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Daughter of Montague #1
Hija de la bella Verona
Knives Out meets Bridgerton in Fair Verona, as New York Times bestselling author Christina Dodd kicks off a frothy, irreverent, witty new series with an irresistible premise—Romeo and Juliet’s daughter as a clever, rebellious, fiercely independent young woman in fair Verona—told from the delightfully engaging point of view of the captivating Rosie Montague herself…
"A sharp, determined heroine, a clever historical mystery, sparkling wit, a unique setting, family drama and a dash of romance.”– Amanda Quick, New York Times bestselling author of The Lady Has a Past
Once upon a time a young couple met and fell in love. You probably know that story, and how it ended (hint: badly). Only here’s the thing: That’s not how it ended at all.
Romeo and Juliet are alive and well and the parents of seven kids. I’m the oldest, with the emphasis on ‘old’—a certified spinster at twenty, and happy to stay that way. It’s not easy to keep your taste for romance with parents like mine. Picture it—constant monologues, passionate declarations, fighting, making up, making out . . . it’s exhausting.
Each time they’ve presented me with a betrothal, I’ve set out to find the groom-to-be a more suitable bride. After all, someone sensible needs to stay home and manage this household. But their latest match, Duke Stephano, isn’t so easy to palm off on anyone else. The debaucher has had three previous wives—all of whom met unfortunate ends. Conscience forbids me from consigning another woman to that fate. As it turns out, I don’t have to . . .
At our betrothal ball—where, quite by accident, I meet a beautiful young man who makes me wonder if perhaps there is something to love at first sight—I stumble upon Duke Stephano with a dagger in his chest. But who killed him? His late wives’ families, his relatives, his mistress, his servants—half of Verona had motive. And when everyone around the Duke begins dying, disappearing, or descending into madness, I know I must uncover the killer . . . before death lies on me like an untimely frost.
"A sharp, determined heroine, a clever historical mystery, sparkling wit, a unique setting, family drama and a dash of romance.”– Amanda Quick, New York Times bestselling author of The Lady Has a Past
Once upon a time a young couple met and fell in love. You probably know that story, and how it ended (hint: badly). Only here’s the thing: That’s not how it ended at all.
Romeo and Juliet are alive and well and the parents of seven kids. I’m the oldest, with the emphasis on ‘old’—a certified spinster at twenty, and happy to stay that way. It’s not easy to keep your taste for romance with parents like mine. Picture it—constant monologues, passionate declarations, fighting, making up, making out . . . it’s exhausting.
Each time they’ve presented me with a betrothal, I’ve set out to find the groom-to-be a more suitable bride. After all, someone sensible needs to stay home and manage this household. But their latest match, Duke Stephano, isn’t so easy to palm off on anyone else. The debaucher has had three previous wives—all of whom met unfortunate ends. Conscience forbids me from consigning another woman to that fate. As it turns out, I don’t have to . . .
At our betrothal ball—where, quite by accident, I meet a beautiful young man who makes me wonder if perhaps there is something to love at first sight—I stumble upon Duke Stephano with a dagger in his chest. But who killed him? His late wives’ families, his relatives, his mistress, his servants—half of Verona had motive. And when everyone around the Duke begins dying, disappearing, or descending into madness, I know I must uncover the killer . . . before death lies on me like an untimely frost.
352 pages, Paperback
First published June 25, 2024
957 people are currently reading
43348 people want to read
About the author
Christina Dodd
100 books5,906 followersUpcoming:
— 6/30/26 TEACH THE TORCHES TO BURN: Daughter of Montague Historical Fiction #3 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
New and Now!
—MUCH ADO ABOUT MISTLETOE: Daughter of Montague Christmas novella https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— THUS WITH A KISS I DIE Daughter of Montague Historical Fiction #2
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA Historical Fiction Trade Paperback Once upon a time a young couple met and fell in love. You probably know that story, and how it ended (hint: badly). Only here’s the thing: That’s not how it ended at all…
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
— WELCOME TO GOTHIC: A Gothic novella in ebook (at last!) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— WHAT DREAMS MAY COME Daughter of Montague novella 1.5 "I’m the daughter of Romeo and Juliet. Yes, that Romeo and Juliet. No, they didn’t die in the tomb…" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— GIRL ANONYMOUS “Crackling sexual chemistry and a few love scenes guaranteed to scorch readers’ fingers as they turn the pages." — ⭐️ Booklist
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Readers become writers, and Christina has always been a reader. Ultimately she discovered she liked to read romance best because the relationship between a man and a woman is always humorous. A woman wants world peace, a clean house, and a deep and meaningful relationship based on mutual understanding and love. A man wants a Craftsman router, undisputed control of the TV remote, and a red Corvette which will make his bald spot disappear.
When Christina’s first daughter was born, she told her husband she was going to write a book. It was a good time to start a new career, because how much trouble could one little infant be?
Ha! It took ten years, two children and three completed manuscripts before she was published. Now her suspense, paranormal, historical, and mystery novels have been translated into 30 languages and sold more than 15 million copies in print. Praised for her “brilliantly etched characters, polished writing, and unexpected flashes of sharp humor that are pure Dodd” (Booklist), her award-winning books have landed on numerous Best of the Year lists and, much to her mother's delight, Dodd was once a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle. She lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest, where her 700 lavender plants share the yard with her husband’s various “Big Projects,” including a treehouse, zipline, and their very own Stonehenge.
Enter Christina’s worlds and join her mailing list for humor, book news and entertainment (yes, she’s the proud author with the infamous three-armed cover) at christinadodd.com. For more information on A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA, visit daughterofmontague.com. Her legions of fans know that when they pick up a Christina Dodd book, they'll find the story, "Wildly entertaining, wickedly witty!"
Christina is married to a man with all his hair and no Corvette, but many Craftsman tools.
(Source: http://www.christinadodd.com )
— 6/30/26 TEACH THE TORCHES TO BURN: Daughter of Montague Historical Fiction #3 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
New and Now!
—MUCH ADO ABOUT MISTLETOE: Daughter of Montague Christmas novella https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— THUS WITH A KISS I DIE Daughter of Montague Historical Fiction #2
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA Historical Fiction Trade Paperback Once upon a time a young couple met and fell in love. You probably know that story, and how it ended (hint: badly). Only here’s the thing: That’s not how it ended at all…
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
— WELCOME TO GOTHIC: A Gothic novella in ebook (at last!) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— WHAT DREAMS MAY COME Daughter of Montague novella 1.5 "I’m the daughter of Romeo and Juliet. Yes, that Romeo and Juliet. No, they didn’t die in the tomb…" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— GIRL ANONYMOUS “Crackling sexual chemistry and a few love scenes guaranteed to scorch readers’ fingers as they turn the pages." — ⭐️ Booklist
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Readers become writers, and Christina has always been a reader. Ultimately she discovered she liked to read romance best because the relationship between a man and a woman is always humorous. A woman wants world peace, a clean house, and a deep and meaningful relationship based on mutual understanding and love. A man wants a Craftsman router, undisputed control of the TV remote, and a red Corvette which will make his bald spot disappear.
When Christina’s first daughter was born, she told her husband she was going to write a book. It was a good time to start a new career, because how much trouble could one little infant be?
Ha! It took ten years, two children and three completed manuscripts before she was published. Now her suspense, paranormal, historical, and mystery novels have been translated into 30 languages and sold more than 15 million copies in print. Praised for her “brilliantly etched characters, polished writing, and unexpected flashes of sharp humor that are pure Dodd” (Booklist), her award-winning books have landed on numerous Best of the Year lists and, much to her mother's delight, Dodd was once a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle. She lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest, where her 700 lavender plants share the yard with her husband’s various “Big Projects,” including a treehouse, zipline, and their very own Stonehenge.
Enter Christina’s worlds and join her mailing list for humor, book news and entertainment (yes, she’s the proud author with the infamous three-armed cover) at christinadodd.com. For more information on A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA, visit daughterofmontague.com. Her legions of fans know that when they pick up a Christina Dodd book, they'll find the story, "Wildly entertaining, wickedly witty!"
Christina is married to a man with all his hair and no Corvette, but many Craftsman tools.
(Source: http://www.christinadodd.com )
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,631 reviews
December 1, 2023
What if Romeo and Juliet had lived and had a family?
A Daughter of Fair Verona is an entertaining murder mystery that focuses on the eldest daughter of the star-crossed couple, Rosaline. Rosie is an absolutely delightful main character. She's independent, smart, feisty, logical, and not at all what you'd expect of a daughter of Romeo and Juliet (for one, she hates poetry). She's fiercely protective of her family – even if her parents' frequent loud lovemaking gets kind of annoying – and will do anything for them. In a world where women don't have much power over their own lives, Rosie uses her intelligence (and I daresay her power of manipulation) to take control of of her future. Basically, there's a whole lot of “girl power” in this book and it's amazing.
