So I adore almost everything Christina Lauren puts out, some of my all time favorite books are by them (The Unhoneymooners! The True Love Experiment! *swoons*), and Tangled is one of my favorite Disney movies, but Tangled Up in You honestly didn’t work for me. Ren has spent her whole life on her family’s homestead with her parents but has always dreamed of college and now that she’s there, it feels like life is just beginning; Fitz has a plan for his life that doesn’t include the vivacious, bubbly Ren—but when a class project uncovers old secrets, these two are thrown into a road trip that will change their lives forever. I had a hard time with Ren’s naiveness, and the lack of technology made sense but it made college feel confusing. There were pieces she felt adept at technology in ways that didn’t make sense and it was just a very different kind of character. She is all kinds of sunshine and it was a fun contrast of characters. Ren has such a beautiful heart and is so brave. The road trip was my favorite part, Ren and Fitz are so different but Ren opens Fitz up so beautifully and they just fall really easily together. Having both perspectives was really nice for this book too, because Fitz saw her I think a little how the reader did—all sunshine and happy but naive and too pure for the world. The banter is witty and sharp and fun, the romance is cute (not steamy). And it’s a solid adaption. I just had some trouble with it, and the ending felt abrupt, I wish there had been a little more. But characterization wise, it was well done and the romance was sweet overall.

4 Stars! Cute book! I didn’t really care for the male main character, Fitz, at first, but he grows on you. The female main character, Ren, I liked a lot and would love to be friends with a real life Ren. She was so sweet, it made me want to protect her from any bullies. This was an entertaining book but the ending was kind of abrupt. I did skim through some parts, they seemed to drag on a bit. No ‘sexy times’, which considering Ren comes off a bit child like, it fit the book. A few surprises, some I saw coming, some I didn’t. All in all it was an interesting book and I loved the HEA ending, even if it was abrupt. This wasn’t like anything I’ve read from Christina Lauren before and it wasn’t my favorite but it was still an enjoyable read.
*I received this book at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*

This was such a fun, cute Tangled retelling. The parallels were so spot on and fun to spot. With a retelling, there is not much room for plot twists and big shocks, but CLo managed to make the story fresh and interesting.

If you go into this book expecting a typical romance, please keep in mind that this is published by Disney and is a retelling of a Disney movie. It’s goofy, instalove, and PG rated.

Thank you to Hyperion Avenue and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Such a cute book! I loved Ren and Fitz so much. They're one of my new favorite book couples. This story was so well-written, the characters were well-fleshed out, the storyline was great. It kept me invested throughout the story. Loved it!

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

I love the Meant to Be series and how you can understand how they tie into the movies but it isn’t overly obvious! I was looking forward to this one based on both the story choice and the author choice, but I was so shocked by the direction this story went; it was so much crazier than I imagined it would be. I thought Ren and Fitz were so fun together and how Ren is learning all of these things along their journey.

I would recommend this book and the others in the series!

Aggressively adorable. If anyone knows how to tell an irresistible story, it’s Christina Lauren. They did a brilliant job taking an already perfect Disney favorite and really making it fresh. I was at the edge of my seat, seeing how everything would turn out. Of course, they make you fall for Ren and Fitz and you only want the best for them. While also keeping the classic beats you’d expect from the Disney movie. A++. Have already highly recommended it to several friends and will continue to do so.

Full disclosure- I typically love these authors and always expect I’ll love their books. There has been just 1 I give a pass to, so their record for me is great. Recommended almost daily to customers. This was…ok. Not bad. But not their usual. Not sure if it’s because it was following a theme of tangled or whag happened but it just wasn’t a let me devour it in one sitting book. But it was ok and I think young adults will like it more than middle age

Book Review
Tangled up in You by Christina Lauren

Tropes, Triggers and Thoughts
✅ Rapunzel/Disney Tangled retelling
🗺️Location : off grid farm , College campus and a road trip cross country
✅ Road trip- means snacks, playlists and gas station shenanigans (some of my favourite things)
✅ Forced proximity/one bed- well, if there is only one hotel room and you are on a budget…..
✅ Juvenille detention/ adoption/foster care system
✅🎆 Fireworks as flowers- I have this embedded in my brain now and I wont ever see fireworks the same again
✅ Loved the 90s movie references to Clueless and Goonies

Main Characters
Ren- she’s a virgin in soo many ways, so many firsts to be experienced, her life has been sheltered
Fitz- a man with a plan, he is not a fan of the distraction Ren presents but …… he cant help himself…

Overall
Really trying not to include any spoilers- but you know how Fairy tales traditionally have darker roots… they are meant to be cautionary tales to children to keep them safe. This is most definitely not just a romance…. The authors tease an underlying shadow throughout the narrative and when the reader pulls at that thread they discover something sinister hiding in plain sight. Expect more Grimms Fairy tale and less Disney in the best way !!

