Zel

The GriMM Tales

by Amanda Meuwissen

An assassin in disguise is not meant to fall for their target... but Rapunzel’s life has never gone as planned.

Twenty winters ago, before the Great Famine, Zel’s parents were caught stealing the fabled sorcerer’s rapunzel, the magical lettuce that grows around the base of his tall tower in the wood. He released them under the condition that when their yet unborn babe reaches adulthood, she will stay with him for one month before becoming his bride.

Then Zel was born a boy.

Only Zel’s parents know the truth, but while he was raised to pretend to be a girl, he will be no monster’s bride. He will use his month in the tower to unravel the mystery of the sorcerer’s immortality, so he might slay his would-be bridegroom and claim the tower and its treasures for the Thieves Guild.

What Zel does not know is that the sorcerer, Ulrich, has his own deceptions planned, and their journey of secrets, seduction, and identity might lead to revelations neither expect.

Each book set in the GriMM fairytale world can be read as a standalone and contains its own Happily Ever After story. Though you will definitely want to read each one, as the tales are connected to each other in multiple magical ways, this story features possessive mutual pining from enemies to lovers, secret motives, crossdressing that becomes gender identity discovery, and a guaranteed happy for now ending.

Genres: Fantasy, M M Romance, LGBT, Romance, Retellings, Queer, Enemies To Lovers

267 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 11, 2025

About the author

Amanda Meuwissen is a queer author with a primary focus on M/M fiction and romance. As the author of LGBTQ+ Fantasy #1 Best Seller, Coming Up for Air, LGBTQ+ Horror #1 Best Seller and #1 New Release, A Delicious Descent, and several other titles through various publishers, Amanda regularly attends local comic conventions for fun and to meet with fans, where she will often be seen in costume as one of her favorite fictional characters. She lives in Minnesota with her husband, John, and their cat, Helga.

Reviews

[Kati *☆･ﾟ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25**** stars


I hadn’t expected it before I started but this was great!

For many winters, Zel had been taught the ways of both seduction and the blade. He was talented at both.

So, after the parents made a grave mistake twenty years ago and gambled away their unborn child, newly of age Zel (Rapunzel) comes to the sorcerer’s tower with two secrets. One is his true motive for going to him and the other one is his gender. And while we learn from the very beginning that Ulrich does very certainly know that Zel is on a mission to kill him we can only guess if he’s also aware of what Zel is hiding under his skirts. The interesting part is that in Ulrich’s POV he always refers to Zel by name, never with pronouns so you really don’'t know for certain until the gig is up. *lol

”My past had to be all about you, but I want my future to continue to be because it is what I choose.”

Final verdict: great storytelling, believable and heartwarming romance buildup as well as a captivating plot that mounted into a good climax with a very satisfying ending. Speaking of climaxes, tho, sex scenes were rare and also pretty meh. But that’s also about everything I can complain about.

I really loved reading it, definitely recommended.

**************
The GriMM Tales multi-author series

Book 1 - Little Red Riding Hood - 3.75 stars
Book 2 - Zel - 4.25 stars
Book 3 - Hansel and Gerhardt
Book 4 - The Elves and the Shoemaker
Book 5 - Cinder - tbr
Book 6 - The Frog Prince - 3.25 stars
Book 7 - Rumpelstilzchen - 3.0 stars
Book 8 - Snow White and the Seven Little Miners

[patrícia · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️½ (3.5 stars)

✨ Zel (The GriMM Tales #2) releases on September 11, 2025.
✨ ARC kindly provided by the author.

I didn’t connect with Zel quite as much as I did with the first book in the series, but it’s still a bold and creative retelling of Rapunzel that took me on an unexpected journey.

The plot is full of twists and turns, with plenty of action to keep me engaged. I especially enjoyed how original this version of Rapunzel felt—Zel’s magical hair isn’t just long, it heals, it restrains, and yes, it’s even used for some very inventive (and sexy) purposes. I also loved Zel’s journey of self-acceptance: raised to appear female in order to serve as a sorcerer’s bride, Zel ultimately embraces their true identity and claims who *they* are. That arc of finding and declaring themself was one of the strongest parts of the story.

