
Member Reviews

“A Daughter of Fair Verona” (Daughter of Montague, #1) by Christina Dodd
A Rom-Com to Relish ! !
I was not sure what I would find when I turned to Chapter 01 and began my journey with Christina Dodd in Rosie’s story. But I loved this story of love, romance, and sudden mysterious deaths. I enjoyed this adventure so very much I am rather hoping there will be another adventure in Verona (in the near future?). Have fun trying to figure out the (who, how, why, etc) before the answer(s) are disclosed. Happy Reading ! !

Dodd imagines what it would be like to grow up with the over-the-top dramatic duo as your parents and nails it with her trademark wit. I loved Rosie’s pragmatic responses to her family’s drama and her quick banter as she navigated the turmoil of power and love in Verona. Solving the murder involved twists, turns and plenty of possible suspects and added to the delight of this story. While by no means historically accurate, I enjoyed details such as plucking hair to raise your forehead, lacing cuffs on sleeves, and ghostly superstitions. Dodd hooked me on the first page. If you’re in doubt try it - Rosie’s voice will capture you, too. Highly recommended.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Romeo and Juliet died at the end of Shakesphere's play, right? Or did they? Christina Dodd's novel, A Daughter of Fair Verona, tells the outcome of a different ending. Not only did they survive, but they have a family. I loved teaching Romeo and Juliet to 9th graders for many years, and I love this take on that story and its continuation. If you are a fan of Romeo and Juliet, you should definitely read this book,
Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

would like to thank Kensington Publishing and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC. This book is hard to classify. I see that it is labeled as historical fiction, but it is not quite that. It is a re imagining of Romeo and Juliet- almost a Sci-fi "what if". The bare bones are this-what if Romeo and Juliet did not die-bad poison, poor knife skills, etc. What if they lived, stayed married and had a family? And what if their oldest daughter, named Rosaline ( for Romeo's jilted fiancee) was not like her parents, what if she was pragmatic, non romantic and sensible? And what if her parents keep trying to marry her off, but she finds other brides for the men? So, at the ripe "old age" of almost 20, she is still unmarried and not in love? That is the basis of this book. It is wildly convoluted, with poisonings, and stabbings, and plots. Rome and Juliet, Friar and Nurse are all there from the play, along with various others in the city of Verona. I liked it at first, but as it went on, I became more confused by the goings on. And the end was really non conclusive. When I first applied for the book on Net Galley, it was not clear that it was meant to be the first in a series. The lack of ending made it clear however. It was a clever idea, funny in spots , but I am really not sold on it as a series.Again, thanks for the chance to read this.

I don't read historical romance. Period . Then why did I pick up A Daughter of Fair Verona by Christina Dodd? Two things : The cover and the whole concept of next generation of Romeo and Juliet! And then I fell in love with the author's witty refreshing take on the classic. The hilarious and detailed characters. The accidents and incidents. The sharpness of the humor mixed with a bit of murder mystery. Rosie or Rosaline made me laugh and smile and I absolutely admire her personality. I don't regret picking this book out of my usual way.
So this is set in the city of Verona where Romeo and Juliet are very much alive and thriving behind their tragic love story. With hald a dozen kids! The explanation was pretty awesome and from the first page, I knew this is a gem. Rosie is their eldest and her parents are very much worried about her spinster status at age of 18. They reluctantly agree when Duke Leir Stephano of the house of Creppa ask Rosie's hand. He is much older and notorious and generally disliked and his previous wives all died under mysterious circumstances. But he is found dead in the betrothal part in Cassa Montague and Rosie is a suspect. Then start a series of murder, wild accidents and love filled hilarious incidents....involving Rosie and Prince Escalus Leonardi the younger, the podestà of Verona and Lysander of the house of Marcketti. Complicated? It is.
Rosie is like the binding force of the house. She is fierce and sassy and independent. Her parents adore her and trust her and love her. But her father also taught her fighting skills and her mother gave her all the wisdom. She is intelligent and intuitive and brave. She avoided the foolish matters of love and marriage so far but she is dragged into a scandal now and she is in danger too. She developed a weakness for charming Lysander but the Prince is a complex factor here! Oh Rosie! She got so confused and angry with the turn of the events at the end and I don't blame her. She fancy Lysander but the Prince has manipulated his way into a marriage proposal that must be accepted. I am not sure I fully underhand the Prince. His family has faced mutiny and loss and he is very dedicated to his family and his responsibility. But I found it oddly sweet that he protected Rosie from the slander and accusations while admiring her unique qualities. Lysander is your typical man who is blinded by love and I am not sure what Rosie's heart will finally decide. I was lost in the city with the vivid description and the old time scandals and the plotting and the twists. Rosie is a firecracker and her POV made this book extra delicious.
Ps who knew ankle and knees are such erogenous spots...
I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

