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The Dericott Tales #3
Veil of Winter
She's hounded from every side by treacherous elements and foes, but her greatest enemy lies within.
In the mountains near France, the medieval Princess Elyce is being forced to marry, thus forming an alliance that will enrich her father but enslave her kingdom. Instead, she chooses to feign her death and flee to Prague to beg King Wenceslaus to help save her people.
In England, the young knight Sir Gerard has a vision from God instructing him to help Elyce on her quest. When he arrives to find she has been near death for days, he manages to revive her. However, thinking the stranger was trying to kiss her, the princess immediately distrusts him. But her desperate situation forces her to accept his aid.
Pursued by her enemy's guards over mountainous terrain, they must also battle the deadly winter elements. Her greatest challenge may be to overcome the voices of disapproval and accusation from her childhood. Will her emotions lead her into her true identity, or will they undermine her ability to work with Gerard and to save her people, who desperately need her help?
In this dazzling and romantic story, New York Times bestselling author Melanie Dickerson takes the classic Sleeping Beauty fairy tale to satisfying new heights.
In the mountains near France, the medieval Princess Elyce is being forced to marry, thus forming an alliance that will enrich her father but enslave her kingdom. Instead, she chooses to feign her death and flee to Prague to beg King Wenceslaus to help save her people.
In England, the young knight Sir Gerard has a vision from God instructing him to help Elyce on her quest. When he arrives to find she has been near death for days, he manages to revive her. However, thinking the stranger was trying to kiss her, the princess immediately distrusts him. But her desperate situation forces her to accept his aid.
Pursued by her enemy's guards over mountainous terrain, they must also battle the deadly winter elements. Her greatest challenge may be to overcome the voices of disapproval and accusation from her childhood. Will her emotions lead her into her true identity, or will they undermine her ability to work with Gerard and to save her people, who desperately need her help?
In this dazzling and romantic story, New York Times bestselling author Melanie Dickerson takes the classic Sleeping Beauty fairy tale to satisfying new heights.
308 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2022
118 people are currently reading
4453 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Dickerson
41 books6,525 followersMelanie 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 302 reviews
June 17, 2022
3.5 stars, personally.
About this book:
“Princess Elyce is on the verge of marrying the nephew of the unscrupulous King Conrad of a neighboring kingdom when she discovers that Conrad will use her marriage to force her people to work in his mines. In order to fake her own death and escape him, she takes a sleeping potion, planning to awaken on the third day and then travel to Prague to seek help from King Wenceslaus, who rules the Holy Roman Empire. But her plan goes awry: the third day comes without her waking up.
Sir Gerard is convinced by Delia, his sister and Elyce’s best friend, to go help the sleeping princess, still slumbering and held captive by King Conrad’s guards. He manages to wake her with a kiss, but the princess is not pleased at this rude awakening. Still, he is her only hope of escape. Thus begins their journey to Prague in the dead of winter, hounded on all sides by elements and enemies. The greatest threat may come from within, though, as they desperately fight against their growing feelings for one another.”
Series: Book #3 in “The Dericott Tales”. Review of the Book #1 Here! and Book #2 Here!
Spiritual Content- A few Scriptures are mentioned & remembered; Many Prayers; Going to a chapel to pray; Talks about God; ‘H’s are capitalized when referring to God; Elyce thinks that she must be a faithful person because she wonders why God would allow certain things to happen & asks for repentance; Elyce struggles with guilt for disobeying her father because of the Scripture is honor your father and mother (though, her father isn’t doing good for the people of their country); Mentions of God, His will, & being called by Him; Mentions of prayers, praying, thanking God, & blessings over food; Mentions of a vision & receiving one from God (Gerard); Mentions of going to a chapel to pray; Mentions of chapels/cathedrals, popes, & priests; Mentions of sins; A few mentions of the How Scriptures/Holy Writ; A few mentions of a crucifix at a chapel; A few mentions of those & places in the Bible; A mention of monks;
*Note: Elyce grew up being told that there is two unforgivable sins which would cause everyone to stop loving her: being selfish and showing too much emotion (by her father & aunt, but she wonders that if that’s true, why would God give her emotions in the first place; *Spoiler* ); Gerard wonders if the attract he feels for Elyce is a test or a temptation from the devil (compared to Jesus being lead into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to fast and then be tempted by the devil); Elyce’s father says that God will punish her for not listening to him; Mentions of evil people; A mention of a priest telling a man that he cannot murder his child or God will send him to hell (the man says that he’ll worry about that later and that God can forgive any sin, which the priest responds that there is no forgiveness without repentance); A mention of a healer being vouched for despite her not going to church or confession in many years.
Negative Content- A bit of eye rolling; Seeing a fight & death (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Being strangled, almost passing out, & pain (*Spoiler* , up to semi-detailed); Nearly drowning & freezing to death (up to semi-detailed); Taking a potion & going into a deep sleep (somewhat painful, barely-above-not-detailed); Elyce lies for her and the others’ safety (she asks God for forgiveness after); Elyce is hurt by her father not loving her; Elyce’s father & aunt told her that she shouldn’t show her emotions and Elyce thinks that if she does show her emotions, no one will love her and that emotions are disgusting and dangerous; Mentions of wars, rebellions, & fighting; Mentions of a death, fights, injuries, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of Gerard & his brother being falsely accused of treason and murder & being almost executed (Book #1); Mentions of the possibility of being killed; Mentions of threats of violence, death, & executions; Mentions of harsh working conditions, being treated like slaves, & deaths (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a woman being chased to her (almost) death off a cliff & her being willing to take her own life to get away from the man; Mentions of someone who froze to death & the possibility of it happening; Mentions of stopping a man from being beaten; Mentions of blood/bleeding & injuries; Mentions of treason; Mentions of ransoms; Mentions of a potion that makes the person be believed to be dead by slowing their heartbeat and breathing, the possibility of injury from it, or possibly death and being buried alive (Elyce takes it); Mentions of hatred; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of hunting & dead animals; Mentions of having to use the bathroom outside (embarrassing for the women); A few mentions of thieves & stealing; A few mentions of alcohol & drinking; A few mentions of bullies; A couple mentions of beatings; A couple mentions of being concerned about a sick horse; A mention of a rumor; A mention of animal waste.
