The Noble Servant

I think there is a reason why little girls love fairy tales is because all the endings wind up with a happily ever after. And then there is Melanie Dickerson who has taken such fairy tales we have come to know and love, add a bit of Christian flair to them and make them something you would LOVE to read to your children and teens but also for yourself. After all, there is still a little girl inside of us all.

In the Noble Servant, is a bit of a twist on the princess meeting said prince, falling in love and living their own happily ever after. This time, for Lady Magdalen of Mallin, she has been waiting a long time for her prince charming and thought she might have met him once a couple years ago. But with her mother constantly reminding her of her need to marry into a wealthy family in order to save the very lives of those in her town, she believes her time has past. After all since her father's copper mines we no longer supplying the town with copper, the very people who live in Mallin are barely making ends meet. So when she receives a letter announcing the intentions of the Duke of Wolfberg's intentions to wed Magdalen, she believes her fairy tale just might come true after all. This was the very man she had feelings for a couple years ago, and believes she may have just made a lasting impression on him after all.

Only just as she is about to enter the town of Wolfberg, her servant Agnes and her father Elrich, force her to pull of the masquerade of the century by switching roles so Anges can marry the Duke instead, relying on the fact, that they only really interacted a couple of years ago. She has no other choice but to comply or they will kill her and her servant boy Lenheart, who is mute. She isn't about to risk either of their lives but believe she can find a way to tell the Duke who she really is. She just doesn't plan on Agnes putting her to work as a goose girl herding geese outside the castle. Things are about to get interesting and one I don't want to spoil by giving any more of it away.You just need to pick up this novel for yourself and see what adventures await.

I received The Noble Servant by Melanie Dickerson compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Net Galley. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise.  This is such a wonderful novel centered around the theme of faith and forgiveness. When it doesn't seem like prayers are going to be answered in spite of the odds against them, God comes through in the end in ways you hadn't planned. Sometimes adversity has its own rewards and for Steffan and Magdalen, they will have to fight for it every step of the way. I absolutely LOVE every single one of these novels that Melanie Dickerson has been inspired to write. These are the novels I wish my girls grew up on because they showcase a woman's inner strength and the courage she has to stand strong in the face of some terrible storms and come out of them, shining like the sun! What makes them work is the believability that this could have happened in the historical context she uses.They don't contain magic or fairies but just the goodness and courage you would expect in a Christian novel.  For this reason, I give this one a 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information about The Noble Servant, Melanie Dickerson or where to pre-order a copy of this novel due out in May of 2017, please click on the links below:

The Noble Servant by Melanie Dickerson 

You can find Melanie Dickerson on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Noble Servant, please visit Thomas Nelson Publisher's website. 

The Silent Songbird

The best part of reading the Hagenheim series of novels from Melanie Dickerson, is trying to figure out which fairy tale she is going to put her own unique spin on it. In The Silent Songbird, this is a variation of The Little Mermaid, which comes off splendid and brilliant. However if you are looking to compare the two, you might be sorely disappointed. For me, the best part of these rewritten fairy tales of sorts, is that they are more down to earth and truly believable and one's I had access to when my own daughters were much younger. I would have preferred these ones to the ones most of us have read or are aware of.

This novel takes place in Berkshamsted Castle, where our heroine has longed for a life with someone she could love. However that isn't about to be the case when King Richard promises his cousin, Evangeline to Lord Shiveley, a man old enough to be considered her father and whose alliance will only strengthen King Richard's holdings as most of these arrangements go. Evangeline doesn't love Lord Shiveley and he has made his intentions to marry Evangeline quite clear and even has threatened her to submit otherwise he will make her future as his wife, very miserable. Of course Evangeline knows she doesn't have many options available to her and after trying to convince King Richard of her wishes, he refuses and makes preparations for a wedding.

Her final option is to runaway, but since she has never ventured far outside the castle walls she doesn't have a clue where to go or what to do. All she knows is that a future with Lord Shiveley is not what she has in her heart. She manages to convince her lady's maid, Muriel to help her escape and soon finds herself in the safe keeping of Westley le Wyse of Glynval, a small but wealthy town in its own right. She passes herself off as a servant girl who has lost her voice when her master beat her and has to maintain this disguise as King Richard and Lord Shiveley have sent men to find them both. Of course with her height, her vibrant red hair and singing voice it will be hard to keep her identity hidden from those who want to bring her back to the castle.The adventure only continues to get more exciting as you read further into this novel.

I received The Silent Songbird by Melanie Dickerson compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Net Galley. While you can see some similarities between The Little Mermaid and this novel, it goes beyond what you could imagine. I love Evangeline's strong willed character despite the fact that she has never really been outside. She knows nothing about being a servant since her skills have been of a different set being the King's cousin. Still she tries to fit in as best as she can and while there isn't really an evil sea witch, there is a woman who works to ensure that Westley will never fall for someone like Evangeline. I would rate this novel a 5 out of 5 stars and only want more of these fairy tales. This is the seventh novel in the Hagenheim series. Trust me, you will want them all.

For more information about The Silent Songbird, Melanie Dickerson or where you can preorder a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Silent Songbird by Melanie Dickerson 

You can find Melanie Dickerson on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Silent Songbird, please visit Thomas Nelson Publishers website.