The Peasant's Dream

The Peasant's Dream (Hagenheim #11)
By Melanie Dickerson
Published by Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: July 7, 2020

Description: In this reverse Cinderella story, a poor farmer’s son, who dreams of using his talent as a woodcarver to make a better life for himself, falls in love with a duke’s daughter and must fight for a chance to win her heart.
Adela is the youngest daughter of Duke Wilhelm of Hagenheim and is never allowed outside of the castle walls. She loves her family, but she sneaks away one day to the market in the town center. There she meets a handsome young man and wonders what it might be like to fall in love with a poor farmer with a kind heart instead of marrying the man her family is suggesting for her.

Frederick earns the income for his family and defends his mother from his father’s drunken rages. He also uses his talent and creativity to carve figures, animals, and scenes into wood, and he's asked to carve these scenes into cathedral doors when his talent is noticed. Frederick is inspired by the sweet and beautiful Adela, but he has no knowledge of her true identity. When he gets swept up into a plan to kidnap the duke’s daughter, both are shaken by what they learn about the other.

Review:
This sweet romance is a satisfying conclusion to the Hagenheim series. (Although this is the eleventh book in the series, it is a stand-alone and perfectly enjoyable without reading the others.)I like the reverse Cinderella aspect, with hard-working Frederick trying to win Adela's heart, albeit without knowing who she truly is. Frederick is a great leading man, gentle and loving while also strong and protective. Adela was sweet and I mostly liked her character, although her constant worrying about being perceived as spoiled got a little tiresome. The story was a little simple, without the action of several of the other books in the series, but all in all, it was a satisfying read and a good choice for those looking for a quick, clean romance.
4 stars.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.