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Thank you UpLitReads and Kensington Books for my advance copies, including via NetGalley. My thoughts are my own.

Rosie Montague of Verona--daughter of the epic lovers Romeo and Juliet--is stuck. She recently not only dispatched a serial killer in Verona AND found her One True Love, and now she's finally ready to commit to a love like her parents'. Unfortunately her clever maneuvering has only landed her in the romantic trap set by Prince Escalus, and she's betrothed but to the wrong man. But when the ghost of Prince Escalus' father (Prince Escalus the Elder) starts appearing only to her, she works out a deal: If she can solve his murder, Elder will help her get out of this betrothal. But digging up the past, especially in the volatile environment of Verona, may end up being more deadly than anyone expected.

I need more Rosie and Cal!!! And Rosie's family! This is such a great series, and I'm now going back to read the novella set between this book and the first one. (By the way, if it's been a minute since you read A Daughter of Fair Verona, this book starts out with an excellent recap!) There are so many things that I love about this series and this latest installation in particular: I got sucked in to the story immediately, and it was very easy reading. And witty. And entertaining. And funny. It has such a unique combination of semi-Shakespearean prose and dialogue interspersed with modern expressions. Rosie regularly breaks the fourth wall to connect with the reader. And there was So. Much. Action. There was so much going on that I was afraid everything wouldn't be pulled together by the end--but it totally was! And the slow burn? Fantastic! In a realistic way, too. Cal is taking his time to slowly get Rosie to see him as a life partner, and I'm absolutely here for it!

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This story completely caught me by surprise and I loved it!

Thus With A Kiss I Die offers a delightful story of Rosie Montague, Romeo and Juliet’s daughter, as she follows in her parents’ footsteps of wanting to find her true love. However, Rosie is a strong and independent force who knows how to fully utilize the cultural politeness expected of women, and so well portrayed by her mother, while being highly skilled in self defense and weaponry use like her father.

After Rosie is betrothed to Prince Escalus, much against her will, she has a unique encounter while visiting her new fiancé at the castle. It is this encounter that provides her with hope that she can still find a way to marry her true love, Lysander. However, it will not be an easy feat as she will be making a deal with the ghost of Prince Escalus’ father. As she works to find his killer, she learns much about herself, Prince Escalus, and the people of fair Verona.

The Shakespearean elements are perfectly placed and executed throughout this wonderfully told story! The characters are well developed, there is humor, and readers get to catch up with how Romeo and Juliet are doing since that fateful night. It’s a true 5-star combination!
Any fan of Shakespeare will love Thus With A Kiss I Die!

Thank you so much UpLit Reads, Christina Dodd, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Thus With A Kiss I Die!

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Rosie Montague is back and solving another murder in fair Verona.
This time the spunky 20 year old strikes up a deal with the father of The Prince of Verona who she is suppose to marry, to find his murderer, oh yeah the father just happens to be a ghost, but he promises to reunite her with her one true love Lysander .
This book, just like the first one is so much fun. Rosie, however gutsy, seems to be unable to keep away from trouble and gets herself in some instances that will have you laughing.
Thus Thus With A Kiss I Die by
@christinadoddbooks is a delightful romp through medieval Italy with a touch of murder and romance. It even has me, a non series reader, already wanting book 3!!

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Rosie Montague is the oldest daughter of Romeo and Juliet, and she is now to wed the Prince Escalus. I really want to marry Lysander, but alas that's not going to happen. When visiting the palace for dinner with my family and Prince Escalus I find that I can see and talk to his dead father. The older Prince wants me to find his killer and he will see I wed the man of my dreams.
As a work to uncover the murder of the elder prince there is things happen in town that should not be happening. It seems someone wants to kill the Princes grandmother and also me.
Wonderful story of Rosie and her family in the continuing story of the family. Will Rosie unmask the killer and continue with her engagement to Prince Escalus?

Story is full of humor, romance and danger.

