3.5 stars -- an intriguing start to a new series.

Everyone knows Romeo & Juliet -- but their twenty year old daughter, Rosaline, is new on the scene. She is unlike her passionate parents -- she is the glue that holds their family together. She's had no desire to wed despite her "advanced age" and has successfully avoided multiple betrothals so far. But when a powerful Duke, one who's previous three wives have died under mysterious circumstances, asks for her hand -- her parents cannot refuse the suit. Thankfully for Rosie but unlucky for him, he ends up with a dagger in the heart at their betrothal ball. In order to cast suspicion off herself, she must track down the true culprit. While she does this, her heart is in danger of falling in love for very first time -- with a handsome man she met at said ball.

Funny, unique, and a good mystery! Parts of it were a little cheesy but fans of the original story will enjoy this! I think this series will improve with future installments so I will be on the lookout for more.

I am a teacher, and I read Romeo and Juliet with my students in the winter. I was excited about this book because of the alternate ending aspect, but I really struggled with the language. It was very inconsistent. At times, it was Shakespearean and at other times, it seemed more modern. I think that that part of it ruined the story for me. I struggled with wanting to finish this because of it.

I have adored Dodd's work for years, but this one just didn't do it for me. The language that she used, just didn't suit me and my reading tastes and the story just didn't really hold my attention. It took me 10 days to read this when a book this size, I normally get done in 2-3 days. I just wasn't motivated to read it.

There seems to be a number of authors who are setting books in Ye Olden Days but adding more modern language and sensibilities. Dodd is better at it than most but it took me awhile to settle in to the story.
The hook for this one, as most reviews probably point out, is that our first person narrator is the daughter of Romeo and Juliet who, apparently not only didn’t die, but have been extremely prolific. This story is that of their daughter, Rosaline. She’s set to be engaged to the despicable Duke Stephano. She’s aghast as a) she doesn’t want to get married and b) the man has had several wives already, all of whom have died under mysterious circumstances. It’s a puzzle that her father has allowed this to happen as he does truly love her.
At her betrothal ball, Rosaline is struck by Cupid’s arrow, much as it must have happened to her parents. She hides away in a corner with her Lysander where they are discovered… holding hands. A travesty. The Duke is NOT pleased but Prince Escalus smooths over any hurt. At least for the public. Stephano is ready to make Juliet pay. She arms herself with a knife but it isn’t needed since she stumbles over his already dead body in the garden. And his isn’t the last death in this story.
While all of this is going on, Rosaline is determined to find a wife for the prince. But he seems immune to her efforts. This is a romance so it’s not hard for us to figure out why.
So, a little bit Romeo and Juliet, a dash of murder mystery, and a pinch of Emma. I wish there had been more of the romance and the mystery went off the wheels at the end but it was mainly enjoyable.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out June 24, 2024
ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and ebook from NetGalley
Opinions are my own

So the ad line seems to be <i>Knives Out</i> meets <i>Bridgerton</i>, but I’ll take that and raise you …

William Shakespeare meets Stephanie Plum.

Yes, that’s right: William Shakespeare meets Stephanie Plum. A mash-up that I definitely never knew I absolutely needed.

The Shakespeare is obvious (and done well enough for this lit major without any serious attachment to the Bard specifically) and we’ll move on. The Stephanie Plum was absolutely unexpected, but I think it was what really did it for me with this one.

You’ve got some unlikeable bad guys (and maybe a dead body or two).
You’ve got your plucky (but not ingenue young) heroine with wit (and a temper) and a willingness to do the legwork.
You’ve got a kooky cast of family members and side characters in a very specifically drawn locale.
<spoiler>And--most surprisingly to me, because usually I really effing hate this shit—you’ve got an absolutely delightful love triangle.
(<i>Bear with me here, because that’s a sentence I don’t think I’ve ever said before. But it is delightful. Maybe because our heroine doesn’t realize she’s in it for most of the book, I don’t know… It just worked.</i>)</spoiler>

I went into this book with fair to middling expectations. The premise was interesting enough, but I wasn’t expecting exactly how much I adored it. Cozy mystery meets historical rom-com? Who knew! I cannot wait for book two.

