By Jove, by
Marissa Doyle (Entangled Pub. and Book View Café)
I picked up this romance set in a university Classics (Greek, Latin) department, hoping for a light-hearted love story, probably involving one or
more Greek gods in disguise, and found much more. At first, it read like
standard fare, romantic, occasionally humorous with a game of figuring out
which professor was which god (and wondering why our heroine, Theodora
Fairchild, who is supposedly well versed in the Classics, didn’t have a clue).
But the story took a turn into satisfying depths as Theo and Grant Proctor
begin courting, and she steps into the role of teacher – not just about romance
but about the rich panoply of emotions that make up being human. He grows, but
so does she, in the very process of verbalizing and practicing the dance of
relationships. I won’t tell you which mythological character he is, since half
the fun was figuring it out. Suffice it to say that he is very far from the
all-powerful, perfect lover one might expect.
All is not sweetness and light at Waldrop University, for
the charismatic, autocratic chair of the Classics Languages department, Julian
d’Amboise, has his own agenda, and his own aeons-long grudge against Grant.
When he sets his manipulative, coercive sights on Theo, it’s as much to cause
Grant anguish as to win Theo herself.
I loved how Theo battles her way out of Julian’s clutches,
rescuing not only herself but Grant. She makes mistakes, but she owns up to
them and takes responsibility for making things right. The emphasis on the
importance of mutual, respectful consent added to the emotional depth and
maturity to the story. Julian uses magical potions to strip Theo of her will,
while both Theo and Grant check in with one another. Too often, romance tropes
involve force overcoming resistance, and we need better role models. Verdict: A fast,
enjoyable read that rises about clichés about damsels in distress.
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