Helene realizes it sounds crazy but she knows this man, this crabber, that she happens to run in to in a bar in Alaska. Of course, her life is in a tailspin now that's she has left her cheating husband and job to come write her book she's been meaning to get around to in frigid cold Alaska. Sebastian may act like she is crazy, but knows that Helene is correct- she *does* know him but it's a hell of an explanation. Starting with the TRUE story of Romeo & Juliet and covering hundreds of years of love and loss, Skye asks can the greatest love story of all have a better ending?

What I loved about the book- the traveling. If can only travel through the pages of a book, this is a good one. I also liked the different iterations of Sebastian and Helen's love story. However, what I didn't like, was the connection to Romeo & Juliet. I think it would have been a much more interesting story if they weren't connected to (imo) not a great love story but were just two people that got stuck in different time lines trying to find each other.

Book Name: The Hundred Loves of Juliet
Author: Evelyn Skye

ARC
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey for an ARC of Evelyn Skye’s The Hundred Loves of Juliet

Stars: 4.5
Spice: 2

Standalone
Fast Paced
Plot-Centric
Dual POV
Cozy Modern Fantasy
Romeo & Juliet with a Twist 😉

- Topics
- Greif and Loss
- Tragedy
- How to Use the Time Given to Us
- Optimism Vs Pessimism
- Curse Vs Blessing
- Being Present
- Tropes
- Soul Mates
- Love at First Sight
- Curse
- Past Lives
- Pregnancy
- Billionaire MMC
- Thoughts.
- Cute and Cozy
- I loved Sebastian’s POV
- Slow 10% then Boom Your Hooked
- Couldn't Put it Down
- Authors Note will Make You Cry

I was curious about this one since I was always fond of Shakespeare plays, especially Romeo and Juliet. Usually retellings are about the same but this one was very unique! I definitely give props to the author for doing something new.

The book is told from two point-of-views and they come from Helene and Sebastien. Helene meets Sebastien by chance in Alaska and realize that she remembers him even if he doesn’t. Their story is told through present and past events. I thought that the past events were done really well and were some of my favorite parts. As with any retelling there is also tragedy. It was interesting to see how their love spanned time and what Sebastien had to go through to get to where he was, same with Helene.

Even though I did like this book I still didn’t fully connect with the characters or story. The writing style wasn’t really my favorite and sometimes it felt choppy.

Overall, this was a good read. It kept me intrigued for the most part and was very unique. I also enjoyed the author’s note and how she came up with the plot for the story and how it fits into her own life.

Is this a time slip novel or a love story for the ages? Or both? Helene, a writer, is at a bad place, especially with regard to her relationships when she up and moves to Alaska and meets.....Sebastien, the man of her stories, But are they stories or memories? Turns out these two have been a couple through time, over and over again in different forms. This moves gracefully between those, for want of another word, incarnations. It's sweet and charming but with a touch of melancholy. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

4 1/2 stars. I had no idea what this book was about before opening the first page. I was almost instantaneously absorbed into the wonderfully unique story involving Romeo and Juliet, and their various incantations.

I was so surprised by how deeply emotional this book made me feel. It's beautifully written, has a very innovative story, and was just a breath of fresh air to me.

I'd never read anything by this author before but will definitely check out her other books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Hundred Loves of Juliet" by Evelyn Skye is a mesmerizing and enchanting tale that beautifully blends elements of romance and fantasy. Skye's skillful storytelling transports readers to a world where love transcends time and fate, while the captivating characters and intricate plot keep you spellbound until the very last page. This delightful novel is a heartfelt exploration of love's enduring power and a must-read for fans of magical realism and epic love stories.

This was a magical retelling of Romeo and Juliet. Sebastien is immortal and is actually Romeo. Helene who is Juliet is mortal and every life she lives, Sebastien has to watch her die. Can this time can they beat the curse and actually have a life together? I really enjoyed this book and the characters. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

The book that took my breath away!

Read if you:
👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻 Love Romeo and Juliet
💔 Want a unique take on a classic
💍 Believe in soulmates
👀 Enjoy love at first sight tropes

We all know the story of Romeo and Juliet. A tale of two star crossed lovers whose deadly fate seems to be sealed before they even meet. But what would happen if Romeo never actually died?

In this modern day retelling Helene finds herself in a remote Alaskan town to escape and write. Her world is shook when she runs into Sebastien, a local fishermen, who is the real life embodiment of the leading man and hero she has been writing about her whole life in her stories. Sebastien knows better though as their worlds collide once again. As this woman is not really Helene. It is his Juliet.

In a love story that spans centuries and seems doomed from the start as history repeats itself over and over. Helene soon learns she’s part of this legendary tale and her death seems inevitable. Will her love for Romeo be enough this time to live out their fairytale? Or are they destined to remain star crossed lovers?

