The Healer’s Apprentice

 O God, I am a miserable wretch. I vowed to remain pure for my betrothed, but my feelings for Rose..." He closed his eyes. "Forgive me. I will conquer this. I can't avoid her, but I will think of her only as a sister. I will, God. And she is blameless. Forgive me, God. I will try not to think about her and I will never touch her again. I will marry Lady Salomea. I cannot, now or ever marry Rose."

Book: The Healer’s Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson, Zondervan Publishing, 2010

Genre: Historical Fiction

Target Audience: Girls 16 and up

Subjects: Trust in God, honor, relationships

Summary: Rose knows her future. As a daughter of a woodcutter she can either please her parents by marrying someone wealthy or she can continue being the apprentice to the town’s healer. Considering that the men her mom is choosing for her are either old or crude, she has no desire to wed any of them. Her future as a healer is certain. Then comes the day her skills are first tested to the extreme: the day the future duke comes in needing stitches while her mentor is absent. It’s bad enough that anyone would come in needing stitches while her mentor is gone. For an apprentice healer, Rose isn’t too good with blood or injuries. But to have one of the lords be the ones needing healing, and worse still, having it be the one she is struggling with an attraction to, well, Rose can barely manage to keep her composure, let alone give him the proper medical care he is seeking! She knows she is just a woodcutter’s daughter and Lord Hamlin is betrothed to the mystery woman no one has ever seen – or will see until either her eighteenth birthday or the day the evil Moncore is apprehended so he can stop his threats on the lady’s life. Lord Hamlin is struggling himself. He knows it is important to guard his heart and stay committed to his betrothed, even if he has not ever met her. Yet, he finds Rose so attractive, unlike anyone he has ever met. Meanwhile, his brother, who is not betrothed has developed an attraction to Rose as well and his intentions may not be that honorable.

Notes: This was an interesting story, it contained a tiny hint of mystery and some honorable characters determined to do what was right no matter how much they suffered for it. Both Rose and Lord Hamlin fought attraction to each other from early on in the story, but both resisted giving in to it, especially Lord Hamlin. And when Rose was offered the desires of her heart at the cost of others, she chose to deny herself. It’s primarily just a beautiful story, but the characters are admirable and their choice to pursue honor above their own desires is a good example to follow.

Recommendation Scale: 4/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Matthew 5:8 – Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.