What if Romeo and Juliet didn't die tragically, but had an adorable boisterous family? A Daughter of Fair Verona is about their eldest daughter, Rosaline (Rosie), who has thus far successfully gotten out of a few marriage betrothals (by setting up the prospective grooms with other potential brides). She knows her parents are in no way equipped to run their own household; they're too busy canoodling and being in love. Anyway, when the awful Duke Stephano, who's prior brides have all met tragic ends, decides Rosie will be bride #4, Romeo and Juliet cannot refuse him.
Anyway, since Rosie can't get out of this one, she decides to soldier on with the engagement party. However, during the party, Rosie stumbles upon the body of the Duke with a knife in his chest. And as people with connections to the Duke keep dropping like flies, Rosie must figure out what's going on before she becomes a victim as well.
This was adorable and ended on a teeny cliffhanger so I'm hoping this might be a series? Hopefully? Maybe?
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this e-arc.*

I found this book imagining the continued lives of Romeo and Juliet and their family very charming. I really enjoyed it, but I’m taking a star off because the ending wasn’t completely satisfying. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was cute. A silly little spin off of Romeo & Juliet. We meet their eldest daughter, Rosie, who has NO intention of getting married. Her parents constant swooning after one another makes her sick, and their recent attempts to marry her off have been foiled again and again.
She's an old spinster at the ripe age of 20+, and prefers to stay that way.
When her parents announce a new suitor she is less than enthusiastic. Worse yet, she becomes the main suspect when he winds up dead. Rosie now uses her keen mind , sarcasm and wit to play detective and maybe, maybe.... stumble upon true love.
With all the romance and silliness, I never solved the murder until it was revealed. Also, this ends in quite a cliffhanger- and no next book yet!! Really looking forward to the next!

This was a five-star read for me until the the last few chapters, with their lack of consent and cliffhanger ending. I can’t recommend this book.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
What a fun and unique book! This has the fun romp vibes of a romcom/murder mystery which is a mash up I happen to really enjoy when done right and this was. Add in the fresh take on Shakespeare and I’m sold!
I do wish it hadnt ended on a cliffhanger as I’d hoped, like many of the books this reminded me of, it would instead wrap up neatly with a nice HEA. Instead, the romance element was lacking more than I’d hoped. Still fun though.

What a fabulous story! Taking Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and turning that story on its head was brilliant! Giving an updated spin to Rosie, her forward thinking views, her spinsterhood, and GASP her virginity, had me laughing out loud a few times. Adding in the suspicions of the day and the deference that people gave to the Prince and the clergy, this book was just a rollicking ride through death, dying, marital customs, the lack of sanitation, and women surviving in a man's world, but allowing the men to think they were in charge.
Part murder mystery, part romance, all fun! I enjoyed this book from start to finish and the bit of a cliff hanger on the last page? Amazing. I can't wait for the next book in this series!!

Romeo and Juliet didn't die—they survived their dramatic ordeal, had a whole bunch of kids, and are still madly in love! Their oldest daughter, Rosaline, has been secretly playing matchmaker for every suitor her parents push her way. The drama unfolds when her latest fiance ends up dead at their engagement party and people start pointing the finger at her!
This was a cute and witty whodunit! "Romeo and Juliet" is one of my favorites, so it's nice to see them get a happy ending! Our main character, Rosaline, is the perfect heroine—she is smart, brave, and can stand up for herself! This story ends on a cliffhanger, so we won't know if Rosie gets her own happy ending. I guess I'll just have to wait!

When I read the plot for A Daughter of Fair Verona - I was definitely intrigued. Can you imagine being the daughter of Romeo and Juliet and being seen as a spinster for not having married by age 20? Sounds like a nightmare! At the start, I loved getting to know Rosie’ the FMC and I really appreciated her wit and intelligence. Add in a murder mystery, and I had a good feeling about this book.
Unfortunately, I was disappointed near the end of the book. Though there were plot twists, due to a lot of foreshadowing, I had expected many of them. The scene in the crypt felt underwhelming, and after all the revelations, I was shocked that it was left on such a cliffhanger. Though there was some romance in the book, it wasn’t the focus. And perhaps that was where it fell flat for me since I saw several opportunities for relationships to develop and I never felt that they did.
Nonetheless, I truly appreciate having received an advanced reader copy from the author, NetGalley and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review.

