Customer Reviews

Fairy Tale

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I howled with laughter all through this novel starting at page 1. The blurb on the back cover made it sound like the standard romance I love - Highlands of Scotland, impertinent heroine, handsome "devil" hero - the works! But what it did not give me was a clue of how hilarious it was!! But besides all those truly funny situations and characters - the chemistry between hero Duncan and heroine Marsali was touching as well as exciting. I can't say enough good things about this book. A big 10+ ! I'm checking out what else Jillian Hunter has written! She's SUPER!!!!

Let me begin by saying I love Jillian Hunter's writing. Her trilogy on the Boscastle family is wonderful: Humorous, Passionate, and Fast Paced. If you read my lists, you'll know that I absolutely adore romance novels (especially historical ones). Those focusing on the time period (in Fairy Tale) are among my favorites! However, Fairy Tale fell far beyond the standard set w/ Ms. Hunter's other novels. It's obvious this must have been one of her earlier (if not her first) novels.

Fairy Tale was EXTREMELY slow paced. The heroine was an irritating, ignorant, and crass little pest. I like a hard headed and independent heroine. However, Marsali was simply stupid and not at all likeable. The hero was a bit boring and his back story was extremely predictable and anticlimatic. The supporting characters were just as frustrating as Marsali. I tired of reading an entire novel in which 90% of the characters were working against the hero, Duncan, for the majority of the book. I thought Jillian Hunter did a wonderful job in showing why the characters resented Duncan, but she did a horrible job in showing how the characters evolved to accept him. Throughout 85% of the book, Duncan is resented, feared, and disrespected by his clan, then suddenly they don't hate him anymore. It was ridiculous.

The book is littered with material that does very little to advance the plot or develop the characters. This took attention from the romance between Marsali and Duncan. If you didn't know you were supposed to want them together (by reading the back cover), there was very little in the book that made you actually care for Duncan and Marsali as a couple. They had very little chemistry and their "love" story was completely underdeveloped. In addition, several "suspense" elements were thrown into the book. However, because the characters were so one dimensional (an not at all endearing), I found myself not caring what happened to them.

I think Ms. Hunter does a better job writing Regency romance than she does Highland/Scottish romance. I will continue supporting her. However, if you want a good Scottish romance, read Julie Garwood's Ransom, Saving Grace, The Secret, or The Bride. Fairy Tale is an utterly boring and unsatisfying read.

Duncan MacElgin, had a reputation the devil himself envied. Hot-headed and ornery as a young boy when sent away to the army to learn discipline and find an outlet for his anger, he rose swiftly as a warrior then a battle hard general and minister of war. As the rightful heir of the clan MacElgin, he was ordered home to whip his clansmen into shape and stop them from raiding the British. Riding into the glen, he was attacked, beaten and stripped naked - not that he was expecting a hero's welcome, but this was ridiculous! - This band of misfits, were tarring him with honey and chicken feathers - and their leader was a woman!

Marsali Hay, was convinced that the man riding into the glen was an enemy, she had no idea that the beautiful specimen of manhood - now that she'd had a really good look - was the infamous "Black Duncan". Once he made it known who he was, their bloody chieftain after all - he would make Marsali pay dearly for her impertinence. Duncan would find though that the impertinent and darling of the clan, would have him at her knees as she and the band of mis-fits and characters that made up his clan would drive him to total distraction.

Be prepared to be totally charmed, from the dark and deeply guilt stricken Duncan to the innocent and spritely Marsali who gave him the redemption and love he needed as she and her band of misfit clansmen worked magic into his life. You will belly laugh through the antics of the supporting cast in this delightful novel from the battling ghosts, to the inept wizard uncle and the twin piglets! This was a totally outstanding read that I chuckled through and found so difficult to put down. Solid Gold!

i loved this book. it's very funny. very well written and so much fun to read. Duncan is a tortured soul in need of redemption and Marsali is there to help him to achieve it.

One decade and five years ago, Duncan MacElgin fled his Scottish Highland home to avoid the whispers that he killed his mother and step-father. Those rumors added to his well-earned darker reputation for a vile lifest yle. Now, as the clan chieftain, the English crown has sent him back to "civilize" his clan or else. To his chagrin, he is ambushed by Marsali Hay and a motley band of the clan, who thought he was an English soldier. T hey are shocked to learn that he is the infamous "Black Duncan", who everyone thought died on the continent. Duncan's second reaction to this mob is that he might be better off defying the throne and fleeing the country. However, Duncan soon finds being enchanted by Marsali, the rest of the clan, and the land. Marsali, who sees the good inside his soul, is determined to love him forever. Duncan has other thoughts, including marrying h er off to someone else. However, his allegedly heartless soul has other ideas and soon he finds he cannot resist her highlander charm. However, though Duncan knows that he loves Marsali, he still believes that he is not really good enough for her. It remains for Marsali and her band of misfits to persuade him that he is foolishly wrong. Jillian Hunter is one of the best historical romance writer's today because of her ability to bring a freshness to often overused eras. Her latest novel, FAIRY TALE, enhances that deserved reputation because the novel is a jocular romp through the Scottish Highlands that, like Marsali and her wizard relative, will bewitch the reader with its charm and humor. This reviewer strongly recommends that fans of the sub-genre take a FAIRY TALE to the Scottish Highland via MS. Hunter's fabulous novel. Harriet Klausner

I am also a big fan of Jillian Hunter, but this book was dreadful. Where was the editor? How did this get published? If this had been the first Jillian Hunter book I had ever read, I'd never read another. But fortunately, I have read the wonderful Bostcastle books first.

I really echo the other reviewer who said she can't believe that Jillian Hunter wrote this. It was just a mess-- scattered characterization, slapstick humor that often didn't work-- it was just a mess. I suppose it had some charm, because I finished it, but I was shaking my head over how dreadful it was all the way along.

And the ending? Who cares if Hannah finally felt like she was home? Why introduce a fully sprung daughter after the poignant scene at her grave?

Sloppy sloppy writing.

At the beginning of the book you see the main character guy as an ass pretty much and usually that changes right? well i don't think it did for me. the whole time i wanted to beat this man over the head. seriously shes like 13 years younger than him too. I wouldn't even mind that but the thing is- spoiler- he had a daughter that you don't even find out about till the end!! shes only a few small years younger than our main girl. I'm not sure where this title came from because it was soooo not like any other fairy tale I've ever heard. It was really funny though. the clan is hilarious but thats probably the only thing worth reading this book for.

I've never written a review before, but this book was the funniest romance I have read in a long time. The draw bridge scene is priceless, as are the clansmen characters. Duncan and Marisala are both romantic and funny, I will go on to find the rest of this author's books!

I'm a great fan of Jillian Hunter, but this is not a very good book. There is no reason to like or even care about the two main characters. Marsali's behavior is irrational and irritating (going fishing in a gold tulle ball gown??). Duncan is not much better (a successful general sitting on the floor playing with and talking to tin soldiers??). An attempt seemed to be made to make the secondary characters cutesy and oddball, but they were simply paper-doll flat. The plot dragged along at a snail's pace with jarringly abrupt leaps forward by weeks with little or no exposition to bring the reader along. All-in-all a singularly bad book. As a matter of fact, it is so bad that I can hardly believe it was written by Jillian Hunter. I highly recommend her more recent books.

Jillian Hunter is by far one of the best writers in this or any other genre. I can always expect to be entertained by this author, and this book is no exception. Her descriptions are breathtaking. Her characters are enchanting. Along with romance, the plot, dialogue, and cohesiveness of the story kept this reader turning the pages.