4⭐️ “A Daughter of Fair Verona” by Christina Dodd - out tomorrow! (June 25th, 2024)

I feel like it’s fair to say that “Romeo and Juliet” is a very well known Shakespeare play. I read it multiple times in school growing up. A classic miscommunication trope with deadly consequences (spoiler, Romeo and Juliet both died).

Christina Dodd took the classic duo and decided, well what if they hadn’t died? Enter, “A Daughter of Fair Verona.” Following the story of almost twenty-year old Rosaline ‘Rosie’ Montague, eldest daughter of seven to Romeo and Juliet Montague, and master spinster having weaselled her way out of all her betrothals.

Rosie is a lovable FMC. She is skeptical of true love like her parents’, marriage, being the property of a man (as all women should be). She knows how to use a sword, is an apprentice to Friar Lawrence and speaks her mind — though sometimes even she admits she probably shouldn’t.

However, she finds herself betrothed to an evil man she may not escape, falling in love at first sight which she can’t quite believe, forming a strange bond with a prince, and a string of murders that have people looking in her direction.

“A Daughter of Fair Verona” takes the Shakespearean essence of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and combines it with a murder mystery to see if Rosie can outwit the shadowy figures trying to get the best of her.

❗️Disclaimer: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.❗️

A Daughter Of Fair Verona by Christina Dodd of course it’s placed in fictional Verona Italy the home of Romeo and Juliet. People are dying but instead of being lovelorn they’re being murdered. Thanks to a bad apothecary and a sleeping draft Romeo and Juliet went on to live a long life with many children the oldest being Rosaline. Due to her intelligence and practical thinking she has thwarted three betrothals by matchmaking them to someone more suited at least in her opinion, but when her dad Romeo and mom Juliet tell her about her fourth betrothal that she must see-through she is flabbergasted. It is to Lord Lear Stefano a man known for many marriages that all ended in suspicious deaths. It is on the night of her engagement party when the first murder happens and when she meets her true love starts her dagger collection and also gets on the radar of her dads) and war hero Prince Escalus, Who she at first starts to think of as a good friend. Unfortunately the first murder is just the beginning in the surprises don’t stop coming not to mention Rosies balcony gets a work out. This was such a great book and I was so excited to learn it was the beginning of a new Siri‘s that I will definitely be on the lookout for. I love Rosie, her crazy in love parents, her nurse, Lister and I’m not gonna lie I kind a like prince Escalus this book is definitely fast paced, laugh out loud funny and a great read for anyone who likes mysteries and fairytales. I cannot wait for the next book and I’m so excited for this new series. I’ve never heard of Christina Dodd before but will not forget her name ever! Please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.#KensingtonPublishing, #NetGalley, #ChristinaDodd, #ADaughterOfFairVerona,

This was good but not like amazing? I was super excited to read this and even more excited that I have an ARC but it fell flat. I love Romeo and Juliet and I loved the idea of a book about their eldest daughter. The genre is super confusing. It was like a murder mystery rom-com love triangle type thing? The attempt at Shakespearean language made some parts hard to read and confusing and made it so I had no idea what was going on. Also, I feel like the way that Romeo and Juliet are depicted was really strange and not at all similar to their original characters. I would be reading at points and just get so confused because the OG Romeo and Juliet would not act like that nor say these things. Maybe that was just me. This book is a little over 200 pages but it took me embarrassingly long to read because I would read about a chapter than do something else or fall asleep.

Dazzling!

