Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thus With A Kiss I Die by Christina Dodd Series: Daughter of Montague #2
Published by Kensington Books on June 24, 2025
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 350
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley
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“Woe, for I am the bug that meets the windshield's might,
No longer the speeding glass, smooth, clean and bright . . .”You’re right. I, Rosie Montague of Verona, am lousy at iambic pentameter and Shakespeare speak, but you get the Sometimes you’re the windshield and sometimes you’re the bug. I, who for my whole life, have cruised along, unruffled by life’s trials, am suddenly smashed flat and speeding recklessly up the WhattheHellHappened Highway.
Why? you ask . . .
I’m 20-years-old and by my own design, never been wed, free as no married woman ever is. I’m beautiful, but without conceit, for Juliet, my legendary Mamma is the most gorgeous creature to ever walk the earth. Just ask Romeo, my legendary Papà. (Rumors of their deaths were premature.) I was heartwhole until I fell (literally) in love with Lysander of the House of Beautiful. But our love was not to be, for I was thwarted by Escalus, the Prince of Verona . . . who had designs on me.
I’m trapped.
Then! I’m presented with a solution. Escalus’s father, Prince Escalus the Elder, appears to me. He tasks that I find his killer. Did I mention Elder is a ghost?
Given that I only recently dispatched Verona’s first serial killer, I’m less than pleased. Yet Elder promises to unite me with my One True Love, so I gather clues. Meanwhile, revolution threatens, for beneath Verona society’s glittering surface lurk dark shadows—and an enemy eager to make me a tragic heroine in my own right . . .
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.
About Christina Dodd
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. Christina is married to a man with all his hair and no Corvette, but many Craftsman tools.
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 fifty-nine New York Times and USA Today bestselling novels — paranormals, historicals, and suspense — have been translated into twenty-five languages, recorded on Books on Tape for the Blind, been called, “Books To Read If You Love Nora Roberts!”by Bookbub and the year’s best by Amazon and Library Journal.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing.Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators.Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance.Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
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Oh, this sounds intriguing. I don’t recall your review of the first book but based on this one, I think I’d really enjoy it. Thanks!
LOL, I try to review a series all at the same blog, but in this case, Christina had book two and I had book one so I agreed to do the novella #1.5 and #2 here with Anne’s blog and book #1 at hers. Definitely a fun series. Each book has a hint of a Shakespeare play theme about it. This one was Hamlet if Hamlet were a comedy. 😉
I can’t imagine being ruined because of a kiss and having to marry someone you don’t love. The ghost part sounds fun.
LOL, yeah, it was a big deal back in the day. Actually, the kiss was fine so long as she planned to marry the guy (or didn’t get caught). However, she planned to get kissed by her ‘one true love’ and pretend that he compromised her to force both their parents to let them marry. Then, it backfired on her when the guy in the dark wasn’t her ‘one true love’ she laid a kiss on and all the people she planned to witness it saw that instead. 😉
This sounds like a fun series! I like that it’s a retelling of Romeo and Juliet with a happier ending. Always hated that ending!
Same here! This is fun seeing them as parents of a brood of kids and still fabulously in love. 🙂
I really enjoy this author but haven’t read this one or the first one. I love the premise of this and will definitely have to try it.
And, you remind me that I really need to try some of her other stuff since I loved these so much. 🙂
Wow!!! I’m super intrigued by this one! 😀 Good find.
Yes! This series is so much fun. You definitely want to jump on it, Carole.
Beautiful cover! I feel like this is an author I keep saying I need to read. Great review!
I really like the series cover art, too. LOL, yes, I have said that a time or two, as well.