Sexual Content- Four hand kisses (one unpleasant and one barely-above-not-detailed), a cheek kiss, two barely-above-not-detailed kisses (one is not meant to be romantic as Gerard was trying to do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on Elyce), two semi-detailed kisses, and two border-line semi-detailed // detailed kisses (before one of them, Gerard thinks that he knows he shouldn’t kiss her, but she wants him to kiss her and that if he did, “he’d be pleasing himself as well as her”); Quite a bit of remembering kisses (up to semi-detailed) & wanting to kiss again (including Elyce trying to think of a way to get Gerard to kiss her, barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Warmth, & Nearness (barely-above-not-detailed); Wanting to touch & embrace (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes & Winks; Noticing & Staring (barely-above-not-detailed); Elyce & Gerard have to sleep close together for warmth (it’s awkward for both of them, but Elyce thinks at one point that there is “something deliciously intimate about sleeping next to him”); The group (Elyce, Gerard, and two others) have to share a bedroom (nothing happens); When Elyce asks a man if he’ll be faithful to her, he talks about having “freedom” and that their marriage would be for the countries’ well-being, not for love (she says she intends to be faithful to her husband and wants him to respect her); Many mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of Gerard trying to do to mouth-to-mouth to Elyce & her not being happy about it; Mentions of men (not) touching women inappropriately; Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of blushes; A few mentions of Gerard recalling when he was younger and kissed a few maidens (the knight he was in service with encouraged him to do that and more with the local woman) & how he didn’t feel right doing it, especially after one of the maidens catching him kissing another girl (he regrets his insensitive behavior); A few mentions of flirting; A few mentions of broken hearts; A couple mentions of Elyce hoping that she would love her future husband “at least enough to kiss him and have children with him”; A couple mentions of a man saying lustful things about servant girls (which caused Elyce to wonder if all men were brutish animals); A couple mentions of men saying that their wives changed personalities after getting married; A mention of Elyce thinking that she always hoped her first kiss to be with her husband (& her being mad that Gerard just stole that when he did mouth-to-mouth resuscitation); A mention of an accusation of a princess throwing herself to a knight; A mention of Elyce not liking how some guards were staring at her; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: A mention of Elyce being thankful was still “as skinny as a twelve-year-old” as her aunt told her she was (though her aunt meant it as an insult because she believed a curvier figure was more desirable for being able to have an heir).
-Princess Elyce, age 19
-Sir Gerard, age 21 (?)
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1382 Medieval/Historical
320 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
This may not have been my favorite book by this author, but it was still an overall cute one. I think I struggled the most with how young Elyce felt and acted. Gerard was fine as far as leading heroes go. While, sure, I rooted for their mission and wanted them to be together, neither of them stood out to me nor did I feel connected to either of them. I’m not sure why that was. I felt bad for Elyce having to grow up being belittled and told that having emotions is sinful (mind you, this is from her father and aunt as her mother passed away having getting upset at her father; not a clergyman) so Gerard was a good fit and an encourager to her. I do wish they hadn’t spent so much time thinking about kissing the other, though.
Some things were a little coincidental or predictable at times, but it was overall a good book and I liked that the characters prayed throughout the whole book.
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.
About this book:
“Princess Elyce is on the verge of marrying the nephew of the unscrupulous King Conrad of a neighboring kingdom when she discovers that Conrad will use her marriage to force her people to work in his mines. In order to fake her own death and escape him, she takes a sleeping potion, planning to awaken on the third day and then travel to Prague to seek help from King Wenceslaus, who rules the Holy Roman Empire. But her plan goes awry: the third day comes without her waking up.
Sir Gerard is convinced by Delia, his sister and Elyce’s best friend, to go help the sleeping princess, still slumbering and held captive by King Conrad’s guards. He manages to wake her with a kiss, but the princess is not pleased at this rude awakening. Still, he is her only hope of escape. Thus begins their journey to Prague in the dead of winter, hounded on all sides by elements and enemies. The greatest threat may come from within, though, as they desperately fight against their growing feelings for one another.”
Series: Book #3 in “The Dericott Tales”. Review of the Book #1 Here! and Book #2 Here!
Spiritual Content- A few Scriptures are mentioned & remembered; Many Prayers; Going to a chapel to pray; Talks about God; ‘H’s are capitalized when referring to God; Elyce thinks that she must be a faithful person because she wonders why God would allow certain things to happen & asks for repentance; Elyce struggles with guilt for disobeying her father because of the Scripture is honor your father and mother (though, her father isn’t doing good for the people of their country); Mentions of God, His will, & being called by Him; Mentions of prayers, praying, thanking God, & blessings over food; Mentions of a vision & receiving one from God (Gerard); Mentions of going to a chapel to pray; Mentions of chapels/cathedrals, popes, & priests; Mentions of sins; A few mentions of the How Scriptures/Holy Writ; A few mentions of a crucifix at a chapel; A few mentions of those & places in the Bible; A mention of monks;
*Note: Elyce grew up being told that there is two unforgivable sins which would cause everyone to stop loving her: being selfish and showing too much emotion (by her father & aunt, but she wonders that if that’s true, why would God give her emotions in the first place; *Spoiler* ); Gerard wonders if the attract he feels for Elyce is a test or a temptation from the devil (compared to Jesus being lead into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to fast and then be tempted by the devil); Elyce’s father says that God will punish her for not listening to him; Mentions of evil people; A mention of a priest telling a man that he cannot murder his child or God will send him to hell (the man says that he’ll worry about that later and that God can forgive any sin, which the priest responds that there is no forgiveness without repentance); A mention of a healer being vouched for despite her not going to church or confession in many years.
