DNF. The writing was so poorly done; the exposition dump made it unreadable: did an editor even touch this? The characters felt immature and the pacing was incredibly dull.

I found it unbelievable that this is considered publishable writing.

I am definitely sorry to reach the end of this series - but happy that Dickerson ended this particular installment with a couple of my favorite romantic tropes. This isn't my favorite of this collection, but it's what we've come to expect from Dickerson: a doomed romance full of trials, held together through faith. She definitely has an adept hand with fairy tale retellings with a fresh perspective.

This one is sadly not my favorite of the series. From what I hear it's the end, and it tied things up. It still has the medieval feel, the rich girl, poor boy/reversed Cinderella story. But something about the language or dialogue just sounds not as well written as her other ones. Maybe it's simple? It reads like its for younger kids, and her series is geared towards teens, but not that young. I picked the book up and put it down many times and had a hard time finishing it. That's very unusual because some of the ones in this series I've read in a day. I would save this one for last because it is supposed to be the end. And if you've never read the author I'd begin with the early ones in the series because those really are the best. It's sad to give a not so great review because even her last few were really good.

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.

This is another great addition to the Hagenheim series and I can't wait to see more books in the series. Keep up the good work.

'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 was my first Melanie Dickson novel. I always think of stories of peasants, dukes, and set in the past as fantasy. I shouldn't unless there is magic/folklore/creatures. Therefore, I guess this is historical fiction? It's also book eleven, but it stands on its own. The couples who are mentioned are obviously from earlier books.

Adela is a flat character with no depth. She calls herself spoiled; others say she is not. She wants adventure, so she says, but really doesn't. She meets another flat character, Frederick, who loves to carve. His sisters are not the nicest girls but their father is an abusive man. Their mother cares for all of her children. Frederick ignores his father and takes care of the farm, spending his free time carving in wood. He's an artist like Adela. Adela paints and sews. They meet when he performs a good dead and goes to a healer for his neighbor. Adela, too, is a good person.

Adela determines to see more than castle in which she lives. Disguised as a servant, she sneaks out to the marketplace alone. She finds Frederick selling his carvings. They are drawn to each other. There are some kinks thrown into the plot for them to overcome before the novel can end. Nothing is terribly clever or unexpected Everyone is basically good. One man is the "bad" guy; well, the father is bad as well, but good overcomes bad.

In this end, the characters are simple characters, the plot is unoriginal and the ending is expected. It sounds like I didn't like the novel. It was a pleasant couple of hours for my brain to get a complete break. If you want a light-hearted, no-brainer, you'll enjoy this simple, escapist wholesome novel.

I received this review copy from Netgalley.

An interesting fairytale retelling as it is a reverse Cinderella. Poor peasant boy who has been treated badly falling in love with a girl of much higher statise. The Duke's daughter herself disguises herself to wander among the common people. I always find retellings interesting and what made this one so interesting is the twists to the traditional story. It was a simply told story making it quick easy read.
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really enjoyed reading Peasant Dreams from the very beginning. Everything I love in a book was here. There was love, romance, danger, good and evil, waiting in anticipation for all to be well all for it to it get worse. Adela and Frederick made me feel their emotions and champion their causes. I carried a torch for them from their first chance meeting at the healers where we got the first taste of Fredericks character and heart for others. Until the last scene which was filled with so much imagery that days later will make you smile and fill your dreams.
Adela wanted so much more than being a Duke’s daughter or a nobleman’s wife and was trying to find a way to see the world when she met Frederick on her wanderings. They both loved the arts, she with her drawings and embroidery and he with his woodworking, that they instantly found so much to talk about. Lots of situations tugged to keep Adela and Frederick apart including their stations in life, disapproving parents, an illegitimate child, a fiancé, a loyal advisor, dungeons, death, and even their own hearts. Would they be able to overcome all the obstacles set in their paths and still find each other?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a ARC in exchange for a fair review. These opinions are my own.

