The sultry heat of Greece, the barren, isolated islands, the azure blue of the sea and the broad, tanned, handsome and domineering master of the great house. Aphrodite’s Tears is Hannah Fielding’s newest novel that is sure to heat up any winter’s day – or serve as the perfect escapism for those heading to the sun this summer.

So we were a bit surprised to find the author wrapped in a large scarf beside an open fire at her home in Co Wicklow. “Believe me, I was right in the midst of the Greek culture when I was writing the book,” she laughs. For now, though, she is settling into her new home in Ireland.

Although, her husband Nicolas proclaims – while pouring tea into delicate china cups – that he is “half Irish on his mother’s side”, this is their first extended stay in Ireland.

Both have travelled the world and lived in various locations. From her home in Egypt to studying in France and England, some time in Switzerland and now Ireland, every one of Hannah’s books carries her readers away to a new location.

Irish inspiration

For now, though, the couple are living in a beautiful period home overlooking the Wicklow countryside. “This is the most inspirational room,” she says waving at the high ceilings and large sash windows that invite in the winter sun.

“I have a very good view. I come here in the mornings, set up my laptop, and even if the rest of Wicklow seems to be under a dull cloud, we have beautiful sun here. The nature, the scenery, it is quite moving.” In fact, it inspired one of her upcoming books, set in Ireland.

While it won’t be published for a while yet, Hannah says capturing the Irish character was very enjoyable, and easy. “It is true that Irish people are so friendly. I was surprised by the way people take you into their embrace – that they are so hospitable. Your readers probably take it for granted but I find it most charming.

“I am also very attracted to all the magic, and I think Ireland has that feel to it – and especially this house. There are a lot of crows here every morning and that inspired me to add a bit of a Gothic feel to the book.”

This mystic element also comes across in Aphrodite’s Tears, bringing in those great stories of the Greek gods but the book is, above all, like all the rest of her novels: a true romance.

Real life dreamer

“What can I say? I am a dreamer,” laughs Hannah. “I live in my head, identify with my heroines and fall in love with my heroes.”

In fact, she says all her heroines have a lot of her in them. The book is set in the 1970s on a misogynistic Greek island. When we meet heroine Oriel, it is immediately evident that she is a strong, independent women.

“All my heroines, except for my first, Coral, are strong women. They are as I am today, not as I was when I was their age. Underneath, though, they all quite naïve: they have an emotional naïvety that I have myself.

“Growing up in Egypt, we were never allowed to have boyfriends. The only romance I had was in the stories I wrote – and I was a virgin when I married. That influences my style, the characters I develop; but I do give them a strength, perhaps subconsciously to inspire others, to tell women to be strong and stand up for themselves,” Hannah explains.

These layered characters fit right into her layered novels. Suspense, the islanders of Helios, whose lives are set in a historical and cultural context, the Lekkas family drama and mystery: there is a lot more to Aphrodite’s Tears than romance.

“My writing is very descriptive. When I am writing my novels, I don’t lock myself away. I go to Greece, listen to people talk about their lives, eat in the restaurants to experience their food. I want to bring my readers to those places with me. Then I add suspense and drama. All this makes the romance more exciting and brings it more to life, gives it depth. This is my style of writing."

Romance genre

In fact, she is keen to highlight that there is more to romance novels than passionate scenes.

“There is, I feel, some snobbery around the romance genre. People like to belittle the genre. They don’t like to admit they enjoy it.

“However, the numbers tell otherwise, and one of the best things about Amazon bringing out the Kindle is that people can read whatever they want without anyone knowing,” she smiles.

Before we leave, we have to ask Hannah about the great romance of her life. Although she and Nicholas are both grandparents now, did they first meet on a remote Greek island?

“Oh no,” she laughs, “It was much more ordinary than that. We met at a party when I first moved to London. I was actually chatting to his friend – but he got my attention, and that was it.

“It was a beautiful, glittering party and, for me, it was a great romance.” CL