Thank you @bibliolifestyle , @kensingtonbooks , @christinadoddbooks for the advanced copy! This beauty releases 6/25, be sure to grab it asap!!!
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Summary- Once upon a time a young couple met and fell in love. You probably know that story, and how it ended (hint: badly). Only here’s the thing: That’s not how it ended at all.

Romeo and Juliet are alive and well and the parents of seven kids. I’m the oldest, with the emphasis on ‘old’—a certified spinster at twenty, and happy to stay that way. It’s not easy to keep your taste for romance with parents like mine. Picture it—constant monologues, passionate declarations, fighting, making up, making out . . . it’s exhausting.

Each time they’ve presented me with a betrothal, I’ve set out to find the groom-to-be a more suitable bride. After all, someone sensible needs to stay home and manage this household. But their latest match, Duke Stephano, isn’t so easy to palm off on anyone else. The debaucher has had three previous wives—all of whom met unfortunate ends. Conscience forbids me from consigning another woman to that fate. As it turns out, I don’t have to . . .

At our betrothal ball—where, quite by accident, I meet a beautiful young man who makes me wonder if perhaps there is something to love at first sight—I stumble upon Duke Stephano with a dagger in his chest. But who killed him? His late wives’ families, his relatives, his mistress, his servants—half of Verona had motive. And when everyone around the Duke begins dying, disappearing, or descending into madness, I know I must uncover the killer . . . before death lies on me like an untimely frost.
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Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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My thoughts- I loved this one! It was the perfect read for any English major nerds that love Romeo and Juliet. Bonus points to adding “Get thee to a nunnery” in the most authentic way possible! Rosie was such a fun FMC and it was such a fun little romp!
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This was a well-written. entertaining book. It was so amazing - charming, fun, clever, suspenseful, funny. sweet, snarky and romantic. I was completely unable to put it down. Rosie, the main character, was incredible. I loved this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

A Daughter of Fair Verona by Christina Dodd
1st in series, Daughter of Montague. Historical mystery, retellings, comedy. Cliffhanger. Splashes of romance and maybe more to come. 1st person.
Once upon a time, a young couple from two warring families, met and fell in love. Tragically, betrayal and lies were told and ended with the lovers both killings themselves.
At least that’s the ending per Shakespeare.
In this twisted tale, Romeo and Juliet are alive and the parents of seven children. So far. They can’t keep their hands off each other! Monologues, poetry, passion, it’s all too much for Rosie, the oldest. At 20 she is considered a spinster. Up until now, she has managed to re-direct any suitors to another sister, or friend or someone more appropriate for the groom. But now, Duke Stephano is not to be denied. Even though he has had three previous wives, he has made it impossible for Rosie to escape being his next victim...correction, bride.
As fate would intervene, Rosie falls in love at first site at her betrothal ball with someone else! Then she actually stumbles upon her betrothed, dead in the garden, with a dagger in the heart! Of course, she’s going to investigate. There are already talks about ghosts wandering the halls.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and audiobook for this story. The narration is performed by Suzy Jackson who has a wonderful sense of comedic timing and delivery. There are specific voices for the main characters. The action and comedy kept me engaged and actively listening. I listened at my preferred of 1.5 and could have go one slightly up or down on this one. The humor and sarcasm was riveting and I enjoyed the story up until the very last 20 seconds when I realized it wasn’t the end, but a cliffhanger. Ugh. And a year now to wait? Good thing I have multiple formats to refresh when the time comes to continue.
I recommend the audiobook version for clearly hearing Rosie’s personality.

The ebook is great for the descriptions and keeping the family, and friends straight.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher RBMedia.
4.5 because of the cliffhanger.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Books and Ms. Dodd for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

I really, REALLY wanted to like this: the cover is gorgeous and the premise (Romeo and Juliet never died, they got married and bred like rabbits and this book features their eldest daughter) is intriguing. I think I got my expectations raised too high.