The murder mystery itself is suspenseful and fun. When all suspicions fall on Rosie after her most recent suitor meets an unpleasant end (on the night of their betrothal ball, nonetheless), she must find the murderer and protect those she cares about … and maybe pave the way for marrying her One True Love in the process. I, for one, had no idea who the killer was right up until the big reveal.
There's romance in this book, for sure, but it's not the mushy, “drinking poison and self-inflicted dagger wounds” type of love that Rosie's parents made famous. Rosie is much more practical than her dramatic, poetry-spewing kin, and her exchanges with Lysander are quite amusing and witty. There's still some love at first sight going on, though.
The ending of this book was entertaining, but I'm slightly disappointed that it ended on such a cliffhanger. I know it's the start of a series so having such an unfinished ending makes sense, but since I read this novel almost seven months prior to its publication, I can only imagine how long the wait is going to be for the next installment in the series. I need to know what happens now! I was also a bit disconcerted by how much of a 180 one of the characters did in the last few chapters of the book – it felt like a complete shift personality-wise and I'm hoping that they'll end up redeeming themselves in the sequel(s).
Overall, A Daughter of Fair Verona is a light and enjoyable read, and the author did a great job expanding on Shakespeare's original tale. If you're fond of historical murder mysteries with tremendously likeable characters, you should definitely give this one a go.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
A Daughter of Fair Verona is an entertaining murder mystery that focuses on the eldest daughter of the star-crossed couple, Rosaline. Rosie is an absolutely delightful main character. She's independent, smart, feisty, logical, and not at all what you'd expect of a daughter of Romeo and Juliet (for one, she hates poetry). She's fiercely protective of her family – even if her parents' frequent loud lovemaking gets kind of annoying – and will do anything for them. In a world where women don't have much power over their own lives, Rosie uses her intelligence (and I daresay her power of manipulation) to take control of of her future. Basically, there's a whole lot of “girl power” in this book and it's amazing.
The murder mystery itself is suspenseful and fun. When all suspicions fall on Rosie after her most recent suitor meets an unpleasant end (on the night of their betrothal ball, nonetheless), she must find the murderer and protect those she cares about … and maybe pave the way for marrying her One True Love in the process. I, for one, had no idea who the killer was right up until the big reveal.
There's romance in this book, for sure, but it's not the mushy, “drinking poison and self-inflicted dagger wounds” type of love that Rosie's parents made famous. Rosie is much more practical than her dramatic, poetry-spewing kin, and her exchanges with Lysander are quite amusing and witty. There's still some love at first sight going on, though.
The ending of this book was entertaining, but I'm slightly disappointed that it ended on such a cliffhanger. I know it's the start of a series so having such an unfinished ending makes sense, but since I read this novel almost seven months prior to its publication, I can only imagine how long the wait is going to be for the next installment in the series. I need to know what happens now! I was also a bit disconcerted by how much of a 180 one of the characters did in the last few chapters of the book – it felt like a complete shift personality-wise and I'm hoping that they'll end up redeeming themselves in the sequel(s).
Overall, A Daughter of Fair Verona is a light and enjoyable read, and the author did a great job expanding on Shakespeare's original tale. If you're fond of historical murder mysteries with tremendously likeable characters, you should definitely give this one a go.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
May 22, 2025
4.5 stars!
Absolutely fricking delightful! I'm so glad I picked up this mystery, which features Rosaline Montague, daughter of Romeo and Juliet Montague. Yes, you're thinking of the right people. In the first few pages, Rosie regales us with the “real" ending of the story:
Mom grabbed Dad's knife out of the sheath and stabbed herself. There was a lot of blood, and she fainted, but essentially she stabbed that gold pendant necklace her family buried her with, the knife skidded sideways, and she slashed her own chest. She still has the scar, which, when I'm rolling my eyes, she insists on showing me. What with all that blood, she fainted. When she came to, still very much alive, she crawled back up on the tomb, sobbed again over Dad's body, and got wound up for a second self-stabbing. It was at this point Dad sat up, leaned over, and vomited all over the floor. It's a well-known fact you can never trust an unfamiliar apothecary to deliver a reliable dose of poison.
If a semi-modern voice in a historical mystery disturbs you, I would recommend that you give this a chapter or two. I was captured from the first pages (and that dissonance usually drives me nuts), so I encourage open-mindedness. Rosie is an “ancient” unmarried virgin woman (age 20) who has successfully distracted three fiancés with more suitable matches. She likes living at home with her family. Until Romeo reluctantly betroths her to Duke Stephano, who is suspected of poisoning three previous spouses.
Of course, it is the day of the betrothal party that Rosie falls madly in love with Lysander, a young man who has scaled the Montague garden wall to woo her. Her reputation is saved by Prince Escalus, ruler of Verona. She will need his support again when the Duke is discovered stabbed to death in the garden. Can Rosie clear her name, salvage her reputation, and claim her One True Love?
Dodd plays skillfully with the Romeo and Juliet story. What would they be like as older adults? How would they deal with a house full of children? How would their eldest child, Rosaline, react to the uber-romantic saga of her parents' love story? By becoming ultra rational and organized, that's how! Usually, a humorous conceit like this wears thin as the book progresses, but I never tired of Dodd's approach. Her humor was right on the money, especially as Rosie completely overlooks her own attractiveness and misinterprets the actions of the men around her.
So, although Rosie is surprised by the ending, the reader is not. It is charming! I note that this is first in a series and I can hardly wait to see what this Daughter of Montague gets up to next.
Absolutely fricking delightful! I'm so glad I picked up this mystery, which features Rosaline Montague, daughter of Romeo and Juliet Montague. Yes, you're thinking of the right people. In the first few pages, Rosie regales us with the “real" ending of the story:
Mom grabbed Dad's knife out of the sheath and stabbed herself. There was a lot of blood, and she fainted, but essentially she stabbed that gold pendant necklace her family buried her with, the knife skidded sideways, and she slashed her own chest. She still has the scar, which, when I'm rolling my eyes, she insists on showing me. What with all that blood, she fainted. When she came to, still very much alive, she crawled back up on the tomb, sobbed again over Dad's body, and got wound up for a second self-stabbing. It was at this point Dad sat up, leaned over, and vomited all over the floor. It's a well-known fact you can never trust an unfamiliar apothecary to deliver a reliable dose of poison.
If a semi-modern voice in a historical mystery disturbs you, I would recommend that you give this a chapter or two. I was captured from the first pages (and that dissonance usually drives me nuts), so I encourage open-mindedness. Rosie is an “ancient” unmarried virgin woman (age 20) who has successfully distracted three fiancés with more suitable matches. She likes living at home with her family. Until Romeo reluctantly betroths her to Duke Stephano, who is suspected of poisoning three previous spouses.
Of course, it is the day of the betrothal party that Rosie falls madly in love with Lysander, a young man who has scaled the Montague garden wall to woo her. Her reputation is saved by Prince Escalus, ruler of Verona. She will need his support again when the Duke is discovered stabbed to death in the garden. Can Rosie clear her name, salvage her reputation, and claim her One True Love?
Dodd plays skillfully with the Romeo and Juliet story. What would they be like as older adults? How would they deal with a house full of children? How would their eldest child, Rosaline, react to the uber-romantic saga of her parents' love story? By becoming ultra rational and organized, that's how! Usually, a humorous conceit like this wears thin as the book progresses, but I never tired of Dodd's approach. Her humor was right on the money, especially as Rosie completely overlooks her own attractiveness and misinterprets the actions of the men around her.
So, although Rosie is surprised by the ending, the reader is not. It is charming! I note that this is first in a series and I can hardly wait to see what this Daughter of Montague gets up to next.
June 25, 2024
A Daughter of Fair Verona by Christina Dodd
1st in series, Daughter of Montague. Historical mystery, retellings, comedy. Cliffhanger. Splashes of romance and maybe more to come. 1st person.
Once upon a time, a young couple from two warring families, met and fell in love. Tragically, betrayal and lies were told and ended with the lovers both killings themselves.
At least that’s the ending per Shakespeare.
In this twisted tale, Romeo and Juliet are alive and the parents of seven children. So far. They can’t keep their hands off each other! Monologues, poetry, passion, it’s all too much for Rosie, the oldest. At 20 she is considered a spinster. Up until now, she has managed to re-direct any suitors to another sister, or friend or someone more appropriate for the groom. But now, Duke Stephano is not to be denied. Even though he has had three previous wives, he has made it impossible for Rosie to escape being his next victim...correction, bride.
