This is a fun second installment of the this cozy historical mystery series. There are two things that I really enjoy about this series that make it standout: 1) having Romeo and Juliet but with a happy ending as backdrop. I am a Shakespeare girlie so I love this and 2) the voice of Rosie Montague, the main character. She is witty and funny, gets herself into many precarious situations, and being in her head is a good time.

Thank you RBMedia and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy.

This was a truly delightful follow-up to the first book in the Rosaline Montague series. I absolutely love the writing style and I completely ship Rosie and the Prince—despite her insisting he isn’t handsome, it’s obvious he excites her.
This instalment made excellent use of many elements from Hamlet again.Overall, this was a very fun, quick read, and I’m definitely eager to move on to the next book if the series continues.

When a Renaissance-era Montague with a fiery temper has her own trick turned against her, she might take a while to reconcile to a forced engagement. Meanwhile, the shadows of a murder darken the corridors of the prince’s palace while malice stalks the dark streets of Verona. Christina Dodd follows up A Daughter of Fair Verona with a strong new installment that keeps up with that flavorful blending of genres that dazzled readers.

Thus With a Kiss I Die might be read out of order in a pinch, but the events follow closely on the heels of the previous book and works best read in order.

Rosie Montague knows she’s impulsive, has a big mouth, and a fiery temper. All three got her into trouble in the closing scenes of the previous book. She conspired to force her parents and his into allowing her to marry her ‘One True Love’ Lysander, but instead the calculating Prince of Verona took Lysander’s place when the shouts of ‘compromise’ from a kiss are called out at her parent’s evening party.

Escalus beat her at her own game and yes, she has sour grapes over it, but her reputation is shot so the engagement and wedding must go on. Hence, she and her family are visiting the palace for a tour and a betrothal supper. If her mood weren’t already foul, she now finds herself inopportuned by the ghost of Escalus’ murdered father- the late prince. He wants his killer found and reluctantly agrees to her own modest (ahem) request. But the killer doesn’t want to be found and a whole new threat is arising out on the streets of Verona hiding among a group of a wandering religious group.

Thus With a Kiss I Die was nearly as hilarious as the first book, A Daughter of Fair Verona. Rosie, the daughter of the famous Romeo and Juliet likes to think, in spite of getting played by Escalus, that she’s the no nonsense member of the family even if love struck her later than expected and she might have an inflated opinion about her abilities.

Still, Rosie is a scream and I enjoyed following along as she figured out her conflicted feelings about Escalus, Lysander, her place as the prince’s fiancée in his family, home, and political status, and of course the new murder on her plate.

Unlike Rosie, I was a fan of Escalus in the first book and this only grew throughout this second installment. He is a man of his time and his temperament is her opposite, but unlike others, he gets her and appreciates her not just her looks or her status as a Montague. She hasn’t understood him or seen him well because she’s blinded by her frustration and her belief that Lysander is ‘it’ for her, but that changes now that she’s in his home and among his family.

As to the mystery, the inclusion of Escalus’ irascible grandmother (not unlike Rosie in ways) and his father’s ghost who plagues Rosie since only she can hear and see him add to the entertainment, but also are there to hinder-help her solve the old murder which had some great twists and turns. The suspense from the mystery, but also the upheaval in town was exciting and had a great breath-taking climax.

Another entertaining, fabulous installment and I can’t wait for the next. Historical mystery fans who like a strong dose of comedy and romance blended in for good measure should definitely put the Daughter of Montague series on the reading stack.

Such a great take on the world of Romeo and Juliet. What if Romeo and Juliet did not die? What if they married and had children? This is the continuation of the story about Romeo and Juliet's eldest child, Rosaline. She was tricked into being betrothed to the Prince. Now, she must solve his father's murder. Who, BTW, is haunting her.

I loved this book. It was funny and romantic. However, if you're looking for hot steamy scenes, this may not be for you. If you like a slow burn with a hilarious, strong FMC, then this is a definite recommend.

Fair Rosaline continues her sleuthing in pursuit of The One True Love. Who is requesting her help now? None other, than the ghost of her current betrothed’s father - Prince Escalus the Elder. And as with the ghost in Shakespeare’s play, there are conditions. Rosaline makes a deal, but will she get her wish?

Just love this fun and playful span on Shakespearean characters. Humor is sparkling across entire storyline.
Waiting for the story to continue!

Just as good as the first book in the series. So entertaining. If you like a historical romance with a modern twist you’ll love this.

Rosie, ever her delightful self, is now engaged to Prince Eschalus after his trickery at the end of the last book. Her whole family trek to his mansion/palace, yes that includes her parents Romeo and a pregnant Juliet. (That’s right, Romeo and Juliet did not actually die, but have been living in Verona with their horde of children). It is while at the palace that Rosie is tasked with her next mystery by the Prince’s father. Find out who betrayed and killed him? Yes, he’s a ghost and only Rosie can communicate with him. From there we have fights on the streets, a twin birth, a kitchen ousting, and a reunion between Rosie and her one true love Lysander. Oh, and a few kisses between Rosie and her prince.

