditional... When love is so deep and complex, it defies and transcends any explanation, logic, rationale. When it can only be surmised as mystical, mythical, celestial, cosmic... True, unadulterated, uninhibited, unconditional love is so beyond reality, it is mystically mythical. Those who have the rare fortune to find it are eternally blessed. This story resonates so deeply within me. It was a "through the looking glass" experience for me when I read and listened to it (at the same time). It's uncanny, really.
A few things came to mind instantly as I absorbed every word, every nuance of every word, written and unwritten, as I devoured every page. I'll just spew them here. Interpret how you want - Scythe, John Wick, Umbrella Academy, The Seventh Seal. Ingmar Bergman. Oh yes. See if you agree when you read it.
Life in the here and now, the past, the future, the parallel - This story is about one, singular, unwavering, unconditional, unapologetic, unbreakable, everlasting LOVE that TRANSCENDS lifetimes.
Love is STEADFAST.
Love is PURE.
Love is POWERFUL.
Love is an UNSTOPPABLE force, it is an IMMOVABLE object.
READ THIS BOOK. Listen to your inner voice when you read the words that Avilan has so deftly crafted. Feel the emotions that these words and phrases conjure up that will inevitably shape your inner psyche.
LISTEN TO THIS BOOK. Hear the masterfully manipulated vocals that embody the undertones, the overtones, the unspoken, that further enhance the beauty and splendour of this story.
A love story, a story of romance, that defies the usual formula and style. A love story personified by Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy in all 3 parts: Inferno, Purgatorio and finally Paradiso.
And THAT, to me, is simply INGENIOUS. To craft an everlastingly romantic love story based on Dante? GENIUS, really! It is poetry.
WARNING: Do NOT click this if you don't want any whiff of anything that may resemble a spoiler!!
" Three Women... " is A RESOUNDING MUST-READ. It's a RESOUNDING MUST-LISTEN. I can't recommend it highly enough. This one is clearly my NO. 1 favourite book of 2024...and on my all-time list!
Lastly, Victoria Avilan deserves a Goldie for this masterpiece, imo. So, let's go, GCLS!!
And now, I’m gonna go read her other stories. By the way, thank you, Ms. Craden. Without your post, I would have neither known about this book nor of Ms. Avilan, for that matter.
" All hope abandon, ye who enter here! " ~ Dante Alighieri
Ok, here goes... (the following is my opinion and perspective, and mine alone)
This story TRANSCENDS any humanly described/felt ROMANCE and TRUE LOVE that I've ever read in any fiction (thusfar!). Love IS Classical. In the PUREST sense of the word. And Avilan manages to make you realise it, feel it, experience it. In all its literary glory.
"Three Women in Paradise" is one of the most romantic love stories ever told. The longing, the everlasting, the eternal, the undying, the unconditional... When love is so deep and complex, it defies and transcends any explanation, logic, rationale. When it can only be surmised as mystical, mythical, celestial, cosmic... True, unadulterated, uninhibited, unconditional love is so beyond reality, it is mystically mythical. Those who have the rare fortune to find it are eternally blessed. This story resonates so deeply within me. It was a "through the looking glass" experience for me when I read and listened to it (at the same time). It's uncanny, really.
A few things came to mind instantly as I absorbed every word, every nuance of every word, written and unwritten, as I devoured every page. I'll just spew them here. Interpret how you want - Scythe, John Wick, Umbrella Academy, The Seventh Seal. Ingmar Bergman. Oh yes. See if you agree when you read it.
Life in the here and now, the past, the future, the parallel - This story is about one, singular, unwavering, unconditional, unapologetic, unbreakable, everlasting LOVE that TRANSCENDS lifetimes.
Love is STEADFAST.
Love is PURE.
Love is POWERFUL.
Love is an UNSTOPPABLE force, it is an IMMOVABLE object.
READ THIS BOOK. Listen to your inner voice when you read the words that Avilan has so deftly crafted. Feel the emotions that these words and phrases conjure up that will inevitably shape your inner psyche.
