This potentially silly but actually clever, engaging, funny, and even insightful book was tons of fun to listen to. Rosaline, the eldest daughter of Romeo and Juliet (yes, in this version they didn’t die but lived a long, loving, and particularly fecund life), keeps finding clever ways of avoiding marriage until all of a sudden — she can’t seem to avoid her impending nuptials to a real brute whose wives seem to die rather quickly after marriage. The reader was perfect for the text -- I think listening to it really added to my enjoyment.

Full of lovable characters, several dead bodies, surprising plot twists, an even more surprising who-done-it reveal, and 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 does it with the kind of wry commentary that kept me in stitches. I haven’t read Dodd before, but an online browse makes me think she usually writes thrillers. This had many of the plot elements of a thriller, but I had such faith in our heroine I guess I never got too stressed — a real plus in my book.

As an aside, I also appreciated the way the author did not change any of the character’s personalities or any element of the original Shakespeare story (aside from a clever explanation of how they survived), unlike other story extensions I have read (and was greatly irritated by).

This was so enchanting and fun! I loved the banter and the breaking of the fourth wall and the underlying murder mystery was so ludicrous and sprinkled with other Shakespearean tidbits that it made me giggle constantly.

“My name is Rosie, Rosaline if I’m in trouble, and I’m the daughter of Romeo and Juliet. Yes, that Romeo and Juliet. No, they didn’t die in the tomb…"

This was delightful easy murder mystery story that focuses on the eldest daughter of Romeo and Juliet, Rosaline or Rosie.

Rosie is twenty years old, strong willed, smart and a trained swords woman; she has thus far evaded marriage to many unacceptable potential husbands until Duke Stephano. This one is not that easy to avoid and on the night of her betrothal he is found murdered. Rosie being a young apprentice in alchemy become the main suspect. . In pursuit of the killer of her betrothed, our heroine meets her true love, courted by a prince a while the body count keeps going up.

A Daughter of Fair Verona was an enjoyable audiobook narrated by Suzy Jackson, who did an admirable job. While this story was historical fiction in content it has a contemporary feel. While the murder will be solved ..which I never guessed who, there is a cliffhanger at the end signaling this is the beginning of a series. This was my first novel by Christina Dodd and I rather enjoyed her writing style – it was uncomplicated and straight forward.

Thank you, Christina Dodd, Recorded Books and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel is due to be released on June 25, 2025.

A Daughter of Fair Verona is a light and fun story about Romeo and Juliet's eldest daughter, Rosie. Rosie a a spunky, sassy and smart young woman who is betrothed to a rather horrible man. When he is found murdered on the very same night their engagement is announced; Rosie must figure out what happened in order to clear her good name. This is a fun, light summer read that lovers of Shakespeare will enjoy! I loved the audio - the narrator was animated and lively!

Rosie, the eldest of seven siblings born to Romeo and Juliet, is considered a spinster at 20, having never married. Her father announces her engagement to Duke Stephano, a man rumored to have killed his previous two wives. Rosie has a history of diverting her suitors to other women, yet this time, she fears she won't find a replacement for the Duke. On her way to the announcement, she encounters Lysander and is immediately taken with him. However, upon meeting the Duke in the garden, she discovers him dead, a knife lodged in his chest. Porcia, known for her gossip, accuses Rosie of carrying a knife into the garden. Found by Prince Escalus standing over the body, Rosie is sent to clean up after tripping over the Duke's body. Although skilled with swords and knives, thanks to Romeo's training, Rosie is innocent. Despite this, she is now suspected of murder and embarks on a quest to find the true culprit. Meanwhile, Lysander seeks her affection, and Prince Escalus appears wherever she goes. This story drew me with its unexpected twists and the mystery of the killer's identity.

This book has it all. Humor, good pace, Easter eggs, mystery, romance, family drama, thriller-ish, character-driven, historical, spunky female, coming-of-age, and reimaging of a famous story. Rosie is fantastic, someone I'd love to know in real life, and the adult versions of Romeo and Juliet are hilariously realistic as you would think they'd be if they had survived. For a pragmatic, non-romantic, spinster virgin, Rosie takes it all in stride, dodging men and marriages, grossed out by her parents and their poetic love story that's still ongoing, with the eighth child on the way, and the only thing she has in common with them is her dad's bushy eyebrows. (How is that not funny?) Lots of people die or are attacked, Rosie's life is in danger, and not even her advanced math skills seem to help her, but the fact that everyone keeps gifting her daggers might. (See what I mean?) There's an apothecary shop called Toil and Trouble (I'm not kidding) and there are other Shakespeare references throughout. Whether you read Romeo and Juliet and loved it or hated it, this story is charming, funny, twisty, and the end will leave you breathless.