Negative Content- A bit of eye rolling; Seeing a fight & death (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Being strangled, almost passing out, & pain (*Spoiler* , up to semi-detailed); Nearly drowning & freezing to death (up to semi-detailed); Taking a potion & going into a deep sleep (somewhat painful, barely-above-not-detailed); Elyce lies for her and the others’ safety (she asks God for forgiveness after); Elyce is hurt by her father not loving her; Elyce’s father & aunt told her that she shouldn’t show her emotions and Elyce thinks that if she does show her emotions, no one will love her and that emotions are disgusting and dangerous; Mentions of wars, rebellions, & fighting; Mentions of a death, fights, injuries, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of Gerard & his brother being falsely accused of treason and murder & being almost executed (Book #1); Mentions of the possibility of being killed; Mentions of threats of violence, death, & executions; Mentions of harsh working conditions, being treated like slaves, & deaths (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a woman being chased to her (almost) death off a cliff & her being willing to take her own life to get away from the man; Mentions of someone who froze to death & the possibility of it happening; Mentions of stopping a man from being beaten; Mentions of blood/bleeding & injuries; Mentions of treason; Mentions of ransoms; Mentions of a potion that makes the person be believed to be dead by slowing their heartbeat and breathing, the possibility of injury from it, or possibly death and being buried alive (Elyce takes it); Mentions of hatred; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of hunting & dead animals; Mentions of having to use the bathroom outside (embarrassing for the women); A few mentions of thieves & stealing; A few mentions of alcohol & drinking; A few mentions of bullies; A couple mentions of beatings; A couple mentions of being concerned about a sick horse; A mention of a rumor; A mention of animal waste.
Sexual Content- Four hand kisses (one unpleasant and one barely-above-not-detailed), a cheek kiss, two barely-above-not-detailed kisses (one is not meant to be romantic as Gerard was trying to do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on Elyce), two semi-detailed kisses, and two border-line semi-detailed // detailed kisses (before one of them, Gerard thinks that he knows he shouldn’t kiss her, but she wants him to kiss her and that if he did, “he’d be pleasing himself as well as her”); Quite a bit of remembering kisses (up to semi-detailed) & wanting to kiss again (including Elyce trying to think of a way to get Gerard to kiss her, barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Warmth, & Nearness (barely-above-not-detailed); Wanting to touch & embrace (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes & Winks; Noticing & Staring (barely-above-not-detailed); Elyce & Gerard have to sleep close together for warmth (it’s awkward for both of them, but Elyce thinks at one point that there is “something deliciously intimate about sleeping next to him”); The group (Elyce, Gerard, and two others) have to share a bedroom (nothing happens); When Elyce asks a man if he’ll be faithful to her, he talks about having “freedom” and that their marriage would be for the countries’ well-being, not for love (she says she intends to be faithful to her husband and wants him to respect her); Many mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of Gerard trying to do to mouth-to-mouth to Elyce & her not being happy about it; Mentions of men (not) touching women inappropriately; Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of blushes; A few mentions of Gerard recalling when he was younger and kissed a few maidens (the knight he was in service with encouraged him to do that and more with the local woman) & how he didn’t feel right doing it, especially after one of the maidens catching him kissing another girl (he regrets his insensitive behavior); A few mentions of flirting; A few mentions of broken hearts; A couple mentions of Elyce hoping that she would love her future husband “at least enough to kiss him and have children with him”; A couple mentions of a man saying lustful things about servant girls (which caused Elyce to wonder if all men were brutish animals); A couple mentions of men saying that their wives changed personalities after getting married; A mention of Elyce thinking that she always hoped her first kiss to be with her husband (& her being mad that Gerard just stole that when he did mouth-to-mouth resuscitation); A mention of an accusation of a princess throwing herself to a knight; A mention of Elyce not liking how some guards were staring at her; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: A mention of Elyce being thankful was still “as skinny as a twelve-year-old” as her aunt told her she was (though her aunt meant it as an insult because she believed a curvier figure was more desirable for being able to have an heir).
-Princess Elyce, age 19
-Sir Gerard, age 21 (?)
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1382 Medieval/Historical
320 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
This may not have been my favorite book by this author, but it was still an overall cute one. I think I struggled the most with how young Elyce felt and acted. Gerard was fine as far as leading heroes go. While, sure, I rooted for their mission and wanted them to be together, neither of them stood out to me nor did I feel connected to either of them. I’m not sure why that was. I felt bad for Elyce having to grow up being belittled and told that having emotions is sinful (mind you, this is from her father and aunt as her mother passed away having getting upset at her father; not a clergyman) so Gerard was a good fit and an encourager to her. I do wish they hadn’t spent so much time thinking about kissing the other, though.
Some things were a little coincidental or predictable at times, but it was overall a good book and I liked that the characters prayed throughout the whole book.
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.
January 12, 2023
This was just okay. It felt like it was written for a very young audience and there wasn't much depth to the characters or writing. And I understand it was ingrained into her since she was young, but Elyce saying she was too emotional every 5 minutes was annoying.
April 22, 2023
Really enjoyed this one! A sleeping beauty retelling - yesss! The beginning part was my favorite with the sleeping beauty vibes. This story is all about Elyce who doesnt want to marry the guy her father has set out for her to marry because it all ties back to his plan to work with another king to make her people work in the dreadful mines - when they aren't people who would make it working there. So she devises a plan to drink a potion to put her to sleep for a few days and then she would escape and travel to another king to try and convince them to help her people.....but she doesn't wake up and along comes Sir Gerard - who has a vision from God instructing him to help Elyce. He goes to help her and things go on from here as they are perused by her enemy's guards over mountainous terrain and deadly winter.
Like I said, I enjoyed this story, these books are always a fun time - this one leaned more on the YA side but still enjoyed it. I personally like that we know our characters are Christian and can see their thoughts to God asking for His help throughout the story, or asking is this His will, etc. My favorite character was Sir Gerard and love that he has a vision from God to go help Elyce.
The romance was cute but a bit too instalove-y for me and Elyce was a bit whiney at times but again, this is YA so I could forgive it a bit haha. Overall, if you like retellings I think you would enjoy it, but its definitely for a younger audience. Excited to read book 4!
Like I said, I enjoyed this story, these books are always a fun time - this one leaned more on the YA side but still enjoyed it. I personally like that we know our characters are Christian and can see their thoughts to God asking for His help throughout the story, or asking is this His will, etc. My favorite character was Sir Gerard and love that he has a vision from God to go help Elyce.
The romance was cute but a bit too instalove-y for me and Elyce was a bit whiney at times but again, this is YA so I could forgive it a bit haha. Overall, if you like retellings I think you would enjoy it, but its definitely for a younger audience. Excited to read book 4!
September 29, 2022
4⭐️
I really enjoyed this fairytale about a girl who escapes an arranged marriage to a nasty man arranged by her father, the king…however, unlike most stories that start off this way, she is on a mission to gain the favour of other nations to take down the corrupt ruler of her people.
Along the way she is aided by a man who was told by God to help her specifically.
