The Princess Spy
Melanie Dickerson
Zonderkids
Published November 4, 2014
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Despite her romantic dreams and wishes, Margaretha is determined to wed a man who will secure her family’s future as well as her own. When a handsome though bedraggled stranger warns her that Lord Claybrook, her latest beau, is a fraud, Margaretha at first thinks him delusioned by fever.
Gradually she comes to accept and respect Colin, the English stranger and even volunteers to spy on Lord Claybrook for him. When Claybrook’s men seize her castle at Hagenheim and threaten the lives of her family members, it’s up to Margaretha and Colin to stop the evil plot.
Hagenheim castle is a familiar setting to fans of Dickerson’s novels. Some of the characters in The Princess Spy will be known to her readers as well. The connection to the other novels is nice and adds kind of a consistent story-world background without being necessary for understanding this novel on its own. In this loose retelling of The Princess and the Frog, the hero is dressed in an ugly green outfit and referred to by other castle servants as “frog boy.”
The writing is simple and a bit stilted, but the plot is pretty solid and moves forward at a steady pace. Romantic tension is expertly built and definitely scratches that fairytale-love-story itch. It wasn’t until the romance really started to take off that I felt myself really lost in the story. It’s a light, easy read and a great option for families looking for that fairytale type of story without the magic elements and with chaste but fervent romance.
Language Content
No profanity or crude language.
Sexual Content
Brief kissing. Margaretha and Colin travel alone and spend several nights together in traveling. Colin is conscious of Lady Margaretha’s station and virtue and protects both as a gentleman.
Spiritual Content
The hero is a Christian but wants revenge on his enemies. He learns that he must trust God to punish evil men in His own time.
Violence
Brief descriptions of violence and reference to a woman’s murder (she is pregnant and unmarried, and the father of her unborn child apparently strangles her.)
Drug Content
None.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
