☆ 2.5 - 2.75 ☆

Set in an alternate renaissance Verona where Romeo and Juliet survived to wed and start a family of their own, A Daughter of Fair Verona follows their oldest daughter, Rosie, on her quest to fall in love and solve a murder. Jumping on the bandwagon of likening everything remotely romantic set in a historic setting as Bridgerton-esque does this book no favours, for this novel is heavy on mystery and the limited romance it offers is lacklustre. While I enjoyed the quick and witty pace and the reworking of themes and ideas from Shakespeare's play, the second half of the novel had serious pacing issues and the ending fell very flat.

Things I liked:
- Renaissance Italian setting. Think lush villas, sorbettos and weird colourful hats. Love it. No complaints.
- Witty heroine. Rosaline is the moment. Betting money on how many times her bully will call her a virgin in the course of a ball is genuinely god-tier main character level.
- Family dynamics. If Dodd wants to pursue this Bridgerton comparison, I expect to see a book-length treatment of each sibling's love-life and happily ever after. However, given that ending I'm not sure that's what the sequels have in store for us...

Things I disliked:
- The pacing. There is little breathing room between all the dialogue and the cliff hanger interruptions at the end of every. darn. chapter.
- Uneven characterization. Rosie is a far more capable character than the chess-pawn she is reduced to in the final chapters
- The ending. I kept expecting a final twist that would lead to a pleasant resolution, but it never came
- The comparison to Bridgerton and Knives Out . It has little to do with either
- Romance book without actual romance. The love interests are lacklustre and too unsympathetically depicted to gain a connection to either.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc of this novel, in exchange for a honest review!

I couldn't wait to share how much I love everything about this audiobook! This is my first book by Christina Dodd, but it will not be the last. I loved the characters, the plot, the humor, and the mystery. Rosie is strong-willed, snarky, clever, competent, and kind. I adored the realistically loving/irritating relationships among her family, including her famous parents Romeo and Juliet (still romantics after all these years), her siblings, and her faithful nurse.

I was shocked by something one of the characters did toward the end of the book. The result was not unexpected, only how it was accomplished. I shall have to read the next book in the series to see how that plays out.

The audiobook production was excellent, and Suzy Jackson does a fantastic job with the narration. She has good pacing, clear pronunciation, distinctive voices to suit each character, and the ability to convey mood and emotion effectively. The story works very well as an audiobook.

I highly recommend this book for fans of historical mysteries, historical romances, and fun stories that will make you laugh out loud.

I received a free advanced review copy of the audiobook through NetGalley. I volunteered to provide an honest review.

When I read the plot for A Daughter of Fair Verona - I was definitely intrigued. Can you imagine being the daughter of Romeo and Juliet and being seen as a spinster for not having married by age 20? Sounds like a nightmare! At the start, I loved getting to know Rosie’ the FMC and I really appreciated her wit and intelligence. Add in a murder mystery, and I had a good feeling about this book.

Unfortunately, I was disappointed near the end of the book. Though there were plot twists, due to a lot of foreshadowing, I had expected many of them. The scene in the crypt felt underwhelming, and after all the revelations, I was shocked that it was left on such a cliffhanger. Though there was some romance in the book, it wasn’t the focus. And perhaps that was where it fell flat for me since I saw several opportunities for relationships to develop and I never felt that they did.

Nonetheless, I truly appreciate having received an advanced listener copy from the author, NetGalley and RB media in exchange for an honest review.

This was fun and silly (except for the ending, what happened there?!).

My favorite part was a happy ending for Romeo and Juliet! I also loved the loving marriage and happy family environment.

Despite the historical setting it contains swearing and potty humor which is odd and distracting.

The story follows Romeo and Juliet’s oldest daughter Rosa while she learns the rules of apothecary, becomes betrothed to a duke, and discovers multiple murders...

Huge thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook!

Forget everything you thought you knew about Romeo and Juliet.
They are alive and well in Verona as we follow the storyline of their eldest child, Rosaline. Rosie for short.
Rosie is betrothed to an arrogant, loathsome Duke. She’s wild and free, or so she wants to be. When the Duke winds up dead she feels free of a marriage proposal, or is she?
She sets out to solve the murder and discovers secrets about the duke’s life and previous wives.
There’s adventure, mystery, a dabble of romance along the way.
Rosie is nothing short of a master negotiator, clever, and witty.
Will Rosie secure the ties of House Montague and her own fate?

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for allowing me to read and review A Daughter of Fair Verona.

I could not finish this book. From the description it sounded fun but then I had to check if this was a YA title because that is the vibe of the half that I was trying to get through. Ultimately, I gave up because the writing was too juvenile and flowery without any real substance. I would not recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for a copy of the audiobook.