I’m contemplating bumping this down to a 3.75⭐️ ONLY because our main character is soooooooo obsessed with thinking that the love interest couldn’t ‘possibly’ be interested in her because she is too emotional 🙄. She thinks about this constantly and it was quite annoying.
I really enjoyed this fairytale about a girl who escapes an arranged marriage to a nasty man arranged by her father, the king…however, unlike most stories that start off this way, she is on a mission to gain the favour of other nations to take down the corrupt ruler of her people.
Along the way she is aided by a man who was told by God to help her specifically.
I’m contemplating bumping this down to a 3.75⭐️ ONLY because our main character is soooooooo obsessed with thinking that the love interest couldn’t ‘possibly’ be interested in her because she is too emotional 🙄. She thinks about this constantly and it was quite annoying.
December 2, 2022
This one wasn't that bad when compared to the first two. It was alright, but the plot was kind of stupid? Or not stupid exactly, but very unserious. I'm not expecting a lot from the next book, but since each book gets half a star better than the next, that one might end up being 3.5 who knows.
April 14, 2023
This was my first reading of one of Melanie Dickerson’s Dericott tales. As one of only perhaps six or seven men who actually took the time to read and review Veil of Winter (if I counted right), I would like to throw my overall opinion into the ring. Interestingly, as a fairytale retelling, all the men who read the story seemed to have highly rated it, with I think only one giving it three stars. Personally, I especially enjoyed the “historical” setting of the novel, tucking the kingdoms of Montciel and Valkenfeld neatly into the kaleidoscope of petty kingdoms between France and Germany (my guess would be around Burgundy and the western Alps) during the 1300s and with King “Wenceslaus” of Prague (no, not good King Wenceslaus of Christmas carol fame!), as the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. It gives it a feel of authenticity, and without the magic of the original fairytale of the Sleeping Beauty (or Disney’s saccharine retelling with its fairy godmother, spinning wheels, and evil queens who can turn into a dragon), it reads like an historical story. It is everything I would expect of a fairytale retelling without turning it into just another version of the original. Even the setting of winter adds to the overall drama and feel of the story. It is a fairytale retold as if history. And yes, there is even the fairytale’s famous kiss—in this case, a misunderstood kiss (and an understandable explanation for it)! A fun, clean, and cozy romance. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Dickerson’s retellings in her Dericott series.
October 30, 2022
Me finishing this and honestly trying to remember why I keep reading these books? Lol...not that they are bad but the plot follows the same outline every time.
One character usually the girl has something she doesn't want to do or needs to get away from.
Characters meet under stressful circumstances usually trouble of some sort.
Characters slowly fall in love as they try to figure out what to do but don't tell each other because they are afraid the other won't understand.
Usually become separated then end back up together to defeat the bad guy.
One character leaves for a bit then has a bad feeling or realizes they need to tell the other their feelings and goes back.
Plot twist the bad guy wasn't defeated so we have 15% left in the book receive a short fight scene which the good guys easily win, a declaration of love and a wedding by the end of the book.
And there you are...same plot for everyone of the books...lol...sorry, just feels like it needs to be mixed up a bit. Anyway...this was pretty good.
One character usually the girl has something she doesn't want to do or needs to get away from.
Characters meet under stressful circumstances usually trouble of some sort.
Characters slowly fall in love as they try to figure out what to do but don't tell each other because they are afraid the other won't understand.
Usually become separated then end back up together to defeat the bad guy.
One character leaves for a bit then has a bad feeling or realizes they need to tell the other their feelings and goes back.
Plot twist the bad guy wasn't defeated so we have 15% left in the book receive a short fight scene which the good guys easily win, a declaration of love and a wedding by the end of the book.
And there you are...same plot for everyone of the books...lol...sorry, just feels like it needs to be mixed up a bit. Anyway...this was pretty good.
July 23, 2022
Princess Elyce is being forced to marry Rodrigo, the nephew of the neighboring king. There are two problems with this: one, she doesn't like Rodrigo, and he doesn't like her; and two, his uncle is using their marriage as a way to convince her father to enslave her people in the mines. She needs to find an ally to stop this mess.
I have very mixed feelings about this book. The plot is a typical Melanie Dickerson plot - an enjoyable mix of drastic moral dilemmas with a light, inspirational-fiction touch; one for when you're in the mood for an adventure read, or if you're down and need a cozy.
Trouble is, unlike all the rest of her books, the two lead protagonists, our romantic interests in this venture... they just fell very flat. In the beginning, I thought this was deliberate; Dickerson is a master of graceful character development, realistically bringing an obnoxious character in the beginning of the book to a love interest we whole-heartedly cheer for in the end. Sadly, it was not that way here; there was next to zero character development. Gerard was constantly thinking about how honorable he was; he considered his friend his loyal companion with only the explanation that 'oh, I saved him once', which felt a little... off-putting; and he's just very distant. Elyce is a little better, since we get insight into her emotions and reasoning behind doing what she does, but she also feels very inconsistent without believable explanation for *why* she's switching between thinking one way about a problem in one chapter and another way about the same problem in the next chapter. The insta-love was expected, since it's pretty common in these books, but it was unbelievable in this story. Or, maybe not unbelievable, but very unenjoyable: the book could have probably a fifth of it cut out just removing the repeats of what the love interests looked like, 'how will he/she ever love me', 'I want to kiss her/him'...; and there wasn't any reason told or shown for their interest in each other (besides their 'beautiful/handsome' oft-repeated physical appearances) until nearly three-quarters of the way through the book. It just rang as very shallow and not inspirational, unlike the other books.
That being said, several of the supporting characters were enjoyable and realistically multi-dimensional. Gerard's friend was my favorite, with his occasional dry comment (I especially enjoyed one comment he made to Gerard akin to 'I sat with her at dinner once, and now you have us married?' - kind of a 'dude, insta-love isn't normal' type of comment, which amused me.)
I definitely enjoyed the plot enough to continue reading to see what happened, and the points of the book that I didn't enjoy may still be enjoyable to others. It was more solidly in the 'cozy romance' genre than Dickerson's books usually are, so I would think it's still a definite recommend to readers of that genre (which I'm not; I usually read more for the adventure and lightly inspirational characters). The writing was still enjoyable, the plot was good, and there were decent supporting characters. It's just not what I was hoping for, which is why I only gave it two stars.
