Roman and Jewel was a fun retelling of Romeo and Juliet in the modern age. It was incredibly believable, and wasn’t my favorite book based on the writing. But I can think of students who would love it.

Romeo and Juliet getting a Broadway remix, hooked me. The comparisons in the preview to Hamilton hooked me to try this book. I was glad I did. I have not read other books by Dana Davis, but I would definitely like to after reading this. I loved the premise for this book, and it did not disappoint. As a teacher who has to read Romeo and Juliet every year, this was a fun update that I think my students would appreciate and enjoy. I loved the behind the scenes theater parts of the book and think that many students would enjoy this as well, Jerzie was a great character and I enjoyed going along with her on her journey. The book had all the feels and I think that it will be a go-to recommendation for my theater loving kids and friends.

(i received an e-arc from the publisher and netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

i'm a literal air conditioner when it comes to romeo and juliet retellings, especially modern retellings that update the background and deliver so much more diversity.

This was fresh and captivating novel that explores themes of identity, family, and love. The story was very engaging, and the characters are diverse, relatable, and well-developed. The plot is fast-paced and full of twists and turns that kept me invested from beginning to end. The story is told from the perspective of the two main characters, Roman and Jewel, who are immediately drawn to each other. This is the perfect Romeo and Juliet reimagining. Thanks to Inkyard Press and Netgalley for this ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. 1.5 stars

This is a fun retelling of Romeo and Juliet with a modern twist. I really enjoyed reading this and I thought it was a cute and funny story. I love the diversity of the characters and how relatable they were. The musical/broadway aspect was fun and the romance between Jerzie and Zeppelin was very sweet. This was an enjoyable read and also makes me want to go to a Broadway play soon!

Thank you to NetGallery and to Inkyard Press for giving me a copy for.a honest review.

Roman and Jewell is an engrossing young adult novel. The storyline is fast-paced and engaging. The characters are well-developed and likable. Despite a bit of an insta-love vibe, Jerzie and Zeppelin’s romance is fun to watch unfold. With late in the story conflict, Dana L. Davis brings this charming young adult novel to a marvelous conclusion. I highly recommend this wonderful novel to teenage and adult readers.

I am disappointed with this book. I was expecting one thing and received another. It had potential but it was not well written.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, so I wanted to love this book. I really did. And while it had high notes, and the characters were fairly well-written, it just fell flat for me. It’s still one I’d grab for my classroom bookshelf, I think teens 8th grade and up who loved Hamilton would be excited by this one.

Roman and Jewel is a stunning interpretation of Shakespeare’s popular play Romeo and Juliet. The summary’s first line creates an incredible hook with the promise of Romeo and Juliet getting the Hamilton treatment. The novel is well written and enjoyable for anyone who likes modern adaptions of classic works. Davis creates a funny modern take on an old classic. The love story is pretty. However, more work could have gone in to creating sweet moments between the protagonists. They got together quickly that it felt like more work should have been done to make it believable. Overall, the plot was nice but the characters could have used more forming, especially regarding their relationships.

Book Profile: ROMAN AND JEWEL by Dana L. Davis

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Release Date: January 5, 2021
Publisher: Inkyard Press
ISBN-13: 978-1335070623

Position in Bibliography: This is Dana L. Davis’s third novel.

Numbered Pages: 326
Chapters: 25
Word Count: Approx. 83,000 words

Cover Illustration: Robert Ball
Art Direction: Erin Craig
Cover Design: Elita Sidiropoulou

Audiobook Run Time: 10 hours and 54 minutes (Unabridged)
Audiobook Narrator: Narrated by Channie Waites

Genre: Contemporary
Setting: Summer / New Brunswick, New Jersey and New York City
Tense: Present Tense
Point of View (POV): First Person
Themes/Subjects: Family, Friendship, Love, Societal Expectations

Triggers: Bullying, Death, Suicide, Death of a Parent, Infidelity

Purchase: Bookshop I Barnes & Noble I IndieBound I Amazon
Add it to Goodreads: Here

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Synopsis:

JERZIE JHAMES–do not get her started on what is in a name!–is up for the lead role in the hottest new show heading to Broadway, Roman and Jewel, a Romeo and Juliet-inspired hip-hopera featuring a diverse cast and modern twists on the play. But her hopes are crushed when she learns that R&B megastar Cinny won the lead…and Jerzie is cast as her understudy.

Falling for male lead Zeppelin Reid is a terrible idea–especially once Jerzie learns Cinny wants him for herself.Star-crossed love always ends badly. But when a video of Jerzie and Zepp practicing goes viral and the entire world weighs in on who should play Jewel, Jerzie learns that while the price of fame is high, friendship, family, and love are priceless and worth risking it all.

