The Captive Maiden by Melanie Dickerson

About the book: 

Happily Ever After …Or Happily Nevermore?
Gisela’s childhood was filled with laughter and visits from nobles such as the duke and his young son. But since her father’s death, each day has been filled with nothing but servitude to her stepmother. So when Gisela learns the duke’s son, Valten---the boy she has daydreamed about for years---is throwing a ball in hopes of finding a wife, she vows to find a way to attend, even if it’s only for a taste of a life she’ll never have. To her surprise, she catches Valten’s eye. Though he is rough around the edges, Gisela finds Valten has completely captured her heart. But other forces are bent on keeping the two from falling further in love, putting Gisela in more danger than she ever imagined.

My review:

I liked this retelling of Cinderella.  I love fairy tales and find it fascinating to see them fleshed out and made more realistic.  This is part of a series all based on fairy tales, but also works well as a stand-alone.  I really admired Gisela for her bravery and endurance, but especially for her willingness to forgive.  The medieval time period isn't one of my favorites, but it worked well for the story.  There was a bit of repeating as Gisela was captured more than once and she kept trying to think of ways to get away and thinking about whether Valten was coming to rescue her.  I  really liked Valten and his questioning of his purpose in life and also his uncertainty around girls; it was cute.  The romance was sweet.  I love that we get both of their perspectives.  This is written more for teens, but adults who like fairy tale stories or medieval fiction would enjoy it, too.

I received an ARC from Zondervan in exchange for an honest review.