Constant romantic themes puts this as a definite YA/adult book interest-wise. There's nothing graphically inappropriate, so probably okay for 13+. However, the romance doesn't have much mutual respect involved, is solely based on physical appearances for an uncomfortably large portion of the book, and overall comes across as less-than-desirable. Personally, I would only give this to a teen who I knew was already conscious of what a healthy relationship should be like.
I have very mixed feelings about this book. The plot is a typical Melanie Dickerson plot - an enjoyable mix of drastic moral dilemmas with a light, inspirational-fiction touch; one for when you're in the mood for an adventure read, or if you're down and need a cozy.
Trouble is, unlike all the rest of her books, the two lead protagonists, our romantic interests in this venture... they just fell very flat. In the beginning, I thought this was deliberate; Dickerson is a master of graceful character development, realistically bringing an obnoxious character in the beginning of the book to a love interest we whole-heartedly cheer for in the end. Sadly, it was not that way here; there was next to zero character development. Gerard was constantly thinking about how honorable he was; he considered his friend his loyal companion with only the explanation that 'oh, I saved him once', which felt a little... off-putting; and he's just very distant. Elyce is a little better, since we get insight into her emotions and reasoning behind doing what she does, but she also feels very inconsistent without believable explanation for *why* she's switching between thinking one way about a problem in one chapter and another way about the same problem in the next chapter. The insta-love was expected, since it's pretty common in these books, but it was unbelievable in this story. Or, maybe not unbelievable, but very unenjoyable: the book could have probably a fifth of it cut out just removing the repeats of what the love interests looked like, 'how will he/she ever love me', 'I want to kiss her/him'...; and there wasn't any reason told or shown for their interest in each other (besides their 'beautiful/handsome' oft-repeated physical appearances) until nearly three-quarters of the way through the book. It just rang as very shallow and not inspirational, unlike the other books.
That being said, several of the supporting characters were enjoyable and realistically multi-dimensional. Gerard's friend was my favorite, with his occasional dry comment (I especially enjoyed one comment he made to Gerard akin to 'I sat with her at dinner once, and now you have us married?' - kind of a 'dude, insta-love isn't normal' type of comment, which amused me.)
I definitely enjoyed the plot enough to continue reading to see what happened, and the points of the book that I didn't enjoy may still be enjoyable to others. It was more solidly in the 'cozy romance' genre than Dickerson's books usually are, so I would think it's still a definite recommend to readers of that genre (which I'm not; I usually read more for the adventure and lightly inspirational characters). The writing was still enjoyable, the plot was good, and there were decent supporting characters. It's just not what I was hoping for, which is why I only gave it two stars.
Constant romantic themes puts this as a definite YA/adult book interest-wise. There's nothing graphically inappropriate, so probably okay for 13+. However, the romance doesn't have much mutual respect involved, is solely based on physical appearances for an uncomfortably large portion of the book, and overall comes across as less-than-desirable. Personally, I would only give this to a teen who I knew was already conscious of what a healthy relationship should be like.
June 19, 2022
This was a really sweet, historical fairytale retelling of Sleeping Beauty. While the Sleeping Beauty elements were subtle, there is a still a sleeping princess involved. 😉
While I didn’t always connect with Elyce, I did like her in the end and was happy for her. But I loved Gerard! He was such a sweet guy. I love how he saw Elyce in a way no one else did. Instead of shaming her for showing her emotions, he encouraged her to honestly express how she felt.
The faith in this book was so nice! It was inspiring how often the characters prayed for guidance and wisdom in the decisions they made.
Overall, this was a clean, sweet romance with great faith content and a fast-paced plot! While not necessarily a new favorite or anything, I did enjoy it!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
While I didn’t always connect with Elyce, I did like her in the end and was happy for her. But I loved Gerard! He was such a sweet guy. I love how he saw Elyce in a way no one else did. Instead of shaming her for showing her emotions, he encouraged her to honestly express how she felt.
The faith in this book was so nice! It was inspiring how often the characters prayed for guidance and wisdom in the decisions they made.
Overall, this was a clean, sweet romance with great faith content and a fast-paced plot! While not necessarily a new favorite or anything, I did enjoy it!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
March 21, 2022
I really will never NOT love reading a Melanie Dickerson book! Her penchant for spinning fairytale like romance with kings and castles, derring do and stalwart heroes and heroines ( underscored by great virtues that will inspire YA and adults alike) is the perfect antidote to a world on fire.
another winner!
another winner!
October 18, 2022
A fun fairy tale retelling where the villains are the vilest and the hero the noblest and the heroine? Well, she's driven by demons from her past but led by a pure heart and the desire to provide the best for her people. It all makes for an enchanting mix of action, adventure, danger and intrigue. And romance, of course, because every good fairy tale needs a happily ever after ending.
Enjoyed Dickerson's take on the Sleeping Beauty angle, and how that becomes the pivotal springboard for the rest of the tale. That 'almost kiss' happens very early on in the story and provides a rocky start to Gerard and Elyce's relationship. A nice upside down twist to the classic tale.
I enjoyed listening to Julie Mason's audio book narration courtesy of my library's Libby collection. She amplified my enjoyment of this read by bringing these characters and their story to life.
https://bestreads-kav.blogspot.com/20...
Enjoyed Dickerson's take on the Sleeping Beauty angle, and how that becomes the pivotal springboard for the rest of the tale. That 'almost kiss' happens very early on in the story and provides a rocky start to Gerard and Elyce's relationship. A nice upside down twist to the classic tale.
I enjoyed listening to Julie Mason's audio book narration courtesy of my library's Libby collection. She amplified my enjoyment of this read by bringing these characters and their story to life.
https://bestreads-kav.blogspot.com/20...
May 1, 2025
3.5 stars
This was good, but not Melanie Dickerson's best book. It was an interesting twist on Sleeping Beauty, but it's not my favorite book in the series so far.
There was too much thinking about kissing and how good someone looks (they were thinking about it NON STOP for a good portion of the book 💀), and the fmc was constantly thinking "He must not love me or that's a bad sign because this happened or he didn't say this" which really annoyed me, but aside from that, the plot was good, and it was really fun!!
There was less annoying romance stuff later on in the book, which is why this didn't get an even lower rating.
