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Fairy Tales #1.5
Storming the Castle
What Miss Phillipa Damson needs is a good, old fashioned knight in shining armor. What she has is a fiancé she never wanted and a compelling urge to run away. But if she manages to escape, will she find her happily ever after?
158 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 21, 2010
242 people are currently reading
2533 people want to read
About the author
Eloisa James
123 books9,534 followersNew 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.
Eloisa...on her double life:
When I'm not writing novels, I'm a Shakespeare professor. It's rather like having two lives. The other day I bought a delicious pink suit to tape a television segment on romance; I'll never wear that suit to teach in, nor even to give a paper at the Shakespeare Association of America conference. It's like being Superman, with power suits for both lives. Yet the literature professor in me certainly plays into my romances. The Taming of the Duke (April 2006) has obvious Shakespearean resonances, as do many of my novels. I often weave early modern poetry into my work; the same novel might contain bits of Catullus, Shakespeare and anonymous bawdy ballads from the 16th century.
When I rip off my power suit, whether it's academic or romantic, underneath is the rather tired, chocolate-stained sweatshirt of a mom. Just as I use Shakespeare in my romances, I almost always employ my experiences as a mother. When I wrote about a miscarriage in Midnight Pleasures, I used my own fears of premature birth; when the little girl in Fool For Love threw up and threw up, I described my own daughter, who had that unsavory habit for well over her first year of life.
So I'm a writer, a professor, a mother - and a wife. My husband Alessandro is Italian, born in Florence. We spend the lazy summer months with his mother and sister in Italy. It always strikes me as a huge irony that as a romance writer I find myself married to a knight, a cavaliere, as you say in Italian.
One more thing...I'm a friend. I have girlfriends who are writers and girlfriends who are Shakespeare professors. And I have girlfriends who are romance readers. In fact, we have something of a community going on my website. Please stop by and join the conversation on my readers' pages.
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.
Eloisa...on her double life:
When I'm not writing novels, I'm a Shakespeare professor. It's rather like having two lives. The other day I bought a delicious pink suit to tape a television segment on romance; I'll never wear that suit to teach in, nor even to give a paper at the Shakespeare Association of America conference. It's like being Superman, with power suits for both lives. Yet the literature professor in me certainly plays into my romances. The Taming of the Duke (April 2006) has obvious Shakespearean resonances, as do many of my novels. I often weave early modern poetry into my work; the same novel might contain bits of Catullus, Shakespeare and anonymous bawdy ballads from the 16th century.
When I rip off my power suit, whether it's academic or romantic, underneath is the rather tired, chocolate-stained sweatshirt of a mom. Just as I use Shakespeare in my romances, I almost always employ my experiences as a mother. When I wrote about a miscarriage in Midnight Pleasures, I used my own fears of premature birth; when the little girl in Fool For Love threw up and threw up, I described my own daughter, who had that unsavory habit for well over her first year of life.
So I'm a writer, a professor, a mother - and a wife. My husband Alessandro is Italian, born in Florence. We spend the lazy summer months with his mother and sister in Italy. It always strikes me as a huge irony that as a romance writer I find myself married to a knight, a cavaliere, as you say in Italian.
One more thing...I'm a friend. I have girlfriends who are writers and girlfriends who are Shakespeare professors. And I have girlfriends who are romance readers. In fact, we have something of a community going on my website. Please stop by and join the conversation on my readers' pages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 386 reviews
September 26, 2013
Storming the Castle was such a sweet, funny, touching, steamy, romantic story, and I’m so glad I read it! I had grown very fond of Wick in A Kiss at Midnight, and while this story was definitely too short, I was happy to see him in action again.
And just as we had in A Kiss at Midnight, we get another very strong, enjoyable heroine in Phillipa, who knew her own mind and isn't afraid to do whatever necessary to live her life on her own terms. Together, she and Wick made a very charming, sexy couple who were both so very deserving of their own happily ever after.
It was such a treat getting to revisit Kate and Gabriel, and of course Great Aunt Sophonisba whose most brilliant scenes were those she spent well into her cups. I must say, however, I was saddened that there wasn’t a single reference to the rats, Caesar, Freddie and Coco!
I can’t wait to see what Ms. James has in store for us in the next installment of the Happily Ever Afters series, When Beauty Tamed the Beast.
August 24, 2020
Para quem, como eu, leu o primeiro livro: O Beijo Encantado, aqui têm a oportunidade de ver um HEA para o Wick (que já merecia), o irmão bastardo do príncipe Gabriel.
Um pequeno conto mas gostei que ele tivesse algum protagonismo, por mais pequeno que tenha sido.
Um pequeno conto mas gostei que ele tivesse algum protagonismo, por mais pequeno que tenha sido.
October 14, 2020
A wonderful novella that I really liked. It gives a well deserved HEA to Wick, the Prince's half brother from A Kiss at Midnight.
When Miss Phillipa Damson decides that she isn't going to be force to marry her fiancé, especially after a less than satisfying encounter. She needs a place to hide and her own knight in shining armor.
She takes a nursemaid position at the Castle and meets Wick and falls in love. But, Wick has a lot of misgivings about this and Phillipa has a lot of convincing to do.
When Miss Phillipa Damson decides that she isn't going to be force to marry her fiancé, especially after a less than satisfying encounter. She needs a place to hide and her own knight in shining armor.
