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rodeorocks13's review
5.0
Not your usual Romeo and Juilet retelling.
Roman and Jewel is an interesting take on a behind the scenes view of a Broadway show. As the rehearsal starts, you meet Jerzie Jhames. As an up and coming actress, she has been cast as the understudy for a much more known Star named Cinny in the role of Jewel. What Jerzie didn't expect was to meet the boy of her dreams and have him cast as Roman.
Just when things begin to look up, the star crossed theme the musical is based on begins to become Jerzies real life. Sometimes life truly does imitate art and you have to take risks for love.
I loved this story even more than I had expected to. It starts off on a strong note and it becomes so hard to put down. I liked the idea of the modern writings used to make Hamilton but then added to the classic tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. The author wrote parallels between the theme of the play and the characters situations in an enjoyable way. This novel has the perfect amount of drama and romance for the targeted audience without being too much that it becomes annoying.
Its hard not to crack a smile or laugh at someone of the situations woven into the plot, in a very good way. Roman and Jewel is an enjoyable, lighthearted and comedic romance that most adult fans should check out.
I received an advanced copy through netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Roman and Jewel is an interesting take on a behind the scenes view of a Broadway show. As the rehearsal starts, you meet Jerzie Jhames. As an up and coming actress, she has been cast as the understudy for a much more known Star named Cinny in the role of Jewel. What Jerzie didn't expect was to meet the boy of her dreams and have him cast as Roman.
Just when things begin to look up, the star crossed theme the musical is based on begins to become Jerzies real life. Sometimes life truly does imitate art and you have to take risks for love.
I loved this story even more than I had expected to. It starts off on a strong note and it becomes so hard to put down. I liked the idea of the modern writings used to make Hamilton but then added to the classic tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. The author wrote parallels between the theme of the play and the characters situations in an enjoyable way. This novel has the perfect amount of drama and romance for the targeted audience without being too much that it becomes annoying.
Its hard not to crack a smile or laugh at someone of the situations woven into the plot, in a very good way. Roman and Jewel is an enjoyable, lighthearted and comedic romance that most adult fans should check out.
I received an advanced copy through netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
zbrarian's review
5.0
I loved this retelling of Romeo and Juliet...with a dash of Broadway Hip Hop thrown in. Diverse characters along with betrayal, first love, believing in yourself. The story didn’t focus solely on the Broadway aspect however the writer of the play was definitely a reflection of Lin Manuel Miranda...and it made me smile a lot!
I listened to the audio and the narrator did an awesome job with the voices and inflection. I would definitely recommend this to lovers of R&J!
I listened to the audio and the narrator did an awesome job with the voices and inflection. I would definitely recommend this to lovers of R&J!
delaney572e4's review
2.0
trigger warnings: mentions of suicide, police interactions (although it was nonviolent), mentions of car crash
I don't know what I was on yesterday, but whatever it was made me unable to write coherently. So I'm just re-writing this whole thing. Anyway...
Jerzie James is sixteen when she gets cast in her first Broadway role. And not just any Broadway role, in a new hip-hop musical retelling of Romeo and Juliet .Unfortunately, instead of getting the lead role of Jewel she was hoping for, she gets the understudy. Instead, Jewel is going to be played by R&B superstar Cinny. As sparks fly between Jerzie and Zepplin, the male lead of the show, conflict erupts between Cinny and Jerzie, and Jerzie is about to learn that nothing is simple in love and theater.
The thing I appreciated most about this book was that it was obviously written by a theater lover for theater lovers. I honestly enjoyed all the allusions to different musicals. That being said, I don't know how someone who was not familiar with theater would feel about it.
As a result of my being a theater fan, my favorite part of the book by far was the story behind the production of Roman and Jewel. I really enjoyed reading about the audition, the rehearsals, and the building of the show. Unfortunately, the book strayed away from this in favor of the insta-love, creepy-age-gap romance.
I was on board for the first couple of scenes between Jerzie and Zeppelin. I saw some chemistry, and their banter was really cute. I was really disappointed to find that the rest of their relationship wasn't written the same way. Part of it was just due to the writing feeling lackluster. The other part was that Zeppelin was 19, while Jerzie was 16. As a 19 year old, there is no way I would date a 16 year old. It doesn't matter that she was "going to be 17 soon." It was still too weird for me. Especially because their relationship moved so fast. It felt like they had only known each other a few weeks before they said I love you.
In general, the fast-paced relationship also just felt unrealistic. I get that it was trying to mirror Romeo and Juliet, but in this particular instance it wasn't believable.
The other main issue I had with the plot was that the second half of the book had so much drama it felt like a reality tv show. It was just too over the top for me.
Besides the parts about the show, my favorite parts were definitely Jerzie's family. I really loved Aunt Karla's character, and I really enjoyed the family interactions. Those were a high point of the book.
Sadly, that wasn't enough to pull me through. And overall, I can't really say I would recommend this book.
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC
I don't know what I was on yesterday, but whatever it was made me unable to write coherently. So I'm just re-writing this whole thing. Anyway...
