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 - - Look Before You Leap

Look Before You Leap

by Virginia Heath

Miss Prentice's Protegees - Book 2

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Release Date: June 24, 2025

Reviewed by Santa

Nine years ago, Lord Guy Harrowby, Viscount Wennington, was publicly humiliated by a failed and reckless romantic gesture. Despite this, his mother clings to the promise he made her then: that she would have a house full of grandchildren by his thirtieth birthday. Still single, embittered, and swiftly approaching thirty, Guy's work is his life. In desperation, his mother blindsides Guy with a weeklong house party at his estate filled with annoying debutantes, all competing to be his wife.

After failing as a governess, Lottie Travers is struggling as a lady’s companion. Raised in an all-male household, she’s developed habits that get her dismissed. Even after years of Miss Prentice’s teachings of how to be a lady, she climbs trees better than she embroiders and can’t resist riding horses astride, in breeches. But with the family farm in trouble, and her father now in dire need of her wages, she’s determined to conquer her wildness once and for all.

Even with his home full of eligible women, there is only one who catches Guy’s eye—though he tries to deny it. For Lottie, succeeding in her new role proves difficult when the Wennington estate is filled with horses, and a spark ignites between her and the grumpy lord. Will they remain stuck in their ways, or learn that they may just be the perfect match?

Santa Says:

Look Before You Leap by Virginia Heath instantly became one of my favorite books of 2025. I’ve never read a Virginia Heath book that I didn’t like and this is a five star keeper. The dialog is witty and the banter sublime. This is a master class in writing with main characters who could not be more different in temperament and attitude.

Lottie Travers is a failed governess and, as a last resort, agrees to be a companion to a very exacting woman. She knows she can be successful if she curbs her hoyden ways like sneaking out to the stables in old boots and breeches riding through the park at breakneck speeds careening into some daft though handsome man. Her sunny disposition gives her the confidence to face any circumstance.

She must also mind her tongue and remember all the things she learned at the finishing school her father sent her to. Miss Prentice’s School For Young Ladies prided itself on getting young ladies ready for employment in the best households. She crosses her fingers and promises not to engage in any rough riding as a new companion to Lady Frinton. They set off to the wilds of Scotland when they learn that the grand dame is needed in Kent to help put together her nephew’s 30th birthday party.

Lord Guy Harrowby was in a reach to get home to his estate in Kent. He wasn’t in a rush to be hassled by his mother to have a big bash for his 30th birthday in order to secure a wife. His mother was desperate for grandchildren and for her son to shed his curmudgeon armor and return to his joyful self again. Guy is hesitant especially after embarrassing himself publicly following a disastrous proposal. He convinces his mother to make it a small gathering. Unbeknownst to him she enlists the help of her half-sister who comes to Kent with her new companion.

Not only must he contend with his Aunt, a house full of debutants and guests but the companion is none other than the tornado who knocked him on his arse in Hyde Park. Lottie is none too pleased to see him either but she needs this job in order to send money to her father’s struggling farm. They face off time and time again but under their hostility is a simmering attraction that they fight against. His grumpiness is no match for her sunshine.

This slow burn romance is a delight to watch unfold. There are delightful discoveries to be had. I could not put this book down and finished it in one day. I cannot wait for the next heroine from Miss Prescott’s School to get an equally satisfying HEA!

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 - - All's Fair in Love and War

All's Fair in Love and War: A Novel

by Virginia Heath

Miss Prentice's Protegees - Book 1

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Release Date: May 28, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

 

In the first installment of a Regency romp of a series, a governess who believes in cultivating joy in her charges clashes with the children’s uncle who hired her, only to find herself falling in love.

When Harry Kincaid’s flighty older sister decides to join her husband on an Egyptian expedition, Harry, a former naval captain, is left in the lurch, minding her three unruly children and giant, mad dog. But Harry has a busy career at the Admiralty that requires all his attention, and he has no clue how to manage the little rascals or when his sister is coming back. In desperation, he goes to Miss Prentice’s School for Young Ladies prepared to pay whatever it takes to hire an emergency governess quick sharp to ensure everything in his formerly ordered house is run shipshape again.

Thanks to her miserable, strict upbringing, fledgling governess Georgie Rowe does not subscribe to the ethos that children should be seen and not heard. She believes childhood should be everything hers wasn’t—filled with laughter, adventure, and discovery. Thankfully, the three Pendleton children she has been tasked with looking after are already delightfully bohemian and instantly embrace her unconventional educational approach. Their staid, stickler-for-the-rules uncle, however, is another matter entirely.

Georgie and Harry continue to butt heads over their differences, but with time it seems that in this case, their attraction is undeniable—and all is indeed fair in love and war.

PJ's Thoughts:

I was thoroughly charmed by this first book in Virginia Heath's new historical romcom series. I love a slow-burn, adversaries-to-lovers, opposites-attract story. Throw in witty banter, high energy kids, a goofy lummox of a dog, and a couple perfectly matched - even if they are the last ones to figure that out - and I was more than eager to hitch a ride.

