Thank you Hyperion for the review copy of Tangled Up in You from Christina Lauren. This is a fun sweet romance, a nice addition to the Disney romance reimagined series as I think of it (though these are all stand alone reads); I admit I actually have never seen Tangled, though I am generally familiar with the story so I am not comparing the book to the movie. This is a nice sunshine/naive vs grumpy romance and I enjoyed the college setting and themes on being homeschooled and fairly cut off from the modern world themes (FMC Ren) and also more for me the examination of a college student (MMC Fitz) struggling with finances and paying for college, pursuing his true dreams.

I will suspend some reality about Ren being as unfamiliar with the modern world as she was and also that prepared for college just by reading lots of books (I am a college teaching prof so I have my thoughts) and focus on the sweetness of Ren's genuine love for learning, her appreciation for all the richness of college (and her care for the staff who do the behind the scenes care for college, custodial staff etc... that really matters a lot) and her ability to connect with others, to see past artifice and to also be unafraid to be herself. She was great. But for me it was Fitz, his story about being the popular student and yet how no one knew how hard he was working to pay for college, that he wanted something more than was his career path was going to be, and that he had depth beyond being seen as a popular "player" who just wanted to charm others, I think this is all too often an experience of many young people, they aren't allowed/don't give themselves permission to dream and want and to be themselves and also college is so expensive, out of reach for many and it is important to be reminded of that.

I wanted a little more time to fully get into each character's backstory a little more and to see their romance unfold a little differently but I also recognize the plot was working within a specific story structure from the Disney movie so I will say instead I think this took a Princess movie structure and made it really work, giving nice development to the male character in a good way and giving us a female princess who really wanted to learn and enjoy what school and others had to offer her.

I was not expecting to love this as much as I did! It reimagines Disney's Tangled as part of the Meant To Be collection. And it is so much fun!

Ren is heavily sheltered and was raised off the grid on a homestead where she has had little contact with the outside world. Self-taught and incredibly smart, at 22, she has achieved her dream of getting into college, but her parents have very strict rules for her to abide by, even away at school. Fitz is asked to show Ren around campus. His wealthy playboy demeanor hides the truth about his life. But, he will soon graduate and set his long-awaited plan in motion. The two form an unlikely but adorable pair. An assignment in their immunology seminar sends them on an unexpected cross-country road trip full of surprises.

This is a unique blend of classic Tangled elements and a modern-day US setting with so many great tropes in this one! Enemies to friends to lovers, opposites attract, forced proximity, he falls first, and more.

Ren is sweet, very naive, highly intelligent, resourceful, and entirely sincere. Fitz is a bad boy hiding a painful past who can dial up the smolder. They could not be more opposite or cuter together. If you're a fan of the movie, you know the basic tenets of the story, but this version is set in the modern-day US. Author duo Christina Lauren respects the source material but changes things up enough that the story feels fresh. Everything is a new experience for Ren, especially on the road trip, where we see her character grow and learn more about Fitz.

I am a fan of Christina Lauren, to begin with, but honestly, they did a fantastic job with this! It differs from their usual books but still features their trademarks, including witty banter, a strong FMC you can't help but root for, and plenty of romantic tension. However, this is a clean romance. Entertaining and totally escapist!

Thank you to Netgalley and Hyperion Avenue for the free book!

Tangled Up In You by Christina Lauren is currently scheduled for release on June 25 2024. It is a modern reimagining of Disney’s Tangled and part of the Meant to Be collection. She has a dream. He has a plan. Together they’ll take a leap of faith.

Ren has never held an iPhone, googled the answer to a question, or followed a crush on social media. What she has done: Read a book or two, or three (okay, hundreds). Taught herself to paint. Built a working wind power system from scratch. But for all the books she’s read, Ren has never found one that’s taught a woman raised on a homestead and off the grid for most of her twenty-two years how to live in the real world. So when she finally achieves her lifelong dream of attending Corona College, it feels like her life is finally beginning. Fitz has the rest of his life mapped out: Graduate from Corona at the top of his class, get his criminal record wiped clean, and pass himself off as the rich, handsome player everyone thinks he is. He’s a few short months from checking off step one of his plans when Ren Gylden, with her cascading blonde hair and encyclopedic brain, crashes into his life, and for the first time Fitz’s plan is in jeopardy. But a simple assignment in their immunology seminar changes the course of both their lives, and suddenly they’re thrown out of the frying pan and into the fire on a road trip that will lead them in the most unexpected directions. Out on the open road, the world somehow shifts, and the unlikely pair realize that, maybe, the key to the dreams they've both been chasing have been sitting next to them the whole time.

