Because Rapunzel and Flynn Rider’s story is one of my all-time favorites, I worried about how the Meant to Be series would approach it. Powers don’t exist; we’re in the real world, so what’s the story here? How is it going to feel honest yet warm when the story’s narrative is relatively dark? And of all the ways that the adaptation could’ve gone, Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren is nothing short of brilliant—warm, clever, sharp, deeply soft, and wholeheartedly vulnerable in a way that had me sobbing during the entirety of the last few chapters.
The impeccable duo are at their best in this Disney adaption, showing off their creative chops with some of the most gorgeously lyrical and page-turning writing I’ve read in years. While the beginning took a beat to adjust to, it’s indescribably incredible once we hit the road with the main characters, and the best romance tropes make their way onto the page.
One of the prominent issues with retellings is that, at times, the characters sound and feel super young and naïve. Yet, it always makes sense from the story, and it’s up to the readers to sort of shut our modern brains up a bit because it’s especially believable in Tangled Up in You. With technology and its endless sea of perils at our disposal, TV, film, and music wherever we go, it’s easy to forget the sheer privilege we possess at our fingertips. And thus, how the story frames Rapunzel, or rather Ren’s story, might even be a massive treat for true-crime enthusiasts.
The individual characterizations of Ren and Fitz are bold yet surprisingly realistic. The grump and sunshine road trip banter is easily of top-notch quality, and the tender beats of vulnerability when they open up to each other are everything. It’s worth jotting it down in writing that Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren now features one of my favorite first kisses that’s somehow scorching hot and achingly gentle concurrently.
The creative beats that make up the story and naturally propel the couple toward a believable happy ending rely heavily on the writing to show us what’s unfolding while still sharing a good chunk of emotion. That’s what works best with Tangled compared to various other Disney stories—Flynn and Rapunzel talk. They communicate intimately with details that show us who they are and why they’re a great fit for one another. The novel honors those conversations with sharp, excellent writing that seamlessly moves the story from point A to B.
And, more than anything, as a story about coming home, Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren evocatively brings romantic and platonic love to the surface with fireworks as the thematic exhibition of hope and true freedom. There are a few instances, especially toward the end, where the writing is so raw that I wept like a baby. Christina Lauren are fantastic writers; that much has always been true, but there’s something inexpressibly special about this story. It feels like a fairytale, but one that’s not far from reach.
Fitz and Ren’s budding romance comes to life so effortlessly on every page that even though we spend only a few days with them, it feels like eons pass—slow and steady and profoundly lovely. The Meant to Be series continues to be a gem, and we have a feeling this one’s going to be on many bestseller lists. PS, try not to lose it every time Fitz calls her “Sunshine.” I’m pretty sure I felt the actual rays of sunlight in my soul (on a dark, rainy day) every time it happened.
Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren releases wherever books are sold on June 25.
Book Cover Credit: ©Christina Lauren | Hyperion Avenue