Three weeks after the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, the Capulets' and Montagues' unstable truce has Verona on edge. Juliet's cousin Rosaline feels no loyalty to either side, since the Capulets have shown her little kindness since the death of her father and its accompanying financial ruin years before. When her Uncle Capulet agrees to Prince Escalus's peace plan to unite Rosaline and the Montague Benvolio in marriage, Rosaline refuses to cooperate. Not only does she find Benvolio arrogant, her heart has secretly belonged to Escalus since she was a child. Escalus blackmails Rosaline, giving her no choice but to agree. Rosaline then conspires with her betrothed: If the two of them can figure out who is trying to continue to stir up trouble between the families, they won't have to marry. To Rosaline's surprise, she begins to find unexpected pleasure in Benvolio's company. Then it turns out Escalus's heart is not as cold and calculating as she feared. Author Melinda Taub has spun a delightful new story on the foundations of Shakespeare's tragedy. Her narrative sparkles with rich language, dialogue, plotting, and wit. There is mystery, romance, treachery, and murder, not to mention a ferocious race against time. And there is Rosaline: smart, strong, feisty, and certain to follow her heart. A terrific author's note outlines where Taub took liberties with characters whose backgrounds and fates were left unexplored (or presumed different) in Romeo & Juliet. (Age 12 and older)