In this reverse reimagining of the Cinderella story, secrets and dangerous enemies threaten a fairy-tale romance. Adela, daughter of the Duke of Hagenheim, is rarely allowed outside the castle walls. But one day, longing for freedom, she sneaks away to the market disguised as a peasant. There, she meets a handsome young woodcarver named Frederick. Frederick, a poor farmer, is the sole provider … is the sole provider for his family, and he often has to defend his mother from his father’s drunken rages. He dreams of making a living carving beautiful images into wood, and he is thrilled when the Bishop of Hagenheim commissions him to carve new doors for the cathedral. As Frederick works on the project, he and Adela meet almost daily, and it doesn’t take long for them to fall in love. Yet her true identity remains hidden from him.
When disaster separates them, Adela and Frederick find themselves caught in the midst of deceptions far more dangerous than innocent disguises. As the powerful lords set against them proceed with their villainous plans, secrets emerge that put Frederick and Adela’s future at risk.
- Full-length clean fairy-tale reimagining
- The final Hagenheim story; can be read as a stand-alone
- Includes discussion questions for book clubs
more
This is the 11th and final book in the Hagenheim series. I have truly enjoyed this series. I love the way Melanie Dickerson weaves her fairytale stories. This story is about the youngest daughter, Adela and a peasant farmer/woodcarver, named Frederick. It is a sweet romance set in medieval times. The characters are well defined, and the story moves at a good pace. I did not think it had as much depth as some of the other stories, but it is still a good read. I don’t believe you need to read this in any particular order. There are references to other book characters, but nothing that is crucial to the story. There are quite a few Bible stories briefly talked about, which I enjoyed, but some may not. Over all I thought it was a good clean read. Some mild kissing, mild torture descriptions and no swearing, which I really appreciate!
I would like to thank Melanie Dickerson, the publisher Thomas Nelson, and NetGalley, for this review copy and this is my honest review.
The Peasant’s Dream
by Melanie Dickerson
Book 11 in the Hagenheim series
Rating: 4.5/5
Release date: July 7, 2020
Reverse Cinderella story? Yes, please. I always love a good fairytale retelling but when you reverse the roles and fill out the characters and backstory so much, I did not want to put the book down. I am a huge fan of Melanie Dickerson because she takes the time to really develop her characters and fill in the fairytale background. She brings you back into her world of Hagenheim and it was such a fun adventure. Though this is part of a series, you can read this book by itself but I still highly recommend reading the rest of the series because it’s that good.
Frederick is a talented woodcarver who dreams of being able to escape his abusive father’s farm and make a living for his mother and younger twin sisters. When he gets a chance to sell some of his carvings at the market, a priest sees his talent and convinces the bishop to hire Frederick to carve the new doors for the cathedral. While at market, Frederick meets Adela and a friendship begins.
Adela is the youngest daughter of the Duke of Hagenheim who wishes she could travel and pursue her painting and creative side. Her father is very protective of her and Adela just wishes she could explore the world without being recognized as the Duke’s daughter. She disguises herself as a servant and goes off to explore the marketplace where she meets Frederick. She is surprised to find someone who understands her as an artist – someone who is kind and makes her smile. Although her parents are trying to help her find a kind nobleman to marry, Adela doesn’t feel anything for him – at least not what she starts feeling for Frederick, who doesn’t know who she really is.
What happens when Frederick finds out the truth about Adela’s status? What happens when someone wants Frederick out of the way? Can Adela and Frederick find a way to be together?
I am never disappointed with a Melanie Dickerson novel. Her characters have depth and a charm that makes the reader want to cheer them on. She has been building this world of Hagenheim for many years and it’s always such a pleasure to dive back into this fantasy world. I feel like the transformation that the main characters go through could have been developed more but it doesn’t take away from the amazing adventure and the awesome reveals in this story.
I highly recommend this book if you enjoy fairytale retelling with a twist.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.
‘Frederick, God is your Father, and in His yes, you are legitimate.’
I love fairy tales. I loved them as a child and love them still as an adult. Melanie Dickerson takes fairy tales and changes them up a bit into wonderful inspirational stories. This one is a reverse Cinderella and is beautifully told. Recommended.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers through Net Galley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.’
The Peasant’s Dream by Melanie Dickerson is an excellent historical fiction novel that is the 11th book in her Hagenheim series. Each book, I feel, can be a stand alone novel, but with a book this good, why would one not want to read the rest of the series!
This book is styled in a Cinderella-esc plot with role reversals: the impoverished half Frederick and Adela being the daughter of a Duke.
It was a refreshing and relaxing story of two opposites finding love and one another despite their differences and obstacles. I enjoyed the plot, the mystery, suspense, and action. All of these added facets kept me engaged. I also loved the positive ending.
