The Dane of My Existence returns to the town of Bard's Rest, twee Shakespeare village in New England (honestly we're not sure if it's Massachusetts or Maine), and the Barnes family. This time the book focuses on oldest sister Portia. She's a high-powered corporate lawyer, self-described as an "ice queen." She's on sabbatical from her job before she takes on a new, higher role as managing partner of a satellite office in Boston. And - shock of all shocks - she's not into Shakespeare!

She's paired with Ben Dane, real estate developer, who's in town scouting potential investments. This is a couple that is so far out of our comfort zone - both workaholics, devoted to finding loopholes and making money - that it was hard for us to connect with them. That said, we can see how well-suited they are. They're both absolutely devoted to their careers, and they appreciate each other's ruthless business sense. Even the relationship conflict is related to business ethics, which was absolutely appropriate for these two.

Finally, we note that our review of the first book in the series (For the Love of the Bard) claimed that it trends "a little on the twee side." Martin both embraces and escapes that a bit here: yes, the book is set in Bard's Rest (where all of the businesses are named after Shakespearean references), but Portia thinks Billy S. is a little overrated. She notes, though, that "if someone were reading a book about our town and didn't go in for the whole Shakespeare thing, that's how they'd describe us. Twee." We see you seeing us, Jessica!!

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Berkley Publishing, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions are my own.

Genre: Romance
Spice Level: Pretty Hot chili peppers! On the page with varying degrees of details. (Confession, I skipped...)
Themes: Relationships, Family, Quality of Living, Small Town

Woohoo! This book has Shakespeare references. Yes—I think the Bard is fun especially when including puns and plays on his plays' names.

The couple in this would definitely fight and understand each other because of their work. And both feel like outsiders in different ways. They gave me that fun bantering vibe without going over the top. There were moments when I laughed and snickered. For those looking for a sweet romance, there are several bedroom scenes starting around 60% of the book, on and off for a bit. And honestly, I knock off a star when the book is too spicy and has people moving on so deftly from sexual experiences with others.

Pacing and forward momentum worked great in this book. I really loved the characters. Even third-tier characters have unique personalities. It's quite a lovely romance.

Things I loved:

Hamlet
Store names
Sisters
A ring
The surprise
Grouchy woman in the office
Food
The entire town!

I recommend this book :)

Happy reading!

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

Calling all fans of Jen DeLuca’s Well Met series and Gilmore Girls! This is a charming small town romance set in New England that has the community aspect of Well Met and the zany, passionate characters from Stars Hollow. I liked For the Love of the Bard but I think that this book is where Martin hit her stride.

Don’t be intimidated by the title! It is not too Shakespearey—you don’t need to have ready any of the plays to understand this story! It’s a true rom com.

Synopsis:

“Portia Barnes is the youngest managing partner in her law firm’s history, and she and her stilettos are poised to step into the role of her dreams—leading the firm’s new Boston office. But first she’s taking a summer sabbatical in her hometown of Bard’s Rest, New Hampshire, where she discovers something’s rotten in the midst of the town’s annual Shakespeare festival.Hotshot commercial developer Benjamin Dane is sniffing around Bard’s, and while Portia isn’t necessarily a Shakespeare fanatic like the rest of her family, she’s not about to let him bulldoze the town’s beloved outdoor theater. Yet to Portia’s dismay, Ben proves as skilled as she is when it comes to outworking, outmaneuvering, and one-upping the competition. While she’s never hesitated to wage war against hyper-successful alpha males, Portia is caught off guard by Ben’s openness and lack of arrogance. As her own long-constructed walls start to come down, Portia begins to wonder if he might be more than an archnemesis.With her heart on the line and the future of the town hanging in the balance, Portia faces an impossible decision—Ben or Bard’s?—unless she finds a way to broker the merger of her life, and ensures the curtain falls on a happy ending for everyone.” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Small Town Charm—This is a small. quirky town. Imagine Taylor Doseys everywhere but instead of Stars Hollow lore, they love Shakespeare everything. It’s so delightful and fun!