Ulrich, on the other hand, is very an evil immortal sorcerer, centuries old, he’s the kind of character you don’t expect to root for—but Amanda Meuwissen gave him surprising layers. By the end, I actually believed he deserved his own happy ending, which says a lot about how well his complexity was written.

I’m glad the thieves guild/assassins subplot ultimately ended up being a facade for some good work! It added tension and intrigue throughout the story, but in the end, it felt satisfying to see that Zel and Ulrich could channel their skills into something positive. And thank the lord Rudy was given a change to redeem himself!

While I found both characters compelling on their own, I struggled to really feel their romantic chemistry together—the relationship sometimes came across as mechanical rather than passionate. And then there’s Ulrich’s pet name for Zel: *little cabbage*. In casual conversation, it was quirky and even endearing. But in intimate moments—“Come for me, little cabbage” or “I love you, little cabbage”—it just didn’t land. Instead of sweet, it came across as awkward and pulled me out of the scene.

That said, the ending was packed with action and excitement, and overall I’m glad I read this. It’s imaginative, daring, and offers a fresh queer twist on a classic fairy tale. Even if it didn’t sweep me away like book one, it’s a story worth picking up if you enjoy fairy tale retellings with identity journeys, morally gray romance, and a lot of twists along the way.

[Juno ʕ •ᴥ•ʔゝ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4 🌟). NOOO, los amo. Es otra historia de cuento de hadas, pero gay. Esta vez es sobre el cuento de Rapunzel o "Zel", en este caso.

Amo la relación que se construyó. La trama mágica. El spicy muy bueno, extenso, pero con sentido. (Lo malo: eran pocas escenas jajsjs se quejaba)

Lo disfruté demasiado. Adoré la pareja entre Zel y Ulrich. Me hicieron llorar un poquito, pero los amo.

Encontré esta serie de casualidad y hasta ahora me ha encantado. El siguiente libro debería ser entre Hansel y "Gretel".

[❥ Lina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, can we just take a second to appreciate how freaking adorable this book is? 🥹✨
Zel was such a cozy, magical ride and honestly gave me all the feels 💖

Not gonna lie, there were a couple of spots where I was like “wait, what’s going on?” 🤯 but it didn’t even matter because I was totally hooked on the world Amanda Meuwissen created. Zel and Ulrich? Absolute gems (and, okay, I have to admit—Ulrich totally stole my heart 💘). They legit broke me in some scenes 💔 but then patched me right back up with their softness and growth 🫶

So here’s the setup: we’ve got this super mysterious sorcerer who’s been around for countless years ⏳ his past was twisted into a tale meant to inspire fear 😨, forcing him into a life of isolation while secretly carrying out a plan that would eventually change. Then we have Zel, a boy who’s had to hide his true identity from birth. Raised to be an assassin ⚔️ with the mission of taking down the sorcerer in the tower 🏰, his journey turns into a powerful path of self-discovery 🌈.

My absolute fav thing? The way these two communicate. Sure, they start off with a bunch of secrets 🤫, but little by little they open up, and the trust that builds between them feels so real and so perfect 🤝💞. Their connection had me kicking my feet, not even kidding 👀

Honestly, this series just keeps getting better. 📚 The deeper I go into The GriMM Tales, the more obsessed I get 😍. And now I’m just over here screaming at my TBR, waiting for book three to drop already 🔥⏰

[Ash]

5 ⭐
2🌶️

I loved every single solitary second of Zel & Ulrich. Ulrich was everything to me. He was patient, kind and oh so gentle even for the being the bad guy. He's beauty and he's grace.

Zel sweet enby baby. They really stole my heart. Watching them finding themselves was beautiful. Ulrich's unwavering support to them made me swoon every single time.

This was more than a fairytale retelling it was queer joy, a love letter to being who yourself, without boundaries or restrictions of the body you're born in.

