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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3.5 s
This action-packed mafioso retelling of the fairytale Rapunzel had me on the edge of my seat. I loved the caution written by the author at the beginning of the book. Kimberly Knight was sure to let us know this version was not the Disney Version retelling. Although I have not actually read the Grimms Brothers’ Version, I have enough knowledge to know those tales are not for the faint of heart. They are dark and grisly at times without necessarily happy endings.
Lock gripped me from the opening scene. It is a power-packed shocker which sets the tone for the book. The characters whether primary or supporting, are distinct and remarkable.
The heroine and hero are Zell and Frankie, who are teenagers when we meet them. They have been raised at opposite ends of the spectrum within a crime-infested family that deals in drugs and human trafficking. Zell has been completely sheltered by her mother in a New York Penthouse. She is an exquisitely innocent being. Frankie has groomed by his Kingpin dad to enter the family business so he has an awareness of what goes on and street smarts to rely on. Most importantly, he knows right from wrong.
Theirs is a suspenseful story filled with twists that keep it intensely interesting. Ms. Knight does a great job of balancing the beautiful innocence of the Zell with the darkness Frankie must exhibit in order to survive. She keeps it just gritty and dark enough to keep the reader turning pages. Best of all, she gives us the happy ending romance requires.
I look forward to the next installment, Deliverance, which tells the story of two of my favorites supporting characters from Lock.
This was another solid offering from this author! Zell has been living in a brothel for her entire life and her mother is the madam. Frankie is the son of a gangster and he is brought to the brothel for his birthday present. He decides on Zell. They get to know each other as Frankie keeps coming back to”visit” her. He decides to break away from his family and take Zell with him. There is a lot of action and twists and turns to their story. I really enjoyed reading about their fight for happily ever after. Or is it just the beginning?
Thank you for the privilege of reading this book! Well done
Fantastic Dark Retelling!
This is a fantastic dark retelling of the story of Rapunzel (definitely not the Disney version). It is an edge of your seat, intense and very thrilling instalove story. You won’t want to put this one down!
Frankie and Zell are instantly connected by their dire circumstances. Zell because she is locked away from the world and Frankie because he has grown up in a very dark and twisted world forced to take over the family business from his evil and twisted father. Frankie wants to keep Zell safe and get them both away from his evil father. Their instant attraction and chemistry is sweet and very innocent. Frankie will do anything to help save his princess. When secrets are revealed everything changes for both of them.
It’s an intense and wild ride from beginning to end. And what a fantastic way to end the story. I loved it and can’t wait for more.
3.5 stars
Lock by Kimberly Knight is a very unique retelling of Rapunzel. Set in the dark and violentl background of Russian mob, this story is an interesting mix of suspense and romance.
Zell has been brought up in a luxury penthouse with a group of girls. She is never allowed to go outside. And as she grows up ,she comes to know that her mother aka Madam is basically running a brothel. Everything shifts when the real owner Russian mob boss Frank Russo brings his son Frankie to celebrate his eighteenth birthday. Frankie chooses Zell to spend his time with. And they form an instant bond. He is nothing like his father even if he has to take part in the business. He vows to get Zell out and bring down his father.
The issue I have with this story is there is not enough romance. We hardly see how the chemistry is built between Frankie and Zell. I could not feel the electricity or the magic of emotions between them. A large part of the story was dedicated to the rescue operations and how they beat Frank. The story had many secrets and I feel it could have been explored in details. Also the stunts Frankie and Zell pulled did not seem believable always. I loved Frankie and Zell though. Zell is a shy girl but she showed courage when it mattered. And Frankie has a heart bigger than sky. He has compassion and morality even after being raised in a corrupt and destructive environment. He has subtle ruthlessness and arrogance but he uses it to get his way in middle of trouble. Their relationship started with such great promises but soon the action part took over the story.
I will applaud the author for her out of the box thinking and execution of the twisted version of Rapunzel. Overall a good romance.
Received ARC for honest review
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.
I am a huge Kimberly Knight fan and have read all of her work to date. To say that I was excited for this book is an understatement. I love Kimberly’s writing style, her character development, all of it.
When I received Lock, I knew that it was a little different from the norm that Kimberly writes, but that only intrigued me more when it came time to read it.
