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Format: Kindle
Publishers: Thomas Nelson
Published: 17th May 2016
Pages: 320
Genre: YA, Historical Romance, Fairy Tale
Main Characters: Avelina, Lord Thornbeck
Date Read: 20th February - 6th March 2017
Date Read: 20th February - 6th March 2017
Rating Given:
Synopsis:
What happens when a margrave realizes he’s fallen in love with a servant?The Margrave of Thornbeck has to find a bride, fast. He invites ten noble-born ladies from around the country to be his guests at Thornbeck Castle for two weeks, a time to test these ladies and reveal their true character.
Avelina is only responsible for two things: making sure her deception goes undetected and avoiding being selected as the margrave’s bride. Since the latter seems unlikely, she concentrates on not getting caught. No one must know she is merely a maidservant, sent by the Earl of Plimmwald to stand in for his daughter, Dorothea.
Despite Avelina’s best attempts at diverting attention from herself, the margrave has taken notice. And try as she might, she can’t deny her own growing feelings. But something else is afoot in the castle. Something sinister that could have far worse—far deadlier—consequences. Will Avelina be able to stop the evil plot? And at what cost?
Avelina is only responsible for two things: making sure her deception goes undetected and avoiding being selected as the margrave’s bride. Since the latter seems unlikely, she concentrates on not getting caught. No one must know she is merely a maidservant, sent by the Earl of Plimmwald to stand in for his daughter, Dorothea.
Despite Avelina’s best attempts at diverting attention from herself, the margrave has taken notice. And try as she might, she can’t deny her own growing feelings. But something else is afoot in the castle. Something sinister that could have far worse—far deadlier—consequences. Will Avelina be able to stop the evil plot? And at what cost?
I received a review copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I don't really like this cover and I don't really know why it just doesn't sit right for me. I do like that you can tell the genre of the book just by looking at the cover.
With this book I was in two minds whether I enjoyed it or not especially in the beginning as it was so slow but then by the end I found myself wanting to know what was going to happen next. I did find it rather predictable as I just knew where it was going to go so I would've liked it a bit more if something happened that I wasn't expecting. The relationship between the two main characters I liked in some parts as there was times when they where great together and brought out the best in each other but then on the other hand they also bought out the worse in each other. I did love the ending it was really sweet and had a little humour interweaved in there as well which I think was missing from most of the book.
Most of the characters took a while to warm towards but each of them had there strong points. I feel Avelina was the better character out of the two main characters as she was more likable from the beginning, she did lie a lot but I guess in the end I understood why she did that. Lord Thornbeck was hard to like in the beginning but once we got to see his softer side I found myself liking him. Magdalen was a really sweet character but I felt as though she was too good to be true no one can be that nice.
Overall, I was expecting a lot from this book after falling in love with one of Melanie Dickerson's novel's however this one fell a little flat.