Weave: Rapunzel Retold

Romance a Medieval Fairytale #25

by Demelza Carlton

A stolen child. A knight in search of salvation. Only one can weave a new destiny.

Once upon a time…

Raised in the royal court, Isaac spent years training as a knight and waiting for the opportunity to win back the Rumpelstiltskin lands after his father lost them by betraying the King. Finally, the Queen gives him his chance – all he has to do is find the lost princess, her firstborn, taken by a witch twenty years ago. Only to discover that he's inherited his father's curse, and his days are numbered.

For as long as she can remember, Rapunzel has lived in the tower, weaving spells for the witch who claims to be her fairy godmother. But the older she gets, and the more she learns about the world outside, the more she suspects her godmother is keeping secrets – not just about her, but a plot that could change the balance of power in the world as they know it.

Can Isaac and Rapunzel break the curse, save the world and find their happily ever after?

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Retellings

222 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 8, 2022

About the author

USA Today Bestselling Author Demelza Carlton has always loved the ocean, but on her first snorkelling trip she found she was afraid of fish.
She has since swum with sea lions, sharks and sea cucumbers and stood on spray-drenched cliffs over a seething sea as a seven-metre cyclonic swell surged in, shattering a shipwreck below.
Sensationalist spin? No - Demelza tends to take a camera with her so she can capture and share the moment later; shipwrecks, sharks and all.
Demelza now lives in Perth, Western Australia, the shark attack capital of the world.
The Ocean's Gift series was her first foray into fiction, followed by the Nightmares trilogy. She swears the Mel Goes to Hell series ambushed her on a crowded train and wouldn't leave her alone.

Reviews

[Elizabeth Connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the author, and I think this is the first time I’ve given one of her books only 3 stars. Normally, I love her retelling of fairytales so I was looking forward to this one, but I was disappointed. It kind of felt like this one was phoned-in. It felt choppy, at times rushed, and even when it was finished, it felt incomplete. Some of the main characters from other stories were introduced/reintroduced, and I usually like that, but this time, it was disappointing. I’d recommend reading other books in this series—all are standalones—but not this one.

[Adena Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find it fascinating how this author manages to create retellings which are so true to the original tales and yet so originally different. This rendition of Rapunzel shows greater depth than the original tale (why would someone want to kidnap an infant princess?), even if I found Rapunzel's aggressiveness a little off-putting. This is too steamy for young readers!

I received an ARC from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mary Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This retelling of Rapunzel has components of Rumpelstiltskin along with undertones of King Midas. Along the way we meet characters from other retellings as well that serve as a link to Demelza's other retellings. In the past, certain retellings were appropriate for younger teenagers, but not this one. The scenes between Isaak and Rapunzel are too explicit for that purpose, and that accounts for my four star rating.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great drama and romance with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another awesome story

Another awesome story in the Romance a Medieval Fairytale series (this is #25). I love this series and this book is just as good as the others, full of drama, suspense, romance, a bit of adult action, and a twist of magic. An excellent read, and I can’t wait for the next to be released!

[Christinaraven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this story. It made me laugh and sigh and giggle. But it was a good read and brought many characters from the previous book together. I liked the different take on Rapunzel and empowering her to make a good character. Just a well written and easy book to read that entertained me well.

[Chris Mckay · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual Miss Carlton has retold a familiar fairytale in such a way to make it her own weaving in characters from other tales that connect them all. All the books in this series are stand alone but the more of the books you read the more you will enjoy them.

[SEng · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very interesting retelling of this fairytale as it weaves characters from other retellings into the storyline. The suspense and steamy bits had me turning the pages. I enjoyed this fairytale romance. I received an arc of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun twist on a fairy tale! I liked it very much.. Magical adventure, with lots of charm..

[RoseyLovesBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rapunzel and Isaak's story is not the fairy tale of my childhood but what does that matter when you get such a fun and entertaining mix of adventure, intrigue, drama and steam?

[Cleocutie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting retelling/reimagining of a classic fairy tale.

[Wendy Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful story. It is a mixture of several fairy stories retold. I enjoyed reading this book.