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Dedication: “For Laura G. Because you said, ‘I think you should write it!’ And so I did. And to all the lovers of Shakespeare…”
Find the Acknowledgements: End of Book

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Characters + Identifiers (In Order of Named Appearance):

Jerzie Jhames – 16-years old (p. 74) and 17-years-old as of p. 228, Standby in Roman and Jewel, Mezzo-soprano, a good 5″ taller than Aunt Karla, dark brown skin like Lupita Nyong’o (p. 19), big brown eyes (p. 39), 5’5 (p. 154)

Monday – Jerzie’s Mom

Dusty – Jerzie’s Dad, Black, 4th Grade Teacher

Judas Jhames – Jerzie’s Older (by 2 years) Brother

Cinny – Superstar, silky straight black hair hangs dramatically to the middle of hr back, skin is like the color of cinnamon (p. 35), splattering of freckles on her nose (P. 44), glowy skin, manicured nails (p. 52), sexy raspy voice (p. 51)

Karla – Jerzie’s Aunt, big brown eyes (p. 11), barely over five feet (p. 12)

Nigel – Production Assistant, late 30s, matted mess of hair (p. 30), shaved hair as of p. 122

Sandi Finn – Casting Director

Alan Kaplan – Director, green eyes (p. 125)

Robert “Robbie” Christian Ruiz – Writer and Creator of Roman and Jewel, Bronx accent (p. 20), head of salt-and-pepper gray hair (p. 22), dark eyes (p. 24)

Zeppelin “Zepp” Reid / Luciano Ricci – Roman in Roman and Jewel, 19-years-old (p. 27), white, tall blond, muscled up (p. 35), big electric sapphire-blue eyes, cut from the pretty boy catalogue, jet-black hair hangs over his head, full lips, wide mouth, smooth & flawless & radiant skin, pale Edward Cullen vibe, (p. 37), black-painted fingernails, tiny black and gray tattoo on right arm (p. 39, 50), around 6″2 (p. 41), pinkish lips (p. 71)

Maximus – Karla’s Ex-Boyfriend, about 210 pounds

Rashmi – Roman and Jewel Child Guardian

Miss Benefield – Jerzie’s Teacher

Ava – Zepp’s Sister, 15-years-old (p. 153), bright blue eyes (p. 323), long black hair (p. 324)

Elias Aubert – Choreographer, French, 25-years-old

Nikolai – Elias’s Choreography Partner & Partner, French

Lorin – Swing in Roman and Jewel, leggy redhead (p. 105)

Wesley – Cinny’s Security Guard

Farrah – Karla’s Roommate, Law Student

Riley Powell – Jerzie’s Best Friend, long blond tresses (p. 188), 5’10 and 150 pounds (p. 195)

Coach – Riley’s Coach

Kaitlyn – Riley’s Classmate

Damon Coleman – Roman and Jewel Cast Mate, brown eyes

Roman and Jewel Cast Mates – Gianna, April, Justin, Walter, Zoe

Angel Aguilar – Roman and Jewel Cast Mate, emo-meets-punk-meets-strange, dark eyes, bleach-blond hair with dark roots, small hoop ring through the center of his lip (p.106), from Spain (p. 107)

Mae Bloomberg – Musical Director, dark brown hair (p. 125)

Francesca Ricci – Zepp’s Late Mom, same eyes as Zepp (p. 145)

Marta – Zepp’s Cousin, blue eyes (p. 145)

Thomas – Bassist in Zepp’s Band, man bun, blue eyes, British (p. 172)

Kenyon – Drummer in Zepp’s Band

Tanya – Kenyon’s Girlfriend, kinky curly hair, septum ring through her nose (p. 173)

Melissa – Thomas’s Girlfriend, dark hair pulled back in messy ponytail (p. 173)

Garret Webb – Roman and Jewel Producer

Roman and Jewel Cast Mates – Tag, Kiara, Genevieve, Mae

Linda – Music Assistant, older woman with gray hair (p. 226)

Mr. Ruiz – Robbie’s Father

Chance – Cinny’s Friend

Chef Adalene

Spade – Producer

Shivers – Cinny’s Ex-Boyfriend

Marcel – Security Guard

Daniel Ricci – Zepp’s Father, thick mane of hair (p. 298)

Desi – Roman and Jewel Crew

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Fun Facts:

