The Beautiful Pretender - (Medieval Fairy Tale) by Melanie Dickerson (Paperback)
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5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
18 May, 2016
Love it!
This is the first book I have read by Melanie Dickerson, and I can honestly say it won’t be my last. The Beautiful Pretender drew me in from the first page. Dickerson made me feel as if I was transported to 1363, and I enjoyed every bit of it. The characters were relatable, and I grew to easily love them. The book was filled with twists and turns, and I found it nearly impossible to put down. The story follows the Margrave of Thornbeck and Avelina as they get to know each other, but what secrets are they keeping? Avelina has always felt like she wasn’t any different than the Earl’s daughter. When the Earl asks her to go Thornbeck Castle in place of her, she doesn’t have a choice, but worries she will be discovered. Her goals are to hide their deception, be ordinary, and not get picked to be the bride. Not being taught how to properly act or talk leaves her little choice but to be herself. Avelina feels that her answers, though one hundred percent truthful, will easily dissuade Lord Thornbeck from choosing her. What she doesn’t count on is enjoying spending time with him. Can she fight these growing feelings knowing that they can never be together? Can she discover who is behind the danger? This was my favorite type of book. I love it when two unlikely people fall in love. Dickerson mixed the perfect amount of romance and suspense. Avelina is an awesome heroine. She is comfortable in her own skin and isn’t afraid to say what is on her mind. She is also loyal to those she loves, and will do everything in her power to help them in any way she can. Lord Thornbeck is the perfect hero. He might seem gruff on the outside, but he has yet to learn what true love is. He is a handsome soldier. Need I say more? I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
7 April, 2016
Great book!
The Beautiful Pretender by Melanie Dickerson is the second book in the "Medieval Fairy Tale" series, the first of which was The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest. I really enjoyed the first book in this series, and I liked this one as well. The main characters from the first book carried over into this book, but The Beautiful Pretender works as a stand-alone (although there were some funny moments that wouldn't be funny to those who weren't familiar with the original characters). I've read several reviews saying that this is a "Beauty and the Beast" spinoff, and while I did sort of see that, I thought it was more of a "Princess and the Pea" spinoff. When the Margrave of Thornbeck inherits his title from his brother, he has to find himself a bride, and quickly. He sends out an invitation to noblewomen nearby to come and stay at his place so he can get to know them and pick a bride. Avelina is Lady Dorothea's lady's maid. When Lady Dorothea receives an invitation to stay at Thornbeck Castle, she realizes that she's already in love with one of her father's knights, and runs away to elope the night before she's scheduled to leave. Lady Dorothea's father summons Avelina and commands that she go in her lady's place and receive provision for her family or be left destitute forever, Avelina is forced to go along with the deception. All she has to do is not let the Margrave fall in love with her and say whatever she thinks her lady would've said. Seems simple enough. I really enjoyed this book! The characters had great dialogue with each other and the elements of suspense did not seem overdone (although they were close). This series is great for teen and tween-age girls who like historical fiction and twists on fairytales. I know my younger sisters love these stories, and I do as well. Thank you so much to Harpercollins/Thomas Nelson publishers for providing me with a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own and were not required to be positive, nor was I compensated in any way aside from receiving the book itself.