By Jove

by Marissa Doyle

After three soul-destroying years of teaching unenthusiastic middle-schoolers, Theodora Fairchild is thrilled to be a student again, pursuing her doctorate in Latin. She’s sure John Winthrop University will be the intellectual home she’s always longed for, the place where she’ll finally fit in. But her teaching days aren’t quite over: Theo starts giving "humanities" lessons to sweetly nerdy post-doc Grant Proctor--and loses her heart.

But nobody in the Classics Department is quite who they seem . . . not even Grant. Theo's arrival rekindles an ancient rivalry between two powerful enemies, and Theo herself is the prize. After she unwittingly betrays Grant to his oldest foe, she’s determined to rescue him—and herself— before it’s too late.

Because even gods can die—or wish they were dead.

Genres: Paranormal Romance

332 pages, Paperback

First published June 24, 2014

About the author

I try to write the kinds of stories I most enjoy reading...which means stories with heroines finding out who they are, their strengths and purposes, and where they belong in the world...and usually saving the day in the process (no damsels in distress here!) It means romance, but not with a capital "R". It means a lighter tone because I write what I like to read and I'm not really into cathartic reading...so you might want to think twice before picking up my books if you like dark and angsty reads as I might not be your cup of tea. I want to write mini-vacations for readers--give you stories that are fun and satisfying and put you into a good mood for when you close my books, smile, and step back out into the real world.

So there you go.

Oh, and for my bio--married mom of three young adults, life-long New Englander, passionate about history and research and anything from the past, and devoted to my adorable pet bunnies, whose photos I tend to paste all over Facebook. I don't review books much here on GR, but I have catalogued my library on LibraryThing and enjoy talking about books both there and here, so don't be afraid to say hello. And if you want an occasional newsletter with info on upcoming books, freebies, and more, visit http://eepurl.com/bVDwlf

Reviews

[Larissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theo is a graduate student excited to get her advanced degree in classical studies so she can stop teaching Latin to kids, and start teaching to students who actually want to learn it. At the university, she meets Grant Proctor, an intriguing new teaching fellow.

I just LOVED the nerdy atmosphere of this novel. The university setting, the characters who were all as obsessed with and knowledgeable about Classic Greek and Roman history, languages, and literature, it was like coming home even though the classics aren't my nerddom of choice.

Marissa Doyle has a way of pulling you into a novel and not letting go. I gasped at a particular plot twist, and stayed up way past my bedtime to finish this book.

Theo is a fun, nerdy character, and I loved her relationship with Grant. Even when I was frustrated with his behavior, I felt for him and rooted for their relationship.

I highly recommend this book. Marissa Doyle has officially taken her place as one of my favorite authors. I look forward to reading more from her.

[Tali · Rating 1 out of 5]