This story is BREATHTAKING! I loved reading Romeo and Juliet in my Honors English class and have read quite a few retellings of it. But this one blew all others out of the water! I was captivated from the start and found the story so unique. The mini love stories of Helene and Sebastien’s past lives woven throughout was done so flawlessly and made me fall in love with their love. I am a hopeless romantic after all!

This book is out next month and is a must read for any fan of Romeo and Juliet or anyone who appreciates a beautiful love story! Thank you Random House Publishing/Ballantine/Del Rey for the advanced copy on NetGalley and to Evelyn Skye for writing such a spectacular book that is definitely now one of my favorites of all time!

'The Hundred Loves of Juliet' takes readers on a journey through different time periods and counties. Because of this, it felt more like a historical fiction story. I don't tend to like historical fiction stories, so this one was a little outside of what I normally would read. I think there were interesting parts of the story, but other parts of it were confusing. It was hard to keep track off the different timelines and changes throughout the story.

I was intrigued by the concept, but it just felt flat for me. I couldn't connect with the characters, and I didn't feel invested in them.

Big thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey for the widget to read The Hundred Loves of Juliet by Evelyn Skye. Anticipated pub: Aug 1, 2023

I adored this story. A retelling of Romeo and Juliet, this one is a version where Romeo lives forever yet meets Juliet over and over only to watch her die each time they are reunited. This book is perfect for the romance lovers out there that want a quick, satisfying read.

I totally understood Sebastien's reluctance to interact with Helene when she arrives in his remote Alaska town but he was a little rude, lol. He thinks he can protect her but I loved he was still unable to resist her after some time and conversation. For me, this was a story I didn't want to put down for long. Needing to know what happened to the present-day characters kept me reading in hopes of finishing quickly. I think, initially, I was disappointed with how it ends but thinking back it is a pretty good ending for this story/ life in general. No one knows what can happen tomorrow or next week or three years from now to their loved ones.

The historical stories were just okay for me. I don't typically lean towards historical romance and these stories didn't really have enough historical substance to be distinguishable from one another in terms of the actual time periods being discernable -- they're in place to focus on the romance (and subsequent death of Juliet) really and work well for that.

This book left me a bit speechless. I became a bit obsessed at about 25%, which I hadn't expected.

What if a tragedy isn't what it seems? What if love is a curse and a short-lived love story - THE short-lived love story - actually goes on an on indefinitely? This take on Shakespeare's classic is both heart-breaking and full of hope. The characters and timeline were so well thought-out and every time I would ask a follow-up question in my head, the author would answer my question and then some. So well-written yet keeps a modern, fast-paced flair.

I loved it.

Be sure to add The Hundred Loves of Juliet to your TBR if you're a fan of Romeo and Juliet. It's an emotional and fun ride.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
While I’ve never read a full novel by Evelyn Skye (only short stories), she’s been on my radar for a while, and The Hundred Loves of Juliet sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately, I was massively underwhelmed.
The one aspect I marginally liked was the historical elements. But I felt like there were too many time periods and too many different variations for the characters, so it just felt like the characters were like, “Look how many cool places we’ve been to/how much stuff we’ve witnessed!,” and it was just too much to take in. I’d have preferred more of a focus on Juliet, and maybe one or two others, so we could really get to know them. I also felt a little uncomfy at some of the choices for settings, given these are two white people, like when they were explorers in the Sahara in the 1700s, both having colonial ties in 1920s Shanghai, or (most personal to me), being a soldier and volunteer librarian, respectively, in Honolulu during the bombing of Pearl Harbor. These felt like they’d benefit from more introspection, and even the other settings would benefit from being further fleshed out than just another backdrop to an ill-fated love story.
And apart from any characteristics they take on from their historical counterparts, the two leads are kind of dull. The coolest thing about them is how each of them expresses their connection to their past selves, particularly, Helene, as she’s a writer who writes them into her stories. But I never warmed to her. And I should have known the second I read the word “broody” in the blurb about Sebastien that he would fail to impress me. And despite being alleged “fated mates,” the chemistry is sadly lacking.
This book would have been “just ok” for me, but a certain loathed third-act plot twist happened. Granted, it’s done a little differently than in other romances, and there’s actually some implications for what it means for the curse…but still!
And while this is not the author’s fault, I feel like I’ve read aspects of this story in other books, from a heroine with a connection to Juliet to a modern heroine who is a reincarnation of a person from the past to lovers connected throughout time by fate, and each of them were so much better executed. And it does suck, because after reading the author’s note and finding out Evelyn Skye’s inspiration for the book, the idea was there, even if the execution wasn’t.
While I personally didn’t care for this book, that's not to say it won’t work for someone else. If you enjoy the fated-mates trope and Romeo and Juliet, and aren’t too fussy about the lack of depth in the historical bits, perhaps it might work a little better for you.