Jerzie James is sixteen when she gets cast in her first Broadway role. And not just any Broadway role, in a new hip-hop musical retelling of Romeo and Juliet .Unfortunately, instead of getting the lead role of Jewel she was hoping for, she gets the understudy. Instead, Jewel is going to be played by R&B superstar Cinny. As sparks fly between Jerzie and Zepplin, the male lead of the show, conflict erupts between Cinny and Jerzie, and Jerzie is about to learn that nothing is simple in love and theater.
The thing I appreciated most about this book was that it was obviously written by a theater lover for theater lovers. I honestly enjoyed all the allusions to different musicals. That being said, I don't know how someone who was not familiar with theater would feel about it.
As a result of my being a theater fan, my favorite part of the book by far was the story behind the production of Roman and Jewel. I really enjoyed reading about the audition, the rehearsals, and the building of the show. Unfortunately, the book strayed away from this in favor of the insta-love, creepy-age-gap romance.
I was on board for the first couple of scenes between Jerzie and Zeppelin. I saw some chemistry, and their banter was really cute. I was really disappointed to find that the rest of their relationship wasn't written the same way. Part of it was just due to the writing feeling lackluster. The other part was that Zeppelin was 19, while Jerzie was 16. As a 19 year old, there is no way I would date a 16 year old. It doesn't matter that she was "going to be 17 soon." It was still too weird for me. Especially because their relationship moved so fast. It felt like they had only known each other a few weeks before they said I love you.
In general, the fast-paced relationship also just felt unrealistic. I get that it was trying to mirror Romeo and Juliet, but in this particular instance it wasn't believable.
The other main issue I had with the plot was that the second half of the book had so much drama it felt like a reality tv show. It was just too over the top for me.
Besides the parts about the show, my favorite parts were definitely Jerzie's family. I really loved Aunt Karla's character, and I really enjoyed the family interactions. Those were a high point of the book.
Sadly, that wasn't enough to pull me through. And overall, I can't really say I would recommend this book.
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC
thindbooks's review
5.0
*this book was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*
I LOVED THIS BOOK! It’s a Romeo and Juliet retelling of with a broadway show involved. Jerzie is an understudy popular movie star Cinny for the role of Jewel and is falling in love with her costar Zeppelin but Cinny wants him all to herself. A video of Jerzie and Zeppelin goes viral and now fans want Jerzie to become the new Jewel. This book is an own voice book which is amazing. The author is a broadway star and is also a great author. Her writing is amazing and the story flowed wonderfully in this book. The pacing was perfect and I loved the plot line.
The characters were also amazing especially Jerzie. She is naive but also does everything to get what she wants. Then there is our Romeo who is Zeppelin. I instantly fell in love with him when he was mentioned in the book. Both characters developed a lot in this story. There is also a “villian” in this book which I loved. I enjoyed the romance in this book which was one of the main factors in this book because it’s a Romeo and Juliet retelling.
I really enjoyed this book especially because it was written by a black author. Since the author is also an actress, we the readers can get messages from the book on how the acting life is. I haven’t read many Romeo and Juliet retellings but this one is my favorite. I totally recommend this book!
I LOVED THIS BOOK! It’s a Romeo and Juliet retelling of with a broadway show involved. Jerzie is an understudy popular movie star Cinny for the role of Jewel and is falling in love with her costar Zeppelin but Cinny wants him all to herself. A video of Jerzie and Zeppelin goes viral and now fans want Jerzie to become the new Jewel. This book is an own voice book which is amazing. The author is a broadway star and is also a great author. Her writing is amazing and the story flowed wonderfully in this book. The pacing was perfect and I loved the plot line.
The characters were also amazing especially Jerzie. She is naive but also does everything to get what she wants. Then there is our Romeo who is Zeppelin. I instantly fell in love with him when he was mentioned in the book. Both characters developed a lot in this story. There is also a “villian” in this book which I loved. I enjoyed the romance in this book which was one of the main factors in this book because it’s a Romeo and Juliet retelling.
I really enjoyed this book especially because it was written by a black author. Since the author is also an actress, we the readers can get messages from the book on how the acting life is. I haven’t read many Romeo and Juliet retellings but this one is my favorite. I totally recommend this book!
literarilyjess's review against another edition
5.0
This book! It ticked every single one of my boxes. Broadway, the city, forbidden love? Gosh, I loved it.
barbistull's review against another edition
5.0
I LOVED this book! The imagery and the how the characters were built kept me hooked. Jerzie is fun and quirky—her love and knowledge of music is unmatched. The way the author describes all of the scenes makes your imagination run wild. I can clearly see eyes of Zeppelin. Speaking of Zeppelin—can we say star crossed lovers?! I hope this isn’t the end of their story. I would love to read more from Dana L. Davis! I received an ARC from NetGalley.
