Member Reviews
Ren is a modern-day Rapunzel. She has never held an iPhone, Googled the answers to questions, or followed a crush on social media, but she's hella smart! She's taught herself to paint, built a wind power system from scratch, and even learned written Mandarin! She earns the opportunity to attend college and gains not only an academic education, but whole lot of real-world experience along the way.
Fitz is a juvenile delinquent who is now at the top of his class hoping to get his criminal record wiped clean after making a deal with the judge. He takes a road trip to Nashville to secure a spot at a law firm and takes Ren along with him. He learns a lot about himself and learns to open up to those who matter most.
I could not put this book down! It was such an adventure and I was here for it! I loved the naivety of Ren as a modern-day Rapunzel, but she definitely wasn't dumb or ditzy. When presented with new information, she didn't make the same mistake twice, but definitely thought things out, which you don't always see in other romance books. Fitz was also a great character and I loved seeing them together. The action at the end also had me on the edge of my seat.
Content warnings:
-child abduction
-death of a parent
-police raid and gunfire
-death by gunfire
-blackmail
-emotional and financial abuse
-grief
Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
While definitely a departure for my faves, Christina Lauren, I was not the least bit disappointed. Tangled up in you had several compelling themes, engaging characters and a satisfying new adult romantic suspense plot line. Loved it! And I say that as apparently one of the few readers who knows nothing about Disney’s Tangled. I hope to remedy that soon.
4.5
I'll admit I went into this slightly skeptical, I adore Christina Lauren but am always hesitant to pick up retellings. As a massive Christina Lauren Fan and a massive Tangled fan "Tangled Up In You" did not disappoint at all! I couldn't put it down.I highly recommend it if youre looking for something fun, adorable with a dash of angst! it all around was almost a perfect retelling however my only complaint is that I would've enjoyed a more fleshed out ending/epilogue than what we received.
3.5 ⭐️
Tangled Up In You was a sweet retake on Disney’s Tangled. I wish I had held onto the connection to Tangled as I read it but when writing this review, it came back to me and the little details connecting the characters and plot to Tangled were very fun!
Focusing on the first half of the book, Ren, a sheltered, excitable girl from a homestead begins college and meets Ren, a seamingly popular and wealthy guy, who gives her a tour around campus. They end up taking a cross country road trip together, both with their own ambitions. I loved Ren and Fitz as characters. Christina Lauren did a great job with these subplots for these two and I really found myself caring about them as individuals!
The plot is so fun and I love a good road trip story! However, the downfall I had with this book was towards the end of the book. The story really takes a turn from young adult to action. I found the twist to be a bit much and kind of got distracted from the deeper subplots happening by all of the action.
Overall though, I would recommend this book as it was a well written, easy read with likeable, sometimes cheese, interesting characters! Just don’t forget that it’s based on Tangled and it’ll be even more fun :)
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review ❤️
I could not put Tangled Up In You by Christina Laurent. The retelling of Tangled was so ingenious and exciting, taking the story to a wonderfully mature version of Tangled with lots of heat between Ren and Fitz. The slow burn was enchanting, and I couldn't wait for the mystery to be revealed. Mentally, I compared this story with the Disney film version and appreciated the elevated storyline and romance. One of the top versions of the Meant to Be series.
Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley, and the authors for this exciting book.
A very cute and fun retelling of Rapunzel! Was it flawless or the best writing that I've read in years? No, but I read it in a day I was so into the story and it made me want to watch Tangled after I finished to keep reliving it so I would say that in that way it was a success! Very close retelling with a few new details.
Okay but when Christina Lauren said they were writing a Tangled remake…I was stoked! I absolutely love Tangled and was so happy this was one of the remakes in this series 😍
While I obviously knew the premise of this, this one started out a little weird and I was like what is happening? But as you read it really all makes sense. And I really enjoyed this retelling.
Ren and Fitz. I loved how they learned from each other. I loved watching the mask drop from Fitz and Ren discover the world. There were definitely heavier topics discussed than I expected but it really worked for the story!
I’m late to the game on this one and it’s out now. Thank you netgalley and the publisher for my copy. All opinions are my own.
This was such a cute read! Tangled is one of my fave Disney movies and Christina Lauren is an auto-buy writing duo so I had high expectations. And they delivered!
Tangled Up In You was true to the original story and was adapted well to a modern setting. I thought bringing Ren to a college campus after living a remote, home-schooled life was a unique approach. She had all the naïveté of Rapunzel and I loved her wholesome curiosity.
