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-- 18 years of isolation --
Aside from the heroine's extemely long golden locks, her perpetual confinement in a 'tall tower', and a determined hero to the rescue, Lock bore no resemblance to the original tale of Rapunzel... and I liked that!
Zell - a naive, teenaged girl who knew nothing of the world around her but what she was exposed to. Growing up in a brothel, her only companions were the women who were forced to work there. Her mother, a woman who demanded to be called 'Madam', wasn't a source of companionship or affection so Zell got what she needed from her friends. How she longed to experience a bit of the world she could see out of her window.
Frankie - a teenaged boy who happened to be the son of a notorious and deadly gangster. For his eighteenth birthday, his father decides to gift him with an experience that will launch him into manhood - a trip to his brothel. Surrounded by beautiful women, Frankie only has eyes for Zell. Once he realizes that she hasn't even been outside for years and that they are being held captive, he sets out to make things right. As his father starts to hand him the keys to his kingdom, Frankie puts his haphazard plan to free himself and the others in motion.
There is definitely a dark and macabre tone to this read. Between the horrifying deeds Frankie's father was responsible for, the lives of the women who lived in the gilded cage, and the events that took place to liberate everyone, this ended up being a tense, suspenseful, and electrifying read. I was gripped by the helplessness of the characters, the almost futility to their plans, and the hope that blossomed even in the midst of certain defeat.
»——————⋆◦★◦⋆——————«
It wasn't the smoothest read and I felt the lack of sex in a story that featured sex was a bit confusing. Maybe the author thought the characters were too young to indulge? I haven't read a lot of her work (other than her Club 24 series years ago), so I don't know if sex plays a role in any of her other stories. That and the slightly dissatisfying end to the villains were my only issues.
-- About the Book --
Held captive in a high-rise overlooking New York City since the age of twelve, she had no friends her own age, no life outside of the penthouse, and absolutely no choices of her own. But what she didn’t realize was the tower where she lost her freedom would one day become her salvation. Her prince would arrive, they would fall in love, and they would come up with a plan for her to escape so they could live happily ever after.
If only it were that easy.
Every girl dreams of her life becoming a fairy tale, even Zell, who’s knowledge of romance was simply from the books she stole from other girls at the brothel.
In a world where sex, drugs, and manipulation is solely the life she knows, the only fairy tale poor Zell would endure would be a sinister one ...
Because freedom always comes at a price.
-- About Kimberly Knight --
When Kimberly isn’t writing, you can find her watching her favorite reality TV shows, binge-watching true crime documentaries, and going to San Francisco Giants games. She’s also a two-time desmoid tumor/cancer fighter, which has made her stronger and an inspiration to her fans.
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