Book Review
Sep. 27th, 2022 10:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariOnce Upon a Tower
by Eloisa James
In this historical romance, Scottish duke Gowan and cellist Edie marry quickly and then must learn to make their marriage and their sex life work. This novel had so much going for it: Edie is a serious musician and James does a very good job of realistically portraying this aspect of her life, the Scottish castle setting is very enchanting, Edie's lively and wise stepmother Layla is terrific, and the story was refreshingly different from most romances. Unfortunately, I just didn't like the hero at all. Gowan is very much an alpha type, which is generally not my favorite. He prefers to be in command of his world, and lives a very workaholic, regimented life. He initially doesn't quite get that he has to make room for and adjust his life to Edie and marriage. He's very good at solving problems, but very bad at involving or consulting anyone else in the process. Gowan makes some great progress towards loosening up and building a real relationship with Edie, but then ruins it all by being really awful to her during a conflict. There's a grand gesture and some grovelling to make amends, but it didn't really work for me.
by Eloisa James
In this historical romance, Scottish duke Gowan and cellist Edie marry quickly and then must learn to make their marriage and their sex life work. This novel had so much going for it: Edie is a serious musician and James does a very good job of realistically portraying this aspect of her life, the Scottish castle setting is very enchanting, Edie's lively and wise stepmother Layla is terrific, and the story was refreshingly different from most romances. Unfortunately, I just didn't like the hero at all. Gowan is very much an alpha type, which is generally not my favorite. He prefers to be in command of his world, and lives a very workaholic, regimented life. He initially doesn't quite get that he has to make room for and adjust his life to Edie and marriage. He's very good at solving problems, but very bad at involving or consulting anyone else in the process. Gowan makes some great progress towards loosening up and building a real relationship with Edie, but then ruins it all by being really awful to her during a conflict. There's a grand gesture and some grovelling to make amends, but it didn't really work for me.
