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A Faithful Hope
Can one find hope when the only way to become human again means betraying the one you love?
Princess Aderyn has no choice but to marry a prince from the Cariandell Kingdom if she wants to save her own dying kingdom. Happiness has eluded her for too long, and the prospect of marrying fills her with dread. Her only hope is that Prince Sterling can help her find the silver needed to restore Azurluna Kingdom. But when she rejects his younger half-brothers as suitors, the wicked queen ensures that Aderyn is turned into a blue bird until she agrees to marry one of her sons.
The last time Prince Sterling felt loved was at the age of five, before his mother died. His cruel stepmother and half-brothers have made him a silent and broken man, whom the people regard as a simpleton. He longs for someone to love him but no longer believes he is worthy. When he encounters the princess, hope flickers to life. Then his stepmother does the unthinkable to Aderyn, and he vows to do whatever it takes to restore her to human form, even if it means living without her.
Will they ever be together, or will Aderyn be forced to marry one of Sterling’s brothers to regain her humanity? Will Sterling survive his stepmother’s scheme to kill him?
“A Faithful Hope,” a retelling of The Blue Bird, is a standalone novella, complete with tropes like Emotional Scars, He Falls First, and Friends to Lovers. 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.
Princess Aderyn has no choice but to marry a prince from the Cariandell Kingdom if she wants to save her own dying kingdom. Happiness has eluded her for too long, and the prospect of marrying fills her with dread. Her only hope is that Prince Sterling can help her find the silver needed to restore Azurluna Kingdom. But when she rejects his younger half-brothers as suitors, the wicked queen ensures that Aderyn is turned into a blue bird until she agrees to marry one of her sons.
The last time Prince Sterling felt loved was at the age of five, before his mother died. His cruel stepmother and half-brothers have made him a silent and broken man, whom the people regard as a simpleton. He longs for someone to love him but no longer believes he is worthy. When he encounters the princess, hope flickers to life. Then his stepmother does the unthinkable to Aderyn, and he vows to do whatever it takes to restore her to human form, even if it means living without her.
Will they ever be together, or will Aderyn be forced to marry one of Sterling’s brothers to regain her humanity? Will Sterling survive his stepmother’s scheme to kill him?
“A Faithful Hope,” a retelling of The Blue Bird, is a standalone novella, complete with tropes like Emotional Scars, He Falls First, and Friends to Lovers. 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.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 29, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 18, 2026
Ever since I read King of Joy (which was about Aderyn’s parents) last year, I’ve been more interested to read this book than I was before and in the most important ways it didn’t disappoint!
Both Aderyn and Sterling face SOOO much in both challenges and abuse, my gosh it got so extreme at times, especially for poor Sterling who’s had to deal with the abuse hurled at him for YEARS for no good reason, the poor guy. I saw a few reviews mention that they thought Sterling was weak for not standing up to his family sooner but sadly the way he acts and interacts with them is very on par with how someone who’s lived through lifelong abuse will act, as he doesn’t know any different or sees no way out so just tried to survive as best he can. All that to say I was so proud of him when he did start standing up for himself in any way possible!
Aderyn goes through her fair share of horrible things too and I admired her resilience in the face of such evil and loved her love and devotion for her family and Sterling despite the odds stacked against her that I certainly wouldn’t blame her for caving under. Sterling’s family is AWFUL, my gosh they are so cruel and horrible, so much so that I found one family member’s “redemption” and helping one of the leads to be a little out of place, (or rather, too little too late) though maybe this plot point is in the original tale, I don’t know.
The romance was adorable and so sweet, and while I appreciate the author giving us plenty of time for Aderyn and Sterling to get to know each other, I do feel as if they did too much sitting around and talking rather than them trying to do something about Aderyn’s situation. They were told several times to “look into things” or “watch out for something” which led me to believe they’d have to sneak around and find out stuff but they just…don’t, and sooner or later the information they need is just told to them or dropped in their laps with barely an inconvenience, so I was very disappointed by that, as I wanted them to bond more that way rather than just by talking a lot; they could talk and adventure at the same time, you know? It would have helped them be more active in the last half to third of the book too, where they were more reacting to things rather than proactively moving the plot themselves.
The Blue Bird is not a fairy tale I know anything about, nor had I ever heard of it prior to this retelling, so sadly at this time I can’t compare them and see if this retelling adapts the original well or not, but from this story it’s a very weird and intriguing tale I look forward to reading some day.