Right off the bat the writing style - an amalgam of medieval structure, Shakespearean phrasing, and modern slang - was weird. It didn't do much for me. I do think the comparisons to Bridgerton are apt inasmuch as like the TV show, this book is "reinterpreted" to appeal to a modern reader/audience who is unfamiliar with historical accuracy (or who prefers to sanitize it for modern cultural mores). That being said I was all the more surprised that certain historical elements were kept (e.g., naming the main character after Romeo's erstwhile first love Rosalind, primarily because she was so admirably... chaste. [*cringe*]).

There were some funny parts - Rosie's impatience with poetry (hear, hear!), her distaste for her parents' constant, uh, amorous moments, her distinctly unromantic outlook on life - and I will admit, I was surprised by the villain of the book. Frankly I didn't see that coming which was impressive. The cliffhanger, though, seemed somewhat out of character for those involved. Overall I thought it was fun but not really my cup of tea. YMMV. I'm in the definite minority on this book, as I see plenty of glowing reviews on GR. Please don't let my opinions stop you from trying this book out.

Just when you were sure Romeo and Juliet died tragic deaths because of love, here comes their daughter Rosaline Montague to straighten out the story in A Fair Daughter of Verona by Christina Dodd. It seems that love and marriage permeate their daughter’s life as well, once she gets the story straight that they did not die as it appeared. The book keeps the time period and customs of Shakespeare’s original story intact, adding the personalities of the adult Romeo and Juliet who are now of parenting and community involvement age. As might be expected, they are prominent members of their community as their daughter tells the corrected rest of the story.

At twenty, Rosaline is happily single and long past marriageable age. She keeps deliberately matchmaking her own selected betrothals with other brides more suitable for them. Finally, she is matched to a suitor whose first three wives have died under mysterious circumstances. Her conscience won’t let her palm him off on another bride who will undoubtedly also die. Not only is he murdered before the wedding can take place, but several other people are mysteriously killed.

As one might guess, Rosaline does not long remain bonded to being single so her own romance becomes part of the story. The mixture of romance, murder mystery solutions, and good fun with the seven boisterous children of Romeo and Juliet make for pleasurable reading that is much lighter than Shakespeare’s original. I enjoyed reading the book, that comes out today, in an ARC from Net Galley.

Historical fiction is not my typical genre, but I saw Knives Out meets Bridgerton and was immediately sold. While this does have historical aspects it’s so much more, it’s got something for everyone. Humor. Romance. Mystery. I am so glad I gave it a shot because it was just such a fun read, I thoroughly enjoyed myself!

Rosaline is such an amazing character. She’s sharp, smart and sassy, all my favorite characteristics in a female lead. It’s easy to see how a series is going to be made centered around her.

What a fun twist on a classic story. I sincerely hope we don’t have to wait too long for the next book. I cannot wait to see what Rosaline does next!

A Daughter of Fair Verona (Daughter of Montague, #1) by Christina Dodd
This was a different and interesting book and I am looking forward to the next one to find out what happens to Rosie and her marital status. There is angst, drama, murder, deception, laughter, tears and romance. I can't wait read more. I only gave it 4* because I like a HEA in every book.
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Entertaining Tear-jerker Romantic Page-turner Tragic Easy-to-read Scary Haunting Informative Action-packed Unpredictable Original Witty Wonderful characters Great world building.

My first Christina Dodd novel - this was really well done! The narrator of the story is the daughter of Romeo and Juliet - yep - Rosie Montague - she explains that history right in the beginning, and I have to say the wit, sarcasm, charm and even some mystery…the story is excellent.

