Review - - Thus With A Kiss I Die

Thus With A Kiss I Die

by Christina Dodd

Daughter of Montague - Book 2

Publisher: Kensington: A John Scognamiglio Book

Release Date: June 24, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

“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 point: 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 . . .

PJ's Thoughts:

I highlighted so many brilliantly witty and downright hilarious passages in this book it would be easier to tell you what I didn't highlight than what I did. Remember this paragraph from my review of book one, A Daughter of Fair Verona?

Five minutes into the book, I was already snort-laughing while reading passages out loud to my sister-in-law. On almost every page, I would call out, "OMG! You have to hear this!" then read a sentence, or a paragraph, or the whole darn page to her. She left after about the tenth time I did this because (a) she wants to enjoy the book in its entirety once it's published and (b) at the rate I was going I would have read the entire book out loud because it's just that good and she had things to do. 

I did the exact same thing with book two. Warning: Do not read this book while eating. Or drinking. 

This newest installment in Dodd's Daughter of Montague (yes, that Montague) series follows the continuing journey of irrepressible, irreverent, amateur sleuth, Rosie Montague, her big, loving, madcap family, another murder to solve, and her unexpected romantic dilemma. When you're being pursued by both the Prince of Verona and the impossibly handsome Lysander (her One True Love...or is he?) and everyone has an opinion, including your heavily pregnant and hormonal mother (Juliet), overprotective father (Romeo), meddlesome family nurse (aren't they always?), all of your younger siblings (so many opinions), and (never forget) a pesky ghost with a whole lot at stake, hijinks, hilarity, danger, and a bit of romance are sure to follow, especially when placed in the uber-talented hands of Christina Dodd. She can have me gasping one second and laughing out loud the next. 

This one's a keeper. Along with book one, A Daughter of Fair Verona (I highly recommend reading them in order-read my review here), Thus with a Kiss I Die is the perfect summer book to bring warmth, laughter, a twisty mystery, a bit of romance (who will she choose?) and a bright burst of sunshine into your life. I read it in one day then turned around and read it again. Already counting down the days until the 2026(?) release of book three!

Review - - A Daughter of Fair Verona

A Daughter of Fair Verona

by Christina Dodd

Daughter of Montague - Book 1

Publisher: Kensington (John Scognamiglio Books)

Release Date: June 25, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

I’m the eldest daughter of Romeo and Juliet. Yes, that Romeo and Juliet. No, they didn’t die in the tomb. They’re alive and well and living in fair Verona with their six wildly impetuous children and me, their nineteen-year-old daughter Rosaline…

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.

PJ's Thoughts:

Ever wonder what might have happened if Romeo and Juliet had lived? If they were deeply in love and still creating drama seven children later, much to the everlasting embarrassment of their oldest, the happily single and never been in love, Rosaline "Rosie" Montague? Christina Dodd has and the result of those thoughts is A Daughter of Fair Verona, a whip-smart, witty, hilarious novel that should be on everyone's must-read list this summer. 

Five minutes into the book, I was already snort-laughing while reading passages out loud to my sister-in-law. On almost every page, I would call out, "OMG! You have to hear this!" then read a sentence, or a paragraph, or the whole darn page to her. She left after about the tenth time I did this because (a) she wants to enjoy the book in its entirety once it's published and (b) at the rate I was going I would have read the entire book out loud because it's just that good and she had things to do. 

From the character development, to the sarcastic humor, to the tightly-crafted mystery, to the time and place, to budding romance, snappy banter, and - whoa - unexpected twists, every single word in this book is perfection. Dodd transported me back to 14th century Verona with a modern-feeling yet true to the time, alternate version of the events surrounding Shakespeare's ill-fated lovers, Romeo and Juliet. She immersed me fully into their family, into the events within Verona, the challenges, the political machinations, and the romantic fate that may (or may not) be awaiting Rosie when her efforts to outwit her matchmaking parents seem to hit a brick wall. I was so invested in these characters. They had me laughing uproariously one minute and holding my breath the next. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough while also wanting to slow down and savor every perfectly placed word in the book. So. Much. Fun. 

Fair warning before you begin this book. I read the entire thing in one day. Bathroom breaks? My Kindle came with me. Meals? I need to lose weight anyway. Sleep? Pfft. Who needs sleep? All I needed was this book. It's genius. Pure genius. 

