A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Even better than the first. I'm curious to see what comes next after handling ghosts and some real character growth for our girl Rosie. Rooting for her! I love a modern adaptation.

as someone who loves shakespeare, especially romeo and juliet, this series really is up my alley. i read a daughter of fair verona earlier this year and really enjoyed it and was so excited when i was approved for thus with a kiss i die. once i started this one, i couldn't put it down. i stayed up WAY too late reading this because i just wanted to know how the entire story was going to play out!

this series is just so much fun; i love the direct to reader narration and rosie is a very fun main character to follow, and i love the family dynamics. montague family, i love you with my entire heart and soul. i also loved getting to know more about escalus' family and prince escalus himself. nonna ursula? what a queen, i adore her.

i thought the mystery was super fun --- though i would've liked a bit more of a surprising reveal. the details behind why the murderer did what they did was actually kind of interesting, but the murder themselves was underwhelming --- and i liked the supernatural element to it. i also loved all the nods to hamlet throughout this book, as a shakespeare nerd i love whenever shakespeare inspired books mention his other works.

this series is just really entertaining and a fun and escapist read. i need another book asap!

I absolutely loved the first book in this duet, and while I read it long enough ago I can’t remember all the details, I still feel I loved this one even more. I cannot count the number of times I was cackling to the point of back pain and getting the side-eye from my family as I read.

Rosie is absolutely amazing, and her sisters and brother were the best. I loved Elder and Nonna Ursula, and really enjoyed Cal as well.

I didn’t want this book to end. I would definitely read another to see how Rosie and Cal acclimated to married life. I cannot believe they would settle down at all, because Rosie doesn’t seem the type!

The ending of this was perfect… except for the fact that I was frantically tapping the page to go to the next so I could read more because… HOW CAN IT JUST END LIKE THAT?!? I wasn’t ready to let this world go.

Bravo! Fantastic book!

This is the second book in the Rosaline Montegue series and continues to follow the adventures of Romeo and Juliet's oldest daughter 20 year old Rosie as she plans a meeting with her One True Love-Lysander - who her parents do not approve of. Their meeting is thwarted by another man -Escalus (Cal)- the Prince of Verona- who has his eye on her and their meeting forced their betrothal.
I liked hearing from Rosie who is sassy, but sensible and can be depended upon. The Montegue family has grown and I loved their interaction. At their betrothal dinner, Rosie meets the ghost of Escalus, the Elder who was murdered. He charges her with finding his assassin, and she counters the deal with a promise to cancel the betrothal. She also meets Cal's grandmother (Escalus the Elder's wife) and the two women hit it off.
This book crossed a lot of genres including, a twist on a Shakespeare play, a murder, romance, and the continued story of Romeo and Juliet as they add to their family.
Although this is the second book in the series, it can be read as a stand alone. It's a light, quick read. I'm looking forward to the third book of Rosie's adventures and another trip back to Verona.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Kensington Press and the opinions expressed are my own.

This was a fun fast-read book. It follows the story of Rosie just as the first book ends, but I believe it can still read as a standalone since it’s a new mystery. However I do recommend reading the book one first because it’s a very easy going book.

The story is set in Verona, in an alternate story where Romeo & Juliet lived and got married. Rosie being their first daughter, in narrates the story of how she is navigating life and romance.

‘Thus with a Kiss I die’ adds a bit of paranormal element, a new fun mystery that will allow our FMC through her search for her one true love, while being betrothed to the prince of Verona, Cal.

Both main characters grow on you as the story unravels and you find rooting for them.

It’s a lighthearted, funny, it keeps you entertained with the adventures Rosie has; the mystery is not the greatest but for me it was still a good read and I’ll definitely read the next book in this series.

3.5 stars

Shakespeare, but make it sassy
3.5 ⭐️

This book is pure chaotic charm in Elizabethan times. Rosie Montague—Romeo and Juliet’s daughter— is irreverent, sharp-tongued, and deeply lovable. The kind of heroine who can banter with a ghost, fight with the prince, and fall in love with a boy, all while rolling her eyes at Shakespearean drama.

I loved Rosie’s voice, romantic, but never foolish. Grounded in her convictions, loyal to her wild family, and far more modern than Verona is prepared for. Her interactions with the ghost were a highlight and surprisingly touching at times.

“I am the daughter of Romeo and Juliet,” I whispered. “Hear me roar.”

Prince Escalus was a treat! Mysterious, quiet, grumpy, and just manipulative enough to be swoony. I see you, morally grey schemer.

