Presenting Author - Eloisa James

[Artemisia Thorne]

Name: Eloisa James
Genre: Regency Romance
Audience: New Adult, Adult
Books: Fairy Tales series, Seduction series, Would-Be Wallflowers series, Accidental Brides series, and more.


Summary: Eloisa James is the pen name of Mary Bly, daughter of poet Robert Bly and short-story author Carol Bly, and goddaughter of poet James Wright.
Bly writes historical romance novels, primarily set in the Regency (1811-1820) and Georgian (1740-1837) periods. She studied at Harvard University before going on to earn an M.Phil at Oxford and a Ph.D. in Renaissance Studies at Yale, and now works as a tenured Shakespeare professor at Fordham University where she has served as director of graduate studies in the English Department and head of the Creative Writing Program.
Following the passing of her mother from ovarian cancer, Bly became a spokesperson for Avon’s K.I.S.S. and TEAL campaign which stands for Know the Important Signs and Symptoms.

Goodreads says:

New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James writes historical romances for HarperCollins Publishers. Her novels have been published to great acclaim. A reviewer from USA Today wrote of Eloisa's very first book that she "found herself devouring the book like a dieter with a Hershey bar"; later People Magazine raved that "romance writing does not get much better than this." Her novels have repeatedly received starred reviews from Publishers' Weekly and Library Journal and regularly appear on the best-seller lists.
After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Currently she is an associate professor and head of the Creative Writing program at Fordham University in New York City. Her "double life" is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.

Review: I absolutely love Eloisa James. She is a natural author, everything she writes flows brilliantly and she has a real knack for romance. I was only 13 when I first picked up one of her books and I have loved her ever since. I have read her entire regency Fairy Tales series and various books from her other series here and there, and I absolutely recommend them to anyone who enjoys historical romance that puts an emphasis on female strength and unity. Her main characters are consistently positive role models for women, it’s great to see in historical romance where this is so often missing.

[Artemisia Thorne]

Title: When Beauty Tamed the Beast
Author: Eloisa James
Series: Fairy Tales
Genres: Regency Romance, Fairy Tales
Audience: New Adult, Adult


Summary: When Linnet finds herself in a position where the ton believes her to be with child, the father of the impotent Earl of Montague is quick to snatch her up to be wed to his son. But the Earl is not what Linnet expected. A brilliant surgeon with a reputation for his unmanageable temper, Piers is immune to Linnet’s charm and is quick to make it clear that there will be no wedding.
However, fate holds more for the pair, and as the two grow closer a danger closes in around them. Eventually, Piers must make a choice, but will it be the right one? Or will it put everything he cares about at risk?

Goodreads says:

If only her gown hadn't been so fully cut, or she hadn't been caught kissing that prince . . . But now the ton believes Linnet to be with royal child - and therefore unmarriageable - so she might as well make her desperate father happy by consenting to wed a beast.
A brilliant surgeon with a reputation for losing his temper - and a wound believed to have left him . . . incapable - Piers, Earl of Montague, should welcome a bride-to-be carrying a ready-made, blue-blooded heir. But Piers isn't fooled by the lady's subterfuge, and though Linnet's devilishly smart and charming with a loveliness that outshines the sun, there will be no wedding of beauty to beast.
Still, Linnet finds the gorgeous brute intriguing, with a spark of gentility behind his growl that's worth fanning. And it's obvious to the naked eye that 'incapable' does not mean 'uninterested'...

Review: This book is a delightfully witty twist on the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale. Beauty and the Beast is my favourite fairy tale so I can be rather picky with retellings, and this one without a doubt is one of the better kinds. Linnet defies stereotypes, she is witty, passionate, and determined assert herself in a world where women are often underestimated. Her love interest, Piers, certainly embodies the brooding hero trope, but he has such a depth of vulnerabilities and complexities that it just takes the trope to whole new level. The relationship between these two characters is full of banter, infusing the story with well written humour that doubles as a vehicle for character development. It’s incredibly well written.
This book does include some spicy scenes, so definitely a 17+ read.

[Artemisia Thorne]

Title: Once Upon a Tower
Author: Eloisa James
Series: Fairy Tales
Genres: Regency Romance, Fairy Tales
Audience: New Adult, Adult


Summary: Once Upon a Tower follows the fiery Edie as she becomes engaged to Gowan, the Duke of Kinross. Although the proposal begins stiff and cold, the pairs passion soon blooms and their relationship seems as perfect as can be.
Until a plot twist that has their marriage hanging by threads. When Edie locks herself away in a tower, Gowan must find a way back into his wife’s life or else risk losing his heart forever.

Goodreads says:

Gowan Stoughton of Craigievar, Duke of Kinross, values order and self-control above all else. So when he meets a lady as serene as she is beautiful, he promptly asks for her hand in marriage.
Edie - whose passionate temperament is the opposite of serene - had such a high fever at her own debut ball that she didn't notice anyone, not even the notoriously elusive Duke of Kinross.
Her father accepts his offer, but Edie's inability to hide her feelings makes pretending impossible, and when their marriage implodes, she retreats to a tower - locking Gowan out. Now Gowan faces his greatest challenge. Neither commands nor reason work with his spirited young bride. How can he convince her to give him the keys to the tower . . . when she already has the keys to his heart?

Review: This book is incredible, I am such a huge fan. The romance between Edie and Gowan is to die for, it starts out so perfectly and then this incredible plot twist is thrown in that has their relationship hanging by a thread. It is so emotive and just draws the reader in so well that you end up so invested in their relationship that you need them to fix things or nothing will ever be right ever again. It’s brilliant.

The characters themselves are also so well developed. Edie is so passionate and determined, she really channels everything that Rapunzel is meant to be. She isn’t perfect though, she has her flaws, and I think that is such an important message for society today, because women really can’t be the perfect goddesses that we’re being told we need to be, so to see such a strong female figure portrayed with flaws is really inspiring. Gowan too has his flaws, he’s strong and sexy, but he also works too much tries too hard to be perfect, and doesn’t understand what his wife needs in their relationship. I have read so many books where the love interest never does anything wrong and is every reader’s perfect book boyfriend, so it is so refreshing to see a character who messes up, who makes mistakes, but who (eventually) takes responsibility for his actions and works on improving himself.

This book is just a 10/10 all the way, I highly recommend it.

Side note, there is some spicy time, so this is a 17+ recommendation.