LISTEN TO THIS BOOK. Hear the masterfully manipulated vocals that embody the undertones, the overtones, the unspoken, that further enhance the beauty and splendour of this story.
A love story, a story of romance, that defies the usual formula and style. A love story personified by Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy in all 3 parts: Inferno, Purgatorio and finally Paradiso.
And THAT, to me, is simply INGENIOUS. To craft an everlastingly romantic love story based on Dante? GENIUS, really! It is poetry.
WARNING: Do NOT click this if you don't want any whiff of anything that may resemble a spoiler!!
" Three Women... " is A RESOUNDING MUST-READ. It's a RESOUNDING MUST-LISTEN. I can't recommend it highly enough. This one is clearly my NO. 1 favourite book of 2024...and on my all-time list!
Lastly, Victoria Avilan deserves a Goldie for this masterpiece, imo. So, let's go, GCLS!!
And now, I’m gonna go read her other stories. By the way, thank you, Ms. Craden. Without your post, I would have neither known about this book nor of Ms. Avilan, for that matter.
August 6, 2024
Victoria Avilan certainly knows how to spin a yarn or three!
‘Three Women in Paradise’ is a colourful tapestry spanning liminal realities, dreams, parallel timelines and alternative ones, ‘movies in the head’, the effects of weed, and even a brain tumour – all woven together by the emotions and passions of the main character, Elektra Brooke (aka Ellie or Ella, depending on which reality we’re in): primarily, her love for a certain oft-elusive Gina Caldwell, who may or may not be the same teacher Elektra fell in love with as a child. Either way, ‘Paradise’ is the reality in which Elektra and Gina are married beneath a purple jacaranda tree, and live happily ever after, their best friend Sophie close by, ever-proferring cocktails.
Much of this picaresque extravaganza is spun around whether the work of Dante Alighieri ever existed or not: he, his muse Beatrice Portinari, and a version of Virgil are significant characters in the book, while the themes of The Divine Comedy: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso, are everywhere reflected. Thus, as pointed out by Elektra herself, the tapestry also spans from Venice, Italy (where, in 1554, Dante’s manuscript was heading to the press), to Venice, California, the homestead of the eponymous three women. Though, actually, owing to Sophie’s dead twin, that should be four – except that Peggy, the twin, is more a creature of Inferno than Paradise...
Confused yet? You won’t be. Thanks to Avilan’s playful language, fast-paced plot, and captivatingly glamorous characters, it is actually a page-turner which I devoured in just a couple of sittings. If you too enjoy intelligent fiction with a dash of the erotic and cultural, something to make you ponder as well as to entertain, I suggest you take ‘Three Women in Paradise’ from the ‘Cosmic Library’ today. You can even pick between endings.
So, as one of her sexy and talented characters might say, quit kvetching and futzing, and go meet Virginia Woolf, Isaac Asimov and a host of other souls in the sparkling, self-parodying dream-world of highly entertaining author Victoria Avilan. And, I promise you – you’ll be surprised at the repercussions of an apostrophe and a comma. This playful spiel is quite the grammatical and literary shtick.
‘Three Women in Paradise’ is a colourful tapestry spanning liminal realities, dreams, parallel timelines and alternative ones, ‘movies in the head’, the effects of weed, and even a brain tumour – all woven together by the emotions and passions of the main character, Elektra Brooke (aka Ellie or Ella, depending on which reality we’re in): primarily, her love for a certain oft-elusive Gina Caldwell, who may or may not be the same teacher Elektra fell in love with as a child. Either way, ‘Paradise’ is the reality in which Elektra and Gina are married beneath a purple jacaranda tree, and live happily ever after, their best friend Sophie close by, ever-proferring cocktails.
Much of this picaresque extravaganza is spun around whether the work of Dante Alighieri ever existed or not: he, his muse Beatrice Portinari, and a version of Virgil are significant characters in the book, while the themes of The Divine Comedy: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso, are everywhere reflected. Thus, as pointed out by Elektra herself, the tapestry also spans from Venice, Italy (where, in 1554, Dante’s manuscript was heading to the press), to Venice, California, the homestead of the eponymous three women. Though, actually, owing to Sophie’s dead twin, that should be four – except that Peggy, the twin, is more a creature of Inferno than Paradise...