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Fantastic second book!!
There is a lot of action which made my eyes skate across the pages as I inhaled the words as quickly as I could.
The siblings see their usual circus and Romeo amd Juliet still simper at each other. I really liked the scene between the two old ladies because it was hilarious.
Rosie’s sidebar conversations with Elder the ghost were also funny.
The two men vying for Rosie each save her in swoon worthy scenes.
However I both scowled and pouted as I read each chapter until I finally howled in fury. No, I do not accept the choice that was made!!!!

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*I received this book (via eARC from NetGalley) for free from the publisher (Kensington Publishing) in exchange for an honest review*
Christina Dodd delivers another gripping and romantic installment in her series with Thus with a Kiss I Die. While I didn’t find it quite as captivating as the first book, I still thoroughly enjoyed the story and found myself invested in the characters and the unfolding mystery. Dodd has a gift for weaving suspense and romance together, and this book is no exception. The emotional tension, sharp dialogue, and atmospheric settings kept me turning pages, eager to see what would happen next. I especially appreciated how the plot deepened the overarching story and revealed more about the world and characters introduced earlier. If you’ve read the first book, this is definitely worth continuing with. It may not have topped book one for me, but it still delivered enough heart, intrigue, and drama to keep me hooked—and I’ll absolutely be reading the next one.

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The premise is this: Romeo and Juliet (yes, that Romeo and Juliet) didn't die. They lived, stayed passionately in love, had a whole bunch of kids, and became prominent citizens of Verona. But, this is not actually their story. It's the second story about their daughter Rosie. As in Rosaline, the woman Romeo dumps for Juliet.....

Rosie has a problem. Despite being the most level-headed of her siblings, and managing her parents' household, and pawning off her suitors onto her older sisters, AND solving a murder, she has somehow been hoodwinked by a prince, and finds herself engaged to him. And not to her own true love, who she thought she was canoodling with at the end of the last book.....

Christina Dodd has produced a sequel that I think is stronger than the original. We get lots more Rosie here, and lots more sense of all the things she is navigating as a woman of her time. There's the sexism, the misogyny, the horrendous gossip....and the fact that the ghost of her betrothed's father has begun talking to her, sparking rumours about her mental health. There's another murder to solve, and that may turn into more....

This is a great romp with some serious issues underpinning the fun. Rosie is a terrific character, and she is supported by her siblings, her nurse, and her soon to be grandmother-in-law. The one true love is still around, and I genuinely grew to like him in this episode of their adventures. And then there's the sometimes brooding, sometimes charming prince, who will grow on you.

Again, this is a great book to pair up with the original Romeo and Juliet, as well as many modern takes on the story. The romance is more charming than steamy, so you could give this to Grade 7 and up. Solid 4.5 stars.

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What a wonderful continuation of this series! Rosie is back and sassier than ever. Newly engaged, she and Cal work together to figure out who murdered his father. What Cal doesn't know at first is that Rosie also has the help of the deceased...or at least his ghost. He provides delightful banter and mysterious clues along the way. This book made me laugh even more than the first. I love this cast of characters, with Rosie at the forefront. I also fell more in love with Cal and his quiet, good ways. The chemistry between these two was great. There are moments of hilarity alongside dangerous escapades. Both kept the pages turning. The mystery kept me guessing right up until the characters solved it themselves.

I enjoyed every second of this delightful story and cannot wait for the next. Fans of Finlay Donovan may find that they love this one with its subtle love triangle, a solid mystery, laughs galore, and a strong, sassy heroine who finds herself where she shouldn't. It all added up to a delightfully fun time.

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Delightful RomCom sequel that’s part romance and part mystery and 100% fun. I absolutely love the quirky and witty banter, the iambic pentameter…what’s not to love. If Shakespeare was this fun I probably would’ve read more of his works.