So while I ultimately like King of Joy more than A Faithful Hope, I still think this is a solid, faith filled story with a lot of heart, a sweet romance, and two flawed but brave leads to root and cheer for. I’m looking forward to trying more of this author’s books in the future!
‼️Content‼️
TRIGGER WARNING: a character is physically/emotionally/verbally abused and bullied by their family
Violence: a woman slaps her son’s face and pushes another to fall and smack his head against a wall (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); a woman falls off a balcony to her death (the aftermath isn’t shown or detailed)
Sexual: kissing (not detailed)
Alcohol/Drugs: characters are poisoned and one dies from it
Other: magic; magical abilities/objects; a character is physically/emotionally/verbally abused and bullied by their family; fairy godmother/father; a character is magically transferred into their pet bird; a character is called a simpleton; death and grief; a character is turned into a pig
Both Aderyn and Sterling face SOOO much in both challenges and abuse, my gosh it got so extreme at times, especially for poor Sterling who’s had to deal with the abuse hurled at him for YEARS for no good reason, the poor guy. I saw a few reviews mention that they thought Sterling was weak for not standing up to his family sooner but sadly the way he acts and interacts with them is very on par with how someone who’s lived through lifelong abuse will act, as he doesn’t know any different or sees no way out so just tried to survive as best he can. All that to say I was so proud of him when he did start standing up for himself in any way possible!
Aderyn goes through her fair share of horrible things too and I admired her resilience in the face of such evil and loved her love and devotion for her family and Sterling despite the odds stacked against her that I certainly wouldn’t blame her for caving under. Sterling’s family is AWFUL, my gosh they are so cruel and horrible, so much so that I found one family member’s “redemption” and helping one of the leads to be a little out of place, (or rather, too little too late) though maybe this plot point is in the original tale, I don’t know.
The romance was adorable and so sweet, and while I appreciate the author giving us plenty of time for Aderyn and Sterling to get to know each other, I do feel as if they did too much sitting around and talking rather than them trying to do something about Aderyn’s situation. They were told several times to “look into things” or “watch out for something” which led me to believe they’d have to sneak around and find out stuff but they just…don’t, and sooner or later the information they need is just told to them or dropped in their laps with barely an inconvenience, so I was very disappointed by that, as I wanted them to bond more that way rather than just by talking a lot; they could talk and adventure at the same time, you know? It would have helped them be more active in the last half to third of the book too, where they were more reacting to things rather than proactively moving the plot themselves.
The Blue Bird is not a fairy tale I know anything about, nor had I ever heard of it prior to this retelling, so sadly at this time I can’t compare them and see if this retelling adapts the original well or not, but from this story it’s a very weird and intriguing tale I look forward to reading some day.
So while I ultimately like King of Joy more than A Faithful Hope, I still think this is a solid, faith filled story with a lot of heart, a sweet romance, and two flawed but brave leads to root and cheer for. I’m looking forward to trying more of this author’s books in the future!
‼️Content‼️
TRIGGER WARNING: a character is physically/emotionally/verbally abused and bullied by their family
Violence: a woman slaps her son’s face and pushes another to fall and smack his head against a wall (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); a woman falls off a balcony to her death (the aftermath isn’t shown or detailed)
Sexual: kissing (not detailed)
Alcohol/Drugs: characters are poisoned and one dies from it
Other: magic; magical abilities/objects; a character is physically/emotionally/verbally abused and bullied by their family; fairy godmother/father; a character is magically transferred into their pet bird; a character is called a simpleton; death and grief; a character is turned into a pig
February 25, 2026
Really sweet romance, hateable villain, precious main and side characters
January 19, 2025
I have now read a quarter of the books in the Hope Ever After series, a multi-author collaboration of fairy tale retellings to help fight human trafficking. My most recent read is A Faithful Hope by DaLeena Taylor, which might be my favorite in the series thus far. This book retells an obscure French fairy tale called "The Blue Bird," which was translated in The Green Fairy Book. This story has it all--an outcast princess, a broken kingdom to restore, a magical transformation, and a love story to stand the test of time. I was hooked from the first page and riveted by all the twists and turns this detailed story took. It is a faithful gender-swapped depiction of the fairy tale. In this version, the princess turns into a bluebird instead of the prince.
