Author puts own spin on Shakespeare in ‘Juliet’

Juliet from Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” has crossed the ages to become the heroine of many a young girl's dreams. The story of the teenage, impetuous girl who will go to any lengths to be with the boy she loves is the stuff of which legends are made.

In the amazing book, "Juliet," author Anne Fortier puts a whole new spin on the "Juliet" story by introducing the feisty character of Julie Jacobs, the girl who may just have the original "Giulietta's" blood running through her veins.

All her life, Julie has considered herself the older, smarter, but not quite as sparkly, twin to her glamorous sister, Janice. The sisters have been raised in America by their Aunt Rose after the accidental death of their parents in Italy.

Questions about their family and history have always nagged at Julie. Answers to those questions are brought to the surface when her aunt dies. Julie travels back to her birthplace of Siena, Italy, to retrieve some mysterious documents of her late mother's, the only inheritance she's to receive. Little does Julie know that her adventures in life are just about to begin.

After finding a few old letters and journals contained in an antique box, Julie finds herself embroiled in a centuries-old case of suspense and intrigue. Between dodging the police (she has a questionable past relationship with the Italian police) and avoiding the rival family members who seem intent on seeing her silenced, Julie finds that her history and the past of the famed Juliet are destined to be intertwined.

But will she be able to bring a peaceful truce to all involved before the famed "curse" catches up with her? And will her personal “Romeo” show up in time to save her?

Taking this fascinating story back to the 1300s and forward to the present, and sprinkling historical facts throughout the fiction, Fortier creates a dazzling tale centered around star-crossed love that will keep readers enthralled to the very last sentence. "Juliet" has all the key ingredients for a masterpiece novel: romance, intrigue, humor, and all set against the beautiful backdrop of amorous Italy. It’s almost like a Dan Brown novel for women — lots of twists and turns that keep the story hopping, complete with a satisfying ending.

I look for "Juliet" to be one of the leading novels of the year. Shakespeare would be proud.