She takes a nursemaid position at the Castle and meets Wick and falls in love. But, Wick has a lot of misgivings about this and Phillipa has a lot of convincing to do.
March 31, 2011
Phillipa has a problem: she’s slept with her betrothed and knows that she never, ever wants to do it again. But he’s a future baronet and the pressure to marry him is intense. When she hears that the princess of a neighboring castle needs a nursemaid, it's the escape route she needs.
At the castle, Phillipa meets Berwick, the devilishly handsome and rather surprising majordomo of the castle. “He has lovely eyes, rather brooding, as if life wasn’t giving him what he wanted. That had to be because he was a butler. He didn’t seem like a butler.”
Wick, illegitimate half-brother of Prince Gabriel from A Kiss at Midnight , has a problem. He’s (voluntarily) a servant, which means ladies are off-limits to him, but he’s too educated to marry another servant. And since his brother’s marriage, he’s been feeling increasingly lonely.
Wick recognizes that has has “a cuckoo in his kitchen”... Miss Damson has a lady’s voice, not a nursemaid’s voice. And “... as he followed Miss Damson’s admittedly delicious figure from the kitchen, he thought, for the first time in his life, that perhaps he could marry a servant after all. If the servant was a lady.” Trouble is, Phillipa really is a lady, and he can’t condemn her to a servant’s life.
This short novella started out well but ended up not thrilling me; I liked the characters, but not the way it played out. There was an unpleasant snobbish element that rubbed me the wrong way. Phillipa’s fiance Rodney seems to get rather a raw deal, and apparently mainly because she’s decided he’s too fat-assed to marry. (Why she didn’t notice this before she decided to sleep with him, I couldn’t tell you.) And the conflict is firstly exaggerated and then done away with too easily. Wick was a sweet character and deserved a better story.
At the castle, Phillipa meets Berwick, the devilishly handsome and rather surprising majordomo of the castle. “He has lovely eyes, rather brooding, as if life wasn’t giving him what he wanted. That had to be because he was a butler. He didn’t seem like a butler.”
Wick, illegitimate half-brother of Prince Gabriel from A Kiss at Midnight , has a problem. He’s (voluntarily) a servant, which means ladies are off-limits to him, but he’s too educated to marry another servant. And since his brother’s marriage, he’s been feeling increasingly lonely.
Wick recognizes that has has “a cuckoo in his kitchen”... Miss Damson has a lady’s voice, not a nursemaid’s voice. And “... as he followed Miss Damson’s admittedly delicious figure from the kitchen, he thought, for the first time in his life, that perhaps he could marry a servant after all. If the servant was a lady.” Trouble is, Phillipa really is a lady, and he can’t condemn her to a servant’s life.
This short novella started out well but ended up not thrilling me; I liked the characters, but not the way it played out. There was an unpleasant snobbish element that rubbed me the wrong way. Phillipa’s fiance Rodney seems to get rather a raw deal, and apparently mainly because she’s decided he’s too fat-assed to marry. (Why she didn’t notice this before she decided to sleep with him, I couldn’t tell you.) And the conflict is firstly exaggerated and then done away with too easily. Wick was a sweet character and deserved a better story.
September 13, 2021
Boring
This author has a thing for women with big bosoms. And also women with no dignity who keep repeating that they love the heroes even though they say they won't marry the heroines.
The h decided she doesn't want her fiance bc of his fat bottom right after he took her virginity, and now all she want is the H for his muscled arm and perfect thighs.
This author has a thing for women with big bosoms. And also women with no dignity who keep repeating that they love the heroes even though they say they won't marry the heroines.
The h decided she doesn't want her fiance bc of his fat bottom right after he took her virginity, and now all she want is the H for his muscled arm and perfect thighs.
December 22, 2011
4.5 flames
*****SPOILERS*****
This was such a cute little sequel to A Kiss at Midnight. It's only about 67 pages and it's about Wick, Gabriel's brother. He's the illegitimate son of the Grand Duke, remember? Gabriel's half-brother.
Well, he finds the new nursemaid for his newborn nephew just absolutely intriguing.
Our new nursemaid Miss Phillipa is running from her fiance...but not for any reason we'd normally see. The story opens with Rodney lying flushed in the hay after he'd grabbed Phillipa and "seduced" her. She realized afterward that 1. She could never ever do that again, and 2. she could never ever marry him.
Being that she was a lady, and her fiance a baronet, she did the only thing she could think of-she ran. But she'd heard that the Prince and princess had a new baby who wouldn't stop screaming, and Kate and Gabriel were at their wits end trying to find a new nursemaid.
I loved how Phillipa waltzed in and took charge of the situation. I also enjoyed the verbal sparring between her and Wick. And I loved Kate's role in it. And the love scenes were truly that, love scenes, not sex. And so steamy.
It's a short story, but it's soo cute and sweet, and the ending is beautiful. I only wish Rodney had gotten some form of verbal "I will not marry you" from Phillipa.
*****SPOILERS*****
This was such a cute little sequel to A Kiss at Midnight. It's only about 67 pages and it's about Wick, Gabriel's brother. He's the illegitimate son of the Grand Duke, remember? Gabriel's half-brother.
Well, he finds the new nursemaid for his newborn nephew just absolutely intriguing.
Our new nursemaid Miss Phillipa is running from her fiance...but not for any reason we'd normally see. The story opens with Rodney lying flushed in the hay after he'd grabbed Phillipa and "seduced" her. She realized afterward that 1. She could never ever do that again, and 2. she could never ever marry him.