The story follows Rosie (yes, named after Romeo's former lover) who is the eldest daughter of Romeo and Juliet (yes, they lived!). She is entering her debut era and is being persued by a Duke who already has had several wives, all of which have died mysteriously after marriage. However, in this witty alternative reality to the classic story we all love, things are not what they appear. True love is to be had and justice is to be served.

The audio narration either will make or break the book for you. The narrator is exactly what you picture smug Rosaline to be, an older eldest daughter teen determined to make her own history. I personally found the narration too exaggerated with the sarcasm which made it hard to listen to.

This was a lot of fun. Tons of twists and turns and a very interesting mystery reveal. I’ll definitely read any subsequent books in this series. I did get a little confused on the motivation of some characters but overall a fun story to read.

The narrator was fabulous. I will look for her when selecting audiobooks!

I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher.

Much thanks to Christina Dodd, RB Media, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was pretty leery of this one. I've never read Romeo and Juliet and have no desire to. Would this still be accessible to me? I've read books that took beloved classic characters and butchered them in the effort of a fresh angle. Would that be the case here? I haven't been super into Dodd's work lately, would this also be lackluster? The doubts piled up, and I ignored review copies of this book for months. Then the audiobook became available, and I was still intrigued by the blurb. All right, fine, gimme.

And I liked it. A lot. A LOT. It wasn't inaccessible---actually, I foresee many complaints about anachronisms and modern language, though I had no problem with it. It's not only for Romeo and Juliet fans; I fell in love with them, with all the characters. There will be readers who don't like Dodd playing with the lovers, but I was a blank slate, as it were, and I adore Dodd's version of them. They're wonderful parents and wonderful people. They got their happily ever after! I don't view it as butchery at all, but again, I wasn't attached to the OGs.

As for lackluster---there was a section after the death of the duke where I tuned out, almost wanted to DNF. I suspect my lack of interest was due to: Lysandre, whom I could tell was not endgame and I found him annoying, so I had no interest in watching Rosie moon over him; and the bigger problem, the narrator, Suzy Jackson, was not to my taste. She's very talented, but she's not a good fit for Rosie. She made Rosie sound immature, reactionary, at times shrill and shrewish. Rosie's supposed to be mature, rational, practical, intelligent. Also Italian, and I'm not confident Jackson pronounced all the Italian terms accurately; she sounded rather awkward when they came up.

But when I tuned in again this morning, I couldn't stop. I'm chucking my brief disinterest up to being tired before. No, despite the narrator, I was enthralled with the rest of the book, and I'm so frustrated with the end. I want the next book, stat! There had better be a next book.

Overall, I had a surprisingly great time in fair Verona, and I hope Dodd doesn't get swamped by OG loyalists.

I had hoped from the description of this book that I would like it, but just how much I liked it took me by surprise!

Having dispatched multiple fiancés (by finding them more suitable matches), Rosie finds herself engaged to someone who is under suspicion of murdering his previous three wives. Needless to say, she is distraught and eager to find a solution to her predicament. Lucky for her, he ends up dead the night of their betrothal party. Unlucky for her, everyone suspects her.

An unexpected highlight of the book is the family dynamic - Romeo & Juliet are fun to see imagined as parents, and the cast of sibling characters are relatable and add an extra dimension to the story.

The romance I guessed early on, the murderer I did not. If you’re looking for a headstrong heroine with a fun cast of characters and a mystery to solve, definitely check out this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Christina Dodd for this ARC! I know it’ll be a bit of a wait but I am already looking forward to the next one.

Rosaline is the daughter of Romeo and Juliet. That’s right! They didn’t die after all. Rosaline has been dodging getting married for awhile. But it seems like her luck has run out. She is now betrothed to a man whose previous wives have died. So things are not looking good…but things always have a way of turning out. Especially when her betrothed ends up dead! But who did it? Rosaline must find out who killed her intended before she’s next.

This book was so cute! And I loved the narrator! She did a great job! I loved the idea of imagining what would have happened if Romeo and Juliet didn’t die and the fact that their oldest child and daughter wouldn’t be into the lovey dovey stuff is awesome! I enjoyed all of rosaline’s younger siblings, especially her younger brother. And the inclusion of Juliet’s nurse who is also Rosaline’s nurse is spot on! I definitely recommend this book! And I look forward to the next in this series!

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to listen to this audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

I really wish I could give this book a 3.5 star rating! Let me start with the cover - gorgeous. The writing is clever and unique, weaving Shakespearean language and artifacts with familiar modern language. I absolutely loved hearing the phrase sedan chair over and over, it made me audibly giggle every time. This book really stuck with me after I finished, becoming more and more clever as it sat with me. If you're a fan of Shakespeare, historical fiction, romance, and murder mysteries, I would definitely recommend this book! Looking forward to exploring more from Christina Dodd.

