I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling of Rapunzel. Twins separated at birth, an uncle with questionable motives and a sweet romance made me want to read this all in one sitting. I love that this book interconnects with her other steampunk novels but don't have to be read in a specific order. I was hesitant to read this knowing that the idea of shape shifters, vampires & advanced technology don't really mesh with traditional regency romance. I am definitely going to read any and all steampunk romances that Miss Allen write!

I do like to read steampunk because you never know what can pop up in the story. This one had a bit of magic added to it. The story flowed well and kept you on edge guessing what was going to happen. I won't say here but where part of the story took place, ocean wise, was perfect! I could just picture where they were. Sam and Hazel were great together working and otherwise. Eugene was an added bonus and provided some humor

*I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

I’ve been wanting to read the other two books in this series, but fortunately they weren’t necessary for understanding this book. The main characters from those books are side characters in this one. I do still plan to read the others.

I love retellings, and this one was a steampunk/vampire/Rapunzel mashup. Sounds weird, but it worked. Honestly, the Rapunzel element was somewhat loose for most of the book and then came on pretty strong in the last few chapters. I kind of wish it had remained an influencer of the book rather than having the book start to follow it so closely. But that’s okay.

Hazel (23) and Sam (mid- to late-20s?) we’re good characters and a great match. Not only did their skills complement each other (she’s a Healer, he’s a surgeon), but their personalities did as well. I like it when authors write both male and female characters that are strong rather than making one look like a weakling in order to make the other appear strong. Did they have the same strengths? No, but again, they were complementary.

Note: Nothing bad.

I have very much enjoyed Nancy Campbell Allen's steampunk romances. "The Lady in the Coppergate Tower" did not disappoint, although it was not my favorite of the three. (It was my second favorite.)

This book is a retelling of Rapunzel..with a twist. Hazel Hughes finds out her past is not what she thought it was, and so she begins a journey to find the past and try to help those who still remain. Her friend and employer, Sam McInnes joins her on her journey. While they are on their trip they end up having to rely on each other as they do not know who else they can trust.

It was fun to revisit these characters from previous books and to read their story. I look forward to more stories to come.

This was rather a disappointment, especially considering how much I enjoyed /Kiss of the spindle/; unfortunately, this installment misfired in several places.

Several of the (what I'm thinking of as) "problems" are that this book is very different in feel from its predecessor(s). Where all three books are part of a series in that they share a common universe, it was not necessary to read book 1 to enjoy book 2. This installment, though, really requires the reader to already be more familiar with the world. There were a lot more steampunky details included, but they felt sort of shoe-horned in; not so much world-building as more random metal bits sprinkled into the story. This installment also made more frequent reference to characters from the previous books, so character relationships would have made more sense or felt deeper if the reader were familiar with all the books.

This book did a nice job of having a very "stereotypical romance" feel, with the characters slowly recognizing and embracing their feelings toward each other, while staying inside the publishers "Proper (Read: Clean) Romance" description. A few light kisses and some hair stroking are the bulk of the physical interaction. While this definitely could fill a need for readers who want Romance Feels without graphic sex AND without Amish settings, it had a different reading experience and emotional intensity from the previous book. I would have suggested the author keep this story in line with the series feel, and write another book/series centered around this romance structure.

One thing that made the emotional aspects of the romance seem less authentic, though, were all the times characters contradicted themselves. The heroine suspects there may be something nefarious about a situation, we see no interactions, no critical thinking, nothing that would change her position; 12 hours later, she's absolutely sure instead of just suspicious. Both the hero and the heroine experienced this in relation to a number of side characters and situations, and it made them seem like wishy-washy people.

Romance readers will have a pretty big problem, I think, with the I-Love-You declaration scene. Watch out for spoilers below, or skip down: the hero faces some fears and does some Difficult Things to protect the heroine, but then in the big climactic battle scene, he shows up in the wrong place and does nothing much to actually save anyone. Unfortunately, this doesn't come off as the heroine saving herself while the hero had the best of intentions; it's far too rushed and the story is suddenly bending itself in knots to mold itself into a fairy tale retelling that was barely hinted at earlier in the book. Instead, the heroine gets lucky while the hero comes off as having not thought things through.