Being that she was a lady, and her fiance a baronet, she did the only thing she could think of-she ran. But she'd heard that the Prince and princess had a new baby who wouldn't stop screaming, and Kate and Gabriel were at their wits end trying to find a new nursemaid.
I loved how Phillipa waltzed in and took charge of the situation. I also enjoyed the verbal sparring between her and Wick. And I loved Kate's role in it. And the love scenes were truly that, love scenes, not sex. And so steamy.
It's a short story, but it's soo cute and sweet, and the ending is beautiful. I only wish Rodney had gotten some form of verbal "I will not marry you" from Phillipa.
July 9, 2012
1 ½ stars
This novella tells the story of Wick’s happily ever after. Wick is a prominent character in the first book in the Fairy Tales series, A Kiss at Midnight. While I enjoyed the first book and the second book in the series I found this novella sort of disappointing. Maybe it was because of the length (98 pages), but I didn’t feel like the characters were developed at all. Wick, we know from A Kiss at Midnight, but we have no idea who Phillipa really is besides that she is a woman in an unhappy engagement who decides to runaway.
One of my main issues was that quite a bit of time is skipped over and never really accounted for. One minute Phillipa is barging into the castle and the next she’s fully acquainted with the staff because of her “charming” personality. We’re just told Wick and Phillipa talk at night and spend some time together for the past few months, but the reader is never shown these discussions. The discussions and internal dialogue readers are shown are quite lame. It’s the typical “I’m not worthy enough for you!” and “I love you so much I could die, but I can’t be with you!” Lame. Totally Lame. I was so sick of the “I’m not worthy enough for you” dialogue that I was happy when it all ended.
Another one of my issues was that I really hated how Wick from the moment he sees Phillipa automatically turned his thoughts to marriage. To me this was a complete stretch in his personality. Actually in any person’s personality this would be a stretch. I don’t know of anyone who automatically says “There’s my future spouse” and then proceeds to go on about how unworthy they are. Let’s be real…the average person goes into lust mode first. Maybe the author decided to take this route to keep the novella within a certain page limit, but for me it was an injustice to Wick.
Lastly, I didn’t care for Phillipa as a heroine. I didn’t find her as strong as she was supposed to be portrayed. I didn’t understand why she gave up her virginity to her fat ass conceited fiancé when it was clear from the beginning that she didn’t care for him, wasn’t attracted to him and didn’t want to marry him. If she was as intelligent as we are told she is I don’t think she would’ve gone this route.
Overall, I expected and wanted more for Wick. I was disappointed that this story amounted to a lot of “I’m not worthy” dialogue instead of being the funny, light hearted romance I thought it was going to be.
This novella tells the story of Wick’s happily ever after. Wick is a prominent character in the first book in the Fairy Tales series, A Kiss at Midnight. While I enjoyed the first book and the second book in the series I found this novella sort of disappointing. Maybe it was because of the length (98 pages), but I didn’t feel like the characters were developed at all. Wick, we know from A Kiss at Midnight, but we have no idea who Phillipa really is besides that she is a woman in an unhappy engagement who decides to runaway.
One of my main issues was that quite a bit of time is skipped over and never really accounted for. One minute Phillipa is barging into the castle and the next she’s fully acquainted with the staff because of her “charming” personality. We’re just told Wick and Phillipa talk at night and spend some time together for the past few months, but the reader is never shown these discussions. The discussions and internal dialogue readers are shown are quite lame. It’s the typical “I’m not worthy enough for you!” and “I love you so much I could die, but I can’t be with you!” Lame. Totally Lame. I was so sick of the “I’m not worthy enough for you” dialogue that I was happy when it all ended.
Another one of my issues was that I really hated how Wick from the moment he sees Phillipa automatically turned his thoughts to marriage. To me this was a complete stretch in his personality. Actually in any person’s personality this would be a stretch. I don’t know of anyone who automatically says “There’s my future spouse” and then proceeds to go on about how unworthy they are. Let’s be real…the average person goes into lust mode first. Maybe the author decided to take this route to keep the novella within a certain page limit, but for me it was an injustice to Wick.
Lastly, I didn’t care for Phillipa as a heroine. I didn’t find her as strong as she was supposed to be portrayed. I didn’t understand why she gave up her virginity to her fat ass conceited fiancé when it was clear from the beginning that she didn’t care for him, wasn’t attracted to him and didn’t want to marry him. If she was as intelligent as we are told she is I don’t think she would’ve gone this route.
Overall, I expected and wanted more for Wick. I was disappointed that this story amounted to a lot of “I’m not worthy” dialogue instead of being the funny, light hearted romance I thought it was going to be.
May 19, 2020
2.5 Stars
Sometimes novellas work for me and sometimes they don't. This was an example of the latter. After having recently read the first book in this Fairy Tale series, I was looking forward to more of Wick. While I found all of the characters wonderful, there just wasn't enough story worthy of Jonas Berwick. His character stood out in the first book and I would have loved to have read a more thoroughly developed story involving his romance. I will say that the opening scene was humorous and set the tone for the rest.
May 21, 2022
Leuk kort verhaaltje maar niks bijzonders . Hoort eigenlijk bij de Fairy Tales serie en is een vervolg op deel 1 daarvan .