WHAT TO EXPECT
❥ Enemies to Lovers
❥ Possessive MMC
❥ Touch Either & D!e
❥ Mutual Pining
❥ Secret Motives
❥ Gender Identity Discovery
❥ Forced Proximity
❥ Hair as bond@ge


Cheating: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: Dual POV (Third Person POV)

[Wayward Skyril · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

For a book featuring an assassin and evil sorcerer who are both distinctly morally gray or "chaotic neutral" at the best of times, this book is surprisingly full of sweet themes and wholesome family dynamics. While there's a mix of darkness from the characters' past and present actions, it's delivered with a sense of righteousness and moral acceptance. There's no trope of self-loathing here, but nor is there any great desire to change. The characters have interestingly accepted who they are and have motivation for what they do that leaves them guiltless. Yet the acceptance they find in each other in different ways is what finds them falling for each other in the end. 
 
There was a lot I did like about this book, not least of all the take on character dynamics I just described. Zel's parents, too, in particular were incredibly accepting and loving of their child. One of my favorite quotes from the book was from them:

"Whether Rapunzel lives as a he or she, if it's a man our child chooses to marry, we'll never be grandparents. Does that ever bother you? I'm not saying it bothers me, but-"
"It doesn't bother me," Sophie said, "because it isn't a parent's place to want grandchildren. It's a parent's place to want their child to live freely and happily, better than they did, whether that includes grandchildren or not, and regardless of whatever it does include. Besides, just because Rapunzel might not father a child and cannot birth one doesn't mean grandchildren are out of the question. We were orphans after all."

There were a handful of such scenes and quotes that made it explicitly clear Zel's parents accepted Zel for who they were and LOVED them. And I can imagine those scenes throughout this book being very healing to LGBTQ+ people in general and, some of them particularly for non-binary ones.
I honestly really liked all of these wholesome themes throughout the story, just as much as the darker traits and capabilities of the main characters. And while the writing was prosaic, it was easy to read, unconfusing, and well-edited.

Unfortunately, I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between the protagonists Zel and Ulrich. There was initial attraction on both sides, and Zel, especially, seemed touched by Ulrich's politeness and encouragement, but there was no dramatic pull to each other or any significant moments that turned curiosity into heated attraction. It was all very quiet but not in a way that felt fully natural. It was like the author knew that these characters were going to fall for each other... so they did. Within a few days of arriving at the tower, Zel was struggling not to abandon their assassination plot, and while they had had a handful of moments of getting to know the sorcerer, the jump from "I have been raised as a thief and assassin my whole life to prepare me for the moment I discover the sorcerer's weakness so I can kill him," to struggling not to abandon their lifelong goal within a few days of sharing the same house with the man didn't quite give me whiplash but also didn't feel, well, as much of a STRUGGLE as it should have been. It wasn't insta-love, but it was rushed in an odd way. Zel and Ulrich became a very sweet and cute couple by the end, yet they somehow failed to elicit much actual emotion from me.
Zel also felt very immature in their inexperience and relationship as well, and I definitely felt the youth of them versus the disparity of several centuries of experience from Ulrich. I normally enjoy a supernatural age gap, but with how quickly the romance progressed and the romantic naivete of Zel, it felt a bit skeevy to me here. At the end of the day I was more invested in the sorcerer's lore and the plot with the true villain of the novel than the relationship between the protagonists.

That being said, I liked the characters individually enough that I thoroughly enjoyed seeing them land, eventually, in their own happy ending. For a variety of reasons, Zel was a special character I couldn't help but root for, and I liked seeing them go through their enby awakening. And Ulrich – I'm an admitted sucker for HIS type of a character – a (mostly) reformed villain. I honestly think I would thoroughly enjoy a prequel about his long, dark life before Zel... but I digress.

All in all, I DID enjoy this book, especially the magic, history, lore, and individual characters built in it; aside from the relationship, there were one or two other things I wished were fleshed out a bit more, but on the whole I had a good time with this book. This is actually my second book by the author, and I've been wanting to read more by her. Zel encouraged that want, and I will be coming back for seconds and thirds in the future!