While there are things I can see other readers enjoying about this book, people who were hoping for something with similar feel and pacing as /Kiss of the spindle/ (an appropriate expectation for books in a series, right?) will probably be left confused, if not disappointed.

Not a Steampunk fan, but I've given this series a good go, because the first book was so fantastic, the genre mattered little. As far as writing goes the author does a fine job of creating realistic and empathetic characters. Both Sam & Hazel feel genuine and are so good for each other and the world. They find themselves on the journey to Romania, that takes up the majority of the book. At this point it's gets a little long and tedious. We are told the ship can travel at a fast speed, yet they are only traveling around into the Med from London. It takes forever.

At times I could determine whether tons were in the scene or humans. The technology doesn't bother me, like it did in the first book. Once you get used to its presence it's fine. When a major character was obviously not what he claimed to be in the beginning, it would have been good if there was a plot twist and we'd been led as a reader to trust him. Overall a good read, and original storyline - which is fabulous.

Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC. This is my honest review.

The Lady in the Coppergate Tower is a delightful steampunk variation of Rapunzel set in Victorian England and Romania. Nancy Campbell Allen pens a lovely romance and pulls you into the steampunk world of ray guns, transcribers, and human-like automatons, and even if you are not a steampunk fan, you are going to love this adventurous romance! It is a clean romance, which I am always on the hunt for!

Hazel Hughes works as an assistant to Dr. Sam MacInnes, a medical doctor, whom she finds “dashing, devastatingly handsome, and charming.” Hughes is a woman of enormous talent; she is a Medium, a Healer, and she possesses the ability of remembering everything she reads. Ever since childhood, Hazel has been tormented with a recurring dream about a girl her age, who looks just like her, except for her eye and her hair color.

Count Petrescu, who claims he is Hazel’s uncle, has traveled from Romania to inform Hazel she has a twin back in Romania. Count Petrescu’s purpose in coming to England is to convince Hazel to depart for Romania immediately --her twin sister has a mysterious illness and only Hazel can help her. Sam, the dashing gentleman that he is, does not trust Count Petrescu, and is worried for her safety. Sam decides to accompany Hazel to Romania, and he also decides to bring along his surprisingly human and charming automaton.

Does Hazel really have a twin? Will Sam become attracted to Hazel? What is the mystery surrounding Count Petrescu? I have enjoyed Nancy Campbell Allen’s other steampunk novels, Beauty and the Clockwork Beast and the Kiss of the Spindle. You are going to love this book!

Nancy Campbell Allen is a master of comic relief. Though I don't often pick the more intense books too read, I love hers because of how well she balances the tense moments with the often dry, spot on, humor.
She gave the Rapunzel story a genius twist while pulling in all the great concepts we love from a variety of sources.
The family connection she develops in the book was brilliant. The ability she had to develop both of their characters through Hazel was great writing. I love how the two girls balanced each other's strengths and weaknesses.
The romance was beautifully written, a wonderful slow burn that leaves you anxious for more.
Loved this story! The author always does a great job of teasing the next characters so you are anxiously waiting for the next book.

A fast paced book that kept me turning the pages. I really enjoyed the story and wonder if it might be a series?

I received an arc through Net Galley by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I love steampunk romance and this book is no exception! It integrated the time period nicely and I felt immersed in the story. I have to say, it wasn’t as good as the other ones, but I loved the romance and the story.

The only reason I gave this four stars was because it was a bit slow. I couldn’t seem to get into it at first. It was mostly them in a submarine. When they got on the train, it got really good!

I loved the romance between Sam and Hazel! I really felt all the emotions they felt. I thought it was funny how they both didn’t think the other liked them as more than a friend.

Overall, I really liked this book and would recommend to steampunk, fairytale, and romance lovers. I can’t wait for the authors next book!

The lady in the Coppergate Tower is about a young woman named Hazel who must travel to Romania with her mysterious long lost uncle to help save the twin sister she never knew she had. She is accompanied on this journey by her friend and Employer Sam who she secretly adores (he secretly adores her as well of course) as Sam is suspicions of her uncle's intentions...