Princess Aderyn's kingdom is in crisis. Her family and their subjects need the healing properties of silver to survive, but the kingdom has run dangerously low on its supply. To save everyone, Aderyn enters an arranged marriage with Prince Sterling, whose kingdom is prosperous in the desperately needed precious metal. When she arrives, she is surprised to find that Prince Sterling is hidden from her and encouraged to marry one of his stepmother's sons instead. Sterling manages to meet with Aderyn in secret when he disguises himself as a gardener named Silver. The two hit it off immediately, and, upon learning his true identity, Aderyn is determined to marry no one else. Unfortunately for her, the queen has a powerful and wicked fairy godfather who curses her to spend seven years in the body of her beloved pet bluebird, Saffira, unless she agrees to marry one of the other two princes.
I don't remember much about "The Blue Bird" in the Fairy Books, but after reviewing it, I think it was too long and convoluted to make my top ten list. In novel form, however, this story has lots of room for growth and development. The book expands upon Sterling's tragic backstory and how his family and reputation fell apart when his wicked stepmother came into the picture. The two fairy characters are also fleshed out. Lorenzo and Laelynn are brother and sister, but Lorenzo chooses the path of darkness, while Laelynn remains on the path of light. As Aderyn and Sterling's sanctioned fairy godmother, Laelynn does her best to help Aderyn with her predicament. Life as a bluebird is difficult for Aderyn, but she finds ways to use it to her advantage such as flying Sterling's silver rings to her family. Meanwhile, Sterling never gives up hope that he will find a way to save Aderyn.
Even the two wicked princes have realistic thoughts and feelings. Marius is the dominant brother who is determined to silence everyone around him so he can always get his way, while Milo feels pressured into agreeing with everything his mother and Marius says so he won't get silenced like Sterling was. By the end of the book, he goes through a transformative arc and comes out as a better person. Although it is understandable why Aderyn does not want to marry Marius, there was a moment that I questioned her intent in sticking to her determination to marry Sterling. She makes it very clear that if she does not make an alliance with this kingdom quickly, everyone she cares about will die due to a lack of silver. There was a point where it may have been better to put her own selfish desires aside for the needs of her people, but since this is a fairy tale about hope, I knew everything would work out in the end.
A Faithful Hope by DaLeena Taylor is an inspirational retelling of "The Blue Bird," elevated by its thoughtful expansion on the original story. With well-developed characters, unexpected twists, and a swoon-worthy romance, this novel has secured its place as my favorite in the Hope Ever After series so far. Taylor's faithful adaptation breathes new life into this lesser-known fairy tale, reminding us that even in the darkest moments, hope and love can prevail. I highly recommend A Faithful Hope to fans of fairy tale retellings and inspiring stories. If you've already completed this series and are seeking a new mult-author collaboration of romantic fantasy books, keep an eye out for Tethered Hearts, and upcoming series of forced proximity romantasies from some of my favorite authors!
Princess Aderyn's kingdom is in crisis. Her family and their subjects need the healing properties of silver to survive, but the kingdom has run dangerously low on its supply. To save everyone, Aderyn enters an arranged marriage with Prince Sterling, whose kingdom is prosperous in the desperately needed precious metal. When she arrives, she is surprised to find that Prince Sterling is hidden from her and encouraged to marry one of his stepmother's sons instead. Sterling manages to meet with Aderyn in secret when he disguises himself as a gardener named Silver. The two hit it off immediately, and, upon learning his true identity, Aderyn is determined to marry no one else. Unfortunately for her, the queen has a powerful and wicked fairy godfather who curses her to spend seven years in the body of her beloved pet bluebird, Saffira, unless she agrees to marry one of the other two princes.
I don't remember much about "The Blue Bird" in the Fairy Books, but after reviewing it, I think it was too long and convoluted to make my top ten list. In novel form, however, this story has lots of room for growth and development. The book expands upon Sterling's tragic backstory and how his family and reputation fell apart when his wicked stepmother came into the picture. The two fairy characters are also fleshed out. Lorenzo and Laelynn are brother and sister, but Lorenzo chooses the path of darkness, while Laelynn remains on the path of light. As Aderyn and Sterling's sanctioned fairy godmother, Laelynn does her best to help Aderyn with her predicament. Life as a bluebird is difficult for Aderyn, but she finds ways to use it to her advantage such as flying Sterling's silver rings to her family. Meanwhile, Sterling never gives up hope that he will find a way to save Aderyn.