Lock is the story of Frankie and Zell. Oh goodness guys. I can’t give anything away but just know that these two seriously made my heart melt in ways that I can’t even put into words. Their stories, they way they interacted, the feelings, just everything… it was beyond words. I seriously felt so connected to both of these characters that by the end of the book, I was actually a little sad because I felt like I lost my friends.
I will say the one thing about the book that I wasn’t a big fan of was the perspective jumping. We aren’t just getting Zell and Frankie’s perspective but the point of view from secondary characters. I got the point of them and understood them, but it’s just not one of my favorite things when it happens in books. I prefer the dual perspective and anything more than that throws me off. Single perspective is definitely my least favorite because I like seeing both sides of the story, but it won’t stop me from reading a book, I just feel like I lost part of the story when I don’t have both sides.
That being said, Lock is still a beautifully written story that I can’t wait for you to dive into.
Four beautiful stars for this thrilling beautiful story that will leave you on the edge of your seat and wanting more when it’s all said and done.
Lock by Kimberly Knight is a dark retelling of the fairytale Rapunzel. This story will draw you in with the journey of Frankie and Zell. The dark twist and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat. I couldn’t put this book down once I started. I highly recommend this book!
This book was a different retelling of Rapunzel and I loved it. There were twist and turns that kept me guessing and shocking discoveries. Zell bless her heart was so innocent with not knowing really how the world worked and Frankie was an awesome hero for being as young as he was. It was a fast read for me because I didn’t put it down. Thank you Kimberly !!!!!
***3.5 Stars***
So we have a Rapunzel ~ the actual fairy tale, not the animated version ~ retelling and I have to say, I really liked how the author took it and made it her own. The setting totally worked for me and made it easy for me to believe that Zell, our Rapunzel, could have been kept in her ‘tower’ for as long as she was.
Zell is naive, but she comes by it honestly and I liked seeing things through her eyes and watching as she dealt with the changes that came crashing down on her. Frankie is a tarnished prince, but he has a good heart and I loved how aware he was of what the truth of his life was. I enjoyed their journey to their HEA. It was pretty insta, and while I would have liked a little more interaction before that happened, I’m not mad about it either due to the crazy going on around them. But I did like how things worked out for them in the end.
This was an interesting read in that it is dark, but not explicitly so in that you know what is going to happen, but it’s light on description. The secondary characters were well developed and there are a few I wouldn’t mind getting to know better and see where life takes them.
~ Copy provided by the EJBP & voluntarily reviewed ~
A darker fairytale that will have you on the edge of your set until the very last page. This retelling of Rapunzel is certainly twisted with all the drama and suspense to keep you turning pages. Zell and Frankie Jr.’s untraditional meeting turns into a fairytale of epic proportions. You have to check out this story to find out what more. It does not disappoint.
Lock (Sinister Fairy Tales series) by Kimberly Knight is a strange twist on the tale of Rapunzel. Zell has been locked up in her penthouse apartment all her life. Her mom aka Madam runs the house where there are parties. The other girls that live there have sex with the men. Zell has been sheltered her whole life. Until she was 12 she was only allowed across the street to Central Park one day a week. She lived in a tiny room with a small window with no curtains. One day Frankie is brought to the penthouse by his father for his 18th birthday and can pick anyone of the ladies. Frankie is being groomed to take over his father’s businesses. The whorehouse is one of them. Picking Zell as who he wants he discovers how she is living. Frankie promises to get her out. I love the up to date premise of this story and the clever way in which the author told this story. I was pulled into their story from the very beginning to the very end. This was young forbidden love with a twist. Drugs, sex, kidnapping and human trafficking oh my. Not your daughter’s fairytale. Really enjoyed the end of this story. I could have read more about Zell and Frankie. 4.5 stars for me.
Lock is a dark retelling of Rapunzel. Zell has spent her whole life in ‘the house’ but then she meets Frankie and she begins to realize her life isnt normal. The two embark on a mission to take down Frank senior and free Zell from what her life has been.
Once everything kicks off the story will have you grasped til the very end.
I recieved an ARC in exchange for a honest review.
Lock was a unique modern day twist on Rapunzel. With a dash of suspense,drama, and a hint of darkness Zell and Frankie’s story kept me intrigued. Their initial meeting wasn’t what either of them expected. Frankie’s priorities shifted and neither of their lives were the same again. For me, there was a connection between these two that I enjoyed yet I missed that spark between them. That said, Lock was a quirky spin on a classic and an overall entertaining read.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie’s Book Reports.