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Repunzle as a man who uses his hair as bondage to tie up his sexy immortal purple boyfriend? Yes please.

I really liked this one. The characters were great but it was a bit slow at times and felt much longer than it was.

I personally felt more of a connection to book 1 so I’m basing my review off of that one as I continue the series. That being said, I am LOVING this series and having so much fun reading. Very excited to jump into book 3 now.

[Rafael Andrade · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting take on the Rapunzel story with a twist. However, the main character failed to resonate with me on a personal level. I found myself having to look past his identity-related predicament to fully engage with the narrative. Overall, it was a good read.

[Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up

This was my first book by Amanda Meuwissen and I really enjoyed it! A retelling of the classic fairy tale Rapunzel, Zel captures that fairy tale magic just like Little Red Riding Hood did. I enjoyed reading Zel and Ulrich's story, though I did feel like something was missing. It felt very short, and I would've liked it if it had been a bit longer, with more time to fully develop both of these characters and their romance. That said, I still liked it and will check out more of Amanda's work at some point in the future.

I received an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in exchange for an honest review.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This is my first book by Amanda Meuwissen and the second of the Grimm retelling stories. It follows Rapunzel (Zel) and Ulrich. The story takes the classic Rapunzel and gives it a great spin. While many elements transfer like the hair and the tower, the author did a fantastic job of making it something new and interesting. The book has age gap, forced proximity, a gender non-conforming MC, magic, and some morally gray behavior…a perfect blend.

Zel is an assassin like his parents, working for the Thieves’ Guild. He was promised to the sorcerer before he was born. Problem is…Zel was born a boy. It’s been kept hidden, so that Zel can complete his task. But there’s more to Ulrich than Zel could have guessed. And there is more to Zel too.

Ulrich has been alone for a long time. Once a villain, he’s now just tired. He spends his days protecting his tower from interlopers. But, Zel turns everything on its head, and plans that were once concrete become a little less so.

I absolutely enjoyed all of these characters. Zel was brave and curious and compassionate. I loved that they were honest with themselves about their identity and how they felt. I was also happy to see how both Ulrich and Zel’s parents responded to this. It was a pleasant surprise to not have all of the angst on that. Ulrich was such a gentleman. He made no effort to hide his darkness or his past, but he was kind and tender with Zel despite all the circumstances of their meeting. I loved that both of these characters accepted each other as us and perhaps even connected more so because of it. Their communication and banter were top notch, and their chemistry had the perfect amount of heat.

Once more, I enjoyed the references to other things going on in the kingdom, and I look forward to reading whichever book comes next.

[Kassu · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐

Zel was an interesting character and I liked the gender exploration here. The role of a girl might have been forced on Zel, but that doesn't necessarily mean that no part of it would feel true. I'm also always up for a romance between an assassin and their target.

But. I was not completely sold on the romance. I agreed a bit too much on Ulrich's POV here. Zel is very young and not yet ready to make a decision for a lifetime let alone several. This is a fairytale, and in many of them they have coerced 14 yo girls marry adult men etc. so obviously this is nothing compared to that, but I still wished for a slower burn personally.

Ulrich's history was pretty interesting but a bit dumped on. There was some play with Zel's hair but it could have been used even more. Overall I liked the writing but there was a minor disconnect to the story itself, it never quite hooked me completely.

This was my first book from Amanda Meuwissen. I've already accrued a bunch of others from sales and as freebies, and will check them out. My thanks to the author for the ARC.

[Shrike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zel's secret to seduction is simple: always eat your greens. I loved watching Zel and Ulrich dance around their mutual deceptions and desires. I especially resonated with Zel's evolving relationship with gender. The looming deadline built up tension with just enough humor sprinkled in...A certain veggie-based endearment just about ended me every dang time.

I read Zel shortly after finishing Little Red Riding Hood by TJ Rose. I'm impressed by the well-coordinated worldbuilding. The GriMM Tales world is already coming together in my head. I finished Zel with even more excitement to pick up the next book.