Fitz was a spot-on recreation of Flynn Ryder - complete with his signature smolder and swagger. So swoony!
Overall, this was a great read and I will look for future adaptions in the Meant to Be series.
Thank you to NetGalley, Hyperion Avenue and Christina Lauren for an early review copy. These are my honest thoughts.
Cute!! This was such a cute romance, I loved the characters and the storyline. Would recommend to all my romance friends.
A Christina Lauren retelling of Tangled? Sign me up. Ren, a VERY sheltered teenager, convinces her super strict parents to go to college. While she has no real life experience, she is incredibly book smart and is intriguing to all of her classmates, including Fitz. When what should have been a simple assignment suddenly changes both of their lives, the two find themselves on a road trip that might alter their lives forever.
The Disney retellings in the Meant To Be series keep getting better and better and this was incredible. While this didn’t have Christina Lauren’s signature spice (it IS Disney after all) it had so many of their other great characteristics. There was depth and adventure, clear chemistry, and the book was a lot of fun to read. There were even a few surprises along the way. This was definitely a cute read!
Thank you to Leo PR, Disney Books, and NetGalley for the gifted copy.
I have to admit I have a soft spot for fairy tale retellings so I was excited for this one. I have enjoyed several of the other Meant to Be series all done by different authors and I like Christina Lauren. I thought this sweet story was funny and entertaining. I will admit I couldn’t have imagined how someone could put Rapunzel into our modern world, there aren’t a lot of girls living in towers these days, but this was perfect. And seeing Ren experience the world for the first time with her endless enthusiasm was wonderful. I also liked the motivations behind Fitz for being a jerk for the first part of the book. Ren grew up on her parents’ homestead being homeschooled and pretty isolated from the world. She is 22 and applied to college and received a full scholarship so her parents reluctantly agree to let her go as long as she follows a lot of rules meant to keep her away from society and the internet. Fitz is a senior at that same college who is charming but distant from people. They are determined to hate each other, but not strong enough to make it happen.
As always, Christina Lauren shine while bringing us a story full of emotional tension, swooning, and grinning ear to ear. They manage to balance the weight of both characters’ backstories with the joy found in rooting for the characters to have their HEA.
Marketed as a retelling of Tangled, this novel stands on its own, offering a fresh take that doesn’t rely on familiarity with the movie. The story shines through its two main characters, Ren and Edward, whose physical and emotional journey is both engaging and heartwarming. While some plot twists are predictable, the narrative remains enjoyable, with Ren and Edward’s relationship growth being particularly endearing. Both characters evolve significantly while staying true to their core traits, making their bond feel authentic and satisfying.
Though the prologue leaves some questions about their final destination, the promise of a happily ever after is clear. It’s worth noting that despite the overall lighthearted tone, the novel does touch on darker themes, including kidnapping, which may be triggering for some readers. However, the story is ultimately a delightful read, and I would gladly return to these characters in future installments.
I wasn’t sure I would really love a repunzel retelling, but let me tell you… I actually did!!! This was fun and cute and kept me smiling
This was so good!!! I loved Rens character so much. Tangled up in you is a retelling of Disney's Tangled.. but I haven't watched tangled lol.... So I have no clue if the "twist" was the same but either way I loved it. The writing as usual for Christina and Lauren wss perfection. Definitely recommend.
Thanks you netgalley for the earc in exchange for an honest review.
Highly enjoyable as always from Christina Lauren! They are a huge reason I am a romance reader and I will always read their books. Thank you for my review copy!
Tangled Up in You is a modern retelling of the Disney Tangled movie right down to some of the most popular scenes like a scary bar and so many hidden easter eggs. Ren is from a homestead and cut off from the world but her parents allow her to go to college briefly. Fitz is a good guy who has a bad guy exterior but slowly that peels away the more he is with Ren. It was a fun read especially if you are a Tangled fan bu some of it was very far fetched and a suspension of disbelief. As long as you go into it expecting this, you will enjoy the ride.
This was so cute. I felt like it was a throwback sort of 00’s romcom that I could picture as a movie, while still obviously being based on Rapunzel. I loved the characters, the banter, and the modernization of the story. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a fun and feel good romcom without much spice at all.
I love Christina Lauren and I’m a huge fan of tangled so I was super excited for this! Overall, it was a cute and quick read but it honestly fell a little flat for me.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
This one is a retelling of Rapunzel or modernly Tangled. It's a cute version and was a fun read. It did seem a little YA, but not so much I didn't still enjoy it. Very cute, quick read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.