Confused yet? You won’t be. Thanks to Avilan’s playful language, fast-paced plot, and captivatingly glamorous characters, it is actually a page-turner which I devoured in just a couple of sittings. If you too enjoy intelligent fiction with a dash of the erotic and cultural, something to make you ponder as well as to entertain, I suggest you take ‘Three Women in Paradise’ from the ‘Cosmic Library’ today. You can even pick between endings.
So, as one of her sexy and talented characters might say, quit kvetching and futzing, and go meet Virginia Woolf, Isaac Asimov and a host of other souls in the sparkling, self-parodying dream-world of highly entertaining author Victoria Avilan. And, I promise you – you’ll be surprised at the repercussions of an apostrophe and a comma. This playful spiel is quite the grammatical and literary shtick.
May 6, 2025
Once I started reading this masterpiece, I couldn’t put it down! What an absolute page-turner! And one to re-read again and again. I have also highlighted many beautiful sentences. This novel should win an award!
It’s the story of three friends who share a unique bond and love that seems to surpass time and space itself. I loved Gina and Sophie, yet it is the main protagonist who is the central focus, the strongest link, and driving force. We are quickly drawn in as we get to see through the eyes of Elektra Brooke, or Ellie, who is easy to identify with. Her crush and obsession with her teacher Angie sets the tone, and of course, Dante Alighieri’s works are the underlying thread that holds everything together; the inspiration or motivation so to speak. Though unlike Dante’s books, this novel is light for the most part in its contemporary California setting, drama, and suspense in others, it had me giggling and laughing for the most part, and holding my breath a few times when paradise, so to speak, seemed lost. Yes, from then on it gets a little darker, but it just makes you read on.
It was Stephen King who said in his book On How To Write, “Make them laugh, make them cry, make them wait.” And this story certainly held these three essentials for me. Those works, to me, are the best. It takes an expert author to hold me captive like that, and Victoria Avilan, just like she did with her debut novel The Art of Peeling an Orange, did just that.
The first person and narrative are beautifully and skilfully done. The art, the poetry were a balm for my soul. Besides a beautiful and sexy read what made me really interested was the speculative element of it all as I am a sucker for the genre. It was as if the author wanted to say: What if, then what?” And it all started with the red lightning…
Without giving too much away, if you are intrigued by undying love, alternative realities, and parallel lives, read this book! Let me say this: you will not be disappointed. That element was done in a way that made it seem realistic and thought-provoking. I loved the metaphysical aspect!
“Nothing would ever be perfect, not even heaven, and for most of us, paradise is purgatory at best. Yet my paradise is the love that moves the sun and the other stars.”
It’s the story of three friends who share a unique bond and love that seems to surpass time and space itself. I loved Gina and Sophie, yet it is the main protagonist who is the central focus, the strongest link, and driving force. We are quickly drawn in as we get to see through the eyes of Elektra Brooke, or Ellie, who is easy to identify with. Her crush and obsession with her teacher Angie sets the tone, and of course, Dante Alighieri’s works are the underlying thread that holds everything together; the inspiration or motivation so to speak. Though unlike Dante’s books, this novel is light for the most part in its contemporary California setting, drama, and suspense in others, it had me giggling and laughing for the most part, and holding my breath a few times when paradise, so to speak, seemed lost. Yes, from then on it gets a little darker, but it just makes you read on.
It was Stephen King who said in his book On How To Write, “Make them laugh, make them cry, make them wait.” And this story certainly held these three essentials for me. Those works, to me, are the best. It takes an expert author to hold me captive like that, and Victoria Avilan, just like she did with her debut novel The Art of Peeling an Orange, did just that.
The first person and narrative are beautifully and skilfully done. The art, the poetry were a balm for my soul. Besides a beautiful and sexy read what made me really interested was the speculative element of it all as I am a sucker for the genre. It was as if the author wanted to say: What if, then what?” And it all started with the red lightning…
Without giving too much away, if you are intrigued by undying love, alternative realities, and parallel lives, read this book! Let me say this: you will not be disappointed. That element was done in a way that made it seem realistic and thought-provoking. I loved the metaphysical aspect!