<i> “if you live with one eye fixed on the end, you’ve already lost.”</i>

I liked this book well enough that I wanted to keep reading to see what would happen. There were some things I liked about it and that I thought were quite touching, but there were also some things I didn’t enjoy.

Let’s start with what I liked. I thought the premise was really neat. Romeo is cursed to live forever while Juliet tragically dies over and over. You have this curse hanging over the couple the whole book. I kept wanting to know more and how they were going to break it.

I also liked the overarching theme of time and how should we spend our time when we know it is limited or when we know we are going to lose someone we love. The main character has experienced losing her own father to a terminal illness and Romeo (Sebastien) has lost Juliet over and over. We see various characters handle it differently and Romeo has a particularly difficult time not focusing on the death that he believes must be coming at any moment. The author’s note describes how all this came from a very personal place and was very beautiful to read.

I wish the book had explained the curse more. Where it came from and whether it is broken remains ambiguous. I am okay with not knowing whether it was broken, but I do wish we at least understood more about its origins. The fantasy aspect is pretty light here, and it reads more like a contemporary romance than a fantasy.

There were some parts of the plot and certain lines that felt either cliche or rushed. It was easy to read, so I just kind of let it go. There were also some plot lines that felt a little unbelievable as well. I had suspend my sense of reality to think some of these things were likely to happen in real life. For example, the ex not wanted a divorce because it might hurt his career. I just have a hard time believing that would be an issue in 2023.

I didn’t love this book, but I do think other readers will probably enjoy it more than I did.

Thank-you netgalley, Evelyn Skye, and Del Ray Books for allowing me to read this free arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was wonderful. I felt like I traveled with Helene and Sabastien through every adventure. Because of the back stories in each adventure, my heart was in my throat the entire time. Thanks for allowing me to be an early reader!

The legend of Romeo and Juliet finds a new life in this reimagined tale. I was enchanted all the way through, and couldn't put it down. In this retelling, Romeo and Juliet are cursed; Romeo cannot die, but must watch his Juliet die again and again, as she is reincarnated over and over. Juliet never remembers their love story - until now. Helene has always imagined the same leading man in all of her short stories, but is shocked to meet him in real life. Their meeting sends them down an inevitable path of discovery, grief, and romance. You'll be at the edge of your seat, hoping these two find a way to outrun the curse and get their happily ever after.

"The One Hundred Loves of Juliet" by Evelyn Skye is a breathtaking and enchanting tale that earns a rare five-star rating from me. The novel beautifully weaves together a tapestry of romance, mystery, and magic, making it impossible to put down.

“I missed her as much as the stars would miss the sky if they ever fell to earth.”

In all honesty, I am not the biggest fan of Romeo and Juliet (*gasp* - I apologize), so I tried my best to remove any bias prior to reading through this unique spin on Willie Shakes’ most famous tragedy. I want to say that The Hundred Loves of Juliet by Evelyn Skye took me by surprise in the best way, but in my humble opinion, while it was outside the box it fell just a little flat. I wanted to love it, I truly did, but the overall lack of chemistry in this romance left me a bit lost and fairly disappointed.

To be fair, I wasn’t too convinced of Romeo and Juliet’s love when I read Shakespeare's version in my 9th grade English class. But, after reading a synopsis that declared “a legendary love story that spans lives, years and continents” I was really hoping for a serious love fest in this version. I’m 100% aware that this novel was not conventional Romeo and Juliet, nor was it supposed to be - a Romeo that never dies and a Juliet that does (over and over again). Obviously different, yet still woefully tragic and endlessly romantic…literally. And yet, I still didn’t find the love story to be all that convincing.

Sebastien’s constant worrying and Helene’s too trusting attitude were incredibly distracting. Their story moved at a fast pace - from meeting in an Alaskan dive bar, being trapped in a blizzard, and dropping immortality & reincarnation bombs to falling desperately in love, traveling across the world, and (spoiler) having a child, I found myself just trying to keep up. The pace at which these two characters moved left me with little to no conviction of their love for one another. And while the stories of the other “Romeos” and “Juliets” helped in some ways, I found myself separating them from the Sebastien and Helene I was getting to know.

I totally understood why Sebastien was able to fall in love with Helene right away - dude’s literally never died and his whole life revolves around her. I get that they were “soulmates” with this affinity for feeling this “connection” and tasting “honeyed wine on their lips” (which was just *eyeroll*), but Helene’s ability to just take Sebastien on his word because her stories matched his was just too far fetched for me (and a bit concerning). I understand that I’m dealing with fiction, but come on… There also was nothing substantial to convince me that they knew each other well enough as Sebastien and Helene to love one another - wrapping an ankle and making chocolate hazelnut cornetti - while delicious - does not make a love connection (and if it does this review is moot and I’ll be alone forever).

