Author Evelyn Skye has written a sweet, multiple lives, sort-of retelling of Romeo and Juliet in THE HUNDRED LOVES OF JULIET. Or perhaps she’s just cleverly taken every romantic trope and woven them together into this cleverly constructed tale of lovers meeting-loving-losing-meeting again and then the big question of what happens next. In this book, the ‘what’ is tempered by ‘when’ and that keeps the story interesting until the very end. It’s well worth reading. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

4.5 ⭐️

I liked this story more then I was expecting.
I must confess that at first it was a little hard for me to get caught, especially the past lives, yes, this story is about reincarnations of Romeo and Juliet and their tragic love story, or rather curse in this case.
As I said before, the past reincarnations of Juliet and Romeo didn't catch me like the current story did, the latter had me wanting to follow along and see if and how they were able to break the curse.
While the past was a constant nightmare for Sebastien (Romeo) because while Juliet was reincarnated without remembering her story, he remembered absolutely everything from his past lives and there comes a time when he doesn't want to risk losing his Juliet ever again so soon after they met so he is determined to avoid Helene (Juliet) by all means.

But what if this time the story is not like the previous ones? What if there is a way to break the curse? Helene believes that this time history will not repeat itself because there are things that could change the course of the curse.

But is it worth the risk to have the love of your life for a very short period of time? Or to live a long life giving up your soul mate?

I won't tell you if in the end this couple has a happy ending, you will have to find out by reading this story, and also highly recommend reading the author's note at the end of it, it has given a lot of sense to what I just finished reading, besides it is very touching.

⏳Nobody knows the future. But I know today. And hard or not, good or bad, every day is a gift, and I don’t want to waste it.

Thank you so much to the Author, Random House Publishing and NetGalley for trusting me with an ARC, I’m freely giving my honest review.

This book is for you if you like Shakespearean retellings or the vibes of The Time Traveler’s Wife.

The gorgeous cover immediately caught my attention, and the interesting premise was enough of a hook to draw me in. Unfortunately, I didn’t love this book as much as I wanted to. Although I was intrigued with the concept of a Romeo & Juliet retelling and enjoyed the twist on the much-beloved trope of former lovers, the execution of the story fell a little flat for me, especially in the second half of the book. There was such magic in the first half of the story as Helene/Juliet tried to figure out Sebastien/Romeo's secret, but once she figured it out, the magic… kind of disappeared. Instead, we are recounted with many snippets of their past lives together, and though sweet, didn’t really drive the story forward.

Helene’s character development was fun to read, as we saw her go from someone who ran to Alaska to escape an unhappy marriage to someone whose strength shines through when it came to asserting herself and her desire to hold onto a new-yet-old love. On the other hand, I felt that Sebastien didn’t really have much in the way of development other than in relation to Helene/Juliet. Although that ending…

It was anti-climactic in a way that I hadn’t expected, and I guess I was shocked because of how anti-climactic it was. At first, I was disappointed in how the story ended, but in reading the Author’s Note afterward, understood why she chose to end it the way she did. And within that context, made the ending that much more poignant.

Rating: 3.5 stars

I am nothing if not a modern day Shakespeare adaptation lover; The Hundred Loves of Juliet blew me away and I really enjoyed this twist on Romeo and Juliet.

Helene has recently moved to Alaska in the midst of her divorce and stumbles upon a familiar face in crab fisherman, Sebastien. Quickly, she realized they have a past together, but she isn’t aware of how deep that past really goes.

This novel was equal parts heartbreaking, anticipatory, and hope-filled. I really enjoyed how the novel had a dual timeline dynamic, so you were constantly getting more background information on Sebastien and his relationships.

I think this novel could be for many people, not just Shakespeare lovers. It’s a modern twist on an age old romance and it readily fits into many categories. It’s romance, it’s a classic, and it’s also got an air of mystery to it.

This novel had me on the edge of my seat and screaming for a happy ending for the couple. Highly recommend!!

When I read the synopsis of this book, I thought that it had everything in it that made for a book I would fall in love with, and I've loved every other book by this author that I've read, so I assumed I'd love this one too. However, this book just wasn't for me. I found it quite slow for the first 40%, was happily being pulled alone until 75%, and then kind of wished I hadn't picked the book up because surprise pregnancies are not something I enjoy in books. I respect the author's openness about how personal this story is for her, and I hope that it finds its way into the hands of the right readers, I just unfortunately wasn't the right reader for this one.

