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Shakespeare After Dark #1
By Any Other Name
He’s seduced by the darkness, but she’s always been his sun.
In the elite university town of Stratford, Massachusetts, a secret society of eight wealthy and influential families use occult witchcraft to maintain their power and privilege. The entire society is dangerous, but the bitter blood feud between rival families, the Capulets and the Montagues, makes them almost as infamous as Stratford itself.
Etta Capulet has always been a good girl.
Roman Montague is anything but good.
But despite their differences, their vicious family rivalry, and years of curses, threats, and murders, Roman has secretly loved Etta as long as he can remember.
So when he hears her moaning his name through her open bedroom window, he vows to make her his…Until death do they part.
In the elite university town of Stratford, Massachusetts, a secret society of eight wealthy and influential families use occult witchcraft to maintain their power and privilege. The entire society is dangerous, but the bitter blood feud between rival families, the Capulets and the Montagues, makes them almost as infamous as Stratford itself.
Etta Capulet has always been a good girl.
Roman Montague is anything but good.
But despite their differences, their vicious family rivalry, and years of curses, threats, and murders, Roman has secretly loved Etta as long as he can remember.
So when he hears her moaning his name through her open bedroom window, he vows to make her his…Until death do they part.
494 pages, Paperback
Published January 22, 2024
189 people are currently reading
1933 people want to read
About the author
Kate King
20 books1,075 followersKate King is an author, coffee addict, and avid reader from Boston, Massachusetts. She lives in a converted church with her husband and two cats, and often writes in cemeteries.
In addition to romance, she writes YA thrillers with a magical twist and wants to publish thirty books before turning thirty.
In addition to romance, she writes YA thrillers with a magical twist and wants to publish thirty books before turning thirty.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 310 reviews
July 29, 2023
3.5⭐️
MALE WIFE!!!!!!!! amamos un hombre completamente obsesionado (de buena manera) y listo para desvivirse para ver a su mujer sonreír <3333
MALE WIFE!!!!!!!! amamos un hombre completamente obsesionado (de buena manera) y listo para desvivirse para ver a su mujer sonreír <3333
January 22, 2024
3.5 stars
A super-sexy, witchy-vibe revamp of Romeo & Juliet for the moody romance girlies. Come for the vibes, stay for the drama!
By Any Other Name follows the story of Etta Capulet, the only daughter of the Capulet witch dynasty in the town of Stratford, Massachusetts.
In today's world, the witches are still alive and thriving in the Northeast, but they're hidden in old money neighborhoods and hiding in plain sight as the movers and shakers of the American money and political landscape.
Etta is on the threshold of pledging herself as an adult witch in their coven, and with that kind of commitment comes a bunch of strings—including the betrothal to Harrison, a son from one of the other founding eight families in Stratford.
Too bad Etta doesn't care for Harrison. She's too busy looking at Roman Montague, her childhood archnemesis and overall supremely-hot emotionally tortured eye candy.
Etta and Roman have a legacy of obsession, petty childhood dramas, and inescapable chemistry.
And as they find themselves strangled in expectations and political maneuvering nonsense, they find that the only people they can rely on are... each other. Things are about to get interesting. (And steamy.)
I had a great time reading By Any Other Name.
Full disclosure, I'm not a huge fan of Shakespeare or Romeo & Juliet-specific retellings, so I think it's not a huge surprise that I didn't fall head-over-heels obsessed with this story. (I tried to love this one, because I love everything Kate King touches.) BUT considering my stance on the inspiration behind the story, I think I enjoyed it a fair amount.
This is one of those quick romance reads that has a good hook, good steamy scenes, and isn't mired in a bunch of logistical details. Come for the drama between Etta and Roman on an intimate scale, and stay for that drama. That's the long and short of it—no fuss, no frills.
I did wish for more detail and larger worldbuilding/plot in the witch community and the mystery angle to this story, but again I think that's because I was looking for reasons to connect to this story beyond the Romeo & Juliet moments so that's really a "me" thing versus anything wrong with the story itself.
Thank you to the author for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram | Libro.fm Audiobooks
A super-sexy, witchy-vibe revamp of Romeo & Juliet for the moody romance girlies. Come for the vibes, stay for the drama!
By Any Other Name follows the story of Etta Capulet, the only daughter of the Capulet witch dynasty in the town of Stratford, Massachusetts.
In today's world, the witches are still alive and thriving in the Northeast, but they're hidden in old money neighborhoods and hiding in plain sight as the movers and shakers of the American money and political landscape.
Etta is on the threshold of pledging herself as an adult witch in their coven, and with that kind of commitment comes a bunch of strings—including the betrothal to Harrison, a son from one of the other founding eight families in Stratford.
Too bad Etta doesn't care for Harrison. She's too busy looking at Roman Montague, her childhood archnemesis and overall supremely-hot emotionally tortured eye candy.
Etta and Roman have a legacy of obsession, petty childhood dramas, and inescapable chemistry.
And as they find themselves strangled in expectations and political maneuvering nonsense, they find that the only people they can rely on are... each other. Things are about to get interesting. (And steamy.)
I had a great time reading By Any Other Name.
Full disclosure, I'm not a huge fan of Shakespeare or Romeo & Juliet-specific retellings, so I think it's not a huge surprise that I didn't fall head-over-heels obsessed with this story. (I tried to love this one, because I love everything Kate King touches.) BUT considering my stance on the inspiration behind the story, I think I enjoyed it a fair amount.
This is one of those quick romance reads that has a good hook, good steamy scenes, and isn't mired in a bunch of logistical details. Come for the drama between Etta and Roman on an intimate scale, and stay for that drama. That's the long and short of it—no fuss, no frills.
I did wish for more detail and larger worldbuilding/plot in the witch community and the mystery angle to this story, but again I think that's because I was looking for reasons to connect to this story beyond the Romeo & Juliet moments so that's really a "me" thing versus anything wrong with the story itself.
Thank you to the author for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram | Libro.fm Audiobooks
July 15, 2023
3.5 Stars
* So there's this boy,
He's 22, a warlock, still attending university to obtain his masters, is pledged to the Order, has always been a bit of a feisty, brooding, sexy, smoldering type of guy, but has been made even worse in the wake of his younger sister's (Marcia) murder, and for all intents and purposes is the Romeo of this here tale.
* And then there's this girl,
She's 21, a witch, has one semester left before she gets her bachelors degree, is not yet pledged to the Order, has always done what she was told because she cares a little too much about what people think about her, and for all intents and purposes is the Juliette of this story, even though her name really is Juliette and she doesn't like it (we're never told why) and prefers "Etta".
* Told through a DUAL POV of the Hero and heroine
Essentially this story starts off focusing on the mystery of young girls disappearing and later being found murdered within this occult community. The deaths are not being properly investigated and this leads to people of power seeing an opportunity to obtain more power so player's pieces are being moved into position so they can do just that. A part of this strategy is the arranging of Etta's marriage to Harrison, who is slightly older and from another prominent family within their community, and Roman's marriage to Rosaline, who is held in just as high esteem as she is also from another founding family. Neither Etta nor Roman are a fan of their perspective unions, so Etta comes up with her own plan to help repair the bad relations between their two feuding families. Once she gets Roman on board, which was not difficult at all as you find out very early in the story that he's been secretly in love with Etta for years, it just becomes a matter of successfully accomplishing it without their families finding out, resulting in more conflict and possibly deaths.