This was an entertaining mixture of Steampunk, horror, romance and mystery and I really enjoyed it. The world building was OK but the characters for me were the best part. I adored Hazel and I loved her romance with Sam - it was very sweet and believable. I also really enjoyed the writing style and found it quiet addictive in places and it kept me entertained throughout. The pacing was good and I enjoyed all the Steampunk elements and the Victorian setting.

There are other books in the series but you can read each as a stand alone which is lucky as they are very expensive on the kindle in the UK : (

I would recommend this if you like Steampunk fiction -

I have read the other two previous books in this series and felt it helped understand the characters and the world.
That said, it can be read as a standalone, especially if the reader is used to steampunk/dieselpunk fiction.

This story is a mashup of more than one fairy tale, as well as some vampire lore and even a Jules Vernes flair in the mode of transportation. The worldbuilding continues setting itself apart, just as the previous novels, and this series would make an excellent one for TV or movies.

Hazel and Sam work together and they're attracted to each other but have not acted on their feelings for various reasons, mainly social expectations.
When Hazel meets a man who claims to be her uncle and tells her she has a twin sister who is sick, she's not completely surprised to find out about her twin. She accepts the invitation to travel with the man and Sam offers to accompany her.

I liked how Sam and Hazel worried about each other and put each other's welfare ahead of their own.
Looking forward to the next story in the series.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

A fantastic book, nicely written, full of imagination. It follows the conventions of a gothic novel, with somes twists.
A good read, the last chapters are page turners, brew the tea and enjoy the last hour of reading !

This is a book in which the romance is (for my taste) done well, the adventure aspects done OK, and the mystery and setting done badly.

First, the best part. This is a "clean" romance; nothing steamier than a kiss, and yet the kisses manage to be more powerful than some romance writers' descriptions of sex. The man is a decent fellow; he may be intelligent, wealthy, and from a prominent family, but he's also kind (genuinely kind, not just we're-told-he's-kind-but-shown-he's-selfish), has respect for his love interest, and is devoted to her interests without being a lapdog. He's also vulnerable without being weak. She, in turn, is intelligent (actually intelligent, not just we're-told-she's-intelligent-but-she-makes-a-series-of-stupid-decisions), determined, capable, and strong without being harsh or cold. Their love story is a partnership, and, at the climax, she rescues him rather than vice versa (many, many points for that). I have no complaints at all about the romance; I wish there were more like this. If it only had the romance part, it would be excellent.

There's nothing exceptional about the adventure aspects. There are some echoes of <i>Dracula</i> and <i>Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea</i>, though lacking the tension of the first or the social consciousness of the second. The action is almost all at the end, though there's a promise of it at the beginning - which also tells us that vampires exist, strengthening the Dracula comparisons and making us wonder if the mysterious Romanian count is one. If the story only had the adventure part, it would be average.

Now, the steampunk. Steampunk authors constantly disappoint me because they don't do their research and show me an authentic Victorian period, and they don't do their imaginative work and show me a properly thought through speculative version of the Victorian period either. This book has both faults. The author appears to have no idea whatsoever how noble titles work (something that half an hour with Wikipedia could remedy), and the relations between men and women are not remotely period-authentic. A servant, much less a mechanical servant, especially one belonging to the man in the relationship, would not constitute an adequate chaperone, and a man going into a young woman's bedroom, even with the intent to just talk with her as a valued colleague, would be a much bigger deal than we see here. There are a range of ways that one can approach gender roles in steampunk, and this author has chosen the popular "largely ignore the problem and pretend they're moderns" option.

To the problems of imagination. This is what I think of as "high" steampunk. Not only is there a massive submersible, but there are mechanical servants that are widespread enough, and affordable enough, that a widowed seamstress can own one. They're also sophisticated enough that an advanced model can improbably act like Google and, by looking at a drawing (made from memory) of a cabinet of curiosities, figure out not only where all the items came from and what magic they're likely to have, but also, and very unconvincingly, what exact magic must have been used to retrieve them. This provides information towards resolving the mystery without any actual detective work on the part of the main characters. They don't appear to be governed by Asimov's laws - they can harm humans, and don't seem to have to obey them strictly. And yet these widespread, affordable, sophisticated, largely untrammelled artificial people have not apparently caused widespread technological unemployment leading to Luddite resentment; have not revolted against their servant status; and, in general, haven't had any social impact whatsoever.