I had hoped from the description of this book that I would like it, but just how much I liked it took me by surprise!
Having dispatched multiple fiancés (by finding them more suitable matches), Rosie finds herself engaged to someone who is under suspicion of murdering his previous three wives. Needless to say, she is distraught and eager to find a solution to her predicament. Lucky for her, he ends up dead the night of their betrothal party. Unlucky for her, everyone suspects her.
An unexpected highlight of the book is the family dynamic - Romeo & Juliet are fun to see imagined as parents, and the cast of sibling characters are relatable and add an extra dimension to the story.
The romance I guessed early on, the murderer I did not. If you’re looking for a headstrong heroine with a fun cast of characters and a mystery to solve, definitely check out this book.
Thank you NetGalley and Christina Dodd for this ARC! I know it’ll be a bit of a wait but I am already looking forward to the next one.

Romeo and Juliet have not perished, but instead had a family living in Verona. This story is told from their daughter Rosie's point of view. She finds herself in an arranged betrothal to a cruel man, Duke Stephano, whose previous three wives have all perished almost certainly setting the scene for her impending demise. She runs into an enemy of the family, Lysander of the house of Marcketti, at her betrothal ball and thinks she falls in love at first sight (a Romeo and Juliet romance like her parents). Prince Escalus tries to salvage her reputation and becomes her savior. Danger is around every corner, and Rosie must protect herself while trying to find out who means her harm.
Witty rom-com, whodunit, masterfully told! I had a grin on my face pretty much the whole time I was reading this amusing story. Rosie is such an endearing character and very likable. I loved the different characters throughout the story and especially fell in love with her family! This was such a refreshing take on an old revised story. I can't wait to read more about Rosie in her next adventure!

This was a fun murder mystery, with light romance! What if Romeo and Juliet survived? They'd pop out a bajillion kids cause they are so thirsty for each other! Rosaline, is the eldest daughter of the famous lovers and as such, is a cynic who hates poetry and gags at her parents obsession for each other. She was delightful! So independent, funny, logical, and above all, fiercely protective of her family. This kinda read like that other book/show Rosaline where it's kinda modern sounding but old timey, very wink wink at the camera kinda thing. I didn't actually like it in that show but I really loved it here because it never felt obnoxious or too much. The mystery itself was suspenseful and I was actually caught off guard which does not happen very happen! It does end on a cliffhanger which I was not expecting because I thought this was a standalone but I will definitely be reading book 2!

I loved Christina Dodd's historical romances from back in the day, so I was very excited to read an ARC of A Daughter of Fair Verona. Reimagined fairy tales are so often fun reads, so a classic story reimagined was just what I wanted. In the classic Romeo & Juliette the couple dies.....but, what if they had a plan B and lived? This is the start of a fun storyline where Romeo and Juliette not only escape death, they have a brood of children with the eldest daughter, Rosie, as the main character of the tale. She does not want to wed and has escaped six or more betrothals---but this time she may be well and truly caught.
A fun tale that reads a bit like Young adult fiction, though that could be the youth of the characters shining through. The murder mystery had some very suspenseful moments, and a twist that surprised me. The poetry came from the prospective groom, Rosie spoke in today's vernacular which added to the humor .
Thank you to NetGalley and #KensingtonBooks for an eARC to read in consideration of review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy humor, romance, and historical mystery.
#DaughterofFairVerona #NetGalley

I like that that the start of this book started with a bang and it was interesting to contemplate that Romeo and Juliet did not die at the end of Shakespeare's tragedy. There was a back up plan! It is insane to think that a long time ago, that a 20 yr old female is considered old, and that is when the Montague eldest daughter, Rosaline, enters the picture. She enjoys math and sword playing, and four prior engagements have not worked out for her...
The story gets interesting when she too falls in love at first sight. But Romeo and Juliet have also arranged another engagment/marriage to a very unlikeable suitor. Romeo and Juliet have many family friends, and a prince is a close friend throughout their adult lives and has watched the Montague family grow. The prince is admires the famous pair and is also tired of living alone.
This book has secrets, struggles, romance, and so much more. I could not put it down once I started it. I look forward to this becoming a series and cannot wait for the next one.
Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley, Christina Todd, and Kensington Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Available: 6/25/2024

"I'm the eldest daughter of Romeo and Juliet. Yes, that Romeo and Juliet. No, they didn't die in the tomb. They're alive and well and living in fair Verona with their six wildly impetuous children and me, their nineteen-year-old daughter Rosaline...
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 - told from the delightfully engaging point of view of Romeo and Juliet's clever, rebellious, fiercely independent daughter, Rosie Montague.
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."
Oh my, this is just my level of delightful, murder and mayhem with a classical romance!

This book follows the oldest daughter of Romeo and Juliet as she gets caught up in a murder mystery.
This was a good book and I liked it! There was a lot of humor and I liked the setting of this one. Since it’s during Romeo and Juliet time, it happens a long time ago and that was interesting. There were a lot of interesting twists throughout this one.
I loved the characters and it was a fun read. I like the audiobook for this one too! I liked the narrator and the pacing.
Thanks so much to netgally and Kensington and RB media for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!