A free copy of this book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This review contains spoilers, and unfortunately gets a bit rant-y.
By Jove is the story of Theodora Fairchild, a Latin teacher who is given the chance to complete a postdoctorate degree at an exclusive university that specialises in Classics. When she gets there, however, she discovers intense rivalries between the professors, mostly fought over her. After she falls in love with a visiting professor, Grant, things begin to get dangerous for both Theo and her new relationship.
I was really looking forward to reading this book. I love Greek Mythology to the extent that I did a degree in Classics because of it, so I had very high hopes for this book. My high hopes were not just not met, they were completely and utterly smashed to pieces. First of all were the mythology elements. The Greek Gods in mythology were petty and cruel characters, something that doesn't really translate very well over to modern day life where you sort of expect the supporting cast of characters in a story to have some kind of redeeming features. Although the mythological characters were represented accurately, I kind of felt when reading that all those part were signposted far too obviously. From the crippled professor with a beautiful, sexy wife, the professor with a fascination for the ocean and saltwater fish, and the ball of twine interspersed with constant mentions of mazes and labyrinths, I just felt like Doyle made it far too easy for me as a reader to guess what was going on and who all these mysterious characters were. There was no real sense of secrecy or mystery about it and you could pretty much see was was coming next in the story from a mile off.
My second, and probably my biggest, problem with this novel was the character of Theodora. At the beginning of the story we're told that she's shy and reserved and has lived a quiet life as a teacher because having been a Latin teacher everyone expects her to be a nun. And that's pretty much it. That's what we know about her and what is repeated over and over again throughout this story as a justification for pretty much everything she subsequently does. I couldn't actually believe that she was a postgraduate student in this story because she's never seems to do anything vaguely intelligent throughout the whole of the story. Added to a personality that is massively self-centered, I'm still not entirely sure why Grant fell in love with her. Despite the similarities in the shared Greco-Roman pantheon, Theo constantly uses the fact that she's a Roman scholar to explain why she hasn't picked up on the Greek mythology stuff going on in front of her eyes.
When it comes to her relationship she's just as bad. Grant tells her he loves her but that he has to sort some personal stuff out. The next time she sees him, he's blatantly ill and looking awful as a consequence. Theo is sympathetic for all of two minutes before she's accusing Grant of cheating on her as he has to leave the university for a while to get better. So basically, while the sick 'love of her life' is away dealing with a potentially life-threatening illness, instead of worrying about him, Theo decides that she's going to run off having dinner and accepting gifts from another man, one who is possibly the creepiest, leering professor ever. And she sees nothing wrong with this. We're then told that Theo likes this male attention and distrusts Grant simply because no-one at her old school fancied her because she was a Latin teacher. WTF?! What kind of decent human being does that to someone they claim to love?
The great conflict in the novel comes from one of Theo's professors - the creepy, leering one - actually being Zeus, who wants to turn her into his new queen goddess and have lots of new god babies. He does all this disguised as the Classics Head of Department. First he wines and dines Theo...literally. He takes her out to dinner a lot and practically pours wine down her throat. He then gives her lots of jewellery and scarves as gifts which she wears to their dinners to please him. At no point does it ever occur to Theo that if he's not doing the same with the other postgraduate students that perhaps that indicates that he's crossing over the line with her. He then cons his way into her bed in the guise of a cat, and over the course of one or two weeks, repeatedly drugs and rapes her until she magically becomes a goddess. I have to say that reading those parts of the story made me feel sick. It's disgusting, and the worse thing is, it's presented as really amazing sex for Theo. Even when she finds out what he's done, when the effects of the drug wear off, and she knows that he's violated her like that, Theo is still wandering around considering being in love with and having a life with Zeus, because wouldn't that just be so much nicer and easier than sticking with Grant (who's later revealed to be Prometheus). It's just urgh. Urgh urgh urgh. It made a mockery of everything that happened to her and I just hated reading it. I hated that Doyle would even have her oh-so-intelligent character think like that. In the end, the only reason I actually finished this book was because the publisher was kind enough to send me a review copy.
Not a good read unfortunately. A weak, annoying 'heroine' and repeated abuse attempts made this book incredibly uncomfortable for me to get through or enjoy and despite my initial excitement for this book and its subject, it was a relief to just get to the end so it was over. 1 star.

[Sadie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pushed to the 47% mark and had to give up. There's so much about this book that stopped me, that I only pushed that far because it was a Netgalley and I feel a responisibility to authors brave enough to send their work out there for review.

First off, let me start off with how excited I was. I've read Ms. Doyle's YA Historicals and loved them. I was excited to see what she'd do with NA Contemps.

That said, one of the first issues for me is this isn't truly what I'd call an NA. Yes, it's about college - but it's about a woman in her late 20s going back to get a doctorate. That's a completely different set of themes and issues than people struggling through the first growing pains of new adulthood.

Unfortunately, that didn't stop the heroine from acting like a 12yo. She was jealous where there was obviously no reason to be (a hero who has never even held someone's hand (obviously) and she thinks he has a girlfriend from before her???) She basically emotional cheats on him constantly with the one person he asks her to stay away from. She ignores his needs and it's all about her, although she never approaches him about what she wants.... I could go on. I won't.

A big issue for me is that, at the 47% mark and the premise of the book hasn't even happened. Grant has yet to disappear and Theo has yet to feel in jeopardy. I HATE being lied to by a blurb. It's like waiting for the book to actually start...waiting....waiting...waiting...

On that note, the language is, for lack of a better word, slow. It does not help the lack of actual events. This first half of the book could have been chopped down to 20% and I would have accepted that. I also found it difficult to deal with the Latin & Greek in the book which wasn't clearly guessed at. I found it frustrating. At first I'd do Google Translate and then I said, screw it. But saying screw it didn't stop me from being annoyed when I couldn't guess what a character was saying.

