From USA Today bestselling author Kimberly Knight comes a mafia-style retelling of a classic story that takes place in present-day New York City. Before Zell was born, her fate was sealed. Held captive in a high-rise overlooking New York City since the age of twelve, she had no friends her own age, no life outside of the penthouse, and absolutely no choices of her own. But what she didn’t realize … absolutely no choices of her own. But what she didn’t realize was the tower where she lost her freedom would one day become her salvation. Her prince would arrive, they would fall in love, and they would come up with a plan for her to escape so they could live happily ever after.
If only it were that easy.
Every girl dreams of her life becoming a fairy tale, even Zell, who’s knowledge of romance was simply from the books she stole from other girls at the brothel.
In a world where sex, drugs, and manipulation is solely the life she knows, the only fairy tale poor Zell would endure would be a sinister one …
Because freedom always comes at a price.
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I absolutely enjoyed reading this different version of rapunzel and by a new arthur for me who mentions this is something different than what she writes. Wellll I can say this much after reading it, why have you not done this before. It was sooo good I couldn’t read it fast enough I had to know what happened on the next page. I can say I wasn’t a big fan of the old rapunzel, but I sure loved this version.
This is definitely one I’d say you need to one click.
An absolute must read. This is a dark retelling of one of my favorite fairy tales.
Aside from the heroine’s extemely long golden locks, her perpetual confinement in a ‘tall tower’, and a determined hero to the rescue, Lock bore no resemblance to the original tale of Rapunzel… and I liked that!
Zell – a naive, teenaged girl who knew nothing of the world around her but what she was exposed to. Growing up in a brothel, her only companions were the women who were forced to work there. Her mother, a woman who demanded to be called ‘Madam’, wasn’t a source of companionship or affection so Zell got what she needed from her friends. How she longed to experience a bit of the world she could see out of her window.
Frankie – a teenaged boy who happened to be the son of a notorious and deadly gangster. For his eighteenth birthday, his father decides to gift him with an experience that will launch him into manhood – a trip to his brothel. Surrounded by beautiful women, Frankie only has eyes for Zell. Once he realizes that she hasn’t even been outside for years and that they are being held captive, he sets out to make things right. As his father starts to hand him the keys to his kingdom, Frankie puts his haphazard plan to free himself and the others in motion.
There is definitely a dark and macabre tone to this read. Between the horrifying deeds Frankie’s father was responsible for, the lives of the women who lived in the gilded cage, and the events that took place to liberate everyone, this ended up being a tense, suspenseful, and electrifying read. I was gripped by the helplessness of the characters, the almost futility to their plans, and the hope that blossomed even in the midst of certain defeat.
This is a new to me author and I enjoyed this dark and twisty retelling of the original Grimms Brothers fairy tale Rapunzel. No dancing hair or funny heroes here!
This is the tragic tale of Zell, of her upbringing with her Madame and her limited experience with the outside world. She longs to be free, she longs for the love of her mother and she longs for a “prince” to save her.
Enter Frankie, he too longs for freedom. Freedom from the kingdom that his father created. He wants to be his own king and he knows to do that he has to rule in his father’s stead.
When Frankie and Zell meet, it’s a collision of worlds and Frankie finds himself wanting to protect Zell and show her the world.
There are twists and turns aplenty and I couldn’t put this story down until the very end. The main characters are young and Ms. Knight does them justice by creating them with youth and naivety that is authentic.
This story is going to keep you on the edge of your seat!
Lock is a dark retelling of Rapunzel. This story had a lot going on throughout the entire book. There were several of things that happened that I was not expecting. I will say I did not connect with the characters as much as I usually do when reading one of Kimberly Knights books.
Zell was extremely sheltered and naive which which was by design. Frankie had some surprising qualities despite his upbringing and together they made a good pair.
This was definitely a dark version of the fairy tale. Right of the bat the story was filled with action. You dive right into Zell and Frankies dark world. The author did not pull any punches when it came to this story.
Be prepared to have a roller coaster ride of emotions while devouring this read.
If you are looking for a different spin on an old classic fairy tale you should definitely read Lock.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
Another fabulous and nail biting dark/mafia romance. I read this book after Deliverance; not because I had to, but because I wanted to get some questions answered. My heart broke for these characters and the torture they went through after devastating losses. The author did a fantastic job putting my heart back together and giving me the HEA I love!
For fans for dark retellings!
Their isn’t any words to describe this dark read that’s nothing like I’ve read before. It was like a old dark read done in the new ages. This story will take you on a adventure that will have you yelling and crying at the same time. This was a very hot dark read that will keep you hanging on tell the ending.
From the stilted dialogue, to the very tell-not-show style of writing, to the far fetched storyline, this book really wasn’t for me. When I read the prologue I thought the “once upon a time” style of writing was due to it being a fairytale and foolishly assumed it would change once the story properly began. However it continued in a similar vein. This just didn’t allow me to connect with any of the characters, who with their lack of emotion and realistic reactions came across as wooden and rather two dimensional.