I hate being a critic, and giving a book less than 5 stars hurts me so I’ll end on a good note. What I appreciated most about this novel was its ability to instill hope. Where these characters failed to convince me of their chemistry they did convince me that love can conquer time, change, distance, etc... Evelyn Skye's The Hundred Loves of Juliet pays tribute to the real tragedy of knowing a person’s days are numbered and being brave enough to stand by their side and love them unconditionally through it. I think if there is one thing you can take away from this book it is that it always pays more to be brave.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for allowing me to read and write an honest review of this book.

Read if you like:
🎭 Romeo and Juliet
🌳 Tuck Everlasting
📝 Shakespeare Retellings
✨ Magical Realism
❤️ Insta Love
♾️ Love Stories for the Ages

This book! It was absolutely breathtaking and I loved the story of Sebastian and Helene. This is a Romeo and Juliet retelling where you wonder what will happen when Romeo didn’t die, Juliet didn’t stab herself, and Romeo is cursed with life immortal. But though he be cursed with immortal life, he has been blessed to meet and love many reincarnations of Juliet through the years.

I loved the flashbacks to older combos of Romeo and Juliet and how Helene comes to realize that her stories maybe are more than just stories she has dreamt up her entire life and that Sebastian is more to her than meets the eye.

I really loved the ending of the book and the change in perspective of moving from loooking at loss as a tragedy but looking at it as being lucky to have even loved at all.

The authors note is truly what sealed the deal for me on my love of this book and I really hope others love it as much as I did!

Thank you Random House and Ballantine for my ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Helene spontaneously gets on a plane to Alaska after escaping her cheating husband. But once she goes into a bar and sees a man that looks exactly like her imaginary friend and crush, she realizes that her trip may not be so spontaneous...it could actually be fate.

Wow. This book was so unique. Here's what I liked:

The Romeo and Juliet aspect: You find out quickly that Helene and Sebastien are actually the original Romeo and Juliet. The story has so many callbacks to the play and characters. It also does a really nice job at examining their love story within the confines of a modern love story.

The supernatural elements: The author doesn't spend too much time trying to explain why things are happening, which I like. It just is. They are cursed. They must figure out how to end the curse to be happy.

Helene: I really enjoyed her character. She has such as strong relationship with her family. The book also goes into how she separates herself from being put down and used by her ex. It was really great to see her overcome that and become her own person!

All in all, this was a really well thought out novel with cool elements! If you are a fan of Romeo and Juliet, you will love this book!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the gifted copy. My reviews are always honest.

ARC REVIEW - I was graciously given this ebook as an arc for my honest review by Ballantine Books on NetGalley.

The Hundred Loves of Juliet showcases the story of Romeo and Juliet but not as we know it from growing up. Romeo never died. Juliet reincarnates after their blissful love affair leads her to her death. The current day Romeo is Sebastien, crab fisherman in remote Alaska. Juliet is Helene, a woman leaving her horrible husband to write a novel of all the "happy endings" she has in her head. They meet each other in the local small town bar but Sebastien gives Helene the cold shoulder. One thing leads to another, she tries to deliver a book to him during a snowstorm and ends up in snowbank then frozen at his door.

He takes her in and realizes her "stories" are their past lives. The few days of being snowed in show Helene the truth of her ancient soul tethered to Romeos. Despite knowing the deadly outcome, Helene falls for Sebastien and embraces whatever may come their way. Bringing her into town the day after the roads clear, her ex-husband shows up. Freezing accounts, threatening her, all of this leads her into her true lovers arms.

"I’ve loved you again and again, across lifetimes. Our story defies reason and science and everything we’re taught to know about the world, but it is possible."

I loved this story solely off of this quote. The infamous story of Romeo and Juliet, the star crossed lovers who died too young. A good old fashioned love story. The character development for Romeo had to be my favorite aspect of this novel. He went from blaming himself for the deaths of his Juliet to living in the moment with Helene. One thing that stuck with me is when he'd remember her past, she would tell him "Hey, I'm here, stay with me."

This story is for anyone who enjoys historical fiction, contemporary romance, and the original Romeo and Juliet story. It showed love across all spans of time. My rating of 4 stars instead of 5 came down to the ending. I felt like there could have been an epilogue or a small "jump" to the future. The last sentence really solidified the "curse" being lifted but I need some more time with Sebastien acknowledging his future.

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

3.5 stars

This would have easily been a 4 star book if it weren’t for the last 20%. I loved the storyline and the vignettes about the previous Juliets, but the pregnancy was quite the bummer for me. And then it briefly became a thriller with a countdown clock I was so lost. I would have rather they either stayed in Alaska or travelled around Europe (and I guess I could have been fine with the pregnancy there) but not the kidnapping and blackmail. I wanted a romance that transcended time, and this book barely hit that.

I guess I’d recommend, but wouldn’t buy it.