January 10, 2025
*4.5 stars ✨
March 27, 2023
I'd have liked it more if the heroine weren't so focused on the physical shortcomings of her intended. He has numerous faults in deportment, consideration, thoughtfulness, and respect. Disparaging his person is unkind and makes her appear shallow.
Just out of curiosity: what are the fairy tales that have knights in armor sweeping young women up and onto their horses? I'm hard pressed to recall any that had knights in armor. Nor, come ro think of it, did most of them have princes rescuing anyone. Is this like all those famous movie quotes that are paraphrases of the actual lines? Or did I miss a particular version of a story?
Library copy
Just out of curiosity: what are the fairy tales that have knights in armor sweeping young women up and onto their horses? I'm hard pressed to recall any that had knights in armor. Nor, come ro think of it, did most of them have princes rescuing anyone. Is this like all those famous movie quotes that are paraphrases of the actual lines? Or did I miss a particular version of a story?
Library copy
May 4, 2017
Actual Rating: 2.5 Stars
This novella started strong, and truthfully, I had been thinking that I liked it more than I liked it's preceding book, A Kiss At Midnight . Because, truthfully, A Kiss At Midnight was just riddled with romance plot clichés and over dramatic angst, even if the book itself was pretty enjoyable.
The conditions of which Phillipa leaves her family and her betrothal to pursue a life for herself was exciting. In fact, it was the best part of the novella, because it helps establish Phillipa's character outside of just being a Romance Novel Heroine, where everything revolves around a man and her love life. I loved that she has a self-revelation about not wanting to continue being told what she should feel, how she should think, what she should want with her life, or how lucky she was to have her future taken care of for her.
That she took the initiative to step out of that mold to find her own way in life drew me in, and made me intrigued at what was in store for her.
That she would find Jonas Berwick, majordomo extraordinaire, in her future was also a bonus for me since I absolutely loved him from the first book.
The insta-lust that took place as soon as she enters the castle to become a nursemaid was not surprising. And I was actually looking forward to the potential love story between her and one of my favorite characters from A Kiss At Midnight, Prince Gabriel's half-brother, Jonas Berwick. Since the first book, I had found Berwick's character to be much more attractive and interesting than the main male character and had secretly wanted Kate to fall for him instead.
I had hoped he'd get his own book.
But a novella will have to suffice, I suppose, though, to be honest, after finishing this novella, I feel like Berwick deserved a much better story.
The moment we get to the castle, the story kind of plateaus and stops being exciting. The love story feels supremely lukewarm, and while I like that Phillipa and Berwick don't fall in love at first sight, I never felt the chemistry between them. I felt more chemistry between Kate and Phillipa, or even the castle's French cook and Phillipa, than between our resident main couple. Berwick was severely underused in this novella, and honestly, I repeat, he deserves a full length novel and a better story.
When we get to the concluding chapter and find out that Phillipa had, yet another reason for not wanting to marry her betrothed Rodney... I guess that was it for me. Because simply wanting the freedom to make her own choices wasn't enough? I couldn't fault her for that. But she announces another, much more superficial reason to her father, barely even mentioning the fact that she was tired of being strung around like a puppet by the people in her life. No, Phillipa's reasons for not wanting to marry Rodney had more to do with the fact that Rodney isn't exactly the most physically appealing person, despite the fact that he was never a bad person to begin with.
That conclusion severely set Phillipa's character development from the first couple chapters backwards, and I stopped feeling bad for her that her father kept trying to force her into a life she didn't want.
Anyway, I can't deny that despite everything I disliked about this novella, Eloisa's writing style for the Fairy Tales stories are written in a distinctly "Once Upon A Time" like whimsical way that I like. It truly feels like I'm reading (or in this case listening to) a fairy tale being told.
***
Booklikes-opoly
Roll #4: (A third double landed me in Jail.)
Read 138 pages to add onto my 300 page Jail sentence.
No increase in Bank.
See Also: Fourth Roll Activities
This novella started strong, and truthfully, I had been thinking that I liked it more than I liked it's preceding book, A Kiss At Midnight . Because, truthfully, A Kiss At Midnight was just riddled with romance plot clichés and over dramatic angst, even if the book itself was pretty enjoyable.
The conditions of which Phillipa leaves her family and her betrothal to pursue a life for herself was exciting. In fact, it was the best part of the novella, because it helps establish Phillipa's character outside of just being a Romance Novel Heroine, where everything revolves around a man and her love life. I loved that she has a self-revelation about not wanting to continue being told what she should feel, how she should think, what she should want with her life, or how lucky she was to have her future taken care of for her.
That she took the initiative to step out of that mold to find her own way in life drew me in, and made me intrigued at what was in store for her.
That she would find Jonas Berwick, majordomo extraordinaire, in her future was also a bonus for me since I absolutely loved him from the first book.
The insta-lust that took place as soon as she enters the castle to become a nursemaid was not surprising. And I was actually looking forward to the potential love story between her and one of my favorite characters from A Kiss At Midnight, Prince Gabriel's half-brother, Jonas Berwick. Since the first book, I had found Berwick's character to be much more attractive and interesting than the main male character and had secretly wanted Kate to fall for him instead.
I had hoped he'd get his own book.
But a novella will have to suffice, I suppose, though, to be honest, after finishing this novella, I feel like Berwick deserved a much better story.
