The Healer's Apprentice

(Paperback)

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Description

Two Hearts. One Hope.Rose has been appointed as a healers apprentice at Hagenheim Castle, a rare opportunity for a woodcutters daughter like her. While she often feels uneasy at the sight of blood, Rose is determined to prove herself capable. Failure will mean returning home to marry the aging bachelor her mother has chosen for hera bloated, disgusting merchant who makes Rose feel ill.When Lord Hamlin, the future duke, is injured, it is Rose who must tend to him. As she works to heal his wound, she begins to understand emotions shes never felt before and wonders if he feels the same. But falling in love is forbidden, as Lord Hamlin is betrothed to a mysterious young woman in hiding. As Roses life spins toward confusion, she must take the first steps on a journey to discover her own destiny.

Reviews

In this debut romance set in Hagenheim, Lower Saxony, in 1382 and loosely based on 'Sleeping Beauty,' a lowly woodcutters daughter apprenticed to the town healer falls in love with a handsome nobleman whos betrothed to a mysterious woman. Although she's grateful to the healer for teaching her to read and write and freeing her from the need to marry, 17-year-old Rose quickly loses her heart when she meets Wilhelm, Lord Hamlin. Wilhelms equally smitten, but he's promised to a woman hes never met and cant wed until he captures the evil conjurer whose threats forced her parents to hide her 17 years ago. When Wilhelms carousing younger brother insistently woos Rose, she feels flattered but conflicted. Should she forget both brothers and remain single, or could there be a fairy-tale finale The medieval German setting and fastidious details of period clothing, food, music and dance provide an ideal context for this courtly romance between two young lovers who choose duty, virtue and honor above self-interest. Female readers should savor this romantic fare. (authors note) (Historical fiction. 12 and up) * Kirkus Review *
Gr 7-10Set in 1386, this historical romance has a fairy-tale structure and a Christian emphasis. Rose serves as the apprentice to Frau Geruscha, the court healer. She is not very good at her chosen profession, yet she sees this as her only hope to escape the prospect of an arranged marriage. Enter Lord Hamlin, to whom Rose must minister after he is injured. She falls hard for him, and he for her, but neither can admit their feelings due to her social status and his betrothal to Lady Salomea. Rose soon catches the eye of the philandering Lord Rupert, Lord Hamlins brother, and a romance ensues. But alas, Rupert breaks her heart with a proposal she is unwilling to accept, which makes her realize that she never loved him in the first place. Lurking in the shadows is the evil Moncore, who has driven Lady Salomea into hiding because he threatened her life. The identity of Lord Hamlins betrothed is transparent from the start, so anticipation is built around how the two lovers will get to the happily ever after. Rose is beautifully boring, and not very well developed, but is believable as the young maiden longing for a prince to rescue her. She and Hamlin rely on their faith to make their dreams come true. Fans of fairy tales will enjoy this story.Wendy Scalfaro, G. Ray Bodley High School, Fulton, NY * School Library Journal *

Author Bio

Melanie Dickerson is the author of The Healer's Apprentice, a Christy Award finalist and winner of the National Reader's Choice Award for Best First Book. Melanie earned a bachelor's degree in special education from the University of Alabama and has been a teacher and a missionary. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Huntsville, Alabama.