The book is, above all, entertaining. It made me laugh out loud a few times and left me with a general sense of happiness. It reads like a clean YA—with all the energy and sparkle that implies—but I found myself wishing for just a bit more substance under the sass.

Still, if you’re in the mood for a clever, lighthearted murder mystery with Shakespearean roots and a heroine who refuses to be tragic, this one’s worth a read.


*Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Book two let me wanting a book 3. I love Rosealie who is the daughter of Romeo and Juliet. She goes on this mission to solve a mystery teamed up with Escalus in Verona. This book is fun and keeps you engaged. A great charming way to make Shakespeare modern.

Thank you to Net Galley & Kensington Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Do you like irreverent, plucky heroines with anachronistic a narration tone, over-the-top dialogue, and 14th century obsessions with virginity, chasteness, and subservient women? Immature humor, frequent references to *One True Love* (even if this is not the MMC) - and someone who’d capitalize that in their speech? Then this silly romp of a cross-genre duology might be for you. I’m sad to say it was not for me.

Genres, settings, categories, themes: historical fiction, mystery, YA/NA, romance, paranormal (ghost), humor, late medieval or early renaissance Verona, Italy, Shakespeare

💗 Tropes: 💗
> Danger
> Love Triangle!!
> Royalty
> Virgin

POV: 1st person, h's perspective

Series/Sequencing Style: 2nd in a duology, should be read in sequence

Format: ebook (e-arc from NetGalley)

🔽🔽🔽

Overall ratings

Heat level: 👄 1/5 mild sizzle 👄
(from Ampersand’s guide to heat levels in romance novels – (0) sweet, (1) mild sizzle, (2) sensual steam, (3) spicy seduction, (4) red hot, (5) erotic)

~ Heroine (Rosie) ~ the feisty, unconventional side of her gets a 5/5, but it's dragged down by her idiocy about her love life and the moments when she speaks all subservient...let's go 3/5 overall 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑

~ Hero (Escalus) ~ 4/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

~ Other characters ~ 5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 for the Dowager and younger Princess, 4/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 for the ghost dad, 3/5 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 for the rest

~ Plot ~ 3.5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
~ Pacing ~ 4.5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
~ Romantic connection ~ 1/5 🌕🌑🌑🌑🌑
~ Comedy ~ 1.5/5 🌕🌗🌑🌑🌑
~ Writing ~ 2/5 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
~ Reading enjoyability & fun ~ 3/5 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 overall, 1/5 for that ending 🌕🌑🌑🌑🌑

~ Depth & tone (1 light & fun --> 5 more serious, addresses heavier topics?): 1

~ Angst level: somehow present and not at all present - it doesn't seem to be key to the story, but her actual love life situation is pretty high angst, even if we don't get all of those back and forth emotions

~ Sadness level: low

🔽🔽🔽

❗CW/Triggers:❗adultery, assault, assault on an elderly woman, attempted murder, muder, religious zealots, swords/stabbing, violence

🔽🔽🔽

📝 Review/Notes 📝
I’m sorry, but what the actual F was that ending? Are there supposed to be more than 290 pages because my NetGalley reader says 77% even at 290/290 pages but I’d be less pissed if there was more to that ending.

We waited 2 books and had to listen to all sorts of god awful poetry back and forth to show how romantic everyone is and then (view spoiler)

This book was better than the first and I thought it was going to have a good payoff in the end, but alas, that ruined it for me. I guess go into this if you like Shakespeare and YA, but not if you’re hoping for a romance to give you ~ the feels ~. If we weren’t going to get a great romance, I’d rather just have the mystery and crime solving then and leave romance out of it.

On another note, some of the way things happen and are presented seem kind of random and off-hand, like the entire scene with the religious zealots and Rosie running from the mob led by them...for some reason, it lacks real feelings of action and tension like some of the other scenes (such as the roof). It feels sort of quickly placed in the story and glossed over, and doesn’t add much to the plot.

Overall, this series just sadly really wasn’t for me. I feel bad giving an e-ARC such a negative review. I requested it thinking I’d love the series, but I should have tried the 1st book first. I just can’t in all honesty recommend this book personally. I’m sure it’ll have its crowd somewhere.

🔽🔽🔽

🤠 Recommended for: I guess if you liked the first one; younger readers who like a contemporary narration tone, but also Shakespeare and historical settings and fart jokes? Idk, it's a niche crowd; would NOT recommend for fans of Christina Dodd's contemporary romantic suspense books

I was so excited I got approved for this ARC. I loved the first book so much and this was no different.
though the ending was a bit predictable, I did enjoy the ghost and the mystery. the birth scene was also very sweet. I really just love the premise of this series so much

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC!