I have at least an average understanding of mythology. I'm no where near a scholar or student, but for an avid reader, I would say I can hold my own. Another thing I found frustrating was not being to name all the players. Yes, some were overtly obvious, but others were so not guessable that I couldn't begin to figure out where they were supposed to fit in this world.

I typically give DNFs a 1 star, but as a fan of Ms Doyle and recognizing the amount of knowledge, skill, and fine-weaving that had to go into what I'd read so far, I couldn't bring myself to do that.


Final Rank: 2
Would I try the author again: Yes, but warily

Romance: This was a romance???
Heroine: -4
Hero: 4
Laughter: 0
Heat: None at that 47% mark
Cheating: Emotional cheating in excess
Series: ?
Cliffhanger: ?

This ARC was received thru NetGalley for an honest, unbiased review.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure why I decided to download a sample of this book, but I'm really glad I did. I was hooked right away. Talk about a pleasant surprise! I used to read Greek mythology for fun when I was a kid, so this book was like catnip. I don't want to give away the plot, but the book imagines that the old Greek/Roman gods are living on earth these days pretending for the most part to be ordinary mortals. Theo, the heroine, is a classics scholar and Latin teacher who goes back to university to work on a doctorate and gets tangled up in their affairs. The book was unabashedly geeky, centering around the university and the faculty, and the hero, Grant, was a total beta - it was a refreshing change from all the MMA fighters, motorcycle gang members, billionaires and rock star heroes currently dominating the romance scene.

Even if you don't know anything about Greek mythology, I think you'd enjoy this book, and it might inspire you to read up on it a bit. I did have a few niggles with the plot. In general, Theo is depicted as being pretty strong and smart, however, at a few points in the book, she acts a bit TSTL and out of character in not picking up on certain clues - she's supposed to be an expert in Greek and Roman history and mythology, yet she misses a few obvious things and that annoyed me a bit. If it wasn't for that, I would have rated it five stars, but I enjoyed it a lot and I'm looking forward to more from this author.

[Billie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. I have nothing too awful to say about it, nor nothing too good. Twelve hours after finishing and I don't remember much of anything about it, except that I kept being reminded of the episodes of Supernatural where ancient gods show up. Only this was less funny. And Theodora made Castiel look worldly. So, yeah. It was okay, but not as good as an episode of Supernatural.

[Sara Lawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the premise of this book. It was Greek Mythology with a twist, and a nice review of the pantheon, since it has been a while since I’ve studied it. I found the main character, Theodora, very likeable, and while I don’t think she always made the best decisions, she did try to make things right in the end. Her flaws and moments of shallow behavior made her seem more human. And I appreciated the way her character was developed through the story. She had to make the conscious choice to trust the right people, rather than being pulled along in the story, as she was in the beginning. Her love story was also very sweet, and the mystery in the second half of the book was surprising and interesting to follow.

Despite a wonderful premise, I didn’t like the explicit descriptions of sex. I don’t think the story required it, and while we all know that the Greek gods are often full of trickery and up to no good with humans, and allusion to that, rather than great detail (and revisiting that detail) would have been much more tasteful in my opinion. I also never saw it coming, after the first half of the book was very clean. That unfortunately left a negative impression, despite my initial enjoyment of the story and fascination with the characters.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Emily Mazzara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have so much to say about this book. My full review will appear on my blog, but here’s the quick rundown:

-It throws you in without much explanation and is quite confusing at the start

-Even at the end, some things still aren’t explained

-Lacks character development

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

By Jove is a mythology romance that takes place in a Boston University. Theo is a graduate student studying Latin (and greek and roman get woven in through other members of the classics department.) It is a mythology and history nerds dream book. I loved the academic setting, and the mythology buff in my squeed over the idea of a whole classics department being taught by actual gods and goddesses. How cool would that be? I loved guessing who everyone was. Some were easy to figure out, and others were a little tougher, but it all made reading the book more fun. Marissa Doyle did a fantastic job with her attention to detail. Even the clothes and food and drink were added into the story properly. It was excellent. It is just how I would imagine Gods living in the modern world. I loved the opulence of their parties.