Thank you to @netgalley and Hyperion Ave for my digital ARC in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are
My own.

This book obviously tells you its a tangled themed book. However, IMO (yes just mine ) it was TOOO tangled eque and therefore just kinda felt like the same story. It was very disney if disney actually showed you romance outside of the one true loves kiss but also keeps it YA. For me the book was okay.

Okay I absolutely loved this book. What a fun twist on Disney's Tangled! I thought that the two mcs were extremely likeable and their lovestory was so wonderful to watch grow. I will say that this book does have some pretty aggressive triggers in it (especially at the end) and boy oh boy did it leave me absolutely gutted. Please read this book.

CLo for the win! This is definitely my favorite in this series of Disney retellings. Ren is off to college. She's a little later than her peers and a lot sheltered after growing up homeschooled and off the grid. But she charms every one at college instantly...everyone but Fitz. A class assigned DNA test reveals that she is not her parents' actual daughter. So she convinces Fitz to take her on his spring break road trip.

This Tangled story was fun and funny and an easy enjoyable read for a girl who doesn't like a road trip. Christina Lauren wrote an adventure that was fun from start to finish and that I will likely revisit from time to time. I loved that it's YA so I could hand it to my 13yo and that it was grown up enough to keep me turning pages all afternoon.

This was my first from the Christina Lauren Meant to Be series; I don't know that I will actively seek out the other books from the series as much as I will continue to eagerly anticipate their other titles, but it is still enjoyable. I think my appreciation of their stand-alone books just overshadows this retelling too much! The characters are likable, even if fairytale sickeningly sweet (or Mother Gothel grrrr-y) and the book is a quick, light read.

I haven't read all the books in this series, but I knew I wanted to grab this one because, well, it's Christina Lauren. These two main characters are much younger than I usually like in my romance novels, but, again, Christina Lauren. Even if I hadn't known going in that this was a Rapunzel book (the whole series is contemporary romance adaptations of/homages to Disney princesses), I would have definitely noticed the similarity to Tangled. Female main-character Ren is like a manic pixie Mary Sue, a sheltered but completely brilliant farm girl out in the world for the very first time. She has had virtually no exposure to 21st century life, having been raised by her parents on an off-the-grid homestead farm until, at age 22, she convinces them to let her go to a small college. She has strict rules to follow there, and while the other students think she's a total weirdo at first, she gets kind of a cult following on campus when people realize that she's totally genuine about her excitement and wonder. The only person who isn't so impressed is Fitz, a hot, soccer-playing senior who is just trying to finish at the top of his class, graduate, and move on to law school. All of this changes when Ren takes a DNA test as part of a class assignment, and learns something that shocks her to her core. She very quickly seems to learn how to both lie and blackmail someone else, managing to convince Fitz to take her on his cross-country road trip over Spring Break so that she can meet someone whose name came up on her profile. This was mostly kind of frothy and fun but also dealt with some really intense themes, including (several) VERY manipulative parents, the foster system, and the juvenile justice system. I appreciated the nods to Tangled and the heavy use of romance novel tropes, including forced proximity (road trip), only one bed, and opposites attract. A fun read for fans of Disney, Christina Lauren, or - ideally - both!

This one absolutely sucked me in. But really what @christinalauren doesn’t? They did an excellent job of a modern day Tangled book. Ren is in college now after being raised off the grid. She even never had a cellphone until now *gasp* Fitz needs to graduate at the top of his class to get his record cleaned. But Ren shows up and challenges his perfect plan. During their immunology lecture, Ren gets life changing news which puts her on the adventure of a lifetime—a roadtrip with Fitz. This one was seriously perfect. Cannot recommend it enough!

Tangled Up in You is more than just a retelling; it’s a modern fairy tale that captures hearts with its innocence, brilliance, and a touch of magic. Christina Lauren’s artful storytelling has once again created a masterpiece that will leave you enchanted and eagerly recommending this book to anyone who loves a blend of romance and adventure.

4.25⭐️

Christina Lauren writes another winner!

You have to be a fan of Disney’s Tangled to cry like a baby at the end of this story and to hear the soundtrack weave through this story as you read it. If you don’t know that this is a retelling of the Rapunzel fairy tale, it’s too unbelievable.