So this was a fun book, and I enjoyed it, but it would've been WAYYY better if there'd been less obsessing over romance stuff.
This was good, but not Melanie Dickerson's best book. It was an interesting twist on Sleeping Beauty, but it's not my favorite book in the series so far.
There was too much thinking about kissing and how good someone looks (they were thinking about it NON STOP for a good portion of the book 💀), and the fmc was constantly thinking "He must not love me or that's a bad sign because this happened or he didn't say this" which really annoyed me, but aside from that, the plot was good, and it was really fun!!
There was less annoying romance stuff later on in the book, which is why this didn't get an even lower rating.
So this was a fun book, and I enjoyed it, but it would've been WAYYY better if there'd been less obsessing over romance stuff.
June 26, 2024
As usual, Melanie Dickerson hits a home run! Elyce was precious, and I loved seeing Gerard breaking down her walls.
June 6, 2022
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ever since I came across the first book in The Dericott Tales series, I've fallen in love. Whether it's the retellings or the characters themselves, I just really enjoy how quickly I can devour these. So, it's pretty safe to assume that I absolutely fell in love with Veil of Winter. Especially when it came to Elyce and Gerard.
Now these two had a spark that was hard to deny. Yes, they did try to but eventually things came to surface. It all started when he tried to wake the sleeping princess and then some. Of course, they had an adventure as well that brought them closer but I'm pretty sure they had a teeny tiny feeling towards one another when they first met. Just saying.
Besides the slow burn of their romance, we had some action and drama as well. First off, I'm so glad that Elyce stood up for herself and against her awful father. I wasn't even surprised when certain villains were easily defeated or back down quickly either. They were extremely weak in my eyes and huge bullies with not enough power backing them up. We also get some betrayals throughout this as well. Pretty easy to see them coming but still enjoyable.
In the end, I'm very excited that we are going to get another book in this series! Definitely hoping I get the chance to read that one as well.
Ever since I came across the first book in The Dericott Tales series, I've fallen in love. Whether it's the retellings or the characters themselves, I just really enjoy how quickly I can devour these. So, it's pretty safe to assume that I absolutely fell in love with Veil of Winter. Especially when it came to Elyce and Gerard.
Now these two had a spark that was hard to deny. Yes, they did try to but eventually things came to surface. It all started when he tried to wake the sleeping princess and then some. Of course, they had an adventure as well that brought them closer but I'm pretty sure they had a teeny tiny feeling towards one another when they first met. Just saying.
Besides the slow burn of their romance, we had some action and drama as well. First off, I'm so glad that Elyce stood up for herself and against her awful father. I wasn't even surprised when certain villains were easily defeated or back down quickly either. They were extremely weak in my eyes and huge bullies with not enough power backing them up. We also get some betrayals throughout this as well. Pretty easy to see them coming but still enjoyable.
In the end, I'm very excited that we are going to get another book in this series! Definitely hoping I get the chance to read that one as well.
June 14, 2022
Veil of Winter by Melanie Dickerson is a wonderful historical fiction that is part fairy tale/HF/romance, and I loved it. It is the third book in the awesome Dericott series.
I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Court of Swans, so I knew I had to read this gem. I can’t believe I missed the second book, and I most certainly will read it now. I have now read several books from Ms. Dickerson and have enjoyed each one.
I really enjoyed the quest and adventures involving our main character and heroine, Princess Elyce. A strong moral compass, but imperfections still present, makes her a likable and inspiring young woman. I liked the tie-in with the classic fairytale of Sleeping Beauty.
I also liked the relationship and romance between Elyce and Gerard. It was sweet, slow-burning, romantic, and clean. It was great to see how it evolved. I loved the lessons learned, moral and religious threads woven into the narrative, and I really enjoyed the happily ever after.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Thomas Nelson for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are
completely my own.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 6/14/22.
I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Court of Swans, so I knew I had to read this gem. I can’t believe I missed the second book, and I most certainly will read it now. I have now read several books from Ms. Dickerson and have enjoyed each one.
I really enjoyed the quest and adventures involving our main character and heroine, Princess Elyce. A strong moral compass, but imperfections still present, makes her a likable and inspiring young woman. I liked the tie-in with the classic fairytale of Sleeping Beauty.
I also liked the relationship and romance between Elyce and Gerard. It was sweet, slow-burning, romantic, and clean. It was great to see how it evolved. I loved the lessons learned, moral and religious threads woven into the narrative, and I really enjoyed the happily ever after.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Thomas Nelson for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are
completely my own.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 6/14/22.
February 7, 2025
It was cute but the main character drove me crazy. It felt like she was a little girl falling in love with the perfect guy 😂
July 2, 2022
2.5 stars, rounded down
From the too convenient plot points, to the fact that the two main characters thought about kissing each other constantly, to a completely implausible ending, this book wasn’t all that great. I liked it the best of the three in this series I’ve read so far, which is not saying a lot, given that I gave this a 2.5. I think I’m going to have to accept that this series is not for me. I don’t think I’ll read any further installments.
From the too convenient plot points, to the fact that the two main characters thought about kissing each other constantly, to a completely implausible ending, this book wasn’t all that great. I liked it the best of the three in this series I’ve read so far, which is not saying a lot, given that I gave this a 2.5. I think I’m going to have to accept that this series is not for me. I don’t think I’ll read any further installments.
July 21, 2022
I will forever love Melanie Dickerson's books, I have read every single one (except for her regency spy series, which I really need to get to). Anyway, I really enjoyed this series.
The third book in the Dericott Tales follows another brother of Delia's, Gerard and a friend of Delia's named Elyce.
Elyce is supposed to marry the king of a neighboring kingdom, but if she does her people will become enslaved. She decides to take a sleeping potion that will make her go to sleep for 3 days and she will be able to wake up and escape. Her friend Delia knows the danger she is in and asks her brother Gerard to help.
I loved the faith content in this series, I think I felt it a little stronger in this series than any of Melanie's other books. It's not strong but I loved the wave she wove the characters Faith into the stories. I also always enjoy the romance in her books, yes the romances happen pretty quick but that's what happens in a sweet fairytale story. 🥰
The third book in the Dericott Tales follows another brother of Delia's, Gerard and a friend of Delia's named Elyce.
