Title: The Aphrodite Affairs:
Circle of Love Book 1
Author: Kate Hofman
Published in September 2010
by DCL Publications, LLC
Genre: Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 978-0-9844615-4-7 Print
Cover Model: Bill Freda
Cover Artist: S. J. Ronayne
Other Books by Kate: Golden Heart A Greek Love Story Navajo Dreams, Her Dream Lover, Golden Adonis, Enchanted Castle, Hidden Agenda, A Sensual Seduction
“You should be ashamed of yourself, playing gigolo to my mother. She’s very vulnerable right now—my father died only eight months ago. If you had any decent feelings at all, you’d let my mother down gently, and get out of her life. Can’t you invent a sick aunt or a dying grandfather in Greece? My mother said you’re twenty-nine. Well, you look older, probably due to the dissolute life you lead, going from one vulnerable, middle-aged lady to another— Look, if you need money, I’ll pay you any amount you wish as long as you get out of my mother’s life.”
The insult was almost unforgivable, and as he walked out of Mrs. Willoughby's apartment, Raphael Thalassinos wondered exactly who that harridan was, then with a second thought, the beauty of the termagant slipped into his notice. Well the fit of temper, her pique was really off-putting, and here was no way he was going back to that apartment for an apology or answers. After conferring with his brother, and securing his cooperation in regards to visiting their mother, Raphael returned to New York. Funny thing was, the irate blond stuck in his mind, and for some crazy reason, he almost felt compelled to see her again. It wasn't going to happen, of course. He was not about to chance another dressing down or being thought of as a gigolo. Intriguing as she was, this woman was definitely not for him. Now if only he could stop thinking of her and get his world back to normal, things would be just fine. Unfortunately that wasn't happening for Raphael, and it was time to head off for a distraction. Raphael figures the best thing for him was to just get back to work, and then all would be well. It was not as if the woman was an obsession, but he was intrigued and he couldn't to be at this point. He has a business empire to run, work to do meeting to chair. He has no time for a woman.
For all Raphael's good intentions, there was absolutely no choice. His mind wouldn't let go of the memory, the sight of the woman with fire in her eyes, determined to protect her parent from the depredations of his brother. She was feisty, strong willed, and yet he wondered what the real woman was like. He decided it was time to visit his cousin in Ocean Breeze, Florida, and since he has business to conduct in Jacksonville, he made arrangements to visit is cousin Nicholas and his wife Nadine. Through some judicious questioning, he found out that the young woman was indeed, Lydia Willoughby, daughter to Alicia. He also discovered her secret, Lydia didn’t date, she stayed away from men because she was the victim of a date rapist. There is nothing that fires up a Thalassinos male more than injustice, and together he and Nick start to look for a way to break this pervert in all ways possible. With Raphael's connections in the business world, and Nicholas's connections in and around Ocean Breeze, the pair soon come up with a viable plan to defeat the one man who dared to hurt and rape the woman Raphael now thought of as his...
Ms. Lydia Willoughby is thoroughly worried almost to the point of being distraught. Normally she wouldn't worry about her mother, Alicia, but it seems she is now enjoying London with a great abandon, and even dating a man 20 years her junior!!! No way can Lydia allow that to continue since she won't condone her mother squandering the legacy left to her by her husband's death eight months before. It is not that Lydia is jealous of her mother that is the farthest thing from her mind. She does know, however, that her mother is fragile, broken due to her father's death, and Lydia is hoping that has not made her careless. Considering her mother's state of mind when she left, Lydia thinks a trip to London to see what is going on is not out of the question. With Marcella, her friend and lawyer backing her, Lydia hops a plane to see for herself, firsthand what exactly is going on with her mother and her "boyfriend," and make certain there is not any trouble on the horizon. The last thing she was expecting was a suave, sophisticated, and devilishly handsome man gracing her mother’s balcony. Handsome or not, she was not going to let him take advantage of her mother or the money she inherited. It mattered not that Marcella said she would know if Alicia was spending money like water. Just the sight of this man drew her ire and left her steaming.
Well, it could possibly be blamed on the jet lag, her level of anxiety about her mother’s increasing distraction, or just plain misunderstanding, but it didn’t matter. No excuse she could think of would really excuse her bad behavior. She was sorry, but the man on the balcony was not Jason, but Raphael Thalassinos, and he didn’t even give her a chance to apologize. Lydia felt badly, yet what could she do? Her mother was so distraught when Lydia’s father died, and all things were piled on Lydia’s slender shoulders. She had to take responsibility, and her mother had been so clingy. But to go from dependence to not having time to even say “Hi” is what had worried Lydia the most. Her mother and her off again-on again instability is what caused her to fly to London in the first place. Even though what she found out relieved her, she was still chagrinned at the tongue-lashing she’d subjected Raphael to in her mother’s sitting room. Boy, she wished she could apologize to him properly. She would have to deal with that when she got home. Thalassinos…Maybe he was related to Nick and Nadine. It was worth the time to check into it, or maybe Marcella could help track him down…
The Aphrodite Affairs: Circle of Love Book 1 is yet another of the wonderful Greek Tycoon tales from the pen of Kate Hofman. Raphael Thalassinos is shaken and appalled by the tirade he was subjected to when the young woman entered the parlor, but on further reflection, she only knew what she was told, and truth be told, he was there for the same reason! As the days went by, he could hardly blame her. Jason was only friends with Alicia, and Raphael had been there for the very same reason. All the misunderstanding aside, she intrigued him, and he couldn’t remove her from his mind. That was odd in and of itself because it was usually those predatory and greedy women who when after him. Lydia was a refreshing change to what he was used to in his world, and Raphael wanted to see her again. Lydia had no interest in men, but she really did want to apologize to Raphael, and when she found out he was Nick’s cousin, she was ready to melt into the floor. She needed to escape for any number of reasons, but that was not going to happen. Nadine wouldn’t let her go, and before she knew it, she was apologizing in person, and still very upset. Some fast talking by Raphael soon put her at ease, and fires ignited from there.
The Aphrodite Affairs: Circle of Love Book 1 will soon be available in print. Currently in ebook format, it is a fairytale come true as Lydia discovers she has finally met a man who respects her for whom she is, and who is still willing to go to great lengths to protect her. When the ultimate danger threatens in the form of the man who raped her, Raphael whisks her away and does his best to keep her safe. Lydia not only succumbs to his charm, but also to his chivalry, and soon they find themselves as lovers as well as friends. Can this last? That is the question that plagues Lydia when she sees the world Raphael negotiates his way through each day. There are ups and downs, but to find out how this all ends, I heartily recommend The Aphrodite Affairs: Circle of Love Book 1 as a topnotch read. It is definitely on the Selected Reads part of my Keeper shelf. Keep eyes open for The Aphrodite Affairs: Circle of Love Book 1 coming soon to print, but if you can’t wait, head on over to DCL Publications and get a copy of the ebook today. I know you will be intrigued and thoroughly enjoy this delightful story by Kate Hofman!
Yours in good reading,
Rose!
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