There are pop culture references to/mentions of Stan Lee, Cher, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Ciara, Drake, Olivia Wilde, Phantom of the Opera, In the Heights, Wicked, The Lion King, Hairspray, The Little Mermaid, West Side Story, Stephen Sondheim, Company, Liza Minnelli, Bernadette Peters, Cabaret, Miss Saigon, Hamilton, Patti LuPone, Oliver, Anything Goes, Gypsy, Dear Evan Hansen, Mean Girls, Six, Annaleigh Ashford, Fantasia, Jordan Fisher, Kristin Chenoweth, Hailey Kilgore, Michelangelo, X-Men, Michelle Obama, Freddie Mercury, Sia, Jhené Aiko, Jay-Z, Black Panther, Taylor Swift, Game of Thrones, Carmen San Diego, Oscar Wilde, Sesame Street, Oedipus Rex, Prometheus Bound, Death of a Salesman, Meghan Markle, Leonard Cohen, Lori Lieberman, Pinocchio, She-Ra, Queer Eye, James Bond, Barbie, Good Morning America, Beethoven, Jekyll and Hyde, Harry Potter, Jeff Buckley, Mowgli, Lord of the Rings, Vampire Diaries, Roald Dahl, Evita, Les Misérables, Sweeney Todd, Gianni Schicchi, Cinderella, Salvador Dalí, The Sound of Music, Motown, Venom, Selena Gomez, Exorcist, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Will & Jada Smith, Nancy Drew, Norma, Kurt Cobain, Steven Tyler, Tom Brady

Roman and Jewel was a great OwnVoices retelling of Romeo and Juliet. The backdrop of Broadway at its centre adds to the modernity of this tale, and also brings to the forefront that the story is one based on a play. It blends together both the old and new very well and has a cast of characters that are both relatable and enjoyable, Certainly a great read for anyone who is a fan of musicals and the stage.

3.5/5

This was a great book! I love the hip-hop elements and fantastic characters. It isn't a Hate U Give, but it was never supposed to be one! It is a little extra, but that is what makes it such a quick read. My students love it!

I had a difficult time with this book probably because I grew up in the era of performing West Side Story in high school so that is my reference point for Romeo and Juliet as a musical. This book was much lighter than the cover conveys. I expected a bit heavier of an adaptation. I should pick it up again on a rainy Saturday knowing what to expect and I think I’d love it.

Roman and Jewel introduces African American Jerzie Jhames who has studied music all her life and loves all things Broadway. When she is cast as the understudy to R&B superstar Cinny in a new Broadway hip-hop retelling of Romeo and Juliet, she resigns herself to the backup position, despite feeling she is a better fit for the part. Then she literally runs into Zeppelin Reid, an Italian American musician/model who is cast as Roman, and it is love at first sight. Diva Cinny is a frequent no-show for rehearsals, so Jerzie gets to sing with Zepp and an unauthorized video of a romantic scene, where Jerzie outperforms Cinny, goes viral. Cinny is furious and attempts to sabotage Zepp and Jerzie's relationship. Jerzie must struggle to navigate fame, first love, and her ambitions for the future. The love story mirrors Romeo and Juliet's in several ways, including Jerzie's parents forbidding her romantic involvement with Zepp, his coming to her balcony to woo her, and a character attempting suicide. References to Broadway musicals and details about music composition are a bonus in this delightful romantic retelling.

I went into this thinking I would read a book that had a Hamilton-esqe vibe to it. The musical was there, but it was much less prevalent than I anticipated. What was there was a cute romance with adorable characters. I like my girls to have a little fight to them and Jerzie has that spunk. She is also relatable and we pull for her to get everything she wants. I recommend this book for readers who liked the high school musical vibe and the Glee drama.

I really enjoyed this retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet! The drama kept me interested right up til the end.

3.5 stars
Really cool read, I loved the drama aspect and the Shakespeare retelling part. Overall, really enjoyable!!

While this wasn't my favorite YA book, there were a lot of really enjoyable elements in ROMAN AND JEWEL. Teens who are involved in theater and/or obsessed with musicals (especially HAMILTON or IN THE HEIGHTS) will love being swept up in the role of Broadway from a teen perspective. There are great Shakespeare tie-ins that teens will enjoy, and the love story is compelling and readable, though very much insta-love. I will recommend this to teens who love theater or performance or who are fans of the insta-love trope.

I attended a virtual event about the book. I realized I had an ARC from Net Galley and was excited to read it. I received a free copy via Net Galley and am voluntarily reviewing. The reviews on Goodreads seem to be mixed.
If you are a fan of romance, Broadway, drama, and YA, you might enjoy Roman and Jewel. I enjoyed Roman and Jewel.
Jerhzie Jhames is selected to be a standby for the role of Jewel in upcoming Broadcast at musical Roman & Jewel. R&B star Cinny is cast as the lead Jewel. Zepplin Reid is cast as Roman. Conflict, drama, deceit, and romance ensues. I love especially liked the protagonists and Aunt Karla.
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