I haven't heard yet when the second book in this series is set to publish (sometime in 2025) but based on how A Daughter of Fair Verona ends, let's just say when book two finally arrives, it's going to be one very long night for this reader. I can't wait to discover what Dodd has in store for Rosie - and the rest of the Montagues - next!

Review - - Every Single Secret

Every Single Secret

by Christina Dodd

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Release Date: March 5, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

Never whisper the truth. Never reveal the past.

In an isolated lighthouse on the California coast, Rowan Winterbourne lives a solitary life with only her secrets for company. For she has a mission that drives her—to avenge herself against Gregory Torval, the powerful drug and arms dealer who murdered her mother and vowed to eliminate everyone in her family.

Then Joe Grantham arrives at her door and, for the first time, Rowan lets her guard down—a dangerous mistake when he blackmails her to go with him to Torval's private island. There Torval’s decadent birthday celebration rages, and while Joe pursues his own agenda, she’ll provide the perfect distraction.

On Raptor Island, Torval’s will is law and Joe, the closest she has to an ally, is an enigma she can’t trust. One false move, one careless word, and Rowan will die. As dark truths are uncovered, one by one, Rowan recognizes her last chance for the revenge has come. But is it worth everything she must sacrifice to get out alive?

PJ's Thoughts:

Christina Dodd is a master of the plot twist and Every Single Secret is littered with them, beginning with a doozy in Chapter One. It sets the tone for this suspense thriller that had me on the edge of my seat for the entire book. Who to trust? Who not to trust? What's the truth? What's not? And when the truths begin to surface? Yikes! How could things get any crazier than this? Well, this is Christina Dodd and her creative imagination is off the charts. There's still more to come, right up until the very end which, for me, came around 3:15 AM. I challenge you to put this book down before you finish because, for me, that was just not going to happen.

Rowan and Joe are multi-faceted characters who drew me in with their secrets and their hidden layers. Both are well developed, intriguing, and practically begged me to be in their corner. But can they be trusted? They're the primary focus of this book but by no means the only characters with significant roles. Dodd surrounds them with a secondary cast that is anything but wallpaper, giving depth and texture to several secondary characters who generate doubt, conflict, danger, poignant emotion, unlikely support, and offbeat humor. Even in the most dire of circumstances, Dodd has the ability to sneak in her quirky humor...which I love. 

Every Single Secret is going to my Dodd keeper shelf (yes, she has enough keepers to warrant her own shelf) where I'll no doubt revisit it when I'm in the mood for twisty suspense, wry wit, and characters who pull me in and refuse to let go. If that's your jam, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Every Single Secret. 

Now in Mass Market Paperback - - Forget What You Know

If you missed this pulse-pounding thriller in hard cover, it's now available in Mass Market Paperback and on sale (today-not sure for how long) for only $2.99 in e-book. I couldn't put it down! ~PJ

Forget What You Know

by Christina Dodd

Publisher: HQN

Release Date: March 7, 2023

Reviewed by PJ (March 6, 2023)

A submerged car is pulled from the bottom of the lake, and in an interesting twist, the driver has been shot in the back of the head. No other bodies are found; only the legendary Dragon's Heart remains inside, and as it rises to the surface, greedy collectors from around the world gather. They'll stop at nothing to gain possession of the priceless artifact, and only flower-breeder Zoey Phoenix, the unknowing heir, stands in their way.

Zoey remembers nothing about her early childhood; her mother's desire to leave those years behind never worried her...until she's almost killed in a hit and run and, days later, her mother disappears. Now Zoey fears her family secrets won't stay buried long.  She has no idea who almost killed her or why, but she's determined to unravel the dangerous truths of her past—before they claim her future.

Forget what you know...yet the past remembers.

PJ's Thoughts:

Well, she's done it again, crafted an intensely compelling thriller that kept me reading into the wee hours of the night. With intriguing characters, edge-of-the-seat suspense, impeccably placed humor, emotional depth, and more twists than a two-lane mountain road, there was no way I was going to be able to put this one down until I turned the final page. 

I'm pretty good at figuring out mysteries but Dodd is a master of the surprise twist, a skill she continues to fine tune with each book she writes. Just when I think I've figured things out she throws in a "wow, I didn't see that coming" and sends me off in an entirely new direction. This book is littered with those moments, adding new dimensions to the story and keeping me on my toes from beginning to end.

Another area where Dodd excels is in developing characters and character relationships. In Forget What You Know, we have parent-child relationships, friendships, marriages, second-chance romances, and more with each relationship being given the care and attention it deserves. 

