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Review: A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA by Christina Dodd
- Sophia Rose
- Jul 3
- 5 min read
ABOUT THE BOOK
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—Romeo and Juliet’s daughter as a clever, rebellious, fiercely independent young woman in fair Verona—told from the delightfully engaging point of view of the captivating Rosie Montague herself…"A sharp, determined heroine, a clever historical mystery, sparkling wit, a unique setting, family drama, and a dash of romance.”– Amanda Quick, New York Times bestselling author of The Lady Has a Past 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.
OPENING LINES
My name is Rosie, Rosaline, if I’m in trouble, and I’m the daughter of Romeo and Juliet. Yes, that Romeo and Juliet.
No, they didn’t die in the tomb.
GUEST REVIEW by Sophia Rose
NY Times bestselling author Christina Dodd of suspense and Regency historical fiction now has written a merry romp in the world of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Tinkering with the tragic end of this famous pair of lovers, she launches the story of their daughter Rosaline. Christina Dodd’s books have long caught my notice, and I was jazzed to dive in with this blend of history, mystery, comedy, and whispers of romance.
A Daughter of Fair Verona delivers a strong wink to Shakespeare’s comedic style, but also unabashedly tramples on a few shibboleths—it doesn’t care about modernisms in Rosie’s thoughts and actions, bringing down the fourth wall to chat with ‘dear reader’, love at first sight, youthful tones, and playing fast and free with Shakespeare’s tale and characters. Staunch historical readers will appreciate this rollicking story more with the expectation and understanding that it doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Rosie is nearly twenty years old and, because she’s the practical one in the Montague household, has an inflated opinion of her intellect and experience. She thinks she’s immune to the, ahem, R-word, (romance) and has the shock of her life when she falls in love at first sight for gorgeous Lysander. She’s less enamored when she encounters Prince Escalus, who rubs her wrong with his serious personality and brooding—but is very competent at extracting her from trouble. She suspects his stares hide disapproval, since he always seems to find her in awkward situations. (How very Darcy and Elizabeth!)
The mystery is clever and cozy but often takes a back seat to Rosie’s life at home among charming parents, boisterous siblings, and the rest of a colorful cast of Verona inhabitants.
A good time was had, and I laughed out loud at the end, promising more mayhem and hijinks for the next in the series. Readers who want a fun and flirty historical cozy set in Shakespeare’s 15th-century Renaissance Italy should make their bow or curtsey to A Daughter of Fair Verona.
Look for Christina Boyd's review next week on book 2, Thus With a Kiss I Die.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Readers become writers, and Christina has always been a reader. Ultimately, she discovered she liked to read romance best because the relationship between a man and a woman is always humorous. A woman wants world peace, a clean house, and a deep and meaningful relationship based on mutual understanding and love. A man wants a Craftsman router, undisputed control of the TV remote, and a red Corvette, which will make his bald spot disappear. When Christina’s first daughter was born, she told her husband she was going to write a book. It was a good time to start a new career, because how much trouble could one little infant be? Ha! It took ten years, two children, and three completed manuscripts before she was published. Now her suspense, paranormal, historical, and mystery novels have been translated into 30 languages and sold more than 15 million copies in print. Praised for her “brilliantly etched characters, polished writing, and unexpected flashes of sharp humor that are pure Dodd” (Booklist), her award-winning books have landed on numerous Best of the Year lists and, much to her mother's delight, Dodd was once a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle. She lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest, where her 700 lavender plants share the yard with her husband’s various “Big Projects,” including a treehouse, zipline, and their very own Stonehenge. Enter Christina’s worlds and join her mailing list for humor, book news, and entertainment (yes, she’s the proud author with the infamous three-armed cover) at christinadodd.com.
ABOUT THE GUEST REVIEWER, Sophia Rose
Sophia is a quiet, curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, piano-playing, and gardening. Road trips and campouts, museums and monuments, restaurants, and theaters are her jam. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and a loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, baseball, cats, Scooby Doo, and chocolate.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing. In 2012, she submitted her first book review and is currently an associate reviewer. Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener, which allows her to experience many wonderful books, authors, and narrators. Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction, particularly history, mystery, scifi, and romance. Sorry, no horror...or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby. Connect with Sophia via FACEBOOK GOODREADS TWITTER
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