This is the second installment in the series, and I have to say—I really enjoyed it! I’m not gonna lie, the writing style made it a bit harder for me to read at times, and I had to really focus on the words. Nonetheless, it was so worth it! I absolutely adored the enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Rosie and Cal, and the murder mystery kept me hooked!

I really loved this book. The fact that Romeo and Juliet didn't die in this book was so cool. I loved Rosie her attitude is just so great. The book keeps your attention while you watch Rosie try to figure out her relationship and the mystery of who murdered the Elder Prince. Rosie is a strong-willed character that defiantly is a daughter of Romeo and Juliet. Very interesting and such a great story with a character that you just love.

Thus with a Kiss I Die by Christina Dodd was a fantastic read. I loved it and would enjoy reading more from this author. I love the cover as well as the plot.

This series is such a comfort read for me. There's just something about the love the family has for each other that is really refreshing. I know when I pick up this book that I'm going to have a good time and even get a few laughs. The one area where I felt the book stumbled a bit was in the romance department. I didn't love some of the decisions there, though I do really like the dynamic between Rosie and Escalus. I can't wait to see what they get up to in book 3!

I had to read the first one realquixk and I am glad I did cause this book is amazing!! I truly enjoyed the story

10/10 love love love this series. Although I wasn’t too much of a fan with the supernatural element this time around. It was a good read and I can’t wait for revisit Verona.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corp. for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

Ok I neeeeeeed a third book. I need more of Cal and Rosie’s story!! Loved how I thought I knew who the assassin was, but proven wrong! Love a good twist + a twist on historical fiction and this was a great combination of both! This book had me on the edge of my seat and eagerly reading as quickly as I could to find out the ending!

🎭❤️ Book Review: "Thus with a Kiss I Die" by Christina Dodd 📚💔

If you're looking for a book that dances beautifully between romance and mystery, "Thus with a Kiss I Die" by Christina Dodd offers a unique trip back to Verona with a modern twist on classic tales. 🇮🇹🕵️‍♀️

Following Rosie Montague, the spirited daughter of the (not-so-dead) Romeo and Juliet, this story is set in a world where familial drama meets supernatural intrigue. While Rosie's sharp wit and adventures keep the narrative lively, the mystery elements leave something to be desired. 🌟❓

In this installment, Rosie finds herself entwined in solving the murder of the ghostly Prince Escalus the Elder. Meanwhile, the romance heats up with a complicated love triangle, giving the story its trademark passionate flair. Yet, for fans of true mystery, the resolution may seem underwhelming, with the mystery aspect not as tightly woven as one might hope. 👻💏

Rosie's character is undeniably charming, flitting between roles with ease: from investigator to swordswoman, matchmaker to midwife. But the believability can stretch thin at times, especially when the supernatural mixes with historical elements in unexpected ways. Some may find this enchanting, while others might lose a bit of immersion—especially with seances and ghostly encounters giving a nod to "Hamlet." 🤔🗡️

While the plot may become predictable and not always maintain the credibility required for a gripping mystery, the humor, romance, and Shakespearean jesting shine bright. Characters grow and evolve, particularly Escalus, who shows redeeming qualities adding layers to the love story. Fans of the series will find plenty to enjoy in the Montague family antics and Rosie's fiery interactions with her suitors. 💃🔥

In conclusion, "Thus with a Kiss I Die" excels more as a delightful romance than a mystery, but it's the mix of drama, humor, and Rosie's charisma that makes it an entertaining page-turner. This Verona is one I'd happily visit again—if only for the blend of historical whimsy and Dodd's modern narrative flair. 🎭📖

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

thanks to NetGalley for the eARC

⭐️=4.25 | 😘=3 | 🤬=2.5 | ⚔️=3.5 | 16/17+

summary: book two! Rosaline (daughter of Romeo and Juliet) solves a cold case—aka finds her betrothed’s dad’s murderer with the help of his ghost (the ghost of the dad, not the betrothed).

thoughts: as with the first book, the mystery resolution fell slightly disappointing, but overall I really liked this a lot! this is kind of a genre built for me—historical murder mysteries based on classic literature with a romance side plot—so of course I’m going to have a good time? anyway, I wasn’t sold on the ending of book one but now I get it! and I need book three ASAP!!!!! please

awesome second book in the series. fun and well written. Rosie is awesome and Prince Escalus is a character you grow to know as well, but I do believe my favorite was Escalus's grandmother. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.