I love the balance of humor and emotion in Heath's books, facets that are on full display in this one. The characters are well developed, with complex layers, even the children. I enjoyed how the children are used to slowly unveil those layers, helping Harry and Georgie both begin to see that there is more to one another than first impressions may have indicated. I found myself laughing out loud many times during the story while also appreciating the depth of feelings that float to the surface, especially as the time nears for life-changing decisions to be made...and Harry makes a right mess of it.

As for the grand gesture? Well that elicited both laughter and tears (happy ones), a fitting conclusion for this couple, their extended family, and Georgie's best friend, who I hope we'll be seeing much more of in the next book of this series.

Review - - Earls Trip

Earls Trip

by Jenny Holiday

Publisher: Kensington

Release Date: April 23, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

Even an earl needs his ride-or-dies, and Archibald Fielding-Burton, the Earl of Harcourt, counts himself lucky to have two. The annual trip that Archie takes with his BFFs Simon and Effie holds a sacred spot in their calendars. This year Archie is especially eager to get away until an urgent letter arrives from an old family friend, begging him to help prevent a ruinous scandal. Suddenly the trip has become earls-plus-girls, as Archie’s childhood pals, Clementine and Olive Morgan, are rescued en route to Gretna Green.

This…complicates matters. The fully grown Clementine, while as frank and refreshing as he remembers, is also different to the wild, windswept girl he knew. This Clem is complex and surprising—and adamantly opposed to marriage. Which, for reasons Archie dare not examine too closely, he finds increasingly vexing.

Then Clem makes him an indecent and quite delightful proposal, asking him to show her the pleasures of the marriage bed before she settles into spinsterhood. And what kind of gentleman would he be to refuse a lady?

PJ's Thoughts:

In thinking of words to describe this book, the ones that came immediately to mind were fun, poignant, and endearing. All three could describe not only the story but the characters as well. The antics Clem and Archie got up to were fun. The friendships depicted - not only between Clem and Archie but among the three men - were infused with humor but also endearing. And the scenes with Archie's mother were simmering with poignant emotion. Anyone who has had a loved one live with dementia or Alzheimer's will be able to relate. 

It took me a while to get into the story but once the ladies entered the picture it took off and kept me happily reading until the end. While the romantic focus is on the slow-burn, reunited friends to lovers journey between Clem and Archie, there are other relationships and storylines explored that are just as important. I enjoyed the evolution of the friendship between Clem and her sister, Olive, a character who turned out to be surprisingly different from what I had first expected. The men, friends since school, were also different from the characters who typically appear in the Regency romances I read. Their steadfast friendship - more of a chosen family situation - touched my heart, especially in regards to how they love, support, tease, and accept one another as they are. Very much a found brotherly dynamic going on. All three have a sweet, cinnamon roll hero feel to them. It will be interesting to see if that continues to play out in the next two books or if we will see a different side to them.

If you enjoy a Regency set romance with plenty of humor, forced proximity, a country setting, emotional depth, and two reunited friends who are the last to realize they've fallen in love, give Earls Trip by Jenny Holiday a try. 

Review - - Never Wager with a Wallflower

Never Wager with a Wallflower

by Virginia Heath

The Merriwell Sisters - Book 3

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Release Date: November 7, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

 

Miss Venus Merriwell has been waiting for her prince to come since the tender age of fourteen. She wants a man who is a selfless academic like her, and free from all the wretched vices her gambler father enjoyed far too much before he left the Merriwell sisters practically destitute. Unfortunately, after a slew of romantic disappointments, there is still no sign of that prince at twenty-three and the only one true love of her life is the bursting-at-the-seams orphanage in Covent Garden that she works tirelessly for. An orphanage that desperately needs to expand into the empty building next door.

For Galahad Sinclair, gambling isn’t just his life, it’s in his blood. He grew up and learned the trade at his grandfather’s knee in a tavern on the far away banks of the Hudson in New York. But when fate took all that away and dragged him across the sea to London, it made sense to set up shop here. He’s spent five years making a success out of his gaming hall in the sleazy docks of the East End. Enough that he can finally afford to buy the pleasure palace of his dreams―and where better than in the capital’s sinful heart, Covent Garden? The only fly in his ointment is the perfect building he’s just bought to put it in also happens to be right next door to the orphanage run by his cousin’s wife’s youngest sister. A pious, disapproving and unsettling siren he has avoided like the plague since she flattened him five years ago.

While Venus and Galahad lock horns over practically everything, and while her malevolent orphans do their darndest to sabotage his lifelong dream, can either of them take the ultimate gamble―and learn to love thy neighbor?

PJ's Thoughts:

As soon as Galahad Sinclair hit the pages of the second book of this series he captured my interest. By the end of that book I knew I wanted more of him and was over the moon when I discovered he would be paired with Venus "Vee" Merriwell in Never Wager with a Wallflower. I could hardly wait for these two adversaries to discover what we readers already knew. They were made for each other. Now, they just needed to lower their guards long enough to open their hearts - and minds - to that undeniable fact. 

