Tower by Claire Kent (who also writes as Noelle Adams) is the first romance in her Post-Apocalyptic Fairy Tales series. It’s loosely linked to the Kindled series, which is set in the same dystopian future where a meteor strike destroyed earthly civilization as it was known, with pockets of survivors eking out an existence. This new series takes some basic fairy tales, in this case, Rapunzel, and weaves a tale of survival and love out of disaster.

Ever since Impact (the common name for the meteor strike that changed everything), Hailey has been kept sheltered in her house by her father, looking out of her upstairs bedroom window on what’s left of her neighbourhood below. When he dies unexpectedly, Hailey knows it will only be a matter of time before people nearby find out and come to salvage what they can from the house and putting her life in danger. She swiftly concludes that Levi, the leader of a local gang – who has a compound nearby and whom she has spied on from her window tower – is someone whom she can trust with her life. It’s a gut instinct, and one she hopes will ensure her survival.

When she approaches Levi with her bargain – her, in his bed and as his companion, in return for his protection – he accepts. Although he is gruff and intimidating, he has a reputation for fairness and for protecting women from rapists. He’s clear from the start that he isn’t interested in forcing Hailey to do things she doesn’t want in bed, and that she can have a place in his gang if she follows the rules and does her share of the work. But as they get to know each other, spending time together in the bedroom and out, can a survival arrangement turn into something more?

These stories feature a rough and tumble world where women are subservient to men. Trying to put romance into this is a challenge for sure, and there is little in the way of flowery courtship. But because there is danger at every turn, women especially have to choose quickly who they believe can protect them, and be willing to trade sexual favours for that protection. The good guys are the ones who treat their women well, who are willing to fight others for them, and who reciprocate sexual pleasure.

Hailey’s choice of Levi comes from seeing him from her bedroom ‘tower’ in unguarded moments when he’d been walking alone by her house down to the local river, when his tough image was gone and his weariness and loneliness were obvious. She thinks she can do something for him that others haven’t accomplished yet, to give him a partner and someone to confide in, to share his burdens in private. The story is told all from Hailey’s perspective, but the building of her relationship with Levi, the trust and the caring that come with it, all lead to their eventual happy for now ending (because that’s all that one can hope for in this chaotic world). The road is marked with danger, violence and tension, but also moments of happiness and joy.

I enjoyed seeing Hailey’s strength and courage as she risks everything to become part of Levi’s life and bond with his community. One thing I will say is that the author’s post-apocalyptic stories are a bit formulaic – older man, younger woman, she offers her body in return for protection – so if you’ve read any of the books in the Kindled series, you will recognize the pattern (they aren’t all age gap romances, but they’re definitely the most common). However, I am enjoying this particular world that Ms. Kent has created so I plan to keep them on my reading list and I look forward to the next in this new spin-off series.