Title: Lock
Series: Sinister Fairy Tales Collection
Author: Kimberly Knight
Genre: Dark Fairytale Retelling
Release Date: March 17, 2020
Before Zell was born, her fate was sealed.
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.
✩★ MY REVIEW ★✩
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.
"Now, son"—Frank squeezed Frank Jr's shoulder—"tonight, you can have any one of these ladies that you want. More than one if you’d like."
My heart, which had finally returned to its regular beat, felt as though it was cracking in my chest as I listened to what Frank said. Of course, that was why they were here.
"I told you I wasn't a virgin," Frank Jr. said in a low voice.
Frank chuckled. "That may be, but any one of these ladies will make sure you're well taken care of. You might learn some things. It's your birthday, enjoy it."
Frank Jr. replied, his voice still low, "Whores aren't my thing."
"These are the finest ones around, son. You'll be in safe hands. Take your pick, and then I can pick mine."
"And if I don't?" Frank Jr. asked.
"Then you'll piss me off," Frank stated, giving Frank Jr. a stern look.
"I can assure you," Madam cut in, "all of my girls are clean and well trained. They aren't like high school girls." She chuckled.
Frank Jr. looked at his father another moment and then stepped toward the line of girls. He still hadn't taken a sip of the vodka in his hand, and that made me nervous. I wasn't sure what Madam would do to me if Frank Jr. asked for something else. Was Grey Goose not a good brand?
Just like Madam had done not ten minutes prior, Frank Jr. walked by each girl, looking them up and down from their heads to their feet and back up. When he got to the end, I expected him to walk back down the line because he hadn't made a decision yet. Instead, he stopped in front of me, looking back at Frank and Madam. "I choose her," he said.
My eyes widened as Madam said in a raised voice, "Zell isn't one of the girls."
"She's not?" Frank Jr. questioned and turned his head to look at me.
I lowered my gaze while I waited for Madam to respond. I expected her to say something about me being her daughter, and therefore, off-limits. Instead, she said, "She's never been with a man before. She wouldn't know what to do. Pick one of the others. They will show you a good time."
My face got hot again, and I was certain I looked like a tomato. I couldn't believe that Madam had told Frank Jr. I was a virgin. I'd read about a virgin once. She met a guy with a helicopter and had weird sex with him. She seemed to like it, but that didn't mean I was ready for this handsome boy to know I was a virgin.
"Is that true?" Frank Jr. asked as he looked into my eyes. "Are you a virgin?" I nodded, not able to speak. He turned back to Madam and his father. "Then, yes, I want her."
"She's not even groomed," Madam stated to Frank.
"Son, why don't you pick someone else?"
"With all due respect, Father, you brought me here to, what was it? Become a man? Being a man is choosing who I want to sleep with, and I choose …" He paused for a moment. "Zell."
The tray I was still holding fell from my grasp and clattered onto the floor. Madam's gaze snapped to me, and my eyes widened before I quickly bent to pick it up. My heart was beating so fast in my chest that I was certain Frank Jr. could hear it. I kept my gaze on the floor, not able to look at anyone. I couldn't believe this was happening.
My heart, which had finally returned to its regular beat, felt as though it was cracking in my chest as I listened to what Frank said. Of course, that was why they were here.
"I told you I wasn't a virgin," Frank Jr. said in a low voice.
Frank chuckled. "That may be, but any one of these ladies will make sure you're well taken care of. You might learn some things. It's your birthday, enjoy it."
Frank Jr. replied, his voice still low, "Whores aren't my thing."
"These are the finest ones around, son. You'll be in safe hands. Take your pick, and then I can pick mine."
"And if I don't?" Frank Jr. asked.
"Then you'll piss me off," Frank stated, giving Frank Jr. a stern look.
"I can assure you," Madam cut in, "all of my girls are clean and well trained. They aren't like high school girls." She chuckled.
Frank Jr. looked at his father another moment and then stepped toward the line of girls. He still hadn't taken a sip of the vodka in his hand, and that made me nervous. I wasn't sure what Madam would do to me if Frank Jr. asked for something else. Was Grey Goose not a good brand?
Just like Madam had done not ten minutes prior, Frank Jr. walked by each girl, looking them up and down from their heads to their feet and back up. When he got to the end, I expected him to walk back down the line because he hadn't made a decision yet. Instead, he stopped in front of me, looking back at Frank and Madam. "I choose her," he said.
My eyes widened as Madam said in a raised voice, "Zell isn't one of the girls."
"She's not?" Frank Jr. questioned and turned his head to look at me.
I lowered my gaze while I waited for Madam to respond. I expected her to say something about me being her daughter, and therefore, off-limits. Instead, she said, "She's never been with a man before. She wouldn't know what to do. Pick one of the others. They will show you a good time."
My face got hot again, and I was certain I looked like a tomato. I couldn't believe that Madam had told Frank Jr. I was a virgin. I'd read about a virgin once. She met a guy with a helicopter and had weird sex with him. She seemed to like it, but that didn't mean I was ready for this handsome boy to know I was a virgin.
"Is that true?" Frank Jr. asked as he looked into my eyes. "Are you a virgin?" I nodded, not able to speak. He turned back to Madam and his father. "Then, yes, I want her."
"She's not even groomed," Madam stated to Frank.
"Son, why don't you pick someone else?"
"With all due respect, Father, you brought me here to, what was it? Become a man? Being a man is choosing who I want to sleep with, and I choose …" He paused for a moment. "Zell."
The tray I was still holding fell from my grasp and clattered onto the floor. Madam's gaze snapped to me, and my eyes widened before I quickly bent to pick it up. My heart was beating so fast in my chest that I was certain Frank Jr. could hear it. I kept my gaze on the floor, not able to look at anyone. I couldn't believe this was happening.
Kimberly Knight is a USA Today Bestselling author who lives in the mountains near a lake in California with her loving husband, who is a great research assistant. Kimberly writes in a variety of genres including romantic suspense, contemporary romance, erotic romance, and paranormal romance. Her books will make you laugh, cry, swoon, and fall in love before she throws you curve balls you never see coming.
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.
HOSTED BY:
Post a Comment
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment because I absolutely love getting and giving them!