The moment we get to the castle, the story kind of plateaus and stops being exciting. The love story feels supremely lukewarm, and while I like that Phillipa and Berwick don't fall in love at first sight, I never felt the chemistry between them. I felt more chemistry between Kate and Phillipa, or even the castle's French cook and Phillipa, than between our resident main couple. Berwick was severely underused in this novella, and honestly, I repeat, he deserves a full length novel and a better story.
When we get to the concluding chapter and find out that Phillipa had, yet another reason for not wanting to marry her betrothed Rodney... I guess that was it for me. Because simply wanting the freedom to make her own choices wasn't enough? I couldn't fault her for that. But she announces another, much more superficial reason to her father, barely even mentioning the fact that she was tired of being strung around like a puppet by the people in her life. No, Phillipa's reasons for not wanting to marry Rodney had more to do with the fact that Rodney isn't exactly the most physically appealing person, despite the fact that he was never a bad person to begin with.
That conclusion severely set Phillipa's character development from the first couple chapters backwards, and I stopped feeling bad for her that her father kept trying to force her into a life she didn't want.
Anyway, I can't deny that despite everything I disliked about this novella, Eloisa's writing style for the Fairy Tales stories are written in a distinctly "Once Upon A Time" like whimsical way that I like. It truly feels like I'm reading (or in this case listening to) a fairy tale being told.
***
Booklikes-opoly
Roll #4: (A third double landed me in Jail.)
Read 138 pages to add onto my 300 page Jail sentence.
No increase in Bank.
See Also: Fourth Roll Activities
July 16, 2020
With a slight touch of "Princess Bride" I was very happy to finally read Wick's story!
May 4, 2012
3 ½ stars. Sweet, nice, enjoyable romance story.
STORY BRIEF:
Phillipa and Rodney had been friends since childhood. Their parents want them to marry. Phillipa does not want to marry Rodney and runs away. She loves babies and hears that the nearby Prince and his bride have a newborn baby with problems. Phillipa goes there to work as the baby’s nursemaid. She meets Wick the butler. Wick is the Prince’s half brother. He feels he can never marry a lady due to his servant-station in life.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
I liked Phillipa’s actions and conversation when she arrived at the castle and did things for the baby. The story and how it resolved was good. It’s a short story - maybe a fourth of the length of a regular book. The narrator was excellent. There were two sex scenes which were ok, but don’t expect hot. The purpose was showing relationships, not to steam up the reader.
This book can be read as a stand-alone, but it’s better if you read “A Kiss at Midnight” first. I enjoyed getting to know Wick in the first book which flowed into this book.
DATA:
Unabridged audiobook reading time: 3 hrs and 17 mins. Swearing language: none. Sexual language: none to mild. Number of sex scenes: 2. Setting: early 1800s England. Copyright: 2011. Genre: regency romance.
OTHER BOOKS:
I’ve reviewed the following Eloisa James books. Dates are copyright dates.
3 ½ stars. A Kiss at Midnight. 2010
3 ½ stars. Storming the Castle 2010
4 ½ stars. When Beauty Tamed the Beast 2011
STORY BRIEF:
Phillipa and Rodney had been friends since childhood. Their parents want them to marry. Phillipa does not want to marry Rodney and runs away. She loves babies and hears that the nearby Prince and his bride have a newborn baby with problems. Phillipa goes there to work as the baby’s nursemaid. She meets Wick the butler. Wick is the Prince’s half brother. He feels he can never marry a lady due to his servant-station in life.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
I liked Phillipa’s actions and conversation when she arrived at the castle and did things for the baby. The story and how it resolved was good. It’s a short story - maybe a fourth of the length of a regular book. The narrator was excellent. There were two sex scenes which were ok, but don’t expect hot. The purpose was showing relationships, not to steam up the reader.
This book can be read as a stand-alone, but it’s better if you read “A Kiss at Midnight” first. I enjoyed getting to know Wick in the first book which flowed into this book.
DATA:
Unabridged audiobook reading time: 3 hrs and 17 mins. Swearing language: none. Sexual language: none to mild. Number of sex scenes: 2. Setting: early 1800s England. Copyright: 2011. Genre: regency romance.
OTHER BOOKS:
I’ve reviewed the following Eloisa James books. Dates are copyright dates.
3 ½ stars. A Kiss at Midnight. 2010
3 ½ stars. Storming the Castle 2010
4 ½ stars. When Beauty Tamed the Beast 2011
January 13, 2022
since it's a short story, the characters fell in love quickly. phillipa left home after realising that she has no desire to marry her betrothed. she was only doing it because she felt like she had to. she took up the position of a nursemaid at a nearby castle to take care of a baby that couldn't stop crying, and nobody knows why. born a lady, phillipa knows how to take charge.
wick was charming and a total gentleman. he was attracted to phillipa the moment she stepped into the castle. since wick is the illegitimate brother of the prince and phillipa is a lady, they couldn't be together cause social status say so. despite that, the two of them started to grow feelings for one another.
books in the series:
1. a kiss at midnight: ✰✰✰✰
1.5. storming the castle: ✰✰✰✰
2. when beauty tamed the beast: ✰✰✰✰
2.5. winning the wallflower: ✰✰✰✰
3. the duke is mine: ✰✰✰
4. the ugly duchess: ✰✰✰✰
4.5. seduced by a pirate
5. once upon a tower
wick was charming and a total gentleman. he was attracted to phillipa the moment she stepped into the castle. since wick is the illegitimate brother of the prince and phillipa is a lady, they couldn't be together cause social status say so. despite that, the two of them started to grow feelings for one another.
books in the series:
1. a kiss at midnight: ✰✰✰✰
1.5. storming the castle: ✰✰✰✰
2. when beauty tamed the beast: ✰✰✰✰
2.5. winning the wallflower: ✰✰✰✰
3. the duke is mine: ✰✰✰
4. the ugly duchess: ✰✰✰✰
4.5. seduced by a pirate
5. once upon a tower
December 27, 2010
This was a fun short ebook and is the story of Wick, Gabe's illegitimate half-brother from A Kiss At Midnight. This was a sweet little romance as well. Ms. Phillipa realizes that she is going to be marring a frog if she doesn't go find her prince...or at least run away from the prince of a frog.
