Her parents, brother, and friends are behind her even when she’s doing things she’s not supposed to. Honestly, her whole family dynamic was really sweet and supportive, which I enjoyed seeing.

It was a genuine connection with a family member. I also loved the relationship she had with her Aunt Karla. Jerzie is quite a likeable young person in my opinion, she’s quirky, but has studied hard and is confident (mostly) in her abilities, that her feelings of disappointment are palpable when Cinny is announced as the lead. I felt like I was thrust into a cacophonous world and needed to find my bearings, much like Jerzie is trying to quell her nerves on the way to her audition.

If I’m being completely honest here, the beginning was a little rocky for me. She’s going to find out very quickly that while the price of fame can be costly, family, love, and friendship are priceless. When a video of Jerzie and Zeppelin singing together goes viral and the public starts weighing in, it spells a world of trouble for Jerzie. At rehearsals she begins falling for Cinny’s co-star Zeppelin Reid, which is a terrible idea, considering Cinny seems to be going after him as well. However, she’s beat out on the lead role by superstar R&B singer Cinny, and cast as an understudy. The cast is diverse and features lots of interesting twists on the original play. Jerzie Jhames has done everything in her power to land a lead role in Broadway, and with Roman and Jewel, a Romeo and Juliet inspired hip-hopera, she has the opportunity to do just that. It’s romantic, funny, and most of all, I think will satisfy romantics of all ages. It’s a delightfully dramatic story about an aspiring young broadway actress and the scandal she becomes embroiled in. Reading slumps can be funny in that way, but I’m so glad that I didn’t stop trying to pick up this story.

I just couldn’t get into the right headspace for a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, but when I picked this up on the first day of the new year, I was able to sit down and read the whole thing through without issue. My first completed read of the year was one I started and put down several times in 2020.

Roman and Jewel by Dana L. Davis