Theo is my kind of girl. Nerdy and not at all ashamed by how interested she is in learning. It was such a joy to watch her passion for Latin ooze out of her. Those were honestly the only thing I liked about Julian as well. Julian and Theo did have some interesting conversations about the Gods. I enjoyed watching them in that aspect, but I was a lot like Grant. I just never did trust Julian. But I can understand how easy it was for Theo get swept up in it all.

Grant is an interesting one. It was easy to see that he behaved differently than the rest of the staff and faculty. I thought it was simply because he was new at the university, but as the book went on, I figured out the real reason for his strangeness. It took me a while to figure out who he was, but there were enough clues for me to puzzle it together a ways before it was revealed. Grant is so easy to like. At times, I wished Theo was more patient with him. Their journey together had so many bumps and roadblocks.

I am not going to spoil this book for you at all. The twists and turns make reading this book so much fun. I loved every single page, and at times I genuinely had no idea how it was going to turn out. It has all of the makings of a classic mythology story. There is even a quest. How does the quest end? Who does Theo end up with? Does she end up with anyone? This book is not at all predictable- it is brilliant. By Jove is a must read for fans of new adult/adult mytholgy. I want more Marissa!!

[Gigi staub · Rating 4 out of 5]

For Theodora Fairchild, graduate school is a dream. The professors are fighting over her, she gets to study Latin with others who share her passion…and she meets Grant Proctor. He’s as shy as she is, and oh so handsome.

As she gives in to her feelings for the man who’s stolen her heart, someone seems determined to keep them apart—no matter the consequences. There are evil forces at work, and they have plans for Theo that don’t include Grant. When Grant disappears, surviving the semester becomes the least of Theo’s worries, and relying on her wits and wisdom may be the only thing to help her save her true love.

Review:

I really liked this story, it had a great mystery, romance and with Gods thrown into the mix!

**Spoilers**

I liked the inventive way the Author used Graduate school as a place were Gods and Goddesses who have been almost forgotten go to live and survive in the modern world.

Theo decides to go back to school and get her graduate degree and from the start Theo feels at home with these kindred spirits. She meets Grant right away and you can feel the bond developing between the two of them, but Grant is so shy. There were a few times I wanted to shake Grant, so he would be more forthcoming with Theo, but it would have messed up the whole plot otherwise. I liked Theo, she is smart and sensitive and a great partner for Grant. I loved Grant aside from wanting to shake him a couple of times...lol Once you learn who Grant is you can see the reasoning behind how he is and why he is the way he is and it makes you like him even more.

The Author does a good job of keeping us in the dark as the story begins to unfold. There were times that I guessed who was a God and which one, but others really surprised me. I had really no idea who Grant really was until the scene when it was revealed. I really enjoyed the inter-weaving of mythology through the story and how Theo has to use this knowledge to save Grant.

Great Story! Will definitely pick up more of her books.

4Stars

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a mythology romance that will make you want more. It is set at a Boston University in the Classic Department. There is just something about this place that makes you feel safe and secure. I will warn you that this book has a lot of twists and turns. The author does a great job of giving you little hints all through the book. You might think you know what is coming next but it takes a twist and becomes something else.

Theodora Fairchild is returning to graduate school after spending three years teaching Latin to kids that have to take her class instead of wanting to. It becomes boring. Her dreams are finally coming true when she is placed in the Classic Department.

Theo meets lots of men and she has a great time talking to Julian, but something warns her that she should stay away from him. When she first lays eyes on Grant Proctor there is this connection between them. She gives in to her feelings and Proctor is shy and doesn't show the same feelings for Theo.

This book was greatly written and I loved how the book goes from one thing to something else. There is a little suspense in this book that is worked into the sentences. I haven't read a book by this author before. I have really fallen in love with this story so I will be looking for more books by her.

You will find out that there is a lot of secrets about the Classic Department and the people who teach there. Nothing is as it seems. I didn't know if Theo and Grant would be together. There is someone that is trying to come between them. Before you know it Grant goes missing.

If you want to know what goes on in this book then you really must read it. I can promise you that you will get lost in this book and will never want it to end.

