Review: The writing of this book is witty, clever and so likeable.  The characters are lively and real.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 1, 2012
Rosanna Leo - For the Love of a God  {Reviewed by Lucy @ Hearts On Fire Reviews}First off, let me state that I am a very happily married woman.  So when I say that I want an Eryx for myself, that is saying something about him.  This is a fun romp with gods and mortals, with a female character I liked so much.  Maia Douglas is a conservator at the Toronto Museum, specializing in the Greek era.  She is intelligent, self deprecating, messy and very nearly obsessed with all things Greek, particularly the statue that stands in the Greek hall, that of Eryx, the Greek God of Love.  Maia has worked her entire career at this Museum, which was also the place her father worked, and helped make big.  Her mother was an artist who left her and her father when she was five, so it was always just the two of them.  Dr. Douglas took Maia on digs, and shared his passion for antiquities with her, a passion she shares.  Her father is actually the one who found the Eryx statue, and when Maia was five he took her to see it.  She loved it, but when she was leaving the hall she stuck her tongue out (I mean, she's FIVE) and the statue winked at her.  Impossible, right?  Right.  But it's made her love Eryx (the statue) and dream of Eryx (the god) since then.  Her father is in hospice, most of her coworkers think she is odd, she hasn't many friends.  What she has is her work, and her statute.Eryx is the Greek God of Love. He is also carrying a world of guilt around, due to a curse courtesy of the vengeful, nasty goddess Nemesis.  In an effort to keep women safe, he focuses not on love but on antiquities.  He presents as a mortal named Eric Lord and he goes to museums as a director, cleaning house.  He is now setting his sights on the Toronto Museum.  When he arrives and immediately fires someone, Maia is outraged.  Then she sees him."Her hands dropped.  And then her jaw dropped.  If the elastic on her Hanes hadn't been so strong, her panties would have dropped too."Unfortunately, the first thing Eric Lord does is let her know he is putting the Eryx statue on loan to Russia.  Maia, too on edge from everything going on, bursts into tears and makes Eric feel awful.  Something he hasn't felt in a long time, caring about someone else.  He "loved" a priestess, Chloe, and due to his own behavior it ended badly.  He tells himself he is a different man now, but is he?Imagine trying to deal with a boss who looks just like your secret statue obsession, while he's dealing with god issues.The writing of this book is witty, clever and so likeable.  The characters are lively and real.  I would so love to read a Dino story, Maia's gay friend who is absolutely fabulous (he tells Maia, "you are a recipe for premature ejaculation if I've ever seen one").  Apollo and Artemis are beautiful and bad-a**, and Dionysus (god of wine!) is unapologetically horny yet loyal and a worthy friend.There are just little things that made me laugh (Eric trying to hide a "massive hard-on behind a floor lamp", I mean how big IS that thing?)  and there were things that were sad (Chloe, Maia's loneliness) and it's all put together in a quirky, very fun read.  Very recommended.