Review: The Dane of My Existence by Jessica Martin
Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for my copy! All thoughts are my own.
Calling all fans of Jen DeLuca’s Well Met series and Gilmore Girls! This is a charming small town romance set in New England that has the community aspect of Well Met and the zany, passionate characters from Stars Hollow. I liked For the Love of the Bard but I think that this book is where Martin hit her stride.
Don’t be intimidated by the title! It is not too Shakespearey—you don’t need to have ready any of the plays to understand this story! It’s a true rom com.
Synopsis:
“Portia Barnes is the youngest managing partner in her law firm’s history, and she and her stilettos are poised to step into the role of her dreams—leading the firm’s new Boston office. But first she’s taking a summer sabbatical in her hometown of Bard’s Rest, New Hampshire, where she discovers something’s rotten in the midst of the town’s annual Shakespeare festival.
Hotshot commercial developer Benjamin Dane is sniffing around Bard’s, and while Portia isn’t necessarily a Shakespeare fanatic like the rest of her family, she’s not about to let him bulldoze the town’s beloved outdoor theater. Yet to Portia’s dismay, Ben proves as skilled as she is when it comes to outworking, outmaneuvering, and one-upping the competition. While she’s never hesitated to wage war against hyper-successful alpha males, Portia is caught off guard by Ben’s openness and lack of arrogance. As her own long-constructed walls start to come down, Portia begins to wonder if he might be more than an archnemesis.
With her heart on the line and the future of the town hanging in the balance, Portia faces an impossible decision—Ben or Bard’s?—unless she finds a way to broker the merger of her life, and ensures the curtain falls on a happy ending for everyone.” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The Small Town Charm—This is a small. quirky town. Imagine Taylor Doseys everywhere but instead of Stars Hollow lore, they love Shakespeare everything. It’s so delightful and fun!
The Banter—Ben and Portia had GREAT banter and I thought they were a great intellectual match for each other!
The Writing—I really like Jessica Martin’s writing. It’s smart and silly at the same time and she doesn’t skimp on world building.
What Didn’t Work:
A lot of description—This is a good thing, but I also really wanted to get to the action of the story. It made it feel slow at parts when this book isn’t slow and has a lot to offer! Just needed a little editing IMO.
Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 3.75/5
Content Warnings:
Cancer, cancer treatment, sick parent