As for the individual characters, each of them, whether primary or secondary, is well developed and integral to the story. Some of them touched my heart, others had me shivering and looking over my shoulder, while more still left me laughing out loud. That's another skill this author uses with great effectiveness: humor. Her sly wit frequently catches me off guard, taking me from breath-stealing intensity to snort laughing in a heartbeat. Keep an eye out for Zoey's former mother-in-law in this book. She's the purveyor of some of the best lines and, frankly, steals just about every scene she's in. 

When a book keeps you glued to the pages until you finally reach the conclusion around 3:00 AM and then all you want to do is go back to the beginning and start all over again, that's a must-read novel. I can't wait to discover what Dodd has in store for readers next. 

If you enjoy twisty suspense, action, heart-tugging romance, quirky characters, and unexpected laughter, add this book to your reading list. Forget What You Know, the newest suspense thriller by Christina Dodd has my highest recommendation. 

Review - - Forget What You Know

Forget What You Know

by Christina Dodd

Publisher: HQN

Release Date: March 7, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

A submerged car is pulled from the bottom of the lake, and in an interesting twist, the driver has been shot in the back of the head. No other bodies are found; only the legendary Dragon's Heart remains inside, and as it rises to the surface, greedy collectors from around the world gather. They'll stop at nothing to gain possession of the priceless artifact, and only flower-breeder Zoey Phoenix, the unknowing heir, stands in their way.

Zoey remembers nothing about her early childhood; her mother's desire to leave those years behind never worried her...until she's almost killed in a hit and run and, days later, her mother disappears. Now Zoey fears her family secrets won't stay buried long.  She has no idea who almost killed her or why, but she's determined to unravel the dangerous truths of her past—before they claim her future.

Forget what you know...yet the past remembers.

PJ's Thoughts:

Well, she's done it again, crafted an intensely compelling thriller that kept me reading into the wee hours of the night. With intriguing characters, edge-of-the-seat suspense, impeccably placed humor, emotional depth, and more twists than a two-lane mountain road, there was no way I was going to be able to put this one down until I turned the final page. 

I'm pretty good at figuring out mysteries but Dodd is a master of the surprise twist, a skill she continues to fine tune with each book she writes. Just when I think I've figured things out she throws in a "wow, I didn't see that coming" and sends me off in an entirely new direction. This book is littered with those moments, adding new dimensions to the story and keeping me on my toes from beginning to end.

Another area where Dodd excels is in developing characters and character relationships. In Forget What You Know, we have parent-child relationships, friendships, marriages, second-chance romances, and more with each relationship being given the care and attention it deserves. 

As for the individual characters, each of them, whether primary or secondary, is well developed and integral to the story. Some of them touched my heart, others had me shivering and looking over my shoulder, while more still left me laughing out loud. That's another skill this author uses with great effectiveness: humor. Her sly wit frequently catches me off guard, taking me from breath-stealing intensity to snort laughing in a heartbeat. Keep an eye out for Zoey's former mother-in-law in this book. She's the purveyor of some of the best lines and, frankly, steals just about every scene she's in. 

When a book keeps you glued to the pages until you finally reach the conclusion around 3:00 AM and then all you want to do is go back to the beginning and start all over again, that's a must-read novel. I can't wait to discover what Dodd has in store for readers next. 

If you enjoy twisty suspense, action, heart-tugging romance, quirky characters, and unexpected laughter, add this book to your reading list. Forget What You Know, the newest suspense thriller by Christina Dodd has my highest recommendation. 

Tour Review - - Point Last Seen

Point Last Seen

by Christina Dodd

Publisher: HQN

Release Date: July 26, 2022

Reviewed by PJ

LIFE LAST SEEN

When you’ve already died, there should be nothing left to fear… When Adam Ramsdell pulls Elle’s half-frozen body from the surf on a lonely California beach, she has no memory of what her full name is and how she got those bruises ringing her throat.

GIRL LAST SEEN

Elle finds refuge in Adam’s home on the edge of Gothic, a remote village located between the steep lonely mountains and the raging Pacific Ocean. As flashes of her memory return, Elle faces a terrible truth—buried in her mind lurks a secret so dark it could get her killed.