When she hears that the local princess is having issues with her baby prince, Phillipa knows how she can escape. She hurries off to the castle to hide...errrr...to help the princeling, but man did you get a look at that sexy majordomo? He could be twins with the prince. But when Wick catches sight of the new nursemaid, he realizes his heart's days are numbered. He is a servant and he knows she is a lady, regardless of what she is running from. He can't see any way to be with her. But Phillipa just found her true prince and someway or other she is bringing him home to papa, because she has kissed all the frogs she is going to. :0)
When she hears that the local princess is having issues with her baby prince, Phillipa knows how she can escape. She hurries off to the castle to hide...errrr...to help the princeling, but man did you get a look at that sexy majordomo? He could be twins with the prince. But when Wick catches sight of the new nursemaid, he realizes his heart's days are numbered. He is a servant and he knows she is a lady, regardless of what she is running from. He can't see any way to be with her. But Phillipa just found her true prince and someway or other she is bringing him home to papa, because she has kissed all the frogs she is going to. :0)
August 10, 2017
"Storming the Castle" is a sweet and short love story of Phillipa and Wick.
Phillipa is engaged to Rodney, but then night she loses her virginity to him- she realizes she can't marry him and runs away to escape.
She ends up at the Pomeroy castle, pretending to be a nursemaid to James, Kate's newborn and it's there she meets Wick, the illegitimate brother of the Prince.
Fast paced, quick read. There is instant connection between the leads, and the chemistry is sweet.
I was super excited for Wicks story- and this was an average read- barring the epilogue- which was LOVELY!
Safe
3/5
Phillipa is engaged to Rodney, but then night she loses her virginity to him- she realizes she can't marry him and runs away to escape.
She ends up at the Pomeroy castle, pretending to be a nursemaid to James, Kate's newborn and it's there she meets Wick, the illegitimate brother of the Prince.
Fast paced, quick read. There is instant connection between the leads, and the chemistry is sweet.
I was super excited for Wicks story- and this was an average read- barring the epilogue- which was LOVELY!
Safe
3/5
Read
May 4, 2021I think this is an original plot told in the fairy tale mode, not a retelling of an existing fairy tale. But it's short, funny, and full of novel circumstances and characters--and Eloisa James has a deft and charming authorial voice--and it won't take much longer than lunch and your coffee break to read it. I recommend it to those who enjoy light historical roms. (And yes, it can stand alone.)
January 27, 2025
My Review:
This was such an interesting story and I fell so quickly in love with it. This is such a quick novella and was a blast of a good time. It had charm, some outer conflict and a sweet relationship and fun banter. So just about everything you look for in a good historical romance. I love how solid this novella was written, it almost didn't feel like a novella, it felt so well developed that it could have easily been passed off as an almost novel. So bravo to Eloisa James for taking such care with this story.
This is a story of class difference and I love these type of dynamics. I didn't truly understand why it was class difference that much. I mean the hero is a servant but yet brother to a prince? lol I just couldn't understand why his brother and sister in law treated the way that they did. He sacrificed so much for them and they treat him not as good as I would have liked to see. They are one of the main couples in the series so that was a bit disappointing. But I did love what we see from this couple. In how they bond in healing a baby dealing with colick and how they connect. They instantly know that they are it for each other, but the heroine is on the run from a fiancee she has no interest in marrying and is in hiding and poses as a nanny as a cover. It was a very unique premise that I could easily get behind. I loved how it was resolved and a sweet epilogue. I am eager to finish up the rest of the series though.
This was such an interesting story and I fell so quickly in love with it. This is such a quick novella and was a blast of a good time. It had charm, some outer conflict and a sweet relationship and fun banter. So just about everything you look for in a good historical romance. I love how solid this novella was written, it almost didn't feel like a novella, it felt so well developed that it could have easily been passed off as an almost novel. So bravo to Eloisa James for taking such care with this story.
This is a story of class difference and I love these type of dynamics. I didn't truly understand why it was class difference that much. I mean the hero is a servant but yet brother to a prince? lol I just couldn't understand why his brother and sister in law treated the way that they did. He sacrificed so much for them and they treat him not as good as I would have liked to see. They are one of the main couples in the series so that was a bit disappointing. But I did love what we see from this couple. In how they bond in healing a baby dealing with colick and how they connect. They instantly know that they are it for each other, but the heroine is on the run from a fiancee she has no interest in marrying and is in hiding and poses as a nanny as a cover. It was a very unique premise that I could easily get behind. I loved how it was resolved and a sweet epilogue. I am eager to finish up the rest of the series though.
May 6, 2020
When I read A Kiss at Midnight, I so wanted Wick to find a happy place in life for himself. As Gabriel's illegitimate half-brother, he is loved by his family but occupies an uncertain place in the world. He works on Gabriel's estate, but is neither entirely servant nor aristocrat.