The Banter—Ben and Portia had GREAT banter and I thought they were a great intellectual match for each other!

The Writing—I really like Jessica Martin’s writing. It’s smart and silly at the same time and she doesn’t skimp on world building.

What Didn’t Work:

A lot of description—This is a good thing, but I also really wanted to get to the action of the story. It made it feel slow at parts when this book isn’t slow and has a lot to offer! Just needed a little editing IMO.

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 3.75/5

Content Warnings:

Cancer, cancer treatment, sick parent

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of The Dane of my Existence. This was my second book by this author!

This book was fun, and flirty, and I was definitely engaged by the story...But by the end, it kind of fizzled. (Which, side bar, I also felt in the last book I read by the author, BUT the hot vet main character saved the day for me in that one). I felt like someone who had consumed something too sweet and sugary by the end, and the story was ultimately forgettable.

I don't think it's the book necessarily; I think this author's writing style is just not for me. I'm glad I read it, but I don't think I'll be re-reading it or buying it for my shelves.

Rating: 3⭐️

THE DANE OF MY EXISTENCE was an engaging and humorous contemporary romance. It is the second set in Shakespeare-obsessed Bard's Rest. While the town and Portia's family are obsessed with William Shakespeare, Portia is not. Portia Barnes is a lawyer for a high-pressure law firm in New York. She has just received a promotion to be a managing director at the newly established Boston branch of her firm. But first she is required to take a sabbatical...

Since Portia's mother is dealing with breast cancer, Portia decides to spend her sabbatical in Bard's Rest helping with the annual festival. First assigned to looking over the contracts for the festival and then recruited to play a part in the dinner theater, Portia is getting involved.

Then Benjamin Dane, a property developer from Boston, comes to town looking for opportunities. The two meet and sparks fly. But when a deal over one particular piece of property - Will's Island - comes up, it threatens to destroy their budding relationship. Ben wants to develop the island where the main stage of the festival has been for years, and Portia is working with the town and the town's merchants to find some way to stop him.

Portia also has a chance during her enforced sabbatical to take a look at her life and career and decide if she made the correct choice. Things she learns about her mentor at the law firm shake what had been her certainty. That and her new relationship with Ben strongly encourage her to make what one character in the story describes as a "pivot."

This was an entertaining story with characters a reader wants to root for. I really enjoyed it.

I received a gifted galley of THE DANE OF MY EXISTENCE by Jessica Martin for an honest review. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, PRHAudio, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!

THE DANE OF MY EXISTENCE is the second book in the author’s Bard’s Rest Romance series. The book follows Portia, a young lawyer who never felt like she fit in Bard’s Rest. Still, when her law firm insists on her taking a summer sabbatical, she’s headed back to her hometown. It is time for the annual Shakespeare festival, but things aren’t going exactly according to the usual plan.

Ben is a commercial developer and he’s in town with an eye on the property where the town hosts it’s festival, Portia is determined to ensure he doesn’t destroy the outdoor theater. Feelings get entwined with business and things get messy.

I love the Shakespeare festival setting and the idea of this whole town that has devoted itself to the bard and I rally had fun with the first book in the series, FOR THE LOVE OF THE BARD. This book took me a bit longer to connect into. I was expecting this one to have more of the Shakespeare festival, but this time we’re following a character who doesn’t actually buy into the town’s fascination. She also doesn’t (at least initially) like dogs, so… it took a bit for me to warm up to her.

The fight over the land the theater was on added a lot of adversity to the relationship between Ben and Portia and it also made sense why they would struggle to connect. I think this balanced out well to come to the expected happy ending, but it did add some complications and it did have me believing that maybe they needed to step away from each other a bit longer.

In the end we do get some time with the festival and I did really appreciate seeing how Portia could fight for her family and her town even as she doesn’t actually fully understand their Shakespeare passion.

I really enjoyed this small town, enemies to lovers romance between a hotshot lawyer and a commercial developer who are on opposite sides when it comes to a piece of local land treasured by the Shakespeare-obsessed town of Bard's Rest, New Hampshire.