Thanks #NetGalley for the advanced copy of #TheHundredLovesofJuliet by Evelyn Skye in exchange for an honest review.

I was very intrigued by the premise of this book which is why I requested this ARC. Mrs. Skye delivered what I was needing in a Romeo and Juliet retelling. I loved how she wove the historical stories into the main contemporary romance. The message of enjoying the moments you have with your loved ones was also very clear and told in a way that didn't feel like it was talking down to the reader. This really made me want to reread R&J and find other retellings to see how they handle the more gut wrenching moments and how they manage to pull off an HEA for R&J.

A deeply personal star-crossed love story and loose Romeo & Juliet retelling based on the author's own relationship loving a man with a fatal diagnosis that makes you ask is love worth the risk no matter how much time you may have together?

Helene is running away from a broken marriage and trying to start over in Alaska when she runs into the man who she's based all the heroes in her stories only to find he wants nothing to do with her. Sebastien knows immediately that Helene is his fated lover, Juliet who he has found throughout the years in many different reincarnations only to have their love repeatedly end tragically.

Forced together during a freak storm the truth of their connection eventually comes to light. Helene is skeptical at first but old journals slowly convince her and has her trying to get Seb to give their love another chance.

Spanning centuries and continents, this is a love story for the ages and perfect for fans of books like The time traveler's wife or The invisible life of Addie LaRue. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This was good on audio read by Aspen Vincent, Joe Arden and the author who share's her personal connection to this story at the end of the book. Definitely sure to be one of my favorite romances of 2023!

The Hundred Loves of Juliet is an incredibly, achingly beautiful and heartbreaking, sweet love story for the ages. Literally.

I am sure I will be repeating what others have already said. This was a fantastic read. The book pulled no punches. I was crying from the first chapter. This is not just a mere retelling of Romeo and Juliet. This is a story that is steeped in tragedy and hope throughout the passage of time.

Romeo gives everything he has to every iteration of Juliet. His fear for her life is palpable and it makes you almost want to keep them apart to keep their magic alive. Helene is an angel. She is the optimist Sebastien needs even though it is hard for him to accept. She is formidable in her outlook on life and her power is in her unchanging personality over the course of hundreds of years despite numerous demises. Sebastien knows what he has when she enters his life that fateful July 10th. He loves totally and completely and will tear himself apart for Helene in any way.

I loved that Helene and Sebastien were somehow different this time around. We couldn’t tell what it was at the time, but their relationship was charged from the first moment they met. I loved the dual POV and I loved the time jumps. I really enjoyed the aspects of Helene’s memories masquerading as her vignettes and that they were the key to their journey.

This story is about time and how we choose to spend it and who we choose to spend it with. It’s about deciding the type of lens we want to view our life with. It’s about looking over your shoulder and looking to the end. It’s about how guilt and fear can guide our lives. But most importantly, it’s about hope.

I would definitely recommend this book to everyone. It is worth all the tears you will shed. If you like books about star crossed lovers, classic tales that you wished you could’ve changed the ending to, and timeless love, you will surely love The Hundred Loves of Juliet by Evelyn Skye!

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Just over here drying my tears, after reading the Author’s Note for how this story related to her real life!

I enjoyed this fast-paced modern take on Romeo and Juliet but did have a hard time distinguishing the fantastical aspects of the story versus the realistic storylines. The dual points of view were appreciated, especially Sebastien’s :)

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing - Ballantine, and Del Ray for the opportunity to read the eARC of "The Hundred Loves of Juliet" in exchange for my honest review!

Sadly sweet & terribly romantic💓💔💞💕💞...

Author Evelyn Skye wowed me with the poignancy and sweet mixture of immortal love and constant shadow of doom in her The Hundred Lives of Juliet. Sebastien, the modern sea captain who embodies a Romeo that time cannot destroy, is such a fantastically tragic hero. His sorrow and willingness to sacrifice himself were just the most romantic thing and made this one of the best romances I've read all year! The author's note at the end of the story also moved me to no end. Despite all the grief and fear of loss that haunts this story, I found it uplifting and inspiring.

Thanks to Del Rey, Random House and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion which will be shared prior to publication on July 30 with Goodreads, Bookbub and Barnes & Noble, and on publication day with Amazon.com and kobo.

