Once Upon a Tower

Starred review from June 15, 2013

Captivated by the charming, ever-so-agreeable Lady Edith Gilchrist from the first time he sees her, the normally levelheaded Duke of Kinross proposes--and is accepted--the next day. But Edie was ill and not at all herself, so she writes him a very direct letter laying out her practical, unromantic marital expectations. Her missive in turn elicits an equally direct but totally opposite response from the surprised duke, setting the stage for an unforgettable romance that satisfies on all counts. Superb secondary characters (a wonderfully outrageous stepmother, in particular) and timeless, well-handled relationship issues add to the fun. VERDICT Exquisitely written, insightful, hilarious, and sometimes bawdy, this adroit, offbeat, music-laced, Shakespeare-infused take on the classic Rapunzel story will put cello-playing into a whole new light and a tower on every woman's wish list. James (The Ugly Duchess) lives in the New York City area.

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2013
An erotic novel set in England and Scotland in the early 1800s. Gowan, a Scottish duke, falls in love with Edie, the daughter of an English gentleman, who reciprocates his feelings. They are both virgins: Gowan was disgusted by his own father's philandering and wants to save himself for the love of his life, and Edie is a proper English lady. Both were raised by their fathers after their respective mothers died. As it happens, sexual incompatibility threatens their marriage, but ultimately, their shared values as well as their deep love for one another will save it. Edie is a talented cellist who might have been a world-class performer had she been born a man. She jealously guards her time for practice. It was her father who taught her to play, and music was how they connected. Gowan, meanwhile, runs the family estate and oversees the workers, unlike his father, who was an irresponsible drunk. Gowan also has a half sister he wants to raise with Edie. Edie loves her stepmother, whose own marriage to Edie's father is on the brink. The two women help each other with marital advice that eventually will pay off. The dialogue between characters is witty, but there are too many explicit, repetitious bedroom scenes. According to the author, Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and the story of Rapunzel inspired this book, and there are references to and quotes from both. A work of romantic historical fiction with an emphasis on sex.

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Starred review from May 1, 2013
Gowan Stoughton, Duke of Kinross, knows time is money. Therefore, when it comes time for Gowan to select a wife, he wastes not a moment negotiating with Lady Edith Gilcrest's father for her hand in marriage. Once Gowan has his future duchess lined up, it's off to Brighton for an important business conference. When Gowan receives his first letter from Edith, he is delighted to discover his fianc'e shares his sensible nature, since Edith spells out exactly what she expects from their marriage, though there are hints that she has a rather sharp sense of humor. Upon finally catching up with Edith, Gowan is prepared to finish ironing out the practical details of their future together, only to discover that after one kiss, he is hopelesslyand quite impracticallyin love. The latest splendidly sexy fairy-tale romance from bestseller James is inspired by Rapunzel, with a generous dash of Romeo and Juliet. The result is a symphony of delights for romance readers, a lyrically written love story graced with richly nuanced characters and generously seasoned with the author's incandescent wit.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)