The story and writing was very simplistic, not terrible, not poor, just – basic. I need to feel the emotions of the characters in order to connect with them. Now I’m not quoting directly but “I was shocked” “I was happy” “I was excited” is not showing emotion in the way that I need.
The storyline with Zell’s mother (view spoiler) sailed just a little too far from the shores of believability, particularly given her abrupt change of mind a few hours later when she met with Quinn. Up to that point I could have been persuaded of the validity of her actions with the phrase “stockholm syndrome”, but that wouldn’t explain her sudden vault face. I also found myself rolling my eyes to how the heroine seemed to be totally unaffected by being raped. I got to just past 70% but really just could not continue any further.
I’ve never been Mich of a Rapunzel fan but Kimberly Knight’s retelling had me rethinking that opinion. This one kept me guessing the entire time. A story full of heartbreak and love.
Before even getting to the story, I appreciated knowing, which version of Rapunzel I was going to get, so that way I wasn’t heartbroken when I expected someone like Flynn Ryder from the Disney version and didn’t get it. This was more based on the Grimm’s Brother version, something dark and almost sad.
The beginning started with a bang, literally and figuratively, and I was eager to see how she was going to add to the already dark tale. I enjoyed the seedy twist of the criminal empire, and felt like that really did it justice. Zell and Frankie’s connection was sweet and innocent in essence, thinking they knew it all, like most do at the age of 18. Both wanting freedom in different aspects, and while also not wanting to lose that child like life, even though both have been thrust into the real world well before now.
I do feel like somewhere about half way through the book it went from this intense, dark story, about finding a way to get out of the bloody lifestyle of the mafia and save the girl, to almost an play by play of what was going on from an outside perspective and no longer being connected to the characters. With the various perspectives the story was being told from, and almost a future voice giving its knowledge, I felt like I lost the second half of the of the story. Which was sad, cause the I was really wanting Frankie to keep with the confidence he’d built and burn the empire to the ground.
Now that being said, just cause it ended up not being for me, I did loved the idea she created about the Rapunzel fairytale and hope that it really clicks for another reader.
The Sinister Fairytale Collection is making me reconsider my dislike for PNR! I swear each one of the books in this collection gets better and better and Lock is no different. Kimberly Knight just blew me away with it. Kimberly Lock is a new to me author and I’m wondering why I haven’t been reading her forever.
Lock is a retelling of Rapunzel, and who knew it could be so dark and twisted? The princess is locked away in a penthouse instead of a tower, and the prince uses an elevator instead of her hair to climb up to her. Zell lives in the penthouse with her mother. Her penthouse prison is actually a brothel and her mother is the madam. Frankie is expected to follow in his father’s footsteps, even if it’s not what he wants. When life brings the two together it’s instant love. I am not a huge fan of insta-love, but for these two it works. Frankie and Zell have an instant connection and attraction that doesn’t at all surprise me. Zell wants to be rescued and Frankie wants to be the hero.
Lock had so many ups and downs and had me on the edge of my seat needing more. I was completely hooked on this book. Lock is filled will mobsters, human trafficking, forced prostitution, and kidnapping. This modern day retelling is real and painful.
Kimberly Lock has hooked me and I cannot wait to see what else she has to offer!
Loved the Suspense!
I thoroughly enjoyed this darker retelling of a classic story. Kimberly has brought suspense and romance to a new level. Zell has been trapped for the last 18 years and she dreams of escaping this high-rise tower in hopes of a prince saving her, but will Frankie be her knight in shining armor? You will need to read to see if there will be a happily ever after.
This is a retelling of Rapunzel.
This book had a ton of suspense and darkness.
Zell is the fair maiden, with very little experience of the outside world. She longs to be in that outside world to do as she pleases.
Frankie is the rich son of the king. He also longs for freedom but in a different way. He wants to rule his own way out from under his father.
When these two meet their world collide in away that I did not see coming. Frankie takes on a very protective role towards Zell.
Overall I loved this darker version of Rapunzel and can’t wait to read more of the Sinister Fairy tales.
This was a really good book. I could not put it down. The chemistry between the characters was hot. The writing was great and kept my attention.
I can’t say how much I loved this book. Rapunzel was always a favourite fairy tale of mine. It was nice to read an adult version of it. Kimberly Knight has knocked it out of the park again!!
This is not your typical dark retelling of the Rapunzel fairytale, it’s so much more. It’s creative, a compelling reimagining, and a fresh twist on an old story. The twists and turns in this book are fantastic and unexpected! A fantastic story with intrigue, love, and a fight against good vs evil. I highly recommend for anyone looking for a new twist on an old favorite.
This book is part of the Sinister fairytale collection. I have been devouring each of the books and it was the same with this one. Being based on the tale of Rapunzel I knew what to expect but the author put her own tweaks to the story. I enjoyed this book and I’m looking forward to the next in the series.
“I’m sad because I finished this book and I didn’t wanted to. Kimberly dugged me into the story with her amazing characters. Right after I started I was completely trapped into wanting to read faster to see how the plot will continue and no wanting to finish the story. All the drama and the tension felt so real!
