Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House/Del Rey Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for honest feedback.

It pains me to give this book 2 stars because I had such high hopes for it but it just really missed the mark for me. The flashbacks/vignettes (I now hate that word!) were so confusing. It would have made more sense if each one was just Romeo and Juliet and not the different versions of them. I ended up only reading Sebastian’s perspective because those were the only ones that made sense with the story.

Also, I really wasn’t feeling a real attraction between Seb and Helene so it was hard to believe they had this enduring love that transcends all.

I love a good twist on an original plot but this one was not for me.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Random House/Del Rey Books, and the author for providing this beautiful book for my honest review. There have been many retellings of Romeo and Juliet, but this one is so very unique and wonderfully written. I love the idea that their love is everlasting and continues through time. This book is about love that lasts forever but it is also about grief and loss. It’s just so beautiful, and the ending is perfect. If you love romance novels and Romeo and Juliet then you must read this book! I highly recommend it. Thank you again for providing this book for my review.

The Hundred Loves of Juliet is a book for the hopeless romantics, for the love at first sight believers, for the star-crossed, invisible-string-bound soulmate enthusiasts. It's a modern and inventive retelling of Romeo and Juliet that - at its core - is about the indestructibility of love. And it's that quality which gives the story an uplifting wholesomeness which could nourish even the most tainted of hearts.

In this reimagining, Sebastian and Helene are the living embodiments Shakespeare's ill-fated lovers, Romeo and Juliet. However, different from the play, where they both die at the end, Sebastian is immortal and is cursed with having to meet, love, and lose different reincarnations of Juliet through the centuries--with senseless tragedy always stealing her away from him before they have a chance to fully live.

In her newest physical form, Helene is a soon-to-be-divorced journalist who moves to Alaska to start over and write a book. While there, she meets Sebastian in a bar and recognizes him immediately: not as Romeo, of course, but as the flesh-and-blood hero she's spent her life writing in all of her stories. (Which were fictional...or so she believed.) Sebastian tries to keep his distance at first, what with the pain of losing his beloved Juliet over and over again throughout the ages still fresh in his mind, determined that a tragedy is all they can ever be, but Helene persists, and it isn't long before the truth spills out.

With Helene's memories of their past lives intact, as evidenced by all the stories of their past life encounters she's penned over the years, what if their ending could be different this time? Could they find a way to break the curse? Change the hands of fate? Have a chance at a happily ever after instead of the heartbreak of a too soon goodbye?

All in all, I thought this was a sweet simple love story. I liked getting a glimpse of Romeo and Juliet in their various lives together, in different time periods, which was my my favorite part, but the modern day romance fell flat for me. I think some more time could have been spent flushing out the connection between Sebastian and Helene. They were cute, don't get me wrong, but I wanted them to connect over their modern day selves more rather than bonding mostly over their shared history. Perhaps it was more that they were too love-at-first-sighty for my taste, I don't know? I also didn't care for Helene's ex-husband, Merrick, who I figured was supposed to be a modern day Paris equivalent. He was too one-note, didn't add much to the plot.

That said, the Author's Note at the end gave me more appreciation and tenderness for the story as a whole, given it was written from such a personal place. Make sure you have tissues on hand for that!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine del Rey for the ARC in exchange for my review.

Helene has finally managed to leave her scumbag husband Merrick. She's booked a cabin in Alaska so she can turn all her meet cute short stories into a novel. Her first night there, she encounters a rich, brave hunk who looks exactly like the hero of all her vignettes. That is Sebastian, secretly the original Romeo cursed with immortality. Helene is Juliet, doomed to die young and reincarnate. In all their encounters, though, this is the first time she has recognized him. Their passionate affair zips along, unencumbered by much character development. Helene is optimistic, Sebastian is tortured, Merrick is a pantomime villain, and the real hero is disposable income.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Steam Level: 🔥🔥 (fade to black and closed door scenes)
Trigger Warning: death of a loved one recounted, cheating recounted, divorce, blackmail; brief mentions of brain tumor (side character) and infertility

Everyone knows the story of Romeo and Juliet, but what if it ended differently? Sebastien- aka Romeo- has been cursed with living for centuries while Juliet is reincarnated over and over only to die within weeks or months of falling in love with him. When he meets Helene- his current Juliet- he's determined to avoid her and save her from her inevitable doom. But Helene is different. She is a writer who has been working on a book of love stories that all include the same hero- a man who looks and acts just like Sebastien. Little does she know that her stories are actually memories of her past lives and romances with Romeo. Can Sebastien allow Helene into his heart and risk her life in hopes that this time things will end differently?