Even the two wicked princes have realistic thoughts and feelings. Marius is the dominant brother who is determined to silence everyone around him so he can always get his way, while Milo feels pressured into agreeing with everything his mother and Marius says so he won't get silenced like Sterling was. By the end of the book, he goes through a transformative arc and comes out as a better person. Although it is understandable why Aderyn does not want to marry Marius, there was a moment that I questioned her intent in sticking to her determination to marry Sterling. She makes it very clear that if she does not make an alliance with this kingdom quickly, everyone she cares about will die due to a lack of silver. There was a point where it may have been better to put her own selfish desires aside for the needs of her people, but since this is a fairy tale about hope, I knew everything would work out in the end.
A Faithful Hope by DaLeena Taylor is an inspirational retelling of "The Blue Bird," elevated by its thoughtful expansion on the original story. With well-developed characters, unexpected twists, and a swoon-worthy romance, this novel has secured its place as my favorite in the Hope Ever After series so far. Taylor's faithful adaptation breathes new life into this lesser-known fairy tale, reminding us that even in the darkest moments, hope and love can prevail. I highly recommend A Faithful Hope to fans of fairy tale retellings and inspiring stories. If you've already completed this series and are seeking a new mult-author collaboration of romantic fantasy books, keep an eye out for Tethered Hearts, and upcoming series of forced proximity romantasies from some of my favorite authors!
January 12, 2026
A beautiful read. It was really cool to see how the characters learned to trust God and to find hope, faith, and joy in the midst of uncertainty and dark times. Really enjoyed the encouragement found in this book and I loved the banter between the two main characters. It was also such fun to explore a new fairytale that I'd never heard before!
May 31, 2024
A sweet romance
Daleena Taylor's A FAITHFUL HOPE was a sweet retelling of a new to me fairytale. I loved Sterling and Aderyn's story!
Daleena Taylor's A FAITHFUL HOPE was a sweet retelling of a new to me fairytale. I loved Sterling and Aderyn's story!
July 22, 2024
Blue Bird was not a fairy tale that I was familiar with, and coming in at 367 pages, this is the longest book in the Hope Ever After series. The baddies were oh so bad, and I was very impatient for their demise; though their endings were a surprise and I think I had to set my book down and take a minute to let it sink in that they were truly defeated once they finally were!
The love that grows between the MCs was so sweet and special, and the use of flowers so interesting, and it made my plant-lady heart so happy!
Not only did they love one another, but their love for the other forced them to grow and learn to love themselves. I think this is a huge part of relationships that is often overlooked. In American society we push the idea that we have to love ourselves before we can love someone else, when all-to-often, it is the love for someone else, whether it be a significant other, a child, or even a best friend , that finally gives us the motivation we need to change, and to the love ourselves more.
The love that grows between the MCs was so sweet and special, and the use of flowers so interesting, and it made my plant-lady heart so happy!
Not only did they love one another, but their love for the other forced them to grow and learn to love themselves. I think this is a huge part of relationships that is often overlooked. In American society we push the idea that we have to love ourselves before we can love someone else, when all-to-often, it is the love for someone else, whether it be a significant other, a child, or even a best friend , that finally gives us the motivation we need to change, and to the love ourselves more.
Read
July 8, 2024In order to save her kingdom, Princess Aderyn must travel to the neighboring country to marry a prince of Cariendell. But when she arrives, she’s distracted by the kind, engaging gardener. When she finally meets the three princes, she’s not sure what to think. She must marry one — but will her heart let her give up on the chance of true love?
Prince Sterling has been living in the shadow of his step family for years, but the arrival of the sweet and shy Aderyn compels him to finally stand up for himself. But when she’s cursed to be a bird, can he find the courage in the face of evil?
Is true love a myth or can Aderyn and Sterling fight their way back to each other?
“His heart filled with hope for the first time in years.”
While the books of the Hope Ever After series did not have to have hope as a central theme, many of them do, and none more so than A Faithful Hope. These two characters face such a difficult time before their happily ever after that it’s quite heartbreaking. But as they struggle to stay hopeful, their love grows in the most beautiful ways.
Taylor has written a delightfully immersive world and I can’t wait to read more fairy tales by her! The writing is clear and compelling, drawing you into a world where gemstones and precious metals hold value far beyond their outward shine.
Several kisses, but nothing too descriptive
Minor injuries
No swears
Prince Sterling has been living in the shadow of his step family for years, but the arrival of the sweet and shy Aderyn compels him to finally stand up for himself. But when she’s cursed to be a bird, can he find the courage in the face of evil?