Sensational, bold, daring and witty! Superlatives aside I loved the premise of the novel—Romeo and Juliet didn’t die! They lived to raise seven children. (Their long suffering children are constantly having to close their ears to noises emanating from their parent’s bedroom!)
The oldest is Rosalind (Rosie) who keeps evading the wedded state by finding suitable spouses for her suitors, thus avoiding the trap of marriage.
Only this time she’s engaged to a duke whose three previous wives had died in suspicious circumstances. The last being her friend Titania. How is Rosie going to get out of this new challenge? This time she’ll need a fail proof strategy.
Never having been in love she’s struck by Cupid’s bow when she meets the fair Lysander of the House of the Marckettis of Venice, traditional foes of the Montagues. Aha! Lysander has crashed Rosalind’s betrothal party.
Rosie is a knife wielding, brilliant woman, and diplomatic (except when she looses her temper!). Her main fault seems to be that she’s intelligent and understands mathematics! Rosie adores her family and gathers in others.
Now, how to avoid the unwanted marriage, uncover the dark deeds of her betrothed-to-be, and resolve her attraction to her mortal enemy Lysander.
A sparkling jewel of a read! This is the first in the series I can hardly wait to see what happens next.

A Kensington Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

A Daughter of Fair Verona reimagines the story of Romeo and Juliet. Instead of a tragic end, Romeo and Juliet are alive, they are living with their six children, and one is on the way.

Rosaline aka Rosie, is the oldest daughter of Romeo and Juliet. Rosie is a lively character who is logical, fearless, and fiercely protective of her family. She has a strong dislike for poetry. Rosie was supposed to be betrothed to Duke Stephano, but he was murdered on the night of the betrothal party. As more people died, suspicions began to fall on Rosie. It is now up to Rosie to prove her innocence.

The plot was engaging, with amusing banter, suspense, mystery, and a touch of romance. The plot twist was executed very well, and I enjoyed the book’s pacing.

The ending concludes with a cliffhanger, indicating that more of Rosie’s story is on the way!

Overall, it was an enjoyable and fast-paced read.

What if Romeo and Juliet had escaped the tragic fate Shakespeare wrote for them and instead lived on and were now the parents of seven children? Christina Dodd takes that idea and spins it into a charming tale starring Rosie, the famed couple’s eldest daughter. A Daughter of Fair Verona is a historical mystery that’s modern, irreverent, and sprightly in tone.

With parents like Romeo and Juliet, Rosie has grown up with passion, drama, monologues, poetry…and it’s made her the sensible one. She’s avoided marriage by turning each of her suitors onto a more suitable bride and it’s worked out well for her so far. Then comes a betrothal she can’t escape – one to a horrible duke rumored to have murdered his last three wives. Except at her betrothal ball the odious duke is found dead. Only the swift intervention of the podestà of Venice keeps her from being a suspect but the danger is only just beginning. Mysterious deaths seem to be following the case and Rosie wants to discover who is behind it before danger befalls her family. A Daughter of Fair Verona was a bit slow to start but once the mystery took hold I was hooked. Dodd’s writing was fast-paced and yes, fun, despite the murder and poison abounding in Rosie’s fair Verona. I liked watching Rosie put the pieces of the puzzle together and the result was a satisfying mystery.

While Rosie pretends to disdain poetry and passion, she secretly yearns for it, which is where the romance comes in. Or rather, the start of it with a love triangle. There’s no resolution to who will win Rosie’s heart – the dashing choice or the more enigmatic (and to me, far more interesting) one – as Dodd ends things on a cliffhanger there. But I’ll be interested to see how things play out in the next Daughter of Montague book.

A Daughter of Fair Verona is a fun start to a new series. The Montagues are a bold, fun, loving family and their friends and allies are intriguing. I was satisfied with how this story ended but I am looking forward to exploring more of Rosie’s world.

Thank you to Netgalley, Kensington, and the author for an e-ARC of this book.

I have been reading Christina Dodd for years. I was so excited to read this book and thought the premise sounded hilarious and perfect. I am sad to admit that this book did not do it for me. I could not handle the narrator's voice in the book, the romance, the sarcasm, or generally much about this book as I read it. I picked it up and put it down multiple times but it ultimately is not a book I would read or recommend to anyone in the future, which is unfortunate because I love the author. Just not for me this time.

