I love a fairytale retellings. Rapunzel but with real danger sounded great.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. However, the repetition got tedious and there were a few times when the heroine deserved a solid Gibbs slap.
I like the setting and will read the next book.

This is the first Billionaire Brothers Grimm series featuring Liam Grimm. It was an enemies to lovers story which featured loose inspiration from Rapunzel.

Sasha has spent her whole life being medicated and shelter from the outside world due to her controlling father and is dying to escape. When her father springs a surprise proposal on her one night, she’s forced to turn to Liam Grimm, a man who she’s been raised to hate.

Bold and determined to use her against her father, Liam and Sasha come to an agreement, she will give him everything, and in exchange, he will help her get her freedom.

There’s lots of emotions and heated exchanges and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoy this book! I would definitely recommend and look forward to future books from the series.

Thank you Netgalley and Oliver Heber Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Enemies to lovers that was a bit different. Overall I enjoyed this book. I have to say, there is just something about the way this author writes and tells a story that I just love!! To be honest, there were a few parts I’m not sure this book needed, but I would still recommend reading this one.

This review will be a shortie as I am on vacation but wanted to do some type of review for this one and it is a ARC so I do feel
bad that I couldn’t wait till I got home to do it lol

The Tower was a fascinating story, I loved the edgier feel to a retelling. And it involved a retelling of Repunzel but I would say it’s more inspired and not a straight out retelling. I loved the edgy contemporary feel to this one ( I wouldn’t call it dark although the hero is a bit morally grey) I really loved their dynamic and having a bit of a softer heroine but I really didn’t care for the third act conflict drama and breakup. It felt a bit forced and that it was just to make the hero look bad and not be the strong man. I felt like the heroine was being way too controlling and he just caved to the pressure and it just didn’t fit with his character that was built in the book.

So while I enjoyed many aspects to this book …. The last 1/3 ruined the book for me a bit.

My rating: 3.5 stars

4 star Review The Tower (Billionaire Brothers Grimm #1) by J. Kenner

This is Liam Grimm and Sasha Reed’s story and it was a good start for the Billionaire Brothers Grimm series.

An enemies to lovers billionaire story which ticked numerous boxes for me.

Sasha is kept away from the outside world by her father and is desperate to escape her life. The only man she can turn to is Liam who is her father’s enemy.

He is such a determined man and it’s an added bonus that it will destroy her father; just makes it perfect.

There is angst and emotion throughout this story with plenty of heat. The chemistry is intense and although I liked Liam I had a harder time relating to Sasha.

I received an ARC through the publisher and Netgalley.

Sasha and Liam come from feuding families in the cosmetics world—think luxury lipstick with a side of deep-rooted family hatred. The big difference? Liam is free to live his life how he wants. Sasha? Not so much. Her father controls everything, including when she’s allowed to be seen… and who she’s supposed to marry.

So when Sasha finds out about the arranged marriage, she does the unthinkable—she runs. And who does she literally run into? Liam. Her family’s enemy. The last person she should trust.

But Liam? He has plans. Revenge is at the top of his list, and Sasha might just be the perfect weapon. What he doesn’t count on is the connection between them—strong, undeniable, and hotter than hell. Liam introduces Sasha to a world she’s never known, and the way she starts to lean into it (and him) totally surprises her.

Their chemistry? Off the charts. The steamy scenes are intense and full of boundary-pushing tension that totally worked. But it’s not just about the heat—Sasha starts to change Liam in a way he never saw coming. Women in his life were always temporary. Sasha flips his entire world upside down.

“She was supposed to be the means to an end… not the reason I started questioning everything.”

This book pulled me in from page one and didn’t let go. Dark, sexy, and full of tension—I loved every second of it. Now I need Leo and Ruby’s story ASAP!

It is a great pleasure to say that J.Kenner, after what feels like an eon, has written a book that's not related to the Stark Universe! I love those characters, but I was ready for something new. And I was about to give 5 stars to this book solely because of that. However, as the book was ending, I grew a little tired and frustrated, which is why the final rating is 4 stars.

Some little things bothered me, and in the end, they added up to be enough for me to lower my rating. Elysium was a cool idea at first and added a spark to the story, but the constant escapism and the AI mention became a little annoying. Was the AI mentioned to emphasize that the retelling is a modern version? To make some side plots a little more interesting and have the surprise that really wasn't a surprise make a bigger impact?