I'm grateful for the chance to check out an advance copy. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.

[Madam Ra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the second book of the Grimm anthology. It was fairly quick read, a very nicely done queer rep. Rapunzel or Zel were such a pure(ish) soul. Mission be damned when one is faced with true love. It’s far too intricate to divulge, but there was mild gore, bad guys turned good, curses reverted and so much more. Most importantly one particular scene when Zel uses their hair for restriction that was positively riveting 😉

[Xanthe · Rating 4 out of 5]

An adaptation of Rapunzel, Zel takes a much darker turn with Zel having trained to be an assassin with the Thieves Guild that their parents serve, but also having been trained for one goal in their life. When they turn twenty-one, they are to go to Ulrich, the Immortal One who lives in the dark tower as bargained by their parents when they were discovered stealing from him when Zel's mum was pregnant, unbeknownst to them. Everyone knows this has what their life has been leading towards and they are ready... or so they think.
Ulrich has definitely led a dark life, though isolated for the past few hundred years. I was surprised how quickly he shared his past with Zel, but not that he had his own plan when it came to them. He has lived for thousands of years, after all.
There are definitely dark moments throughout the story, perpetuated by the MC's, as well as in Ulrich's history. It adds to the matching energy that they both bring and how they turn out to actually be a pretty good match themselves. What I liked was Ulrich seeing Zel for themselves rather than how everyone else had seen them for their whole life, which was a means to an end to get to Ulrich. Especially the leader of the Thieves Guild, a repugnant man who thinks he should have it all. I did like Zel's parents too. Though they are the reason for what has happened, they are very supportive throughout and mum, especially, is apologetic about it all but they both clearly love and adore their child.
A well written, darker adaptation. Considering Tangled is my favourite Disney film, it had a lot to live up to but it is different enough and dark enough to stand on its own. I am loving this series so far and can't wait for what comes next.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.

[Kim Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 ⭐️
This is a rapunzel retelling story, but told as an MM romance book between Zel, an badass assass!n pretending to be Rapunzel, a woman, and Ulrich, the powerful sorcerer ✨️

I always loved Rapunzel, and this story was so much fun to read. While both of the MCs have their own plans to follow, their closeness and chemistry can't be denied once their paths cross.

Zel for sure knows how to take care of himself and Ulrich is more powerful and knows more then you may think, which really makes an extraordinary couple.

There were some interesting side characters in this book, and I’m so hooked for the other books in this series 🌷

[Liseth · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I first opened Rapunzel, the opening fifth felt like pacing an endless garden wall: The opening chapters simply expand the blurb; two desperate parents, stolen lettuce, a sorcerer’s bargain, instead of showing this through action, the book piles on long paragraphs of back-story and inner monologue. I kept turning pages, hoping for movement, yet the dense info-dumping made the beginning a slog.

Thankfully, the moment Zel crosses the tower’s threshold, the narrative blossoms. What follows is a slow, sensual duet between two solitary souls. The real magic is in the month Ulrich and Zel spend together: shared breakfasts, hushed evenings when Ulrich combs Zel’s hair, moonlit strolls through the garden, and mornings when fingers lace without words. These daily rituals are the courtship, rendered with such delicate precision that even readers wary of instalove feel the shift from ulterior-motives to unfeigned tenderness.

Sensuality is never loud; it glows in small details: the brush of violet-painted nails against gold strands, when Ulrich braids Zel’s hair by candlelight, describing how each strand slips through his fingers, or when Ulrich adorns Zel's hair with cornflowers... By the end of that excerpt, I believed they were already half in love. Besides, Zel’s personal journey and Ulrich’s weary questioning of immortality lend the characters genuine depth.

Sadly, after so much measured intimacy, the climactic confrontation arrives in a breathless sprint, and Ulrich’s wavering over his final decision circles once too often. Still, the love story remains the novel’s true brilliance.

