Some princesses would rather be the villain than the damsel in distress.
Desperate to rid his kingdom of a troublesome dragon, King Harrigan offers his daughter’s hand in marriage to any man who can slay the beast, but Rapunzel refuses to be pawned off. Deciding that a life of crime is preferable to wedding some power-hungry suitor, Rapunzel fakes her own kidnapping and joins forces with the cunning dragon plaguing her own kingdom.

Together, they plot a grand scheme that would amass them both riches beyond their wildest dreams. As the lure of a reward for the princess’s safe return attracts men ensnared by greed and Rapunzel’s flirtations, the would-be heroes soon become the ones in need of rescue atop a tower only accessible by dragon back. But as her alliance with the dragon grows more precarious and dangerous, Rapunzel is forced to question whether she’s trusted the wrong side.

Amidst the chaos, Griffin, the humble but brilliant squire, emerges as an unexpected ally. His quick wit and resourcefulness stand in stark contrast to the arrogant knights he serves, and Rapunzel can’t help but take notice. On the chessboard of fate, the swindler princess of Rookwyn must make her own moves with every calculated gambit and soon realizes…

The real game was never about knights, kings, and queens, but about how a mere pawn could become a legacy.

Rapunzel’s Gambit is a no spice, standalone, fairytale retelling packed with villain vibes, a dragon/princess con artist duo, and banter that will have you laughing out loud. Join a diabolical princess on her daring swindles in this part of All That Glitters—a 12-book series brimming with Tales of Treasure and True Love. Each book stands alone and is written by a different author, so pick your next adventure and remember… not all that glitters is gold!

Published
May 24, 2025
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All That Glitters

The series

Full series details →

12-book series brimming with Tales of Treasure and True Love. Each book stands alone and is written by a different author, so pick your next adventure and remember… not all that glitters is gold!

Read full series description

Authors Involved: 

  • Alesha Adamson = May 3
  • Camille Peters = May 10
  • Lichelle Slater = May 17
  • Mary Mecham= May 24
  • Lea Doue = May 31
  • Suzanna S. Fowers = June 7
  • Nina Clare = June 14
  • J.M. Stengl = June 21
  • C.J. Brightley = June 28
  • Julene Johnson = July 5
  • Kayla Eshbaugh = July 12
  • Abigail Manning = July 19

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10/10

This was a really fun Retelling of Rapunzel that I really enjoyed reading that had several interesting characters as well as a few unexpected plot twists. I loved Rapunzel in this story and seeing how her and Pollox the dragon interacted with each other, especially all their playful banter and teasing. Pollox was another character in this story that I really enjoyed getting to know. I was happy with how things worked out although questioned how it would come together for a moment and thought the epilogue at the end was a great way to wrap the story up. I look forward to reading more fairy tale retellings by this author in the future.

I received a free advanced reader copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.

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