What a fun imaginative retelling of Romeo and Juliet.
I never thought I would enjoy this but I delighted in it and I would highly recommend.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the audio ARC which I enjoyed in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much for allowing me to review this fun audiobook. I love everything Christina Dodd and Shakespeare, so I was so excited to listen to this unique story. I love this story so much. What if they hadn’t died and they had gotten their happy ending? What if they had a daughter? What a fun premise for a rom-com! This was a departure from other Christina Dodd books I have read, however I still really enjoyed it. She can write! Thank you so much for allowing me to review this audiobook. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves Shakespeare and romance!

This book was fun, it had a nice little “who done it” mystery aspect that I enjoyed, and I liked the whole Romeo and Juliet’s grown daughter as the FMC aspect.

What I didn’t like was the ending, that cliffhanger was totally unnecessary. The story itself felt rather immature, and this read as a YA romance more than anything else.

But that being said, I did enjoy this book. I liked the plot and was intrigued the entire time. The writing was funny and there wasn’t a single point where I lost interest.

Here's what I love about this book - the fact that it is an homage to Shakespeare's most well known lovers is simply an aside. The inside jokes and allusions are clever and will appeal to fans of the Bard (yes, me!) and English teachers (yes, me, again). But you don't have to be any of those things to enjoy the story. It's a fun YA rom-com with a mystery thrown in. The characters just happen to be familiar to those "in the know," but those who aren't can still enjoy the story in and of itself. It's a fun, easy read and although I hate endings that are for the sole purpose of selling future books, this didn't bother me so much. Also, I really prefer happy endings, so to think that this entire story is based on the premise that Romeo and Juliet didn't die at the end, that there wasn't a tragic ending but instead a romantic happy one... ahhhhh, YES!!!
I would definitely include this in my classroom library and recommend it to students who like fanfic (yes, you can even fan girl Shakespeare!), sweet romance, strong female protagonists, and, yes, those who enjoyed "Romeo & Juliet."
Definitely recommend, and can't wait for the next installment!
Thank you to NetGalley and Recorded Books/RB Media for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinions.

A Daughter of Fair Verona really hit the spot, and is one of my favourite reads of 2024.

Such a witty and playful blend of romance, murder, social commentary and satire, I loved the character of Rosie. The story paid homage to Romeo and Juliet without leaning too heavily on the source material, and I loved Rosie’s initial disdain for their love story and her journey to finding her own.

Dodd did a beautiful job of blending Shakespearean and modern language in a way that allowed you to be fully immersed in the story and hijinks. It’s an eclectic mix, and won’t be for everyone but I’d highly recommend for anyone who enjoys a modern witty and self aware twist on a much loved classic. I’m so relieved to see there is a planned sequel, as I felt there is much more of Rosie’s story to be told.

It lends itself perfectly to audiobook format and the production elevated the story. The narrators brought the characters to life, and captured the true quality of Rosie’s spirit.

Thank you RB Media for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and RB Media for gifting me a copy of the audiobook!

As a Shakespeare nerd, I thoroughly enjoyed this gem of a book. Set in the universe where Romeo and Juliet lived and grew up and had a feisty daughter of their own! I loved Rosalind as our main character read by Suzy Jackson. She quick and fun and made me laugh! The Shakespeare Easter egg quotes delighted me endlessly. Plus add in some mystery and murders along with some Shakespearean drama and love?! Truly can’t go wrong!

My only qualm was with the abrupt ending. I know it’s the first in a series, but it felt more abrupt than a first book cliffhanger. However, I’ll definitely be ready and waiting for book two so I guess it did the job! Can’t wait for more from Christina Dodd!

#ADaughterofFairVerona #NetGalley

A Daughter of Fair Verona is an extension of Romeo & Juliet wherein the star-crossed lovers did not perish, but instead lived and found much happiness in their love to the point where it is the stuff of legend.

Much to Rosaline's, their eldest daughter's, dismay of course because now all love is compared to the greatest of loves. Not only that but her parents having found the love of a lifetime for themselves want nothing more than for Rosie to find it for herself. Rosie will have none of that, however, and has been successful at steering her would-be betrothed to others. Unfortunately, with her third betrothal, to an all-around detested man, Rosie has no other recourse. That is, until said man is found murdered in the Montague gardens.

Of course, Rosie becomes suspect number one. Knowing her innocence, she sets out to clear her name and find the true murderer who, it appears, is not content to kill just once.

This book really gave me a "My Lady Jane" vibe. I think it's the repositioning of a classic story, and updating it to be slightly modern and upbeat. I did think that Christina Dodd did a great homage to Shakespeare including small Easter eggs throughout for the larger Shakespeare universe - whether that is a name or a well-known turn of phrase - as well as often utilizing the same cadence and rhythm to the dialogue.

This is helped along immensely with the audiobook narration. As we know Shakespeare was always meant to be enjoyed as a performance. I think that the narrator does a great job with Rosie and imbuing equal parts impishness and a maturity that comes with being the eldest daughter (and also a supposed spinster), but still being a young person. I wish there had been better distinction between the male characters. Many of them sounded the same and I found myself briefly getting mixed up with some before it's clear whom is speaking.

With all this in mind, however, I felt like it did stand very well on it's own outside the canon of Romeo & Juliet. I liked the way it made light of how in love, and almost obsessively devoted to one another the two are, much to the chagrin of their oldest, but this really placed Rosie firmly in the spotlight without alienating the now "elder" Montagues.

I was genuinely pulled in by the mystery. It led on a few twists and turns and overall I enjoyed the way it played out.

Possibly, though, one of the most delightful aspects of the book was Rosie navigating love. While she may claim that her parents' sickly sweet love is completely overdone, really she yearns for such a love for herself. When she meets handsome Lysander, it is love at first sight and Rosie is poised to repeat her mother and father's love - without the tragedy aspect mind you. But, "The course of true love never did run smooth" and of course there's more to Rosie's potential romance than just one suitor. The way things are left at the end begs for another book. I'm interested to see how things continue and not just for Rosie but for the entire rambunctious Montague brood.

As a fan of Romeo and Juliet, the premise of this book had me hooked: Rosie, the daughter (of the not dead) Romeo and Juliet, is expected to wed soon as she's quite old in her early 20s. Rosie is much more reasonable and interesting than her parents and gets caught up in a love story/murder mystery. The story was fun and lighthearted, and I was surprised to learn who the killer was. The book ends on a cliffhanger, which is to be expected as this is the first in a series.

The book is evenly paced and was an easy listen as Suzy Jackson's narration was well done. A solid, fun story!

Thank you to NetGalley, RB Media, and Christina Dodd for an audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up
This was a very enjoyable read, if you don't take it to seriously. I think this one might end up being a bit polarizing both because of the "mystery" plot and because of the writing, specifically the mix of Shakespearian-esque language and modern phrases and sentiments. Most of the time it didn't bother me but I think some people might find it jarring. On the other hand this type of mix has become popular in other media and there is no reason why it shouldn't work in this format (my lady jane, the great, six the musical etc.)
I personally didn't find the mystery element super intriguing and I'm not super sure how I feel about the reveal/ plot twist but this didn't hinder my enjoyment of the book overall.
I do think I am interested in continuing in this series, in no small part because of the cliff hanger ending of this book.
I enjoyed the narration on the audiobook and would recommend it for those that enjoy audiobooks.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a providing me with an audio- ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A story of the daughter of Romeo and Juliet. Aging into spinsterhood at age 19, Rosie finds herself betrothed … again. While she was able to deflect previous suitors by matching them with other women, the most recent mysteriously dies at their betrothal ball. More deaths soon follow as Rosie works to clear her name and find love of her own.
Really fun and active plot! This book blends callback to the original story while not leaning on it for complete structural support; it even pokes fun at it from time to time. The voice of our main character uses both Shakespeare-light and a sprinkling modern vernacular in a way that never made me cringe.
While the ending of this book would likely be unsatisfactory to most readers in terms of a standalone novel, there are hints of a forthcoming second volume.

Loved this re-imagining on if Juliet and Romeo survived. I love that this was a historical comedy too. I found myself charmed while listening to this story.

If you’re a Romeo and Juliet lover like me, you’ll enjoy this reimagining of what happens after. Romeo and Juliet live, and their daughter is now a spinster being forced to marry. It’s a fast paced listen with fun references to the original.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and RB Media for the ALC.

“Nothing bad ever came of love at first sight, right?”

A little bit of romance, a little bit of mystery, an a sassy main character made A Daughter of Fair Verona a really fun read.

Rosie Montague is the daughter of Romeo and Juliet (yup, THAT Romeo and Juliet) and she’s been dodging betrothals and matchmaking her suitors instead. But at her betrothal ball, her groom-to-be is found dead in the garden.

I absolutely loved Rosie - she’s independent and speaks her mind. I listened to this as an audiobook and it felt like talking with a good friend. I also loved Nurse (also maybe one of y favorite characters from Romeo & Juliet, so I’m glad the author kept her sass in this retelling).

There is definitely romance in this book (clean romance, there’s some highly scandalous kissing), a few murders, a whodunnit, and small town drama. I loved every minute of this book.

This book was so GOOD I read it and also listened to on audio! Suzy Jackson did a wonderful job bringing Rosie Montague to life. Suzy Jackson who has a wonderful sense of comedic timing and delivery. She gave specific voices for the main characters.

I am a fan of Christina Dodd, so picking up this book was easy-peasy for me.

Synopsis: What if Romeo and Juliet had not only lived but managed to produce an entire host of children – the eldest of whom happens to be a happy spinster who hates epic love stories because of her parents’ mega-melodramatic, wildly infamous love story. That’s the question Dodd poses to us. Her heroine, the couples eldest daughter, (Rosie) Montague is nineteen. She has a long line of broken betrothals behind her at this point, so when Romeo betroths her to Duke Stephano, it’s an act of desperation. Rosie suspects that the Duke killed at least one of his two previous wives, so she’s less than happy with this situation.

My thoughts: Christina Dodd has created a book full of lovable characters, several dead bodies, surprising plot twists, an even more surprising who-done-it reveal. With plenty of snark, the story is a masterful depiction of how a strong, intelligent, heroine living at a time where only her virtue and virginity “count,” manages to get what she wants from life despite the very real constraints on women at the time. And she had me laughing throughout the read!

A Daughter of Fair Verona had me immersed fully into family, into the events within Verona, the challenges, the politics and the romantic fate that may (or may not) be awaiting Rosie when her efforts to outwit her matchmaking parents seem to hit a brick wall. I loved it ALL and long for book 2!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for a story that kept my attention and had me in stitches!


Many thanks to NetGalley and RB Media for bringing us into Christina Dodd's world - one filled with what could have been and laugh out loud moments!

Ha! Shakespeare. Ish. I admit to a weakness for Shakespeare-based fanfick, and this is that.

Readers who will love this best, get the deepest belly laugh, the quickest hunch will have done a few rounds with WS's Romeo & Juliet, the World's Most High Profile Couple. . .

Rosie (there's your first clue - Juliet is a forgiving girl naming her first child Rosaline) - is one of S.E.V.E.N. Yep. That's my only spoiler. They didn't die, and went on to grow their tribe. Rosie, though seems to be rather spinsterish. . .which didn't stick, I was quite charmed by her.

Thrill of thrills? This is "Daughter of Montague #1"! That means we'll see more of the Montagues. I'm looking forward to it.

*A sincere thank you to Christina Dodd, RB Media and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*

I would rate this one a 4.5. A very strong start but that ending is leaving me HANGING!! I need to know what happens like yesterday and cannot wait for the next one.

The story is so fun, and I got through it in 2 days. My only issue with the narrator is that there were some volume inconsistencies closer to the end or mid chapter. Other than that, I loved how she voiced the characters!

Rosaline has that strong female character without her being insufferable. There’s none of the whole “I’m so great and better than you at everything” or “poor me, I’m unmarried at 20 but I’m such a catch”. I really appreciate the amount of humor in this story with the backdrop of a whodunit murder.

The murder is so twisty, I was shocked at the big reveal! The romance too of the will they/won’t they, is so steamy and I gotta say, I had to re-listen to chapter 45 a number of time because I was like “WHAT”!

Come into this book with no expectations and you will have soooo much fun! I mean it when I say, I cannot wait for the second book to the Daughter of Montague series.

I could not put the book down.
I mean this is perfection.
As expected audiobook is as amazing as the written one.
the narrators are perfect.
A review is coming on my blog and socials.
I will post the links here.

Thank you to NetGalley, RB Media, and Christina Dodd for an advance listening copy of A Daughter of Fair Verona in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What if Romeo and Juliet had lived and started a family?

Spoiler Alert, they have quite a few kids and live (mostly) happily ever after. The oldest of these children is Rosaline, who we follow in this story. Part mystery, part romance, this was a lot of fun. I wasn’t too sure about Rosaline as a character at first. The narration made her seem a little vapid and ditzy, but she grew on me and her quirks became endearing.

The mystery wasn’t too difficult to figure out, but it was still very entertaining to read as the characters worked to solve everything.

I thought the audio version was well done. The narrator kept me engaged and did a great job navigating all of the different characters. It was very easy to listen to.

This was a cute story. It was an interesting take on a continuation of Romeo and Juliet.

I liked Rosie’s character and the mystery of who was the killer. There was so many possibilities of who was responsible that I couldn’t figure it out on my own.

Suzy Jackson did an amazing job with the narration. This is audiobook form is the only reason I finished A Daughter of Fair Verona. I am not sure I would have been able to finish this if I was reading a physical copy or ebook.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Liked it, fun while I was reading it
I don't love reading Shakespeare but I sure do enjoy seeing a good production of one of his plays. Some of my favorites are a mashup of one of the plays set in a different historical era. This felt a bit like that. You get a lot of Shakespeare references, with this, Romeo and Juliet,  with contemporary inner dialogue and are a tad bit removed from the original story as the daughter of Romeo & Juliet is the young adult protagonist.

This was so much fun and a great summer read. There's mystery, a love triangle, and a smart, spunky, main character.

The narrator, Suzy Jackson, did a good job, I had no trouble understanding who was saying what, where, when, and with what expression/intension. The timbre of her voice was a tad high for my liking but understand why they chose her because her voice is youthful and sounds plucky.

Thank you to RB Media, NetGalley, and author Christina Dodd for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. A Daughter of Fair Verona is out June 25, 2024.