This was a cute concept. Was engaging the first 50% then slowed down. Stuck with it and the story got good again. I wasn't sure if it was a standalone as it got closer to the end but appears to be. The author shares what inspired the story which had me in tears. Great love story.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC! Sadly, I was not a fan of this one. The writing felt very weak and simple and the characters were pretty flat and not fleshed out. It was also a retelling that’s been done quite a few times and there’s nothing in this one to really set it apart from others.

Wow! Wow. I finished this book in a day. Literally it’s 2 am and I haven’t been able to sleep until I finished it. So so so so so good.
I’ll edit this when I’ve had a moment to collect my thoughts and get some sleep

This was nothing like I thought it was going to be. What a beautiful novel! It is more than a modern day Romeo and Juliet, a must read.

Review will appear on Shelf Awareness.
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In her first book for adults, Evelyn Skye (Three Kisses, One Midnight) spins a mesmerizing tale of heartbreak and hope spanning centuries to give Romeo and Juliet the happy ending they deserve.

Helene Janssen abandoned her dead-end job and cheating husband in Los Angeles for a remote Alaskan fishing town in January. She's been writing snippets of stories all her life, centered on the imaginary friend she created in middle school, which she now wants to turn into a novel. But then the man who stars in her short stories walks into the bar where Helene finds herself on her first night in Alaska. When she approaches Sebastien, though, he responds with brusque rudeness and flees the bar. Sebastien, for his part, is shaken. He is in fact the immortal Romeo, who didn't die the way Shakespeare would have everyone believe but lives on, cursed to fall in love with Juliet's reincarnations only to lose her to an early death over and over. He had found Helene, the newest Juliet reincarnation, ten years ago and had chosen to leave her to her own life for a chance of happiness. But fate clearly has other plans. Together, Helene and Sebastien might have a chance at breaking the curse once and for all.

Tender and passionate, The Hundred Loves of Juliet celebrates the intensity of living in the moment and of believing in the immense power of love. Readers will fall in love with Sebastien and Helene as they fall in love with each other.

--Dainy Bernstein, postdoc in children's literature, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Discover: In this reimagining of Romeo and Juliet, the two lovers challenge their star-crossed status by living and loving in the moment rather than dreading an inevitable end.

This became a Did Not Finish for me. Not at all what I expected from the blurbs, and after reading about 75 pages / 20% of it, the writing and the plot were turning me off.

I loved the premise of this book and enjoyed the theme of “love while you can because you never know when someone might leave you.” The theme struck me even more when I read the author’s note about her husband’s illness. It was well-written, but I couldn’t give it more than three stars because the stakes/conflict felt lacking. The entire Merrick storyline seemed completely implausible. I just couldn’t buy in to the idea that he had enough money and cared enough to chase her to Alaska and Europe and file a bunch of lawsuits. My skepticism of that situation took away from my enjoyment of the book.

Thank you for the opportunity to review it.

ARC kindly provided through NetGalley though all thoughts are my own.

This is a lovely story about love through the ages and the hope that it returns again.

Helene escapes her terrible ex husband to Alaska to write her first novel. upon arriving she comes face to face with her past. specifically the man she'd been dreaming about since she was a young girl. He's rude and dismissive but underneath he knows her too. he always had. Helene is Juliette coming back to haunt him. Again.

I'm not a huge Romeo and Juliet fan but this was a lovely reimagining of it. I really enjoyed reading it and it kept me engaged throughout. I'd consider this a "soft" book. not too tragic. not to comedic. but very romantic in a soft way. I definitely recommend to those looking for a summer love.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Ballantine and NetGalley.

This is supposed to be a fresh take on Romeo and Juliet. I'm not sure how I feel about rewrites of classics, but this was a good attempt. I did struggle to connect with the characters, so it was not a favorite. However, I appreciated the author's creativity!

A wildly imaginative concept, yet the execution left something to be desired. I adore the idea of Romeo and Juliet's legendary story spanning the ages, he immortal and her spirit constantly being reincarnated following each untimely death; this premise promised a unique and bittersweet look at destiny. Unfortunately, I found present-day incarnations Sebastien and Helene to be a bit bland, and I wanted more from Sebastien in particular than musings on their complicated relationship and the curse that surrounded it. By contrast, I enjoyed dipping into each of the vignettes throughout history, several of which I'd gladly read more from, especially rumored vampire Marius and suspected witch Cosmina in Transylvania during the 17th century. The Author's Note at the end which includes Skye's inspiration for writing the story is incredibly moving and lovely, the definite highlight of the book.