Jove Books originated as Pyramid Books, which was founded in 1949? by Alfred R. Plaine and Matthew Huttner, and was sold to the Walter Reade Organization in the late 1960s. In the early 1970s Pyramid published the first four titles in John Jakes' Kent Family Chronicles. These popular titles, among others, drew the attention of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, which was looking for a paperback division, and in 1975? Pyramid was bought by HBJ and its name changed to "Jove." Jove continued to publish John Jakes very successfully, and in addition became the publisher of such notable titles as Mommie Dearest by Christina Crawford and The Women's Room by Marilyn French.
In 1979? Jove was bought by The Putnam Berkley Group, Inc. After being operated for a time as a separate company, with Bill Gross as President, Jove evolved into an imprint of The Berkley Publishing Group, and remains so today. The Jove imprint is known for such significant best-selling authors as Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, Steve Martini, Jayne Ann Krentz, Dick Francis, and W.E.B. Griffin.