To me, the biggest opportunity that steampunk offers is to examine the impact of technology on a society quite different from ours - a society which, like ours, is in the throes of social change already. This is an opportunity that steampunk keeps missing, instead opting to use the technology as mere ornamentation. Case in point: in this book, the rebuilt ancient tower in which the heroine's sister is confined has been made to rotate slowly with a massive and complex set of machinery, for no real reason that I could make out - presumably just because it was cool. That's one of the two things that technology is doing here, and the other is providing easy outs for tedious things like travelling without encountering other people, finding out backstory without doing real research, and having servants that can be disabled at key moments without being killed.

So, romance strong; adventure just OK; speculative and historical elements extremely weak. I almost gave it four stars for the romance aspects, but really they're not so amazing as to make up for the weaknesses as far as I'm concerned.

I received an unedited pre-publication copy via Netgalley for review. Accordingly, I won't talk about the copy editing.

Not my favorite book. I was kind of confused by the time period and felt no connection to the characters. I set it aside and tried again a few days later, in case I was just having an off night but I still couldn't get into it. I also felt like too many characters were thrown at me too quickly to figure out who everyone was.

I’m not usually a gusher. Books have their flaws, all, and I believe it helps both writers and readers to be honest about them. However, this book is truly unique. The world it paints is new and different without reusing tedious aspects of the mythological/vampire genres. The book is set at a perfect pace.
The main character, Hazel, is all the things I want in a female protagonist. She’s smart and aware, honest about her emotions but able to act when necessary. Hazel has already trod on society’s expectations by becoming a doctor’s assistant and her journey gets stranger from there.
It’s a good book, a great one.

The Lady is Coppergate Tower is a steampunk fantasy re-telling of "Rapunzel" (think Grimm brothers' "Rapunzel" and less Tangled). This book is the third in a series of steampunk fairy tale re-tells; however, you can easily read this book without reading the other two. I haven't read the other two, but I was able to follow along with this one quite easily.

This is the love story of Hazel and Sam, who go on an Adventure and find True Love (and magic and a few other things). Look, I'm not even going to lie to you: this is a love story in which you can check off the tropes as you go. But it was a fun love story. As tropey as this book is, I couldn't put it down. This is definitely a great example of chocolate cake literature.

That's not to say that this book is perfect, as it has its flaws (uneven and inconsistent characterization comes to mind). But, let's be real. You're not reading this book because you want a perfect book, you're reading this for an escape from real life or for a love story. The Lady is Coppergate Castle delivers that in spades.

Loved this book! Nancy Campbell Allen is one of my favorite authors and I love these books that play off of fairy tales. I also love the genre, this was a fun book to read.

This book takes place in an alternative Victorian England in which there are robots, vampires, magic and mechanical hearts. Hazel is a healer and working for an exceptional doctor, Sam. She’s also a bit in love with him as he had saved her life before hiring her as his assistant. Hazel knows that nothing can come of her infatuation with Sam as he is her employer and they are from different social classes. Right from the beginning this book had my attention. The author created an amazing world; the hero and heroine were intelligent, likeable, well developed; the plot was a page turner that include a mystery and a sinister uncle and the romance was sweet, believable and heartfelt.

Nancy Campbell Allen is a new to me author and I very much look forward to reading her other books.

Thanks to Netgalley for introducing me to the author and providing me with an advance review copy. This was a wonderful surprise.

Just to say, this is not my usual genre of book, but I thought I'd give it a good when I saw it on NetGalley. In terms of pure escapism and creativity it was fun. The writing was good but I found the plot to be quite slow at times and I actually like the Steampunk - for all it's crazy technological subversion of Victorian England, full of mechanics, robots and vampires! The characters were likeable and the romance pleasant; it's nice to see a intelligent and thought-out female lead,
Although this is not really my cup of tea, I could appreciate the creativity and story-telling.

Thank you very much for the chance to read and review.