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Fans of spunky heroines and clever takes on classic tales won't want to miss this latest historical mystery set in a reimagined world of Romeo and Juliet's Verona and stars their eldest daughter, Rosie Montague who finds herself forcibly engaged to a man other than the one she wanted after getting caught in a compromising position.

Part cozy mystery with ghosts included, part romance, part family drama, this book has a little of everything but first and foremost a clever protagonist, lots of witty dialogue and a fast-paced, adventurous plot. I enjoyed it from start to finish and look forward to more in this series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy and the publisher for a gifted finished copy in exchange for participating in the Uplit books promo campaign. Highly recommended for fans of books like the Claudia Gray's Mr Darcy and Miss Tilney mysteries.

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This is the sequel to The Daughter of Fair Verona, and it centers on Rosie, the daughter of Romeo and Juliet, along with Escalus, known as Cal, the Prince of Verona. They are determined to unravel the murder mystery of Escalus the Elder while fiercely protecting her family from the imminent danger that looms over them.

Rosie is just as sharp-witted as she was in the first book. I love her quirky personality, and she is loyal to the people around her. I admire her protectiveness toward her family and Cal’s family. Although she is engaged to Cal, he is not her one true love. I enjoyed reading their witty banter.

This time, the mystery is even more thrilling, and the adventure of solving it is incredibly entertaining! The supernatural twist adds an extra layer of excitement, making this book an absolute fun read!

I love the book’s setting. I appreciate the relationship growth between Rosie and Cal, as they embraced each other.

This was a fast-paced read. This book was packed with mystery, thrill, action, suspense, romance and lots of funny moments.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book.

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First. I didn’t realize this was a 2nd in a series, but that didn’t matter (too much!) I was able to keep up and catch on with any missed details.

This reminded me of a more grown up enola holmes/ lady Jane’s series - I loved it! Silly, fun, but an actual plot. Highly enjoyed it and I’ll be reading the first next- and look forward to the third!

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Cute and irreverent slow burn. It wasn’t quite as interesting book one and the mystery felt a bit messy. Overall it’s fun and I’m sure I’ll pick up the next book.

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“Even a woman as savvy as me can get her tit caught in the wringer of true love.”

In the second installment of the Daughter of Montague series, we find Rosie betrothed to Prince Escalus and tasked (by his father’s ghost) to hunt down his father’s killer. It’s bonkers. It’s hilarious. It’s the literary equivalent of the Y2K medieval aesthetic of the early 2000s and I mean that as the highest praise. The dynamic between Rosie and Cal continues to develop as the sweetest of slow burns, and I can’t wait to see how Rosie pretends to be oblivious to her love for Cal next.

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After waiting for months to read the sequel to a Daughter of Fair Verona, I’m delighted by how worth the wait was.
The stakes feel higher, the mystery we get this time has a more dangerous feel to it, the humour hit exactly how I expected it to and the setting is fresh and fun.
The series remains a light and witty page turner, the characters are vibrant and fun, and you see development in a few of them in the sequel that I enjoyed quite a bit. The mystery in Thus with a Kiss also intrigued me more than the mystery in the first book, which I didn’t think it would as I was quite sceptical to the supernatural element of introducing a ghost character - but it was still just a fun and fresh read.
The only downside I found with the story, is how long we’ll now have to wait for the third book.

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Thanks to NetGalley and Christina Dodd!
I'm not going to lie, I thought it was an isolated case, that this one didn't have a prequel. But now that I've found out, I'm going to read the first book.

I loved Rosie, but Cal? Every time Rosie talked about Lysander, I yelled at the book: "CAL IS THERE! GO FOR HIM!"
This doesn't mean I didn't like Lysander, not at all. I just felt that Cal was something different, that he looked at her differently, and that he had a different kind of love to offer her.

I wish Prince Escalus the Elder had appeared more; he was hilarious. And his mother? I loved her more. She's the classic old lady who goes unpunished; she can say whatever she wants and doesn't care about the rest. The reunion with her old friend? Amazing.