In this novella, Miss Philippa Damson flees her betrothal knowing that she does not want to marry the son of the local baronet. She offers her services as nursemaid to the castle. Almost immediately she catches Wick's eye. He knows she is not what she claims to be, but he fears he has little to offer her.
While I enjoyed what was here, the story felt a little too slight. I wanted there to be more. Still, I rounded up to 4 stars because I did like what I read, and there was this swoonworthy line from Wick:
"If I do not come for you, it is not for want of desire for you, nor for want of love for you, nor for want of trying. I would do anything to be worthy of you."
If you've read A Kiss at Midnight, definitely check out this sequel of sorts.
In this novella, Miss Philippa Damson flees her betrothal knowing that she does not want to marry the son of the local baronet. She offers her services as nursemaid to the castle. Almost immediately she catches Wick's eye. He knows she is not what she claims to be, but he fears he has little to offer her.
While I enjoyed what was here, the story felt a little too slight. I wanted there to be more. Still, I rounded up to 4 stars because I did like what I read, and there was this swoonworthy line from Wick:
"If I do not come for you, it is not for want of desire for you, nor for want of love for you, nor for want of trying. I would do anything to be worthy of you."
If you've read A Kiss at Midnight, definitely check out this sequel of sorts.
January 15, 2024
Adorable novella about Gabriel’s brother Wick…falling in love with Phillippa..who arrives at the castle ( running away from her life and wedding).She helps save his nephew..and the fall in love..a few other bumps but happily ever after❤️❤️cute story
October 21, 2021
2.5 stars
A cute, short read.
A cute, short read.
December 24, 2013
Please note: I consumed this book as an audio book so my spellings are guesses and my not be quite in line with the book spellings for character names.
I was really surprised how good the ratings for this book were. I really hated it. I find Eloise James fairly hit or miss. Some of her stuff I love. Some I don’t care for. This is the first I really hated. Usually, even in her stories I don’t care for I can still see the stylistic and creative beauty that makes me keep coming back to James’ stories even though I know half will disappoint me.
This book should have been a novel itself. Not a short story. There was real potential in the story but it was so rushed.
I really liked Wick in A Kiss at Midnight. I originally wanted the protagonist of that book to end up with him instead of his brother Prince Gabe.
Wick has so much going for him as a character. He is the Princes’ half brother who was born on the wrong side of the blanket and has chosen to serve in his brother’s castle although he is educated above what a mere butler would be.
Philipa I just couldn’t like. Her reasons for suddenly not wanting to marry Rodney are fairly superficial. He has a fat bottom. He isn’t very smart. She didn’t enjoy sex with him even though it was both of their first times. She just comes off as kind of a bitch and very childish.
She comes to the castle and gets in my saying she can save the life of the small prince Jonas who has Colic. Apparently, no one in the castle or surrounding areas could figure out that Jonas needed some water along with his milk because he was dehydrated. The castle physician couldn’t figure it out. Suddenly, Phillipa arrives at the castle with the answer which she knows after occasional rounding with her uncle. It just was too unbelievable. I could excuse it if I liked the characters or if the romance and later character actions rang true but mostly I wasn’t able to suspend my disbelief on this one.
A Kiss at Midnight had flaws. But, it was still an okay read. Storming the Castle was a waste of my time!
I was really surprised how good the ratings for this book were. I really hated it. I find Eloise James fairly hit or miss. Some of her stuff I love. Some I don’t care for. This is the first I really hated. Usually, even in her stories I don’t care for I can still see the stylistic and creative beauty that makes me keep coming back to James’ stories even though I know half will disappoint me.
This book should have been a novel itself. Not a short story. There was real potential in the story but it was so rushed.
I really liked Wick in A Kiss at Midnight. I originally wanted the protagonist of that book to end up with him instead of his brother Prince Gabe.
Wick has so much going for him as a character. He is the Princes’ half brother who was born on the wrong side of the blanket and has chosen to serve in his brother’s castle although he is educated above what a mere butler would be.
Philipa I just couldn’t like. Her reasons for suddenly not wanting to marry Rodney are fairly superficial. He has a fat bottom. He isn’t very smart. She didn’t enjoy sex with him even though it was both of their first times. She just comes off as kind of a bitch and very childish.
She comes to the castle and gets in my saying she can save the life of the small prince Jonas who has Colic. Apparently, no one in the castle or surrounding areas could figure out that Jonas needed some water along with his milk because he was dehydrated. The castle physician couldn’t figure it out. Suddenly, Phillipa arrives at the castle with the answer which she knows after occasional rounding with her uncle. It just was too unbelievable. I could excuse it if I liked the characters or if the romance and later character actions rang true but mostly I wasn’t able to suspend my disbelief on this one.
A Kiss at Midnight had flaws. But, it was still an okay read. Storming the Castle was a waste of my time!
January 1, 2011
This was a fun, sexy short story that follows A Kiss at Midnight and gives us the yummy Wicks happily ever after. Phillipa has been betrothed to Rodney since they were children and he proclaimed his love for her, but as the story opens and they consummate their engagement...in the stables....Phillipa realizes she can not marry him. Ever. As she does not want to do that ever again! She hears how the new prince and princess are having difficulties with their new baby and runs off to help with the little guy...and to get away from Rodney.
After she arrives and meets Wick, they both know that they have found their soulmates. However, even though Phillipa is posing as a nursemaid, it becomes evident that she is a lady and Wick, as the butler (though truly he is the illegitimate half brother of the prince) know he can never marry her and force her to downgrade her station. But still, they continue to meet up and have some lovely kisses and when Phillipa finally breaks down Wicks barrier about not sleeping together, ah, so sweet. He shows her what true lovemaking is like and she of course, wants more.
Phillipa returns home with her father and gets a promise from Wick that she will wait one week for him to come get her. The ending is very sweet and shows the deep love that Phillipa and Wick have for each other and also the love that Phillipas father has for her, and his desire to see her happy. This was a great little story to tide me over until the next book in the series, When Beauty Tamed the Beast, comes out in a month and I can't wait! 4 stars for this short, sweet love story!
After she arrives and meets Wick, they both know that they have found their soulmates. However, even though Phillipa is posing as a nursemaid, it becomes evident that she is a lady and Wick, as the butler (though truly he is the illegitimate half brother of the prince) know he can never marry her and force her to downgrade her station. But still, they continue to meet up and have some lovely kisses and when Phillipa finally breaks down Wicks barrier about not sleeping together, ah, so sweet. He shows her what true lovemaking is like and she of course, wants more.
Phillipa returns home with her father and gets a promise from Wick that she will wait one week for him to come get her. The ending is very sweet and shows the deep love that Phillipa and Wick have for each other and also the love that Phillipas father has for her, and his desire to see her happy. This was a great little story to tide me over until the next book in the series, When Beauty Tamed the Beast, comes out in a month and I can't wait! 4 stars for this short, sweet love story!
August 2, 2016
This is my first time reading anything by Eloisa James, the writing style was to my liking ... ect. I know I haven't read this series in order since I started with a novella but it was okay, nothing catastrophic happened ^^
I liked both Wick and Philippa, their instant attraction wasn't something new, but I liked how they found ways to be together, kissing after putting the baby to sleep, sneaking around and kissing, somehow it made feel warm-hearted, you know when you see two people so in love sneaking around and laughing about it, and it's all innocent.
What I really liked in this novella was that it didn't have the misunderstanding theme that most romance books have, I detest that cause when they just have mis-communication regarding a saying or something it creates disasters throughout the book, which this book didn't have (Thank God!!)
- Oh yeah I liked the aunt too, I mean how bold she was, like seriously who mentions getting a girl a chastity belt when you first meet the girl and she's right in front of you?! XD
- I know it was a novella but it felt too short, when I was enjoying it very much it just ended, and I'm still pondering how Wick got all the contingent and entourage with him, wasn't he penniless and stuff, then suddenly he's a to-be-doctor and a land owner?
Overall, *thumps up*
I liked both Wick and Philippa, their instant attraction wasn't something new, but I liked how they found ways to be together, kissing after putting the baby to sleep, sneaking around and kissing, somehow it made feel warm-hearted, you know when you see two people so in love sneaking around and laughing about it, and it's all innocent.
What I really liked in this novella was that it didn't have the misunderstanding theme that most romance books have, I detest that cause when they just have mis-communication regarding a saying or something it creates disasters throughout the book, which this book didn't have (Thank God!!)
- Oh yeah I liked the aunt too, I mean how bold she was, like seriously who mentions getting a girl a chastity belt when you first meet the girl and she's right in front of you?! XD
- I know it was a novella but it felt too short, when I was enjoying it very much it just ended, and I'm still pondering how Wick got all the contingent and entourage with him, wasn't he penniless and stuff, then suddenly he's a to-be-doctor and a land owner?
Overall, *thumps up*
January 15, 2011
I LOVE the way Eloisa James writes her 'fairy tale' historicals.
You know from the first page that it's a fairy tale you're reading. Her prose is whimsical in tone, lyrical and amusing without being trite and she spins a compelling tale.
For everyone who thought that Wick from A Kiss at Midnight deserved his own story it should almost satisfy - my only problem with these story/novella/fill-in things is that they usually are too short.
A sweet, charming story with an HEA that might put a lump in your throat.
You know from the first page that it's a fairy tale you're reading. Her prose is whimsical in tone, lyrical and amusing without being trite and she spins a compelling tale.
For everyone who thought that Wick from A Kiss at Midnight deserved his own story it should almost satisfy - my only problem with these story/novella/fill-in things is that they usually are too short.
A sweet, charming story with an HEA that might put a lump in your throat.
June 14, 2016
Phillipa needs an out from the marriage she´s supposed to agree to, and on her way to freedom she comes across a castle in need of help. While there Wick catches her eye, and he´s determined to keep her..
Quick listen, historical romance, smutty fluff and feelings in a great combo. Great narrator as well =)
Quick listen, historical romance, smutty fluff and feelings in a great combo. Great narrator as well =)
February 16, 2020
This book was alright, but wasn't long enough to build substantial love (not lust) between the characters. Phillipa doesn't want to marry Rob because he's chubby, and Wick is objectively hot. So she denounces Rob and marries the guy she's lusting over. Everything about this is just so teeny bopper superficial romance, and it was just not my cup of tea.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2016
This was cute. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Wick had gotten his own novella, because I kind of adored him in book I. Even if this was only marginally less ridiculous than the first, I'm still glad he got his happy ever after!
February 7, 2021
A wonderful short story filled with love. Great ending...aah!
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