Is true love a myth or can Aderyn and Sterling fight their way back to each other?
“His heart filled with hope for the first time in years.”
While the books of the Hope Ever After series did not have to have hope as a central theme, many of them do, and none more so than A Faithful Hope. These two characters face such a difficult time before their happily ever after that it’s quite heartbreaking. But as they struggle to stay hopeful, their love grows in the most beautiful ways.
Taylor has written a delightfully immersive world and I can’t wait to read more fairy tales by her! The writing is clear and compelling, drawing you into a world where gemstones and precious metals hold value far beyond their outward shine.
Several kisses, but nothing too descriptive
Minor injuries
No swears
March 31, 2025
This story and world were generally interesting, though the villains plot either wasn't as encompassing as I had thought or some plot threads just got dropped. The pacing was definitely on the slow side, though my interest held. As for the characters, Aderyn (love the name!) was a bit too obtuse for me to like her and Sterling took a bit too long to find his backbone for me to be entirely satisfied with their story. Also, the fairy godmother didn't seem to consider forgiveness a virtue, which felt strange to me, considering the main characters both reflected on their own actions and shortcomings and felt some degree of compassion for another. Overall, this was a nice introduction to the blue bird fairy tale, which I looked up after starting, and I plan to search out more.
April 21, 2025
Duty vs love
Princess Aderyn, like her family and kingdom is dying, their only hope is for her to marry a prince to provide the silver they need to regain their health. The eldest prince Sterling is considered a simpleton by his step family - bullied, demeaned, rejected and broken - and only finds acceptance as a master gardener, where he is called Silver. I love how he found the courage to stand up against his family and wanted to protect Aderyn.
Princess Aderyn, like her family and kingdom is dying, their only hope is for her to marry a prince to provide the silver they need to regain their health. The eldest prince Sterling is considered a simpleton by his step family - bullied, demeaned, rejected and broken - and only finds acceptance as a master gardener, where he is called Silver. I love how he found the courage to stand up against his family and wanted to protect Aderyn.
July 22, 2024
This was a retelling of The Bluebird, a fairytale that I wasn’t aware of before. I loved how real the people felt in this story, even though they lived in a magical kingdom. They still had to find workable solutions to their problems and deal with regular issues, which endeared them to me! The ending was wonderful and I’m looking forward to reading the extended tale that was offered!
May 19, 2025
Overall, the storyline was good. The style of dialogue isn’t my favorite but it wasn’t so bad I couple get past it if that makes sense; still a compelling story. It would have me hooked for a couple chapters then lose me completely. I enjoyed the read but don’t see myself picking it back up
August 2, 2025
I had a really hard time getting into this one.
Most of the books in this series were half as long, and this one should have been too.
Sterling took a long time to find his courage, and Aderyn seemed a little aloof at times.
The story could have been interesting, but I felt that it dragged on.
Most of the books in this series were half as long, and this one should have been too.
Sterling took a long time to find his courage, and Aderyn seemed a little aloof at times.
The story could have been interesting, but I felt that it dragged on.
November 22, 2025
I wasn't very familiar with the Bluebird tale but this was an interesting retelling. The character progression of the male MC was beautiful. I didn't care for the dark side of things, but those spots were tactfully handled
April 18, 2026
3.75 stars
My first read by DaLeena and my second time reading a retelling of Blue Bird. This was a great story! I really liked the dynamic between Sterling and Aderyn. It was sweet! This gave reverse Cinderella vibes too. I really enjoyed the sweet story!
My first read by DaLeena and my second time reading a retelling of Blue Bird. This was a great story! I really liked the dynamic between Sterling and Aderyn. It was sweet! This gave reverse Cinderella vibes too. I really enjoyed the sweet story!
June 4, 2024
I really loved reading this wonderful book! I loved the characters and the plot! I had a hard time putting this really wonderful book down! I absolutely loved this retelling of A Blue Bird!
July 1, 2024
Full review coming soon
October 10, 2025
This book did a great job building and developing the relationships between the two main characters. The plot was a little bit lacking in that the main villains’ plans were a little…lackluster. It felt like a whole lot of waiting and empty threats. Additionally, the conflict was resolved way too easily. I did enjoy the characters and world building quite a bit. I would love to see more of this story. I wish Sterling was able to have better closure with his brothers too but like that there was hope for the future.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews