I am a Disney adult, through and through. I grew up on Disney movies. I watched the VHSs so much that not only could I recite the movie word for word, sound effects included, I wore out the tape in the VHS and my mom had to buy me a second copy of most of the films. To this day if you put one of those Disney movies on I will automatically start mouthing the words or even singing along, most of the time I don’t even know I’m doing it I have just been that well indoctrinated. I will often put these movies on as background noise, while I clean or work at home, but I don’t really watch them all that much. So you can imagine my surprise when every now and then I sit and actually ‘watch’ one properly and realise how much adult humour is in these movies and how clever this humour is because it went straight over my head as a child. I mean for a hot minute I questioned my mother’s parenting techniques because how could she let me watch movies with so many rude jokes. As I got over the initial shock I realised how much I missed and how much richer most of the movies became now that I pick up on things other than the basic storyline. ‘Scaling the Stormy Tower’ feels like this, I am rewatching a beloved story, but this version with the adult themes is sooooo much better.
This story is about Cam, our friendly neighbourhood weather woman, who is honestly a few cats away from living my best life. All Cam wants is to remain childless and travel the world, but due to a blood-tie to a weather-prediction magic node and ethically questionable townsfolk who seem happy to throw her at any man who drops into town, she is stuck in her tower. In walks Jacob, a pleasant vagabond, who trades enchantments and is just a decent guy who likes to help, well pretty much everyone. These two hatch a plan to help free Cam and discover some secrets along the way.
Now there are two things about this book, above everything that made me love it. Number one: IT HAS. A. MAP!!! I cannot, repeat cannot, express how much I love and appreciate a book with a map. It gives you a perspective on this world that I otherwise would not have had and it is the best! Number two: This is the third book in the Once Upon an Enchantment series and I did not need to have read the first two to understand what was happening. This is a wonderful stand alone story that makes me want to read the other books in the series, but doesn’t depend on them.
Scaling the Stormy Tower is such a clever fairytale retelling. So many ideas and concepts are still there they have just had an outfit change. Cam’s tower instead of being a prison is a sanctuary and the rope ladder that she lets down helps stop people from invading her personal space. She is separated from her mom, but has a step-town who raise her which in a way is scarier.
This romantasy was so easy to read. It flowed from one page to another and I honestly enjoyed every page of it. If you love a solid romance, with a fake relationship where he falls first, this is the story for you. Oh! And of course don’t forget about the chocolate cake.
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