It was so fun returning to Bard's Rest and another Barnes sister. This series is funny and heartfelt with a great cast of secondary characters, strong family relationships and a TON of charm. Great on audio narrated by Gilli Messer and recommended for other small town romance authors like Sarah Adams and Annie Sereno.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC.

Steam level: fade to black/closed door

Portia Barnes is the youngest managing partner in her law firm’s history, and she and her stilettos are poised to step into the role of her dreams—leading the firm’s new Boston office. But first she’s taking a summer sabbatical in her hometown of Bard’s Rest, New Hampshire, where she discovers something’s rotten in the midst of the town’s annual Shakespeare festival. Hotshot commercial developer Benjamin Dane is sniffing around Bard’s, and while Portia isn’t necessarily a Shakespeare fanatic like the rest of her family, she’s not about to let him bulldoze the town’s beloved outdoor theater. Yet to Portia’s dismay, Ben proves as skilled as she is when it comes to outworking, outmaneuvering, and one-upping the competition. While she’s never hesitated to wage war against hyper-successful alpha males, Portia is caught off guard by Ben’s openness and lack of arrogance. As her own long-constructed walls start to come down, Portia begins to wonder if he might be more than an archnemesis. With her heart on the line and the future of the town hanging in the balance, Portia faces an impossible decision—Ben or Bard’s?—unless she finds a way to broker the merger of her life, and ensures the curtain falls on a happy ending for everyone.

I was happy to come back to this quirky shakespearean town and the fun cast of characters. The story as a whole was enjoyable, but definitely put-downable. I liked Portia as the female lead. Her and Ben go toe to toe a lot throughout the book and it's so fun! It's very much an enemies to lovers romance trope. While their love story is cute my favorite part of the book was this side plot where Portia's boss isn't quite who he says he is and that storyline kept me hooked til the end.

The reason I didn't rate it higher is because I had to put some context together from the last book as I read it so long ago and ultimately I ended up setting this book down multiple times without issue. While I enjoyed the book asa. whole, there were parts I was skimming.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 7/4

We returned back into the Shakespeare world with Portia returning to her hometown, which is highly obsessed with Shakespeare's works. It may not be ideal to read about Portia since her character wasn’t stellar in the first book of the series. But we can always be surprised.
I gave this book a chance because the characters can be surprising. And I have to say that I was surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this book. Portia was more like her in the first book. She was less bitchy. And that’s a lot to say when she wasn’t kind in her younger years. Her book gave her the chance to be her true self while she debated her stress and anxiety levels. I truly appreciate how we, as readers, get to understand how a very headstrong yet kind of mean character progresses into a more kind but still headstrong character.
While Portia deals with her hometown, she will also get the chance to fall in love. It may seem strange at first since she doesn’t do relationships. But Ben offers something she hasn’t felt in awhile. And it’s a good thing. He may be a little out there since he is a hotshot and a newcomer in Portia's hometown. But yet, he offers what’s missing in Portia's life with his unwavering belief in her career and passion.
I will warn you that there are a few heavy topics discussed in this book. I will recommend that you check out the content warning before reading.

I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about The Dane of My Existence because Portia did not really endear herself to me in For the Love of the Bard. I’m so glad I read it anyway. We learn a lot about Portia, and I think it was great to get her perspective. Yes, she’s a flawed character, but I like how she owns her mistakes, especially the mistakes she made when she was younger.

Portia is different from her sisters and family. She is not as emotional and willing to share her feelings, she keeps people at a distance and hates appearing vulnerable, and she doesn’t like Shakespeare. An attorney, she is dedicated to her job but doesn’t have room for much else. I think going on a mandatory sabbatical was the best thing that could have happened to Portia. Going home to Bard’s Rest, spending time with family and friends, and meeting a new potential love interest shows Portia that there’s more to life than work. It also makes her realize how much she loves her family, her hometown, and helping others. She’s definitely not the ice queen she presents herself to be.

