A romantic time travel story that’s ideal for fans of novels by Meg Cabot and Donna Jo Napoli–and, of course, Shakespeare.

Miranda has Shakespeare in her blood: she hopes one day to become a Shakespearean actor like her famous parents. At least, she does until her disastrous performance in her school’s staging of The Taming of the Shrew. Humiliated, Miranda skips the opening-night party. All she wants to do is hide.

Fellow cast member, Stephen Langford, has other plans for Miranda. When he steps out of the backstage shadows and asks if she’d like to meet Shakespeare, Miranda thinks he’s a total nutcase. But before she can object, Stephen whisks her back to 16th century England—the world Stephen’s really from. He wants Miranda to use her acting talents and modern-day charms on the young Will Shakespeare. Without her help, Stephen claims, the world will lost its greatest playwright.

Miranda isn’t convinced she’s the girl for the job. Why would Shakespeare care about her? And just who is this infuriating time traveler, Stephen Langford? Reluctantly, she agrees to help, knowing that it’s her only chance of getting back to the present and her “real” life. What Miranda doesn’t bargain for is finding true love . . . with no acting required.

I have always enjoyed historic fiction novels, and this is one of the best ones I have ever read! I have read a few Shakespeare themed books in my time, and this one really got me interested in the famous playwright! Some books set in the time that I have read have made the era seem very dull, but this one painted a beautiful story. With the mix of a normal, teenage girl and a mysterious time traveler PLUS the great Shakespeare himself is so incredibly entrancing! It keeps you guessing until the very end. And the ending is incredible – even though I was in tears.

I give Kissing Shakespeare 5 out of 5 stars.

Maddie