This book is an entertaining frolic in a time where men still swore by their swords, and ladies were very much ladies. Unless you’re Rosie who has a bad habit of saying exactly what she thinks. I cannot wait to see where this takes us next. Perchance to a wedding.

Thank you to Netgalley for this book.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

I truly struggled with English on this one. Most of my time and attention was applied on comprehension rather than the story itself. I had to go back a few sentences and sometimes pages just to check if the story aligns with whatever that I just read. The whole experience was just me being confused and lost in the story. I couldn't find a single character to attach to and so the story was dull to me.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, so I was really looking forward to this, and I was not disappointed! Rosie Montague is a wonderful, witty, intelligent, and often hilarious character, and finds herself solving another mystery in this novel. I hope that Dodd writes more of these!

Rosie Montague, daughter of Romeo and Juliet (don't worry, how that's possible is explained right off the bat), is an outspoken, witty, and reluctant heiress navigating love, murder, and political intrigue in a glittering yet dangerous Verona. When a ghostly prince tasks her with solving his own murder in exchange for reuniting her with her true love, Rosie must untangle a web of secrets while dodging suitors, assassins, and revolution. A lighthearted murder mystery with a budding romance at its center, readers will be delighted by this second installment in the series. The audiobook narration truly adds a delightful layer of entertainment, perfectly capturing the voice of the intrepid Rosie.

Thanks to Kensington and Netgalley for this advance copy!

This series is premised on such an interesting twist (Romeo and Juliet live and had a LOT of kids, the eldest can solve mysteries!) that I had to take it up. The second book finds Rosaline dealing with the consequences of what happened in the first book and now there are ghosts! I liked how the author takes the premise and runs with it and Rosaline is a fun character. At times I feel like the focus on her virginity, while era appropriate, isn't as funny as perhaps the author wants it to be. I'm hopeful future books move on and let Rosaline get married and run circles around Verona.

This was such a great book! An awesome sequel to the first one, I might have even liked it better tbh 🤭 I loved that it was a completely different problem to solve than the first book, I was wondering how the story would continue but Christina did an awesome job of progressing the plot but also making it fresh. Definitely recommend!

If you enjoy irreverent, tongue in cheek Shakespearean retellings, this one is for you!

I liked the first book in this series, but I will say I think I enjoyed this one more. It had a better flow to it, was faster paced, and the plot felt less chaotic and more focused.

The dynamic between Rosie and Escalus is much better than her and Lysander - all they do is fawn and preen over each other. Rosie being haunted by a ghost who enlists her help to solve his murder was a fun touch, and ties into the overall plot,

Overall, this one is silly, but fun - and a quick read!

In the second book in the brilliant Daughter of Montague series, readers pick up with Rosie Montague right where things left off. Engaged to Prince Escalus of Verona, Rosie has no desire to marry him (and would prefer to marry the handsome Lysander), but she has no choice that would protect her and her family’s reputations. When she encounters the ghost of Prince Escalus the Elder, he tasks her with finding the person who killed him in exchange for ending the engagement and reuniting with Lysander. Tasked with solving this new mystery and braving the dangers of Verona’s political unrest and her mother’s pregnancy, Rosie has a large task ahead of her before revolution and her new enemy strike back. Entertaining, immersive, and fantastic, readers will love the latest book in this series and the new mystery that Rosie has to solve. The characters and setting are impeccably detailed and entertaining, and the depth of detail for the backstories and relationships really pull readers into the story. The characters’ relationships are central to their development and to the larger plot, and readers will love Rosie’s evolution as the book and the mystery unfold. Entertaining and detailed, this is a great new book perfect for readers who love retellings of the classics.

Thank you so much NetGalley for allowing me to read this e arc! I adore this series! Rosaline is a fantastic lead and I adore how she views everything. The fact that she is the literal daughter of Romeo and Juliette remains extremely charming. I love the banter all around and would love to see her relationship with Escalus grow further. Though this might be the end of series? I haven’t heard anything about a sequel but I could see the series continuing. My one complaint is while we know the culprit is a potential suspect there’s nothing put in place to make you suspect them until the reveal and while that does help the surprise I would have liked something (though maybe this is a me issue because thinking back on it there were links but I would say they’re extremely vague and only really make sense in hindsight so take that critique with digression)and the things like using modern phrases like TMI are a bit jarring and do take me out of the story a little. Ultimately this is just as charming as its predecessors and would recommend especially if you like your stories with a touch of Shakespeare.