Tangled Up In You is a fun and engaging take on Tangled. I liked the nods o the names and temperaments to the Tangled universe, and I thought the differences were well chosen and helped make the story in into modern society very well. I though the give and take between Ren and Fitz was very well done, and highly entertaining. The shared vulnerability and trying circumstances for the pair had me rooting for them both through the whole book. I thought the character development and building through the story was very well done- and even though I know the story well I was still surprised a could of times with the reveals. I enjoyed the read, and can appreciate the craft that went into it.

Well, this book was just adorable!!! I love the Disney movie, Tangled, and it was really fun to see the connections within this modern retelling. I loved experiencing life through Ren’s eyes and really liked seeing her relationship form with Fitz/Edward! It’s such an enjoyable read!!

Thank you Hyperion Avenue, Netgalley, and Christina Lauren for the ARC! I had a blast binging this sweet modern Rapunzel retelling. It followed the storyline well and gave big-time Tangled vibes. Ren was so endearingly naive but eternally optimistic, and Fitz was such a good Flynn Rider albeit a smidge darker and more tortured. Plunging a super sheltered girl into society where she knows nobody and nothing about technology or human interaction seems farfetched until you get to the main point of the plot/conflict. I really enjoyed this one and binged it in two days! 3.75 rounded up. I only held it back from a 4 star rating because I think Christina Lauren's other books pack more of a strong emotional punch whereas Tangled Up in You is more of a cozy nostalgic read.

I recognize it’s a high bar to rewrite a Disney story with a modern twist. Especially one of my favorites that I’ve seen more than I can count. While there were many of the same “lines” from the movie, and I squealed with delight, there were also many missed moments. Mother knows best. The lantern scene with the romance. The flowerworks she draws. Idk. I DID adore the sunshine (naïve) / grumpy duo and that Max was still a big character. Nailed the characters!! I just wanted swoony romance and this felt more physically focused than I expected, which only felt jarring in contrast to the Disney story, but didn’t take over the story. The most frustrating thing for me was that arguably the most iconic message from the Disney movie Flynn is telling Rapunzel her dreams are worth chasing over and over, and that subplot was somehow nonexistent. His dreams made the cut, but hers seemed to be just about her family. I kept waiting to see how they’d tie that in. Bummer.

I received an advance review copy for free via Netgalley ( EEEEK THANK YOU) and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

NetGalley Review — my rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

“Tangled Up In You” is one of the So Meant to Be series by Christina Lauren. It’s a series based on Disney princesses and this one is, you guessed it, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider — but make it Ren and Fitz.

Ren is a 22 year old girl from middle of nowhere Idaho, raised free from any and all technology and home schooled. She’s finally convinced her parents (yah, she still lives at home) to let her go to college. There, she meets Fitz, campus charmer.

Obvs, this takes a big leap from the original storyline. While I was going to give it a 3/5, I think it actually might deserve a 4/5. I was bored in the beginning and it definitely picked up. The last 25% was rushed af but it was my favorite part. Points for originality even if it was a stretch.

This bad boy is a closed door romance so (…run!) hahaha — but it was still alright for what it was. Give it a shot, I think.

Thank you to @hyperionavebooks for the ARC! This book will be published June 25! So soon!

#netgalley #arc #christinalauren #tangledupinyou #rapunzel #someanttobe

Ren has spent hr entire life on the farm with her parents. She enjoyed that life, but wants to get an education. She has never been to school, and while she taught herself a heck of a lot, she wants to experience real education. She knows she is the old one at the school at 23 years old. Meanwhile, Fitz is determined to be top of his class so he can have his record wiped and follow his dreams to become a lawyer. When a class assignment leaves both with their heads exploding, the two end up on a road trip together. It’s basically Fitz’s nightmare…

Going to start this review by telling on myself. I have never seen Tangled. I know the basic premise but I haven’t seen the entire movie. Having read the rest of this series and loved it, but having seen the movies, I was interested to see how I would feel about this one. I shouldn’t have given it a second thought-it was @christinalauren I should have known it would be fantastic! I adored Ren so freaking much. She was naive, but adorable, witty, quirky, and a damn genius to be honest. I loved her and Fitz’s adventure through the country to make it to Nashville and how much Fitz was bothered by everything Ren did. I giggled every time she annoyed him, knowing that he secretly loved it. If you have loved this series thus far, you will enjoy this one as well!

Thank you to @Hyperionavebooks for my gifted copy of this book!