[Samaris Creech · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theodora can’t wait to get out of Sneed and go back to school to get her doctorate and move on to bigger and better things. She is tired of teaching Latin to a bunch of kids who are forced to take the class and wants to be able to teach it to people who want to learn the language and over it just as much as she does. One of the first people Theo meets is Julian. While he looks nice enough to eat there is just something about him that sets her warning bells off. After a rather intriguing meeting with Julian which gets interrupted by her advisor Dr. Waterman she meets a young man named Grant. Theo is drawn to Grant like a moth to a flame. Grant has never felt anything quit like what he feels when he is around Theo. Julian is not one to be ignored the way he sees it he saw her first and means to make her his at any cost. What will happen when Theo learns the truth about these people? What happens when a young lady gets stuck in between a long held grudge between two Gods? Will true love finally win over the meddlesome Gods?

[Rosemary K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theodora Fairchild is so happy to be going to graduate school at John Winthrop University where she can study Latin. This is her passion. When she meets Grant Proctor her life changes. She loves him. However, he holds back, but their attraction is powerful. What will happen when she learns his secret? He is Prometheus, one of the Titans. In fact, the rival for her love, Julian d'Amboise, the head of the Classical Language and History Department, is the king of the gods. This story is memorable. Which suitor will win Theo? The twist and turns kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters were intriguing. I loved the thought of the gods fraternizing with us. The dialogue and the atmosphere added to the tension. This was such an interesting premise. I was hooked. I needed to know if Theo and Grant would find their HEA. Marissa Doyle did a excellent job. This book had it all love, revenge and redemption.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is based in line with Greek mythology. The characters of Theo a teacher of Latin who is not satisfied with her job. Not because she doesn't love teaching Latin, it's just that she doesn't know how to get others to love and appreciate it as she does, goes back to college to hopefully find a way to do just that.
There while meeting with her department heads she meets Grant Proctor. He is a visiting teacher there to teach beginners Latin. The attraction is instant and this sets them on a anther type of learning adventure.
But the author introduces us to a college where nothing or no-one is who or what they appear to be.
Now in line with the a wonderful storyline of Greek Gods and even a Titan along with a few small lessons in Latin and you have yourself a book that is sure to surpass a typical romance book.
I have high hopes on future books by this author. This is not your average paranormal romance by far. NO, it's one of the best I've read in a while.

[She Hearts Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theo is excited to further her degree in Latin to be able to teach others who are passionate about learning it rather that kids who are required to take it. She meets Julian who is head of the department and isn't quite sure about him. Then she meets Grant and everything changes. There is just something different about the Classical Language and History Department and Theo is in for quite the adventure.

I loved this story. I don't want to ruin the surprises for anyone who hasn't read it yet, so I will just say that there is everything in the story - love, revenge, and redemption. All the makings of a fantastic story from mythology.

I give By Jove 4 hearts!

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

It felt strangely old-fashioned; the heroine's attitudes and mindset reminded me of books from the 70's. I wouldn't be surprised to see her with big hair and a ready stock of hair spray. I also prefer a bit more action in my leads; she felt very passive and he encouraged this. But it was readable, and the classical references were fun (if sometimes a bit heavy handed).

[Shauna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book had an interesting premise and was well-written and engaging. It was somewhat predictable but not enough for me to not want to keep reading. Theo frustrated me to no end by being so gullible and easily manipulated but I still rooted for her to get her happily ever after. Overall a good book and worth reading.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book through Library Thing Early Reviewers.

The blurb I read on the Early Reviewers page unfortunately gave away some of the plot. I would have preferred to figure it out by myself - I think I probably would have guessed the twist, but I'll never know! I recommend reading this book without having read too many reviews (or to only read reviews without any spoilers).

I enjoyed the first third and the last third of the book, and I felt the author set a scene very well. I particularly enjoyed the third part, because the main character, Theo, seemed to develop more courage and independence and take charge. In the first two thirds of the book, I felt that she was a passenger, always responding to other people.

"By Jove" was easy to read, and I got sucked into its world without any trouble. I read it in two days!

I would recommend this book to someone looking for a quick, fun read, especially if they enjoy the world of academia and/or ancient Greece and Rome. It had an almost murder-mystery type feel in some parts, so it could appeal to murder-mystery fans as well. It would be good light relief for a graduate student. 

I would be interested in reading other books by Marissa Doyle.

Extremely mild spoiler alert: one of the characters is called Diana Hunter. Does that remind you of anyone?

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible author.....first time I have read her and it was great.

did not want to put it down!!