If Romeo and Juliet had lived, what would their lives be like? Wonder no more - the book features the eldest daughter
couple, Rosie. Having no desire to marry, she had managed to find appropriate mates for her four previous
betrotheds. At the party to celebrate her latest match to Duke Stephano, he ends up being killed bi a dagger
to his chest. Given that his previous three wives met unfortunate ends, most are not upset by his murder.
Unfortunately, Rosie is considered to be the murderer. To keep her family and self safe, Rosie seeks to uncover
the murderer before it's too late. A feisty heroine living life on her own terms.
#ADaughterofFairVerona #DaughterofMontague #Kensington #NetGalley

A Daughter of Fair Verona by Christina Dodd, book one in her Daughter of Montague series, is a wildly creative twist on Shakespeare's tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. Turns out, Romeo and Juliet didn't die, they married, live happily in Verona, and have several children. The oldest, Rosie who is the Fair Daughter, is smart and fearless. She is a rarity in Verona, a young woman who views marriage with a contempt, and clever enough to avoid several matchmaking attempts by her family; as she wanted to stay unmarried. Against her wishes she is betrothed to a nasty man, Duke Leir Stephano, who is found murdered in the Montague's garden at their engagement ball; and Rosie as the prime suspect. Except 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. It’s not so easy to prove her innocence and uncover the truth as more bodies pile up. This was a wonderful rom-com story in a compelling new historical mystery series. I look forward to seeing what Ms. Dodd has in store for Rosie and the Montagues in the next book. I wholeheartedly recommend this book for anyone who likes a little comedy, and a little dramatic flair in their books.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
#NetGalley # Kensington

Thank you for the approval of this arc in exchange for an honest review! I've enjoyed several books from Kensington, but sadly this is not one of them. What I read didn't impress me, and it wasn't one I was able to finish. The writing style didn't mesh with my taste, but the characters are juvenile. The dialogue didn't add to the story, and I would find myself rolling my eyes rather than being excited to turn to the next page.

This book frustrated me. It felt far too modern, and I never got into the story because of that. This isn't a series I will continue.

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.

Straight away I noticed this book was a bit too modern, and far too American - jumping right on the 'woman power' train. However, I'm ever so pleased that this story didn't tear the original Romeo and Juliet to pieces.

What a sweet story. Obviously, this is the first in a series, but I can guarantee you, I will be reading the next one. This book investigates what were to happen if Romeo and Juliet didn't die - and had a daughter as headstrong and independent as they were? Rosie, their daughter is independent, unmarriageable, and a spinster at almost 20 [LOL OMG so good]. Mix in intrigue by way of a murder, poisoning, all incredibly deftly crafted by the author. Such a fun romp, and easy to read even though it is based in Shakespeare. The writing was so good, the story such a fun and interesting idea, and the characters were great - definitely based on ones we already know but with more depth and far more interesting. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a fun chick lit book but also enjoys good literature - pick this book up!

This ebook was provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I wish Shakespeare would have been this fun and accessible in high school!
Loved the characters (though there are a lot to keep track of) and the strong female character.
Highly recommend this! Especially good for historical fiction fans.
Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

The last time I laughed this hard while reading was while consuming a book by a literal comedian. Oh my gosh, this book was amazing! I was sucked in from page one and absolutely devoured the words. Rosie’s wit had me cracking up and making my kids side-eye me like I’d gone mad.

The Shakespearean-ish old-timey language just made it more entertaining. Rather than being bland and difficult to read, it made it feel light and somehow magical. I loved the twists and turns and all the accusations, the constant subtle humor and wacky characters, and the reimagining of Romeo and Juliet’s tale to give them the happy ending (and then some) I’m sure so many fans over the years have desired.

I’m both saddened and thrilled with the ending, because while I wanted more, surely this means more is coming. And I cannot wait!

I’d give this ten stars if I could.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Daughter of Fair Verona is a historical murder mystery set in an alternative universe where Romeo and Juliet survived and had lots of children - the oldest of whom, Rosalind - is sick of love and poetry and determined never to marry.

