A romantic and thrilling book about a girl who can see the different paths of her life and the boys she loves in each one. The book is full of drama, suspense, and swoon. It made me feel excited and emotional. A fun read. 💕

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook ARC!

Oh man. I was so expecting to like this book more than I did. A lot of respect to this author for pouring her heart out into this story, but maybe my expectations were just too high?

So, romance is not the usually my thing (unless it’s in the a fairytale genre of course) but I am a WHORE when it comes to anything Romeo and Juliet. Juliet Capulet is my favorite literary character and one of my all time favorite characters, period. Yes, I know they only knew each other for like 3 days, and I realize they were literally teenagers, but I still think of Romeo and Juliet as the ultimate love story. I acknowledge that the story is heavily romanticized yet I love EVERY SECOND OF THAT. Much to my delight, this book doesn’t retell or negate the events of Romeo and Juliet, but rather, adds onto it.

What if the events of Romeo and Juliet are only a small part of a love story for the ages? In this book, Juliet is cursed to reincarnate every generation, memory completely wiped of her past and doomed to die tragically everytime she reunites with Romeo. Romeo on the other hand, is cursed to remain deathless, forced to remain alive indefinitely while Juliet reincarnates each century with no memory of who she was, only to meet a tragic end.

Maybe it’s because I usually only like romance if it is historical or fairytale, but I liked every past reincarnation of Romeo and Juliet more than the actual present day story of Helene and Sebastien. I usually wished the historical recounts of their past lives were longer. I loveeeee the soulmate trope, but I didn’t enjoy the modern day Helene and Sebastien’s story as much as the historical recounts of their past lives.

Speaking of past lives, THERE IS SOMETHING IN THIS BOOK THAT BOTHERED ME IMMENSELY. No one else has commented on this so maybe me being Asian made me more perceptive of this. There’s one part of the book which lists each of Romeo and Juliet’s past lives and who they were, what time period, and where. There’s literally a century where they meet as different people in Shanghai and in my head I was like, omg! Yes! We are gonna get the Asian Juliet rep we deserve! Only for this Juliet, Kitri, to be the daughter of a German who happens to be in Shanghai. They are in a whole ass county of Asian people but you still manage to find a way to keep Juliet as a white person instead of letting her be Asian which would make more sense seeing as they’re literally living in China.

Here’s the thing. She reincarnates in different bodies with the same soul, so no matter what she looks like (and she looks different every time) he always recognizes her and knows it’s her. There’s no rule that says all of her reincarnated bodies all have to be white. I wouldn’t have even noticed this if every past life reincarnation were only in America or European countries, you know, predominately white countries. I wouldn’t have even batted an eye. Yet for the one reincarnation where they finally are somewhere that’s not Europe or America, you still manage to make her be in the small percentage of people living in an Asian country who are white. He would’ve recognized her soul regardless of her ethnicity. So was this really necessary to bend over backwards just to make her white even when she’s living in a literal Asian country?

You had literally every chance to make Juliet at least one different ethnicity other than white and it would’ve worked within the plot, since Romeo would’ve recognized her soul no matter what she looked like. But nope! Reincarnated like 10 times over several centuries and you’re telling me she’s WHITE in every single one? Ok lol

Maybe I’m more offended about this than I should be, but I digress. Juliet is one of my favorite characters and I went as her for Halloween a couple of years ago. When I read Shanghai as one of the reincarnations, I got excited thinking we were getting Asian Juliet rep, but nope! She just happened to be in the 1% of white people living in an Asian country. Of course.

Some of this book also happened to be too….convenient. Romeo is insanely rich and has some powerful people on his side as a result of it, but you never really find out why or how. All you know is that he’s made some really good investments but that isn’t really an explanation. And the fact that he had this overseas group, who works for big public figures and celebrities, not only willing to bend over backwards to help him but also don’t ask questions about his immortality and just help him with fake id’s every couple of decades? It’s too convenient.

I also found the ending very unsatisfactory. The explanation was basically a non explanation. This story didn’t have nearly as many supernatural elements as I was expecting. I was expecting the end to be filled with magic and curse breaking and high stakes and it just….wasn’t. The climax of the story wasn’t even gripping at all. It just wasn’t what I was expecting and the ending was too inconclusive and was unsatisfactory. I expected more and I went into this expecting to love this. However, the author’s note at the end about her and her husband’s story was really sweet though. What a beautiful and inspiration love story; God bless them. The author’s note was favorite part of this whole book and it wasn’t even part of the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the advanced copy of The Hundred Loves of Juliet. I adored this novel! It was my first by Evelyn Skye, and I can't wait to read more of her pieces of work.

What a super cute read!! This is definitely a cozy, romance-across-time story that will leave you with nothing but warm and fuzzy feelings. I really enjoyed the simplicity of this story. I can definitely see how some people might not enjoy it for this reason because they might be expecting more, but if you don't expect more and accept it for the simple sweet story that it is, than it will not disappoint. The only thing that I wish could've been different is more depth to the story. There were certain things that I wanted to know more about. Overall, this is a great read!

