Roman and Jewel by Dana L. Davis (Review by Caitlin Winkler)

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

“If Romeo and Juliet got the Hamilton treatment…who would play the leads?” What a book!! I absolutely loved Roman and Jewel by Dana L. Davis! Honestly, I don’t even think more needs to be said other than read this book ASAP, but as this is a review I should probably include why I feel so strongly about it J. I was so excited by the parallels between Romeo and Juliet and Hamilton, which led me to have high hopes for this story. I am happy to share that my high expectations were certainly met and then some!

Jerzie Jhames is in the final rounds of finding out if she gets to play the lead role of Jewel in the upcoming Broadway production of Roman and Jewel. She is 16 (almost 17) and her whole entire life is Broadway! After finding out she will only be the understudy, to R&B sensation Cinny no less, Jerzie is heartbroken. On her first day of rehearsals, where her job is to essentially watch and stay quiet, Jerzie ‘bumps’ into Zeppelin Reid, the unknown actor cast as Roman, and falling in love with him is definitely not a good idea. When a YouTube video goes viral of Jerzie and Zeppelin rehearsing together, Jerzie will learn what it means to make enemies, love fiercely, and risk losing it all.

To be perfectly honest, Romeo and Juliet is not my favorite Shakespeare novel, for several reasons, but Dana L. Davis took a classic tragedy of star-crossed lovers and turned it into a modern Broadway love story! This book was fantastic and should immediately go to the top of everyone’s TBR pile. It has absolutely everything I look for in a book, and I think many of you will agree with me after reading! I hope to hear one day that they make this a real Broadway show because sign me up now!