Melanie Dickerson's book The Beautiful Pretender is an elegant read. Germany's medieval period captures the pages of this book as dukes and earls begin to grace each scene. Of course, all dukes and earls are not as noble as one might think, and the reader soon discovers this fact within the first few chapters. An introduction to one of the main characters, Avelina, who is the maidservant of the daughter of an earl--Lady Dorothea daughter of the Earl of Plimmwald--displays this very truth.
Lady Dorothea's very nature considers only herself, and through
a series of events, her maidservant soon finds she has been given direct orders
from the earl. This task throws Avelina
into the presence of individuals she would normally not associate with, and she
soon discovers how strong she can be. Her
fears must not outweigh the duty she is called for, yet somehow events do not
go as seamlessly as she would have hoped.
Avelina discovers her own heart might win in the end but at a cost that
is too dear to pay.
This book was a wonderful surprise, because one might think
it is only a typical romance story; however, there is so much more to this text. Each turn of the page opened up different
possibilities for various characters, and it was impossible to guess the ending
fate for each individual. Impending romance
turns to a life being threatened, and a murderer roaming the halls of the
castle. Misunderstandings become moments
of trust and distrust, and villages are not safe, because good and evil is on
the rise.
The male lead, the Margrave of Thornbeck, must find a bride,
but who can he trust? Each lady he meets
has a secret agenda, in order to win his hand, but are they really suited for the
task of being the wife of a margrave?
Reinhart must quickly discern the characters of those around him as he
seeks to find a godly wife. Yet more adventures
are in store for this margrave, when he begins to understand the wicked hearts
of those around him. He has lost so much
in his life. Will he lose the one he
loves too? Or will he surrender his
pride in order for good to prevail in the end?
If you love historical novels, I highly recommend this
book. I so wanted to know what happened
at every changing event! And it was
definitely a book that I could not put down.
This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for my copy.
About The Book
*The Margrave of
Thornbeck has to find a bride, fast. He
invites ten noble born ladies who meet the king's approval to be his guests at Thornbeck Castle for two weeks, a time to test
these ladies and reveal their true character.
Avelina has only two
instructions: keep her true identity a secret and make sure the margraves
doesn't select her as his bride. Since
the latter seems unlikely, she concentrates on not getting caught. No one must know she is merely a maidservant,
sent by the Earl of Plimmwald to stand in for his daughter, Dorothea.
Despite Avelina's best
attempts at diverting attention from herself, the margrave has taken
notice. And try as she might, she can't deny
her own growing feelings. But something
else is afoot in the castle. Something
sinister that could have far worse--far deadlier--consequences.
*Synopsis is from the back cover of the novel.
About The Author
Melanie Dickerson is the author of The Healer’s Apprentice, a Christy
Award finalist, and winner of the National Reader’s Choice Award for Best
First Book. Melanie earned a bachelor’s degree in special education
from the University of Alabama and has been a teacher and a missionary.
She lives with her husband and two daughters in Huntsville, Alabama.
Visit her online at: www.melaniedickerson.com
I am going to purchase this book and read it. I love historical novels and your preview has whetted my appetite for this read!
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