Tangled Up in You

I love Tangled, but was hesitant about reading a story where the heroine was naive, earnest, trusting, and interacting with the world for the first time.

Ren is still all those things, but she's also charming and kind and that made the difference.

The book does a great job following the spirit of the movie and is full of little Easter eggs any Tangled fan will recognize.

That being said, I think the book is still good enough on its own for someone who hasn't seen the movie.

It's not my favorite Christina Lauren book but it does like a Christina Lauren book, so I still enjoyed it.

Charmed by Ren and Fitz

What happens when you spend four days in the hospital and come home feeling unable to do anything? Well, folks, you get me. June and the beginning of July haven’t gone as planned, but I can happily say that this book pulled me out of both a reading and reviewing slump. I loved it so much and can’t wait to feel well enough to get a physical copy.

Ren and Fitz were utterly charming, making me smile from start to finish. Some writers could pen a grocery list and I’d probably give it a shot. When it comes to YA Romance, that number can be counted on one hand with fingers left over. But as I finished Christina Lauren’s “Tangled Up in You” – a delightful modern reimagining of the classic fairy tale Rapunzel plus Disney’s Tangled – I had the same fizzy buzz I’d get as a kid when my heroine got her happily ever after. Even if I wouldn’t normally select a YA title, the story absolutely worked for me as a romance and a fairy tale retelling.

Christina Lauren has crafted a tale that is not only a nod to a classic but also a celebration of finding oneself and love in spite of a bumpy past. In this case, a past that cannot be changed or fixed by magic. (Unless you count therapy as magic, which I do.) I found myself turning pages quickly and looking up other books by Christina Lauren to add to my growing pile.

Twenty-two-year-old Ren has never attended formal schooling, having lived a secluded life on a rural farm in Idaho. Her parents finally agree to let her go to college, but only if she adheres to a strict set of rules. Ren embodies the phrase “innocent optimist.” Every experience in the “real world” is a first for her—first friend, first doughnut, first crush—you get the picture. It’s a joy to watch her discover the world at an age when most people are starting their independent lives.

Enter Fitz. He’s irresistibly charming, top of his class, from a wealthy family, and seems to have it all. But no one at Corona College knows the real Fitz, and he’s afraid they might not like him if they did. When an opportunity arises for Ren to leave town on a secret quest, she blackmails Fitz into taking her to Nashville, where he also has a secret meeting.

This story is a road trip across America, with Ren experiencing countless “firsts” and Fitz falling for the girl he thinks he shouldn’t. I loved the connections to Tangled: Fitz is Eugene Fitzherbert, better known as Flynn Rider; Fitz’s car, Max, is as stubborn as Maximus the horse; and Ren, of course, is the intelligent but naive Rapunzel. A retelling works when you love the characters as much as the original, and I adored Ren and Fitz. They each have unique storylines, and I loved reading about them falling for each other. Their first kiss is one of the sweetest and hottest I’ve read in a long time, and it felt so natural for them to be together. There’s so much kissing in this book, and you can feel how much they enjoy each other’s company. I was also thrilled with how Fitz handles consent. He makes her feel valued and seen, and it’s beautiful.

Even though readers might see where the story is headed, they’ll still love the journey. You get a sweet love story combined with a bit of mystery and intrigue, and all the lovey-dovey feels. Because this is for young adults, or even middle grade, the intimacy is kept to kissing and there’s some very well-handled discussion of boundaries and consent. That doesn’t mean it’s not very romantic in the classic sense and just the right amount of steamy. The dynamic between Ren and Fitz is beautifully crafted, with humor and sweetness woven into their interactions and playful banter. I look forward to going into this author's back catalog when I need a pick-me-up because the writing worked like a charm.

I just finished Tangled up in you by Christina Lauren and here are my thoughts.

When Ren finally convinces her parents to let her go to college, she cannot believe her luck! Her parents are so disconnected from the real world on their homestead that she has never held an iphone. She is so pure in the real world but she has skills most people don't have.

When Fitz, a rich kid who's the big man on campus is asked to show Ren around, he wasn't prepared for what she was bringing into his world. He has a plan and he is ready to go! That is, until Ren takes an immunology course and finds out that her dad isn't really her dad but a man in Atlanta might be. She blackmails Fitz into taking her with him on his road trip across the country and with each stop they make, they make a new connection to each other and beautiful experiences for Ren. Fitz begins to soften as he experiences these things through Ren's eyes and it changes the landscape of his whole world.

What they have both been missing is now right next to each other.

Oh man this book was so cute! It's loosely based on Rapunzel and they did a fabulous job of the grumpy sunshine fluffy romance and I was hella invested in it. One of the things I love about Christina Lauren books is the beautiful level of cheese that they bring. I need it. I crave it.

The book comes from both Ren and Fitz's POV and I loved how high energy Ren is and that everything is magical. I loved seeing the world through her eyes. Watching Fitz thaw out was really something to connect to. You can't help but feel a little heartbroken for him, even after the spectacular ending we get for Ren, it's Fitz I feel bad for.

It had more of a YA vibe even though the characters were in their 20s. It didn't take away from the enjoyment for me, you can totally understand how Ren is like a clean slate with how little interaction she has had in the real world.

I really enjoyed it even though the beginning was a little slow off the mark. The romance was really subtle, it doesn't move fast so if you are looking for romancy romance, you may be a bit disappointed. (I didn't need that so it worked for me)

4 stars. It was really solid and really entertaining.

Thank you @netgalley and @hyperionavebooks for my gifted copy