Healer's Apprentice

Rose is the daughter of a wood-cutter, and has been appointed as the apprentice to the healer.  She tries to her best to do well and make the healer proud, but the sight of blood makes her queasy!  When the prince comes in needing assistance with a gash in his leg, Rose must gather the strength to mend his wound thus beginning an unlikely friendship.  Hamlien encourages Rose to accept his brother Rupert despite his reputation in an effort to get her off his own mind and heart.  Hamlien has other things to worry about such as finding an evil sorcerer so that his betrothed (whom he has never met) may come out of hiding.  Rose and Hamlien struggle to hide their feelings for one another, will they be able to forget their feelings?  Will the prince find his betrothed?  Read on to find out!


I have read Melanie Dickerson's Merchant's Daughter previously and enjoyed her re-telling of Beauty and the Beast.  Healer's Apprentice is her take on Sleeping Beauty.  She does a wonderful job at presenting a new story for these classic fairy tales.   The novel is considered Christian fiction and Dickerson does a great job incorporating those elements into the story without them being too overwhelming, such as the characters praying or encouraging one another with a verse.  It didn't feel overdone or thrown in the readers face.  Perfect execution of this.  Another thing she does wonderfully are the romantic elements.  She develops the romance through friendship and interaction.  Anytime Rupert suggests something scandalous Rose rebukes him informing how inappropriate it would be.  She even flusters at either man kissing her hand in public or being seen unaccompanied with them.


This being the second book of Dickerson's that I have read, I have come to love this author.  She has an outstanding talent for writing and captivating her audience.  While this is a "romance" novel it is not typical romance in that it does not have sex scenes and shows healthy development of the relationship, something young women need to read.  I think this is a great book for a young woman and older women as well to pick up and read on a Saturday afternoon.  I finished it in an evening, okay I may have been  up until 2 am wanting to finish it.  The story really draws you in and makes you eager to know what happens next.  I know there are other books in this series and I certainly will be looking for them.


Healer's Apprentice is the type of book to make young woman daydream about the perfect man.  Every woman wants a valiant man like Hamlien, some may even want a little imp like Rupert.  I am excited and happy to have this book in my collection.  I am giving it a rating of 4 out of 5.  The story of the evil sorcerer seemed to have taken a backside to the romance, I would have liked to see more of that in the story.