Rosalind or ‘Rosie’ is smart, capable and cynical - very much a character with modern sensibilities. I think the plot threw me early on, when Romeo and Juliet betrothed Rosie to Duke Stephano, someone who is decidedly unpleasant and is rumoured to have killed his other wives. I struggled to understand why loving and protective parents would do that and didn’t find the character’s reasoning made a lot of sense.

Luckily for Rosie, Duke Stephano is found murdered in the garden during their engagement ball - less luckily, Rosie is the one who discovers him, alone and in the darkness, and is quickly made a suspect. The only person who knows she didn’t do it is Prince Escalus, who was also in the garden.

The following murder mystery was entertaining, with lots of twists and turns. I thought Rosie’s tutelage in herbs for healing and poisons by Friar Laurence was a nice touch and added some intrigue and depth to the story.

The last few chapters were definitely page turners as the story raced to its conclusion and the mystery was solved, with lots of tension and peril along the way.

I’ve read a fair bit of fiction set in medieval or Renaissance Italy recently - this was definitely more lighthearted and fun, so if you’re after a cute holiday mystery with a bit of murder and revenge this could be for you.

I will share on my instagram @charlottereadshistory on 22 June

i got this as an arc and dnf’ed at 11%.

while the premise of this seemed interesting enough for me to request it, the dialogue and style of this novel just aren’t for me. it’s painfully ya, disguised behind a 20 year old protagonist. i can appreciate that the author didn’t completely butcher the original but i was bored out of my mind and life is too short to force yourself to read bad books

I didn't know what to expect from this story. What I got was a fun adventure that I didn't want to put down. The characters are great, especially Rosie. Rosie is an old spinster virgin at the age of 20. She is happy with that, but her family keeps trying to betroth her to different men. she just finds them another option. Then came along one that she could not put off, but during their betrothal ball, her betrothed is stabbed. Now everyone thinks Rosie did it. By the end of the story, Rosie is cleared of the murder, but she has a big decision to make. I can't wait to see where this story goes.

Romeo and Juliet - who didn’t die in this story! - hardly know what to do when their daughter Rosaline - one of their seven children - has reached the Greatly Advanced Age of nearly 20 and has consistently thwarted all their attempts to wed her off.

A proposal she isn’t able to push off leads to a betrothal party ending in murder, and the following days only have an increase in danger. Rosie resolves to find answers before at best she ends up with a reputation in tatters, or at worst falls victim herself.

All this while juggling the attentions of her newly discovered love and the Prince (who is very determined to find answers himself. For reasons…)

I was surprised because the premise was golden, but it took me about 50 pages to really get into the story. But just past that there’s a bet made, and from that point on I was totally invested in where things were going. After that the book flew by!

Rosalyn is an energetic and flighty fourth wall breaking force of nature. Like a lot of teenagers she’s half embarrassed over her parents most of the time - from disdaining the ill-advised drama of her their love at first sight story to their continuing open ‘admiration’ of each other.
But no worries, that doesn’t stop her from dropping straight into her own whirlwind of a situation!

I was especially entertained by everyone stepping up to try and help her protect herself - How many knives can one girl hold at once?
Many. Many knives.

Possibly because I’m out of practice at mysteries, I did not see the twist/reveal coming. That only made the villain monologue type moment even more enjoyable though.

The ending made me happy but still left me wanting more, so I look forward to seeing what happens in the next book!

Thank you to the author and Kensington for the ARC!

A clever entertaining spin off of Romeo and Juliet featuring 20 year old Rosie- the oldest daughter of that famed couple. She's been the manager of the family but now her parents want to see her married but she's not liked any of the options, especially the most recent. Duke Stephano is a big no not only to Rosie but to someone else as well and that person murdered him. Now Rosie's off looking for answers and she's skirting around the idea of romance. I know some Shakespeare fans might be offended or quibble with this but it's a fun read written by someone who clearly respects the Bard's work. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A fun read.