As her father Romeo and her mother Juliet, still madly in love with each other, find a suitor for Rosie, now considered a spinster at the ripe old age of 20. He’s had three previous wives who have ‘mysteriously’ died? Right…. Rosie is independent enough, hence her self-imposed ‘spinsterhood,’ and tries to escape from this fatal commitment - then, much in the Romeo and Juliet style falls in love with someone else. Unfortunately, as fate would have it mystery ensues when her betrothed is found dead at their betrothal ball…

I really enjoyed this book, something different for me, and very refreshing…and since it ended in a cliffhanger, eh hem, I will have to look for the next in the series….

What would happen if Romeo and Juliet didn’t die and actually got married and love and happy life with plenty of children?…

You wind up with Rosie, Romeo and Juliet’s eldest daughter and the most levelheaded, anti-romantic family fixer! She keeps the Montague family together… and somewhat out of trouble! All the while making love matches for her friends and sister out of all of her suitors!

Until she is matched with someone she can’t avoid… that is until the ant lines up dead at their betrothal party. Now she asked to fix things again and find out who killed her mostly suitor… at the same time as she’s falling in love for the first time!

This was such a fun, YA historical murder mystery! The Shakespeare characters are re-created in a fresh and vibrant modern style that keeps their authenticity, but makes it fun for younger and newer audience. I really liked the character of Rosie. She’s sharp and clever and someone you could picture as your best friend!

As I was reading this, I wasn’t sure if I was reading a romance or a mystery but you definitely got a plenty of both elements.

This is book one of the Daughters of Montague series, and I will definitely be along for more Montague daughter or more of Rosie!

Imagine if Romeo and Juliet hadn’t died in Shakespeare’s famous play, but instead lived and had seven children. This book is about their eldest daughter, Rosaline, who grew up hearing tales of her parents’ great love story. She doesn’t really want to be married herself and has avoided several proposals. Until now. But on the night of her betrothal party to the Duke Stephano, the Duke is found dead, and Rosie must find out who the killer is before they come after her. This was a fun take on Romeo and Juliet that had both mystery and romance. Looks like it’s the first in a series and I can’t wait to read book 2.

I really enjoyed this unique, creative, humorous retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, imagining that they didn’t die, and I definitely got the vibe that this is how Shakespeare’s comedies would sound if written in contemporary English. It was a treat to see Romeo and Juliet as great parents, still madly in love after 20+ years. Although the book opens with them promising their spinster daughter Rosaline (all of age 20) to an evil duke, whose last three wives died under suspicious circumstances, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Romeo taught all of his daughters how to defend themselves. So, although the medieval society of Verona was misogynistic, Romeo was surprisingly modern in his relationships with the females in his life.

There was one passage early in the book that was very reminiscent of Monty Python’s brand of comedy, and that bawdy, sometimes brutal humor was sprinkled throughout the story, including some pretty gruesome scenes as the murder mystery unfolded and the bodies kept piling up.

This is a perfect blending of a love triangle romance between Rosie, the young and handsome Lysander, and the 26-year-old scarred, but kind and protective Prince of Verona, Escalus, and a murder mystery in which Rosie takes on a detective role of sorts. My only complaint is that I found the ending irritatingly ambiguous, and then realized that it’s the first book in a series. So, I’m going to assume that any loose ends will be tied up in the next book.

If you are looking for a relatively light-hearted, multi-genre story that keeps you laughing and guessing, I highly recommend A Daughter of Fair Verona.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Kensington Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