POINT LAST SEEN

Everyone in Gothic seems to hide a dark past. Even Adam knows more than he will admit. Until Elle can unravel the truth, she doesn’t know who to trust, when to run and who else might be hurt when the killer who stalks her nightmares appears to finish what he started…

PJ's Thoughts:

She's done it again, delivered a gripping, edge-of-my-seat thriller that kept me compulsively flipping pages from the breath-stealing beginning to the heart-stopping end. Is it any wonder that each new book Christina Dodd releases goes straight to the top of my reading list?

I've been reading Dodd's books for more than 20 years, beginning with her historical romances then following her as she transitioned to contemporary romantic suspense, paranormal, and suspense thrillers. While I've enjoyed her stories in all sub-genres, I believe it's with her current thrillers that this prolific author has found her best, most authentic voice, creating compelling stories that have, quite literally, kept me reading all night long. 

Point Last Seen showcases Dodd's best assets. Her ability to set the stage creates an immersive, sensory experience. Her main characters are intriguing, a bit mysterious, fully developed, and never fail to engage my emotions. I was fully invested in both Elle and Adam and the outcome of the challenges in their paths. I loved their layers, the bits and pieces of themselves that were strategically revealed as the story progressed. 

Then there's the supporting cast. I always enjoy the quirky characters who populate Dodd's books, helping to move the story forward while at the same time offering opportunities for pops of sly humor as well as the many twists waiting to surprise the reader around the next turn. 

It doesn't matter how many of Dodd's books I read, those surprising twists never reveal themselves to me until the author deems it appropriate. It's that kind of writing that keeps me glued to the pages, has me gasping with surprise, that twists my emotions into a pretzel, surprises me with laughter in the midst of chaos, and guarantees that whenever she publishes a new book, I'll be first in line to snag a copy. 

I highly recommend adding Point Last Seen to your summer book-buying list. It's one of my best reads this year. 

Review & Interview - - Wrong Alibi by Christina Dodd

 

Wrong Alibi

by Christina Dodd

Publisher: HQN

Release Date: December 29, 2020

Reviewed by PJ

WRONG JOB
Eighteen-year-old Evelyn Jones lands a job in small-town Alaska, working for a man in his isolated mountain home. But her bright hopes for the future are shattered when Donald White disappears, leaving her to face charges of theft, embezzlement—and a brutal double murder. Her protestations of innocence count for nothing. Convicted, she faces life in prison…until fate sends her on the run.

WRONG NAME
Evie's escape leaves her scarred and in hiding, isolated from her family, working under an alias at a wilderness camp. Bent on justice, intent on recovering her life, she searches for the killer who slaughters without remorse.

WRONG ALIBI
At last, the day comes. Donald White has returned. Evie emerges from hiding; the fugitive becomes the hunter. But in her mind, she hears the whisper of other forces at work. Now Evelyn must untangle the threads of evidence before she’s once again found with blood on her hands: the blood of her own family…

PJ's Thoughts:

I know I've said this before but it bears repeating. Do not begin reading a Christina Dodd suspense novel in the evening unless you plan to forfeit a night's sleep. Wrong Alibi is another excellent example of why this advice holds true. Intense, compelling, more than a little scary, and completely addictive, it's a wild ride that kept me flipping pages from start to finish. A full-immersion experience. I could not put it down. Even when I finally turned the last page, these characters refused to leave my head. 

In this newest novel from Dodd, she takes readers into the untamed wilderness of Alaska with an edge-of-your-seat thriller that had my heart in my throat for much of the journey. The characters are so well developed it's often difficult to remember that what you're reading is fiction; their situations so realistic I frequently found my heart racing with fear, anxiety, or shock. The journey Evie travels - from a gullible teen ripe for framing to a strong, savvy woman determined to bring a killer to justice and restore her reputation - is fraught with danger, unimaginable challenges, and more twists and turns than a mountain road. Each time I thought I knew where the story was heading, Dodd tossed in an impeccably-timed twist that left me gasping, right up until the final reveal...which I did not see coming! 