Both Gal and Vee carried a lot of emotional baggage from their childhoods into their roller coaster relationship, impacting each of them in different ways. I have to admit, I was Team Gal pretty much 80% of the book. It was only in the final 20% that I began to warm up to Venus. She did eventually win me over though so I'm glad I didn't give up on her. I do appreciate satisfying character growth. She's a complex character who protects herself with seemingly impenetrable, self-righteous walls when confronted with a man she unconsciously senses has the power to break through to her wounded heart. Watching Vee and Gal both evolve over the course of their journey was satisfying and heart-tugging. 

The ensemble of secondary characters bring humor, conflict, and texture to the overall story. While the extended families once again have significant roles, it's three of the young orphans in this book who stand out for me, capturing my affection with their antics while also creating opportunities to delve more deeply into Gal's and Vee's priorities, vulnerabilities, prejudices, and emotional wounds, opening the door to understanding, forgiveness, growth, and love. 

If you enjoy an enemies-to-lovers, historical rom-com with a slow-burn romance, significant emotional depth, meddling family, character growth, humor, and happy endings, give this one a try. It's the last book of a trilogy but can be read as a standalone, though I think it's more enjoyable to experience the evolution of all the characters by reading the three books in order. 

Click the title to read my review of book one, Never Fall for Your Fiancee and book two, Never Rescue a Rogue. 

Tour Review & Giveaway - - Marrying Off Morgan McBride

Marrying Off Morgan McBride

by Amy Barry

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: May 30, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

As the oldest of the McBride siblings, Morgan had to be protector and shepherd since Ma died and Pa ran off. It hasn't always been easy, especially when his heart longs to roam on the trail. But now that his brother Kit is married and settled, the time is right for Morgan to leave Buck's Creek. Little does he know that his hellcat of a little sister Junebug is dead set on keeping him at home and getting more help around the house – all with one honest advertisement in The Matrimonial News.
 
Epiphany Hopgood has always had a gift for doing the exact wrong thing. She’s too tall, too loud, too opinionated, and too contrary for her family and community. Staring down the barrel of spinsterhood, she and her grandmother answer a seemingly straightforward ad for a bride.
 
But when Pip shows up to Buck’s Creek, she finds that Morgan McBride is not the husband she expected. In fact, he doesn’t even want to be a husband. But maybe there’s a way to make everyone happy out on the Montana frontier…

PJ's Thoughts:

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is one of my favorite musicals. As I was reading Marrying Off Morgan McBride it was hard to miss those wonderful Seven Brothers vibes. Then, after writing this review, I went back to see what Hellie had to say about book one in the series, Kit McBride Gets a Wife (read Hellie's review). No surprise, those same vibes came through loud and clear for her too. 

First, I have to talk about Junebug McBride, Morgan's "hellcat of a little sister," as described in the book's blurb. She's a wily one, our Junebug. She may be the youngest of the family but as the only surviving sister she's been relegated to the duties she rightfully figures should belong to a wife. Plus, she knows Morgan is itching to hit the dusty trail again and the only way she knows to keep him home is to do the same thing she did with Kit: find him a wife. Things don't go quite according to Junebug's plan...

Man, did I ever feel for Pip, a woman nobody in Nebraska appreciated, including her family. Well, everyone except her spitfire of a grandmother. That woman knew Pip's worth...and her own worth as well. Pip's self-worth has been beaten into the ground so many times she has no idea she has so much to offer. I loved watching her take charge of her future, slowly begin to realize she has "the goods" to bring the boys to the yard, and finally stand up for herself, refusing to settle. 

Morgan may be stubborn, blunt, and prone to talking rather than listening but his prickly exterior hides a well of deep emotions. He's convinced himself he needs to leave Montana to break free of the grief that's dogged him since his mother died and left him to raise his younger siblings. But maybe what he really needs is a straight-talking woman with stubbornness to match his own, the ability to cook melt-in-your-mouth meals, and a body that brings him to his knees. But, once he realizes Pip is the whole package he didn't know he needed - or wanted - what does he do? He runs in the opposite direction! ::Sigh:: Nobody said this was going to be easy.

I loved this book! It's exactly the type of laugh-out-loud story that keeps me grinning from beginning to end. It's light and breezy, with snappy banter, well-developed main characters, richly entertaining secondary characters, and enough emotional depth to keep it from being all fluff. Not that there's anything wrong with fluff. I just like a nice balance of the two and Marrying Off Morgan McBride has it. 

I don't know if Barry has plans to write stories for all of the McBrides, but I'm hoping she will. The brothers all deserve happy endings, I have my fingers crossed that missing brother Charlie will return home, and I am beyond giddy to discover what will happen when Cupid's arrow finally finds Junebug. 

If you're looking for a humorous, feel-good, western historical romance that will have you laughing uproariously and possibly wiping away a heartfelt tear or two, pick up a copy of Marrying Off Morgan McBride. It's a fun ride.

Do you enjoy western historical romances?

Have you read Kit McBride Gets a Wife or Marrying Off Morgan McBride?

What recent books have had you laughing out loud?

Do you enjoy musicals? What's your favorite?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, June 1 will receive a print copy of Marrying Off Morgan McBride.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18