Having just finished A Daughter of Fair Verona, I'm not sure how to accurately put my thoughts on it into words. Was it an enjoyable read? Yes. Did I enjoy it and want to talk to everyone about it? No. It had an odd quality about it--like the TV sitcoms where the spunky teenager breaks the fourth wall and talks to the audience about how zany their parents are. It just didn't translate well to a book in my opinion. I also didn't like the portrayal of Romeo and Juliet. Would they probably have been quirky adults had they lived? yeah, sure, probably? But it just doesn't vibe well with my thoughts on them. It had the potential to be an intriguing book, but it felt a little shallow to me. It was *almost* there but *just* not quite.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review from NetGalley.

Rated 4.5 Stars

A Daughter of Fair Verona was highly entertaining and amusing. I quite enjoyed this take on Romeo and Juliet. It was funny, over the top and ridiculous in ways yet also serious. I loved the mystery aspect of it.

I expected the romance to take a more leading role but it was more of a backseat passenger in this one. I expect that in the next one it would be at the forefront especially with the way things ended.

I loved the characters especially Rosie and the prince. I loved Rosie's voice and wit. I'm intrigued by the prince and can't wait to learn more about him.

I think the narrator did an amazing job of bringing this story and its characters to life in vivid detail. I truly enjoyed this book, highly recommend it and can't wait for the next in the series.

Based on the escapades of the eldest daughter of Romeo and Juliet (yes, in this author's imagination, they survived) this charming mystery/romance thrills and leaves the reader wanting more.

Rosaline, or Rosie, is determined to be a spinster and at the ripe old age of nearly 20 it looks like she will get her wish. But when her family betroth her to an evil man who is later killed she has to solve the mystery to save her reputation and finds love along the way.

Rosie is a compelling and interesting character with wit, intelligence, humour and heart. She doesn't want to be susceptible to passion like her parents but the course of true love never runs smooth, or according to plan.

While the plot moves quickly and Rosie's narration is light and funny, there is still plenty of character development. I was completely thrown when the mystery was solved, but it made sense.

Although the murder is solved the reader is left wondering what happens next in Rosie's life. I have a feeling there will be more adventures in store for her and I am here for it!

The narration was excellent - Rosie's voice is wonderfully captured. I can't wait for the next one.

I received an advance copy of this audio book from Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A fun romp of a murder mystery. Romeo and Juliet's death is quickly explained away, and we're able to rove through Verona with their spunky oldest daughter. Cozy mysteries in the world of classic literature is exactly my wheelhouse, and this did not disappoint on that front. I wasn't totally sold on the direction the story went in the last 10% of the book, but will definitely pick up the next installment to see if I can be swayed.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Christina Dodd for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC audiobook for A Daughter of Fair Verona coming out June 25, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I thought it was a pretty fun book. I really enjoyed the narrator. I thought she really brought it to life. I love Shakespeare, so I really appreciated the alternative look at Romeo and Juliet. Rosie was a strong character and I loved the witty parts. I think I would’ve liked to see a little more of the family dynamic. I think it centered a lot around Rosie and finding a husband. I enjoyed the murder mystery aspect though. That definitely brought some action. Of course the ending was a cliffhanger since there will be other books in the series. I would definitely be interested in checking them out.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Romeo and Juliet adaptations!

That ending…….i seriously went wait what……..this can’t be over…….THANK GOODNESS IT’s A SERIES. I probably should have paid closer attention to that and then I wouldn’t have had a near heart attack when the audiobook said “the end”.
This book is a cozy mystery take on what might have happened if Romeo and Juliet had a happy ending and went on to have A WHOLE LOT of children. Told from the viewpoint of their eldest daughter…….who did not inherit the family tendency to love and poetry.
A hilarious good time. I listened to this on my ride to and from work. Already ready to see where they take this series from here.

I received a ARC of this title. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for the arc of "A Daughter of Fair Verona" by Christina Dodd.

I absolutely loved this audiobook! I thought the premise of the book was so unusual and interesting. I loved Rosie and her no nonsense attitude and the snarky comments towards her parents own love story. I am sometimes annoyed with stories set in the past bc the FMCs tend to be very timid so I enjoyed Rosies' outspokenness and progressiveness immensely. The scene at the end had me gasping as I did not see the last bit coming. I can't believe that the book ended on a cliffhanger! I need the second book!

What if Romeo and Juliet had lived?? Hmm . . . an unusual premise. I think the story itself is good without the unusual reframing of Romeo and Juliet. Rosie, the oldest daughter of Romeo and Juliet, is a spinster and becomes betrothed to a Duke whose previous wives have died. Juliet does not wish to marry the Duke and he is soon murdered. Rosie stands accused and murder and needs to solve the mystery. There is romance, mystery, danger and an otherwise well told story. Thank you to Net Galley #netgalley RB Media and Recorded Books for my advanced audio copy.