As fate would intervene, Rosie falls in love at first site at her betrothal ball with someone else! Then she actually stumbles upon her betrothed, dead in the garden, with a dagger in the heart! Of course, she’s going to investigate. There are already talks about ghosts wandering the halls.
🎧 I alternated between an ebook and audiobook for this story. The narration is performed by Suzy Jackson who has a wonderful sense of comedic timing and delivery. There are specific voices for the main characters. The action and comedy kept me engaged and actively listening. I listened at my preferred of 1.5 and could have go one slightly up or down on this one. The humor and sarcasm was riveting and I enjoyed the story up until the very last 20 seconds when I realized it wasn’t the end, but a cliffhanger. Ugh. And a year now to wait? Good thing I have multiple formats to refresh when the time comes to continue.
I recommend the audiobook version for clearly hearing Rosie’s personality.
The ebook is great for the descriptions and keeping the family, and friends straight.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher RBMedia.
4.5 because of the cliffhanger.
1st in series, Daughter of Montague. Historical mystery, retellings, comedy. Cliffhanger. Splashes of romance and maybe more to come. 1st person.
Once upon a time, a young couple from two warring families, met and fell in love. Tragically, betrayal and lies were told and ended with the lovers both killings themselves.
At least that’s the ending per Shakespeare.
In this twisted tale, Romeo and Juliet are alive and the parents of seven children. So far. They can’t keep their hands off each other! Monologues, poetry, passion, it’s all too much for Rosie, the oldest. At 20 she is considered a spinster. Up until now, she has managed to re-direct any suitors to another sister, or friend or someone more appropriate for the groom. But now, Duke Stephano is not to be denied. Even though he has had three previous wives, he has made it impossible for Rosie to escape being his next victim...correction, bride.
As fate would intervene, Rosie falls in love at first site at her betrothal ball with someone else! Then she actually stumbles upon her betrothed, dead in the garden, with a dagger in the heart! Of course, she’s going to investigate. There are already talks about ghosts wandering the halls.
🎧 I alternated between an ebook and audiobook for this story. The narration is performed by Suzy Jackson who has a wonderful sense of comedic timing and delivery. There are specific voices for the main characters. The action and comedy kept me engaged and actively listening. I listened at my preferred of 1.5 and could have go one slightly up or down on this one. The humor and sarcasm was riveting and I enjoyed the story up until the very last 20 seconds when I realized it wasn’t the end, but a cliffhanger. Ugh. And a year now to wait? Good thing I have multiple formats to refresh when the time comes to continue.
I recommend the audiobook version for clearly hearing Rosie’s personality.
The ebook is great for the descriptions and keeping the family, and friends straight.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher RBMedia.
4.5 because of the cliffhanger.
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June 25, 2024dnf
From the first page I sensed it would turn into a big disappointment. The author tries to make it into a Bridgerton wannabe with a murder mystery and unfortunately it ended up very badly. It’s set in the time period of the story of Romeo and Juliet where they have their first daughter while being 16 and 13 years old. And for a historical setting the author writes too much modern slang and it’s mixed with a fancy vocabulary which is so annoying. And i’m sorry but fart jokes? When Romeo farted cause he didn’t know what to do when his wife and daughter were crying I was ready to throw my phone out the window. And Juliet with Romeo act like these loving caring parents but they are ready to wed their daughter to the guy who is rumored to have poisoned his previous wives 💀
Also “dear reader”? Like please make it less Bridgerton inspired.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced readers copy.
From the first page I sensed it would turn into a big disappointment. The author tries to make it into a Bridgerton wannabe with a murder mystery and unfortunately it ended up very badly. It’s set in the time period of the story of Romeo and Juliet where they have their first daughter while being 16 and 13 years old. And for a historical setting the author writes too much modern slang and it’s mixed with a fancy vocabulary which is so annoying. And i’m sorry but fart jokes? When Romeo farted cause he didn’t know what to do when his wife and daughter were crying I was ready to throw my phone out the window. And Juliet with Romeo act like these loving caring parents but they are ready to wed their daughter to the guy who is rumored to have poisoned his previous wives 💀
Also “dear reader”? Like please make it less Bridgerton inspired.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced readers copy.
July 16, 2024
What a surprise! I had no idea what to expect, but I never imagined this from one of my favorite Romantic-Suspense authors. Christina Dodd has created a wonderful medieval world and filled it with fantastic characters. The evil Duke Stephano, the handsome rogue, Lysander. and the pragmatic, brooding Prince Escalus. All are interesting, each in his own way. Rosie as the daughter of Romeo and Juliet should have romance flowing through her veins, but she is a different romance heroine, one who prides herself on her brains and not her heart. Until her heart is stolen by a handsome rogue.
As the oldest daughter of famed romantic couple, Romeo and Juliet, Roslind Montague has a lot to live up to. But, alas, she has had several betrothals, but is yet a virgin at the ripe old age of 20. She is just happy watching over her brother as sisters. She feels no need of that messy emotion, love. But her father has yet again betrothed her to another man, and this one is not to her liking, at all. He has had several previous wives, and they have all died, and not naturally. Rosie is very concerned that she is going to be added to that rather long list.
On the night of her betrothal ball to Duke Stephano Rosie collides with Lysander and, wham, Love at First Sight! How is this going to work out? Well, there is help from a prince, a tomb and a sleeping potion involved, but this isn't a repeat of history, but a whole new direction to the story. Oh, beware the cliffhanger, it's sure to have you pre-ordering the next book!
My thanks to the Publisher and the Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
As the oldest daughter of famed romantic couple, Romeo and Juliet, Roslind Montague has a lot to live up to. But, alas, she has had several betrothals, but is yet a virgin at the ripe old age of 20. She is just happy watching over her brother as sisters. She feels no need of that messy emotion, love. But her father has yet again betrothed her to another man, and this one is not to her liking, at all. He has had several previous wives, and they have all died, and not naturally. Rosie is very concerned that she is going to be added to that rather long list.
On the night of her betrothal ball to Duke Stephano Rosie collides with Lysander and, wham, Love at First Sight! How is this going to work out? Well, there is help from a prince, a tomb and a sleeping potion involved, but this isn't a repeat of history, but a whole new direction to the story. Oh, beware the cliffhanger, it's sure to have you pre-ordering the next book!
My thanks to the Publisher and the Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
February 23, 2025
I’m the least likely person to want to read a Shakespeare retelling. I’ve tried to read the Bard so many times but I have a disconnect with the language. In school I read The Merchant of Venice three times so if I had to pick a favorite, that would be it. The comedies go over my head. The tragedies I get the gist of them but I’m not wowed by the language that I never understood in the first place. That changed when I read Shakespeare Star Wars. Where was that English teacher when I was in high school?!? A high school English teacher set all the Star Wars movie scripts to Shakespearean language so that his students could better understand it. He has since gone on to develop Shakespeare Back to the Future and Mean Girls among other scripts. Love them all, makes me sort of understand iambic pentameter, which brings us back to Romeo and Juliet. The only versions of this tragic tale of star crossed lovers that I ever enjoyed were West Side Story and Attack of the Clones, both of which I loved way more than the original. The only issue I have with all these feuds is that at least one of the lovers still dies. What if the lovers didn’t die? I have come up with a ton of Padme and Anakin live happily ever after scenarios in my head. Tony and Maria were going to run away to Los Angeles. Romeo and Juliet, we’ll, I never thought of an ending for them. They both died. Christina Dodd had other ideas. What if Romeo and Juliet did not die? The romance writer extraordinaire created a new series around this premise that even I, a reluctant bard reader, was excited to leap into.
We all know the story. Romeo and Juliet, star crossed lovers, dead in the Capulet crypt. You got that wrong says Rosaline aka Rosie, their oldest daughter. Plot twist, they didn’t die and have the scars to show for it. Twenty years later, Casa Montague are successful vintners and reputable citizens of Verona, and Romeo is as feared a swordsman as ever. He is still gorgeous but only has eyes for Juliet, who he still flatters with poetry. They are the loving parents to seven children, with an eighth baby on the way, and I’m sure by the time this series is over, they will have at least ten children. I rarely read romance but this to be is romance- a couple happily married for twenty years who still have eyes only for each other and bringing new souls into the world to love on. While the once star crossed lovers play a prominent role in the story, this story is not about them, only that they are still alive and factoring into Verona’s inner circle. Dodd wrote this story for her oldest daughter who asked her to recreate Romeo and Juliet. At first she was skeptical because this is Shakespeare after all, but, she surmised that the Bard got his idea for this love story from a poem, and, research shows that he most likely never left England. No one is untouchable, not even the Bard. Hence, a new take on the star crossed lovers who are very much alive.