********************
Just so you're aware, I really wouldn't call this a "dark" story at all. The aspects of the story that could have contributed to a dark factor being present, such as occult practices, vivid descriptions of death/assault/obduction..etc., weren't utilized. I'm not necessarily saying that's a good or a bad thing. I'm just saying that maybe this shouldn't have been marketed as a dark retelling and if anyone has any reservations about reading it because it is described as such, I think you may be worrying a bit unnecessarily. It does have spice, though. So be prepared for a couple of graphic sex scenes.
********************
I don't want to seem like I'm criticizing this story that much because for what it was, it really was enjoyable. However, it could have been better. There were a lot of things and concepts introduced to the story that could have been, and in some cases, SHOULD have been elaborated on. For the most part, the entire story was kept at a very surface level and didn't delve any deeper. For example, at the end of the story we learn who had been taking the girls, but we never learned how or why they died. We are somewhat told the motivation behind the abductions, but it's never explained how they hoped to achieve this and what went wrong that would result in the girls' deaths. Also, over the course of the entire story, there's a particular part of the wedding ceremony that is alluded to as being a little humiliating for the bride and is constantly being brought up as a point of concern for Etta. It is meant to grab the reader's attention and inspire speculation as to what this could possibly be that a bride would need to be so fearful of. But at the very end when a wedding ceremony is about to take place, it leaves you hanging and never explains what it is. Yes, you can make assumptions, but without confirmation, you really don't know if you're correct or not. I found that so strange that the author would purposely leave the reader on a potentially frustrated note with the very last sentence of their book.
********************
I found the story to be interesting and the author's writing style kept me engaged and encouraged me to keep reading. In fact there were some passages that were so eloquently written that it came across as straight up poetry.
Overall, I don't regret reading it. As long as you're not looking for anything too complex or mind blowing, I'd say give it a go and see how you like if for yourself.
* So there's this boy,
Roman
He's 22, a warlock, still attending university to obtain his masters, is pledged to the Order, has always been a bit of a feisty, brooding, sexy, smoldering type of guy, but has been made even worse in the wake of his younger sister's (Marcia) murder, and for all intents and purposes is the Romeo of this here tale.
"I’d rather freeze to death than go back to relying on gods who neither listen nor give two shits about me. Who care only for power and those who can channel it, but don’t protect their most devout followers."
* And then there's this girl,
Etta
She's 21, a witch, has one semester left before she gets her bachelors degree, is not yet pledged to the Order, has always done what she was told because she cares a little too much about what people think about her, and for all intents and purposes is the Juliette of this story, even though her name really is Juliette and she doesn't like it (we're never told why) and prefers "Etta".
"I say nothing. Because that’s what I do. I’m always quiet. I never cause trouble, never fight back or stand up for myself, even though inside I’m screaming."
* Told through a DUAL POV of the Hero and heroine
Essentially this story starts off focusing on the mystery of young girls disappearing and later being found murdered within this occult community. The deaths are not being properly investigated and this leads to people of power seeing an opportunity to obtain more power so player's pieces are being moved into position so they can do just that. A part of this strategy is the arranging of Etta's marriage to Harrison, who is slightly older and from another prominent family within their community, and Roman's marriage to Rosaline, who is held in just as high esteem as she is also from another founding family. Neither Etta nor Roman are a fan of their perspective unions, so Etta comes up with her own plan to help repair the bad relations between their two feuding families. Once she gets Roman on board, which was not difficult at all as you find out very early in the story that he's been secretly in love with Etta for years, it just becomes a matter of successfully accomplishing it without their families finding out, resulting in more conflict and possibly deaths.
********************
Just so you're aware, I really wouldn't call this a "dark" story at all. The aspects of the story that could have contributed to a dark factor being present, such as occult practices, vivid descriptions of death/assault/obduction..etc., weren't utilized. I'm not necessarily saying that's a good or a bad thing. I'm just saying that maybe this shouldn't have been marketed as a dark retelling and if anyone has any reservations about reading it because it is described as such, I think you may be worrying a bit unnecessarily. It does have spice, though. So be prepared for a couple of graphic sex scenes.
********************
I don't want to seem like I'm criticizing this story that much because for what it was, it really was enjoyable. However, it could have been better. There were a lot of things and concepts introduced to the story that could have been, and in some cases, SHOULD have been elaborated on. For the most part, the entire story was kept at a very surface level and didn't delve any deeper. For example, at the end of the story we learn who had been taking the girls, but we never learned how or why they died. We are somewhat told the motivation behind the abductions, but it's never explained how they hoped to achieve this and what went wrong that would result in the girls' deaths. Also, over the course of the entire story, there's a particular part of the wedding ceremony that is alluded to as being a little humiliating for the bride and is constantly being brought up as a point of concern for Etta. It is meant to grab the reader's attention and inspire speculation as to what this could possibly be that a bride would need to be so fearful of. But at the very end when a wedding ceremony is about to take place, it leaves you hanging and never explains what it is. Yes, you can make assumptions, but without confirmation, you really don't know if you're correct or not. I found that so strange that the author would purposely leave the reader on a potentially frustrated note with the very last sentence of their book.
********************
I found the story to be interesting and the author's writing style kept me engaged and encouraged me to keep reading. In fact there were some passages that were so eloquently written that it came across as straight up poetry.
"To me, red roses aren’t romantic. They’re ornaments of the afterlife, with petals like drops of blood on icy February snow."
"Between angry and guilty. It’s miserable, and the cocktail of mismatched emotions swirls in my stomach with nowhere to go, making bile rise in my throat."
"I don’t care if her family burns me at the stake, or if my life goes up in smoke, I’ll happily stand in the flames and burn myself alive."
Overall, I don't regret reading it. As long as you're not looking for anything too complex or mind blowing, I'd say give it a go and see how you like if for yourself.
July 12, 2023
Wow!! Could this book be a perfect adaption of Romeo and Juliet?!?.. Kate King knocked it out of the park with this one.. with twists and turns, this book is hands down one of my favorites.
Read
August 1, 2023DNF at 57% good girl good girl good girl good girl good girl good girl good girl good girl good girl good girl good girl good girl good girl good-
January 23, 2024
Unfortunately, all past stories/chapters threw me out of the current storyline, which it made it difficult for me to read it all. I caught myself skimming the chapters where things happened 4 or 5 years ago and wanting to read more of the current stuff. In the beginning, I didn't mind since they did give back stories to the MCs, but ultimately ended up not liking them.
January 7, 2024
"In case it isn't obvious, good girl, I love you. I've always loved you, for years, even though it was slowly killing me. That isn't even a large enough word for how much I need you. You're the only fucking thing that matters to me, and I'm trying not to scare you with how, if I had my way, I'd lock you up and never let you leave because I need you to breathe."
I didn't know I was missing a Romeo and Juliet retelling but oh lordy this sure filled the space I didn't know was empty.
I loved this book! The imagery of their town, the tension and banter between Roman and Etta, the feud between the families, it was so good! And those scenes oh boy. The library, the kitchen and the cemetery (you read that right), Kate sure knows how to write a good spicy scene. I also love the hints at a Taming of The Shrew retelling, I'll be keeping my eye out for it!
I didn't know I was missing a Romeo and Juliet retelling but oh lordy this sure filled the space I didn't know was empty.
I loved this book! The imagery of their town, the tension and banter between Roman and Etta, the feud between the families, it was so good! And those scenes oh boy. The library, the kitchen and the cemetery (you read that right), Kate sure knows how to write a good spicy scene. I also love the hints at a Taming of The Shrew retelling, I'll be keeping my eye out for it!
December 28, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
“Well, there you go, good girl. Now you’re tainted.”
✨ Second read through of this story, now with added material and new ending, makes this already excellent book even better! ✨
I’m a sucker for retellings – Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet retelling with paranormal vibes? Hell yes! Written by an author whose stories I have loved reading? Even better! I thoroughly enjoyed By Any Other Name. I loved the nods to the original story. The added spice. The world building. The romance. I even loved how it ended in a HEA rather than following the tragic path of the original tale.
It was such a rush reading the story and trying to guess how close Kate would keep to the original and where she would stray at the key moments. I was continuously surprised by the outcome. Some of the familiar characters were changed to fit new plot points. I loved the little tweaks she made.
Roman is a more obsessive and protective version of Romeo, securing himself the role of the villain in the story through years of bullying and harassing Etta (Juliette). Any attention was better than inattention, even if it was derision and ire. All it took was one hint that she might be attracted to him to turn his distant obsession into a full-out need to own every piece of Etta.
Etta is a stronger version of Juliet. She was extremely intelligent but filled with a compulsion to do what was right by her parents, caught in her family’s political manipulations for power. Despite requiring her to cross her parents, she found a way to end the family feud and save herself and Roman from forced marriages. In the process, she shed her good-girl persona and embraced her dark side.
The romance is medium-fast burn and very spicy. Roman’s obsession has given him plenty of time to imagine all the ways he wants to take Etta, and he capitalizes on his freedom once he gets her in his clutches.
I loved this first release in the interconnected series of standalones and cannot wait to see Kate’s treatment of other favorite Shakespeare tales.
Highly recommended to lovers of dark retellings.
Genre: Dark Gothic Romance w/ PNR elements
Tropes/Features: Dark Romeo and Juliet retelling, elite magic secret society, enemies to lovers, family feud, marriage of convenience, protective/obsessed MMC, good girl gone bad FMC
Narrator: Dual 1st Person POV
Relationship Type: MF, medium-fast burn, spicy
Book Type/Ending: Standalone with HEA
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
“Well, there you go, good girl. Now you’re tainted.”
✨ Second read through of this story, now with added material and new ending, makes this already excellent book even better! ✨
I’m a sucker for retellings – Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet retelling with paranormal vibes? Hell yes! Written by an author whose stories I have loved reading? Even better! I thoroughly enjoyed By Any Other Name. I loved the nods to the original story. The added spice. The world building. The romance. I even loved how it ended in a HEA rather than following the tragic path of the original tale.
It was such a rush reading the story and trying to guess how close Kate would keep to the original and where she would stray at the key moments. I was continuously surprised by the outcome. Some of the familiar characters were changed to fit new plot points. I loved the little tweaks she made.
Roman is a more obsessive and protective version of Romeo, securing himself the role of the villain in the story through years of bullying and harassing Etta (Juliette). Any attention was better than inattention, even if it was derision and ire. All it took was one hint that she might be attracted to him to turn his distant obsession into a full-out need to own every piece of Etta.
Etta is a stronger version of Juliet. She was extremely intelligent but filled with a compulsion to do what was right by her parents, caught in her family’s political manipulations for power. Despite requiring her to cross her parents, she found a way to end the family feud and save herself and Roman from forced marriages. In the process, she shed her good-girl persona and embraced her dark side.
The romance is medium-fast burn and very spicy. Roman’s obsession has given him plenty of time to imagine all the ways he wants to take Etta, and he capitalizes on his freedom once he gets her in his clutches.
I loved this first release in the interconnected series of standalones and cannot wait to see Kate’s treatment of other favorite Shakespeare tales.
Highly recommended to lovers of dark retellings.
Genre: Dark Gothic Romance w/ PNR elements
Tropes/Features: Dark Romeo and Juliet retelling, elite magic secret society, enemies to lovers, family feud, marriage of convenience, protective/obsessed MMC, good girl gone bad FMC
Narrator: Dual 1st Person POV
Relationship Type: MF, medium-fast burn, spicy
Book Type/Ending: Standalone with HEA
June 6, 2023
I received an ARC of this book on Saturday and finished it Sunday. It is fast paced and spicy! The main characters are enjoyable and their chemistry is great. The internal struggles these characters have is written well. Etta struggles with her feelings for Roman because she wants to please her family and Roman struggles with his feelings for Etta because he doesn’t want her to get hurt. My only criticism of the book is that the ending felt a bit rushed. Other than that, the story is amazing and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good, spicy retelling!
June 22, 2023
"What is a name, anyway, when it's spoken like a prayer in the darkness?"
⇢ What to expect:
∘ New Adult
∘ Fantasy Romance
∘ Standalone
∘ Dual POV
∘ Romeo & Juliet Retelling
∘ Dark Academia
∘ Rival families
∘ Secret Societ & Occult Witchcraft
∘ Tension & Spice ❤️🔥
⇢ Tropes:
∘ Enemies to Lovers
∘ Marriage of Convenience
∘ Childhood crush
∘ He falls first
— RTC.
"How can I say that with her, I'm fine but without her I can't breathe? That my obsession with her is unhealthy, and I don't fucking care."
⇢ What to expect:
∘ New Adult
∘ Fantasy Romance
∘ Standalone
∘ Dual POV
∘ Romeo & Juliet Retelling
∘ Dark Academia
∘ Rival families
∘ Secret Societ & Occult Witchcraft
∘ Tension & Spice ❤️🔥
⇢ Tropes:
∘ Enemies to Lovers
∘ Marriage of Convenience
∘ Childhood crush
∘ He falls first
— RTC.
"How can I say that with her, I'm fine but without her I can't breathe? That my obsession with her is unhealthy, and I don't fucking care."
January 15, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
“Well, there you go, good girl. Now you’re tainted.”
✨ Second read through of this story, now with added material and new ending, makes this already excellent book even better! ✨
I’m a sucker for retellings – Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet retelling with paranormal vibes? Hell yes! Written by an author whose stories I have loved reading? Even better! I thoroughly enjoyed By Any Other Name. I loved the nods to the original story. The added spice. The world building. The romance. I even loved how it ended in a HEA rather than following the tragic path of the original tale.
It was such a rush reading the story and trying to guess how close Kate would keep to the original and where she would stray at the key moments. I was continuously surprised by the outcome. Some of the familiar characters were changed to fit new plot points. I loved the little tweaks she made.
Roman is a more obsessive and protective version of Romeo, securing himself the role of the villain in the story through years of bullying and harassing Etta (Juliette). Any attention was better than inattention, even if it was derision and ire. All it took was one hint that she might be attracted to him to turn his distant obsession into a full-out need to own every piece of Etta.
Etta is a stronger version of Juliet. She was extremely intelligent but filled with a compulsion to do what was right by her parents, caught in her family’s political manipulations for power. Despite requiring her to cross her parents, she found a way to end the family feud and save herself and Roman from forced marriages. In the process, she shed her good-girl persona and embraced her dark side.
The romance is medium-fast burn and very spicy. Roman’s obsession has given him plenty of time to imagine all the ways he wants to take Etta, and he capitalizes on his freedom once he gets her in his clutches.
I loved this first release in the interconnected series of standalones and cannot wait to see Kate’s treatment of other favorite Shakespeare tales.
Highly recommended to lovers of dark retellings.
Genre: Dark Gothic Romance w/ PNR elements
Tropes/Features: Dark Romeo and Juliet retelling, elite magic secret society, enemies to lovers, family feud, marriage of convenience, protective/obsessed MMC, good girl gone bad FMC
Narrator: Dual 1st Person POV
Relationship Type: MF, medium-fast burn, spicy
Book Type/Ending: Standalone with HEA
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
“Well, there you go, good girl. Now you’re tainted.”
✨ Second read through of this story, now with added material and new ending, makes this already excellent book even better! ✨
I’m a sucker for retellings – Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet retelling with paranormal vibes? Hell yes! Written by an author whose stories I have loved reading? Even better! I thoroughly enjoyed By Any Other Name. I loved the nods to the original story. The added spice. The world building. The romance. I even loved how it ended in a HEA rather than following the tragic path of the original tale.
It was such a rush reading the story and trying to guess how close Kate would keep to the original and where she would stray at the key moments. I was continuously surprised by the outcome. Some of the familiar characters were changed to fit new plot points. I loved the little tweaks she made.
Roman is a more obsessive and protective version of Romeo, securing himself the role of the villain in the story through years of bullying and harassing Etta (Juliette). Any attention was better than inattention, even if it was derision and ire. All it took was one hint that she might be attracted to him to turn his distant obsession into a full-out need to own every piece of Etta.
Etta is a stronger version of Juliet. She was extremely intelligent but filled with a compulsion to do what was right by her parents, caught in her family’s political manipulations for power. Despite requiring her to cross her parents, she found a way to end the family feud and save herself and Roman from forced marriages. In the process, she shed her good-girl persona and embraced her dark side.
The romance is medium-fast burn and very spicy. Roman’s obsession has given him plenty of time to imagine all the ways he wants to take Etta, and he capitalizes on his freedom once he gets her in his clutches.
I loved this first release in the interconnected series of standalones and cannot wait to see Kate’s treatment of other favorite Shakespeare tales.
Highly recommended to lovers of dark retellings.
Genre: Dark Gothic Romance w/ PNR elements
Tropes/Features: Dark Romeo and Juliet retelling, elite magic secret society, enemies to lovers, family feud, marriage of convenience, protective/obsessed MMC, good girl gone bad FMC
Narrator: Dual 1st Person POV
Relationship Type: MF, medium-fast burn, spicy
Book Type/Ending: Standalone with HEA
January 27, 2024
4 stars, 7.29 on CAWPILE
Thank you to Kate King and MTMC Tours for an arc in exchange for an honest review!
This was such a fun read! I picked it up and just devoured it in one sitting. Roman is so hot. Ugh. I want a Roman.
The main plot point of the story was the forbidden romance, which was wonderful and hot and I thought it was so much fun to read! The other plot points, while there, were more of an on the side thing. Any tension or big moments that did not have to do with the romance were resolved and cleared up very quickly to the point where I wasn't really worried about what would happen at all and didn't feel any suspense.
But that was fine, cuz I was here for Etta and Roman and their story itself made this book more than worth the read!
It's called dark but based on what I know about Dark romances and the fact that I don't like them, this didn't feel dark at all. Just hot!
Anyway, I enjoyed it and if you like romances with a bad boy that calls you good girl, you will love it!
Thank you to Kate King and MTMC Tours for an arc in exchange for an honest review!
This was such a fun read! I picked it up and just devoured it in one sitting. Roman is so hot. Ugh. I want a Roman.
The main plot point of the story was the forbidden romance, which was wonderful and hot and I thought it was so much fun to read! The other plot points, while there, were more of an on the side thing. Any tension or big moments that did not have to do with the romance were resolved and cleared up very quickly to the point where I wasn't really worried about what would happen at all and didn't feel any suspense.
But that was fine, cuz I was here for Etta and Roman and their story itself made this book more than worth the read!
It's called dark but based on what I know about Dark romances and the fact that I don't like them, this didn't feel dark at all. Just hot!
Anyway, I enjoyed it and if you like romances with a bad boy that calls you good girl, you will love it!
February 22, 2024
I LIVE for retellings, and what better story to reimagine than the most epic love story of all time- Romeo and Juliet!?!? And one with some sexy, dark gothic vibes and some witchy magic?! I was deliciously intrigued By Any Other Name. I mean no one really needs a sexier, or happier, new ending than the two star-crossed lovers and their tale of woe- so I was all for this sexy Romeo and Juliet reimagining from new to me author Kate King.
As if our source story didn’t have ENOUGH stakes, Kate infuses her love story with a bit of the occult with her modern-day magical families,, still the Capulets and Montagues, who are also part of an elite secret society called The Order in Massachusetts. Our modern day Romeo is Roman and our Juliet-inspired Etta have a long history full of animosity both between them and their families, but sometimes fate…and an infamous bedroom window….brings even the most star-crossed together in shared purpose…and desire.
I loved the premise of those whole story, and it was funny to see a sexy and witchy take on the story we all know and love. Kate keeps some of the bones of the beloved story (and some core characters) that helps strike a nice balance between re-telling and re-imaginging. Roman is still a bad boy Romeo, but one who falls unapologetically hard. And Etta still brings all of Juliet’s initial timidness and naivete - but most of all she still captures all of the glorious wonder we see Juliet experience as she finds love…and lust…with the besotted Romeo. Kate captures a chemistry that feels both fresh and nostalgic- that over the top intensity, the obsession and exuberance that drives the recklessness of the original play but adding more alpha possession, obviously way more spice, and even more angst. The core couple’s narrative is really the star of the story. And Roman is SO delicious.
And at long last, Romeo and Juliet have an HEA! There are some other elements at play here- the magic, a bit of mystery, and the narrative is told is both past and present. I found the flashbacks really helpful to establish a core history between these characters, but at times did think it slowed the pacing. The secondary elements at times I felt needed just a bit more developing, and I think that’s why the resolution felt a bit rushed to me. But I liked Kate’s writing, and I really enjoyed the romance part of the story most of all. I love the idea that each book in the series will play on a different Shakespearean titan in this darkly magical world. Excited to see what’s next!
🌹Romeo and Juliet Retelling (but with an HEA!) and SPICE!
🌹Secret Society
🌹Feuding Families
🌹Gothic Vibes/Dark Academia
🌹Enemies to lovers
🌹Marriage of convenience
🌹He falls first/boy obsessed
🌹Paranormal/Occult Witchy Vibes
🌹Mystery
As if our source story didn’t have ENOUGH stakes, Kate infuses her love story with a bit of the occult with her modern-day magical families,, still the Capulets and Montagues, who are also part of an elite secret society called The Order in Massachusetts. Our modern day Romeo is Roman and our Juliet-inspired Etta have a long history full of animosity both between them and their families, but sometimes fate…and an infamous bedroom window….brings even the most star-crossed together in shared purpose…and desire.
I loved the premise of those whole story, and it was funny to see a sexy and witchy take on the story we all know and love. Kate keeps some of the bones of the beloved story (and some core characters) that helps strike a nice balance between re-telling and re-imaginging. Roman is still a bad boy Romeo, but one who falls unapologetically hard. And Etta still brings all of Juliet’s initial timidness and naivete - but most of all she still captures all of the glorious wonder we see Juliet experience as she finds love…and lust…with the besotted Romeo. Kate captures a chemistry that feels both fresh and nostalgic- that over the top intensity, the obsession and exuberance that drives the recklessness of the original play but adding more alpha possession, obviously way more spice, and even more angst. The core couple’s narrative is really the star of the story. And Roman is SO delicious.
And at long last, Romeo and Juliet have an HEA! There are some other elements at play here- the magic, a bit of mystery, and the narrative is told is both past and present. I found the flashbacks really helpful to establish a core history between these characters, but at times did think it slowed the pacing. The secondary elements at times I felt needed just a bit more developing, and I think that’s why the resolution felt a bit rushed to me. But I liked Kate’s writing, and I really enjoyed the romance part of the story most of all. I love the idea that each book in the series will play on a different Shakespearean titan in this darkly magical world. Excited to see what’s next!
🌹Romeo and Juliet Retelling (but with an HEA!) and SPICE!
🌹Secret Society
🌹Feuding Families
🌹Gothic Vibes/Dark Academia
🌹Enemies to lovers
🌹Marriage of convenience
🌹He falls first/boy obsessed
🌹Paranormal/Occult Witchy Vibes
🌹Mystery
January 25, 2024
Love love love. This book had me hooked I couldn’t put it down.
By Any Other Name plays on the side of a bully romance mainly because the mmc is a typical boy who can’t figure out how to express his feelings properly. Now, while I would hate this in any real life scenario, I was obsessed reading out it. The book is a dual pov between Roman and Etta. Roman has been obsessed with Etta since they were young but it took him forever to realize. When he discovers Etta is arranged to be married he becomes crazy to stop it.
The timeline jumps back and forth, we get to see Roman fight his feelings towards Etta while watching Etta fight her confusion of whether she actually has feelings or she’s just crazy.
There were scenes that had me gasping and laughing. I loved their interactions and how Roman’s would do anything for Etta. I wish I had more to read.
Overall good spice 3/5
And good plot 5/5
By Any Other Name plays on the side of a bully romance mainly because the mmc is a typical boy who can’t figure out how to express his feelings properly. Now, while I would hate this in any real life scenario, I was obsessed reading out it. The book is a dual pov between Roman and Etta. Roman has been obsessed with Etta since they were young but it took him forever to realize. When he discovers Etta is arranged to be married he becomes crazy to stop it.
The timeline jumps back and forth, we get to see Roman fight his feelings towards Etta while watching Etta fight her confusion of whether she actually has feelings or she’s just crazy.
There were scenes that had me gasping and laughing. I loved their interactions and how Roman’s would do anything for Etta. I wish I had more to read.
Overall good spice 3/5
And good plot 5/5
September 20, 2024
4.5⭐️ 3.5-4🌶️
This was my first book by Kate King, and it certainly will not be my last. Holy hell, I am a fan for life after devouring this Romeo and Juliet retelling.
I didn’t really know what to expect, but it didn’t take long for me to be fully immersed in this gritty, witchy retelling. The author retained all of the hallmarks of the original story, but added so much more, and we finally get the HEA that we’ve always craved.
We have our rival families, and our heroes, Roman and Etta, trying to forge their own way in a world where their paths have been predetermined. Roman is the villain, whose obsession with Etta turns into a fierce, over-the-top protective kind of love. Etta starts out as the good girl, always trying to do right by her parents, who eventually comes out of her shell, and takes control of her own life. It’s a medium fast burn that leads to quite a bit of creative intimacy. I’m a sucker for a good cemetery scene, so I was all over this.
Despite knowing this classic story, the author weaves in some twists and turns, and makes the story her own. If you love Shakespeare, and a good retelling, please do yourself a favor and pick this up. The spice and banter will leave you breathless. The writing will suck you in, and the story will hold you fast. Looking forward to the next retelling!!
🥀Dual POV first person
🥀Gothic Romance/PNR
🥀Dark academia
🥀Witches & warlocks
🥀Secret societies
🥀Enemies to lovers
🥀Rival families
🥀OTTP villain MMC
🥀HEA standalone
🥀Cemetery spice 🪦🥵
🌶️3.5-4, depending on your scale
This was my first book by Kate King, and it certainly will not be my last. Holy hell, I am a fan for life after devouring this Romeo and Juliet retelling.
I didn’t really know what to expect, but it didn’t take long for me to be fully immersed in this gritty, witchy retelling. The author retained all of the hallmarks of the original story, but added so much more, and we finally get the HEA that we’ve always craved.
We have our rival families, and our heroes, Roman and Etta, trying to forge their own way in a world where their paths have been predetermined. Roman is the villain, whose obsession with Etta turns into a fierce, over-the-top protective kind of love. Etta starts out as the good girl, always trying to do right by her parents, who eventually comes out of her shell, and takes control of her own life. It’s a medium fast burn that leads to quite a bit of creative intimacy. I’m a sucker for a good cemetery scene, so I was all over this.
Despite knowing this classic story, the author weaves in some twists and turns, and makes the story her own. If you love Shakespeare, and a good retelling, please do yourself a favor and pick this up. The spice and banter will leave you breathless. The writing will suck you in, and the story will hold you fast. Looking forward to the next retelling!!
🥀Dual POV first person
🥀Gothic Romance/PNR
🥀Dark academia
🥀Witches & warlocks
🥀Secret societies
🥀Enemies to lovers
🥀Rival families
🥀OTTP villain MMC
🥀HEA standalone
🥀Cemetery spice 🪦🥵
🌶️3.5-4, depending on your scale
June 9, 2023
First off, I'm a huge Shakespeare fan so when I heard there was a new modern spicy retelling of Romeo and Juliet, I had to ARC read it. Romeo and Juliet is not my favorite story from Shakespeare but Kate King fixes the age gap and teenage wedding that were problematic in the original. This was so delightful! The setting of witches in modern day Stratford Massachusetts was a fresh take. Kate made reference to the original text a lot like when Roman says "She's the sun, while I will never be more than Icarus" or "What is a name anyway, when it's spoken like a prayer in the darkness?". I enjoyed everything about this book. The fact that Roman nicknames Juliette (Etta) as Good Girl for the whole text chemically altered my brain. I can't wait for the rest of the Shakespeare After Dark series!
January 22, 2024
Let’s start off by saying I’m not usually into retellings— but if my girl Kate King releases it, I’m gonna read it. Color me surprised when I ended up devouring this one!
I loved the pining from Roman along with the dual timelines. The chemistry between Roman & Etta was on fire🥵 The pacing was great and kept me interested the whole time with a few unexpected twists and turns.
I loved the pining from Roman along with the dual timelines. The chemistry between Roman & Etta was on fire🥵 The pacing was great and kept me interested the whole time with a few unexpected twists and turns.
January 23, 2024
I mean…this was fine? I was expecting more from the hype but I guess that’s usually what happens. It really wasn’t that dark, and certainly not “deliciously” so.
Was there even a point to them being witches at all 😭
I’ve read better retellings and NA.
Was there even a point to them being witches at all 😭
I’ve read better retellings and NA.
January 16, 2024
Dark Retelling (spice) de Romeo y Julieta, (con final feliz), sí por favor!😏
Cuando vi la portada del libro, me gustó mucho, y cuando vi de qué se trataba, dije, necesito leerlo!✨
Es la primera vez que leo un libro de Kate, y me gustó mucho como escribe, así que quiero leer mas de ella.
Me gustó mucho que fue un libro rápido de leer, en serio, desde el inicio te mantiene entretenido, confieso que no soy muy fan de los saltos de tiempo en los capítulos, pero estos capítulos no son largos, y aparte son informativos, porque así conoces más a los protagonistas, Etta (Juliette) y Roman en el pasado, el como se conocieron o el porqué “se odian”, fue muy bueno de leer.✨
Yo amo los libros de brujas, con vibes góticos, etc, así que disfruté mucho el libro, no tiene una trama complicada, es muy ligera, se entiende todo perfectamente y no es un libro grande, lo terminas rápido.✨
Los personajes también me gustaron (solo algunos, obviamente jaja porque estas familias solo quieren controlar a sus hijos y aaaahh), principalmente Etta, Roman, Cat, Pierce y Bennet!! Este grupo, necesito mas de este grupo!✨
En fin, lo súper recomiendo, leanlo para que Kate me pueda dar un libro para Cat, necesito un libro para ella!🤧
— Eng:
Dark Retelling (spice) of Romeo and Juliet, (with HEA), yes please!🙈👀
“In the elite university town of Stratford, Massachusetts, a secret society of eight wealthy and influential families use occult witchcraft to maintain their power and privilege. The entire society is dangerous, but the bitter blood feud between rival families, the Capulets and the Montagues, makes them almost as infamous as Stratford itself…”
When I saw the cover of the book, I really liked it, and when I saw what it was about, I said, I need to read it!✨
It's the first time I've read a book by Kate, and I really liked how she writes, so I want to read more of her.✨
I really liked that it was a quick book to read, seriously, from the beginning it keeps you entertained,🙈I confess that I am not a big fan of time jumps in the chapters, but these chapters are not long, and they are also informative, because that way You know more about the protagonists, Etta (Juliette) and Roman in the past, how they met or why they “hate each other”, it was so good to read.🤍
I love witch books, with gothic vibes, etc., so I really enjoyed the book, it doesn't have a complicated plot, it's very light, everything is understood perfectly and it's not a big book, you finish it quickly.🤍
I also liked the characters (only a few, obviously haha because these families just want to control their children and aaaahh haha), mainly Etta, Roman, Cat, Pierce and Bennet!! This group, I need more from this group!✨
So, I highly recommend it, read it so Kate can give me a book for Cat haha, I need a book for her!🫶🏼
Paranormal romance
Urban fantasy
Standalone & HEA
Spicy
Marriage for convenience
Elite secret society and Occult witchcraft
Obsessed / Possessive boy
Boy falls first
Good girl X Bad boy
Dual pov
Thanks Kate for the arc
Cuando vi la portada del libro, me gustó mucho, y cuando vi de qué se trataba, dije, necesito leerlo!✨
Es la primera vez que leo un libro de Kate, y me gustó mucho como escribe, así que quiero leer mas de ella.
Me gustó mucho que fue un libro rápido de leer, en serio, desde el inicio te mantiene entretenido, confieso que no soy muy fan de los saltos de tiempo en los capítulos, pero estos capítulos no son largos, y aparte son informativos, porque así conoces más a los protagonistas, Etta (Juliette) y Roman en el pasado, el como se conocieron o el porqué “se odian”, fue muy bueno de leer.✨
Yo amo los libros de brujas, con vibes góticos, etc, así que disfruté mucho el libro, no tiene una trama complicada, es muy ligera, se entiende todo perfectamente y no es un libro grande, lo terminas rápido.✨
Los personajes también me gustaron (solo algunos, obviamente jaja porque estas familias solo quieren controlar a sus hijos y aaaahh), principalmente Etta, Roman, Cat, Pierce y Bennet!! Este grupo, necesito mas de este grupo!✨
En fin, lo súper recomiendo, leanlo para que Kate me pueda dar un libro para Cat, necesito un libro para ella!🤧
— Eng:
Dark Retelling (spice) of Romeo and Juliet, (with HEA), yes please!🙈👀
“In the elite university town of Stratford, Massachusetts, a secret society of eight wealthy and influential families use occult witchcraft to maintain their power and privilege. The entire society is dangerous, but the bitter blood feud between rival families, the Capulets and the Montagues, makes them almost as infamous as Stratford itself…”
When I saw the cover of the book, I really liked it, and when I saw what it was about, I said, I need to read it!✨
It's the first time I've read a book by Kate, and I really liked how she writes, so I want to read more of her.✨
I really liked that it was a quick book to read, seriously, from the beginning it keeps you entertained,🙈I confess that I am not a big fan of time jumps in the chapters, but these chapters are not long, and they are also informative, because that way You know more about the protagonists, Etta (Juliette) and Roman in the past, how they met or why they “hate each other”, it was so good to read.🤍
I love witch books, with gothic vibes, etc., so I really enjoyed the book, it doesn't have a complicated plot, it's very light, everything is understood perfectly and it's not a big book, you finish it quickly.🤍
I also liked the characters (only a few, obviously haha because these families just want to control their children and aaaahh haha), mainly Etta, Roman, Cat, Pierce and Bennet!! This group, I need more from this group!✨
So, I highly recommend it, read it so Kate can give me a book for Cat haha, I need a book for her!🫶🏼
Paranormal romance
Urban fantasy
Standalone & HEA
Spicy
Marriage for convenience
Elite secret society and Occult witchcraft
Obsessed / Possessive boy
Boy falls first
Good girl X Bad boy
Dual pov
Thanks Kate for the arc
January 25, 2024
RATING
Overall: 5/5⭐️
Spice: 4/5🌶️
I’m going to need a solid week to come back down from the reading high that BAON just served. I literally set my Kindle down with with a smile from ear to ear & stars in my eyes. BAON gave bitter family rivalries, a serving of thriller, contemporary romantasy, the most forbidden romance, so much power…I could go on. It had so many layers. I adored that Roman would do absolutely anything for Etta & her happiness. I am beyond excited to share this book with my Sisterhood of the Traveling Books.
If Roman is darkness, then Juliette is the sun. 8 wealthy & influential families use witchcraft in Stratford to maintain their power & privilege. The Capulets & Montagues share a multi-generational long rivalry. The society itself is nothing but danger & bitter hatred. But within the society is one good thing, Etta. & Roman has secretly loved her for as long as he can remember. Unfortunately, their family rivalry poses a threat to ever making Etta his…until one evening Roman hears her moaning his name through her bedroom window. Nothing will stop him from claiming her now. Until death do they part.
Etta is pure, loyal, & good to her core. She values her education & being a “good girl” even in spite of herself. Sadly, she is completely unaware of her beauty inside & out…until Roman.
Roman is filthy rich, powerful, dark & handsome, & nothing less than the definition of an alphahole. He has never claimed to be kind or good. But he’s wanted to claim Etta since high school. He’s always gotten what he wants.
“I would launch armies for her, slaughter thousands to protect…I’ve never been the hero of the story, but for her I can be.”
💜Romeo & Juliette Retelling with a HEA
💜Spicy
💜Slow Burn
💜Marriage of Convenience
💜Elite Secret Society
💜Witchcraft
💜Dark Academia
💜Enemies to Lovers
💜Dual POV
Thank you Kate King! I can’t wait to devour the rest of your books.
*This is a standalone romance novel
Overall: 5/5⭐️
Spice: 4/5🌶️
I’m going to need a solid week to come back down from the reading high that BAON just served. I literally set my Kindle down with with a smile from ear to ear & stars in my eyes. BAON gave bitter family rivalries, a serving of thriller, contemporary romantasy, the most forbidden romance, so much power…I could go on. It had so many layers. I adored that Roman would do absolutely anything for Etta & her happiness. I am beyond excited to share this book with my Sisterhood of the Traveling Books.
If Roman is darkness, then Juliette is the sun. 8 wealthy & influential families use witchcraft in Stratford to maintain their power & privilege. The Capulets & Montagues share a multi-generational long rivalry. The society itself is nothing but danger & bitter hatred. But within the society is one good thing, Etta. & Roman has secretly loved her for as long as he can remember. Unfortunately, their family rivalry poses a threat to ever making Etta his…until one evening Roman hears her moaning his name through her bedroom window. Nothing will stop him from claiming her now. Until death do they part.
Etta is pure, loyal, & good to her core. She values her education & being a “good girl” even in spite of herself. Sadly, she is completely unaware of her beauty inside & out…until Roman.
Roman is filthy rich, powerful, dark & handsome, & nothing less than the definition of an alphahole. He has never claimed to be kind or good. But he’s wanted to claim Etta since high school. He’s always gotten what he wants.
“I would launch armies for her, slaughter thousands to protect…I’ve never been the hero of the story, but for her I can be.”
💜Romeo & Juliette Retelling with a HEA
💜Spicy
💜Slow Burn
💜Marriage of Convenience
💜Elite Secret Society
💜Witchcraft
💜Dark Academia
💜Enemies to Lovers
💜Dual POV
Thank you Kate King! I can’t wait to devour the rest of your books.
*This is a standalone romance novel
January 12, 2024
When I read the description of Kate King's By Any Other Name (BAON) as a Romeo and Juliette retelling with a mix of witchcraft and secret societies and plenty of spice, it definitely sounded like just the kind of dark romance to kick off my 2024 reads! Needless to say, I was very excited to receive an ARC of this story, as it's also my first time reading one of King's books. After a whirlwind of a tale, King did not disappoint.
In BAON, we are taken into the world of Stratford, MA, where 8 families oversee The Order, a ruling council of all witches and warlocks. In a parallel to Shakespeare's work, two of the most influential families, the Montagues and Capulets, have fueled a generations' long grudge full of curses, murders and violence. It seems that history is doomed to repeat itself as the heirs to both families, Juliette (Etta) and Roman, clash and circle one another as peers in the same school where they have to navigate pressures way beyond the typical challenges of regular teenagers. Ironically, both Etta and Roman hate the paths they are expected to take in following their influential lineages.
Through the use of dual POV, King allows the reader to delve into the minds of both Etta and Romeo as the story flips back and forth between present day and the tension filled days of their time in high school. Soon enough, we learn that all is not as it seems and that the hate filled words and glances that these two have being exchanging might be a sign of a greater and much deeper emotion that these two star-crossed lovers have for one another, though they may not be ready to face it and the fate it means they will need to embrace.
Against the passionate, fierce, fiery and unavoidable romance that builds between Roman and Etta, King weaves in a mystery of young witches from ruling families being murdered with no clues as to who is hunting them and why they are being targeted. As the murders pile up, the Order and its leading members are pushing for new blood and new alliances, setting up a potentially disastrous conflict for Etta and Romeo, who realize that the solution may lie in partnering with their family's sworn enemy.
I really enjoyed this read and appreciated the paranormal twist that King brought to this classic, romantic tragedy and the chance she gives us to consider a different type of end for these star-crossed lovers. The heat and spice between Roman and Etta is off the charts so definitely be prepared to get your fan out! That said, I also really appreciated how we see each of these characters inspire change and development in the other. If anything, I wished there had been a bit more time to spend at the end to more thoroughly resolve the mystery piece of the story as it did go by rather quickly. But besides that, this was a fun, spicy and fast paced retelling that sucked me in right from the beginning and didn't let me go until the end. I can't wait to pick up another one of King's books soon!
In BAON, we are taken into the world of Stratford, MA, where 8 families oversee The Order, a ruling council of all witches and warlocks. In a parallel to Shakespeare's work, two of the most influential families, the Montagues and Capulets, have fueled a generations' long grudge full of curses, murders and violence. It seems that history is doomed to repeat itself as the heirs to both families, Juliette (Etta) and Roman, clash and circle one another as peers in the same school where they have to navigate pressures way beyond the typical challenges of regular teenagers. Ironically, both Etta and Roman hate the paths they are expected to take in following their influential lineages.
Through the use of dual POV, King allows the reader to delve into the minds of both Etta and Romeo as the story flips back and forth between present day and the tension filled days of their time in high school. Soon enough, we learn that all is not as it seems and that the hate filled words and glances that these two have being exchanging might be a sign of a greater and much deeper emotion that these two star-crossed lovers have for one another, though they may not be ready to face it and the fate it means they will need to embrace.
Against the passionate, fierce, fiery and unavoidable romance that builds between Roman and Etta, King weaves in a mystery of young witches from ruling families being murdered with no clues as to who is hunting them and why they are being targeted. As the murders pile up, the Order and its leading members are pushing for new blood and new alliances, setting up a potentially disastrous conflict for Etta and Romeo, who realize that the solution may lie in partnering with their family's sworn enemy.
I really enjoyed this read and appreciated the paranormal twist that King brought to this classic, romantic tragedy and the chance she gives us to consider a different type of end for these star-crossed lovers. The heat and spice between Roman and Etta is off the charts so definitely be prepared to get your fan out! That said, I also really appreciated how we see each of these characters inspire change and development in the other. If anything, I wished there had been a bit more time to spend at the end to more thoroughly resolve the mystery piece of the story as it did go by rather quickly. But besides that, this was a fun, spicy and fast paced retelling that sucked me in right from the beginning and didn't let me go until the end. I can't wait to pick up another one of King's books soon!
January 25, 2024
Kate King is a new-to-me author and I was excited to read this one! The one I read is the re-release with additional content added, so my review will be for this edition.
Overall, I felt like this was such a fun and sexy retelling of Romeo and Juliet! There was a fresh take on it being centered around a bunch of magic families in a modern setting, and then add in the steam? Yes, please!
I love seeing the similarities and then when the author made the story her own. The Capulets and Montagues still hate each other, Roman and Etta are still star-crossed, and you'll see several other names that look familiar.
There are plenty of flashbacks to when Roman and Etta are younger, to help understand why they are where they are in the present. I appreciated those flashbacks since it helped show the animosity between the two of them and how things built up to where they have that hatred towards each other. And yes, I did love Roman.
I do wish there had been a bit more focus on the actual magic and witchcraft and families. There is also a mystery with people disappearing and winding up dead, but that didn't feel like fully fleshed out? Like it felt very glossed over at the end and summarized when we were at the peak of that conflict.
This being the first time I read this author, I definitely enjoyed her writing. I did feel like the direction of the story just wasn't fully figured out sometimes. Like, just don't have the mystery plot and focus on Roman and Etta, because that's how it felt to me.
I received an arc from the author. My thoughts are my own.
Overall, I felt like this was such a fun and sexy retelling of Romeo and Juliet! There was a fresh take on it being centered around a bunch of magic families in a modern setting, and then add in the steam? Yes, please!
I love seeing the similarities and then when the author made the story her own. The Capulets and Montagues still hate each other, Roman and Etta are still star-crossed, and you'll see several other names that look familiar.
There are plenty of flashbacks to when Roman and Etta are younger, to help understand why they are where they are in the present. I appreciated those flashbacks since it helped show the animosity between the two of them and how things built up to where they have that hatred towards each other. And yes, I did love Roman.
I do wish there had been a bit more focus on the actual magic and witchcraft and families. There is also a mystery with people disappearing and winding up dead, but that didn't feel like fully fleshed out? Like it felt very glossed over at the end and summarized when we were at the peak of that conflict.
This being the first time I read this author, I definitely enjoyed her writing. I did feel like the direction of the story just wasn't fully figured out sometimes. Like, just don't have the mystery plot and focus on Roman and Etta, because that's how it felt to me.
I received an arc from the author. My thoughts are my own.
June 10, 2024
Overall ⭐️⭐️⭐️.7/5
Spicy content 🌶🌶🌶.5/5
This was a great read. I love Romeo and Juliet, and this is the first ever retelling I have read, and I really enjoyed it.
I loved how Juliet didn't just give up and take the fate that was handed to her by her family and the order.
And my oh my Romeo! I love that he is selfish and possessive and just all round, only a nice guy for and to her. Who doesn't love a morally grey MMC.
If you love Romeo and Juliet, you will most likely enjoy this read. It is in Duel POV, which I love. However, there are past and present chapters in this book.
I wish there was more to read =]
Check out tashie_leereads for my bookstagram! :)
Spicy content 🌶🌶🌶.5/5
This was a great read. I love Romeo and Juliet, and this is the first ever retelling I have read, and I really enjoyed it.
I loved how Juliet didn't just give up and take the fate that was handed to her by her family and the order.
And my oh my Romeo! I love that he is selfish and possessive and just all round, only a nice guy for and to her. Who doesn't love a morally grey MMC.
If you love Romeo and Juliet, you will most likely enjoy this read. It is in Duel POV, which I love. However, there are past and present chapters in this book.
I wish there was more to read =]
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January 13, 2024
I thought By Any Other Name was a very unique take on a Romeo and Juliet retelling.
Roman Montague and Etta (Juliette) Capulet hate each other. After all, their families have been feuding, why shouldn't they.
They and their families are part of The Order, witches with magical abilities.
But as women continue to go missing in their town and the feud between the Capulets and Montagues increases, Roman and Etta team up, trying to bring peace to their families.
I enjoyed reading this book. There is some bullying and slow burn before the spice ramps up, and the tension makes everything even better.
This book has dual POV and also goes back and forth in time.
I didn't have any trouble keeping up as the jumps were well labeled and followed chronological order.
I also loved all the classic lit and Shakespeare references sprinkled throughout the story.
I would definitely read another book by this author.
🌶🌶🌶
*Please check TW on this before reading.*
Thank you so much to the author for an ARC of this book!
Roman Montague and Etta (Juliette) Capulet hate each other. After all, their families have been feuding, why shouldn't they.
They and their families are part of The Order, witches with magical abilities.
But as women continue to go missing in their town and the feud between the Capulets and Montagues increases, Roman and Etta team up, trying to bring peace to their families.
I enjoyed reading this book. There is some bullying and slow burn before the spice ramps up, and the tension makes everything even better.
This book has dual POV and also goes back and forth in time.
I didn't have any trouble keeping up as the jumps were well labeled and followed chronological order.
I also loved all the classic lit and Shakespeare references sprinkled throughout the story.
I would definitely read another book by this author.
🌶🌶🌶
*Please check TW on this before reading.*
Thank you so much to the author for an ARC of this book!
October 20, 2024
A Romeo and Juliet retelling and I ended up liking it! There are a few cringey things that bugged me though (like his nickname to her is 'good girl'??). The conflict felt a bit rushed too. But I do loved how Roman was obsessed with Etta. It's a good thing we have his POV because his thoughts are entertaining. I mean, the pining had me giggling, it was just perfect! I wish we had more of them (and the magical aspect because I was looking for that). I wouldn't mind a second book too *ahem, ahem*.
I also got the Fabled Edition and I get to read the bonus epilogue!
I also got the Fabled Edition and I get to read the bonus epilogue!
February 21, 2024
A Romeo and Juliet retelling, smutty and taboo. Juliette, sassy but has a hard time standing up for herself while Roman is the morally grey villain in a good way.
I loved their banter, the slow burn between the couple. The characters were well written. It was a joy reading this book. Thank you
I loved their banter, the slow burn between the couple. The characters were well written. It was a joy reading this book. Thank you
Want to read
February 15, 2024Romeo and Juliet < Romeo and Juliet Retellings
February 9, 2024
Attached and her Roman
This was a very nice read and continuous story line. A nice amount of steam with the hint of the teasing of what each person is wanting. I did feel like the end was a bit anticlimactic, but I also feel like there could be more story line and an additional book for the couple. And maybe an additional storyline for a new couple in the making. Overall a good book.
This was a very nice read and continuous story line. A nice amount of steam with the hint of the teasing of what each person is wanting. I did feel like the end was a bit anticlimactic, but I also feel like there could be more story line and an additional book for the couple. And maybe an additional storyline for a new couple in the making. Overall a good book.
January 5, 2024
I want to preface this with saying that I have not read the original version of this story. I was provided an ARC of the newly revised edition in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first spicy Romeo and Juliette retelling, and I absolutely loved it. Typically, I'm not a fan of constant flashbacks, but in this story they were absolutely necessary to further the story and I did not feel like I was constantly being taken out of the story to relive the past. It's also important to note that this is a standalone involving an elite occult society. I don't believe that the world building needed to fully explain the intricacies of this society would be possible in a standalone novel, so I found that King gave just enough to keep the reader interested while not overwhelming them with information that would not come into play within the story.
The only complaint I had on this one was regarding the girls that went missing. We do get an explanation of who was doing this and a look into why, but it felt like an add on that wasn't necessary. Overall though, this did not take from the story enough to dock my rating.
I want to conclude with a thank you to Kate King for providing me this ARC, as well as my favorite quote from the book:
"For half a second, I'm shocked by the Kindle notificaions, and then I realize that not everyone reads exclusively smut."
This was my first spicy Romeo and Juliette retelling, and I absolutely loved it. Typically, I'm not a fan of constant flashbacks, but in this story they were absolutely necessary to further the story and I did not feel like I was constantly being taken out of the story to relive the past. It's also important to note that this is a standalone involving an elite occult society. I don't believe that the world building needed to fully explain the intricacies of this society would be possible in a standalone novel, so I found that King gave just enough to keep the reader interested while not overwhelming them with information that would not come into play within the story.
The only complaint I had on this one was regarding the girls that went missing. We do get an explanation of who was doing this and a look into why, but it felt like an add on that wasn't necessary. Overall though, this did not take from the story enough to dock my rating.
I want to conclude with a thank you to Kate King for providing me this ARC, as well as my favorite quote from the book:
"For half a second, I'm shocked by the Kindle notificaions, and then I realize that not everyone reads exclusively smut."
January 7, 2024
A fun retelling of Romeo and Juliet with some Massachusetts witches thrown into the mix. Not too much spice but I think it was just enough for their forbidden love story. I loved the PNR aspects of the Order, their schooling, it all made for a great spin. I never read the original version but I did enjoy this one that is said to have more content.
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