Recommended for readers who relish sensory romance, who appreciate queer fairy-tale retellings, and who don’t mind a slow beginning if the emotional payoff is rich. Endure the early fog, and the tower rewards you with one of the gentlest love stories I’ve read lately.

“You are marvelous,” Ulrich rumbled.
For the first time in Zel’s orchestrated life, he believed that.
Heat flooded him, and again Zel was surrounded by moonflowers and sage, leaving him to wonder what he smelled like to Ulrich.

[Andrew Smith-Mebust · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book (of eight total) in the GriMM series, and so far both the novels I have read have been phenomenal!

This is a reimagining of Rapunzel, and what a reimagining it is. I just really loved this from start to finish. This version works for me, and fits nicely into the universe that’s been built for these versions of the GriMM fairy tales.

I can’t say too much here without giving away most of the story, but it had a little Beauty and the Beast element to it. Some Stockholm Syndrome sprinkled in there. Enemies to Lovers. I loved the Non Binary representation in this as well. It just worked.

This was a 5/5 star read for me
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Amanda Meuwissen and her team for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
🧝🏼‍♂️🧙🏻‍♂️🔮🥬🗡️

[Read With Yora · Rating 4 out of 5]

"𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒅, 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒏" 🫀
First of all, I would like to thank the author Amanda Meuwissen for the ARC 🧙.

This retelling of the story of Rupanzle was simply breathtaking 💜.
The story of Ulrich and Zel captured my heart 💜.

The retelling stood apart from the original in a very refreshing way 💜. It was unpredictable 💜, and that unexpectedness is what made it even more compelling 💜.

The characters were beautifully crafted 👍.
I absolutely adored Ulrich’s character and wished I could meet someone like him in real life 💜. Zel was both adorable and sharp 💜—a rare and powerful balance ⚖️.

As for Lothar, I hatttttttted him from the bottom of my heart 🤬—and I felt completely satisfied with the ending he received 👍.

"𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒆 𝒁𝒆𝒍, 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒃𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒊𝒎."𝑵𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆'𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅, 𝑳𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒓.""

Zel’s supportive parents touched me deeply 💜. It’s rare in fiction to see parents who wholeheartedly support their child’s happiness above all else.

My favorite moment was when
𝒔𝒐𝒑𝒉𝒊𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅, "𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒂 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕'𝒔 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒏. 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒂 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕'𝒔 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒍𝒚, 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒅𝒊𝒅, 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒏 𝒐𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒕."

That, my dear readers, is pure and unconditional love 💜💜.

Rudy was wrong in his actions 😡, but he acted in the name of love 💜. At that moment, he didn’t fully understand what true love meant 💘. Yet, after witnessing Zel and Ulrich 👀, he finally realized: true love is the will to sacrifice the world for the ones you cherish. It’s unwavering support, unconditional understanding, and standing together in both light and darkness 💜. It means being there for one another in every way possible—and even impossible 💜.

I truly loved every moment of this book 💜. The slow burn was executed perfectly ❤️‍🔥, and I cannot wait to continue this journey through the next adventures in the series 🔥.

[VersaiVex_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

~* ARC Review Time!*~

I LOVED this story SO much. It had everything I love in so much detail it just make me so happy to read. I love the twist in the original fairytale. The gender bender/ cross dressing aspect for the store PLUS making Zel a badass assassin.... *chef's kiss*

Zel had depth and character and even some self doubt which made him relatable and likeable.
He just wants to be left mainly, but has to deal with missions to help protect himself and his family.

It was like a three way war between Zel himself, the Assassin's guild and the sorcerer.

I didn't think I would like Ulrich as much as I did. But as his story developed and we see his background and who he is....was... he just becomes a character you want to have a happy ending.

I loved the enemies to lovers and age gap aspect of the whole story. Zel and Ulrich's bond starts off shaky because of hidden agendas, but their souls really do fit together easily. Their dynamic and tension was very heated and once they finally give in, their chemistry is off the charts imo.