Lock was full of emotions! A retelling of Rapunzel like no other! Frankie, Zell, Jackie and the Russo family all were exceptional characters that led you into a magnificent ride. The plot was as complex as the characters. Bad and good mixed all together.
Anger and tension with love and darkness. Frankie, I loved him! He was a sweet and caring man like no other.
This story was a really great read. I’m so pleased of how things developed and I couldn’t have ask for a different ending.”
I ɴᴏ ʟᴏɴɢᴇʀ ʜᴀᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏᴄᴋ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴍᴇ, ᴋᴇᴇᴘɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ᴛᴏᴡᴇʀ.
/ : Lock by, new to me, author Kimberly Knight is the tenth book in the Sinister Fairy Tale collection. This time around we have the fairy tale Rapunzel with a modern-day dark twist. Although the “Princess” in this story is held in a “towering” penthouse and has long blonde hair, she certainly doesn’t let her hair down for our “Prince” Frankie to climb up. Instead.., he uses the elevator.
Tᴡᴏ sᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇʀs ᴡʜᴏ ʙᴏᴛʜ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ʀᴇᴇ ᴍᴇᴇᴛ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴛᴡɪsᴛ ᴏ ᴀᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴀᴜsᴇs ʙᴏᴛʜ ᴏ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅs ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏʟʟɪᴅᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀɴ ᴇᴍᴘɪʀᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴀʟʟ.
Although Lock is not a light read, it’s not what I would call a dark read either. There are a lot of situations and subjects that are “dark” but what would be considered “dark moments” are glossed over very quickly which I really didn’t care for. Although I liked the plot I felt like it could have been written a bit differently. There was a LOT of telling instead of showing and as a reader, it’s hard for me to truly submerge myself in a story when written that way. The dialogue leaves a lot to be desired and there were also some things that happened towards the end of the story that was just a little too far fetched for me, even in fiction which is why my rating is what it is. There was a bit of suspense and mystery that helped keep me engaged in the story and helped me from giving up.
Again, this is just my opinion. We all have them and everyone’s is different. If you enjoy suspenseful reads then you may want to check out Lock for yourself.
The story begins before Zell is even born and then skips to when she is a little girl. There is a bit of a gap in between and then the thick of the story starts when Zell is almost eighteen years old.
() : Zell has spent her entire life in a highrise penthouse being raised by her “mother” Madame. But this penthouse is no ordinary penthouse. It’s a brothel. But Zell knows no other way of life. She’s had very limited interactions with the outside world, her only companions being the girls that are forced to work at the brothel. Although she doesn’t know exactly what she’s missing, Zell longs to be free. To be able to roam outside freely and to experience the kind of love that she reads about in her books.
Although their childhoods may have been completely different, Zell isn’t the only one who longs to be free…
() : Frankie Russo Jr. dreams of being set free as well. Frankie is expected to follow in his father’s footsteps but he wants nothing to do with his father’s empire or the life that he lives. Frankie wants out and plans to run as far as he can get as soon as he graduates.
But his plans change when he meets an innocent young girl with long blonde hair.
Frankie never expected to find someone like Zell when his father takes him to a penthouse brothel for his eighteenth birthday. But he finds her and very quickly becomes protective of her. First, platonically, he just doesn’t want to see anything happen to the poor innocent girl. But very quickly things become not so platonic between the two of them.
Zell wants to see the world and Frankie wants to be the one to show it to her. But they both know the only way he can do that is to get her out of that penthouse. The only way to do so… end his father’s reign and bring his empire down once and for all.
Wᴇ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜɪs ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ. I ʜᴀᴅ ᴋɪʟʟᴇᴅ ᴏʀ ʜᴇʀ, ᴀɴᴅ sʜᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴋɪʟʟᴇᴅ ᴏʀ ᴍᴇ.
/ : Although things were very insta-love between Zell and Frankie, they are both very young and as I said before, I feel like the key moments were kind of glossed over. That continued with the steamy scenes. I would have contributed that to them just being young so the author not wanting to be very graphic with it but it was made clear that Frankie was no virgin prior to meeting Zell… Although there was blatant chemistry between the two I think because of the heavy subject matter, the steam factor was a lot lower than it normally would have been.
: Nope, no cliffhanger. After a whole lot of bad, Zell and Frankie finally, have their happily ever after. BUT two of the side characters from Lock, Erin, and Richardo will be getting their own story in Deliverance.
: There are difficult subjects that could be considered triggers. This is NOT a light read. E.g. kidnapping, human trafficking, forced prostitution, rape, murder, etc. If you would like to know more about those subjects, feel free to DM me!
Wɪʟʟ Fʀᴀɴᴋɪᴇ ʙᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɴɪɢʜᴛ ɪɴ sʜɪɴɪɴɢ ᴀʀᴍᴏʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ Zᴇʟʟ ɴᴇᴇᴅs, ᴏʀ ᴡɪʟʟ ʜᴇ ᴛᴜʀɴ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴠɪʟʟᴀɪɴ ᴊᴜsᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʜɪs ᴀᴛʜᴇʀ..?
ℐ ℴ ℯℯℯ ℯ ℴℯ ℴ ℴ ℴℴ.