The Peasant’s Dream by Melanie Dickerson ~ a Review

by MK French

As the youngest daughter of Duke Wilhelm, Adela was never let outside the castle walls. She sneaks out to the market and meets a handsome young man. Meeting Frederick makes her wonder about a simple life as a farmer’s wife rather than the complicated arrangements chosen for her. Frederick is poor and has to earn supplemental income by carving when he dodged his mother’s rages. He’s asked to kidnap Adela, and the two finally learn each others’ identity. What will they risk for love?

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July 2020; Thomas Nelson; 978-0785228332
audio, ebook, print (320 pages); YA romance

The Peasant's Dream is listed as book 11 of a fairy tale romance series. I had no problem getting into this story since it doesn't refer to events prior to this book often. Adela wants to be loved for herself and to get a chance to paint or have an adventure before she's married and her husband dictates her future. I understand the sentiment and can see why she's so infatuated with Frederick. He's steadfast and honest, working hard for a father willing to beat him and put him down with barely any provocation. The two meet and spend time in the market, and are adorable even as they skirt around the truth of their identities.

I am less invested in the rest of their story, as I find it falling in a very predictable way. It's circumstance that drives them apart, then other circumstances that allow them to get back together. Adela had far too much input into her father's investigation, and several characters were little more than caricatures. I was definitely reading this with a critic's eye rather than one who reads fairy tales. I wasn't as deeply immersed in the second half of the story, but I did like the setup.

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Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

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