Even with them falling in love, the story keeps going. Because I said this was like a 3 way war remember? Zel and Ulrich figured their stuff out. But the Assassin's guild leader Lothar comes back with a raging vengence.

Overall, teh story was heavy in action, feels, emotions, historical depth and affection. I love love loved this story so much. I was VERY invested in their happy ending.

[Abel Searor · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of this book. This reimagining was certainly a fresh take on the Rapunzel story - it often felt like it was a retelling in name only and that was also a bit stretched. I found the character of Zel to be interesting in concept but I’m still not sure how I felt over the execution. I would have liked to learn more about Zel through their own eyes and discoveries. It often felt like their identity was entirely wrapped up in the “mission” and the perception of others. This was especially evident when they were talking about themselves in a story that was primarily from their own point of view.

Similarly I didn’t feel like Ulrich’s character was particularly fleshed out - maybe there is more to come in future books. Likewise the minor characters lacked much exploration. The part I did enjoy was the relationship between Zel and Ulrich. This was a lovely exploration of how an outside viewpoint can help us to reframe our thinking. The world building in this series continues to be excellent. I am interested to read more books by this author as well as other books in this world.

[Nicola Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Grimm Series and this book is the retelling of Rapunzel.

Rapunzel, or Zel is promised to the Sorcerer in the tower in the Dark Forest from before his birth when his parents try to steal from the Sorcerer before they are aware they are expecting a child.

They assume the Sorcerer wishes for a bride so when their child is a boy they spend the 20 winters they have with their child trying to make everyone believe Rapunzel is a girl.

When Zel goes to the tower, expecting to be the desired bride he is confused and unsure what he wants, but has been led to believe he has to murder the Sorcerer. But as they spend time together Zel realises what he wants and it is the Sorcerer, Ulrich.

Whilst Zel has a mission, so does Ulrich, but eventually they realise that neither wants to complete their task because they want each other.

This is a well written story covering non-binary issues with an overarching morale of loving what is inside and not what you see on the outside.

I received an ARC of this story and freely give my honest opinion.

[Tab_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️ 2🌶️
MOOD: lighthearted, funny, sad, tense
TROPES: enemies to lovers, arranged marriage, forced proximity
GENRES: fairytale retelling, lgbtq+ romance
VIBES: slowburn

MAIN CHARACTERS: Rapuzel "Zel" Piper and Ulrich

THE GOOD: This was a really fun take on Rapunzel and I'm alittle biased cuase I love Amanda Meuswissen books. Zel and Ulrich are interesting characters on their own, and you do get to learn about both their pasts, but together they create a complex narrative about 1. different types of love and 2. existing versus living. I am 100% happy that Ulrich, the evil sorcerer, does not raise Zel in the tower cause that would have been weird; definitely a good choice in recreating the tale.
THE NEUTRAL: Ulrich wasn't as evil as I expected.
THE MEH: There were a few details mentioned in book 1 of the series, Little Red Riding Hood, that don't match with this book for example the physical desciption of elves. Even with different authors writing the books, there should be some consistency across the series.

CW: sexual content, violence, blood, death
DISCLAIMER: I received an advance review copy. This is my honest review.

[Showarst · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zel by Amanda Meuwissen is part of the multi-author universe The GriMM Tales. I love the idea of taking Grimm fairy tales and turning them on their head to become a MM romance. This book is obviously a take on Rapunzel. After being caught stealing, Zel’s parents have been raising Zel to become an evil sorcerer’s bride. So Zel needs to hide his gender in order to trick the sorcerer. I was enthralled by the story. It had so many twists and turns that I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. I did love Zel and Ulrich together. They brought out the best in each other and I love how Ulrich accepted Zel exactly how he was. I am curious about the Queen (no spoilers). But wouldn’t she have wanted to confront Ulrich? I guess I just wondered about her. I would definitely read a little short story about Rudy. I hope he finds someone to love him the way he wants. I really enjoyed this one and am looking forward to reading more in this multi-author universe. I enjoy a good fairy tale retelling!


I received an ARC from the author for my honest review.

