Aphrodite in Pieces

by Lauren J.A. Bear

Experience the myth and magic of antiquity's most alluring—and provocative—goddess as never witnessed before, in this gorgeously rendered, unflinching, and deeply vulnerable retelling from the author of Mother of Rome and Medusa's Sisters.

Two hundred years before the common era, Aphrodite surprises an itinerant sculptor with a shocking Hear my story, see me for who I truly am, and carve it into stone. Never before has the goddess posed for her likeness, and as the artist works, she shares pieces of herself.

Her greatest triumphs and most grievous mistakes. The truth behind the tales of her beneficence and vengeance. And the one epic romance that slips through her perfect fingers, time and time again.

Part memoir, part fantasy, and all heart, Aphrodite in Pieces begs the eternal, essential what do love and beauty truly mean? And can they last?

Genres: Mythology, Fantasy, Greek Mythology, Historical Fiction, Retellings, Historical, Fiction

384 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication April 21, 2026

About the author

Author of MEDUSA'S SISTERS, MOTHER OF ROME, & APHRODITE IN PIECES ('26)
Reader. Educator. Mama Bear. Trouble maker. Lyrical gangster.
Based in Seattle.
Rep: Jane Dystel

Reviews

[britta ⋆˙⟡]

Lauren J.A. Bear’s Mother of Rome is my favorite story I have read this year (and one of the top ever) so I’m so excited to have received this ARC, fingers crossed it’s a banger too. 🌿

“Two hundred years before the common era, Aphrodite surprises an itinerant sculptor with a shocking request: Hear my story, see me for who I truly am, and carve it into stone. Never before has the goddess posed for her likeness, and as the artist works, she shares pieces of herself.

Her greatest triumphs and most grievous mistakes. The truth behind the tales of her beneficence and vengeance. And the one epic romance that slips through her perfect fingers, time and time again.”

Many Thanks to NetGalley and Ace for the ARC. All opinions my own.

[Rashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have spent the last 48 hours completely immersed in Lauren J.A. Bear’s newest work: Aphrodite in Pieces. I absolutely loved Medusa’s Sisters and Mother of Rome, and this book is another credit to Bear’s immense talent.

Bear delivers a gorgeous ode to the life and legacy of Aphrodite. True to form, she reclaims the story of this ancient goddess and brings a fierce compassion to another one of mythology’s most misunderstood and misinterpreted figures. Told through Aphrodite’s own narration, the novel becomes a sweeping journey across the vast and immeasurable span of her immortal life.

The writing is exquisite. The relationship between Aphrodite and Ares, her unwavering loyalty to those she loves, the tenderness and pain woven into Bear’s portrayal of motherhood, and the layers of Olympian scheming all come together in a story that feels intimate, timeless, and unforgettable.

-

This book reminds me of:

✨ Hera by Jennifer Saint for its storytelling style, a tapestry of moments across history that capture the essence of an immortal goddess.

✨ Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid for its questions of love versus possession, love spells, and games of power.

✨ The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue for its exploration of art and legacy.


Thank you to the publisher for the gifted early review copy! 🤍

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and Ace Books for the gifted advance reader’s copy. All opinions are my own.

“What a world we could enjoy if men treated all women like they were real people.”

Lauren J.A. Bear never fails to tap into the reality of life as a woman. In MOTHER OF ROME (a standout 2025 read for me) she examined woman’s role as mother, daughter, and friend. She captured the intensity and ferocity of a mother’s love and sacrifice. To say I was eagerly anticipating APHRODITE IN PIECES would be a gross understatement. In this mythological retelling, she focuses attention on how women are manipulated to appease the whims of men and jealousy of other women.

“When men tell my story, I become the character they create.”

Friends, this is another must read for those who appreciate and admire strong female characters. Aphrodite is FIERCE.

I highlighted a ridiculous number of passages in this book. Bear’s writing combines the lyricism of mythology with a timeless look at how women have been labeled and mistreated through history. Aphrodite, the goddess of love, is revered for her beauty which makes men desire her and women distrust her. And from hatred and envy nothing good ever grows.

“And my life, my happiness were being bartered by men, for men.”

APHRODITE IN PIECES is a multilayered story of love and resilience. It is a love story not just between Aphrodite and Ares, but mostly Aphrodite learning to love herself, claim her place in the world, and write her own legacy.

“The other Olympians wanted me to take my place, but instead, I assumed my power.”

And the ending … PERFECTION! Bear once again shows us the power of the matriarchy.

[Kushmir]

I am SO excited for this, it is not funny

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 RTF

[Moochie B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad I had the chance to read an early copy of Aphrodite in Pieces. This was a beautiful, immersive five-star read that I haven't been able to stop thinking about.

I’ll be honest: it took me a little bit of time at the beginning to get used to the writing style. But once I adjusted and really got into it, I was completely hooked and couldn't put it down. The premise is so cool—Aphrodite actually hunts down this specific artist and commissions him to sculpt her. She gives him one night to ask her anything he wants, and as he’s sketching, she tells him her version of all the famous Greek myths.

It honestly feels like she’s helping him write her biography. She talks about the first marriage she was forced into, all five of her children, and her relationship with Ares. But what I loved was that it wasn't just a simple love story. There was so much anger and hatred between them at points, and they went centuries without even seeing each other. You really feel the "God of War" side of his personality and how that clashed with her, but also how their love for each other still managed to last through all that time and conflict.

I actually ended up taking longer to finish this book than I usually would, but only because I was so into the world. I kept taking breaks to look up all the different gods and figures named throughout the book because I wanted to remember who everyone was and just know more about them. It really pulled me into the mythology and made me want to go down a total research rabbit hole.

If you love Greek myth retellings that feel personal and give the characters a real voice, you need to add this to your list. I’m really looking forward to reading more from Lauren J.A. Bear.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kelly Lam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was stunning! So beautifully written, charming, raw and captivating in every way. Absolutely loved the concept of Aphrodite telling her own story to the artist as he creates her in stone, giving him the chance to capture not just her physical beauty but her flaws too. Bear has done such a wonderful job bringing Aphrodite to life, I really can’t fault this book at all.
Thank you so much to the author and NetGalley for the the advanced copy

[Tabitha Beach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow… this was such a beautiful read that I genuinely have not been able to stop thinking about.

Lauren J.A. Bear completely reshapes Aphrodite in a way that feels so personal and powerful. Instead of the version of her we’ve been told over and over again, we get her telling her own story, and it honestly changes everything. The premise alone is so cool. Aphrodite seeks out an artist and commissions him to sculpt her, giving him one night to ask anything he wants. As he sketches, she tells him her life, her version of the myths, and it feels like she’s writing her own biography in real time and finally reclaiming a narrative that was never really hers.

I’ll be honest, it took me a second to settle into the writing style at the beginning, but once it clicked, I was completely hooked. The writing is so lyrical and emotional without ever feeling heavy, and it just pulls you in deeper the more you read. What I loved most is how this book reframes Aphrodite. She’s not just the goddess of love and beauty, she’s a woman who has been desired, envied, misunderstood, and used by both men and gods. There’s such a strong thread of how women’s stories get twisted and shaped by others, and how powerful it is to take that narrative back. That part really stuck with me.

Her relationship with Ares was also so well done. It’s not soft or simple, it’s messy, passionate, and at times filled with anger and distance. You really feel the warring side of him and how that clashes with her, but also how their connection somehow survives through all of it. It felt real in a way I wasn’t expecting. I also loved how much depth was given to her as a mother and how fiercely she loves the people in her life. There’s so much tenderness mixed in with the pain, and it made her feel so human despite everything.

And the ending… it was just perfect. It felt like her fully stepping into her power and claiming her place in a way that was so satisfying.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the eARC!

[Read.With.Mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may have a new favorite mythological retelling.

Which is ironic, because for most of my life Aphrodite was my least favorite goddess.

But Lauren J. A. Bear breathes new life into her, reframing Aphrodite not through the lens of a patriarchy that both desired and punished her sexuality, but as one of the first true feminists.

A crusader for women who was willing to do what none of the other goddesses would: advocate for herself and for others.

Told through a series of memories as Aphrodite sits for a sculptor commissioned to capture her likeness, the novel slowly peels back the layers of the goddess the world thinks it knows. The scandalous adulteress. The vain beauty. The manipulator behind so many of mythology’s tragedies.

But Bear asks a different question: what if those stories were never truly hers to begin with?

Instead, we see a woman navigating a world ruled by male gods who fear the power she holds. Over centuries she makes mistakes, grows, and through a series of great loves including her most passionate love, Ares, comes to understand that love, desire, and beauty are not weaknesses but forces capable of reshaping kingdoms and challenging the authority of Olympus itself.

The result is a deeply human portrait of a figure who has spent millennia being misunderstood, not only by the world but at times even by herself.

