Castle of Refuge

The Dericott Tales #2

by Melanie Dickerson

To live an unforgettable life, she would defy all expectations—including her own.

Ever since she was a child, Audrey wanted her life to be extraordinary. But as the daughter of a viscount born in late fourteenth-century England, the only thing expected of her was to marry—until an act of malice by her sister, Maris, four years ago damaged her face and her prospects. Though Maris was sent away, twenty-year-old Audrey is still suffering the scars of her sister's cruelty. When her father announces his plans to marry off his damaged daughter and bring Maris home, Audrey decides to flee in search of her true destiny.

However, life outside her home is dangerous, and she soon finds herself attacked, sick, and in desperate need of help. She is taken in at Dericott Castle to be nursed back to health. While there, she decides to keep her identity a secret and work as a servant in the castle. But she doesn’t count on falling in love with the young and handsome Lord Dericott, who lost his arm several months earlier and bears scars of his own.

Meanwhile, Edwin—Lord Dericott—is curious about the new, well-educated servant’s identity. All he knows is that he's quickly becoming smitten with her. When the man Audrey’s father wanted her to marry comes looking for her, she and Edwin must make life-changing decisions about what to believe and whether or not love is truly worth trusting.

In this Ugly Duckling retelling, New York Times bestselling author Melanie Dickerson brilliantly crafts a high stakes, encouraging tale about the power of love.

Genres: Romance, Historical Fiction, Christian, Young Adult, Christian Fiction, Historical, Fantasy

328 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2021

About the author

Melanie Dickerson is the New York Times bestselling author of happily-ever-after romance. She believes in love, laughter, afternoon tea, and the power of story.

With a million books sold and numerous awards, including two Christy Awards, two Golden Quills, a National Readers Choice Award, Christian Retailing’s Best, and Book Buyers’ Best Awards, her books have hit #1 in her category on the New York Times bestseller list.

When she’s not writing, Melanie can be found watching Pride and Prejudice for the hundredth time, cozying up to her handsome hero husband, or shaking her head at her slightly unhinged Jack Russell terrier. She lives in the beautiful foothills of the Appalachians near Huntsville, Alabama.

Reviews

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 4 out of 5]

About this book:

“Audrey is a viscount’s daughter who has suffered her sister Maris’s cruel, jealous behavior all her life. An act of malice led their father to send Maris to a convent, but Audrey was still left with scars. Three years later, Audrey’s father is determined to marry off his damaged daughter, and Maris is returning. Desperate, Audrey sneaks away.
However, life outside her home is dangerous, and she soon finds herself attacked, injured, and in dire straits. She is taken in at Dericott Castle to be nursed back to health. While there, she decides to keep her identity a secret and work as a servant in the castle. But she doesn’t count on falling in love with the young and handsome Lord Dericott, who lost his arm several months earlier.
Meanwhile, Edwin—Lord Dericott—is curious about the new, well-educated servant’s identity. When the man Audrey’s father wanted her to marry comes looking for her, each must make a life-changing decision about what to believe and whether or not love is truly worth trusting.
In this Ugly Duckling retelling, New York Times bestselling author Melanie Dickerson brilliantly crafts a high-stakes, encouraging tale about the power of love.”


Series: Book #2 in “The Dericott Tales”. Review of the first book, Here!


Spiritual Content- Many Scriptures are quoted, mentioned, & remembered; Many Prayers & Thanking God; ‘H’s are capitalized when referring to God; Many mentions of God & faiths; Mentions of prayers, praying, blessings over food, & Thanking God; Mentions of Bibles (the Holy Writ and a Psalter) & Bible reading; Mentions of those & events in the Bible; Mentions of a convent, monastery, the activities there, churches, chapels, & priests/nuns; Mentions of blessings & being blessed; Mentions of Heaven; A few mentions of sins; A couple mentions of the book of Song of Solomon; A couple mentions of miracles; A mention of the Church of England;
*Note: Mentions of evil; Mentions of people believing that scars are from the devil & that the person is cursed (Audrey says it’s true in her case because she’s cursed by having a sister like Maris); Mentions of a pagan grave mound (Audrey explores one with Edwin) & seeing a place they practiced their pagan religion; A few mentions of thinking someone is possessed by a demon; A mention of that if you kill a good man, God will allow Satan to control your mind.


Negative Content- Thinking you’re about to die/be killed (semi-detailed); Fighting, being attacked, being held at knifepoint, & pain (semi-detailed); Falling/Being pushed into a fire, pain, burns, & injuries (up to semi-detailed); Being kidnapped (barely-above-not-detailed); Falling off a horse (barely-above-not-detailed); Being threatened harm & killing (Maris to Audrey); Audrey’s sister is very mean and abusive towards her (verbally and physically, but is also violent towards the servants); Being sick & passing out (up to semi-detailed); Nightmares (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of jealousy/envy & hatred; Mentions of wanting to kill someone in hatred & how (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of wars/rebellions, fighting, & killing (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of being accused of murder and treason, nearly being executed, & Edwin losing his arm (barely-above-not-detailed, Book #1); Mentions of being kidnapped, injuries, & blood/bleeding (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of fires & smoke (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of a nanny that abused a child (slapping, pinching & beating the child, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of being robbed, stolen items, & robbers/thieves; Mentions of nightmares (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of drinking & alcohol; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of wild animals, the possibility of being killed or harmed by them, & dead wild animals (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of sicknesses & deaths; A couple mentions of slaves; A couple mentions of debts; A mention of a girl’s parents who fight & yell at home; A mention of wondering if a horse is being abused;
*Note: (Killing a snake, barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of women running away from cruel husbands.