This wasn’t for me. It sounded great and promising, but I could never get into it. Giving it 3 stars because it had plenty of things going for it. Loved the premise and the cover.

This book was interesting and enjoyable. Ms Dickerson is known for her medieval fairy-tale stories and this one did not disappoint. I had a hard time with some of the names and because of the setting I pronounced everything with an accent in my head. Am I the only one who does that?
The main character is very like able, noble and courageous. The heroine does come across as a bit spoiled, but this just emphasizes the differences in their stations. I like how everything concluded in the end.
I did struggle a little bit to stay interested, it was very slow moving at first, but it did get better and ended well. I would highly recommend this book for YA.
I was given this copy through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinions and review. All opinions expressed here are 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.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

As always with Dickerson, this book was cheesy and a bit too simplified for me to feel any real “tension” for the characters. I had no fears that everything would work out in their favor at the end, but I suppose that's why it's a fairy tale. I like how Melanie did the reverse Cinderella aspects, though. It was interesting to have an “evil” step-father instead of a step-mother and it definitely makes a difference if the “peasant” is the boy and the royal is the girl. There were a few unexpected plot twists throw in there that gave the book another layer so it wasn't just the two main characters pining over each other for three hundred pages.

As for the story, though, it was predictable and easy. Some parts seemed way too illogical and ridiculous for me to believe and sometimes the characters acted more like lovestruck middle schoolers than new adults. I also tired of the repetitive narrative. The characters linger on the same though process over and over, and ideas are repeated way too often.

The biggest surprise, however, was how invested I became in Frederick’s mom . Her story, what she went through, what she does in this book to give herself agency and protect her family was so much better than the main story line. She was the best character and everything that happens to her is freaking great. You go, ma'am!

As always, I recommend Melanie Dickerson’s stories to a younger audience looking to read YA romance or for someone who doesn’t mind a simple, straightforward, and clean story.

The Peasant's Dream is the tale of a woodcarver falling in love with a Princess. Frederick lives with his abusive father, mother and two sisters in a run down hut on the edge of the kingdom. Adela is the youngest princess in the royal family and is about to be married off to the most appropriate match. The thing is, Adela wants to travel the world and paint - not to settle down and do nothing but look pretty and bear children for the rest of her life. She sneaks out of the palace one afternoon and encounters Frederick in the market. Frederick finally had a chance to sneak away from his endless farming chores to sell his exquisite carvings - a "hobby" his drunken father despises. Of course they fall in love, but Adela is being forced into marrying Lord Barthold. When Frederick makes a bad choice that tragically backfires, Adela has no choice but to go along with her parents' plans.

Melanie Dickerson has created another fabulous entry in her Fairy Tale Romance series. This one is an exciting twist on the Cinderella tale. Fans of modern or re-imagined fairy tales will love this, but any young fiction aficionado will enjoy it as well. I appreciate the chance to read the ARC!.

Frederick helps his abusive dad on the farm, but all he really wants to be is a wood carver. Adela is the Duke's daughter and wants to know what it would be like to roam the streets without everyone staring at her as if she was noble or something. She meets Frederick, who sneaks away from the farm, to try to make a life for himself selling his carvings. Things get complicated as they both try to keep secrets from one another and someone in the castle doesn't want them together and works hard to keep them apart.
When I read Melanie Dickerson books, it's because I want something light, easy, and fun. That's exactly what I got with this one. It was a fun read and easy to get into as I followed the adventures of Adela and Frederick. Their characters weren't complicated. The story had no crazy twists and turns. It was just sweet, straight forward and I loved it.
I give it four stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. Review and comments are my own. First of all this is a faith based book which was nice and refreshing. I loved how it was intertwined with the story....This is a reverse Cinderella story told wonderfully. Wealthy Adele first eyes Fredrick when he is getting "medicine" for a poor woman in his town, her child is deathly ill. So right off the bat, the reader falls in love with Frederick. I just loved loved these characters and watching the poor wood carver fall for the daughter of a wealthy duke. Great read!

I have really enjoyed this series but this book story wasn’t my favorite of the bunch.
Frederick and Adelas story was sweet but a little slow moving for my taste.
One thing I really love about Melanie’s books is getting peeks/insights about the previous characters of the series.

I love Melanie Dickerson's novelizations of well-known fairy tales. The Peasant's Dream is a kind of reverse Cinderella story.

Frederick is the son/slave of a drunken farmer, and he also carves wood in his spare time. He is always available to help out when needed by friends and neighbors. His mother encourages him to take his carvings to the market, where he is noticed by one of the Fathers who works with the Bishop. Thomas, the Father, buys one of the carvings to show the Bishop. Frederick also meets Adela, the daughter of the local Duke.

Adela is taken by Frederick, but at the same time, she is being courted by the son of another Duke. She feels for Frederick what people believe she should feel for the son of the other Duke.

Melanie has populated the book with the requisite self-absorbed half-sisters, the ubiquitous bad guys, and the abusive parent. She has added some secrets about her characters that only add to the story. Her settings are on point and lie in the background where they belong, but add to the story when they are described.

This is a five star book, two thumbs up, and a glass slipper.

Thomas Nelson and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Having never read any of the other books that come before The Peasant’s Dream, it was fairly easy to fall into the world without having to know what happened beforehand. This is one of the amazing things about fairytale retellings/fairytale styled books. Also, then I wouldn’t have to read a whole eleven books before diving into this one. Which I only picked up to know what happens before my sister, who’s obsessed with the series. (Judge me all you want. I will stick to my sibling rivalry till the day I die.)

I have to say, I was surprised by the mere lack of action in this book. Like, there’s conflict, but not much else. A whole lot of picnicking and talking and walking and carving, but not much else in the first half of the book. I’m used to this in Contemporary, because that’s just the style of the genre. But not in fantasy. I mean, there isn’t really much emotional depth going on either. It’s almost like the author is so used to writing books with similar plots that she hasn’t really put any effort into making it interesting.

I’m not saying that it isn’t interesting. Frederick is the embodiment of every girl’s dream in his own quirky way, and Princess Adela is naïve in a sweet way. There’s also some character conflict on Frederick’s side of the story. But The Peasant’s Dream just didn’t grab me the way I hoped it would. The romance was too easy and the plot very predictable. I don’t know. Maybe I just have to be a Melanie Dickerson fan to get it.

But, hey, at least now I can chant, “I know what happens!” every time my sister brings up the series!

So, to wrap this up, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves sweet romance, fairytale-like stories, and anything Melanie Dickerson.

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from NetGalley for review purposes only. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I WAS SO EXCITED - AND SO DISAPPOINTED

I absolutely love fairy tale retellings, so learning that this was supposed so be a reverse Cinderella story really had me excited to read it. Sadly, nothing about it lived up to my expectations. I have read other of Dickerson's books and been slightly underwhelmed, but this fell flat in every way.

👎 WHAT I DISLIKED 👎

Cinderella: What attracted me to this book was the premise of a reverse Cinderella, but I can honestly say that I don't see anything related to the Cinderella fairy tale. Sure, Frederick is a peasant and Adela is the daughter of a Duke. And Frederick has two sisters. But that does it - that's where it ends. Sorry, but that to me is not enough to call it a reverse Cinderella story.

Writing: As with other Dickerson novels, the writing of this one struck me as half-assed and slightly amateurish. It felt like she just wrote without editing herself or ever using the option to delete - but she still backtracks and takes stuff back. Why not just delete it? It just didn't feel like there was any effort put into it.

Bible stories: Why include Bible stories that play no part in the story? Honestly, I found it a bit offensive. Felt like a sermon in the middle of the book. I am really not okay with that.

Plot: If you read fanfiction or Wattpad stories, you are familiar with those stories that are written chapter-by-chapter. They often don't have a red threat that takes you from beginning to end and that guides the actions in each chapter. I had the same feeling while reading this book. It was just a bunch of chapters strung together with seemingly no thought to the overall storyline.