4.5/5 stars
This is book 4 in the series but could be read as a standalone. For this series, it’s Christina Lauren’s turn and they came out with the most amazing Rapunzel retelling. This story follows a woman who is off to college but has been sheltered until she realizes there’s a secret her family is keeping. I really enjoyed this story and I have to say that this is my 2nd favorite of Christina Lauren’s books. The story was well written and the writing style instantly got my attention. I was never bored with the story and couldn’t stop reading until the end. I loved getting a new backstory for this retelling and having a road-trip themed story. I do have to say that this book is way too pop culture of now time and I wish there was a map for this roadtrip because I would be confused where they were half of the time.

Ren is the FMC of this story and I loved how carious, brave and smart she is. She’s such a fun character and I loved experiencing the world with her. Then we have Fitz who comes off as a jerk in the beginning but is a total sweetheart. I loved learning about his character and seeing his feelings develop. There are side characters in this book but they are briefly in here. The romance was cute and it was a forced proximity with grumpy x sunshine. The couple are just amazing and I loved seeing their relationship develop.

The ending was just wonderful and I loved the whole story coming together. The authors did such a wonderful job writing this book because I honestly can’t imagine a better Rapunzel retelling than this. I wish that they wrote the other retellings because I would love to see what else they come up with.

*this e-arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*

As the adult daughter of a certified Disney Adult who grew up watching Tangled obsessively, I was so stoked to see that the next book in the “Meant to Be” series was going to be a modern retelling of the very story I loved so much; AND that it was going to be from Christina Lauren?! I had high hopes. Overall, considering what this book is meant to be (ha!) I give Tangled Up in You a solid 4.25/5.
This is the story of Ren (slightly annoying in that ‘adorable’ way, very smart, but incredibly sheltered, naive sense of humor that made me cringe almost as much as it made me laugh) and Fitz (charming, handsome guy with “the type of nose you just can’t draw” and a troubled past) as they travel across the country together. After an interesting discovery from a college class assignment causes Ren to force Fitz to let her hitch a ride across the country, that is. I loved all of the nods to the movie as they embarked on their journey, I found myself genuinely laughing out loud for some of the scenes. I also loved the mystery of both of our main character’s pasts and how they paralleled Rapunzel and Flynn. The story did feel a little drawn out in the middle where they were trying to cover both the plot of Tangled and the plot of Tangled Up in You compared to the ending which felt kind of rushed; which is to be expected of Disney stories, I suppose. I do wish we got more of an epilogue; just a drop of closure. If you love(d) Tangled and like/don’t mind a YA romance feel, this one is for you.

I have loved Christina Lauren in the past! This one, unfortunately, did not work for me. I think it was reading this romance with a Disney-like character (Ren) didn't work. She felt like a child. I was cringing a lot.

Thank you Hyperion Avenue and Netgalley for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my gosh, why are more people not talking about this book? The execution of a Tangled retelling was flawless. I wasn't sure how they were going to tie in the modern world, but it was done SO well. Having watched Tangled, it was easy to picture Fitz and Ren in each scene. There were times when I was laughing out loud at the character's interactions. The authors did a good job of making the ending exciting, however, making it heartfelt and sad. This book alone makes me want to go back and read the previous books in the standalone series, each by a different author.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book.

It's Christina Lauren telling you a tale you've known since childhood, but in a new way. What's not to love? I love how the characters intersect and the journey they take. Each of them needing to learn something new, each of them able to teach the other. Did I mention it's written by Christina Lauren? You can't go wrong with this writing duo!

Tangled Up in You is part of the Meant to Be series where different authors reimagine Disney stories. This latest installment written by Christina Lauren is a Tangled retelling. I'm going to be strait up and say that I have never seen Tangled. I'm not up on my Disney movies, but I did grow up with fairy tales like Rapunzel, so I had no idea what I was going to get with this book.

Tangled Up in You begins with our heroine, 22-year-old Ren, going off to college. This is her first school experience of any kind because she has been living off the grid with her parents for as long as she can remember. While you would think she would be shy, she is anything but that. One of the first people she meets is Fitz who gives her her first campus tour. He is not sure how to take her, and as she becomes more infamous around campus, he is sure he doesn't want her around because he is no longer at the top of the class. I don't want to give too much away, but circumstances arise where Ren asks Fitz to take her along on his spring break road trip to Nashville. While he doesn't want to take her, she has a little something on him that makes him reluctantly agree. From there we get a fun road trip story, a little bit of suspense, and some complicated growing feelings.

