Disclosure: I received a copy of the book from the publisher. Post contains affiliate links; if you make a purchase, I may earn commission. Opinions shared are mine.

How do you wind down from the day? My go-to remedy for relaxation includes a book, a cup of hot tea, and a spritz of my favorite lavender mist. Though a book about rats doesn’t seem the type to settle the soul, The Piper’s Pursuit by Melanie Dickerson is pure magic!

The romance in this novel tempers at a slow simmer for most of the book, which really sets the stage for a heart-throbbing ending. Lines like this one just glow:

“Katerina moved away from him, pulling her hand away from his chest as if she hadn’t realized she’d been touching him. A bereft feeling, of missing her warmth, swept over him.”

I loved the action in this story! Risk, distraction, and peril abounds. Who would have thought, though, that the hero would be afraid of children?

“Could she tell he was more afraid of taking care of these…children than of battling a hundred guards with swords?”

I’m guessing that Steffan never planned to be a middle school teacher.

There’s a message of remorse, forgiveness, and mercy as well. The prodigal son in The Piper’s Pursuit takes a very different turn of events than his scriptural counterpart. Still, faith and love remain. I adored this quote:

…you’ve carried this burden for a long time. And I’m glad you’re laying it down now….You just have to believe that God forgives you.”

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Piper’s Pursuit

by Melanie Dickerson

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release date: December 3, 2019

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retelling

Synopsis:

A plague of rats. A giant beast outside the village walls. A host of missing children. And one young woman determined to save her people.

In 1424 Hamlin, Katerina faces threats from all sides. An outbreak of rats has overtaken the village, a mysterious beast is on a killing rampage of the village’s children, and her evil stepfather is a dark presence inside the walls of her own home. Katerina is determined to hunt and kill the Beast of Hamlin herself before more lives are lost.

When Steffan, the handsome but brash duke’s son, comes to town seeking glory and reward, Katerina decides he might be the ally she’s been looking for—even though the sweet music he plays on his pipe seems the only gentle thing about him. But there’s more to Steffan than she suspects, and she finds drawn to him despite her misgivings.

Can Katerina and Steffan stop the enemy from stealing every child of Hamlin? Or will their interference create a worse fate for them all? Melanie Dickerson delivers another exciting fairy tale journey of intrigue and romance in this reimagining of the classic Pied Piper story.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Melanie Dickerson is the New York Times bestselling author who combines her love for history, adventure, and romance. Her books have won a Christy Award, two Maggie Awards, The National Reader’s Choice Award, the Christian Retailing’s Best Award, the Book Buyer’s Best Award, the Golden Quill, and the Carol Award. She earned her bachelor’s degree in special education from The University of Alabama and has taught children and adults in the U.S., Germany, and Ukraine. Now she spends her time writing stories of love and adventure near Huntsville, Alabama.

Website: http://melaniedickerson.com/
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