The third act breakup/angst/have to add some drama for the characters made me scratch my head because Sasha decided to grow a backbone and was taking it on the wrong person. She was her own world where she is the boss, but for most of this book someone else (namely Liam) is saving her, even from herself. We could have skipped all the parts where Liam was trying to make up for once again protecting Sasha and have her grow into her new, free self. I don't know why authors (and screenwriters) are so against writing the characters just being happy in their new lives, and instead choose to fill the pages with unnecessary drama.

With that being said, I have to also give credit when it's due. I loved Liam. He had his issues but overall worked as a MMC for me and I think readers will love him. What I didn't like was the addition of his ex to this story. We could have lived without her existence. Liam's brother and Sasha's best friend are next and that seems like a very interesting book as well, so I will keep an eye for it as it's coming later this year. What I didn't love is that the blurb for the third book spoils things that we weren't supposed to know in this book. Not approved. At the end of the day, the good things outweigh the bad and I would recommend the book to all romance lovers out there.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for accepting my request! Honestly this book was such a nice surprise. This is my first time reading something from this author and it won’t certainly be the last time! I loved the story so much, I found the characters to be entertaining and well written. I recommend!

4.25stars-THE TOWER is the first instalment in J. Kenner’s contemporary adult BILLIONAIRE BROTHERS GRIMM erotic, romance series focusing on the Grimm brothers. This is thirty-four year old, billionaire businessman Liam Grimm, and twenty-six year old cosmetics heiress Sasha Reed’s story line.


NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.


Told from first person perspective (Sasha) and third person (Liam) THE TOWER follows heiress Sasha Reed as she discovers the truth behind the lies and secrets she knew nothing about. Having been fed a lifetime of falsehoods, manipulated into believing the competition aka Grimm Cosmetics and the Grimm family were nothing more than murderers and madmen, Sasha has lived a life as a prisoner in a gilded cage but a prisoner whose life is no longer under her control. Determined to destroy the Reed Cosmetic company, Liam Grimm targets our story line heroine, a woman, who is wholly and completely unaware of the machinations and subterfuge behind the scenes but a woman who, with the help of Liam Grimm, quickly discovers her entire life has been predicated upon a series of manipulative lies.


The world building is detailed and energetic as Sasha learns the truth while on the run with our story line hero. Desperate to stay one step ahead of the people who have shaped her life with a lifetime of lies, Sasha must place her trust in a man she has been lead to believe is a monster threatening to take them down. Liam is a man who knows what a monster is, first hand, and yet, our hero is willing to take on the role he has witnessed up close.


The relationship between Sasha and Liam is an enemies to lovers in which Liam has been planning and plotting for a very long time. Liam is determined to avenge the death of his mother but of Sasha’s mother as well, two women trapped in a spiral of power and greed. As Liam’s prisoner, Sasha finds herself wary of Liam’s true intent but when the darkness is lifted, Sasha sees the world in a different light. The $ex scenes are provocative and passionate but I dislike the use of a certain four -letter word .


The colorful and often questionable secondary and supporting characters include Liam’s brother Leo; Sasha’s father Victor Reed; Desmond Bane, and Sasha’s best friend Ruby. Ruby and Leo’s story line is next.


THE TOWER is a story of power and control, secrets and lies, betrayal, greed and vengeance, forgiveness and love. The character driven premise is dramatic and edgy but the conflict resolution is mostly off-page, and without too much excitement or drama ; the romance is seductive yet uneasy; the characters are desperate, dynamic and complicated.





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This new series from J. Kenner starts with a dark, brooding erotic novel about an heiress who has been held captive by her father and the man who has vowed to take her down. Sasha Reed has been the puppet for Reed Cosmetics, locked away in her gilded tower by her father, kept down, abused and then 'sold' to an odious man, Sasha realizes that her life holds only sadness. Liam Grimm's family is Reed Cosmetics biggest competitor, and Liam as the black sheep has been watching Sasha and getting intel on her to try to bring Reed down. But when Sasha's father ambushes her at a gala with the announcement of her engagement to Desmond Bane, she decides she must escape and that is where Liam comes in. He promises to keep her safe and help her get out from under her father's clutches but in exchange, she must give him 'everything'. This is the start of their journey together.