[J Coles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an ARC review provided by the author. All opinions are my own.

A modern take on Rapunzel, with a nod to non-binary struggles. Zel was assigned male at birth and raised a female, as it had been arranged he was to wed Ulrich, a powerful sorcerer.

After years of being told what to do, Zel begins to question how he truly feels and what he truly wants. Whether that be identifying as male, female, either or neither. Or demanding the right to choose who he loves.

Zel has a mission to kill the sorcerer, however the sorcerer has his own plan in motion. When they come together they find the other is the one thing they have been missing.

I feel the overarching moral of the story was to love what’s within and not what the world sees on the outside.

[Milo_NotThatch · Rating 5 out of 5]

[ARC Review]

I am super enjoying this series so far and I'm not gunna lie, it might be pretty tough to top this one!

Zel's journey through thier gender expression and identity was so relatable. Their struggle with their gender due to forced circumstance to fully accepting their gender-fluidity it was such a heart warming story of finding that one person that sees you for who you are in an unconventional way.

I'll admit it's a has just a smidge of taboo with Ulrich kinda claiming fetus Zel Jacob from Twilight style (but you know with him being immortal it's hard NOT to have an age gap) but all in all I absolutely loved this story! I loved the twists just like the first book! I am really looking forward to the next one but this one is gunna be hard to beat!

[Heidi H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amanda Meuwissen's Zel is undoubtedly the best retelling of Rapunzel, period. From the start it is filled with magic, adventure, mystery, and so much amazing representation. The original fairytale is woven into the new story seamlessly and honestly is improved by Amanda's characters and world building. Zel is born into a life and path they didn't ask for, but does everything asked of him. But Zel must learn to step into their truth while still protecting the ones he loves. Ulrich has lived a very long, dark life. He never expected Zel to arrive like a beautiful sunrise. I love this retelling so much and will reread it often!

Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (4/5)

[Patrycja · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was not what I was expecting. It was such a unique take on Rapunzel.
What we have here is a lot of action, and a little bit of blood (but that could be expected from a book about an assassin), dark sorcerer with his own plans, magic hair that is used in so many ways and gender identity discovery that was written so beautifully that actually left me a little speechless.

I especially loved how Zel grew to be themself, and the support that they received from both their parents and Ulrich.
There was not a lot of spice in this story, and I woudn't say it was either slow burn or fast paced but the emotional journey between them was just right (OK, maybe at one point I wanted to yell at Ulrich once or twice, but let's not mention that.)

Also the Immortal King? More like the consent king.

Overall, I really enjoyed all the characters (except maybe Lothar) and the story itself.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the author for letting me be an ARC reader, it was so exciting to get the opportunity to read this!

Wow, this was a really good take on the story of Rapunzel. The author did a really good job of keeping enough from the original story so that it was still recognizable as Rapunzel, but also a totally new story. Zel is a badass assassin and ends up promised to a sorcerer. They meet, and theyre both hiding secrets from one another. Can this contract relationship have a happy ending?

Zel and Ulrich were such good characters! I was hooked on them from the beginning and wondering how they would find their HEA. I loved the progression of their relationship, and the spice was on point. There were heartwarming moments and ones that definitely got my heart pounding.

Plus, who could say no to this cover, it is so pretty!

Comes out September 11th on KU!

[Autummskies · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great spin on the classic tale of Repunzel!

Yays:
- Non-binary representation!
- Liked the dual pov - enjoyed seeing Ulrich's perspective on what was happening
- Repunzel as an assassin!
- Loved the use of "let down your hair" in a certain context ;)
- Loved the dynamics between Zel and Ulrich
- Both main characters on their own were complex and interesting!

Nays:
- Not much happened plot wise for the first half of the book which made it sort of drag in pace for me

Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC!

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the griMM tales.Rapunzel retelling.It was an interesting retelling with both characters being interesting.I loved the twists and turns & throught Zel & Ulrich bought out the best in each other.This was my first book by this author & i liked their writing style.I can't wait to read more from this series.