Held captive in a high rise overlooking New York City since the age of twelve, she had no friend her own age, no life outside of the penthouse, and 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.
Welcome to the next book in the Sinister Fairy Tales Collection. Lock is the retelling of Rapunzel and is a very very modern retelling of it. In fact the long hair and the prince are how I told this was her retelling of that book because the book sure doesn’t real like a retelling. I really liked it. Zee was a great character who was locked up in a high rise in NY and she didn’t have any knowledge of the outside world except for what she would try to learn on her own. She is growing up in a brothel. And I will go ahead and tell you that it is perfectly ok for you to hate her mother. OOOO I wanted to punch that stupid woman in the throat about twenty times. Thank goodness that Zee has the women of the brothel because if she didn’t that child wouldn’t have had anything.
Then along comes Frankie (sigh) who has just turned eighteen and his gangster father is gifting whim with the experience of the brothel. Of all the women though his eyes stayed locked on Zee. Once thought that he hears her story is is determined to get her out. You have to read and see if that actually happen or the how and wow of it all I should say.
I really liked this book and think it makes an excellent addition to the Sinister Fairy Tale’s Collection.
Holy moly! I totally enjoyed this retelling of Rapunzel a lot better than the original. It’s dark, gritty, sexy, passionate, and has a lot of real-life emotions that did not let me go. The characters are young but they are exposed to the dark side of the world at a young age and in comes Frankie to help Zell escape her “prison”. I couldn’t put it down and really enjoyed this addition to the Sinister Fairy Tales collection.
WOW! Kimberly Knight’s twist on the classic tale of Rapunzel is phenomenal. Living in her tower, high over New York City, Zell leads a very sheltered life. Frankie was trying to get through high school, working for his father, trying bide his time until he could escape to college. Neither knew that when they met, their worlds would collide and life as they knew it would be forever changed. There are twists and turns throughout the entire story. And you will fall in love with some characters and completely despise others. You won’t be able to put this book down!
Lock is Rapunzel with a twist. Zel is locked in tower with hair all would envy. Although this princess doesn’t see many people in her locked tower, she dreams of all the possibilities.
A mafia boss, some questionable morals, and a young prince change eveything for Zel.
Lock has an intriguing storyline. The skeletal structure is definitely worth building on; however, character development, dialogue, and transitions are sorely lacking in this book. It seems as though the author lost steam and needed to wrap it up. Characters are suddenly thrown together to save the day in a haphazard and uncharacteristic way. I would honestly say those that are fans of this series should gloss over this installment.
Lock by Kimberly Knight is the story of Zell and Frankie and is a part of the Sinister Fairy Tale Collection. Zell has been kept in a Manhattan apartment building where she only knows the Madam as her mother figure. Although Zell is in a bad situation she is kept innocent and somewhat protected. When Frankie turns 18 her father Frank Russo who is a mobster wants to treat him to a brothel. But Frankie doesn’t want to be a part of it and he starts to see what his father really is. Especially when he goes to the Manhattan apartment building that is the brothel his father wouldn’t let him get out of. When Frankie is forced to choose a women he picks Zell who he happens to see. Frankie feels a connection to her and makes plans to get her out of there.
This was a dark retelling of Rapunzel
3.5 stars
I liked the characters Franke and Zell, they were two people brought up in a world of not their choosing. But I think that only makes them stronger. I liked the relationship between the girls at the brothel too. Lock was an okay read for me, some more of the back story might of helped, and at times it felt rushed. This book is part of the Sinister Fairytales Collection.
Zell is raised in a whorehouse when she meets Frankie a lot of crazy things start happening. Frankie is Frank Russo son and his father is training him to be just like him but Frankie wants his own life away from his Father. This story was really good. I enjoyed it a lot.
My heart hurts for Zell. She was literally a pawn in a fecked up world before she was even born. In this dark retelling of Rapunzel, it gets gritty and unfortunately real with the world we live in now.
Zell is beyond innocent and naive. Being locked in a tower her entire life didn’t stop her from dreaming though. I think that is why I like Zell so much. Her situation was shitty but she still help on to hope that it would change. Frankie really surprised me. You’d think growing up the way he did he’d be just as bad as his father, but he was his own man. And a very sweet one at that. He gave Zell something more than hope, and I loved him for it.
Lock is a convoluted tale of the monsters who live right under your nose and the men who fight them!