If you enjoy suspense thrillers with a tightly-woven plot, fully-formed characters, unexpected twists, evil villains who will have you checking your windows and locking your doors, unexpected flashes of dry wit, and a hopelessly naive protagonist who, through maturity, determination, and dedication, molds herself into a heroine who not only wreaks vengeance on a killer but saves herself in the process, Wrong Alibi is a book you'll want to read. It has my highest recommendation. 

~~~~~~~~~

Q&A with Christina Dodd

Welcome, Christina!

Thank you, PJ. We've known each other a long time, and it's always great to visit The Romance Dish.

It's always great to have you visit. Congratulations on the release of Wrong Alibi. I loved it, even if it did scare the spit out of me. What should readers expect from this novel?

To be close to her family, a young woman just out of juvenile detention takes a job that seems too good to be true…and finds herself charged with a gruesome double murder. Her escape leaves her scarred and in hiding, working under an alias at an Alaskan wilderness camp. Bent on justice, intent on recovering her life, she searches for the killer who slaughters without remorse. Can she find him before she's caught again…with the blood of her own family on her hands?

I enjoyed the Alaska setting in this book. You really brought it to life for me. Have you visited? If not, what kind of research did you do?

When I was a kid in California, our neighbors and dear family friends moved to Alaska. Nothing, not even the great Anchorage earthquake could shake their love for the state. (I know, a pun. :groan: ) They sent Alaskan gifts; I inherited my mother's cups by Robert Mayokok, an Intuit artist who proudly depicted his culture,

and my whole writing life, I've had an Inuit doll on my desk watching me work. I haven't visited Alaska, but I was destined to write WRONG ALIBI.

Alaska is so big, so diverse, so harsh in its climate and its long dark winters, it is the perfect place for murder. The challenges have created funny, strong, helpful Alaskans. For the manuscript, I needed a few Alaska jokes and asked online for help. Which gave me:

Do you know what a bear thinks when it comes across a camper in a sleeping bag?
Mmm, a taco.

What does a bear think when it comes across a camper with pepper spray in a sleeping bag?
Mmm, a spicy taco. 

This book has more twists and turns than an Alaska mountain road (which I love). Do you plan them ahead of time or are you sometimes surprised by unexpected plot twists that pop up during the writing process?

Discovering the story as you write it seems so bold! So artistic! So adventurous!

Yeah, I don't do that. I write a synopsis and stick pretty closely to it. If I didn't, I'd be frozen, panicked I was writing myself into a corner and in the end would have to throw the whole project away. The surprises come from the characters, how they react, who they are and how they develop as they face the challenges they encounter. Some of the characters I love — the heroine of WRONG ALIBI, Evie, is one of the most interesting characters I've ever written. Some of the characters I loathe — the killer of WRONG ALIBI is a psychopath, interested only in himself, indifferent to another's pain, and incapable of guilt. I created him, and he scared me. He's all too real.

What’s next? 

I'm writing a suspense set in a village on Big Sur California, where a local legend says on foggy nights the town is said to disappear and when it returns, it brings lost souls back from the dead.

Okay, that will be one I'll definitely be reading in the daylight!

Let’s play a quick round of complete this sentence.

My favorite Christmas tradition is…

Dragging the Christmas tree up the hill.

The book I’m most eager to read is…

Jayne Ann Krentz's upcoming romantic suspense ALL THE COLORS OF NIGHT.

The holiday movie I watch every year is…

How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the original TV show because …

The song!

"You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch. You really are a heel. You're as cuddly as a cactus, you're as charming as an eel... ...Mr. Gri-inch! You're a bad banana w a...greasy black peel."

::Sniffle:: They just don't write lyrics that touch the heart like that anymore.

And the message!

"Welcome, Christmas, bring your cheer. Cheer to all Whos far and near. Christmas Day is in our grasp, so long as we have hands to clasp. Christmas Day will always be just as long as we have we. Welcome Christmas while we stand, heart to heart, and hand in hand."

 

Thanks for visiting with us today, Christina. Would you like to add anything else or ask our readers a question?

2020 has been, almost universally, a difficult year. (“A difficult year, Christina?” you shriek. “You have a talent for understatement!”) The New Year is close and as we stand "heart to heart and hand to hand" never have we been so hopeful that 2021 is shiny with joy, love and happiness. If you'd like to receive book updates, a free short story, and a lot of humor in your inbox, please join my mailing list. I'd be delighted to have you as a newsletter friend!

Today I'm giving away the audiobook CD of SECRETS OF BELLA TERRA to one lucky winner. Due to mailing restrictions, the contest is restricted to U.S. residents.

Readers, have you read any of Christina Dodd's books? Do you have a favorite?

What was your favorite holiday movie that you watched this year? 

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, December 31 will receive an audiobook CD of Secrets of Bella Terra, the first book in Dodd's Scarlet Deception trilogy (one of my favorite Dodd romantic suspense series). 

*Must be 18

*U.S. addresses only