Elyce is supposed to marry the king of a neighboring kingdom, but if she does her people will become enslaved. She decides to take a sleeping potion that will make her go to sleep for 3 days and she will be able to wake up and escape. Her friend Delia knows the danger she is in and asks her brother Gerard to help.
I loved the faith content in this series, I think I felt it a little stronger in this series than any of Melanie's other books. It's not strong but I loved the wave she wove the characters Faith into the stories. I also always enjoy the romance in her books, yes the romances happen pretty quick but that's what happens in a sweet fairytale story. 🥰
May 25, 2022
Melanie Dickerson treats us to another of her retelling of fairy tales with an inspirational twist. This one is Sleeping Beauty and it’s very good indeed. The hero and heroine are wonderful as are many secondary characters. I haven’t missed a one if these stories.
My thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishing fir a copy of this book via the Net Galley platform. The opinion in this review is expressly my own.
My thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishing fir a copy of this book via the Net Galley platform. The opinion in this review is expressly my own.
January 28, 2024
Once again, I'm taken into the magical world of faraway kingdoms with princesses to rescue and evil rulers to topple. This one is wrapped in a blanket of snow while the characters search for purpose and hope in the deep snowdrifts. Who can see beyond the veil of white and touch the diamonds of truth and love? Bravo, Melanie
August 16, 2023
I loved this book!! Princess Elise was SO much fun! I loved the character's relationship. Ack! It was so much fun and conflicted and beautiful. 🥰 This one may be my favorite in the series.
June 13, 2025
4.5
Man, I really like this series!
Man, I really like this series!
July 25, 2023
Another lovely entry in the Dericott Tales series. I enjoyed Elyce and Gerard's story and look forward to the next book in the series!
May 11, 2022
I always really enjoy reading Melanie Dickerson's books and Veil of Winter was no exception. This was an incredibly sweet retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story. I was very excited when I heard that it was going to be a Sleeping Beauty retelling because it has always been my favorite fairy tale and Melanie's version did not disappoint! I loved the twist that Princess Elyse was far less than pleased at being awoken with a kiss. As always, she included strong characters who had realistic flaws. I love that she doesn't make her characters uncomfortably perfect., though, I found myself connecting more. In fact, I related a great deal to Elyse. That may be why I didn't "bond" with her as easily as I did Delia and Audrey. As she showed more of her personality I really enjoyed getting to "visit" with Gerard and the rest of his family again. This story was incredibly easy to read and well written. The scenery as they traveled was beautifully described and I really would love to journey to Elyse's kingdom. I'm looking forward to more books in the series and seeing more of Delia's siblings find their happily ever after.
**I received a free copy of Veil of Winter from Netflix in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own and not affected at all by receiving the book in this manner.
**I received a free copy of Veil of Winter from Netflix in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own and not affected at all by receiving the book in this manner.
May 10, 2023
Well...strap in for a not-so-rave review.
Usually I can defend my reading Dickerson's novels as reading "well-done fairytale retellings". Unfortunately this one read more like a $5 Walmart romance than the aesthetic historical fiction novels with compelling plots that I've come to expect from Dickerson. At least I used to expect. The characters in The Veil of Winter were BLAND. The timeline jumped at several places where I was actually intrigued as to the journey, and dragged over characters repeating the same insecurities and questions and blah blah blah. I swear my vision would have blurred the last chapters if I took a shot everytime Dickerson tells us that Elyse is ~emotional~. I mean, come on, do girls really get ridiculed for crying? In my experience, it's just the opposite. Gerard- I think that was his name - was bland. His one trait was being "sort of emotional". You could tell because Dickerson told you so at least ten times, and he kind of teared up at his own wedding. I really haven't been able to keep track of the characters' personalities in this series which can't be a good sign, outside of the one trait Dickerson homes in on ad nauseam. You know who actually could have been interesting? Bertold and Astrid! Their stories and personalities were actually way more interesting than the protagonists who cry sometimes and just want to kiss but everybody keeps interrupting them and how will they ever know if they should get married if they can't gaze into each other's sort of watering eyes and kiss and say it's okay to cry but it's not even a tad realistic or romantic because they don't even know each other but they are good looking and this book was bland.
It's very sad to me that The Fairest Beauty and The Healer's Apprentice can be some of the most visited books on my shelf, while I wouldn't even think of buying these new ones. I truly hope Dickerson can get back to taking her sweet time on her stories, even if that will garner less products.
Usually I can defend my reading Dickerson's novels as reading "well-done fairytale retellings". Unfortunately this one read more like a $5 Walmart romance than the aesthetic historical fiction novels with compelling plots that I've come to expect from Dickerson. At least I used to expect. The characters in The Veil of Winter were BLAND. The timeline jumped at several places where I was actually intrigued as to the journey, and dragged over characters repeating the same insecurities and questions and blah blah blah. I swear my vision would have blurred the last chapters if I took a shot everytime Dickerson tells us that Elyse is ~emotional~. I mean, come on, do girls really get ridiculed for crying? In my experience, it's just the opposite. Gerard- I think that was his name - was bland. His one trait was being "sort of emotional". You could tell because Dickerson told you so at least ten times, and he kind of teared up at his own wedding. I really haven't been able to keep track of the characters' personalities in this series which can't be a good sign, outside of the one trait Dickerson homes in on ad nauseam. You know who actually could have been interesting? Bertold and Astrid! Their stories and personalities were actually way more interesting than the protagonists who cry sometimes and just want to kiss but everybody keeps interrupting them and how will they ever know if they should get married if they can't gaze into each other's sort of watering eyes and kiss and say it's okay to cry but it's not even a tad realistic or romantic because they don't even know each other but they are good looking and this book was bland.
It's very sad to me that The Fairest Beauty and The Healer's Apprentice can be some of the most visited books on my shelf, while I wouldn't even think of buying these new ones. I truly hope Dickerson can get back to taking her sweet time on her stories, even if that will garner less products.
February 14, 2022
3.5 stars
This was an okay book. I was able to read it pretty quickly but I just wasn’t that engaged. I really adored the last one so I was excited to read this one, but sadly it just wasn’t as good. Veil of Winter is the third book in Melanie Dickerson’s The Dericott Tales. Veil of Winter is inspired by Sleeping Beauty.
I found the storyline interesting, however there were just times when it was a bit slow. Elyce was trying to save her people from being forced to work in the mines. While Gerald felt called by God to come and help her. I had a harder time connecting with the characters. Elyce got on my nerves a bit but I did feel like she grew as the book went on. Gerald was super sweet and I loved how he tried to care for those around him.
