It is 1920 and two babies come into the world in very different circumstances: Grace born of a violent union, but destined for a golden future, and Mike, a country boy with a talent for boxing, whose determination to succeed on his own terms brings him into conflict when he starts to make a name for himself.

The Birth of Aphrodite is a panoramic novel based on the love myth of Aphrodite and Adonis. The story, spanning several decades, moves from the New York underworld to Hollywood. A story of love and family, particularly the struggle for family love.