This story is compelling, page turning and told with that edge of darkness that always threatens to overcome our heroine. Although fragile to the outside world, Sasha starts to show her strength as she strives to outsmart her father and remain compliant to the man who has wormed his way into her life. This is a book about forbidden love, trust, and family dynamics. As Liam works to keep Sasha safe, he has to reconsider how he feels about her and how far he will go to protect her. But Liam can't control his darker side and as his alpha side takes over, he starts to take away Sasha's ability to make decisions for herself, just like her father did. Can Sasha and Liam work their way though this maze of lies and untruths and find their HEA?

Ms. Kenner is one of my favorite authors and this book is definitely up there as one of my new favorites. I get Damian Stark vibes all over again and that makes me very happy. I loved this book and it truly was an exceptional read. The storytelling was compelling, the prose flowed and the characters were beautifully flawed in their writing. So excited for Ruby and Leo's story next.

Book 1 in the BILLIONAIRE BROTHERS GRIMM series and let me tell you I am hooked and already wanting more! I absolutely adored Sasha and Liam's forbidden relationship and became so invested in their story that I didn't want it to end. The storyline was really exciting with plenty of suspense and I am so looking forward to Ruby and Leo getting a book!

Julie Kenner's Stark Saga was one of my favorite series that she wrote, but it had run it's course, and I was hoping that she would come up with a new direction that would sweep me off my feet. The Tower is that direction I was hoping for!

I'm a huge sucker for the Billionaire who gets swept off his feet by a woman who ends up being his equal in more ways than one. The story had me on the edge of my seat from the first page, and I love it when a book takes me on a journey that I find difficult to put down. Loved the angst driven chemistry between Liam and Sasha, along with Leo and Ruby. Definitely had some anxiety throughout this book with the events, trying to anticipate, but never quite knowing when. Seriously loved it! Very much looking forward to Leo and Ruby's story!

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book.

The Tower is book 1 in the Billionaire Brothers Grimm series by J. Kenner. This is Sasha and Liam’s story. This billionaire enemies to lover’s romance is so steamy you might need to keep a fan going. This book is very sensual and explicit, so if you enjoy a dark romance then this book is for you.

“I wouldn’t know about dreams coming true,” I say—but only in my head. I gave up on dreams long ago. Now, I have only nightmares. Except for that one lingering dream of escape.”

Can your enemy become your salvation? How far will you go to escape the cage you were raised in? How far can one break you ~ until there is no coming back from it?

“The villain in one tale is often the victim in another.”

…manipulated, imprisoned, fear, betrayed, monster, independence, protector, claimed…

“Trust me, Princess. He won’t get you back. You’re mine now.”

I received this book as an arc reader. I have to say this book is a perfect pallet cleanser. Sometimes reading as much fantasy as I do, I need something to break it up. This is perfect for that. At times, you do know what is going to happen, but watching Sasha and Liam grow was beautiful. The twists and turns they went through was amazing. I definitely recommend reading this. It’s not going to be a reread for me. But I did enjoy every second of it.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐂 𝐁𝐎𝐒𝐍𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐆 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖
*NetGalley ARC*

Not new to this author she is actually my OG favorite author. I knew this would be amazing and it did not disappoint. I mean holy shit I LOVED this book not wrong! This did make it on my TOP 2025 MUST READ List!

Sasha our MFC is the sweetest human, bound by lies and orders. She lost her mother very early on and her shit of a father raised her. Mind you this is a dark romance with a mafia vibe but different. So all her life she has been told one story and told how to dress how to act how to perform but never what SHE wanted. One night it's all pushed too far and she runs away with her captor. Yup I said that, her captor who happens to be her fathers enemy, well the enemy's son [bastard child] who might be more darker than her father. But she didn't really have a choice. Now the MMC Liam grew up always being the outsider, with step brothers and a father who didn't want him. He was born into this life and he performed in it well. When he sees an opportunity to steal the princess away from her castle, he jumps on it. This is all for revenge and to make the MFC's father pay of what he did. Little did he know the so called princess is not what he thinks she is, seems that she is a captive herself. The trust needs to come out, the MFC needs to see what her world really is and when she does, all lines break. Now on the run with her captor who really might be her dark savior, she is developing into her own. There are so many moments in this book I had to stop because of the intensity that I loved just do I don't read too fast. These two were oil and water but fit so well, the stares, the obsession, the romance, the swoon, the anger, the danger....and the SPICE! haha boy talk about fanning one self, the spice for me was a 5/5 but really this book left me wanting more and having all the feelings you get when you're swept up up in a world you wish was real.

