Once Upon a Tower (Fairy Tales Book 5)

I had previously read this book, but didn't remember the storyline very well, so parts of it were almost new to me. I really liked Gowan, the Duke of Kinross and also Edie, the heroine with whom Gowan fell in love at first sight.Here's one for the books - a virtuous hero - yes, readers - Gowan is a virgin. A sexy braw Scottish virgin duke. That fact alone makes this book worth a read. Edie isn't just any old heroine, she's a cello virtuoso who practices for several hours each day. When Gowan and Edie come together, there are some issues to be worked out. He's a work-a-holic and she's a music-a-holic if you will. He's accustomed to order, being obeyed and multi-tasking. She finally gets enough and begins to interfere. To Gowan's credit, he allows her some freedom to adjust his schedule.**Spoilerish*** But... when Edie can't easily accommodate his size and has ongoing pain and begins to dread the act of marriage, things begins to go awry, especially when she calls in reinforcements in the person of her step-mama, Layla and confides truths about her sexual dealings with Gowan. Oh boy - the fat is in the fire when Gowan learns Edie has faked pleasure and talked with Layla.I enjoyed this story, but I felt that parts of the storyline were a bit cut and dried so to speak. One good feature of the book is that we get a secondary romance between Edie's father and Layla as they work their marriage difficulties out over the course of the story.

I have read all of the fairy tale series including the novellas and they were all wonderful except this one. The very first chapter is a lovely interplay between the heroine and her stepmother. Shortly after the first scene however the book deteriorates. There is virtually no plot, and what there is of the plot is predictable. The interplay between the heroine and her new husband (the Duke) is stilted and without humor. But the worse part of the book is the Duke himself. He is a jerk. No descriptions of his musculature, Scottish burr or anything else can disguise his complete meanness, ego and lack of charm. I finished the book only in the hope that it would get better. Do yourself a favor and don't bother.

I'm a James fan and regularly purchase her books, but this one was not in keeping with her talent. The hero and heroine, and secondary characters also, are all good. BUT, there is no plot. The story line revolves around problems in the sack and while James tries to push the psychological foundation for these issues, it just doesn't work. The inner musing of the characters becomes tedious, false and thin. One of the things I enjoy about reading romance is passionate sex in likable characters. But reading Once Upon, I felt as frustrated as the characters. Fine technical writing as usual with James, but for heaven's sake, add a story line that keeps things moving along for those of us who don't suffer from sexual dysfunctions and don't want to.

Once Upon a Tower is a story of a love affair a heroine has with her cello. The beginning of this story was unique and in some ways this is a different regency than expected but I had a hard time really connecting to the leading lady.At her coming out ball, Edie is very ill, feverish and not herself. She rather drifted through her debut ball with very little remembrance of the event. Someone who did remember her was Gowan Stoughton, Duke of Kinross. He decides right then to marry her and asks her father for her hand. They are betrothed without Edie really remembering him.Charmingly, these two connect through letters. Their correspondence is frank, funny and bawdy and I thought this courtship was quite lovely. When they finally do meet each other again both are even more intrigued with the other.I liked Gowan. He was decisive usually logical but his feeling for Edie are overtaking his fine rational thought process. His feelings are very sweet and complex.Edie loves the cello. She practices five hours a day. Hard to believe she does not have ANY other pursuits. Not friendships, not charitable organizations, not politics, not reading, not math, not science, not history, just the cello. She is (excuse the pun) a one note character. This is a girl who will never ever play in an orchestra. Her father is also a cellist and together they play every night.I wonder how this woman will ever be able to take care of children (she says she will teach them the cello), run an estate in Scotland or even make lasting friendships in light of the fact that she must practice her cello five hours a day. I was surprised her parent even allowed her to marry since he would be losing his cello partner.This story had potential to be an engrossing story but I felt that the only one truly engrossed was Edie with her music.

So far it's the worst book I read from Author.The description of the book is a bit misleading.And I just _have_to_ say that Layla was such a bitch to Gowan in that last argument and quite a bit untruthful with some of the things she repeted (I know that characters may be wrong and all, but it grates me) like that her husband would never strip her of her self respect - he did that few times in the book or that Edie is such a loving person - I haven't seen much evidence of that. Also if she held her fat tongue neither marriage would have so many troubles. Ugh !

I love Eloisa James and her books, but was very disappointed in this much awaited story. The characters (especially that of Gowan) were immature and a little irritating. The characters get together fairly on in the book, and spend much of the remainder of the time annoying each other (and me).The last few chapters saved this from being 2 stars, and fingers crossed that Eloise's next offering raises the bar again!

The whole story is a little slow which made it a bit difficult to finish. I have read two other Eloisa James books and I didn't enjoy this book as much as the others. The characters were not as engaging and although the story had some interesting parts it sometimes repeated itself. Also the tower did not pay much of a part, only appearing near the end of the book, therefore the story was a bit different to the one I was expecting after reading the title.

I buy this pap for my elderly relative; a quick scan through makes me yearn for some real literature.Miserably cliched.

I couldn't make myself finish it as it was so bad. I really do not like the Happy Ever After Series. It's all so contrived