brandie_shanae's review
5.0
I am in love with this book. This book is a Romeo and Juliet retelling, but with a twist. This is a hip-hopera of Romeo and Juliet where this is a Broadway show of two individuals named Roman and Jewel who see each other and fall in love. It’s pretty much love at first sight. Now with the hip-hopera Roman and Jewel meet and soon realize that they have reincarnated and realized that they have loved each for centuries. Now the two people who play these two amazing characters is Jerzie Jhames and Zeppelin Reid. Jerzi loved everything Broadway and had auditioned for the show, but she was offered as the understudy of Jewel and the person that got the part was a famous r&b singer named Cinny. Though the only reason why she got the part in the first place is because she is famous and that with her in the show it would get publicity. Then we have Zeppelin Reid who got the part as Roman. Zeppelin is a compelling character who notices Jerzie and soon Jerzie notices him and they fall in love with each other. Now there is definitely more to the story, but I do not want to spoil you. But the teenage romance in this book is so cute and I do not to read it again.
moonbites's review
4.0
3.5 ⭐️
I almost didn't pick this up because of the synopsis. I tend to not really like stories about famous people or stories revolving around acting and such. But, I decided to give this a try anyways because I had been intrigued by the cover and the obvious ode to Romeo & Juliet. In the end I liked it more than I thought. Going into it with low expectations was probably a good thing.
I liked our main characters, especially Jerzie. I also liked our antagonist of the story and felt like everyone had layers. I also actually enjoyed the Broadway references and I think it boiled down to the fact that Jerzie's passion was infectious, because I am not a big musicals/Broadway person. Seeing everything through Jerzie's point of view was so fun and fresh. She had this super positive outlook and was vivacious.
Though there were things in here that were predictable and cliché, it is also a YA book. So, I can give it some passes for being very insta-love and having a plot that is fairly linear. I am trying to be better about viewing books from the lens of the intended audience. I have in the past rated a book lower because of the insta-love aspect, but if the chemistry is there then I am reassessing my stance on it. Jerzie and Zeppelin had plenty of cute moments in here and though as an adult you know it's just instant attraction (not love), they were still cute.
The only reason this isn't a higher rating or a solid four instead of 3.5 is because there was some things that didn't sit quite right with me even when I suspended some of my belief. There were times it felt like a teen book, but then had moments where you could just tell this was written by an adult and I don't know if a teen would connect with it. That happened a handful of times, otherwise it was an enjoyable read and I liked it more than I thought I would.
I almost didn't pick this up because of the synopsis. I tend to not really like stories about famous people or stories revolving around acting and such. But, I decided to give this a try anyways because I had been intrigued by the cover and the obvious ode to Romeo & Juliet. In the end I liked it more than I thought. Going into it with low expectations was probably a good thing.
I liked our main characters, especially Jerzie. I also liked our antagonist of the story and felt like everyone had layers. I also actually enjoyed the Broadway references and I think it boiled down to the fact that Jerzie's passion was infectious, because I am not a big musicals/Broadway person. Seeing everything through Jerzie's point of view was so fun and fresh. She had this super positive outlook and was vivacious.
Though there were things in here that were predictable and cliché, it is also a YA book. So, I can give it some passes for being very insta-love and having a plot that is fairly linear. I am trying to be better about viewing books from the lens of the intended audience. I have in the past rated a book lower because of the insta-love aspect, but if the chemistry is there then I am reassessing my stance on it. Jerzie and Zeppelin had plenty of cute moments in here and though as an adult you know it's just instant attraction (not love), they were still cute.
The only reason this isn't a higher rating or a solid four instead of 3.5 is because there was some things that didn't sit quite right with me even when I suspended some of my belief. There were times it felt like a teen book, but then had moments where you could just tell this was written by an adult and I don't know if a teen would connect with it. That happened a handful of times, otherwise it was an enjoyable read and I liked it more than I thought I would.
extraordinarystardust's review
5.0
I was SO LUCKY to read an eARC of Roman and Jewel.
This book was absolutely delightful. It was such an easy read and made me so happy. Every character is so exuberant and unique. The banter was one of my favourite parts and Jerzie’s inner monologue made me laugh out loud so many times.
My number one piece of advice is to not read the synopsis at all and trust me. It’s a Romeo and Juliet retelling about a Broadway Romeo and Juliet retelling. It’s fun, tense, mysterious, hilarious, and full of angst.
This YA contemporary Romeo and Juliet retelling is perfect for anyone looking for a book to drag you out of a slump!
Overall I’m giving it 4.5 stars the ending felt a tad rushed and I wish we got to see more. I loved every page and I hope everyone reads this when it comes out!! January 2021!!
This book was absolutely delightful. It was such an easy read and made me so happy. Every character is so exuberant and unique. The banter was one of my favourite parts and Jerzie’s inner monologue made me laugh out loud so many times.
My number one piece of advice is to not read the synopsis at all and trust me. It’s a Romeo and Juliet retelling about a Broadway Romeo and Juliet retelling. It’s fun, tense, mysterious, hilarious, and full of angst.
This YA contemporary Romeo and Juliet retelling is perfect for anyone looking for a book to drag you out of a slump!
Overall I’m giving it 4.5 stars the ending felt a tad rushed and I wish we got to see more. I loved every page and I hope everyone reads this when it comes out!! January 2021!!