A modern day retelling of Romeo and Juliet?!?! And it takes place in Alaska?!?! Sign me up. I've read hundreds of romance books and I always love seeing something new and different. While people may think Romeo and Juliet is overtold, this version is SOOO UNIQUE!!

Fav Quote: ""Life is never a guarantee"

I read this as a part of arc and couldn't recommend more...also, thank goodness it ends different than the original!

FINALLY A HAPPY ENDING! Don’t get me wrong, I have and will always love the original story but it’s just amazing to see this classic forbidden/impossible romance actually work out (even with all the heartbreak before then). I definitely recommend checking this one out!

i loved the idea of this book so much. hearing the stories about how many versions of juliet’s deaths sebastian had to endure made me so sad. a forbidden love is always one i love to read. i didn’t love the ending because one part seemed sorta rushed through but i’m ultimately happy with where their love story ended up though. thank you to netgalley and random house publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Finally, the happy ending Romeo and Juliet always deserved! The Hundred Loves of Juliet is a beautiful and heartbreaking love letter that celebrates the hurdles we overcome in the name of love. I simply adored this book with its extraordinarily clever and unique plot! I enjoyed the glimpses of Romeo and Juliet’s past lives and how Helene remembered them through her vignettes. A book within a book is a plot device I’ve seen used frequently of late and this one is so well done. If you love romance mixed with a dash of historical fiction, I highly recommend reading!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine/Del Rey for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the concept of this story! Unfortunately, I don't think it quite hit the mark for me.

There was a lot of repetitiveness that seemed a bit sloppy or didn't give the reader the benefit of the doubt that they're paying attention. (Juliet's failure as a cook, for example — I felt like I read the exact same few paragraphs a few times about that.)

I loved the vignettes, but thought they could've been better incorporated. This book would have been much stronger if you got the POV during those brief timelines, instead of just being told about them (or reading them from the POV as a story instead of a lived experience).

The conflict was a bit weak in my opinion also. We had this big villain, and we got the whole story from Romeo and Juliet with her previously betrothed person, so it felt set up for a more than one person reincarnation — and then we didn't go in that direction.

If the whole "curse" breaks just because of hope, I'm not sure that's enough closure for me. I wanted a detailed explanation of how it started to break. Or even if it mattered that the curse didn't break at all? I think to label something a curse instead of a phenomenon or something like that leaves room for readers to want the explanation.

Helene also felt very juvenile to me in this book. Not her age, but her attitude towards a lot of things.

The concept was amazing, but ultimately I wish it'd been presented differently.

This was unfortunately a difficult read for me. I was so excited by the concept of a modern retelling of Romeo + Juliet. Being a fan of remakes and different versions of past stories, movies, etc, I was really looking forward to diving in to this one.

Sadly, I had a hard time connecting with both the characters and the story. I’ve read so many books with dual timelines and alternating character POV’s, but this just didn’t work for me. I’ve actually come to prefer that style or writing, but I found that jumping between the present day, Helene’s vignettes, and Sebastian’s journal to feel very chaotic and choppy. It just made it very difficult for me to enjoy the book overall.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for gifting me an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

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.

A captivating romance that had me hooked. Overall, "The Hundred Loves of Juliet" is a thrilling and enchanting novel that will capture your heart and your imagination.

Loved this blend of Romeo and Juliet with a modern love story. The speculative elements of the story really sing, and while I wish the love story itself had a bit more too it, on the whole, I really enjoyed it!

Despite the fact that this book does not come out until August and I usually try to wait and read my digital review copies closer to the publication date but I wanted to provide feedback so here it is: I really enjoyed this book. This is a rom-com with all the earmarks of those: the meet-cute, will they or won't they, etc. But the twist here is that there's a dash of magical realism thrown into the mix: are these two people who are physically drawn to each other really Romeo, who appears to be immortal, and Juliet reincarnated (since we know how she ended up in the play!)

I love that it's set in Alaska, a very unusual setting for a present-day work of fiction. It was very interesting that the Romeo character is a crab fisherman. There are lots of touches to this novel that excited me, kept me reading on a cross-country plane ride and will definitely have me putting this into the hands of readers this summer.

The Hundred Loves of Juliet by Evelyn Skye
This book was so good, it was jampacked with romance, intrigue and waiting for the pin to drop. I enjoyed this book, and it held my attention. I loved the little vignettes of past lives and loved seeing how each Juliet met her Romeo. Thank you to Random House- Ballantine and Evelyn skye for giving me a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Publish Date 1 August 2023

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for this arc:

This book was unlike any I had ever read and was even more achingly beautiful after reading the acknowledgments. Romeo and Juliet may be a tale as old as time but this story isn't! Loved this unique take on soulmates past lives and everything in between! This was an interesting unique read with love heart heartbreak joy and hope.