Now these two gave me all the feels, their connection, the banter, the intensity GOD I LOVED EVERY SINGLE MOMENT in this book. EVERY SINGLE WORD! I don't want to give out too much but I got the giddy feeling reading this and it all comes from the author because I have been a huge fan and she does books just so amazing I can't describe it. HANDS DOWN ONE OF MY FAV READS THIS YEAR!

Can not wait for more in this series and this is a HIGHLY REC book for me!

This was a very interesting storyline. You have the woman Sasha who has been used and abused by a person most of her life. Then you have Liam who is determined to get justice for many wrongs done. I loved the characters and the spicy parts. This was a really great read and I can’t wait to read Leo’s story next!

The Tower by J. Kenner is a seductive enemies to lovers billionaire romance that delivers a thrilling story line and some intriguing characters. The bustard heir. The manipulated heiress. His grand plan for revenge and her deal with the devil. Liam Grimm and Sasha Reed brings scorching hot forbidden passion in every page.

🖤 enemies to lovers
🖤 forbidden romance
🖤 good girl- bad boy
🖤 billionaire romance
🖤 dark romance
🖤 opposite attract
🖤 forced proximity
🖤 romantic suspense

Reeds and Grimms are sworn enemies in business. Sasha Reed has been a puppet in her evil father's hand but when her father announces a surprise engagement to a more evil man, she knows she has to escape. The bustard Grimm heir Liam offers her a deal. He will keep her safe but he wants everything from her. Body. Heart. Soul. Because he wants to ruin her father and what's a better way than to defile the perfect princess. But he didn't know that Sasha would penetrate his armour and he will fall for her.


Sasha is seen as this fragile and pure beauty by the world. Her father has used her trauma for his gain and he is still harming her for the money and more. She initially refused to see that her father is this level of evil specially when the evidence was given by their family rival. It was devastating to say the least. Liam isn't her knight in shining armour. He had made it clear. But she also cannot ignore the way he is trying to save her at own risk, even if it's for revenge. What a twisted situation! It was pretty spicy and Liam is full on dominating controlling alpha. But deep inside, he is more similar to Sasha than he thought. His own father and family doesn't accept him because he is the bustard. He made his own name as the cyber genius. And his skills helped him to get close to Sasha virtually within Elysium, the world created by her through AI. But Sasha didn't know that. It was a battle of balancing the truth and the betrayals. Sasha proved to have a strong fighting spirit. She fought her way out of her father's manipulations and even Liam's. Her light made Liam fall for her because she healed the darkness.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion!

There is one word for this book: STEAMY! I've never read anything by J. Kenner but I really liked the description for the novel so I was excited when I got approved to read it. And oooooooof, it is good. Sasha and Liam had amazing banter, spicy scenes that were SPICY, and some really heartwarming moments too. It is a dark, Rapunzel-styled story that left me ready to read more about this crazy world and characters!

The Tower leans heavily into the billionaire and fairytale aspects of the billed romance, but generally feels light on the enemies to lovers trope or any sort of darker edge.

This is, unbelievably, my first ever J. Kenner book, and I am so sorry I was not aware of her game. The spice and the dirty talk in this book is top tier. the tension, the dialogue, the silk ties—insanely good. These were definitely a highlight of the book for me, along with any sort of sweet, domestic scene between Liam and Sasha where we get to see them slowly opening up to each other.

I felt like the book really started to get going in the latter half, where we leave a lot of the fairytale references behind and we can just be with Liam and Sasha as their own characters. I thought the fairytale tropes were a bit heavy-handed, even knowing what I was already getting into from the start. There was also an aspect of the story—where Sasha builds a virtual world for herself to escape her horrifying reality—that never really worked for me, and it is a big part of the story, unfortunately.

However, Kenner does thankfully shed most of that towards the last 20% of the book, and seeing Liam doing anything and everything to win Sasha over, to prove that his love for her is stronger than any of his own flawed instincts was really rewarding and wonderful. A constant theme that ran through the tower that i really appreciated was the distinction between control and choice, and how consent can blur the line between the two, but in a healthy way. This theme is really emphasized in the last quarter of the book, and that is where the tower shined the brightest for me.

I'd recommend this to lovers of billionaire romances, a good grovel, a classic “I'm your monster” line, and morally grey mmcs who try to be better for the woman they love.