It was fun to read about them connecting and working through their different opinions, however Elyce did feel a bit shallow to me so I had a harder time with her. The side characters were okay, but they didn't really add to the story. Unfortunately this story fell a bit more flat for me. I was still engaged though and I did end up finishing the book.
I will say that it could be that I just didn't like the characters as much so that was my personal opinion. However it was otherwise a good book. Veil of Winter is a book that I would recommend to those who enjoy teen clean romances. Veil of Winter is a clean, Christian teen historical book.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.
This was an okay book. I was able to read it pretty quickly but I just wasn’t that engaged. I really adored the last one so I was excited to read this one, but sadly it just wasn’t as good. Veil of Winter is the third book in Melanie Dickerson’s The Dericott Tales. Veil of Winter is inspired by Sleeping Beauty.
I found the storyline interesting, however there were just times when it was a bit slow. Elyce was trying to save her people from being forced to work in the mines. While Gerald felt called by God to come and help her. I had a harder time connecting with the characters. Elyce got on my nerves a bit but I did feel like she grew as the book went on. Gerald was super sweet and I loved how he tried to care for those around him.
It was fun to read about them connecting and working through their different opinions, however Elyce did feel a bit shallow to me so I had a harder time with her. The side characters were okay, but they didn't really add to the story. Unfortunately this story fell a bit more flat for me. I was still engaged though and I did end up finishing the book.
I will say that it could be that I just didn't like the characters as much so that was my personal opinion. However it was otherwise a good book. Veil of Winter is a book that I would recommend to those who enjoy teen clean romances. Veil of Winter is a clean, Christian teen historical book.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.
January 5, 2023
The cover is the most exciting part of this.
May 31, 2023
I loved it! Mrs Dickerson has done ut once again when she created a masterpiece! The story of Elyce and Gerard is beautiful and very inspiring
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August 4, 2025
now playing "𝔒𝔫𝔠𝔢 𝔘𝔭𝔬𝔫 𝔞 𝔇𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔪" performed by Lana Del Rey
Entertaining, beautiful writing, wonderful concept, and humorous take on Sleeping Beauty.
Entertaining, beautiful writing, wonderful concept, and humorous take on Sleeping Beauty.
June 17, 2022
I enjoy fairytale retellings and this third book in the Dericott series delivers a creative twist on Sleeping Beauty with elements of history, romance, faith, and plenty of action. Melanie Dickerson does a masterful job creating YA fairytale retellings that appeal to YA readers and adults alike. She weaves faith elements into her stories that really resonate. I love the medieval setting and how she includes actual figures like King Wenceslaus in the story. The romance is an enemies to lovers trope that like Sleeping Beauty begins with a “kiss.”
Princess Elyce desires the happiness of her people. When her father arranges a marriage to the nephew of a neighboring king, Elyce is understandably upset. She becomes even more disgusted when she learns that her father plans to allow King Claude to enslave her people to work in his mines. She drinks a sleeping potion and fakes her own death to escape and journey to King Wenceslaus’ palace in Prague to enlist his help. She’s hoping as ruler of the Holy Roman Empire he will dissuade her father from this alliance and protect her people.
Sir Gerard is a knight looking for a quest. When his sister proposes he travel from England to the Kingdom of Monciel to help a princess in distress, he’s leery until he has a dream that prompts him to go to her rescue. When he finds her, she is presumed to be dying and he decides to employ a method of waking her that he’s see done before. As he presses his lips to the sleeping princess, she awakes and is immediately angry that he would presume to “kiss” her. But as Gerard offers to help her escape and journey to Prague, she warily agrees to trust him.
I honestly had a difficult time liking Elyce at first. Her emotions are all over the place and she’s quick to anger especially with Gerard. As time went on, I warmed up to her and understood why she was so emotional. Her father is despicable and constantly belittles her. Gerard is so patient and kind. He understands Elyce’s personality and doesn’t mind her expressing her feelings. Their romance really heats up as they journey to Prague and endure several hardships. It’s a great read for the summer because of the cold, winter setting. I enjoyed thinking of snow when the temps here are close to 100 degrees!
While it isn’t my favorite book in the series, I still enjoyed it and felt it’s a great addition. It can definitely be read as a standalone for those who haven’t read the previous two books. The author does a fantastic job giving enough backstory to help the reader become familiar with the Dericott family history without being overly explicit. Recommend to Christian YA fans and historical Christian romance fans. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review. 3 1/2 to 4.
Princess Elyce desires the happiness of her people. When her father arranges a marriage to the nephew of a neighboring king, Elyce is understandably upset. She becomes even more disgusted when she learns that her father plans to allow King Claude to enslave her people to work in his mines. She drinks a sleeping potion and fakes her own death to escape and journey to King Wenceslaus’ palace in Prague to enlist his help. She’s hoping as ruler of the Holy Roman Empire he will dissuade her father from this alliance and protect her people.
Sir Gerard is a knight looking for a quest. When his sister proposes he travel from England to the Kingdom of Monciel to help a princess in distress, he’s leery until he has a dream that prompts him to go to her rescue. When he finds her, she is presumed to be dying and he decides to employ a method of waking her that he’s see done before. As he presses his lips to the sleeping princess, she awakes and is immediately angry that he would presume to “kiss” her. But as Gerard offers to help her escape and journey to Prague, she warily agrees to trust him.
I honestly had a difficult time liking Elyce at first. Her emotions are all over the place and she’s quick to anger especially with Gerard. As time went on, I warmed up to her and understood why she was so emotional. Her father is despicable and constantly belittles her. Gerard is so patient and kind. He understands Elyce’s personality and doesn’t mind her expressing her feelings. Their romance really heats up as they journey to Prague and endure several hardships. It’s a great read for the summer because of the cold, winter setting. I enjoyed thinking of snow when the temps here are close to 100 degrees!
While it isn’t my favorite book in the series, I still enjoyed it and felt it’s a great addition. It can definitely be read as a standalone for those who haven’t read the previous two books. The author does a fantastic job giving enough backstory to help the reader become familiar with the Dericott family history without being overly explicit. Recommend to Christian YA fans and historical Christian romance fans. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review. 3 1/2 to 4.
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