GENERAL INFO
=======================================
Year Pub/Re Pub: 8/1/23
Indie/Publisher: Del Rey Books
Page Length: 336
Setting: Current day Alaska, but they go through many places/times in history-Pearl Harbor 1941, Versailles France 1789, Oxford England 1839, Verona 1376, Sicily 1395, The Mountains of Transylvania 1682, and Germany 1456
Genre/tropes: CR, fairytale retelling, 2nd chances
Source: Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily give an honest review, and all opinions are my own.
Standalone /Part of a Series/Installment: standalone
Epilogue Included: no
=======================================
Character(s)POV Spoken: Dual between H/Sebastien and h/Helene
=======================================
BOOK DESCRIPTION
=======================================
M/F-M/M-M/M/F-etc: M/F
HEA/HFN/etc Ending: HEA
Contains Cheating: no
Contains Children: yes @ the end
Flashbacks: quite a bit because of Sebastien's immortal curse and Helene's romantic vignettes
Amount of Sex In The Book: enough
Overall Smex Rating: 2
=======================================
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION
=======================================
HERO: Sebastien/Romeo Montague
Hero Description: a grumpy fisherman. Owns Alacrity-boat for his king crab fishing. Believes he is cursed to keep falling in love w/ Juliet through time. It always ends in tragedy, and he is left alone.
Hero Likability Rating: 5
HEROINE: Helene/Juliet Capulet
Heroine Description: 30, was an assignment reporter. Now divorced, moves to Alaska to start over. Has written stories since childhood about an imaginary lover -Sebastien. She doesn't remember him but has deja vu.
Heroine Likability Rating: 4
Secondary characters:
Merrick Sauer-Helene's ex-husband, cheated w/ interns. Worked @ same paper Helene quit.
Adam Merculief-Sebastien's BFF, co-owner of Alacrity
Colin-Adam's 18-year-old nephew
Dana Wong-Adam's gf
Katy-Helen's sister
Beth- Helene's mother
Trevor- Helene's nephew
=======================================
H /h RELATIONSHIP INFO
=======================================
OW/OM/Exes: Helene's ex husband Merrick and all the Juliets for Sebastien
Cheating Before/During/Outside H/h Relationship: Helene is cheated on by husband
Grovel Rating: 4 Merrick, has been calling and texting her. Threatens her
Did OW/OM/Ex Ruin the Book For You: no
=======================================
TRIGGERS/WARNING: harassment, suicide, infertility
=======================================
AUTHOR OVERVIEW: Evelyn Skye, 1st time author
=======================================
PERSONAL OVERVIEW
======================================
Overall Rating: 4*
Do You Recommend This Book: yes
Will You Re-read This Book: yes
Would you read more books by this author: yes

Comments/Notes: A Romeo and Juliet retelling. They fall in love and the curse (family, war, illness) takes Juliet away. Sebastien tries to stay away for Helene's sake, but their pull towards each other is too much.

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.

READ THIS BOOK!!! If the concept doesn’t get you to read this incredible story, I really don’t know what will. The story is so original (ironic considering it has romeo and Juliet inspiration!) and truly captivating.
Watching as the characters navigate their hearts, minds, pasts, and futures will entertain you, make you laugh, make you cry, and root for love like nothing else
@rachelbookclub

This was a very clever plot. The story was interesting and I couldn't wait to continue reading everyday. When Helene was young, she imagined the perfect husband/life partner. She travels to Alaska ;and voila, the perfect man appears in a bar on the night of her arrival. She doesn't know it but she has been part of his life in a hundred different scenarios dating back to the 1400's. I enjoyed this book immensely and will recommend it to my book club. It would be great to hear other people's opinions.

I absolutely LOVED this book. I want the physical copy on my book shelf! This is one that I can and will read over and over again!
The way my heart ached throughout the whole thing was exactly what I was wanting.
The love story behind the characters was perfectly written and these characters will stay on my mind for a long time!
Thank You to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a digital copy to read and review! 5 stars!!

This wants very badly to be a romance-forward The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August which is one of my favorite books, but the writing isn't quite as strong and the premise is a little sillier: Romeo and Juliet were real people whose story was mistold by Shakespeare. When Helene meets Sebastian, he's immediately familiar to her: he's the man she's imagined for all the love story vignettes she has ever written, and it's because they're the star-crossed lovers themselves, reliving tragic love stories over the centuries.

It's clear that this is a deeply personal story for Skye, and her afterword talks about how her own life was inspiration for Helene and Sebastian. "Life is never a guarantee, but it is harder--much harder--when fate inks that fact like a tattoo to your soulmate's chest."

I'd recommend this to lovers of The Time Traveler's Wife.

Thank you to NetGalley Penguin Random House!