OMG what a good time this book was! A Daughter of Fair Verona was witty, hilarious, and keeps you on your toes trying to solve the mystery.

We all know the story of Romeo and Juliet but what if they didn't die? What if they lived happily ever after and had many many children? This is the story of Rosie, their eldest daughter and her quest to never marry. She's thwarted previous marriage proposals by helping her betrotheds find their one true loves but she's in hot water when her third suitor winds up murdered and she's the main suspect!

The plot of this book was unique to me and kept me on my toes trying to figure out who the actual murderer was. The characters were funny and full of life. I loved how Romeo and Juliet were described and how Christina Dodd gave them so much more depth than the story we all know did. I honestly did not care for Rosie's love interest...he was okay but I was secretly rooting for someone else and with that cliffhanger of an ending I am VERY excited to see what happens next!

I was blessed with an ALC of this book and I found the narrator, Suzy Jackson, to be such a delight to listen to. Her voice sounded young enough to portray Rosie properly (Rosie is 19/20) and she added such charisma to the story with her inflections and tones. Honestly, a 10 star performance!

I highly enjoyed this book and will definitely be continuing the series. Give this one a go if you're into romcoms, historical romance, or just looking for a funny good time with a mystery sprinkled in. Thank you so much to RB Media for providing me with an ALC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What an entertaining, exciting turn of events. This story plays out much like a great comedic theatre performance one might expect to have seen in the days of Shakespeare himself. With a wonderful blend of Shakespearean prose with modern wit and style. This reminds me of the humour of movies like Princess Diaries, Robin Hood: Men in Tights and mixes it with the macabre humour and suspense of shows like Knives Out. I honestly did not even notice the passing of time, so caught up was I in the telling of fair Rosaline’s tale. Rosie is everything I love in a heroine. She is witty, sassy, opinionated, determined and full of snark. The men opposite her, have you giddy with girlish glee and yet also keep you guessing. This story takes you on a wild journey with excitement, suspense and loads of sarcastic wit and style. But let me tell you, just when you think you know where things are going, be prepared to have the rig pulled out from under you. More than one shocker of a bomb drop in this one, I had to immediately go check if there was a sequel planned. I know this is only just releasing, but in a token Bridgerton reference, “Christina Dodd, You Must Make Haste!”
A note on the audio, the story is fabulous but I truly believe if you have the chance to listen, you should! Suzy Jackson portrayed the ideal choice of heroine, giving voice to the inner monologue of Rosaline. Her exuberance and infliction draws you in and keeps you enthralled til the end. This was quite literally a front row seat at Shakespeare’s own theatre.

DNF. I just could not get into this one. Not too far in, the main character starts talking about farting and it just felt like reading the work of a child.

Almost everyone knows the story of Romeo and Juliet. But what if they actually survived? This is such a fun story told from the perspective of their eldest daughter, Rosaline (Rosie). Romeo and Juliet are still madly in love all these years later, regularly grossing out their kids with their questionably inappropriate PDA (Rosie’s commentary on this had me laughing out loud). Rosie is the feisty, defiant, sarcastic, and loving FMC I never knew I needed. She acts like the quintessential teenager of the 21st century thrust into the Elizabethan Era, and her viewpoint and commentary is absolutely hilarious. As an “elderly” unwed spinster at 19 years old, Rosie is promised to Duke Stephano, a man surrounded by suspicion after his first 3 wives mysteriously died. Mayhem ensues at their engagement party, ending in Rosie being accused of murder. The adventure Rosie goes on to prove her innocence is full of fun twists, quirky characters, and a sweet true love story. It’s giving all the Princess Bride vibes and I’m here for it!

This is a historical mystery, but reads as a contemporary fiction novel with its clever and hilarious first-person narration by Rosie herself. The book ends on a cliffhanger, and I am so looking forward to finding out what happens next.

The narration of the audiobook by Suzy Jackson is absolutely *chef’s kiss* spot on. Her voice adds so much to the story that you won’t get otherwise. I hope she narrates the sequel!

Big thanks to NetGalley and RB Media for the gifted ALC!


*Review will be posted on my Bookstagram (@__amandaisoverbooked); please see linked Goodreads review

What a magical book!

So, you’ve all heard the story of Romeo and Juliet...
Well, according to this book, the story did NOT end the way we all thought it did!
They are alive and well with SEVEN kids! The oldest being Rosie, the talented, pretty, sharp tongued, husband avoiding, spinster...at the ripe old age of 20!!

She narrates the story from her perspective, and it is hysterical!

Imaging your parents still being TOTALLY in love...all these years later??

So, as we go along, we meet her parents, her siblings, and hear about some of the men her parents tried to betrothe her to... Funny thing is, every time this happens, she finds a more suitable mate for them all!!!

Short and sweet, but I did forget that this was book #1 as I was reading, so, I was hoping for more closure at the end of the book...
Now I’ll just have to wait for book #2 to come out!

#ADautherOfFairVerona by #ChristinaDodd and narrated nicely by #SuzyJackson. Book #1 of Daughters of Montague.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!!

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What if Romeo and Juliet didn't die tragically, but had an adorable boisterous family? A Daughter of Fair Verona is about their eldest daughter, Rosaline (Rosie), who has thus far successfully gotten out of a few marriage betrothals (by setting up the prospective grooms with other potential brides). She knows her parents are in no way equipped to run their own household; they're too busy canoodling and being in love. Anyway, when the awful Duke Stephano, who's prior brides have all met tragic ends, decides Rosie will be bride #4, Romeo and Juliet cannot refuse him.
Anyway, since Rosie can't get out of this one, she decides to soldier on with the engagement party. However, during the party, Rosie stumbles upon the body of the Duke with a knife in his chest. And as people with connections to the Duke keep dropping like flies, Rosie must figure out what's going on before she becomes a victim as well.
This was adorable and ended on a teeny cliffhanger so I'm hoping this might be a series? Hopefully? Maybe?

*Special thanks to NetGalley and RB Digital for this audio e-arc.*

EXTRA, EXTRA Read all about it! Those crazy kids, Romeo and Juliet, survive their attempts to be with one another in the next world! Biggest story in years as their parents who have a long-standing feud going on, give in to their love-struck children and allow their marriage! The love story for the ages is born. A story loved by all teenage girls and hated by all teenage boys.
The story is picked up by a British correspondent who evidently never even leaves his fair isle, and he twists the story into a heart breaking, one tissue box needed, most famous play/movie/high school assignment ever. I’m not going to mention the author’s name, because there is some doubt as to who really wrote the story that has lasted through the ages. Later, a well-known author by the name of Christine Dodd discovers this true story.
In the delightful A Daughter of Fair Verona, Dodd uses Romeo and Juliet’s oldest daughter, Rosaline aka Rosie, as the narrator of their survival and their subsequent very passionate marriage. The clever and acerbic Rosie quickly narrows in on how falling in love at first sight is the dumbest event ever; until it isn’t. Rosie is 20, on the shelf, a spinster, a never-to-be-married woman. Her goal. She likes her freedom.
Then her parents affiance her to a powerful duke whose previous wives have been murdered. At her betrothal ball she meets the beautiful Lysander with whom she falls in love with immediately. Oops. She also meets a powerful prince who tries to save her from nasty gossip. Rosie doesn’t really get to know her fiancé, Duke Stephano, as he is found murdered in the garden. Rosie is an immediate suspect due to some nasty gossips.
The entertaining and humorous A Daughter of Fair Verona is the first book in a new series. The minute Rosie sees how her family and herself are at risk, she takes on the job of finding out who killed Duke Stephano. She is ably aided by Lysander and the powerful Prince Escalus.
Familiarity with that British writer who twisted Romeo and Juliet story into a teenage tragedy is not necessary, but if you have forgotten a name or two, it’s fun to go back and search for the names.
Dodd does a great job writing this witty, irreverent retelling of Romeo and Juliet’s story. She sprinkles her story with modern terms which normally drives me crazy and I dislike. Dodd makes it work here, the anachronisms really had to the humor of the story.
I feel as if I were in Verona after reading Dodd’s story, because as usual she does a stellar job in setting the scene, the atmosphere, the food, the entertainments, the superstitions, the violence, the fashions and the mindsets.
I look forward to seeing what happens with all of Dodd’s characters. Although with Romeo and Juliet we can figure out they where they will be. Did I mention Rosie has lots of brothers and sisters?
Rosie has a heart as big as Verona, and with a heart that big will come trouble that big.
My grateful thanks to Christina Dodd and NetGalley for an ARC of A Daughter of Fair Verona for review purposes.
I want to note this book is appropriate for young adult to their grandmothers for reading. What fun that would be, a family book discussion. Oops, one more thing, check out the intriguing and beautiful cover on this book.
Aha! Now I have listened to the audiobook, my luck just doesn’t end. The narrator, Suzy Jackson did an outstanding job capturing all of the voices, not once did I think, well, this doesn’t work. Her portrayal of the Fair Rosie, went beyond outstanding, to excellence. Ms. Jackson could not have done a better job of capturing Rosie’s verve, smarts, and exuberance, narration traits that seem to be shared by the rest of her family.

