The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson

Book Description:  Two Hearts. One Hope. Rose has been appointed as a healer's apprentice at Hagenheim Castle, a rare opportunity for a woodcutter's 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 her---a 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 she's 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 Rose's life spins toward confusion, she must take the first steps on a journey to discover her own destiny.

My Review: As a young girl I loved hearing the story of Beauty and the Beast because a beautiful, young girl is being raised as a poor, humble girl but in reality she lives to serve others.  

The Healer's Apprentice reminds me of a christian version of Beauty and the Beast.  Rose is a sweet young teen who is apprenticed and has learned to read (both are unusual feats for the poor and especially for girls of this age).  Rose's family is very poor.  Her mother seems to feel no love or affection towards Rose.  Her father is loving from a distance.  Rose feels that she doesn't fit "into" her family.

As the story progresses the author does an excellent job of creating the medieval scene.  Rough, coarse people who seem to love the Lord Hamlin and his family who "rule" over them.  The royal family is a family without its own eternal problems but Lord Hamlin tries to rule fairly and not with a hand of iron.  If he sees a peasant in need he tries his best to fix it so the peasant can better his own living conditions.

Meanwhile, Rose is fighting with her mother....her mother wants her to marry this most disgusting old man....Rose who can't stand the sight of said man wants true love.  One day Lord Hamlin is seriously hurt and Rose must doctor is terrible wound.  Rose does the best job she knows and realizes that she is falling in love with Lord Hamlin, howbeit a forbidden love. But as live would have it Rose and Lord Hamlin meet on more than one occasion.  And then Rose is invited to the ball at the castle!  Oh.my!  What to wear?!?  A beautiful gown is presented to Rose AND this is where the story really takes off!

As Rose goes to the castle for the ball she is reminded by her friend that Lord Hamlin is supposedly betrothed to an unknown lady.  No one in the kingdom has ever met this mysterious lady.  Rose doesn't know what to think but knows she can't go back home so must make a go of her apprenticeship.  

Days go by . . .Rose and Lord Hamlin's life become more intertwined . . . ahhh....the mystery begins to unravel.

I also liked the way the healer always prays over the hurt person as she doctors him.  Trusting God to do the healing is the main source of healing in this read.

This is a wonderful 5 star medieval story of love and redemption!  This is classified as a YA book but I think it's a great adult read too.

*I reviewed this book for Zondervan*

Buy The Healer's Apprentice here!