Ben is more than meets the eye too, and I appreciate how layered he and Portia’s characters are. I also love how they open up to and confide in each other. Their relationship is filled with chemistry, and the verbal sparring is excellent. I love when the main couple has good banter, and Portia and Ben have it in spades. Though they experience conflicts of interest, misunderstandings, and more, their attraction to and feelings for each other are obvious.

The secondary characters are great too, and you’ll recognize many from the first book as well as some new residents and visitors. And the shenanigans they get into are so funny! I wish Bard’s Rest were a real New Hampshire town. As a New England resident, I would most definitely be heading there every year for their annual Shakespeare fest. It sounds like so much fun and a delightful way to pay homage to the Bard. You can be sure I’d visit all of the cleverly named stores, including Much Ado About Pastry and Parting is Such Sweet Gelato.

A fun story with a strong female protagonist, a charming and quirky town and cast of characters, and a swoon-worthy romance, The Dane of My Existence is an entertaining addition to the series. Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I'd enjoyed For the Love of the Bard a lot, and so was happy to return to Bard's Rest for another summer - this time featuring Portia, the oldest Barnes sister. I hadn't warmed to her much in Book 1 but all of that changed here, and quite quickly, I might add, which is testament to the author's skill in making her a compelling, flawed, many times frustrating character that you still rooted for and understood. As with Book 1, I loved the humour and wit, all the Shakespeare puns, the quirky town (and equally quirky but wonderfully human inhabitants) you know isn't real but still can't help wanting to spend your summers at. I loved the return of beloved characters from Book 1. Portia and Ben were well suited to each other, and their sparring banter and chemistry crackling - I also appreciated how realistic their problems (individual and as a couple) were; that things didn't just work out like magic and needed time and reflection/working on their selves to achieve. It was worth it to see them finally make themselves vulnerable, to each other and themselves, and take a leap. Some of the emotional transitions, especially between the leading couple, felt a little choppy but I have a feeling some of them at least will be smoothened out by the time this book hits the shelves.

I can't wait to return next summer for Cordelia's story!

I loved For The Love of the Bard last year and have been super excited for this book and I’m happy to say it didn’t disappoint! I’m not a lawyer, but as the type A older sister, I really related to Portia. She’s home for the summer on a forced sabbatical and not sure what to do with herself. Her mom ropes her into being the lawyer for that summer’s Bard festival. This leads to a lot of hilarious moments including rounding up an escaped petting zoo.

Portia means Benjamin at a local restaurant and their chemistry is instantaneous. They were often fighting against each other for the same thing, but I loved their banter and their chemistry. It seemed like they really found a perfect match in each other. I loved being back and seeing the town, Portia’s sisters and all of the Shakespearean related references. This is such a fun series and I’m really excited for the third book. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narration.

The Dane of my Existence returns to Bard’s Rest for the summer, Portia Barnes takes a sabbatical from her law firm and volunteers to be the lawyer for the town and this year’s Shakespeare festival.

She meets Benjamin Dane and they begin a flirtation that quickly turns into much more, but his presence in town makes for lots of conflicts within the community and threatens the festival’s future.

What I loved so much about the relationship between Portia and Ben is their maturity. Misunderstandings are talked out. They aren’t afraid to challenge each other. They are equals who work through the obstacles presented to them. All the characters from the first novel are back and we get to catch up like old friends.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.

It was wonderful to spend another summer in Bard's Rest!

Once again, I reveled in the charm of the town. I will never tire of all the punny names or nods to The Bard. I adored getting to spend time with its fine citizens as well. But what really delighted me was discovering that Portia, who fled this town, was actually one of its most fervent supporters. This side of the supposed ice queen was lovely to discover, and it gave more dimension to her character.

Though Portia was less ice queen than previously thought, she didn't subscribe to relationships. However, she had finally met her match, an equal, who challenged her and could hold his own when verbally sparring. Ben was such a great partner for Portia. Seeing them go from rivals to lovers to more was such a pleasure. They had physical chemistry galore, but they also found a trust in each other that allowed them to share their pasts, their secrets, and fully open up their hearts.

Part of me felt that I could have done without a certain nefarious plot, but I cannot argue with where it led. It served as a catalyst for Portia in figuring out what she wanted out of life, and I was happy with the results.

Overall, I had a fantastic summer in Bard's Rest and look forward to returning.

This was fine. I enjoyed the banter and the premise but I definitely caught myself skimming some parts in the middle and towards the end. Not for me really…

This rom-com is set in the Shakespearean obsessed small town of Bard's Rest. Portia is a lawyer whose firm requires her to take a summer sabbatical. She returns to her family's town while on break. She is a strong female main character who is driven and committed to her job. Much like developer Ben Dane who comes to town with plans to build condos on the island where the outdoor stage for the beloved Shakespearean festival is located.

This author's writing was cozy and filled with witty humor. The dialogue and banter between Portia and Ben was so much fun. With Portia being protective over her hometown and Ben's desire to develop the island, it presented a conflict affecting the progression of their relationship. I enjoyed the conflict as I found myself intrigued by how everything would play out. I also loved so many of the supporting characters.

Too many times I found myself skimming over paragraphs which felt unnecessary. Often there were too many details which slowed down the book in some parts for me.

I am really enjoying this series by Martin. The evolution of both main characters and the different past experiences they must overcome, plus all the funny secondary characters, make these books really great reads.

Book two in the Shakespeare drenched Rom Com series from Jessica Martin. While the first book (For the Love of the Bard) focused on one Barnes daughter ( the Barnes family being a kind of First Family of the Bard’s Rest Shakespeare Festival), this book centered on the eldest daughter — Portia — the uber driven, germaphobic, corporate lawyer who does not get the hype about Shakespeare (grumble grumble). Forced into a summer sabbatical prior to a big promotion, Portia gets a real chance for something different when she meets Ben Dane — a genuine good (and smart and gorgeous etc.) guy in the guise of an evil developer who wants to turn the local island / festival outdoor stage into — gasp — condos!

Honesty, ethics, and truth in relationships trump all — great banter and wonderful (completely unrealistic but absolutely fun to read about) characters make this very entertaining and great alternative to reading the daily news. Medium-high on the Steamy Scale. Plenty of fun around the Shakespeare themed town with merchants such as: the Merry Wines of Windsor, The Taming of the Shoe, and Parting is Such Sweet Gelato including the flavor “Et Tu, Brûlée.” I admit it — I would totally book a place for the weekend.

A few fun quotes to give you an idea of her comic and irreverent writing style:

“Selfishly, I rooted against the baby thing. Babies were gross, and I was really bad at faking any enthusiasm for them.”

“Dan’ face twisted into somewhere between ‘accidentally licked a persimmon’ and ‘received undesirable correspondence from the IRS.’”

“Candace is the total package: smart, creative, caring. And in a zombie apocalypse scenario, she’d be the last one standing atop a pile of rotting undead carcasses.”

“I was committing a felony with people who weren’t smart enough to wear non-identifiable gear. I wasn’t sure how to feel about that.”

If you enjoy the cozy feeling of a classic contemporary romance, this book is going to be on the top of your summer reading list. Continuing in the world of Bard's Rest, complete with Martin's delightful cast of supporting characters, the story of two over achievers learning to love was romance gold. While this book hit many favorite tropes (rivals to lovers is always a hit!) what really makes this story shine is how relatable it is going to be for my cohort of millennial firstborns. The rewarded ambition that is really crippling fear of failure and intimacy will ring very true. I wasn't sure that "what happens when being able to have it all feels too much like you MUST have it all" would make a good romance premise, but Martin makes it work! I really hope that more books come out in this series because so far, both have been amazing.

By day Portia Barnes is a rising attorney but her true passion is for her hometown's annual Shakespeare festival. When developer Ben Dane threatens the theater's future, tempers and objectives collide. Fun and witty banter highlight this fast-paced small town romance.