Book excerpt: A rare episodic novel coming out Cyprus and based on real experiences in the Paphos region at the beginning of the new millenium. This book is easy to read both as individual stories and as a collective piece, It can also be read on many levels. It explores myth and reality in a country famed for its ancient Goddess, Aphrodite. It is a commentary on the impact of the modern on the traditional, in the Mediteranean. It will appeal to conservationists and eco minded people. Last, but certainly not least, it shows how an English botanist finds himself and a new love interest by immersing himself in the search for rare endemic flowers in the Akamas National Park. As Sean Toner tells each tale, the reader knows he is very familiar with the territory and in the telling he also manages to expose a wealth of Cypriot character and humour.