A Daughter of Fair Verona

Bridgerton meets Murder Mystery

Josi am 18.05.2024
Bewertungsnummer: 2203926
Bewertet: eBook (ePUB)

3.5 ⭐️ What if Romeo & Juliet survived, lived happily ever after, had a ton of kids and their eldest daughter is a smart, witty and interesting young woman that has to casually solve a murder mystery while also trying to find a husband? Excuse me, that was such a fun concept for a book and combined so many elements that I love in a story! I would describe this book as "Bridgerton meets Belladonna" with the charme of a historical story and the fast paced thrill of a murder mystery. I loved our main character Rosie and how she tried to find her own place in the world while simultaneously being the daughter of THE blueprint of a couple for over the top romance and dramatic love confessions, which can be as exhausting as it sounds. Despite her parents being a little dramatic at times (what else could you really expect from Romeo & Juliet?), the family dynamics overall where really wholesome and made me smile quite a few times. The murder mystery also kept me invested, even though it might have been a bit predictable at times and the "big reveal" fell a little bit flat for me personally. I was also sometimes confused by the language used in the book as i felt like it was switching up between the language they would have used back in their day and the language we use today. It felt a bit inconsistent at times and threw me off at some points. I won't be getting into too much detail about the love interest(s), because of spoilers but let's say this: The obvious choice is not always the best, my sweet summer child. Overall I can definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a fun historical book with great characters, a solid murder mystery and a sprinkle of romance!

What happened next with a side of ribbing the original

Verena aus Attendorn am 25.06.2024
Bewertungsnummer: 2230535
Bewertet: Buch (Gebundene Ausgabe)

In "A Daughter of fair Verona" we follow Rosaline, the daughter of Romeo and Juliet. Yes, the Romeo and Juliet, who are still nauseatingly in love and parents to seven children. Rosie is the eldest and not romantically inclined at all. She has been betrothed several times but managed to matchmake every intended to someone else yet . Until now. Now, she is betrothed to be the FOURTH WIFE of Duke Stephano. All of whose previous wives have met their end by poison. She has no plans to marry the duke, thank you very much, but before she can do anything about it, Duke Stephano turns up murdered at their engagement party... This book was so much fun! It is very tongue in cheek and makes fun of the unbelievable actions and "romance" in "Romeo and Juliet" . Rosie is a very pragmatic and rational heroine, whose main goal in life is to keep her family safe. So, when she is accused to have killed the Duke and more people she knows turn up dead, she (and the original nursemaid from the play) start to investigate. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the story very much and wouldn't have guessed the culprit at all! Seeing Romeo and Juliet as grown ups was fun and I liked their kind and compassionate character. I especially loved Romeos relationships with his children / daughters. The language used in the book is reminiscent of Shakespeare's original work when the original characters are talking. Rosie's inner thoughts are much more modern. This didn't bother me, but I can imagine that some people may dislike it. This was a 5 star read for me up until the last 2-3 chapters. For one, I think Rosie's actions regarding her "true love" don't really match her thoughts towards love up until this point. For another, I was of the impression that this is a standalone (and that further books will focus on the other children), but this book ends with a cliffhanger! I'm so frustrated! I want to know what happens next. I listened to the audio version narrated by Suzy Jackson. Her voice fit Rosaline very well and her diction made it easy to understand the "old timey" language.