“Nothing would ever be perfect, not even heaven, and for most of us, paradise is purgatory at best. Yet my paradise is the love that moves the sun and the other stars.”
December 11, 2024
This had the most spectacular audiobook I’ve ever listened to! Not just that it was read by Abby Craden, but the emotional range of the characters let her really deliver a standout performance.
As for the story itself, that’s a little harder to summarize. I like angsty ones, and I thought this was great in the sense that Ellie kept getting her heart crushed and then finding her way back to her person in the end; some people you just can’t keep apart? I enjoyed the Dante parallels and Gina’s spectacular diatribe on the world without him. There was a bit of a horror element, from when Ellie woke up with a new hairstyle on, but less jump scares and more just seeing her hit rock bottom and see if she could climb back out again.
The supernatural angle was creative and fun, and it was necessary for the story to play out the way it did. I guess my one concern was that it occasionally got a bit sillier than I thought the story called for. I guess I’m thinking of BK and his device in particular. I also wasn’t exactly sure how Virgil and Bea, having been so intimately involved in events, would have signed off on a mission to take that work away from the world, so I’d maybe have liked for them to better justify themselves.
Still, it was a wonderful love story, in the sense of no matter how you twist the world, you just can’t keep certain souls apart. And I like the angsty route it took to the end.
Speaking of the end. This is probably heresy but… I really liked the scene with Virgil under the stars. Despite what I just said, it’s possible I’d have liked to end things there. 🤷♂️
Discussion with Maria: https://www.instagram.com/p/DDW88L2u9e5/
As for the story itself, that’s a little harder to summarize. I like angsty ones, and I thought this was great in the sense that Ellie kept getting her heart crushed and then finding her way back to her person in the end; some people you just can’t keep apart? I enjoyed the Dante parallels and Gina’s spectacular diatribe on the world without him. There was a bit of a horror element, from when Ellie woke up with a new hairstyle on, but less jump scares and more just seeing her hit rock bottom and see if she could climb back out again.
The supernatural angle was creative and fun, and it was necessary for the story to play out the way it did. I guess my one concern was that it occasionally got a bit sillier than I thought the story called for. I guess I’m thinking of BK and his device in particular. I also wasn’t exactly sure how Virgil and Bea, having been so intimately involved in events, would have signed off on a mission to take that work away from the world, so I’d maybe have liked for them to better justify themselves.
Still, it was a wonderful love story, in the sense of no matter how you twist the world, you just can’t keep certain souls apart. And I like the angsty route it took to the end.
Speaking of the end. This is probably heresy but… I really liked the scene with Virgil under the stars. Despite what I just said, it’s possible I’d have liked to end things there. 🤷♂️
Discussion with Maria: https://www.instagram.com/p/DDW88L2u9e5/
August 15, 2024
I recently read and loved this phenomenal book, Three Women in Paradise by Victoria Avilan, and I can't stop thinking about it. It's a sapphic story of love, friendship, and intrigue, with amazing literary allusions, a compelling character journey, and some truly thought-provoking fantastical elements that kept me turning the pages long into the night. I found the premise of the story absolutely unique with twists and turns that left me desperate for more. And the writing, as always with this author, is superb. Avilan is one of my top favorite authors whom I can always count on for a fabulous read.
I know this is vague, but this storyline isn't one that can be easily summed up and is difficult to talk about without spoilers. I wrote a full review of the book for The Lesbian Review that can be found at this link: https://thelesbianreview.com/three-wo...
I highly recommend this read!
I know this is vague, but this storyline isn't one that can be easily summed up and is difficult to talk about without spoilers. I wrote a full review of the book for The Lesbian Review that can be found at this link: https://thelesbianreview.com/three-wo...
I highly recommend this read!
September 20, 2024
I found this book fascinating. Each of the three main characters, brought to life brilliantly by Abby Craden’s narration skills in the audio version, was simultaneously interesting, infuriating, and wildly entertaining. Despite the fact that the subject matter was heavy (life/death) and required both suspension of disbelief (alternate realities) and at least a passing interest in classical pursuits like painting, opera, and poetry, the writing was lighthearted, funny and endearing. I really rooted for all three women as they struggle to find and re-find each other, and I was on edge throughout the final chapters as I could not predict the outcome. Thanks, Victoria, for writing such a unique story. Now I really want a T-shirt that says Aphrodite‘s tits!
November 14, 2025
Favorite line: “…yet my paradise is the love that moves the sun and the other stars.”
This fascinating story framework revolves around Dante’s Divine Comedy. Author Victoria Avilan asks in the book: What would happen if Dante had never written his literature? Did Dante set in motion the creation of pizza and the lightbulb? You’ll have to read this for an explanation. :-) This is a speculative multiverse of madness that examines the consequences of each decision we make. More specifically: What is the path to find our relative paradise, e.g.; finding love, friendship, and professional success? But in this story angels/devils put their thumbs on the roulette wheel of choice pathways. Hey, no fair!!
This fascinating story framework revolves around Dante’s Divine Comedy. Author Victoria Avilan asks in the book: What would happen if Dante had never written his literature? Did Dante set in motion the creation of pizza and the lightbulb? You’ll have to read this for an explanation. :-) This is a speculative multiverse of madness that examines the consequences of each decision we make. More specifically: What is the path to find our relative paradise, e.g.; finding love, friendship, and professional success? But in this story angels/devils put their thumbs on the roulette wheel of choice pathways. Hey, no fair!!
October 8, 2024
I was a bit skeptical about whether or not I would like this book when the author gave me an audiobook copy. It's not my usual genre. But, I have to admit I thoroughly enjoyed it. Abby Craden really brought the characters to life and I found myself wanting to stay in the car longer, or popping on my headphones to continue listening while walking around my property. It is so much more than a love story, yet I can't quite find the words to describe it without fear of spoilers. Love, friendship, fear, betrayal, poetry, and most importantly "Aphrodite's Tits"! That pretty much sums it up. Great book - I highly recommend the audiobook! Bravo Victoria, Bravo!
February 9, 2026
Victoria Avilan has penned another winner in Three Women in Paradise, a masterful tribute to the thin lines we walk between passion and obsession, loyalty and betrayal, even reality and fiction. Calling on the paths taken by Dante, Virgil and Beatrice, Avilan takes a thoroughly modern journey into the wisdom, journeys and truths we all face. And like the philosophers, poets and muses from centuries past, Electra Brooke realizes that sometimes, paradise is what you say it is. How you define it can be the difference between heaven and hell. A memorable story with edge-of-your-seat twists and turns and characters that jump off the page and into your life.
June 10, 2025
I was hooked by the opening quote and couldn't put it down from thereon in. Not something I was expecting at all. I'm not normally into the mythological or fantastical. I found myself on unfamiliar terrain, yet completely intrigued and aligned with the main character, Elektra. Traversing different realities, feeling the ups and downs of love and desire, and incited to think deeply about "reality," it made my real life feel less fun. I so much enjoyed spending time in this world. This book was so much fun and definitely worth the read.
April 8, 2026
3.25
setting: California
rep: lesbian protagonist
okay, for some reason I thought this was litfic. it isn't. it's kind of ... fantasy? that's how I've categorised it in my notebook anyway, but it's a bit of a genre bender! I was digging it at first but then about halfway through I started to lose interest and I was finding Elektra to be an incredibly annoying character; I wish we'd had more time in Reality 1 before the transition, there was too much post-transition time
setting: California
rep: lesbian protagonist
okay, for some reason I thought this was litfic. it isn't. it's kind of ... fantasy? that's how I've categorised it in my notebook anyway, but it's a bit of a genre bender! I was digging it at first but then about halfway through I started to lose interest and I was finding Elektra to be an incredibly annoying character; I wish we'd had more time in Reality 1 before the transition, there was too much post-transition time
April 13, 2025
4 stars. I'm not sure what the hell I just read but it was bizarre and beautiful.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews