My short & sweet review: Loved this retelling of The Frog Prince! Melanie Dickerson, as always, hits it out of the fairy-tale retelling park 🙂 Particularly enjoyed the chance to revisit the world of my still-favorite-of-hers The Merchant’s Daughter (may or may not have grinned like a besotted fool when I realized who we were talking to).
From the back cover: Margaretha has always been a romantic and hopes her newest suitor, Lord Claybrook, is destined to be her one true love. But then an injured man is brought to the castle, claiming to be an English lord who was left for dead by Claybrook’s men. She convinces herself “Lord Colin” is just an addled stranger, until Colin retrieves an heirloom she lost in a well and asks her to spy on Claybrook as repayment. Margaretha knows she could never be a spy – not only does she tend to talk too much, she’s sure Colin is completely wrong about her potential betrothed. But she soon discovers her romantic notions may have been clouding her judgment about not only Colin but Claybrook as well. She soon finds herself running for her life – and it may be up to her to save her father and her family from one man’s wicked plot.
My Review: I love love love Melanie Dickerson’s fairy tale retellings. This is her 5th, and it’s just as good as all the others. Her first and second books in the series – The Healer’s Apprentice (retelling of Sleeping Beauty) & The Merchant’s Daughter (retelling of Beauty & the Beast) – are my absolute favorites but I have enjoyed each of the following three too. There was just something about those first two… *dreamy sigh*.
I digress. Sorry. *ahem*
Lord Colin, the hero in our story, is a sentimental favorite of mine and a great guy in his own right. He has such good intentions but they have gone awry through little fault of his own. Enter Margaretha. (This is one thing I just love about Melanie’s books – her heroines are not dependent on the heroes to save the day! They team up and very often do at least some of the saving themselves!) Together, they try to unearth a plot that threatens her family’s kingdom and quickly realize that it may be up to them to foil it. Somewhere along the way, their hearts begin to tangle as well, and the “happily-ever-after” magic that we all so adore wakes up with a gentle spark. However, “The End” is nowhere in sight at this point and Colin & Margaretha have many obstacles to overcome that may leave their “once upon a time” as just that – a memory.
As always in Melanie’s books, the characters are full of life and you will smile warmly at seeing old friends again. The plot twists and turns until you’re ready to jump in there, armor up and give them a hand! I really enjoy how Melanie’s settings always create that warm, cozy fairy tale feeling even though all but one of the stories has taken place in Germany – a country not exactly known for inducing warm, cozy feelings :).
Oh – and the way she makes sure we know this is a retelling of The Frog Prince had me literally laughing out loud!! Poor Colin haha.
I give The Princess Spy 4.5 out of 5 stars!
Melanie Dickerson’s newest book The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest (the first in a new Medieval Fairy Tale series) is due out on May 12th, 2015 and can be preordered at Amazon.com for $4.99 – a great price! Once the book is released, the price will go up. I am reading this book for the publisher through Netgalley and will be publishing a review soon. Preorder your copy here: http://www.amazon.com/Huntress-Thornbeck-Forest-Medieval-Fairy-ebook/dp/B00PCU5PG2/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=
Whoa! I love this, Carrie!!! Thanks for that awesome review!
I am just about finished with the edits of the new one, The Golden Braid, and I think it may be as good as The Healer’s Apprentice and The Merchant’s Daughter! I kept tearing up and yes, I even cried a couple of times over this one. It’s def. one of my favorites that I have written! Can’t wait for you to read it! (Hey, are you on my street team?)
ahhhhhhh thank you so much for commenting! I am trying very hard to be professional and not have a fangirl moment. I may need a second. *Ahem*
🙂
No, I am not on your street team, but I would love to be! How do I sign up??? Waiting anxiously for both of your new books!
Are you on facebook???
Yes! I actually left a comment just now on your author page because I wasn’t sure if wordpress would notify you that I had replied here lol. (Carrie Booth Schmidt)
That’s too cool, Carrie!!!