Title:  The Juliet Spell [Indie Bound] [Amazon]
Author: Douglas Rees [website] [twitter]
Genre:  Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: eBook (ARC)
Source: Publisher (via Net Galley)
Series: N/A
Parental Advisory: language
Teachable Moments: acceptance, individuality

Describing Venus (from publisher):
I’m Juliet.

At least, I wanted to be.

So I did something stupid to make it happen.

Well, stupid and wonderful.

I wanted the role of Juliet more than anything.  I studied hard.  I gave a great reading for it — even with Bobby checking me out the whole time.  I deserved the part.

I didn’t get it.  So I decided to level the playing field, though I actually might have leveled the whole play.  you see, since there aren’t any Success in Getting to Be Juliet in Your High School Play spells, I thought I’d cast the next best — a Fame spell.  Good idea, right?

Yea.  Instead of bringing me a little fame, it brought me someone a little famous.  Shakespeare.  Well, Edmund Shakespeare.  William’s younger brother.

Good thing he’s sweet and enthusiastic about helping me  with the play….and – ahem — maybe a little bit hot.  but he’s from the past.  Way past.  Cars amaze him — cars!  And cell phones?  Ugh.

Still there’s something about him that’s making my eyes go star-crossed….

How Mars & Venus Don’t Meet:
I’m so disappointed in this book.  Truly.

I went into reading this expecting a cute romp through the theater district and it wasn’t like that at all.  Sure, it had a bit of a “Kate and Leopold” (a movie that shows my age!) vibe where this guy from a different time is displaced into modern days but it failed in achieving it’s charm.

I was expecting cute moments where Miranda taught Edmund about the ways of the modern world.  Wacky high jinx ensue!  Only there weren’t that many high jinx ensuing.  It ended up being this creepy feeling romance that hurtled it’s way into absurdity.

So, let’s talk creepy factor in the romance department.  Yea, I got where the author was going with it in this story and I honestly think it had potential.  But the displacement theory where someone Shakespearean comes to this century was too much.  The gap of time was just too great.  I know that Edmund was the same age as Miranda and all but the language and his behavior and that great big span of time made him feel every bit the some odd hundreds of years older.  It was just….yea, creepy and totally lacking in the chemistry department.

More than that the plot had some significant believability issues.  First, I was all good for suspending reality enough to get on board with the magic spell bringing Shakespeare’s brother to modern times.  But what didn’t work for me was the fact that every single person just accepted his presence.  Miranda openly admitted to who he was and how he got there and everyone was all “sounds great how can I help!?!”  Even her mother was on board with zero questions, gave the boy a place to live in their house, let him go on his merry way as much as he wanted and pretty much just tried to be the cool laid back parent.  Didn’t work for me at all.

There are a variety of other issues that crept up like time travel and communication theories, the Shakespeare brothers sibling rivalry (with therapy even) when Will gets brought here too, and so much more.  All in all it just didn’t flow well for me.  Not much here to hang my hat on.

Maybe your Mars & Venus Align:
My inability to get into this book should not be the only thing you hear.  I’d much prefer you end on a positive note.  Please visit these reviews to get more information and make a more informed choice:

The Cozy Reading Corner
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