What if Romeo & Juliet had not died, and continued to live in Verona with their 7 children? This is the entertaining story that unfolds, as told through their oldest daughter, Rosalind’s perspective. An old maid at 20, she is witty and clever and a force to be reckoned with. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook. I look forward to the next book in the series.

***4.5 ROUNDED to 5***
I was intrigued by the book's premise that Romeo and Juliet did not in fact die, but went on to live, love, marry and have children, but wasn't sure if I'd enjoy the narration being more a modern, YA style. I absolutely LOVED it! It was a fresh, funny, charming narration by the eldest daughter Rosie, who although has been resistant to love and marriage, is starting to wonder if it would be something she would enjoy with the right suitor. There were classic references interwoven into the more modern dialogue, which I enjoyed. Rosie was funny, sensible, sarcastic, independent and resourceful. She displays these qualities and receives a couple male admirers who appreciate who she is, in a time when the only quality that appears to be appreciated in Verona is beauty and virginity (which she also possesses). I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a wonderful job of having distinct voices for all of the characters. The only reason I didn't consider it a solid 5 is due to the abrupt ending. It looks as though it the start of a series, but I do like it when there is a bit more closure or even hints as to what is next to keep me wanting to read the next one! I did appreciate that the murder mystery was wrapped up, but it felt like a too sudden ending to a story of characters who were fun to get to know.

This fun, fast-paced mystery/romance is told by Rosie, the eldest daughter of Romeo and Juliet (yeah... they didn't actually die). She is smart and strong and the perfect heroine for this tale. The style reminded me of the Lady Janies series, historical but irreverent and sassy in a modern sort of way. With a YA feel.

Warning: there is a cliffhanger. This is the first in a series.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

What a unique and delightful story is A Daughter of Fair Verona by Christina Dodd. This book centers around the premise that the famed Romeo and Juliet of Shakespearean legend survived and did not die together as teenagers. Instead they are happily wed with seven children and are modestly successful wine merchants. The daughter featured in this story is their eldest daughter, Rosalind, or Rosie to her family, who is a spinster at aged 20. She is very intelligent and independent, and refuses to be married off. Instead she finds more suitable brides for the three prior suitors to whom she was engaged (including one of her own sisters). When her latest fiancé is found dead at their betrothal ball and all eyes suspect that she did it, the rest of the book focuses on Rosie trying to solve the mystery of who did it and why.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story narrated by Suzy Jackson who did an incredible job providing varying voices for the different characters. I was extremely pleased to see that this is the first book in the Daughters of Verona series, and I can’t wait to listen to the next book in this wonderful new series!

A Daughter of Fair Verona by Christina Dodd is a hugely fun imagining of the Romeo and Juliet story and narrated wonderfully by Suzy Jackson

If you liked Bridgerton, you will absolutely love The Daughter of Fair Verona. Imagine if Romeo and Juliet had not perished and instead, through a quirk of fate (or indeed machinations of others in the cast) that they had survived and gone on to have a family.their Their eldest daughter Rosie is an aging spinster at the grand old age of 20 (positively acient for the time) and it is from her POV that the tale is told.

Rosie's parents love their daughter and wish her wed, but despite introducing her to many eligible bachelors, they seem to mysteriously fall for everyone around Rosie (Rosie is a matchmaker extraordinaire, very adept at diverting attention away from herself) Rose would much rather remain single and look after the household in her parents stead. However, it all goes a bit awry when Rosie is betrothed to the truly evil Duke Stephano and events at the betrothal ball take one hefty turn for the chaotic

I absolutely adored this book. So much fun, witty, very well referenced to the original Romeo and Juliet but made so much more entertaining than any other reimagining. I cannot recommed this enough, so funny, a laugh out loud escapade

Thank you to Netgalley, RB Media, Chrisina Dodd and the narrator Suzy Jackson for this hilarious ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

A Daughterof Fair Verona
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved the book! It was such a Fun cute twist. It was a unique cool take on a long ago story. You will laugh & totally enjoy it! The Audio was so good.
Thank you NetGalley

OK for the positive I thought the premises was really fun and Roslyn is a great character. The voice actress/narrator is great and has a very fun and compelling voice. That said, I didn’t like the very crude humor, including her own parents and their behavior towards her. It felt yucky.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC