Thank you so much to NetGalley and Melanie Dickerson for providing me with a complimentary digital audiobook ARC for Lady of Disguise. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I’ve listened to many books by Melanie Dickerson and I enjoy her medieval and fairy tale stories. She always has clean writing and interesting plots. Unfortunately, this book didn’t work for me. It was too instalove for me. It was nice he saw through the disguise and knew she was a woman right away instead of not knowing. But then she obviously acted liked a woman pretty much from the beginning. There was no real game to it. He had to rescue her from the start, so it was like why are you disguising yourself when he obviously knows. She should know that he knows since she’s acting like a woman. So it didn’t work for me. It felt a little too juvenile than what I like as well.

Thank for my free copy for my honest review

Well rewritten and easy following book
Kept me intrigued

I don’t normally read this type of book but the tilted and cover had me interested

Lady of Disguise by Melanie Dickerson is the 6th book in this series but it can easily be read as a stand alone. I was privileged to listen to the audio book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked the diction of the voice of the one who was doing the reading and the inflections that she put in her voice for the different personalities. It was set during the medieval period and takes place in England and in Scotland. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey back to this time frame. The main character Louisa was trying to find a fable treasure that she thought would save her and her sister from marrying men that they did not love As her uncle who was guardian of both of them was trying to do. All in all it was a very delightful tale and my many thanks to the publisher and the author for the privilege to listen to this interesting book

This book is a Christian retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk. I honestly don’t recall the entire original story, so I may have missed some connections beyond the giant. The story is a short read/listen. Some scenes and dialogue felt clipped and lacked finesse. I don’t know if I’ve gotten used to more sweeping epics, but this book felt lacking in detail. It was very “and then this happened”. There are also a lot of characters that added fluff without adding to the plot.
Prayer and Christianity is central to the plot, which is accurate for the time, but that is where a lot of accuracy ends. Many things happen in this book that do not make sense for 1388. Giant aside, a lot of creative license was taken for this story to come together.
I’m not sure if I would have listened to the whole book had it not been an ARC. But I can understand why some readers will enjoy it.

Thank you to Harper Collins Christian Publishing, Thomas Nelson Fiction, and NetGalley for this ARC.

I didn't fully read the blurb before reading this book and maybe if I had, I wouldn't have been so surprised but it wasn't what I expected at all.

My first impressions of the book were that it seemed extremely innocent and fairytaleish. The narrator, while great with her voices of characters sounded a little bit condescending at times like she was telling off a naughty child.

When I read more about the book and realised that it was aimed at young adults and was supposed to be a fairytale reimagining of Jack and the Beanstalk, it made a lot of sense.

This book is very innocent and would be appropriate for younger people. The fact that it is set in the 1300s lent itself to knights and kings and even appropriate amounts of religion. Having so much of it written in the book though was off putting. There are better ways to say she prayed for an answer without her speaking about God in every other sentence.

I enjoyed the retelling and thought the characters were lovable but it was a little bit too twee for me. The overdose of religion got irritating but I read right to the end.
I think for a different audience, it might hit the mark.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author and publisher for a temporary copy in exchange for an honest review.

I don't think I have ever been as captivated by an audiobook as this one. The storyline was perfection: adventure, excitement, treasure, inspiration, romance, danger, dreaming... it was all in there. When Louisa runs away, she initially dresses like a boy, but her disguise really fools no one. But traveling alone without assistance could be big trouble if she is found out, and not only by her uncle's men, but all of society. As she and Sir Charles join forces, they pick up an eclectic group of fellow travelers that are incredibly well-rounded and fun additions to the story.

This is where I must brag on the narration. Jude Mason was phenomenal! Her voices for each of the characters were spot on, but it was also when she was just reading the middles parts between conversations that made it really wonderful. She didn't quit with all the wonderful energy she brought to the characters so the whole book was infused with excitement.

I also really loved all of the faith components brought into this work. It was really uplifting to hear how faith guided these characters in their morals and decisions.

If Melanie keeps putting out audiobooks like this, I can't wait to snag another!

Another great read from Melanie. The audio was perfect. The narrators did a wonderful job bringing the story to life. I read the book and it was great to come back to it again in audio.
This story was filled with sadness, a controlling Uncle but also happiness, a heartfelt love and faith elements. Melanie always writes the right amount of faith in her books to have to feeling at peace and not feeling like God is being shoved down your throat. Another great story in this series of wonderful stories with the Dericott family.

This was a very good book it was about a time that I'm glad we didn't grow up in where you had no choice on who you were to marry it was about a young lady and her adventures with her sister as they grew up and seeking treasure so that she and her sister could be free it was a historic Romance and was very good I would recommend it for anyone who just enjoys a romance type story without all the extras I would read it again and I would suggest it to a friend the narrator was very good

3.5 Stars

Lady of Disguise was a fairytale retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk- and its an OK story. I think the beginning was better, and a quite interesting take on the Fairytale and I liked the parts with the Giant. However, I felt the story lagged and kind of lost its way towards the Middle. There were a lot of characters who really didn't do very much and kind of just disappeared from the story. Also, I wondered if some story elements could have been incorporated which were missed out, but there's only so much one can include without making it full on fantasy.

Louisa was - alright, although she wasn't very self-aware at times. One minute she would be talking about not judging people by appearances and the next saying she "could not ever marry someone who has old and ugly". Isn't that judging by appearances? I do find some of the heroines in this series a bit insipid in that way. Charles was better drawn overall.

The religion: whilst I had no trouble with the religious content in this novel, its very much modern Evangelical Christianity, not 14th century Catholicism. Some people might find it anachoronistic and a bit of an issue but others won't mind.

My other beef is with the synopsis. The synopsis says the legendary treasure Louisa is looking for is located on a mountain in Scotland. Its not. Its in Yorkshire There is a big difference between Yorkshire and Scotland. Yorkshire is not and has never been part of Scotland.

Jude Mason has narrated most of Melanie Dickerson's books and whilst I do like her narration overall, I sometimes think she doesn't always do male characters voices well. I wouldn't change her though.

This was a great book. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook. At first I had a hard time with the accent, but I was able to get past it. It fascinates me the way that in the olden days how ladies were meant to be so proper. Dresses, being made to listen and obey those over them for authority including who they should marry. Louisa does not want to marry an old man just so they can pay her uncle the bride price. So she decides that she will disguise herself as a man and escapes. She runs into a Duke who initially did not notice she was a lady, but it didn't take long for the Duke to realize that a she was not a man. Great read. Thank you Netgalley for this audiobook

"Lady of Disguise" is the sixth book in "The Dericott Tales" series written by Melanie Dickerson and narrated by Jude Mason. It is a delightful book that tells the story of Louisa and her younger sister, who live with their aunt and uncle. The latter are determined to find wealthy matches for both girls to increase their standing and wealth. However, the gentlemen they parade before the girls are often much older and unsavoury characters who see them only as breeding mares.

Determined to protect her sister and save them both from an unwanted marriage, Louisa runs away seeking an ancient treasure guarded by a giant. She starts disguised as a boy called Jack and soon encounters Sir Charles along the road. Although he immediately recognizes she isn’t a boy, he goes along with it anyway to protect her secret.

Sir Charles, Raynsford is a knight who sets off trying to heal his broken heart when he comes alone a beautiful young lady dressed like a boy. He decides to keep her secret to protect them both on their travels for her safety and reputation. As they journey together to find her treasure, he finds himself wanting to protect Louisa as they meet other characters along the road.

This is a loose retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk within this clean historical young adult Christian romance that I enjoyed very much. The narrator did a great job of bringing these characters to life for our listening pleasure.

This was such a heartwarming retelling. I loved the not-so-secret identity and how Charles went along with it. Their interactions and conversations were so sweet and I loved the sense of found family that was there during certain parts. The self discovery that Louisa had while on the journey great character development. I listened to the audio and loved the narrator. I liked how the story progressed and the adventure of trying to find the treasure and the twist that came with it.

Thank you @tnzfiction @melaniedickerson123 and @TLCBookTours for the gifted copy.

A special thanks to NetGalley for the ARC audiobook in exchange for a review.

3.5 ⭐️. This story is a cute retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk. Louisa is an orphan and flees her uncle’s in search of a treasure guarded by a giant in order to save herself and her sister from being forced into bad marriages. She cuts her hair and attempts to disguise herself as a boy (Jack). Along the way she meets a noble knight (Sir Charles) and many other delightful people. Sir Charles does not fall for her disguise. He goes on the adventure with her in order to protect her. And of course there is love.

The story was rather predictable hence my 3.5 stars.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 medieval Scotland ⁣⁣
🏆 adventurous treasure hunt ⁣⁣
🗡️ a chivalrous knight⁣⁣
💕 sweet romance ⁣⁣
🧌 Jack & the Beanstalk retelling ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
This was such a fun, quick, sweet fairy tale! It was hard to put down and wished it wasn’t over. Louisa and her younger sister are living with their greedy uncle, wanting to marry them off for a high price. She sets off on a journey to find the rumored Giant’s Treasure. On her way she meets a handsome knight, Sir Charles. Together they meet a variety of characters. I loved their compassion for others and their desire to trust God. I’ll definitely be reading the other retellings in the series, The Dericott Tales. This can be read as a standalone. ⁣⁣
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• YA, fairytale, historical fiction, romance, clean, retelling, Christian fiction ⁣⁣
• Thomas Nelson - February 13, 2024⁣⁣
• hardcover - 304 pages

Thank you @tnzfiction @melaniedickerson123 @tlcbooktours for my complimentary book and @thomasnelson and @netgalley for my audiobook. My thoughts are my own.

I have been enjoying reading the young adult DERICOTT series by Melanie Dickerson for the last couple of years. Each tale (which can be read as a stand-alone) is a medieval retelling of a fairy tale. Book six, A LADY OF DISGUISE, is an enjoyable coming of age story influenced by JACK AND THE BEANSTALK. The characters are well-developed; the storyline is imaginative and fun; and the romance is sweet. I enjoyed both the audio and print versions.

Lady of Disguise is Book 6 in Melanie Dickerson’s Dericott Tales, but can be read as stand alone. All the books in this series are fairytale retelling’s and this one is a retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk.

I enjoyed watching the romance bloom between Louisa and Sir Charles, it was fast and sweet, but I was eager for a happily ever after. I also enjoyed the friends they made along their journey. Louisa was such a kind hearted character, it was easy to fall in love with her. I think my favorite scenes were with the ones with the giant, so heartwarming, but also enjoyed the satisfying ending. The narration by Jude Mason was enjoyable to listen to. I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a good Christian fairytale retelling.

I received the advanced audiobook recording of this publication via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I’m gonna be honest… I honestly did not love this audiobook. The narrator was a little too monotone for me and I just couldn’t really get into it.

Lady of Disguise is a loose retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk, set in the late Middle Ages, in England. Louisa and her sister Margaret lost everything when her parents died. Her unscrupulous uncle took over his lands and title. Now he wants to force Louisa and Margaret into unsuitable but advantageous marriages to further his own fortune.

Louisa runs away to try and find a fabled Viking treasure. The fortune is believed to be guarded by a giant who lives at the top of a mountain. On her way, she runs into Sir Charles, a knight who’s at a loose end. He just wants to protect anyone he encounters who cannot protect themselves.

As the two make their way to Yorkshire to try and find the treasure, they pick up various companions along the way. Then finally they arrive and things are not as they seem. Sinister villagers and a gravely ill man change everything about the quest.

As a British reader (listener), there were several word choices that didn’t ring true to me at all, especially in this era, and that affected my enjoyment. But Louisa was a lovely character and I did enjoy how the story resolved.

While it wasn’t perfect, I’d recommend Lady of Disguise to anyone who enjoys reimagined fairytales. I received a copy of the audiobook from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions are my own.

Really fun read.
I loved how the two main characters kept “collecting” friends along their journey. The side characters really helped the story move along.
I loved Sir Charles and how he interacted with Louisa.
I’m not sure how historically accurate the whole book is, but I didn’t care much- I was entertained and that was enough for me.
I listened to this one on audio and I thought the narration was well done (I do listen at a higher speed than normal).
The ending was satisfying as well.

This books reads like a YA medieval romance, not sure if this is the targeted audience or not but I would totally be fine with my teenage daughter reading this. It was heavy on religious themes as motivation for their behavior and quoted many scriptures. Quick easy read