I loved it, crazy wild story as it was, and it is slow burn and appropriate for teen readers.

Ren Gylden grew up on a rural homestead with her parents, animals and few interactions with the outside world, despite being extremely bright. At 23, she decides to pursue her dream of attending College, not realizing how much she has to learn about the outside world. Fitz meets Ren at school, she’s the only person who’s ever threatened his perfect academic record and to break down the emotional walls he’s built around himself over the years. Getting a surprising piece of information, Ren and Fitz head out on a road trip together, getting into a lot of shenanigans and discovering parts of themselves and each other along the way.

I read this in a weird way, a bit at the beginning, then left it for awhile, then about 60% of it, then left it for awhile, then finished it. I did really enjoy this, it’s funny and sweet. I liked the relationship between Ren and Fitz, they had a lot of chemistry. I think the twist is very predictable, but that’s okay. I thought Ren was equally interesting and hilarious, but also slightly annoying, just her being so naive, which I understand is her character. Fitz was a bit insta love with her, but protective and lovely. I liked the ending and I loved all the time they spent together on the road trip in the middle. I definitely recommend! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free preview in exchange for an honest review.

Christina lauren never disappoints, and when i saw they where doing a mean to be novel i had to read it, this series i have adore and this book was perfect , such a fun story, it has its ups and down, the set up was really nice . Really hit the rapunzel vibe , loved it

Tangled Up in You is a quick read and cute reimagining of Disney's Tangled.

Raised in relative isolation and away from the influences of modern technology, Ren is a curious, open-hearted brainiac. Fitz is a street-hardened, smart charmer with a criminal record. When circumstances force them together on a cross-country road trip Fitz realizes that he has unwittingly become Ren's protector and guide; opening the word to her. Little does he realize that simultaneously she is finding ways to open his heart.

stars 4/5

TW: childhood abduction, failings of the foster-care system, toxic parents

2024 is the year of the fairytale retellings, and I’m here for it.
Tangled is one of my favorite animated movies. Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, Pascal and Max. They are exceptional and severely underrated as far as I’m concerned.

My heart exploded into fireworks and confetti when hearing that Christina Lauren wrote a Tangled retelling, and I have no doubt they would rival the spectacle that was the ‘lights’ from the movie. This novel has it all: mystery and intrigue, incredulity (who hasn’t Googled something in 2024?! Even my dad is familiar with Alexa), road trip adventure, and romance.

Manage Those Expectations, Folks
“Tangled Up In You” is definitely based on the animated movie of Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, of that there is no doubt. I would be remiss, though, if I didn’t warn die-hard Tangled fans to manage your expectations. Like any other adaptation or remake, there is always going to be changes that deviate from the original and this novel is no different. The characters’ names, setting, and heck, even the plot are variations of the initial story. Try not to get too hung up on the differences. If you’re able to take the general theme of the movie and apply it to this story, I believe you’ll find it altogether more enjoyable.

“Two people who barely know each other.“
Let’s talk romance.

Ren and Fitz don’t have that initial passionate dynamic at the beginning of the story, but their relationship grows during their forced proximity.

“She was completely irresistible as long as she wasn’t speaking, which, unfortunately was never.”

They learn to appreciate each other on their adventure and show readers that you can be very, very different people and still find things in common. Fitz learns to trust Ren and open up to her more than he’s ever opened up to anymore before. Ren, trusting and innocent, learns that there will be someone to have her back in the end. Sometimes building that respect and admiration for another person means more than just an initial attraction. Sometimes that relationship built on mutual shared experience just hits different.

“Even though Ren wasn’t patient – grabbing at life with both fists was more her style – Fitz wouldn’t expect her to know how to navigate everything on the first try either, and was amazed how fast she was learning. Whereas he’d spent his first year in his new world quietly observing, Ren was running forward, arms outstretched. He wanted to tell her how impressed he was, how hard and disorienting and intimidating he knew it must be. Most of all he wanted to tell her just how desperately he wanted to hold her hand – and much, much more.”

Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed reading “Tangled Up In You” and thought that Christina Lauren did a great job of taking the themes we all love from the movie and incorporating them into a brand new story. These two dynamic authors take the time to flesh out their characters and their stories, and ensure that readers are treated to a unique and fun experience with every new novel. I appreciate that while I know what I’m in for when I pick up a Christina Lauren novel, I never truly know what I’m going to get until I’m in the thick of it, right along side our main characters.