Sexual Content- A hand kiss, two cheek kisses, a forehead (barely-above-not-detailed) kiss, a hair kiss, five barely-above-not-detailed kisses, two border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kisses, and three semi-detailed kisses; Smelling, Nearness, Touches, Embraces, & Dancing (barely-above-not-detailed); Laying next to each other (for warmth, border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Noticing, Blushes, & Winks (including noticing muscles, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of kisses & kissing; A few mentions of men (not) touching a defenseless girl (Audrey); A couple mentions of Audrey’s sister offering for a young man to sneak out and meet her in the middle of the night; A couple mentions of flirting & flirts; A mention of a concubine; A mention of thinking a girl ran off with her lover; A mention of a book being profane and sacrilegious for anyone, but especially a young unmarried girl; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Audrey’s father plans for her to marry a man that is around the age of her father; A few mentions of Audrey’s mother who died while giving birth to her (Maris says Audrey killed their mother multiple times).

-Audrey, age 19
-Edwin, age 23
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1382 (Chapter 1 in set in 1378)
328 pages

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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars

While I thought the first book in this series was decent (definitely not my favorite by this author), this second book was much better in my opinion. I really liked Audrey, but also the faiths shown in this book reminded me of the second book in the “Hagenheim” series, which I’ve always said is probably my favorite in that series.

I’m not sure I focused more on Audrey than Edwin, but he didn’t stand out too much to me for the majority of the book. Not sure if we didn’t see his thoughts enough or I was paying too much attention towards Audrey, though.

It might be an odd thing to comment on, but I really liked the pacing of this book and how long it felt. (not long in a “oh my goodness, this is sooooo looooong!” way, but in a way where it didn’t feel like the book was rushing to and from new plot points. So this is a positive thing! ;) )

I think the romance was very sweet (and clean) and even though there were no mentions of men trying to take advantage of young women, I think this book might be best for those in high school because of said romance.


Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...


*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

[BookLoverAmanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a SURPRISE ya'll! LOVED this so much. This is an "Ugly Duckling" retelling - book #2 in The Dericott Tales series and I throughly enjoyed this one! 4.75-5 stars, rounding up to 5.

"Their scars were not things to hide and be ashamed of. Their scars kept them humble, which was pleasing to God, and kept their hearts soft. And it was a bond between them that she was confident would never break."

Set in the late 14th century in England, we follow 2 sisters, Audrey and Maris. They are daughters of a viscount and their father expects Audrey to get married - specifically to Lord Edwin Dericott - but things take a turn for the worse when her older sister, Maris, purposefully causes Audrey to get scars on her face by tripping her into the fire. Maris is sent away for many years but after 4 years, she returns and her father plans to marry off Audrey to a man she doesnt want to marry.... Audrey flees her father's house in fear of Maris and his plans in search of her own destiny. When she flees, she ends up finding herself sick and in need of help. She passes out near Lord Edwin Dericott's Castle and he takes her in to help her. The story takes off here.

I really enjoyed this ya'll. I could really relate to Audrey and her scars - as I have a scar on my face from an accident as a child and felt many of the feelings she felt / went through in this story. The quote I reference at the beginning of the review - AMEN - we are not ashamed of our scars, they keep us humble and heart soft - which the Lord loves. I could relate on a personal level and it just truly impacted me on her journey. Love the faith content here and our characters. Loved seeing Audrey teaching young kids and finding her purpose.

There were some things at the end with Maris I wish could have been expanded on, but I overall loved the story, romance, setting, growth, making life changing decisions, etc. Maris was such a broken character who had personal trauma and needed help with her mental health. She blamed her sister for everything in her own life that didn't turn out as she intended and hated her for it. She needed the love of the Lord in her life and I would love to see a short story or redemption arc for her in some way as all Audrey wanted to do was be kind to her sister no matter what she did to her. I will say Melanie Dickerson sure knows how to write a villian!

Edwin and Audrey were the perfect couple. My heart<3 Loved them.

Can't wait to continue on with this series!

[Grace Johnson]

That's it. I'm officially through with Melanie Dickerson. Hate to say it, but *shrugs* eventually, you've gotta move on.

Review to come.

[Sisters Three · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why are these books so predictable...read one and you know what's going to happen in all of them...lol...I mean I get the happy ending by why is the order of events always the same? And everything just works out like the first time....it's so unrelatable and unrealistic... in my opinion.

[♥Milica♥ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was slightly better plot wise than the first one, but only slightly, like 0.5 stars. I gave the first one two stars, so this one would then be 2.5. I was considering giving it a three, because it is an improvement in one area, but that doesn't mean that the rest of it was good too.

Firstly, I am not disabled so I can't speak on the disability rep, but it did seem wrong to blame the villain's mental illness for her actions. Audrey's facial burn too seemed kind of insignificant when she could hide it with her hair, I was expecting the burn to be one that would take over half of her face but no.

And Edwin with his arm...yeah, not qualified to speak on that, but I *think* his disability rep was done better than the other two, do correct me if I'm wrong.

The romance was better in this one too, I still couldn't get into it, but it was more believable than the Court of Swans one.

Two more books to go now, so two more chances for this series to get good.

2.5

[Becky · Rating 1 out of 5]

First sentence: Audrey hid behind a tree and watched a knight and his squire riding down the lane.

Melanie Dickerson's newest historical romance is a 'retelling' of The Ugly Duckling. Audrey, our heroine, has believed herself to be ugly--because of her sister's cruel words--most of her life. Even more so after her sister (totally on purpose) "accidentally" pushes her face first into a fire. (I'm assuming fire place). Fortunately, it was just her ear/neck that was burned/scarred. So she can 'hide' her damaged face relatively easily--especially if she remains pulled back--out of sight--from society. If up to Audrey, perhaps, she'd never have left her home. But Maris, her cruel older sister, is returning from the convent, and Audrey, well, she's afraid for her life, afraid that her father cannot--will not--protect her.

So Audrey runs away...she finds refuge...in...you guessed it... a castle. But not just any castle, the castle of Lord (Edwin) Dericott. (The two had met oh-so-briefly in the prologue.) Readers first met Edwin in Court of Swans.

Will she finally be safe at last?

Looking just on the surface, you would think this book HAD to be a perfect match for me. Set in England in the Middle Ages (prologue 1378, rest of the novel 1382). A retelling of a fairy tale. Not just any fairy tale but The Ugly Duckling. A romance. How could it ever go wrong?

But. I didn't like it. I really didn't like it. Long story short, the characterizations are weak, in my opinion, and the plot ridiculous.

I'll do my best to explain why. But I'm going to throw out a spoiler warning so I can talk freely.

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You've been warned now. I can relax my guard a bit with details.

I think the retelling is not set in the *right* time period. Dickerson's details on what life was like in the middle ages seems incredibly iffy at best. If it was say set anytime after 1611--or even after 1500--I would probably not worry about specifics. Two things stand out to me. One, Audrey (like Delia in book one) is a daughter of a noble man. She can read. She can write. She knows two to three foreign languages. (French, German, and presumably Latin?). Her education is not seen as out of the ordinary or uncommon. She starts a SCHOOL for girls--all backgrounds and classes including peasants. She stresses the importance of knowing how to read and write. All well and good. But I *don't* think education--public education--was that common, widespread, in particular when it comes to lower classes, in particular when it comes to girls and young women. I think education while not unheard of for some classes--the upper classes, the nobility, etc.--I don't think it was all that common for the rest of folks. Two, owning Scripture is taken for granted. Lord Dericott even has MULTIPLE COPIES of the Bible. IN 1382. Before the printing press. At a time when each copy would have been handwritten or copied out by a scribe. At a time when personal ownership of Scriptures would have been extremely expensive and probably not all that common. Perhaps the nobility did have enough money to have a copy of Scripture. Perhaps like Lord Dericott, they would have had a LARGE library with plenty of books--hundreds, thousands, etc. Then there's the fact that the Bible is in English. The first complete Bible--Old Testament and New Testament--had not been completed in English in 1382. From everything I've read--that's what I conclude. Psalms would have been translated into English earlier. Probably some of the gospels maybe even all the gospels. But the whole Bible had not yet been translated into English...another decade yes. But Dickerson is also not considering that AT THE TIME the English translations--by the Lollards--was seen as dangerous, illegal, frowned upon. Audrey wants to TEACH her students (all girls, all classes) to read using the Gospel of Luke. She wants Edwin to HIRE SCRIBES to copy out a copy for her students. You know, as you do. No biggie. Piece of cake, right. It couldn't possibly cost a lot of money or take a lot of time.

But let's say I can forgive and forget all that. I would still find the lack of inner motivations and flat characterizations a bit annoying. I know it is asking a lot of any writer/creator to flesh out the villain and make them have motivations that make sense. Readers are given a simplistic--too simplistic--explanation for THE VILLAINY VILLAIN. She's very one-note. Maris, the villain, is SUPER EVIL AND DEMENTED because she was physically abused as a toddler (think before the age of 3) by a nurse maid. Decades worth of being with her family after the nursemaid was dismissed hasn't erased her trauma. She's been allowed to verbally, mentally, psychologically, physically abuse anyone in all those years just because. Because her father feels guilty and ashamed he didn't know it was happening. Because her sister pities her. She has a whole household living in FEAR for at least two decades. Everyone says, well, it must be okay because she was abused and there you have it. That's why it's okay for her to act like this. Nothing I can do to make this situation better. Not gonna try. Not gonna intervene. Not going to parent.

One of my pet peeves in romance is KIDNAPPING. I usually find melodrama highly annoying and problematic. Audrey doesn't get kidnapped once or twice or even three times. She gets kidnapped by her evil sister and her GIANT COMPANION with the regularity that some people blow their noses. Okay, I exaggerate. Still. It happens way too frequently in this novel.

[Jasmine (Jazzie) [Jesus Loves You!!] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rtc!!

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Castle of Refuge was quite exciting. It did take me a little while to get into it but once the action began, it was hard to put down.

It’s a story of two scarred people finding each other and loving each other, scars and all. I find that particular storyline so beautiful!

I immediately felt so much sympathy for Audrey. I can’t imagine being so mistreated by someone who is suppose to be your role model and best friend. Throughout the book we see Audrey deal with the insecurities and scars her sister has caused her. She was such a sweet girl and I wanted only a happy ending for her!
I also felt sympathy for Edwin. We saw him lose his arm in the first book and in this book we watch him deal with the affects of only having one arm. While I felt for him, I also admired him.
Watching these two come together was very sweet. I loved that it was slow-burn and clean.

There were some pretty intense scenes and suspense towards the end that kept me flipping pages.

Overall, I liked this second book in the series! While I’m not loving it as much as I did the Hagenheim series (insert heart eyes!), it’s still good.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Paula Shreckhise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on the fairytale, The Ugly Duckling, this is a medieval tale of a wronged heroine and a flawed hero who comes to her rescue.
While both are dependent on God, they still have some healing to do.
For Audrey: “ She wanted to fulfill a purpose...she felt very strongly that there was something she was supposed to do, a good work God had planned for her to do since before she was born.”
For Edwin: Striving to be the best lord for the people under his domain, to be a better ruler than his father.
For both: calling on God for help when all looked bleak and finding refuge in Him.
It is told in an easy to understand, fairytale-like way, with recognizable evil, a touching romance, some danger and a happily ever after.
*I won this book from Goodreads in April 2021. All opinions are my own.*

[Rose | Adventurous Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I'm being honest, this one exceeded my expectations but still was not my favorite by any means.
While I never go into these books expecting masterpieces, I expect that I'll get a quick and easy read that can just take me of whatever I'm worrying about at the moment. This book did just that.
I was not overly fond of the plot with the sister being the villain. To me, it always screams weak and somewhat unbelievable.
The only really big complaint that I have is the cover. If Aubrey is scarred, PLEASE for the love of cheese and crackers make the cover reflect what she looks like.
All in all, fans of Melanie Dickerson will like this one.

