Published June 4th, 2026 by Viking
Historical Fiction, Greek Mythology, Fairy Tale, Historical Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy, Fantasy Fiction
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
From the #1 bestselling author comes an epic story of love and war as two opposing deities find themselves drawn to each other against all odds. Because when Aphrodite and Ares fall in love, sparks are bound to fly.
‘A LUSCIOUS RETELLING THAT HELD ME TIGHT BY THE HEARTSTRINGS’ SAARA EL-ARIFI, bestselling author of Cursebound
‘A TIMELESS LOVE STORY’ EMILIA HART, bestselling author of Sirens
‘TRULY GORGENOUS, WONDERFULLY FRESH ROMANTIC FANTASY’ ELODIE HARPER, bestselling author of Boudicca’s Daughter
This is the oldest love story of all time . . .
Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, wields unparalleled power over every divine and mortal heart. Though her world is one of beauty, she is the most dangerous god of all, ruled by passion regardless of the consequences.
Ares, God of War, is her perfect contradiction: feared, unwanted and relentless in his devotion to chaos. Where she breathes life into longing, he thrives in destruction.
And yet gods are no more immune to love and loss than anyone else, and soon their lives collide. But even divine love can’t protect them from the fates of Mount Olympus, and whilst the God of War may be capable of greater love than anyone else, so may the Goddess of Love be capable of the gravest mistakes . . .
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MY REVIEW:
Jennifer Saint has been an auto-buy author whose books are a highlight of my reading year ever since her spectacular debut, Ariadne. I love her commitment to illuminating ancient female voices to a modern audience and showing us a side to these women we might not have seen before. And how beautiful is that cover and the spredges.
Her latest book, This Immortal Heart, retells the story of the oldest love story of all time. Aphrodite may be the goddess of love, but her passionate nature makes her the most dangerous goddess of all. Fierce and relentless, Ares, god of war, is her perfect opposite. They shouldn’t be compatible, but love has its own rules and they are soon caught up in a volatile romance. And when they collide their chaotic love affair disrupts the status quo and threatens order on Mount Olympus.
Illuminating, passionate, enthralling and timeless, Jennifer has crafted another unforgettable retelling that feels as hearty as an Olympian feast. Aphrodite is a goddess we’ve all heard of. And her love story with Ares is well-known, but I think this is the most moving and powerful telling of it that I’ve ever read. It is a story of desire, love and heartache set against a backdrop of the politics of Zeus’ kingdom. Drenched in love, lust and longing, Aphrodite’s passion for Ares leaped from the pages while the tempestuous atmosphere on Mount Olympus made my heart race.
Aphrodite is usually portrayed as vain and shallow, but this version is much more thoughtful and wants to spread happiness by bestowing her gifts on her followers. But mortals are fallible and she is left dismayed when her gifts lead to unexpected consequences. Her passion for Ares surprises her as much as anyone and it was fun to see her so out of sorts, consumed by a love that she knew was bad for her but also felt impossible to resist. I think we can all relate to the dangerous allure of a bad boy or someone we know is wrong for us but we feel a strong pull towards and I was rooting for them against the odds.
This gorgeous retelling is a must-read for anyone who loves Greek Mythology.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5
Thanks to Viking and Libro.fm for my complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jennifer Saint grew up reading Greek mythology and was always drawn to the untold stories hidden within the myths. After thirteen years as a high school English teacher, she wrote Ariadne, which was shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year in 2021 and was a Waterstones Book of the Month, as well as being a Sunday Times bestseller.
Jennifer Saint is now a full-time author, living in Yorkshire, England, with her family. All of her novels have been Sunday Times bestsellers, with Elektra and Atalanta hitting the coveted number one slot.
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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx
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