I had such high hopes for this, but unfortunately the execution just didn't work for me. I really loved the concept of Romeo being immortal and Juliet being reincarnated. The flashbacks to many of their past love stories were my favorite parts of this book, and I loved seeing how they met and fell for each other. I was eager to see how things would play out between Sebastien and Helene and whether or not they could end the tragic cycle. Sadly, the present day romance fell flat and didn't deliver as I hoped. I was glad they got a happy ending, but the lead up to it was a bit messy. It felt like they just jumped into a physical relationship after coming to terms with the truth about their pasts followed by a lot of drama with Helene's ex-husband. I loved that the author dedicated this to her husband and shared how their love story inspired this one, so if you do pick this up be sure to read the note at the end.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Such a cute read! I love a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, and this was such a unique take on the infamous love story. The characters were adorable, but I do wish the ex-husband made more of an appearance throughout the book - but loveeddd the ending!

Helene has decided to move to Alaska to escape her horrible ex husband, her stagnated journalism career and her desire to write a novel; her first night there she sees him - the man who has literally been in her dreams since she was a teen. Helene has written short stories about Sebastien ever since she played Juliet in a school play - and now, in Alaska the very same man is standing before her.

It turns out that when the real Romeo and Juliet died and were cursed - Romeo didn’t die - he actually become immortal and Juliet did die but is constantly reincarnated into women with consistent characteristics that he falls in love with (and always recognizes and meets on July 10th - the night of the Capulet ball). Unfortunately the curse makes it so that they are still star crossed lovers - Juliet always tragically dies within a short time after they fall deeply in love. Now they are in present-day Alaska and Sebastien has to decide how to handle another round of Shakespearean-level tragedy.

I have to say - this plot is totally my kind of book and I texted my book soulmate (law school best friend) as soon as I started reading it to tell her about it. I thought the idea was fun and cute, (I love that Romeo and Juliet keep falling in love through different eras) and I read the book super fast. The end fell slightly flat for me but it’s a great beach read and while a bit predictable a super enjoyable romance. Also I highly recommend reading the Author’s Note as to her reasons for writing it, this is a book about undying love.

This is a 3.75 star read (which I will round up)

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC

There's a publisher's note at the beginning of the book & the author's note at the end. I highly suggest that you read both of them before starting with the book. This will give you the depth of the inspiration behind this story & how love, no matter what, can be truly immortal.

This book exceeds all timelines & is way ahead of its time. A story about fated lovers who find each other in every lifetime but are separated again & again until they meet again to repeat the same thing.

It's truly a work of art. I loved how the story is presented with both past & present POVs. Not only how will Helene & Sebastian's love keep you on the edge of your seats, but the dangerous sub-plot will not let you finish the book until its over.

<i>Thank you Netgalley & Publisher for the the in exchange for an honest review.<i>

This Romeo and Juliette retelling travels through time, rekindling this love over and over again across centuries.

Helene(Juliette) is divorcing her husband and has moved to Alaska to start her writing career with a clear head. When she goes to the local pub, she is shocked to see her imaginary love interest in the flesh, Sebastian Montague(Romeo). However, when she approaches him, he seems not too pleased to see her.

This book is all about undying love, which I adore. But it did miss a few marks for me. The characters and conversations did not feel genuine to me, so I wouldn't say this is my favorite read. However, that's just my opinion!

Out August 1, 2023!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

3.5 but rounded up because of the authors note. This was one of the sweetest books, but don’t read her note until the end. I wish there was more with the ending and I definitely could see the potential in the being a true 4/5 star read for me. Definitely one to recommend for readers of “The Time Travelers Wife”, “The Seven Year Slip”, and Matt Haigs “How to Stop Time”.

Romeo and Juliet, re-imagined in a more modern day, fantasy setting. I enjoyed this book, it was a very cozy love story with some creativity to freshen it up (not that the original story isn't perfect as is!).

Helene meets Sebastien, who appears to be created right out of her imagination. Helene is determined to uncover the truth about Sebastien even though he is trying to keep the truth hidden from her. As the past threatens to emerge and endanger their future together before they even get started, they realize they will have to fight to create a happy ending for them.

Thanks to #NetGalley, Evelyn Skye, and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the eArc of #TheHundredLovesofJuliet in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 ⭐️

The Hundred Loves of Juliet is a modern day retelling/reimagining of the classic Romeo and Juliet story. Helene has loved writing stories her entire life. Within these stories, Helene crafted the perfect hero. He was everything she wanted in a friend and a relationship. One day, she travels to Alaska to escape a messy divorce and finally work on the novel of her dreams and meets Sebastien. He is her hero come to life down to the scars. As she tries to figure out about Sebastien, he tries to hide more from Helene.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the story. I thought the characters were fun and I loved the dual POV. The only thing I wasn’t too crazy about with how they handled the drama at the end. Without giving away spoilers, it just felt a touch rushed. We focused so much on the romance that it just almost felt like it was an after thought. Overall, I thought it was a sweet story with a sweet ending. I would read more by Evelyn!

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love Romeo and Juliet retellings and this book delivered a retelling that is unique and perfect for the hopeless romantics. The only reason that I'm giving it four stars is that in certain parts I wanted more depth. It's a cozy, love story that had me giggling and kicking my feet.

This is a sweet romance between Sebastien and Helene, who first found one another long ago in Verona when they were Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, and who have subsequently been reunited in life after life in subsequent centuries. Sebastien believes they are cursed--perhaps by his ill-fated friend Mercutio: him, to live forever and suffer as each new incarnation of her dies shortly after they meets and fall in love.

Sebastien has tried to leave this incarnation of Juliet alone. Somehow, though, she has discovered him in a way that seem to have broken the pattern of her past lives and she remembers vignettes from her past lives--specifically, all the meet-cutes they have had over the years. Is it possible in this life, they have broken the curse? And if not, is it enough to cherish the time they have together, knowing that Helene could die at any moment from the curse?

It's as enjoyable to see Romeo and Juliet meet over and over, in a variety of settings, personas, and time periods as it is heartbreaking to see how they are repeatedly torn apart. Sebastien is simultaneously hesitant to fully let his guard down since he is just waiting for her to die again, and determined to embrace every moment he has with her. This adds a bit of texture to the romance.

Otherwise, the story is rather simple. Most of the side characters are relatively flat, and the hurdles you would expect in the story are surprisingly easily overcome. None of this takes away from the enjoyment you'll experience when reading this gentle romance, though, so pick this one up for a pleasant escape.

The Hundred Lives of Juliet by Evelyn Skye is an adult Romeo and Juliet retelling with a twist. We follow Helene as she decides to move far away from her cheating husband to get a new start to her life. Settling on a rural Alaskan town, Helene runs into a stranger in a bar. Only he isn’t a stranger. He is a man Helene imagined when she was in eighth grade. Sebastien recognizes Helene too but due to his dark past, he wants nothing to do with her. But fate seems to have other plans.

I went into this book pretty blind, only knowing it is a Romeo and Juliet retelling and I think that’s the best way to go in. The secrets get revealed super early in the book so I don’t want to spoil anything but this is very different from anything I have ever read before. While the story was unique and interesting, I did find myself not enjoying a lot of it. This is an adult book but it felt very YA while reading it, especially Helene. I was curious enough to read to the end and while it was a fine end, I just wanted something more. I feel like not many questions were answered despite this book being a decent length. There were also several things that just did not make sense why they were happening.

This wasn’t a book that worked for me but I know other people will enjoy it. It is a good bridge book between young adult and adult as there is nothing really explicit in it and the characters feel very young even though they are adults. I did really enjoy the author’s note. It added a little to the story knowing the kind of inspiration behind the book.

Another super cute read. I really enjoyed this one more than I thought I would considering it’s not really the genre I read. That is why I am working on getting out of my book comfort zone.

A woman fleeing her disastrous marriage discovers that she is part of a legendary love story that spans lives, years, and continents in this modern-day reimagining of Romeo and Juliet.

When Helene was young, she dreamed of the perfect man and filled her notebooks with stories about him and about love in its purest form. But after a messy divorce, she has let go of such naive fantasies. She has moved to a small town in Alaska, where she is ready to write her novel and build a new life without romance. Fate has other plans, though.

Helene soon meets Sebastien Montague, a handsome fisherman who is her invented hero-made flesh, down to the most idiosyncratic details. But how can a man she created possibly exist in the real world?

While Helene tries to discover the truth behind his existence, Sebastien is determined to keep that truth from her, for he is a man scarred by serial tragedy, hiding a secret that has broken his heart time and again. Yet the shadows of the past emerge, endangering Helene and Sebastien's future before it even begins--and it becomes clear that it won't be easy to forge a new ending to the greatest love story of all time.

I walked into this not sure whether to expect the true Romen and Juliet tragedy that we are all used to or something else. It was something else, and I REALLY liked the concept. I thought that the author did a fantastic job coming up with a really cool twist on their story.

Meet Helene. She has decided to divorce her hubby and move from California to Alaska because something in her heart is calling her there. Her first night in town she runs into Sebastian at a bar. She is stunned because this is the guy that she has written about since she was little. He is here in the flesh. She walks over to meet him and when their eyes meet, she sees recognition in his eyes. However, reality then comes crashing down and he runs out the door before engaging in a convo with her. She is confused but determined to not let this encounter ruin what she is wanting to accomplish here which is to write a novel.

Meet Sebastian. He has just run into Helene at the local bar, but he doesn't know her as Helene. He knows her as several different names including Juliet. Yes THAT Juliet. Sebastian has lived for 700 years and the one steady throughout his time in this world has been running into Juliet's soul in several different times. Each time has ended tragically. So he has decided that he will do what he has done the last time he saw her, he runs away. He decided that he will do ANYTHING in his power to not have Helene in his life as he is terrified to let her in and then have her die. But fate has different plans for them. Helene and Sebastian end up being forced to stay together during a blizzard where secrets are revealed. Their feelings for each other come to fruition and the question they both have to ask themselves is- Is this love worth it?

This was a different spin on a love story that I really enjoyed. I ended up reading it within a 2 day period. The author did a great job incorporating both POVs and giving you a nice visual of each time period that Romeo and Juliet were together. The few "issues" I had were the fact that Sebastian gave up his friends at the drop of a hat to go travel with Helene, and we never heard from them again in the book. Also, Helene came around a lot faster than you would think to the fact that she is a reincarnated soul. Overall, though this was an easy, enjoyable read. Thank you to NetGalley and DelRey (Random House) publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was a beautiful, emotional, sweeping Romeo and Juliet retelling, and more. I loved the way this book alternated between the present time and the stories of the past. It was magical. The story is inventive and takes the classic tale of Romeo and Juliet and the idea of star crossed lovers to a new level. Helene and Sebastien were great characters and you really feel for the situation they find themselves in. Helene, newly in the middle of a messy divorce, is trying to reinvent herself and leave her past behind. The range of emotions she goes through as her life is in the midst of change felt so real. Sebastien is hiding out in the wilds of Alaska. As all star crossed lovers do-they can't help but find each other.

I loved the imagery in this book. This is the first book I have read by Evelyn Skye but her voice is unique. The magical elements, especially in the first half of the book were so well done. The anticipation of how it was all going to tie together kept me on the edge of my seat as I read this in 2 days. The second half didn't have the same magical elements as the characters were dealing more with the present tense predicaments they were in. While still great, the first and second halves did feel like slightly different books with the past not coming back into play as much as it did in the beginning. I had no idea where the story was going or any prediction of how it would all come together but was pleasantly surprised with the ending. With this, I thought the end wrapped up too quickly and wasn't as detailed as other pieces of the story were. Overall, I loved it and reading the author's note made me love this story and appreciate it's inspiration even more.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey Books for the ARC.

Interesting premise, but unfortunately it fell a little short. I think my expectations for this book were just too high because I was so excited to read it, but it didn't live up to its potential. The beginning was really slow and took a while to get into and for a while I was really enjoying it. Unfortunately there were just some things about the writing style and characters that I couldn't completely connect to the book. It was still interesting and there were some great moments, just not fantastic.