BOOK: A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA
AUTHOR: CHRISTINA DODD
PUB DATE: 25TH JUNE 2024
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REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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I requested this book because I used to read a lot of Christina Dodd's books a lot when I was younger. I practically grew up on her books, Susan Elizabeth Martin's, Heather Hathaway, and Kat Martin's. I didn't even think I was going to get this book, but I did, and I'm so excited about it!
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I've never read any romeo/juliet adaptation as funny and cute as this! I was laughing as I flipped the pages! I liked the author's reimagination of verona and the fusion of the 21st century and 17th century. It was perfect! I fell in love with Romeo, Juliet, and their seven kids, yes seven! They are loving, loud, and loving! I also loved seeing what would have become of Romeo and Juliet if they hadn't died so young! They were so in love!
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This book followed their first daughter, Rosalie, who's still unmarried and a virgin at the old age of 21. She refuses to get married and has called off four bethrotals. Then, multiple murder cases occurred, and she was the prime suspect.
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I commend the author's efforts in combining a lot of elements intbis book. Rosie was solving a murder, but she was still in a love triangle, and I was able to experience her chaotic family. Nothing fell short. I must say that I didn't expect the perp to be that person, what a twist!
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I had a love-hate relationship with the love triangle because both of them were good guys, but I was rooting for the one that wasn't her 'true love.' It ended in a cliffhanger too! So unfair! I didn't know who she ended up with in the end.
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This book was unlike any I've ever read, and I loved it! The settings, the characters, everything! I would definitely recommend it.
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In "A Daughter of Fair Verona," Christina Dodd reimagines the classic tale of Romeo and Juliet, exploring a world where the famous couple survived and are now parents to seven children. The story focuses on their eldest daughter, Rosie Montague, a spirited and fiercely independent young woman who finds herself caught in a web of intrigue and danger.
When Rosie is betrothed to the sinister Duke Stephano, who soon turns up murdered, she must clear her name while navigating love and mystery.
Dodd's blend of historical fiction and murder mystery is both engaging and witty, with a modern twist on Shakespearean elements.

Rosie's character is endearing and relatable, making her a standout protagonist. She reminds me of Brave redhead character and sometimes she was still active like a spoiled child. As for Romeo, he did make me laugh out loud with his antics.

Overall, "A Daughter of Fair Verona" is a good start to a promising new series.

I genuinely couldn't figure out the audience for this novel. It felt like it was written for middle schoolers but then there were a lot of reference to virginity (like so many reference) and sexual innuendo that I doubted myself.

The characters simultaneously talked like they were in a Disney Channel Original Movie and like a 13 year old immitating Shakespeare. Rosalie (the FMC) refers to her father as: Lord Father (unironically), Romeo (who just casually refers to their father by their first name in regular conversation???), Papa (tracks), and (on one occasion)
Dad. It was so out of place it was jarring.

Speaking of her father, Rosalie is constantly referenceing how attractive her father is. I don't care how hot your dad is, I don't need you pointing it out to me. Gag. I cannot stress this enough: she was lowkey drooling after her dad.Two thumbs down.

The writing style spoon fed every clue, emotion, and reaction to the audience. Actually quotes from the novel:

1. "That's my girl. Your mother, femmina, is a force of nature, and no one ever threatens her little chicks." Juliet's little chicks. That was me and my siblings.

2. I hurried to her side and embraced her. "Dear Nurse, does my appearance displease you so much?" I was teasing; trying to get her to puff up in indignation that I had maligned her labor.

Seriously, trust your readers to pick up on context clues.
I thought the murder mystery was rushed and not my favorite. I didn't like the ending. If this hadn't been an ARC, I would've DNFed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the chance to read and review this ARC.

I'm a big fan of Shakespeare and a big fan of alternate versions of beloved stories, so I couldn't wait to request this one as soon as I saw it. A Daughter of Fair Verona tells the story of Rosaline - Romeo and Juliet's eldest daughter (nope, they're not dead!) who's heard too many love stories to believe in love anymore. But as fate would have it, she gets betrothed, falls in love with someone else, and becomes a murder suspect, all in the same night. Now it's up to her to solve the murder(s) and defend her virtue along the way.

This book is a lot of fun, with some tongue-in-cheek Shakespearean references. However I felt like it was trying to be a few too many things at once - a comedy, an alternate take on Shakespeare, a murder mystery, a love triangle, a young adult's lament - and therefore couldn't really find its identity. It is just the beginning of a series, but I feel like this entry would've felt more cohesive if it ended after the murders were solved instead of on a cliffhanger leading into the next instalment. Nonetheless, I look forward to seeing how this series develops.

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!