A Daughrer of Fair Verona is Lady Rosaline aka Rosie, the eldest child of Romeo and Juliet. She is about to turn twenty and has rejected four suitors so far, matching them with their soul mates. Rosie knows if she doesn’t get married soon that she is destined for the nunnery and heaven forbids this happens. She spends her days in the gardens of Casa Montague and apprentices for Friar Laurence. A woman who thinks for herself, she has grown up practicing dueling with her father and has a clear head on her shoulders; however, she is not interested in marriage. Two of her younger sisters have already married, but Rosaline has grown up hearing the legend of her parents and experiencing their constant wooing and romance. It is not for her, only because she has yet to experience true love. That all changes when her parents announce her betrothal to Duke Stephano who has already buried three wives. Not Rosie, a headstrong young woman; she has no interest in wedding the evil Stephano. At her betrothal party she falls for Lysander of the Venetian house of Marketti. Is this love at first sight as her parents experienced twenty years earlier? How can she recreate their early romance? And now she is betrothed, how to get out of it and enter into a relationship with Lysander, what is a lady to do?
Attempting a rendezvous with Lysander in the gardens, Rosie finds Stephano stabbed to death. All of Verona suspects her, all except Prince Escalus aka Cal, who also has eyes for Rosie. If Rosie did not kill Stephano, although she would have loved to, who did? Dodd is at heart a romance writer, not a mystery writer. The mystery was the weakest part of this novel, the whodunit full of cliches. With the amount of mysteries I read, I went into this book not as a mystery but as a historical retelling of Shakespeare. For that, Dodd researched iambic pentameter and 14th and 15th century Verona, traveling with her husband to Italy for research. One can tell that this story is researched well as Dodd pays attention to detail of the time period and stays true to the characters of Romeo, Juliet, Nurse, and Friar Laurence. Some of the storylines are modern to attract new readers- a woman roaming the streets alone to search out a killer. A woman rejecting suitors. I don’t find this too modern because in Shakespeare’s own cannon we find Portia who would only accept an intelligent man and Lady MacBeth who is certified bad ass. This has lead to speculation that Shakespeare might have been a pen name for a woman. Even the bard would not insert modern storylines like Romeo teaching his daughters the art of dueling, being satisfied with six daughters thus far and only one son, and talking openly with his daughter about women’s issues. This is Dodd’s 21st century take on the classic tale and I’m all for it. We still don’t know whodunit and that is the mystery readers have to solve.
Having killed three wives already, Stephano has a lot of enemies. It is Prince Escalus’ job to keep Verona safe, and Rosie wants to clear her name and that of Casa Montague. As Kristen Hannah writes on the back cover, this is the book I never knew I needed. Hear hear. I’m a convert to 15th century Verona, down to Cal attempting to woo Rosie by offering her his sedan chair to travel in. Am I a fan of hard core romance novels down to the steamy bedroom scenes? Well, that depends. I can’t say I read those although later Princess Diary books come close, and, honestly, everyone needs brain candy books in their lives. Not every book is going to be award winning, and part of being a well read person is stepping out of one’s comfort zone and reading new genres and authors. I’ve imagined star crossed lovers living happily ever after for nearly twenty years, since Revenge of the Sith came out in theaters. If Padme can survive in my head, then Romeo and Juliet can live on in print. I doubt I’ll ever become a lover of Shakespeare. I try by best to read classics but can’t grasp the language. Here I can experience some poetry and 14th century Verona and its history in a modern story. If Christina Dodd can bring new readers to experience Shakespeare and lead them to his plays, kudos to her. I found Rosie from the house of Montague to be a fun protagonist. I will definitely be coming back for more of this series.
4 stars
We all know the story. Romeo and Juliet, star crossed lovers, dead in the Capulet crypt. You got that wrong says Rosaline aka Rosie, their oldest daughter. Plot twist, they didn’t die and have the scars to show for it. Twenty years later, Casa Montague are successful vintners and reputable citizens of Verona, and Romeo is as feared a swordsman as ever. He is still gorgeous but only has eyes for Juliet, who he still flatters with poetry. They are the loving parents to seven children, with an eighth baby on the way, and I’m sure by the time this series is over, they will have at least ten children. I rarely read romance but this to be is romance- a couple happily married for twenty years who still have eyes only for each other and bringing new souls into the world to love on. While the once star crossed lovers play a prominent role in the story, this story is not about them, only that they are still alive and factoring into Verona’s inner circle. Dodd wrote this story for her oldest daughter who asked her to recreate Romeo and Juliet. At first she was skeptical because this is Shakespeare after all, but, she surmised that the Bard got his idea for this love story from a poem, and, research shows that he most likely never left England. No one is untouchable, not even the Bard. Hence, a new take on the star crossed lovers who are very much alive.
A Daughrer of Fair Verona is Lady Rosaline aka Rosie, the eldest child of Romeo and Juliet. She is about to turn twenty and has rejected four suitors so far, matching them with their soul mates. Rosie knows if she doesn’t get married soon that she is destined for the nunnery and heaven forbids this happens. She spends her days in the gardens of Casa Montague and apprentices for Friar Laurence. A woman who thinks for herself, she has grown up practicing dueling with her father and has a clear head on her shoulders; however, she is not interested in marriage. Two of her younger sisters have already married, but Rosaline has grown up hearing the legend of her parents and experiencing their constant wooing and romance. It is not for her, only because she has yet to experience true love. That all changes when her parents announce her betrothal to Duke Stephano who has already buried three wives. Not Rosie, a headstrong young woman; she has no interest in wedding the evil Stephano. At her betrothal party she falls for Lysander of the Venetian house of Marketti. Is this love at first sight as her parents experienced twenty years earlier? How can she recreate their early romance? And now she is betrothed, how to get out of it and enter into a relationship with Lysander, what is a lady to do?
Attempting a rendezvous with Lysander in the gardens, Rosie finds Stephano stabbed to death. All of Verona suspects her, all except Prince Escalus aka Cal, who also has eyes for Rosie. If Rosie did not kill Stephano, although she would have loved to, who did? Dodd is at heart a romance writer, not a mystery writer. The mystery was the weakest part of this novel, the whodunit full of cliches. With the amount of mysteries I read, I went into this book not as a mystery but as a historical retelling of Shakespeare. For that, Dodd researched iambic pentameter and 14th and 15th century Verona, traveling with her husband to Italy for research. One can tell that this story is researched well as Dodd pays attention to detail of the time period and stays true to the characters of Romeo, Juliet, Nurse, and Friar Laurence. Some of the storylines are modern to attract new readers- a woman roaming the streets alone to search out a killer. A woman rejecting suitors. I don’t find this too modern because in Shakespeare’s own cannon we find Portia who would only accept an intelligent man and Lady MacBeth who is certified bad ass. This has lead to speculation that Shakespeare might have been a pen name for a woman. Even the bard would not insert modern storylines like Romeo teaching his daughters the art of dueling, being satisfied with six daughters thus far and only one son, and talking openly with his daughter about women’s issues. This is Dodd’s 21st century take on the classic tale and I’m all for it. We still don’t know whodunit and that is the mystery readers have to solve.
Having killed three wives already, Stephano has a lot of enemies. It is Prince Escalus’ job to keep Verona safe, and Rosie wants to clear her name and that of Casa Montague. As Kristen Hannah writes on the back cover, this is the book I never knew I needed. Hear hear. I’m a convert to 15th century Verona, down to Cal attempting to woo Rosie by offering her his sedan chair to travel in. Am I a fan of hard core romance novels down to the steamy bedroom scenes? Well, that depends. I can’t say I read those although later Princess Diary books come close, and, honestly, everyone needs brain candy books in their lives. Not every book is going to be award winning, and part of being a well read person is stepping out of one’s comfort zone and reading new genres and authors. I’ve imagined star crossed lovers living happily ever after for nearly twenty years, since Revenge of the Sith came out in theaters. If Padme can survive in my head, then Romeo and Juliet can live on in print. I doubt I’ll ever become a lover of Shakespeare. I try by best to read classics but can’t grasp the language. Here I can experience some poetry and 14th century Verona and its history in a modern story. If Christina Dodd can bring new readers to experience Shakespeare and lead them to his plays, kudos to her. I found Rosie from the house of Montague to be a fun protagonist. I will definitely be coming back for more of this series.
4 stars
August 16, 2025
Oh how I love a silly hilarious time
February 6, 2024
I am so sorry to the author, who probably is very proud of this book, but oh my goodness this was a joke. The premise of Romeo and Juliet surviving and having a family got me hooked I won't lie, and the cover? Gorgeous. The execution though was awful!!