After reading this, I'm not sure how this compares to the movie Tangled other than that Ren has long blonde hair. I should watch the movie sometime, but I really don't need to because I enjoyed the book without knowing. I especially enjoyed Fitz showing Ren new experiences on their road trip. Since I'm from South Dakota, I really liked their detour through the Black Hills to see Mount Rushmore and their stop at Wall Drug. There is an only one bed trope, but there is kissing only. My one critique is the quick ending. I wanted a little more to the epilogue, but I guess the abrupt "and they lived happily ever after" type ending was what was most like a Disney movie. Overall, I truly enjoyed the book and definitely recommend it to those who love a sweet romantic story.

My sincere thanks to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read Tangled Up In You. I have given my unbiased opinion of it in this review.

Thank you to Hyperion Avenue and Netgalley for this arc!

This one is for the Rapunzel girlies!

I’ve had this arc for a while and was saving it for a rainy day. And it definitely helped me avoid a book slump! Christina Lauren is good at that!

I’ve read all the Meant to Be novels and enjoyed them. Especially If the Shoe Fits! But I was extra excited for this one because as previously stated I’m such a tangled/Rapunzel girlie!

I loved the academic set up between Ren and Fitz. A bit of rivals to lovers going on which is always a fun time.

Other tropes included were—
✨opposites attract
✨fish out of water
✨I hate how much I like you(Fitz lol)

I wonder what the next Meant to Be book will be…and who will write it!

This one is out later in June! Definitely recommend!

I really enjoyed this book and kept thinking about it while I was at work. I really liked the modern retelling spin on Tangled with a little bit of suspense and romance mixed together. Christina & Lauren did a great job on this story and all its twists and turns. The only thing that made it a little harder to read was that sometimes the dialogue was all put together in one paragraph and I had a hard time telling who was talking- that may be fixed in the final copy.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Very sweet retelling of Tangled/Rapunzel. Ren grew up very sheltered on a homestead, but she convinced her parents to allow her to attend Corona College at the age of 22, almost 23. On campus, she sticks out but once people get to know her, they love her. Fitz is in a class with Ren, and he carries his own secrets well hidden behind his attitude and demeanor.

For this shared class, Ren has to do a DNA swab, kind of like 23 and Me. She receives her results, and her father isn't listed as her father. It is a man located in Atlanta, GA. Ren is beside herself with this news. She rationalizes it, but her curiosity gets the better of her. Next thing you know, she's tagging along with Fitz over Spring Break. He's driving to Nashville for an interview. She has no clear plan and no money....but things have a way of working out.

Fitz and Ren are super, super sweet together. There's some implied closed-door romance here, so it surprised me being that way compared to other books by Christina Lauren. Definitely stayed true to the Disney version, which was okay by me as it's a favorite of mine. This is book 4 in the Meant to Be series but totally can be read as a standalone.

Enjoyed it for the fun read it is intended to be!

A modern rom-com retelling of Tangled?! Sign me up! I was so excited to receive this ARC from Hyperion Avenue and this book lived up to my expectations. I really enjoy Christina Lauren's books; they are fun, light, easy, and enjoyable. Tangles Up In You may have just jumped to the top of my Christina Lauren book rankings! It's a really quick read, my only regret was not saving it for vacation!

Just like Tangled, the plot could be silly, even ridiculous at times. But that's okay to me! In this version of the story, Ren has been very sheltered but leaves home when she finally goes to college. When she learns that she has a genetic match across the country due to a biology experiment, she coerces popular guy Fitz to take her on a road trip. Hijinks and a ton of cute moments between the two follow.

This is a trope-ridden, clichés filled story, but that's what I expect with a rom com! If you are down for a good time, pick up this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for providing an eARC of this book!

Tangled Up in You is a cute, modern retelling of Rapunzel/Tangled.

The plot is a little silly and ridiculous, but it worked. The modern take on Tangled included a road trip, hotels with only one bed, and a music festival. I thought there was a lot of chemistry between Ren and Fitz and I just wished there had been a liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittle more romance. Even a little closed door moment would have been ok. Christina Lauren took these characters and kind of dialed them up to 11. I found they were kind of caricatures of the Disney movie. But with that said, I really did love Ren’s resourcefulness and positive attitude.

Overall, cute but I would rather just watch the movie?

A sweet and interesting love story between Ren and Fitz. Fitz is a charming young college student, who has a reputation and a bad boy history. Ren is a sheltered young woman, who has begged her parents to let her attend college and is excited about every new idea/thing/person that steps in her path. But when Fitz and Ren find themselves on a spring break trip, Ren realizes she may not be who she seems. But Fitz is right by her side, ready to support, love, and connect.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book.