The Beautiful Pretender by Melanie Dickerson

The Beautiful Pretender

by Melanie Dickerson  YA Fiction Thomas Nelson What happens when a margrave realizes he's fallen in love with a servant? The Margrave of Thornbeck has to find a bride, fast. He invites ten noble-born ladies from around the country to be his guests at Thornbeck Castle for two weeks, a time to test these ladies and reveal their true character. Avelina is only responsible for two things: making sure her deception goes undetected and avoiding being selected as the margrave's 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. Will Avelina be able to stop the evil plot? And at what cost? Note: This is the second book in the Medieval Fairy Tale series.

Meet 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.        Here's my review of this wonderful romantic fairy tale: First, I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to Melanie Dickerson and her publisher for sending me a copy of "The Beautiful Pretender" to review for them. I am truly grateful for this generosity. I really appreciate the time, effort and expense it takes to make a reviewer copy available to me. If you are captivated by fairy tales regardless of your age, “The Beautiful Pretender” by Melanie Dickerson is a perfect summer read for you!  All of these books can be read independently of each other even though they are brilliantly connected.  And they each take a familiar fairy tale – or tales – and develops the story more thoroughly.  These books automatically make my “must read” list! Reinhart, the Margrave of Thornbeck, is looking for a bride.  This challenge at the “suggestion” of this King is not what he needs in light of his personal inadequacies.  But he takes the suggestion of Jorgen Hartman, his Chancellor, to invite several maidens to a festive event where they will actually be tested to see which of the young ladies possesses the qualities Reinhart wants most in a wife.  And that’s when the fun of the book – and the deception – begins. Avelina attends the event at the command of her employer, the Earl of Pimmwald, in place of his daughter.  Regardless of how hard she tries to honor the Earl and not be noticed or chosen as the Margrave’s bride, she cannot escape the attention she receives. This story is a beautiful blend of “The Princess and the Pea” and a bit of “Beauty and the Beast”.  It is an enchanting and intriguing tale that entertains completely.  I highly recommend this for your summer reading list!