A Secret Hope (Hope Ever After, #18): A Goose Girl Retelling

by Scarlett Luna Strange

Can one find hope in a field of feathers and broken dreams? Catalina Marionotti is the beloved princess of Mayne, a small kingdom that once flourished and thrived. After famine strikes her land, she is sent off to marry a king and restore her land’s coffers. Despite the help this will bring to her family, she can’t help but feel the fear of an unknown land. In an attempt to settle in, she trades places with her trusting maid who is more than willing to take on the role, not realizing this may be the most dangerous choice she’s ever made. Yet as Catalina spends her days tending to the goose in the fields of Whyst, she finds a new sense of peace and belonging. Her companionship with the goose boy, Alion, grows and she realizes she must return to her place alongside the king of Whyst before she falls too deeply. Unfortunately, Catalina finds herself on the edge of disaster as new secrets come to light. Will she lose everything and everyone she loves? Or will she find a way to save two kingdoms in danger?“A Secret A Goose Girl Retelling” is a standalone novella. It is part of the “Hope Ever After” series, a collection of twenty hopeful and uplifting fairy tale retellings. Each book is written by a different author so it can be enjoyed in any order. The proceeds from this series are donated to the O.U.R. (Operation Underground Railroad) to rescue children from exploitation and trafficking.

Genres: Romance, Retellings, Fantasy, Young Adult, Fairy Tales

152 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 3, 2024

Reviews

[Anniebelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love love!

I loved this clean retelling of the goose girl! I was a little uncertain how Scarlett was going to pull off the swap as Grendy is so thoughtful and kind to Catalina and usually there is tension between those characters, but the twist on the retelling is perfect! I loved the theme of hidden identities and how Catalina grows not only in her skills but her spirit too. I am very glad no horses were harmed in this retelling and even the sheep lived happily ever after!

[DJWman · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A Secret Hope" by Scarlett Luna Strange is an engaging and fresh retelling of the Goose Girl fairy tale. The plot is captivating, drawing readers into Catalina's journey and keeping them hooked with unexpected twists and turns. While it retains many classic elements of the original tale, it brings a unique flavor that makes it stand out.

Catalina is a relatable and admirable protagonist. Her nervousness about the unknown resonates with many readers, and her willingness to learn new skills, regardless of the task, is inspiring. The dynamic between Catalina and Falco is well-crafted, with their banter adding a delightful layer to their relationship. Falco’s acceptance of the deception and his decision to use it as an opportunity to get to know Catalina better is a refreshing take on the story.

The side characters in "A Secret Hope" are fantastic. The strong bond between Catalina and her brother Enrich is heartwarming, and Grendy serves as a good counterpart to Catalina. The incorporation of Laelynn, a recurring character in the Hope Ever After series, is seamlessly done and adds depth to the narrative. Additionally, the poetry that foreshadows each part of the story is a fun and creative touch.

The romance is sweet and restrained, never going beyond kissing, making it suitable for a wide audience. Overall, "A Secret Hope" is a thoroughly enjoyable read, combining elements of classic fairy tales with unique twists and well-developed characters. Highly recommended for fans of fairy tale retellings and those looking for a story filled with hope, adventure, and romance.

[Terry Juell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I totally love this book! It was so well thought out that I didn't see the twist at the end coming! It was adorable, sweet, and has a perfect HEA! I just couldn't put it down!💜

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Secret Hope was an enjoyable retelling of the Goose Girl. I think this novella may have become my favorite story written by Scarlett Luna Strange. The plot was captivating and pulled me in. I did not want to put this tale down and had to see how Catalina’s journey unfolded! All the classic elements of the Goose Girl fairy tale were there, yet was unique to stand apart. There were many plot twists that kept me engaged in the story. I like Catalina and found her to be a relatable character. We all can get nervous at the unknown. Her willingness to learn new skills, regardless of the task was admirable. I loved Falco! He took the deception well and used it to get to know Catalina. The banter between Catalina and Falco was witty and hilarious. The side characters were fantastic. I loved the strong brother and sister bond between Enrich and Catalina. Grendy was the perfect character foil to Catalina. As well, it is always fun to see how each author incorporates Laelynn in each Hope Ever After story. I loved how the poetry foreshadow each part in the story. It was a fun addition! The romance never went past kissing. This book was great and highly recommend!

I volunteered to read an ARC copy of the book and all thoughts are my own.

[Amanda Mantonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very different but very sweet Goose Girl retelling. I was completely thrown off by Grendy at first because I know this story, and I KNOW the maid is the bad guy. I think the chapter from Grendy’s POV could have been a bit more nefarious, but she was still slappable enough for my tastes.

It is tough to say more without giving away some of the more unique spoilers, so I will just say that the wrestling and angst in concerns with deception was well done and played out just how it should. There were times when the dialogue was a bit confusing because you forgot who was speaking of who.

All in all, a fantastic contribution to the Hope Ever After series. I was waiting for the Laelynn appearance and she did not disappoint.

[Lorin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book! This book has wonderful characters and a wonderful plot! I really loved reading this retelling of A Goose Girl! I had a hard time putting this really wonderful book down!

[Rosalyn Nightshade · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Secret Hope is one of the best Goose Girl retellings I have ever read. Catalina was a great character who felt pressured by the role of a princess and was scared to enter an arranged marriage without meeting the king first. She switched places with her maid and found her own independence, learning how to cook and tend geese. Falco / Alion was also a great character who fell in love with Catalina when she was posing as her maid, Grendy. I love that even though Falco is a king, he doesn't mind getting his hands dirty by cooking with Catalina or tending geese. Enrich was such a great older brother and very protective of Catalina and I loved that. His sudden showing up came as a surprise. The plot of this book was quite different from other Goose Girl books that I've read, as the princess is actually the one who wants to swap with the maid, rather than the maid taking over her place. I feel like the ending was a bit rushed and not explained very well, as Grendy obviously likes Catalina because Catalina treats her like a friend, but at the end of the book, she was willing to kill Catalina. However, that's just a minor issue that doesn't take away from the rest of the book. Overall, this was a great book with an original plot and great characters. The quality of the writing is great and, having read most of Scarlett's books, I'm not surprised. I can't wait for the next book Scarlett will write!

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet and swoony Goose Girl retelling! My favorite part was all the hidden identities. Catalina was an intriguing character as she is a mix of timid and reckless, too scared to meet her betrothed but brave enough to start a totally new life in a strange land. Also the cover is gorgeous! Which leads me to the one thing I didn't like which is that the main character has golden hair and the maid is blonde so who is on the front cover? No horses are harmed in this book.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really enjoyable Retelling of The Goose Girl and I loved getting to know Princess Catalina as well as King Falco in this story. I thought this retelling was really well done with excellent world building and a few unexpected plot twists to keep the reader guessing about what would happen next. I look forward to reading more books by this author as well as from this multi author series.

[Kelly C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Princess Catalina is set to marry King Falco in exchange for him sharing his wealth with her kingdom to help her family.
Nervous about marrying someone she's never met, she asks her maid to trade places with her so she can tell her what kind of man he is. Catalina goes to work on a farm as a goose girl.
This story had many twists and turns for how short it was. It was very short and sweet.
The final book in this series of retellings.

[B. Valdez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Personally, I had a lot of problems with this book. It had a very slow start and the conflict was barely a murmur in the text, with the climax being underwhelming as well. I am giving this book two stars because it does have potential. The world was interesting though not too many details were given. I would have liked more about this, the characters, and the relationships as well. A lot of important relationship building scenes were glossed over, told to the reader in summary instead of showing it with narrative prose. Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me.