50 of 53 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Fun new Series, June 5, 2000
This review is from: The Trickster (Olympus Series, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)
Many centuries ago the Oracle of another world had banished an group of it's citizens to Earth where they settled on Mt. Olympus. Because of their longevity and high-technical abilities they were revered as gods. No one enjoyed this status more than Zeus, who commingled freely with several earthly women, bearing children and starting new lines among the humans for though mates from his world formed strong spiritual and intellectual bonds, fidelity wasn't their strong suit. However, Zeus's wife Hera had very quickly assimilated the human trait of jealousy. After years of strife she'd finally left him. He hasn't seen her in a millennium. Now he is feeling his mortality and plans to make amends in order to win her back.
In the passing years the humans developed their own technology and the so-called gods were soon forgotten. Some chose simply to blend in with the humans, others had either died, or been called home. Zeus's straying had resulted in several lines of unfortunate women who appear to be cursed with exceptional bad luck in love. Zeus, now "middle-aged" has become bored with his long life and decides to meddle a bit. Part of his plan to win Hera back is to choose one woman from each of the lines that he created and solve their love woes. He has made himself a solemn vow to be faithful, he knows winning Hera back will be the most difficult task he's ever attempted.
The first woman Zeus chooses is Joy Taylor, of the line of Io. He had once transformed gentle Io into a cow to hide her from Hera's wrath for his transgressions. Joy has not only been unlucky in love, she is severely allergic to cow by-products a real hindrance to an aspiring chef.
Zeus is pleased that "Mr. Right" has just proposed to Joy. When Joy refuses the suit, Zeus assumes the curse is still at work and endeavors to ensure a wedding between the two. Watch out! Trouble is on its way in the form of Mark Hennessey, once the love of Joy's life. Zeus recognizes the look of the trickster, Hermes, in Marks face. obviously another part of the curse. A match between a son of Olympus and a daughter of Earth just won't do. Zeus does everything in his considerable power to keep these two apart.
Joy and Mark were kindred spirits in their teen years. They'd both led nomadic lives, Joy because of her mother's numerous marriages, Mark because of his father's shady dealings. They'd found a home in each other. Mark, a year older, had promised upon graduating (from high school) that he would find a means to support them both and would return one year later, on Joy's graduation night, to marry her. When Mark fails to show, Joy panics, and marries another man a scant four months later. At eighteen, she hadn't felt able to take on the support of her flighty mother and 5-year-old sister but Joy is too smart not to realize she's repeating a bad pattern that has plagued the women in her family for generations. Soon divorced, Joy finds the means to support them all when Mom's latest husband takes off, leaving them his ostrich farm in Louisiana. Capitalizing on her cooking ability, Joy centers her cuisine on the alternative source of meat. The ostrich products provide the family with funds to live on. She has no need to marry a man, except for love.
Mark had been on the lam with his con-man father for most of his young life. After Mark met Joy, he'd let his father move on without him. He'd been abused, locked up in small dark places, for not pleasing the man, and has developed claustrophobia as a result. His return to her had been prevented by circumstances manipulated by others. He had returned to find her married though he never let her know. Still her carried the hurt of that betrayal deep inside and determined never to be bound to anyone ever again. His freedom is paramount to his existence. He has chosen a career he loves and which keeps him moving from place to place.
Marks occupation is another irony. He is a well-known magician, a Vegas headliner. Now, seven years later, he's in town to perform at the Mushroom Festival which Joy is working on. This is simply a cover for his real mission, to recover a stolen book of ancient magic, which contains the secret to the Elements illusion. It is one that he has never mastered, due to his claustrophobia. It is an escape act that requires him to be bound in darkness, his greatest fear. Joy is suspected to be in cahoots with the smuggler.
He tells himself he is not there to rekindle things with Joy he is there to keep an eye on her and recover the book. Her barn is a convenient place to rehearse his act and Joy is in need of a farm hand. He finds himself living in her caretaker's cottage. The old chemistry is still at work though, and try as he might, Zeus can't seem to keep the pair apart. Hera steps in before Zeus makes a total mess of things. But just when things appear to be straightened out, the couple realizes that they can't give the other what they need most. Can the two "gods" help Joy to find her wings with Mark, or Mark to find his roots with Joy? Will Hera finally forgive Zeus?
I liked this book a lot because the author respected the reader and didn't take the easy way out with the ending. Compromise is the order of the day and one feels certain everything will work out fine. She also gave us some lovely side characters, who have definite possibilities for the continuation of the series, and a truly despicable villain as well. All in all it was a fun read.~ .......
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fun romance with a mythical theme, January 29, 2003
This review is from: The Trickster (Olympus Series, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)
Zeus, now known as Zeke Jupiter, owner of a fireworks company is dissatisfied with things in his life. Overall, he has few regrets, the only ones being the sad state of the love lives of descendants of the women he seduced. Joy Taylor is the descendant of Io, and the women of her family have never been lucky in love, she is no exception. A long time ago, she fell in love with a man who left her and never returned. Joy has had to take care of her flighty mother and young sister ever since, so she never had much time to think it over. Now she has a good life, she is part of a community and runs her mother's ostrich farm. She is content, but dreams of opening her own restaurant. Unfortunately, the man who left her decides to return. Zeus decides to take an interest in the romance, thinking that Mark, a descendant of Hermes is very wrong for Joy, but is he?
This was an entertaining romance. I liked the mythical characters and the mortals also. It is a good start to the series.
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