I'm so glad I found this series; it's exactly the balm my soul needs with the world in an uproar. Rosie is a terrific protagonist, and her family is hilarious and filled with utterly delightful characters in their own rights. Her dynamic with Escalus is exactly my favorite kind of dynamic, and the addition of Elder in this sequel is both really fun AND a cheeky nod to Shakespearean lore. And that might be one of my favorite things about this series; it's so very much a love letter to Shakespeare and his creations, but also pokes loving fun at the tropes and conceits that are so familiar. What a fun read, and I can't wait to see what comes next for Rosie, Cal, and their families.

It is not often that I enjoy a sequel more than the first, but in this case, I did! I loved getting to know Rosie in the first book, to watch her fall instantly and madly in love, but this second book brought a bit more depth to her character and others while still maintaining the charming cozy medieval mystery vibe.

In this second book, we are introduced to a broader cast of characters including my favorites, Nonna Ursula and Escalus the Elder. These two characters not only bring in some comic relief, but they also play the roles of foils quite effectively, Elder to his much more serious son and Nonna to the sometimes dramatic and overly-romantic Montague parents. Nonna Ursula I came to love dearly in such a short time (kudos to you on that Christina Dodd) and I want more of her, all the time!

I enjoyed getting to see more of Romeo and Juliet in this book as well. Their storied romance is played out even more in this book, and we get to see their true, deep affection for each other in more than just amorous ways. This sequel also felt even more Shakespearean to me than the first with both specific and overarching allusions to Hamlet as well as Romeo and Juliet (and possibly other plays that I missed). These references were so well done in that they added a level of enjoyment without being necessary to understand. In other words, if you’ve never read a Shakespeare play, have no fear! You will still understand and love this book!

But my absolute favorite part of this book was watching the growing fondness of Rosie and Prince Escalus the Younger. While it is not a typical love story between them (the triangle with Lysander complicating matters) we get a first row seat in watching Rosie’s perception change as she gets to know the prince. Escalus (Cal) is the epitome of a grumpy MMC, and I loved getting to see glimpses into his true nature along with Rosie.

The hard part of reading a series is wanting everything resolved yet also wanting he anticipation of what comes next. I didn’t particularly love the manner in which the love triangle between Rosie, Cal, and Lysander worked out, but I trust that in the ensuing stories, all will be resolved in a satisfying way. The other struggle I had in this book is one often found when writing anything historical, and that is keeping to the true spirit of the time in which it was set without condoning unacceptable behavior of the time. I struggled with this a little in the tale of Escalus the Elder, but that is certainly a more a personal concern than objective.

Thus With a Kiss I Die was an engaging story that brought out intriguing (and lesser known) parts of history, solved a cold case, and told an almost love story with both humor and poetry. This is definitely a series I will continue to read!

This is the second book about Romeo & Juliet had they lived and had a big family in Verona. Super fun concept and great characters. Fun, clever and enjoyable read. I read and listened to the audiobook together.

Unexpected delight. Really enjoyed this story and couldn’t put it down. Read all night. Strongly recommend and will read the author again. Great characters and wonderful writing.

It's absolutely ridiculous and I loved it. Rosie and Cal are just so fun to read about. I crave watching their relationship grow. This was such a great follow-up to book 1. I loved every second of it and can't wait for book 3 to come out.

Thank you, NetGalley, Kensington Publishing and A John Scognamiglio Book for the e-ARC!

Paranormal romance expert Christina Dodd is back in Renaissance Verona with Rosaline Montague, one of several daughters of Romeo and Juliet. Yes, that Romeo and Juliet. In Dodd’s world, the couple survived and went on to create a prodigious family of mostly girls and one son. Rosie Montague isn’t fond of the idea of marriage and spends her time directing suitors towards her sisters, but her plan is foiled by young Prince Escalus (Cal), who distracts Rosie’s beau, 'Lysander My One True Love', and takes his place for a garden rendezvous, although it’s not Rosie’s fault she couldn’t tell the difference between Cal and her one true love in the dark. Her maidenly reputation now in tatters, Rosie is none too pleased that she has to marry Cal along with his family, which includes his extremely tetchy grandmother, Nonna Ursula.

Things take a turn for the better when Cal’s dead father, Escalus the Elder (Elder for short), appears to Rosie (think Hamlet here), and orders her to discover who killed him. In exchange, Rosie will be given her most ardent wish —'Lysander My One True Love'. Sounds like a good deal, but, as in many of Shakespeare’s comedies, things get quite complicated. Firstly, Rosie grows fond of Cal—he’s more amusing than melancholy and quite a nice chap; secondly, Ursula’s séance to ferret out the killer puts her in danger; Cal and his men are injured fighting the disciplinati; and someone’s after Rosie. Verona is a dangerous place, apparently!

Dodd’s romantic comedy lived up to my expectations for a prolific writer with a flair for characterisation and strategic wit, which is on display in spades. The banter is crisp and catchy, and Elder is much more fun than Hamlet’s father ever was. Highly recommended if you like a bit of romance served with a huge bowlful of irony.