RapAnn's All Fairy Tales Retold
Futuristic Fairytale Romance
The Wild Rose Press, Inc
July 13, 2020
159
Surrendered to a powerful witch at birth, RapAnn doesn't know her parents. When she resists becoming the mistress of a lecherous roué, her guardian imprisons her in a tall tower as punishment. There, she has only the music of her voice and the company of the birds for comfort.
Prince Kenzie, hearing her song, vows to free her, but the tower lies in the grip of the witch's dark magic. Even if their love survives the spell, how can RapAnn, deceived by illusion, ever see the truth in Prince Kenzie's eyes?
Available at Amazon.
Reviewed by Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
A new take on an old fairy tale, this Rapunzel is told in first person. It is a sad tale of greed, magic, evil, and a girl who has everything taken from her but still resists becoming a gift for an evil man.
RapAnn’s parents worked on the estate of Lady Margaret Beddor. When her mother became pregnant, all she wished for was an herb from the garden, a garden forbidden for any to enter and especially remove anything. RapAnn’s mom wanted the herb and her father wanted to please his pregnant wife. The price of his discretion was their first born, which is how RapAnn became a ward of the witch, Lady Margaret Beddor.
RapAnn lived a very sheltered life with no one able to communicate with her. She was educated and taught how to play all kinds of instruments. Every time there was a celebration, Lady Margaret dressed her up and presented her for all to gape at. RapAnn loved her instruments and when a young man came to tutor her in the use of the harp, she was thrilled. Not only did he tutor her on how to play the harp, he was actually the first person to ever speak to her and she fell in love. Nothing was a secret from Lady Margaret. She sent the young man away and determined that RapAnn was ready to be given to her friend. Unfortunately, magic insisted that RapAnn agree to be given, and she wholeheartedly did not agree.
RapAnn’s constant refusals just meant more and more pleasures were taken away from her: her clothes, her blankets, fire to keep warm, and all her books and instruments. Finally, convinced that she had broken RapAnn, Lady Margaret once again asked if she were willing to go with her friend. Once again, RapAnn refused. As a last ditch effort to break RapAnn, she locked her in a huge tower with one window and no door. Only through magic could you get in or by asking RapAnn to lower her hair which had grown as long as the tower.
Season after season, RapAnn spent time alone with magic food and water that always regenerated and a fire that would continuously burn. With nothing to keep her company she began to sing and it was her song that drew the attention of Prince Kenzie MacAlver. She allowed him up and he fell in love with her instantly. His main goal was to free her, and every time he left he left a part of his heart. For the first time in her life, RapAnn knew what love was. However, Kenzie was destined to marry a woman his father chose for him, and he could not hurt his family.
A long time passed in the tower, Lady Margaret came again asking for an answer and again got a refusal. Kenzie returned and stayed for a while all the time trying to find a way to free the girl he loved. There was no way out of the tower but with Kenzie there with her she had everything she could want but he couldn’t stay.
A sad story about a girl whose parents just discarded her, a man she grew to love that was going to wed another, and a witch who would do anything to break her will. This entire story was told by RapAnn even discussing the original story written about her, a beautiful maiden locked in a tower waiting to be freed by her prince, but there was so much more to the story than what was originally written.
If you love fairy tales then you will definitely love this retelling. But does this retelling come with an HEA?