5/5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This sweet romance is a satisfying conclusion to the Hagenheim series. (Although this is the eleventh book in the series, it is a stand-alone and perfectly enjoyable without reading the others.)I like the reverse Cinderella aspect, with hard-working Frederick trying to win Adela’s heart, albeit without knowing who she truly is. Frederick is a great leading man, gentle and loving while also strong and protective. Adela was sweet and I mostly liked her character, although her constant worrying about being perceived as spoiled got a little tiresome. The story was a little simple, without the action of several of the other books in the series, but all in all, it was a satisfying read and a good choice for those looking for a quick, clean romance.
4 stars.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Once I started reading this book I couldn’t put it down. It was a fairly easy book to read so it would be great for teens. Apparently it’s like book 11 in a series- this is the first of her books I’ve read and I had no problem reading and enjoying the book.- so it can be read as even if you haven’t read the others.
I loved the characters and I loved the spiritual aspects (not overly preachy). The author wrapped everything up nicely in the end and gave me the happily ever after that I always want in a book.
A lovely ending to the epic Hagenheim series!
It is so evident how much love Melanie Dickerson puts into her writing. Her characters come to life and the reader learns lessons and goes on their journey right along with them. The redemptive love plot of this story was beautiful, and Frederick’s mother’s story felt very personal and is an especially empowering aspect of the book.
Some parts felt a bit repetitive, and it seemed the story should have focused more on Adela and Frederick towards the end, but every individual story is wrapped up well. Readers will love getting to see familiar faces from throughout the series. This book has less action than others in the series, and is similar to The Orphan’s Wish in this way. That is not to say the book isn’t exciting—it very much is! I can’t wait to get my hardcover copy in July and give this wonderful story a well-deserved reread.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Melanie Dickerson consistently writes sweet fairy tales. This one was no different. It reminded me of Aladdin at the beginning – the rich girl, Adela, sneaking out to the market in disguise. The hero of the story, Frederick is a poor farmer who wants nothing more than to make and sell his woodcarvings. Loved by his mother, abused by his father, and ridiculed by his two sisters, he works the farm by day and carves by night, only sneaking away to the market when his father is sleeping off his alcohol. Of course, he would meet Adela at the market, as well as catch the eye of the bishop who needs his skill for a project. And of course, a villain would be out to get him because, well, I don’t want to spoil the story. But I assure you, there is a reason.
The story was cute, predictable, a little too happily-ever-after for everyone (seriously, everyone). But some fairy tales are like that. And it had a nice storyline with a few surprises that totally worked for the story. The main characters were lovely if a little too flawless. And I loved Adela’s mom. But then, I’ve always loved her since the first book in the series. I eagerly look forward to reading whatever Melanie Dickerson writes next.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and reviewed it because I wanted to.
Melanie Dickerson has delivered another satisfying tale for the members of the Duke of Hagenheim’s family. This story references other connected stories, but the plot stands alone. I have not read all of them, but didn’t feel like I was missing much for this adventure. The storyline flowed well even if dialogue seemed a little rough on occasion; all angles of the story and struggles of the characters were tied up neatly by the end. I admired the characters’ constancy.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The moment I saw this book on Netgalley I just had to request it even though, according to my own rules, I wasn’t allowed to claim another book. But I was also one of the lucky ones who got to read the 10th book in this series and I really enjoyed the mix of a fairytale retelling, original twists and a little bit of faith in God. And since Cinderella is one of my favorite fairytales ever, I had high hopes for this one.
But it took me a little while to get used to the writing style again. The writing is quite simple and in a way I’m not entirely sure if it matches the characters and their age. They sound a little too young. However, the writing style did make this book an easy read and I can say that once I gotten used to it, it bothered me less and less.
Mostly because the plot was really gripping and well done. The elements of the Cinderella story are quite recognizable, but they are also twisted in such a way that they feel fresh and new and original. And that’s not just because of the gender swap. It’s also because Dickerson really made sure the elements fitted in naturally AND changed a few small things. One of the most satisfying things was that all of her characters, sooner or later and in one way or another, eventually took charge of their own life and happiness.
And that’s what I wanted and rooted for. The characters might not be that layered or complicated, but they were endearing and charming. It was easy to care about them and care for them. And that also made it easy to understand what they saw in each other, what they were looking for and finding and what they were fighting for. And the way they express their faith in God and pray also has a lot in common with how I feel about Him. It’s a rare thing to encounter in books, but I totally understand not everyone might like and appreciate it as much as I do.
The end result is a story that captures the heart, soul and feel of the original Cinderella story and yet is exciting, fresh and new too. I’m really glad I got the chance to read this book already and I’m surely gonna catch up with the first nine books. The cameo’s and mentions in this one really made me long to read all their stories.