Firstly, this book is definitely YA. It screams YA, having the protagonist as a 20 year-old is a hard coverup to the fact that this is 100% YA. Breaking the third wall to the reader, to make stupid comments? The attempt at modern and "cool" slang or quips was cringe, the arguably plagiarized attempt at a funny Lady Whistledown (c/o the Bridgerton series) address to the reader was in poor taste and the overall writing style was so juvenile. It was just a hot mess.
The premise of the book, excluding the whole being the daughter of R&J, was so boring and predictable. I'm honestly really proud of myself for finishing this book and only probably did cause I skimmed the majority of it. The whole murder scenario was poorly done, the assailant was predictable as heck and the random 2-D attempt at a love triangle was just comical really.
Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC, though I doubt I'll read from this author again this was such a poor experience.
Firstly, this book is definitely YA. It screams YA, having the protagonist as a 20 year-old is a hard coverup to the fact that this is 100% YA. Breaking the third wall to the reader, to make stupid comments? The attempt at modern and "cool" slang or quips was cringe, the arguably plagiarized attempt at a funny Lady Whistledown (c/o the Bridgerton series) address to the reader was in poor taste and the overall writing style was so juvenile. It was just a hot mess.
The premise of the book, excluding the whole being the daughter of R&J, was so boring and predictable. I'm honestly really proud of myself for finishing this book and only probably did cause I skimmed the majority of it. The whole murder scenario was poorly done, the assailant was predictable as heck and the random 2-D attempt at a love triangle was just comical really.
Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC, though I doubt I'll read from this author again this was such a poor experience.
April 10, 2024
IF Romeo and Juliet had lived, what would their firstborn daughter be like? Read this clever and witty book to find out! Their survival will be explained and you will enjoy a romp through fair Verona as their headstrong, virginal, unmarried at an “elderly” age (20!!!) daughter, Rosaline, avoids marriage to unsuitable prospects, is accused of murder, pursues an avocation as an alchemist, meets a true love, is trained in swordsmanship and is wooed by a prince.
Rosaline (Rosie) is a spunky, hot blooded, pragmatic, clever young woman with a biting wit. Just when she finds the love of her life, she is forcibly betrothed to an unlikable character who is murdered at their engagement party. Soon, a second character is poisoned and suspicion falls on Rosie. It is up to her and her intrepid, protective nurse to prove her innocence. Yes, it is historical, but it has a snappy, contemporary feel to it.
The book ends on a cliff hanger and there is already a sequel in the works. Do read the author’s notes at the end….where you can find the website for the recipe for the fruit and nut bread so loved by the prince and more information about the series.
Thanks to #NetGalley and @KensingtonBooks for the DRC.
Rosaline (Rosie) is a spunky, hot blooded, pragmatic, clever young woman with a biting wit. Just when she finds the love of her life, she is forcibly betrothed to an unlikable character who is murdered at their engagement party. Soon, a second character is poisoned and suspicion falls on Rosie. It is up to her and her intrepid, protective nurse to prove her innocence. Yes, it is historical, but it has a snappy, contemporary feel to it.
The book ends on a cliff hanger and there is already a sequel in the works. Do read the author’s notes at the end….where you can find the website for the recipe for the fruit and nut bread so loved by the prince and more information about the series.
Thanks to #NetGalley and @KensingtonBooks for the DRC.
dnf
June 23, 2024dnf/1⭐️
I'm sorry to say this is one of the worst books I've read. The vibe was neither "Knives Out", nor "Bridgerton", like the blurb said. I think it was supposed to be endearingly sarcastic? Not sure, but the only thing I have to say is 'NO'.
13yo pregnant with a 16yo? NO.
Shakespearean realities with 21st century slang? NO.
Fart jokes in a medieval romance? NO.
Planning on running away 30 seconds after meeting each other? NO.
Overall, a terrible and extremely cringey read.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
I'm sorry to say this is one of the worst books I've read. The vibe was neither "Knives Out", nor "Bridgerton", like the blurb said. I think it was supposed to be endearingly sarcastic? Not sure, but the only thing I have to say is 'NO'.
13yo pregnant with a 16yo? NO.
Shakespearean realities with 21st century slang? NO.
Fart jokes in a medieval romance? NO.
Planning on running away 30 seconds after meeting each other? NO.
Overall, a terrible and extremely cringey read.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 5, 2024
This is not the type of novel I usually read.
A friend of mine, Robbin Stull, won it.
Robbin already had a copy of this book so the author agreed to send me a signed book.
I found this story to be a creative, fun adventure to Verona. It’s a well written, fast and enjoyable read.
I adored it and laughed a great deal while reading this novel.
Thank you Christina Dodd for a signed copy of this novel. Thank you, Robbin Stull, for thinking of me.
I highly recommend this (fictional) Historical Rom-Com (?) to everyone!
A friend of mine, Robbin Stull, won it.
Robbin already had a copy of this book so the author agreed to send me a signed book.
I found this story to be a creative, fun adventure to Verona. It’s a well written, fast and enjoyable read.
I adored it and laughed a great deal while reading this novel.
Thank you Christina Dodd for a signed copy of this novel. Thank you, Robbin Stull, for thinking of me.
I highly recommend this (fictional) Historical Rom-Com (?) to everyone!
July 5, 2024
I am so CONFUSED about why this has such a high ranking. Like I could not get past 5%. I even at one point said to myself, “Okay this is bad but sometimes things do get better.” Then they said Romeo couldn’t deal with an unhappy, crying woman so he LIFTED HIS FUCKING LEG AND FARTED. What are we? Five god damn years old? Yeah this was dumb as hell, and that’s saying something because I rate awful books high all the time.
June 3, 2025
I came for the concept, Romeo and Juliet not only don't die at the end of the play they go on to marry and have like a million kids the oldest of whom is super smart and willful and takes to solving mysteries when she's not actively avoiding her families attempts at getting her married, and stayed because this was really fun.
The mystery is honestly the weakest part in what is otherwise a pretty charming look at what the life of the world's most romantic couple might have been like if instead of dying together Romeo had instead vomited up all the poison and Juliet's dagger had missed the mark. The result is a lot of adorable and very funny antics of the various Montague children in the background as their very capable daughter Rosaline basically runs things so they can keep having passionate arguments and equally passionate make up sex.
There's a fun blend of genuine historical fact and modern sensibilities that calls to mind the kind of scene Lindsey Davis sets with her Falco and Flavia Albia Roman mysteries. The streets of Verona and the men and women living in that fair city absolutely come roaring to life as do the less attractive realities of life in 15th century Italy. Politics and high mortality rates and gross stuff like young women being forced into marriage by horrible parents isn't ignored and adds a lot of depth to what could have been fluffy, fanfic nonsense.
Rosie is also very likable and clever and great fun to follow around. Its also undeniable that seeing Romeo, Juliet, Friar Lawrence, and sweet, now quite old, Nurse all happy and living their best lives is pretty satisfying.
The mystery really doesn't deliver and feels a little overdone when it doesn't get relegated to the background. I'd be lying if I said I almost wish it was just a book about Romeo and Juliet's clever daughter rolling her eyes at her dramatic parents and trying to avoid the same passionate love it turns out she might in fact be unable to avoid no matter how hard she tries.
The mystery is honestly the weakest part in what is otherwise a pretty charming look at what the life of the world's most romantic couple might have been like if instead of dying together Romeo had instead vomited up all the poison and Juliet's dagger had missed the mark. The result is a lot of adorable and very funny antics of the various Montague children in the background as their very capable daughter Rosaline basically runs things so they can keep having passionate arguments and equally passionate make up sex.
There's a fun blend of genuine historical fact and modern sensibilities that calls to mind the kind of scene Lindsey Davis sets with her Falco and Flavia Albia Roman mysteries. The streets of Verona and the men and women living in that fair city absolutely come roaring to life as do the less attractive realities of life in 15th century Italy. Politics and high mortality rates and gross stuff like young women being forced into marriage by horrible parents isn't ignored and adds a lot of depth to what could have been fluffy, fanfic nonsense.
Rosie is also very likable and clever and great fun to follow around. Its also undeniable that seeing Romeo, Juliet, Friar Lawrence, and sweet, now quite old, Nurse all happy and living their best lives is pretty satisfying.
The mystery really doesn't deliver and feels a little overdone when it doesn't get relegated to the background. I'd be lying if I said I almost wish it was just a book about Romeo and Juliet's clever daughter rolling her eyes at her dramatic parents and trying to avoid the same passionate love it turns out she might in fact be unable to avoid no matter how hard she tries.
