The Rapunzel Dilemma by Jennifer Kloester
on 27th August 2014
Pages: 336
Goodreads

Lily's had a charmed life so far, and now she's off to London to pursue her dream of becoming a great actor. But life at the London Drama Academy is full of surprises – and for the first time, Lily finds that things don't always go her way. It's not just the other students who are making life difficult. Lily's got a secret she's not sure how to handle, but she finds that a room in one of the Academy's deserted towers makes a perfect refuge. Lily can't stay locked in the tower forever, though. And when she meets the mysterious Ronan Carver, everything starts to change . . . A fast-paced modern fairytale and companion novel to The Cinderella Moment, from talented YA author Jennifer Kloester.

Lily de Tourney dreams of becoming a famous actress. After gaining a spot in the prestigious London Drama Academy, it is one step closer to her dream coming true. But her father has different ideas about Lily’s future – to take over the family business when he steps down. Lily’s classmates at her new school look down upon her and believe it was nepotism rather than talent which got her into the academy. And then there’s Ronan – a mysterious art student from the wrong side of the tracks. They couldn’t be more different but he alone seems to understand her better than anyone else. There’s something odd happening at the academy and Lily’s only chance at staying and becoming the actress she knows she can be is if she finds who is framing her and stand up for herself.

The Rapunzel Dilemma is a companion novel to The Cinderella Moment following Angel’s friend Lily. You don’t need to have read the Cinderella Moment to fully understand and enjoy Lily’s story – but after finishing The Rapunzel Dilemma you may find yourself rushing out to get your hands on a copy of Angel’s tale.

There’s a lot to like about Lily’s story. She’s determined to show the world that she has what it takes in the world of acting. She has a lot of passion for her craft and wants to prove it is her talent which got her to the Academy rather than her connections. But there are times when she comes across as slightly spoilt and self-entitled. It is hard to feel sorry for her when in the whole scheme of things her troubles seem rather petty. That said, I still had a great time following her as she embarked on her journey at the London Drama Academy.

Whilst trying to prove herself, Lily faces many problems. And she also runs into the enigmatic Ronan. He’s mysterious and handsome and a great match for Lily. His slightly sinister acquaintances were a great contrast for Lily’s high society set and I liked seeing them together. The supporting characters in this book were great for Lily’s story but rather two-dimensional on their own. I would have liked to have seen more about them and their own problems rather than just how they added to Lily’s drama.

The London setting worked perfectly with this novel and I loved seeing the behind the scenes action of classes at the Academy. Lily’s family added a lot of drama and entertainment. One of the best things about this book was the ending and I loved how things slotted into place for Lily. The Rapunzelness of this book took a little while for me to fully appreciate but by the end of it I liked the fairytale aspect.

The Rapunzel Dilemma is a sweet story with a great setting. The main characters are interesting and fun to read about. If you are a fan of light-hearted romances where opposites attract and stories set in boarding schools – I think you would love The Rapunzel Dilemma and its companion novel, The Cinderella Moment. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Teen Australia for the review copy.