Synopsis:
If Romeo and Juliet got the Hamilton treatment…who would play the leads? This vividly funny, honest, and charming romantic novel by Dana L. Davis is the story of a girl who thinks she has what it takes…and the world thinks so, too.
Jerzie Jhames will do anything to land the lead role in Broadway’s hottest new show, Roman and Jewel, a Romeo and Juliet inspired hip-hopera featuring a diverse cast and modern twists on the play. But her hopes are crushed when she learns mega-star Cinny won the lead…and Jerzie is her understudy .Falling for male lead Zeppelin Reid is a terrible idea–especially once Jerzie learns Cinny wants him for herself. Star-crossed love always ends badly. But when a video of Jerzie and Zepp practicing goes viral and the entire world weighs in on who should play Jewel, Jerzie learns that while the price of fame is high, friendship, family, and love are priceless.
MY REVIEW (As reviewed for AAMBC):
We were very excited to received Roman and Jewel by Dana L. Davis after having read the synopsis. Dana L. Davis is an accomplished actress and author. She has previously written 2 young adult novels both boasting 4 and 5 star reviews.
Roman and Jewel is centered on 16 year old actress Jerzei Jhames. She has auditioned for the main female role in the Romeo and Juliet broadway retelling, Roman and Jewel. However, even after losing the role to celebrity, Cinny, her undeniable talent does not go unnoticed by producers and the male lead, Zeppelin. The novel follows the self-proclaimed “Good Girl” through her journey of self-discovery and her navigation of the teen romance world.
We rate this novel 4.5 out of 5 stars. The novel was very well written and was captivating from the first few pages. The characters were well developed and seemed to come alive off the pages. Another plus to this novel is that the characters were multicultural and from different walks of life. Although this novel’s intended audience is teens, the novel was still very entertaining and age appropriate. The novel is centered on a theater show and there is a great deal of mentioning theater shows, techniques, and infamous people. As a person who may not be deeply involved in the theater world, these mentions could become cumbersome.
TL;DR:
The Good: Great paced teen novel that incorporates theater, teen angst, and teen romance.
The Bad: There were numerous references (maybe a few too many) to theater jargon, shows, and people.
Is it Worth the Buy? Yes! A great diverse teen read.
All for the Books 