A Daughter of Fair Verona (Daughter of Montague, #1) by Christina Dodd

Romeo and Juliet are alive and well, the parents of seven children. Rosaline (Rosie) being the eldest. Duke Stephano is set to marry her (not of her chosing) when she stumbles upon his dead body. It is not long before Rosie becomes the main suspect, although many would have reson to see him dead.

Vowing not to fall in love, happy with her "Spinsterhood" until she sets eyes on a young man to which she finds herself attracted to. Can it be love at first sight, something she doesn't belive in? Tension is in the air and soon Rosie finds herself in danger. She is determined to find a killer before more blood is shed.

The story moves at a fast pace told from Rosie's point of view. I found the writng brilliant as Rosie (at times) is speaking directly to the reader. Her thoughts are clearly made, making this compelling story more enjoyable.

Overall I found A Daughter of Fair Verona quite enjoyable. I highly recommend this fantastic Historical murder/mystery with a hint of humor, a dash of drama and splash of romance. A true five star read. ( )

IF Romeo and Juliet had lived, what would their firstborn daughter be like? Read this clever and witty book to find out! Their survival will be explained and you will enjoy a romp through fair Verona as their headstrong, virginal, unmarried at an “elderly” age (20!!!) daughter, Rosaline, avoids marriage to unsuitable prospects, is accused of murder, pursues an avocation as an alchemist, meets a true love, is trained in swordsmanship and is wooed by a prince.

Rosaline (Rosie) is a spunky, hot blooded, pragmatic, clever young woman with a biting wit. Just when she finds the love of her life, she is forcibly betrothed to an unlikable character who is murdered at their engagement party. Soon, a second character is poisoned and suspicion falls on Rosie. It is up to her and her intrepid, protective nurse to prove her innocence. Yes, it is historical, but it has a snappy, contemporary feel to it.

The book ends on a cliff hanger and there is already a sequel in the works. Do read the author’s notes at the end….where you can find the website for the recipe for the fruit and nut bread so loved by the prince and more information about the series.

Thanks to #NetGalley and @KensingtonBooks for the DRC. ( )

Christina Dodd's new tale, A Daughter of Fair Verona, is a page-turning murder mystery and slight love story. Focused on Rosaline Montague, shortened to Rosie throughout the story, is the eldest daughter of Romeo and Juliet, the iconic star-crossed lovers from the tale by William Shakespeare where the two characters were supposed to die at the end. Dodd asks the reader to imagine if the star-crossed lovers had lived because Friar Laurence had arrived in time to save them from their fate. The reader welcomes Dodd's suggestion and eagerly awaits what the lovers life and their children would be like had they survived.

As the reader might hope for, the couple's oldest child, Rosie, is not impetuous like her parents. she is not wooed by poetry like her parents, and she avoids being married off so unlike her parents. Still, Rosie is an endearing character, coming straight to her point when in conversation, mindful and protective of her six siblings, and conscientious about her parent's well-being. She is a loving and obedient daughter unlike her mother Juliet Capulet, who fell in love with the son, Romeo Montague, of her family's enemy.

Although, Rosie is a strong female character, her father and Prince Escalus prove to be strong patriarchs, which renews the reader's faith in traditional values. Dodd writes in first person from the viewpoint of Rosie throughout the story, so all observations are made by her. The reader only sees what Rosie does, only hears what Rosie does, and only knows what Rosie does. For the most part, the reader is unaware of what is happening outside of Rosie's sphere, which keeps the reader in the dark, only learning about the details about events as Rosie does.

Murders are occurring throughout Verona and they all seem to lead back to Rosie as the one with the motive. The unraveling of these mysterious deaths keeps the reader engulfed in the tale, always anticipating when Rosie will fall in love in the manner her parents did. Unexpectantly is Dodd ending the story with the reader wondering, will Rosie really marry Prince Escalus, will they ever find out who murdered Escalus's father, what is the curse that is plaguing Verona and causing so many murders in the city?

A Daughter of Fair Verona is the start of Dodd's series about the children of Romeo and Juliet and the city of Verona. This first installment is an entertaining story that readers will find easy to cozy up to in their leisure time, to wind them down and restore their belief in people who do good will prevail. ( )