3/5

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.

[Daniella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wondrous retelling of the classic Ugly Duckling story.

All Melanie's books are simply magical, and Castle of Refuge was no exception! In this book, we follow Audrey, the young daughter of a viscount who has big dreams to do extraordinary things, and Edwin, Lord Dericott, the young ruler of Dericott focused on ruling his kingdom well. Both Lord Dericott and Audrey find common ground in their insecurities, due to their tragic pasts, and they also share a mutual attraction. The central theme of this story is the power of love amidst adversity.

5/5 stars!

[Lovely Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

[Melanie Kilsby · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic book from a classic lady!

The connection to our main male protagonist was stronger in this novel compared to some of her other books, as I feel his character arch was the deepest. Yet, I loved the heart and compassion of our main girl. This is what I mean by a classic Melanie Dickerson book.

There is always a 'real' element with her protagonist--a deep sense of kindness that comes from her main characters that is rooted in love because of their relationship in Christ or growing relationship in Him. I love this!

The only critic is that the antagonist was a bit all over the place in some sense and I felt she was better expressed in the first book where she was introduced. I couldn't quite feel she was believable for some reason, though I know and have experienced a person very similar to her, for some reason she felt detached as a reader. Besides that, I loved this book and it even brought on a few tears!

Can't wait to see what's next in The Veil of Winter!!!

[MJSH · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this second installment of Dericott Tale series, Melanie Dickerson brings us back to late 14th century England, a few months after the first book in the series left off. She creates a believable and touchable backdrop with knights, castles, and villagers in this tale of loyalty, kindness, and finding purpose. Edwin, Lord Dericott, is generous, kind and deeply committed to justice since he suffered at the hands of evil people and lost his arm. Audrey, the daughter of a viscount, is sweet and compassionate even though she was physically harmed and scarred by her own sister. Their struggle with their inflicted deformities is real and raw as is their faith as they grapple with their new realities. The plot is well-paced even though predictable. Edwin and Audrey are likable and the villain Maris is quite evil but they all felt a bit two-dimensional and cookie-cutter good or evil. Even so, those who enjoy fairy tale retellings, especially those geared for YA, will enjoy this book. It's better to have read Court of Swans first before this book to get the background story of Edwin and his family but it can still be read as a stand alone.

I received the book from Thomas Nelson via JustRead Publicity Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are solely my own.

[Lisa (Bookworm Lisa) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Castle of Refuge was a great book that helped me forget about my own stresses and worries for a little bit. Audrey and Edwin have many more stressors than I have ever had! It was a fun book to escape into for a little while.

Audrey's sister, Maris, suffers from mental health issues. Many called her crazy or mad, which would have been appropriate for the time period. Maris is jealous and seeks to make Audrey just as miserable as she is. In a moment Audrey's life is forever changed and her options limited.

Edwin comes from a loving home, but things change when he and his brothers are charged with treason. His life is altered as well and his options also become limited. This is a story of two people who have been broken. Their friendship helps to mend both of them. The world is open to them as they heal together. Their life isn't perfect, there are many obstacles that they must overcome and danger is always near. Maris is still out for revenge and trying to destroy Audrey's life.

This story is a loosely based retelling of the Ugly Duckling. It is a friend to more romance that is squeaky clean. The story contains Christian-based themes. It is entertaining and engaging.

Source: I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[Sophia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

I still love how Melanie Dickerson still can make her characters have some realness to them. That's how I felt with this book for me. I liked both the main characters, Audrey and Edwin, but they're not the type to impose a big impression. I don't want to say that they had no depth... but it kind of felt that way. Audrey seemed to carry more character character in her, while Edwin wasn't very impressionable. But hey, I still relatively liked them!

And the romance was so very sweet! But... it also felt lacking. It felt lacking in romantic tension, with nothing much to get the reader excited for their romance. The progress wasn't too bad, just maybe a tad fast and "huh, they love each other already?"-type. It just felt lacking, so when it reached the ending, I didn't really care much for it (especially compared to how I LOVE that exciting rush of looking forward to couples getting together in other books, you get me?). Though, as a YA romance novel, it was still pretty sweet, and for some, I'm sure it'll be wholeheartedly satisfying!

AH, and I also really REALLYYY wished there was a way we could see more of the Dericott brothers! Especially assuming that the third book would be based on one of them.

With all these out of the way, I gotta mention that I really enjoyed this book even though I was a little disappointed and dissatisfied. I loved how fast-paced it was and how easy and not-so-brain-consuming it was to read! I enjoyed the characters, and the entire plot still kept me turning the pages. I never felt tired of reading it! So, I'm still looking forward to the third book in the series!

[eyes.2c · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overcoming!

Medieval romance based on the Ugly Duckling is idealistic despite the rawness it portrays. Two people who have suffered, both with visible and invisible scars come together. Set in fourteenth century England it is a tale of persecution and forgiveness. Audrey, the daughter of a Viscount was badly scared to the face by the actions of her malicious sister Maris. Maris was sent away. She returns!
Edwin, Lord Dericott has lost an arm and carries scars of his own.
Audrey flees her father’s home when Maris threatens her. She’s attacked outside Dericott Castle, and taken there to recover when found. Of course Audrey and Edwin eventually are attracted to each other. Danger though lies not to far away.
Under all, the story explores the behaviour of victims of abuse, and how for some, their responses to their world are through the prism of their treatment.
Despite all this I felt somewhat removed from the story. The tone of the characters just seems flat despite all that happens. The wicked sister actually is the one I felt more sympathy for—scarred as she’s been, invisible damage leaving her twisted.
Redemption comes for all three in various ways. Love just might conquer all.

A Thomas Nelson ARC via NetGalley

[★*☆♪Ev★*☆♪ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
Really good!
I dont think I have ever read a Ugly Duckling retelling before!

[Michaela Bush · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I have to say that this is the first fiction book in awhile that's held my attention long enough that I'm able to read it cover-to-cover in one day.  While the first couple of chapters felt extremely repetitive, I'm glad that I kept reading anyway, because the rest of the story had excellent pacing and was pretty great overall.  If you're a fan of Dickerson's works, you'll definitely enjoy this book; it follows her style very well.  I can honestly say that I've never read a fairytale retelling based on "The Ugly Duckling" (at least, one that uses humans) so it was a breath of fresh air for the retelling genre.  While I thought that the main villains could have been written better (they came off a bit shallow and their dialogue stiff; there was a LOT of potential there), the main plot line was definitely interesting, the characters were memorable, and I'm definitely hooked on the Dericott storyline now.  While I haven't read the first book in this series yet, I was able to pick up well enough, so it's good as a standalone as well.  

* I was provided with a review copy of this book in order to provide my honest opinion. The views expressed here are my own.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Melanie Dickerson has written another beautiful, inspiring, and adventure filled story with a twist on the tale of the Ugly Duckling where a broken Lord and a broken Viscount's daughter develop a strong bond of friendship and eventually fall in love. Readers will adore this story with strong and inspiring characters. It is a magnificent story that will capture the attention of readers so they will not want to put the book down.

Genre: young adult, fairytale, romance
Publisher: Thomas Nielsen
Publication date: June 1, 2021
Number of pages:

Other books in the series:
1-Court of Swans

Disclosure statement: A complimentary review copy of this book was provided from tour groups, publishers, publicists, authors, and others, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, Or borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR borrowed from Deseret Bookshelf, OR pre-ordered/purchased for review, including Audible. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Castle of Refuge is the second installment in The Dericott Tales. Just like the previous book, I completely devoured this one. Which is somewhat interesting since I'm not a big fan of Christian Fiction. Yet, somehow, these books are just so easy to get lost in. I could do with less 'thank god we are alive' though but I could see why they were said so many times as well.

In it, you will meet Audrey and Edwin. Now Audrey has always been put down by her own sister. Someone who she should look up to but is constantly afraid of. I mean.. the girl was definitely something with a side of crazy. I hated how she constantly put Audrey down and tried to kill her.

Then there's Edwin who was just all kinds of sweet. He's like my little cinnamon roll and I just loved him with all my heart. Together they were just really cute and I liked their little slow burn of a romance. Even though I definitely wanted more but I'm good with what I got since it's Christian Fiction.

Other than that, I'm pretty intrigued by the third book becoming a possibility. I can't wait for it to become available - published or ARC just so I can continue with this retelling adventure.

[(Katie) Paperbacks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series...it gets better with every book that comes along.

I always love the way Melanie Dickerson comes up with the villains in her stories. I think the villains might be some of my favorite characters in her books, because you love to hate them.

This second book in the Dericott series follows the eldest brother of Delia from the first book, and a new girl Audrey. Audrey's sister has been nothing but cruel to her her whole life. Her sister is mad and will do anything to hurt Audrey. But when Audrey runs away she runs into Edwin, a broken man who needs the love and comfort she can provide.

With danger, kidnappings and true love, this is a great love story mixed with Melanie Dickerson's trademark of suspense.

[lyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ well, it was okay.
I enjoyed it, and I was needing a sweet, innocent book. I've been listening to a ton of dystopian books, and this was the perfect genre to switch it up.
The love story was cute, and the storyline was paced well.
But what was wrong, you say?
Well... I cringed too many times.
- A friendly embrace turned kiss.
- The main characters always thinking the other couldn't possibly love them for almost the whole book.
- The MCs' denials of their crushes.
- The repetitiveness of the author's words (I don't mean to be disrespectful, I just think she repeated what she said a lot).
- The MCs thinking they're unlovable and being oblivious to the other's crush on them.

So it was good, but not the best Melanie Dickerson book.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Castle of Refuge" by Melanie Dickerson is the second book in the “Dericott Tales” series. This is a young adult “Ugly Duckling” retelling. I was very excited to read more about one of my favorite side characters in the first book of the series, Edwin.

Audrey and Edwin are the main characters of this story. I really appreciated that this tale includes someone with scars (Audrey has a deformity), someone physically disabled (Edwin lost one arm) and someone who struggles with a mental disability (Audrey’s sister). It is wonderful to follow along with Edwin and Audrey and see how they grieve and learn to live with their scars and deformities. One does not see a lot of main characters with disabilities.

Besides overcoming hardships, the characters also encounter adventure, danger and romance. I love the faith aspects in Dickerson’s books and how the characters truly rely on and grow in their faith. The lessons are always so beautiful. Edwin wrestles with blaming and being angry with God for the bad things that happened to him. He realizes God does not cause evil, but may have plans to use it in ways we cannot understand. God brings the beautiful from the ugly. Audrey learns scars are what make her beautiful--the things she has overcome and how she stayed gentle and kind despite it all.

As with all Melanie’s books, I think readers of middle grade and young adult novels will love this newest addition. It’s a fun, clean, faith-filled and heartwarming adventure!

Content: I give this book a PG rating. Some examples of the content are: there is an emotionally and physically abusive and mentally ill sister; people drink ale; a girl was physically abused in the past; mention of the devil and of being possessed by a demon; mention of a large-busted woman; mention of other masters taking advantage of their servants; mention of a concubine.

Rating: I give this book 5 stars.

I want to thank Melanie Dickerson and Thomas Nelson for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
“Castle of Refuge”, by Melanie Dickerson (Thomas Nelson - FICTION), is a very sweet, slow burn inspirational historical novel, with lovable, complex characters and entertaining and well written interactions and dialogue.
The writing is smooth, fluid, articulate and flawless, with well crafted digressions into the protagonists’ thoughts and feelings as well as beautiful descriptions of the setting and Nature in general.
I was completely absorbed by Edwin and Audrey, characters who were both beautiful and perfect in the beginning and then… they’re not.
I really liked the disability representation: the author shows Edwin’s problems and struggles with balance, walking and mounting and riding a horse, and also the grieving and psychological aspects of gradually adapting to a new body.
Audrey is scarred, too, and such a sweet person. I felt they were perfect for each other. They both show vulnerability in face of adversity, feel weak and damaged, yet they’re resilient and brave.
I liked the beautiful messages of kindness, grace and tolerance and how the story is full of spirituality without falling into preaching. I also appreciated how the author handled the issues of domestic violence and bullying between siblings.

[Abigail G. Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this Dickerson book more than I have liked one of her books in years. This book is clean to the point it errors on unrealistic — thus the star reduction — but it was still wonderful. I loved the characters struggles with their imperfections. I suppose as someone who has struggled with similar thoughts I related more strongly. I also strongly appreciated how the romance was focused on the others character and less their physical appearance. I would recommend this story for younger readers; eleven year old me would have eaten this story up. I also read this story in one evening which shows how quickly this book can be read. It was throughly enjoyable.

[Susan Snodgrass · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always did love a good fairy tale. I still do. That’s why I love Melanie Dickerson’s retelling of fairy tales with an inspirational bent. This second book in her Dericott series brings us her retelling of The Ugly Duckling. Audrey’s face is marred and Edwin is missing an arm lost in battle. Both feel abnormal but discover that God has plans for them. Dickerson tells this in such an interesting way and I was mesmerized. Recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers via Net Galley. The opinion in this review is expressly my own.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quick Look (out of five):
Plot Rating: 0
Character Rating: -
Romance Rating: 1
World-Building Rating: 1
Writing Style Rating: 2
Recommended?: Only if you want to read something with dangerously ableist (discriminatory or prejudiced attitudes towards people with disabilities) depictions that feed into the ways people with disabilities are treated as inferior and undeserving and violent.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book made me vibrate with anger. If I did not feel it was my duty to finish this book for you guys so that I could more fully discuss why it is awful, I would have stopped within the first 20 pages. This novel revolves around an extremely dangerous depiction of disability. The two main characters have some kind of physical disability or disfigurement, and their love story is disability inspiration porn at its finest. The villain is described constantly as having a mental disability which causes her to be violent and cruel. At its core, this novel is about an ableist depiction of ‘good’ disability versus ‘bad’ disability. The novel also works extremely hard to cash in on the emotions of a storyline around two disfigured people finding love, without making either character less than traditionally beautiful and functional. All of this is tied up in overarching Christianity that I am not religious enough to untangle. There is so much to unpack, that I will not be doing a traditional “Spoilers” section. Instead, after the analysis of the overall novel, I will delve into the common disability stereotypes in media, the way this novel uses them, and why they are very, very dangerous.

Set in the late Middle Ages, Castle of Refuge follows Audrey, our perfectly beautiful and good heroine. At the start of the novel, Audrey is 15-years-old and her father wants to begin talks to marry her off to Lord Dericott’s son Edwin. However, her older sister Maris, in a fit of jealousy, trips Audrey into a fire. Though left with mild burns, her father decides her marriage prospects are significantly lowered and stops pursuing a match for her. Maris is sent to a convent and four years pass. Audrey, now 19, discovers her father intends to marry her to a knight more than twice her age and that her sister is returning home. Desperate to escape a loveless match and her older sister’s cruelty, Audrey flees. She ends up at Dericott castle, working as a maid to the man she was supposed to marry four years ago.

Audrey does not feel 19-years-old to me, often acting childlike and impulsive. Audrey develops more of a personality as the novel progresses, but in the beginning she is a caricature of the perfect woman. Her ‘personality’ is good, pious, patient, forgiving, unfailingly kind, cheerful, and beautiful – she is the archetype of the patriarchal ‘perfect’ woman in every way. Audrey dreams of doing something to leave a mark on the world, something important and grand, such as teaching girls to read. The longer Audrey is away from the constant fear she experiences around Maris, the more she gains confidence and a personality. Never enough to make her anything less than the ideal woman, though. Audrey’s scars are described as marring one ear and extending the width of two fingers onto her face and are easily hidden with her hair. Audrey’s storyline is clearly supposed to be about someone scarred and considered ugly finding someone who loves her anyways. However, it feels cheapened in too many ways. Audrey’s scars are never described as enough to mar her perfect beauty. Edwin, our romantic interest, thinks to himself how unfair it is that such a beautiful, kind woman has scars, as though scars are only meant for ugly, mean women. That her beauty overcomes them. Not that he does not see them or does not find them ugly, but that she is beautiful enough to compensate for them. It creates the sense that this is the amount of disfiguration that can be overlooked on a woman, that any increased disfigurement being ‘overlooked’ would be too unbelievable. The aim is to craft a character storyline that shows a man who finds a scarred woman beautiful despite her being considered ugly, and falling in love with her personality and scars. What we get is a woman who is conventionally beautiful having a slight ‘issue’ with her appearance overlooked, presented as some kind of inspirational story about broken people falling in love.

Edwin has even less personality than Audrey, somehow. He is 19 at the beginning of the novel, and 23 when Audrey works for him incognito. He recently lost his arm protecting his brothers during their time in the Tower of London after falsely being accused of treason. I was hopeful that the novel would delve into the feelings of loss and the struggle to adapt to a new way of life in a nuanced and realistic way. At first, there are moments that show Edwin struggling with balance and walking much slower than others while he adjusts to having only one arm. However, by the middle of the novel, these moment of Edwin actually experiencing the disability that comes from having one arm in a world designed for people with two vanish. He is suddenly riding his horse at a gallop, when a week ago balancing on a horse walking was difficult. Edwin is wielding his sword with perfect skill, despite the fact that he would need to retrain his body to perform these motions with a different center of balance. We never see Edwin doing the hard work of relearning things he used to take for granted. The only depictions of Edwin’s struggle that remain are his emotional struggles. Edwin regularly thinks of himself as “half a man” who must conquer his weakness and refuses to use a walking stick. This is fine as a starting point during a journey of adaptation, but it only changes when the disabilities that come with one arm vanish from the narrative.

Maris is a disgusting, ableist caricature of mental disability. To start with, the only evidence given by the narrative and the other characters for why Maris is “touched in the head” (one of many terrible euphemisms used in the novel) is that she is violent and cruel. This pulls from the damaging stereotype of those with mental disabilities as inherently dangerous and violent. Maris is presented as evil incarnate. She has no good qualities and is motivated only by hatred and jealousy, the stereotypical cartoon villain. The most disgusting part of Maris’s character is her backstory, which is used to explain away and justify her actions. When Audrey was born, a nursemaid was hired to take care of the children. The nursemaid doted on Audrey and physically abused Maris for three years before her actions were discovered and she was fired. Audrey describes how this experience clearly “altered [Maris’s] mind” and is the root cause of her hatred and anger issues. Physical abuse as a child can cause lasting trauma, but painting this as the reason for Maris’s villainy is awful. It is supposed to make the reader pity Maris, as Audrey does, and create a sense of empathy that dulls the edge of Maris’s cruelty. This depiction of abuse leading to mental disability pulls from multiple dangerous stereotypes about both groups and paints them as deserving of pity and less capable. Further, the novel creates a dichotomy of good and evil with different types of disability depicted as naturally falling to one side or the other. It is the ‘good’ disability of physical disability/disfigurement (Edwin’s lost arm and Audrey’s burns) versus the ‘bad’ disability of mental disability.

Despite being a romance novel, the romantic plotline feels bland. There is never any sense of the characters falling in love. The narrative observes moments where the characters have growing feelings, but in a way that does not feel believable. Audrey is already in love with Edwin by the time she meets him, simply because she saw him once four years ago and was supposed to marry him. There is never any sense of romantic tension when they are together. Other characters comment upon this ‘tension’ but the reader never sees it. We do not see Audrey and Edwin engage in very many serious conversations that bring them closer together. Some of the blandness of the romance comes from the fact that these characters are boring, and some of it comes from a lack of romantic moments between Audrey and Edwin.

This novel is very loosely set in the late Middle Ages. The main elements are there, such as lords with field workers beholden to them and fewer options for women. However, the setting offers no true constraints or color to the novel. It feels like a prettified vision of how the Middle Ages were, with anything that does not fit with what the author wants tossed aside. It does not feel like the author did very much research about the Middle Ages. Scars were not uncommon during this time period. There were wars, not great medicine, and a lack of understanding of how disease spread, making it difficult to stop. Peasants engaged in hard labor and had poor nutrition. Disfigurement and scars would not have stood out in the way the author presents them, nor were people so superstitious that they would think scars the sign of the Devil. The time period setting is not well-crafted or accurate. This means that all of the disability representation cannot be written off as a product of the time period (nor would that be an acceptable excuse no matter what). For example, Audrey is able to travel quite far on her own. She is robbed, but none of the robbers with “evil in their eyes” touch her. She is allowed to run wild through flower fields and befriend people in the village nearby, something no women of good birth over 12 would be allowed to do. The fashion and social customs are vaguely accurate, but again they bend into whatever the author wants them to be.

The writing style is fine. It feels like the author is attempting to recreate how they believe people spoke during the Middle Ages. However, it just makes the dialogue feel clunky, like puppets talking without emotion behind them. It also is not accurate in any way. The actual words used in the late Middle Ages might be different than those used by modern speakers, but they did not speak in formal and unnatural tones. The plot, like the dialogue, is stilted. The narrative tension is poorly held, and most of the struggles the characters face are overcome too easily. Maris causes problems throughout the novel, in a way that begins to feel boring and repetitive in nature. Her actions do not feel like they come from personal feelings and wants. Maris’s actions and desires are designed to move Audrey’s plot forward, making Maris’s actions feel heavy-handed and flat. Further, the author does too much telling and not enough showing. We are told that Audrey loves learning and is smart. We are also told that this woman who loves to read histories has named her horse Blackie. Considering the lifespan of horses, Audrey named him when she was old enough to have a favorite figure in history that she named him after. Blackie is the name a child gives an animal, not a woman who is presented as intelligent and interested in history.

I do not say this lightly, I feel this novel should be boycotted. It somehow manages to present every single negative stereotype of mental disability. The attitude of the narrative conveys a sense of judgement and dehumanization toward people with mental conditions. The novel has terrible representation of physical and mental disabilities and exists solely for the enjoyment of an able-bodied audience. I have read books I dislike for various reasons, but I have never read a book I hated the way I hate this one. As someone with a disability, reading this novel made my skin crawl. Castle of Refuge is a disgusting and dangerous depiction of disability that should never have been published.

DISCUSSION

Ableism is defined as discrimination or prejudice against individuals with disabilities. Disability is the experience of decreased ability level due to a person functioning in a way that society is not set up to accommodate. This novel presents a façade of disability representation that falls apart very quickly. The author crafts a story that hinges around the inherent evil of people with mental disabilities. Instead of simply having an ‘evil stepsister’ type villain, the author tries to have her cake and eat it too. Maris is vicious and cruel, but it is not her fault because she is “touched in the head”. This is damaging disability representation in two ways. First, the only evidence presented to prove Maris is “mad” is her violent behavior. There is not a single mental disability that can be diagnosed by the presence of cruelty. Rather than pulling from accurate information about mental disabilities, the author instead presents a character based solely on dangerous and inaccurate stereotypes. Second, it leans into this idea that people with mental disabilities are less capable and deserving of pity. It dehumanizes those who are different, showing their differences as something sad. In this novel, this attitude intertwines with religious ideas of everything being the work of God. However, it is Audrey who experiences this. She thinks of Maris’s cruelty and mental instability as something done to her as a test or something to overcome. It does not center Maris in her own life and instead makes her an ornament in Audrey’s. Her personhood is stolen by the narrative in the ways Maris’s “madness” is discussed and presented, and the ways in which Maris’s actions always revolve around Audrey’s storyline.

These stereotypes have real-world consequences. They are the reason people get scared and call the cops if homeless people are ‘acting strange’. They are why interactions between those with mental disabilities and the cops so often end in tragedy, especially if that person is also a person of color. They are the reason that people with mental disabilities are fired from jobs and discriminated against. I had a teacher who had revealed that they had bipolar during a class discussion beg our class not to say anything, for fear that they would be fired. I myself have faced discrimination due to my disability. Teachers have made me cry in the ways they belittle me or refuse to believe that I need certain accommodations in order to survive. The world is incredibly dangerous for people with disabilities, and this book pushes forward the exact kind of attitude that makes everything more unsafe.

The lack of disability representation and the presence of many harmful depictions of those with disabilities is extremely prevalent in literature. Disabled activists and authors often comment on the ways in which their experience is erased. The few instances depicting disability that are found in pop culture are designed to appeal to able-bodied audiences. They are disability inspiration porn stories. For example, many, many people have written about the ways in which the highly popular film and book Me Before You, encapsulates this genre perfectly. The story is about an able-bodied woman finding herself through working with someone with a disability. The disabled character is robbed of his voice at every turn – the novel does not feature a single chapter from his point of view. Everything is about the able-bodied protagonist, with the disabled character merely a tool and place where she works through a process of self-discovery. Maris fulfills a very similar role in this novel. All of Maris’s actions are for the purpose of driving Audrey’s story. Any information we learn about Maris comes from outside of her and is the product of people speculating and assuming. The author uses Maris as a tool in Audrey’s story, one that is immediately removed from the narrative once her usefulness is over.

Edwin, our other disabled character, is presented very differently from Maris. Yet his representation also falls into the category of ‘bad representation’. His disability is represented haphazardly at best. He only experiences physical impairment when the narrative wants to create sympathy for him. However, it vanishes when the narrative needs Edwin to fulfill the role of male rescuer for Audrey. For example, at one point they have to crawl deeper into a small cave behind a waterfall. This is simply accomplished; there is no discussion of how Edwin crawls into a cave with one arm. It would be more difficult and would require movements that would not read as befitting a ‘dashing masculine hero’ – so it is simply excluded. Edwin’s representation falls into the category of white male protagonist who ‘overcomes’ a disability through great struggle and endurance and goes back to how life was before. This paints disability as something negative that must be overcome and as something unheroic and unmanly. Edwin serves to allow able-bodied people to pity and sympathize with someone with a disability, and then to experience joy at their ‘great triumph’. It is not about crafting a story that feels authentic to a disabled audience or to create an ending triumph that does not minimize their experience. It is disabled achievement written exclusively for able-bodied enjoyment – what is often referred to as disability inspiration porn.

In this novel, Audrey is supposed to elicit pity due to her burns. However, Audrey is still conventionally beautiful – the author makes sure not to scar her enough to be always noticeable or actually disfiguring. The novel is trying to capitalize on this sense of instant pity for those who are disfigured without making its heroine less conventionally perfect. At the same time, it is pitting Audrey against Maris, physical disfigurement that should be pitied versus inherently evil mental disability. The narrative is using the two stereotypes of disability/disfigurement against one another, creating the sense that one is better. In Audrey and Edwin, the novel is trying to have an inspirational story of two ‘ugly’ people finding love while also demonizing neurodivergence, all without actually having to feature depictions of the protagonists as different from the able-bodied audience.

The author must feel the need to get their hands into all the ableist pies, because there is also representation of people with mental disabilities as childlike. Joan, a servant girl, is described as childlike by Audrey, although there is absolutely no evidence of this presented to the reader. Audrey thinks that Joan is so childlike that she must be “a little addled”. Again, like with Maris, the only evidence given that Joan must be mentally disabled is this childlike behavior. This stereotype dehumanizes people with mental disabilities and presents them as naturally underdeveloped and in n

[Ella Ferris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book! I liked it a lot better than Court of Swans; the writing was a lot better, the characters more believable, and all-around just better.

Characters:
They had life in them, and they had flaws. Audrey was a nice protagonist who had a cheerful and loving heart, despite all that had happened to her at home. Edwin was a very selfless (to the point of not caring for his own life), and sweet. I think he was one of the better heroes out of all of Melanie Dickerson's various heroes. I wish he would've had a bit more of an arch though: his self-denial and pretty much not caring whether he lived or died was not fully acknowledged or dealt with in the end, I think.
I thought that Maris was a very different character from any Dickerson had written before; I thought she was well-written, and despite how she was I felt sympathy for her. She was not simply 'the villain'.

Plot:
Good plot; flowed well, and kept me hanging. A good ending. I also liked how this book had a different order of events compared to the author's other books.

Writing:
Like I mentioned before, I thought the writing in this one was quite good; almost The Piper's Pursuit standard (that one is my favourite...). Much, much better than Court of Swans.

4.5 stars

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Castle of Refuge is an intense book. A great story, but it begins with Audrey, a young girl that lives with her father and crazy sister, and tries to live a simple, uncomplicated life. Her sister, being crazy, causes bodily harm to Audrey, changing all plans for her future. Four years later, she discovers her father's plan to marry her to a man twice her age, and her sister threatens her again, so she runs away from home. She falls sick on the road near Dericott castle, where Edwin, new Duke of Dericott, lives. The two have met in the past, but at first, only Audrey remembers. As they get to know one another, Edwin remembers her, and refuses to return her to her father, knowing how terrified she is of her sister. The story intensifies when her sister appears unexpectedly, and stirs up chaos. Excellent story that kept me enthralled the entire time! Wonderful ending! I loved it!