January 14, 2025
Sweet Rosaline
Man kann die Geschichte auch neu schreiben. Und dann sind Romeo und Julia nicht gestorben. Im Gegenteil. Sie sind das vorbildlichste Paar in Verona mit ihrer Tochter Rosaline und sechs weiteren Kindern. Rosie ist inzwischen fast zwanzig Jahre und immer noch unverheiratet. Sie selbst hat diverse Kandidaten auf sanfte Art abgelehnt, indem sie sie einfach mit besseren Partnern verkuppelt hat. Und wieder starten ihre Eltern einen Versuch. Rosie wird mit Graf Stephano verlobt, der schon mehrere Freuen plötzlich verloren hat. Die letzte war Titania, eine Freundin Rosies. Diese liegt kaum im Grab, da hat Stephano schon um Rosies Hand angehalten.
Eine Komödie der Irrungen und Wirrungen. Rosie will eigentlich nicht heiraten und bisher hat sie sich selbst erfolgreich vor diesem Schicksal bewahr. Doch nun scheint es ernst zu werden. Graf Stephano steht in dem Ruf, seine Frauen umzubringen, wenn sie ihm verbraucht erscheinen. Sicher ist, dass er schon mehrfach Witwer geworden ist. Wohn soll Rosie ihn bloß loswerden. Nicht, dass sie etwas gegen die Ehe hat. Nur ihre Eltern hatten und haben diese Liebe auf den ersten Blick und das ist auch Rosies großer Traum. Ja, sie will, aber nicht um jeden Preis. Und nun dass. Ihr Problem löst sich schneller als gedacht, was jedoch neue Probleme hervorruft.
Diese historische Liebeskomödie mit einem gewissen Krimieinschlag ist gerade zu Beginn sehr amüsant. Man überlegt, woher man die Namen kennt, ob eine shakespearesche Love-Story anders erzählt wird und wer wohl der Mörder sein könnte. Doch Rosie hat ihre eigene Geschichte, die sie auf gefährliche Pfade führt. An manche Konventionen, die einem aus heutiger Sicht seltsam vorkommen, will sie sich einfach nicht halten. Im weiteren Verlauf verliert die Erzählung etwas von ihrem Schmelz, da die Auflösung des Falls zwar überraschend, aber irgendwie gegen den Strich gebürstet scheint. Und an auch der Liebeswirrwarr um Rosie wirkt allzu konstruiert, obwohl im Vorfeld sehr gelungene Ansätze da waren, die zu einem prickelnden Rendezvous hätten führen können. Der Roman besticht zu Beginn und hat als Reihenstart noch einiges an Potential.
3,5 Sterne
Man kann die Geschichte auch neu schreiben. Und dann sind Romeo und Julia nicht gestorben. Im Gegenteil. Sie sind das vorbildlichste Paar in Verona mit ihrer Tochter Rosaline und sechs weiteren Kindern. Rosie ist inzwischen fast zwanzig Jahre und immer noch unverheiratet. Sie selbst hat diverse Kandidaten auf sanfte Art abgelehnt, indem sie sie einfach mit besseren Partnern verkuppelt hat. Und wieder starten ihre Eltern einen Versuch. Rosie wird mit Graf Stephano verlobt, der schon mehrere Freuen plötzlich verloren hat. Die letzte war Titania, eine Freundin Rosies. Diese liegt kaum im Grab, da hat Stephano schon um Rosies Hand angehalten.
Eine Komödie der Irrungen und Wirrungen. Rosie will eigentlich nicht heiraten und bisher hat sie sich selbst erfolgreich vor diesem Schicksal bewahr. Doch nun scheint es ernst zu werden. Graf Stephano steht in dem Ruf, seine Frauen umzubringen, wenn sie ihm verbraucht erscheinen. Sicher ist, dass er schon mehrfach Witwer geworden ist. Wohn soll Rosie ihn bloß loswerden. Nicht, dass sie etwas gegen die Ehe hat. Nur ihre Eltern hatten und haben diese Liebe auf den ersten Blick und das ist auch Rosies großer Traum. Ja, sie will, aber nicht um jeden Preis. Und nun dass. Ihr Problem löst sich schneller als gedacht, was jedoch neue Probleme hervorruft.
Diese historische Liebeskomödie mit einem gewissen Krimieinschlag ist gerade zu Beginn sehr amüsant. Man überlegt, woher man die Namen kennt, ob eine shakespearesche Love-Story anders erzählt wird und wer wohl der Mörder sein könnte. Doch Rosie hat ihre eigene Geschichte, die sie auf gefährliche Pfade führt. An manche Konventionen, die einem aus heutiger Sicht seltsam vorkommen, will sie sich einfach nicht halten. Im weiteren Verlauf verliert die Erzählung etwas von ihrem Schmelz, da die Auflösung des Falls zwar überraschend, aber irgendwie gegen den Strich gebürstet scheint. Und an auch der Liebeswirrwarr um Rosie wirkt allzu konstruiert, obwohl im Vorfeld sehr gelungene Ansätze da waren, die zu einem prickelnden Rendezvous hätten führen können. Der Roman besticht zu Beginn und hat als Reihenstart noch einiges an Potential.
3,5 Sterne
June 19, 2024
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
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
July 11, 2025
I really liked the whole book but then wtf was that ending!?!? Arghhhhhhh
July 18, 2024
i’m so sorry but i’m going to have to be a hater with this one
🧪💀🍷🪦🗡️
its whole premise of being a romeo and juliet sequel following their daughter is utterly pointless because that’s relevant to probably 1% of the book. our main character gets to summarize and act snarky about it for the first chapter before going about an entirely different story that might as well be a complete original. romeo and juliet are just generic parents who might as well be the parents from the original romeo and juliet. there’s no reasonable explanation for how romeo would go from the guy who’d die for love to a guy dooming his daughter to a loveless marriage with a husband who intends to kill her. the romeo and juliet story only comes back in the end to downplay the original play by saying the teenage victims overreacted and should’ve just talked it out with their parents instead.
everything about this book is either bland and generic or confusing and irritating. none more irritating than rosie herself.
her character is so muddled. she’ll ask questions then as soon as she gets an answer think to herself “i already knew that.” her whole jaded about love thing (which is somewhat tired but had interesting potential with her matchmaking angle) lasts all of 10 pages. her beliefs and values are so anachronistic for the setting. she’s a snarky, sarcastic 21st century feminist who wants to be smart instead of married. she’s shamed by several characters and feels ashamed herself for being a virgin while both the narrative and historical context value that. you can’t have it that rosie feels embarrassed about being a virgin in between instances where a rumor about her literally holding hands with a boy is jeopardizing her entire future. i can’t even tell if she’s supposed to be purposely infuriating, like in one scene where rosie thinks she’s being nice telling a woman it’s her own fault her husband would be glad she died, then thinks it’s “without warning” that said woman (who attacked her barely a page before) attacked her, and that the other woman just can’t handle truth-telling.
the murder mystery itself is just dumb too with weird buildup where i couldn’t tell if people were really being that obvious or if it was all in rosie's head and some truly baffling reactions to it. nothing was cleared up by the pages of monologue revealing the murderer’s intentions either. at one point rosie says “wait. i’m confused” and asks why they have such contradictory motivations, to which the murderer just calls her stupid and does not explain at all. the whole love motivation is awful too because the murderer was so in love with one person they had to kill everyone in their life while also being so in love with another person they had to kill everyone in their life.
also i’m team prince if anyone cares like sure it was kind of shitty he did that but idk it’s also really romantic when all explained. my love language might just be logical conversations and pro/con lists. like those last few chapters were better than the whole rest of the book. i’d have given it 3 maybe 4 stars if the whole book was like that, but alas, the book was dissatisfying and ended on a freaking cliffhanger
🧪💀🍷🪦🗡️
its whole premise of being a romeo and juliet sequel following their daughter is utterly pointless because that’s relevant to probably 1% of the book. our main character gets to summarize and act snarky about it for the first chapter before going about an entirely different story that might as well be a complete original. romeo and juliet are just generic parents who might as well be the parents from the original romeo and juliet. there’s no reasonable explanation for how romeo would go from the guy who’d die for love to a guy dooming his daughter to a loveless marriage with a husband who intends to kill her. the romeo and juliet story only comes back in the end to downplay the original play by saying the teenage victims overreacted and should’ve just talked it out with their parents instead.
everything about this book is either bland and generic or confusing and irritating. none more irritating than rosie herself.
her character is so muddled. she’ll ask questions then as soon as she gets an answer think to herself “i already knew that.” her whole jaded about love thing (which is somewhat tired but had interesting potential with her matchmaking angle) lasts all of 10 pages. her beliefs and values are so anachronistic for the setting. she’s a snarky, sarcastic 21st century feminist who wants to be smart instead of married. she’s shamed by several characters and feels ashamed herself for being a virgin while both the narrative and historical context value that. you can’t have it that rosie feels embarrassed about being a virgin in between instances where a rumor about her literally holding hands with a boy is jeopardizing her entire future. i can’t even tell if she’s supposed to be purposely infuriating, like in one scene where rosie thinks she’s being nice telling a woman it’s her own fault her husband would be glad she died, then thinks it’s “without warning” that said woman (who attacked her barely a page before) attacked her, and that the other woman just can’t handle truth-telling.
the murder mystery itself is just dumb too with weird buildup where i couldn’t tell if people were really being that obvious or if it was all in rosie's head and some truly baffling reactions to it. nothing was cleared up by the pages of monologue revealing the murderer’s intentions either. at one point rosie says “wait. i’m confused” and asks why they have such contradictory motivations, to which the murderer just calls her stupid and does not explain at all. the whole love motivation is awful too because the murderer was so in love with one person they had to kill everyone in their life while also being so in love with another person they had to kill everyone in their life.
also i’m team prince if anyone cares like sure it was kind of shitty he did that but idk it’s also really romantic when all explained. my love language might just be logical conversations and pro/con lists. like those last few chapters were better than the whole rest of the book. i’d have given it 3 maybe 4 stars if the whole book was like that, but alas, the book was dissatisfying and ended on a freaking cliffhanger
April 26, 2024
At the start of this book I didn't love it, but I thought it would be perfect for my library. By the end I had decided otherwise.
Rosie, the spunky outspoken daughter of Romeo and Juliet is betrothed to Duke Stephano. When he meets his untimely end she teams up with friends and foes to solve his murder.
I didn't like Rosie's character at first, but I warmed up to her. Reading the book through the lens of a Middle/Senior school student improved my enjoyment immensely. I think it's a story that would be good and important for young women.
The topic of is a bit heavy handed, and at points I wondered why it needed to be mentioned.
The reason I changed my mind about acquiring this for my library is the ending. It is two fold. One, there is no real resolution. The book is left on a cliffhanger and several storylines are left hanging. Secondly, Rosie's character was (in my mind) being built up to be an outspoken, women of her own mind but I thought this undermined the entire story and left me with a sour taste in my mouth. If the ending were different, and then left on a cliffhanger, I would understand. My issues are to do with not really the plot itself.
Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC! Also just because this wasn't my cup of tea doesn't mean it won't be yours, as seen by other reviewers here :)
Rosie, the spunky outspoken daughter of Romeo and Juliet is betrothed to Duke Stephano. When he meets his untimely end she teams up with friends and foes to solve his murder.
I didn't like Rosie's character at first, but I warmed up to her. Reading the book through the lens of a Middle/Senior school student improved my enjoyment immensely. I think it's a story that would be good and important for young women.
The topic of is a bit heavy handed, and at points I wondered why it needed to be mentioned.
The reason I changed my mind about acquiring this for my library is the ending. It is two fold. One, there is no real resolution. The book is left on a cliffhanger and several storylines are left hanging. Secondly, Rosie's character was (in my mind) being built up to be an outspoken, women of her own mind but I thought this undermined the entire story and left me with a sour taste in my mouth. If the ending were different, and then left on a cliffhanger, I would understand. My issues are to do with not really the plot itself.
Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC! Also just because this wasn't my cup of tea doesn't mean it won't be yours, as seen by other reviewers here :)
May 6, 2024
I loved this rom-com set in the time of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" - Verona in the early Renaissance period. Our narrator and heroine is Rosie Montague - daughter of said Romeo and Juliet - who now finds herself in yet another unenviable position - yet another betrothal of marriage - and one she cannot (and will not) foister on an unsuspecting potential bride (Rosie is in the habit of playing matching maker for any potential or impending suitors put forward by her parents). This suitor is suitably unsuitable ....
"... he had said he wanted me for power and revenge -power over me, I assume, but revenge? on whom? ..."
On the day of the official betrothal, Rosie suddenly finds herself enamoured by another (a gate-crasher); her betrothed - Duke Leir Stephano - cruelly murdered; and herself the prime suspect. But Rosie is no ordinary fair maid - she is intelligent, independent, obstinate, and determined to find out who killed her betrothed if only to clear her name .. not so easy when the body count is rising.
This is a very enjoyable read - the chapters are short and concise, filled with compelling and humourous dialogue, narrated by a self-deprecating heroine, peppered with themes found in many a Shakespearean tome - jealousy, greed, envy, revenge, hatred, love and ... mean girls!
I believe this to be the first in a new series - so am eagerly awaiting what fate - and author Dodd - have in store for Rosie Montague.
"... he had said he wanted me for power and revenge -power over me, I assume, but revenge? on whom? ..."
On the day of the official betrothal, Rosie suddenly finds herself enamoured by another (a gate-crasher); her betrothed - Duke Leir Stephano - cruelly murdered; and herself the prime suspect. But Rosie is no ordinary fair maid - she is intelligent, independent, obstinate, and determined to find out who killed her betrothed if only to clear her name .. not so easy when the body count is rising.
This is a very enjoyable read - the chapters are short and concise, filled with compelling and humourous dialogue, narrated by a self-deprecating heroine, peppered with themes found in many a Shakespearean tome - jealousy, greed, envy, revenge, hatred, love and ... mean girls!
I believe this to be the first in a new series - so am eagerly awaiting what fate - and author Dodd - have in store for Rosie Montague.
January 13, 2025
4 stars - Historical Romantic Comedy/Mystery
This was a fun surprise! It's an entertaining read with clever wit and wry humor, and the audiobook is fabulous! I was hoping for the I hate cliffhanger endings! I'll definitely read the next book when it comes out to find out what happens.
This was a fun surprise! It's an entertaining read with clever wit and wry humor, and the audiobook is fabulous! I was hoping for the I hate cliffhanger endings! I'll definitely read the next book when it comes out to find out what happens.
did-not-finish
June 9, 2024T'was a yikes at first sight..
DNF at 5%.
DNF at 5%.
July 31, 2024
Historical Mysteries / Historical Romance
Publication date : June 25, 2024
Narrated by: Suzy Jackson
Length: 8 hrs and 23 mins
Once upon a time a young couple met and fell in love. You probably know that story, and how it ended (hint: badly). Only here’s the thing: That’s not how it ended at all.
Have you read a famous love story Romeo and Juliet and wondered why it had to have such a sad ending? I guess Christina Dodd has wondered about it, so she decided to give this story a twist, so they are still alive, madly in love and living in fair Verona with their six wildly impetuous children and their nineteen-year-old daughter Rosaline, who's still a virgin and unmarried (because she has gotten out of previous betrothals by finding other wives for the men!)! Now she is being betrothed to a very unpopular man, Duke Stephano. Will there be a wedding this time or something will happen to stop the wedding?
I do not read historical romance very often but as Christina Dodd wrote it, I decided to give it a try. Have to say that it is strange to read about a 13-year-old-girl who gets pregnant by her 16-year-old boyfriend and a 19-year-old virgin is something weird but despite of that the story was fast-paced, there's mystery, humor and some romance.
Publication date : June 25, 2024
Narrated by: Suzy Jackson
Length: 8 hrs and 23 mins
Once upon a time a young couple met and fell in love. You probably know that story, and how it ended (hint: badly). Only here’s the thing: That’s not how it ended at all.
Have you read a famous love story Romeo and Juliet and wondered why it had to have such a sad ending? I guess Christina Dodd has wondered about it, so she decided to give this story a twist, so they are still alive, madly in love and living in fair Verona with their six wildly impetuous children and their nineteen-year-old daughter Rosaline, who's still a virgin and unmarried (because she has gotten out of previous betrothals by finding other wives for the men!)! Now she is being betrothed to a very unpopular man, Duke Stephano. Will there be a wedding this time or something will happen to stop the wedding?
I do not read historical romance very often but as Christina Dodd wrote it, I decided to give it a try. Have to say that it is strange to read about a 13-year-old-girl who gets pregnant by her 16-year-old boyfriend and a 19-year-old virgin is something weird but despite of that the story was fast-paced, there's mystery, humor and some romance.
August 6, 2024
Ha! Shakespeare. Ish. I admit to a weakness for Shakespeare-based fanfick, and this is that.
Readers who will love this best, get the deepest belly laugh, the quickest hunch will have done a few rounds with WS's Romeo & Juliet, the World's Most High Profile Couple. . .
Rosie (there's your first clue - Juliet is a forgiving girl naming her first child Rosaline) - is one of S.E.V.E.N. Yep. That's my only spoiler. They didn't die, and went on to grow their tribe. Rosie, though seems to be rather spinsterish. . .which didn't stick, I was quite charmed by her.
Thrill of thrills? This is "Daughter of Montague #1"! That means we'll see more of the Montagues. I'm looking forward to it.
*A sincere thank you to Christina Dodd, RB Media and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*
Readers who will love this best, get the deepest belly laugh, the quickest hunch will have done a few rounds with WS's Romeo & Juliet, the World's Most High Profile Couple. . .
Rosie (there's your first clue - Juliet is a forgiving girl naming her first child Rosaline) - is one of S.E.V.E.N. Yep. That's my only spoiler. They didn't die, and went on to grow their tribe. Rosie, though seems to be rather spinsterish. . .which didn't stick, I was quite charmed by her.
Thrill of thrills? This is "Daughter of Montague #1"! That means we'll see more of the Montagues. I'm looking forward to it.
*A sincere thank you to Christina Dodd, RB Media and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*
July 19, 2024
An incredibly well written, historical fiction/murder mystery reimagining of the Romeo and Juliet story featuring their daughter. Great on audio and perfect for fans of Claudia Gray's Jane Austen cozy mystery series. This was a fun, entertaining and imaginative story that was hard to put down with great sarcastic humor interspersed throughout! Highly recommended. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
August 23, 2024
Sometimes after I post my initial review, I change my rating after thinking about the book more. Sometimes it goes up. And alas, sometimes, like with this book, it went down.
I really enjoyed the book overall until the very end. I thought it was a fun romp and wasn't bothered by the asides and modernisms in the text. But the author lost me at the end.
I was originally thinking there could still be a way out of the hole the author has written herself into with regards to the love story but at this point, I don't think I will be interested enough in the sequel to find out.
I really enjoyed the book overall until the very end. I thought it was a fun romp and wasn't bothered by the asides and modernisms in the text. But the author lost me at the end.
I was originally thinking there could still be a way out of the hole the author has written herself into with regards to the love story but at this point, I don't think I will be interested enough in the sequel to find out.
July 27, 2024
An interesting premise... but to me, not the best storyline development/plot execution despite a clever protagonist.
Rosie, her nurse, and siblings were likable, sure... but there were additional elements that felt not fully fleshed out... maybe rushed or thrown in as an afterthought.
The inclusion of some modern dialogue was unexpected and produced a chuckle here or there, but it also felt... unnecessary and almost wrong for a book trying to present as historical, which, in addition, also felt a LOT more like YA fiction rather than something geared towards adult readers.
Not everything blended in as seamlessly as perhaps I would've liked, especially for something promising "Knives Out meets Bridgerton." The 'mystery' and the attempts at a Lady Whistledown-like main character were both weak and disappointing.
Rosie, her nurse, and siblings were likable, sure... but there were additional elements that felt not fully fleshed out... maybe rushed or thrown in as an afterthought.
The inclusion of some modern dialogue was unexpected and produced a chuckle here or there, but it also felt... unnecessary and almost wrong for a book trying to present as historical, which, in addition, also felt a LOT more like YA fiction rather than something geared towards adult readers.
Not everything blended in as seamlessly as perhaps I would've liked, especially for something promising "Knives Out meets Bridgerton." The 'mystery' and the attempts at a Lady Whistledown-like main character were both weak and disappointing.
February 14, 2025
2 ⭐
Reseña completa: https://masromance.blogspot.com/2025/...
Es una ida de olla total. No tengo muy claro cómo comentarla
No es una novela romántica
Es una historia de suspense ligera en la que la primer parte se centra en la familia Montesco, que son muchos, y el día a día de la protagonista
Una parte que se me ha hecho un poco pesada y donde creo que la autora intenta un humor que no ha terminado de convencerme
El misterio no está mal y culmina en una escena que sí me ha parecido genial y muy gótica
Del romance prefiero no hablar
No sé si seguiré con la serie
«spoiler»
No es una novela autoconclusiva, es el primero de una serie y creo que la autora nos seguirá metiendo a Rosie en investigaciones y el romance irá avanzando.
Reseña completa: https://masromance.blogspot.com/2025/...
Es una ida de olla total. No tengo muy claro cómo comentarla
No es una novela romántica
Es una historia de suspense ligera en la que la primer parte se centra en la familia Montesco, que son muchos, y el día a día de la protagonista
Una parte que se me ha hecho un poco pesada y donde creo que la autora intenta un humor que no ha terminado de convencerme
El misterio no está mal y culmina en una escena que sí me ha parecido genial y muy gótica
Del romance prefiero no hablar
No sé si seguiré con la serie
«spoiler»
No es una novela autoconclusiva, es el primero de una serie y creo que la autora nos seguirá metiendo a Rosie en investigaciones y el romance irá avanzando.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2024
What a delightful historical romp! Imagine if Romeo and Juliet had NOT died at the end; imagine that they are parents of SEVEN children! This story is told by their oldest daughter, Rosaline, who her parents are trying to marry off. I loved “& Juliet” on Broadway (another retelling, that one from Juliet’s point of view) so I was really interested to read another twist on the most famous family of Verona.
Rosaline’s voice is very modern, but that’s part of the fun. She has avoided marriage so far (she’s almost 20 and considered an old maid already), pawning off three other betrothals by finding each of the men a better match. Now she’s betrothed to a despicable older man, Duke Stephano, whose latest wife, a friend of Rosaline’s, has just died suddenly. Rosaline does NOT want to marry this guy! And when he dies by dagger at their betrothal ball, suspicion falls on Rosaline. At the same time, she is shocked to find herself in love at first sight with Lysander, a young man from Venice.
It’s a combination murder mystery/rom-com. A Daughter of Fair Verona was a lot of fun - just the light reading I needed, after struggling through a rather long, heavy book that didn’t enthrall me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books/John Scognamiglio Books for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Rosaline’s voice is very modern, but that’s part of the fun. She has avoided marriage so far (she’s almost 20 and considered an old maid already), pawning off three other betrothals by finding each of the men a better match. Now she’s betrothed to a despicable older man, Duke Stephano, whose latest wife, a friend of Rosaline’s, has just died suddenly. Rosaline does NOT want to marry this guy! And when he dies by dagger at their betrothal ball, suspicion falls on Rosaline. At the same time, she is shocked to find herself in love at first sight with Lysander, a young man from Venice.
It’s a combination murder mystery/rom-com. A Daughter of Fair Verona was a lot of fun - just the light reading I needed, after struggling through a rather long, heavy book that didn’t enthrall me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books/John Scognamiglio Books for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
March 18, 2024
First and foremost, I’m a Shakespeare girl! I was also fortunate enough to win this particular book from a Goodreads Giveaway. I am so glad I did, as I’m not sure I would have stumbled upon it.
Romeo and Juliet didn’t actually die. They have 6 kids and one on the way. The oldest is Rosie, the main character. Rosie is betrothed to Duke Stefano, a bad man known for, or rumored to have killed his previous wives. Rosie never wanted the match as she fell in love “at first sight” with Lysander. (Side note, love the name it’s from A Midsummer Night’s Dream).
Then, there’s a stabbing and a poisoning and all fingers point to poor Rosie.
This reads very much like an historical fiction book had a baby with a Shakespeare play. It’s really wordy, but it has a great sense of humor that makes all the wordiness not so bad. And I really enjoyed the moments when Rosie breaks the fifth wall and addresses the reader.
There’s one final twist at the end, leaving the story open for another day.
Romeo and Juliet didn’t actually die. They have 6 kids and one on the way. The oldest is Rosie, the main character. Rosie is betrothed to Duke Stefano, a bad man known for, or rumored to have killed his previous wives. Rosie never wanted the match as she fell in love “at first sight” with Lysander. (Side note, love the name it’s from A Midsummer Night’s Dream).
Then, there’s a stabbing and a poisoning and all fingers point to poor Rosie.
This reads very much like an historical fiction book had a baby with a Shakespeare play. It’s really wordy, but it has a great sense of humor that makes all the wordiness not so bad. And I really enjoyed the moments when Rosie breaks the fifth wall and addresses the reader.
There’s one final twist at the end, leaving the story open for another day.
April 26, 2024
Such a creative twist on Shakespeare's tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, but in Christina Dodd's clever historical romcom novel, the lovers are alive and parents of many children. The oldest, Rosie, is smart and fearless and wanting to stay unmarried. But she is forcibly betrothed to a nasty man, who is murdered at their engagement ball. Fingers point to Rosie, but she uses her fierce intelligence to uncover the truth as more bodies pile up. A fab first in a compelling new mystery series!
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