This was an unexpectedly beautiful story that made me feel everything and at times brought me to tears. Aphrodite has been reborn in my eyes, and I wish we had a retelling like this sooner. If you like feminist retellings, this needs to be on your radar.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pub Date: April 21, 2026

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Aphrodite in Pieces is the story of the Goddess of Love visiting a sculptor one night and telling her story – and quite the story it is.

In this novel, Lauren J.A. Bear explores the myths surrounding one of the Greek pantheon’s most capricious and scandalous members, creating an engaging chronological biography viewed through modern eyes and sensibilities. I can go either way with mythological retellings; however, there was more than enough here to keep my attention.

The novel got off to a very strong start, exploring Aphrodite’s early years on Cyprus. Bear wisely rejected Dione and Zeus as her parents, as told in Homeric tradition, and instead stuck with the original origin story of the goddess rising from sea foam. Since there is next to nothing charting this period, the author allowed her imagination to run wild to great effect.

It’s only when Aphrodite is summoned to Mount Olympus that the story becomes more restricted and reined in. While still engaging, some things worked for me better than others. I wasn’t quite sure about the book’s take on Ares and would have liked to have seen more interactions between the goddesses – even if they were negative.

Nevertheless, Aphrodite was an enjoyable read and I suspect fans of Greek mythology will find their way to it easily enough.

Worth a look.

With thanks to Titan Books for the ARC.

[Katie Lawrence]

Review for the Library Journal:
Alexandros of Antioch is waiting for his new block of Parian marble to speak to him, for inspiration to guide his hands in creating a masterpiece. Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, has been waiting for an artist who can capture her flaws, who can see her as she is. And so, she arrives, shockingly, on Alexandros’s doorstep for one night of stories and poses, to reveal all of herself to an impartial judge. It is with this unusual framing device—the creation of the Venus de Milo—that Bear (Mother of Rome) tackles Aphrodite in all her complexities. From her unusual birth through the Trojan War and beyond, the goddess gradually reveals her loves and losses, the women who hated her and the men who wished to exploit her, her selfishness, and her quest for self-love. Perspective can change everything, and Bear is always interested in giving victimized women of mythology a voice, even extremely powerful figures like Aphrodite. Her story offers much to Alexandros and readers, with thoughts on love, power, beauty, and pain.

VERDICT With beautiful, reflective prose, this retelling will appeal to fans of Bear’s previous work or Greek mythology retellings in general.

[J Davison · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC from NetGalley.


Bear once again proves that she has an extraordinary ability to write about the most fragile and complicated parts of the human heart. With striking emotional clarity, she captures something many writers attempt but few truly achieve successfully, the raw, aching truth of what it means to love and to be loved in return.

She doesn’t romanticize love as something easy or effortless; instead, she explores its fractures, its tenderness, and the quiet ways it can both heal and devastate us. Every female reader has lived-in Aphrodite's shoes. Love is rarely clean or simple. It is messy, beautiful, and sometimes unbearably painful, and this book embraces that truth fully.

Ultimately, Aphrodite in Pieces is a meditation on intimacy, heartbreak, and the courage it takes to keep loving despite the risk, even when it's painful, even when someone doesn't love you back. Bear hits her mark once again, delivering a story that is both devastating and deeply human.

It’s a novel that reminds us that love, even when it hurts, is still one of the most powerful forces we have.

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


Lauren J.A. Bear has quickly become one of my favourite writers. Mother of Rome was one of my favourite books of last year, and I also really loved Medusa's Sisters, and her latest release, dedicated to the infamous greek goddess Aphrodite, didn't disappoint me one bit.

Aphrodite is one of the most infamous of the greek gods and she tends to be portrayed in a negative way. I myself have never felt much drawn to her, but I knew I could trust Bear to create a memorable character, and indeed she did. Aphrodite fel true to what we know from the myths and Bear doesn't attempt to overly justify her, but at the same time she creates a very sympathetic, flawed, human and believable character. I always understood and rooted for her. The other gods are not as memorable as she is, but the different relationships and rivalries between them were very interesting to follow. The friendship between Aphrodite and Apollo was especially heartwarming, and I also liked Eros and the portrayal of the myth of Psyche. As for Ares, the tormented romance between him and Aphrodite is one of the key points of the story and, while it was definitely complex and not trivial, I didn't feel super invested in them, probably because their feelings started as soon as they saw each other and there wasn't much explanation. I was also frustated by the fact that Ares constantly ran away from Aphrodite for one excuse or another.

While Aphrodite's characterization is the main focus of the story, the book is not only about her: it is also about all the women who are judged and misunderstood because of their looks, their reputation or their actions. Bear explored many themes which are very relevant today, most importantly the condition of women, motherhood and the power of art and love.

A wonderful read, which I would recommend not only to readers who like myth retellings but to all readers in general.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really excellent start of a novel, a cool set-up for Aphrodite's story and some compelling characterization, but imho falls apart by the end.

By the end of the novel, its more a loose collection of various major stories in greek mythology from Aphrodite's small role in it. And then the last section about her perception in later years is pretty weak. I think it probably should've ended when they finished the statue.

Also, I am kind of tired of them so-called 'feminist' retellings of women of greek mythology that totally de-claws these figures and often villianizes the other women around her - why are Hera and Athena the ultimate villains but Ares and Apollo get all their darkest stories erased so they can be positive figures in Aphrodite's narrative?

I don't know. I like the idea of reclaiming Aphrodite from the misogyny that as framed how she's remembered, but I'm not sure I like how this telling does it.

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for this E-ARC to read before publication for an honest review.

I LOVED the idea behind this book. Aphrodite telling her side of the story and showing all the pieces of HER to a mortal sculptor so she can be truly represented...chefs kiss. I enjoyed the unique twist on the greek god/goddess storyline. The themes were actually pretty profound and definitely relevant to today. This book made me think. It sheds light on sociatal problems through the ages against women... especially ones centered around women who express their sexuality. Themes about love, toxic masculinity, family dynamics, how choices have ripple affects, power struggles, and finding the path to loving yourself.

Highly recommend... especially for those that love reading twists on Greek mythology.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book because I have loved all of Lauren Bear's other novels. I wasn't that excited initially about the plot - I don't naturally gravitate toward myth re-tellings or books about ancient Greece/Rome. However, as soon as I started reading this book, I was swept into the story and it didn't matter that it was about Aphrodite and the Greek Gods. In fact, I loved that it was about Aphrodite and her relationships with the other Gods. Lauren's writing is magical and because she incorporates long-standing social issues and prejudice into her books, she takes "old" stories and makes them fresh and interesting. She has certainly made me change my mind about what kind of books I enjoy! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Daniel Bear · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a brilliant new direction for Lauren. First off, Aphrodite is FUNNY, just like the author. She is snarky and insufferable in a way you just can’t help loving. Hell, she even finds herself funny.

Aphrodite in Pieces has it all… legendary war, twists and turns, flawed but ultimately lovable heroes, and an ending that is so different yet somehow perfectly wraps it all together.

You definitely don't need to be a mythology buff or romance reader to love this book. I am neither, and it stole my heart.

[Jackie Lomeli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley and Berkeley, for the advance e-reader copy.

Beautifully written book reimagining the goddess of love and beauty over centuries. Told in such a clear way to understand the various different stories of the goddess over centuries, it gives the reader a story told predominately in Aphrodite’s point of view, but allows the sculpture’s point of view as well that later unravels the meaning of the sculpture in a magnificent way.

Well written and a beautiful retelling of the goddess.

[Booksandballgowns · Rating 4 out of 5]

How does one truly capture love and beauty? Writing a story such as this! I was fully immersed in this tale with its exquisite descriptions and themes of self love and expression. Aphrodite has always been so much more than a pretty face, and this author truly understands both the joys and the hardships of just existing as a woman. And the ever heated romance with a certain god of war? More please. Stunning, emotional, this book was written with love about love herself!

[Bonnie (BookedWithBonnie) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an emotional and vulnerable retelling!

I loved the memoir type retelling as Aphrodite shares her story with Alexandros. Hearing so many different versions of Greek mythology, this first person point of view from Aphrodite was breaking my heart. The frustrations, the vulnerabilities, the mistakes and more... Bear did an amazing job bringing this Goddess and her story to life.

Thank you, Berkley, for the ARC!

[Chelsea Knox · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was absolutely beautiful and written in a way that helps you understand her as a goddess and a person. she went through a lot had to deal with so much. the pain and sorrow she feels makes me hurt, her happiness made me happy. This is just what I needed to get me back into the groove.
Thank you so much netgalley for this book so much appreciation.

[Lauren Bear · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my ode to the Venus de Milo, to women loving themselves without shame, to art and beauty and love throughout history. It's also a hot hot fire Ares/Aphrodite romance. I'm kinda obsessed with it, and I hope y'all will be, too! xoxo

[rosalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

i actually CANNOT WAIT for this to join medusa's sisters and mother of rome on my all time favs shelf :)

[Muhammad · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a good worlds all Athens lead to attendaces. Peace be upon him. There is no God, but Allah SWT. Ahlussunnah wal jama'ah.