A very good book, it was fun and romantic. I would have liked a bit more romance, but beyond that, the conflict and its resolution were very well described.

Running to read the first book!

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After the events of A Daughter of Fair Verona Rosie (Rosalind Montague) was hoping for some quite time to figure out how to deal with her unwanted surprise betrothal to Prince Escalus- or even better, figure out how to get out of the betrothal. Then Escalus's father gives her the perfect solution: figure out who murdered him (yes, he's a ghost) and he'll help her out. That promise along with the fact that she can't back down from a challenge and Rosie's in. After all, how dangerous can investigating a 20 year old murder be?

Christina Dodd takes us back to Verona, where Romeo and Juliet didn't die but had a large family instead. Rosie claims to be the sensible one, but she's also headstrong and enjoys a challenge to prove she's as capable as any man. When murderers are about, some caution might be a good idea. In this book she shows some signs of growth into the role she'll inhabit as princess of Verone, and it will definitely be fun continuing to watch her drag the prince's household into her way of thinking. The signs are already clear in a few fun scenes (like when Rosie finally takes over the prince's kitchens) and she meets Escalus's grandmother, who looks like she'll be an enthusiastic participant.

The scenes with Rosie and Escalus are a lot of fun, the two have good chemistry even if Rosie doesn't quite recognize that's what it is, and when Cal (as she starts calling him) gets off his dignity the two work really well together. Elder's ghost didn't contribute much to help solve the mystery but he is good comic relief.

The writing is mostly modern with some very comic one-liners: you should find yourself having some laugh out loud moments!

An excellent sequel to A Daughter of Fair Verona, I think I enjoyed it even more. A fun and fast summer read that will keep you entertained!

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Brava! Encore! Encore!

An unsolved murder, political intrigue, high action, mouthy women, reluctant attraction and lots and lots of humor - this genre-defying historical rom-com suspense has it all. I can usually point to specific highlight but I just loved it all. Rosie’s voice shines, the mystery has plenty of twists and the push and pull of Cal and Rosie’s relationship is spot on. Expect high demand. Highly recommended.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

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I’d highly recommend this read for anyone looking for a joyful, layered, and unexpectedly addictive story.

The Daughter of Montague series has quickly become a favourite of mine. Christina Dodd’s writing is full of warmth, energy, and personality. The prose is playful and theatrical, with a clever Shakespearean flair and a blend of old and modern language, making it easily readable. I loved the many Easter for Shakespeare fans and the way Rosie breaks the fourth wall, adding whimsy and cheeky charm. Dodd strikes the perfect balance of family bonds, personal loyalties, and romantic tension, with a central mystery that keeps things moving.

The romance is an almost secondary thread to the story and feels like the antithesis of Romeo and Juliet’s - not tragic, but defiant and full of fire. Rosie is all gumption and honesty while Cal shows vulnerability and determined leadership - I love their tension and wit. There’s a large cast of characters, but they’re so well fleshed out that it creates a lively and layered community, giving the story a cosy feel.

I enjoyed this as both an ebook and audiobook. I relished in exploring the various threads and details in the ebook. The audiobook was high in production value, and the narration was animated, witty and well paced. I’d recommend both formats.

Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

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This series is a hoot! Funny, irreverent, romantic and with Rosie as a gutsy heroine who keeps stumbling into murder. Great escape with a look at medieval times as its' setting. Rosie is really up against a tough murder this time and has gotten herself into quite a situation with her machinations. She shows some real growth and maturity and, in the end, make the right decisions after surviving a near death experience.

Rosie Montague tries to manipulate the situation to end up with her One Ture Love, Lysander. Alas, that backfired. Big. Time.

Now, Rosie finds herself betrothed to Escalus, the Prince of Verona. To make matters worse, she can now see the ghost of Escalus's father, Escalus the Elder. Elder wants Rosie to find his murderer. A murder that happened eleven years ago. Not asking much, right?

My thanks to the Publisher and the Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

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