Review: A Faithful Hope

I have now read a quarter of the books in the Hope Ever After series, a multi-author collaboration of fairy tale retellings to help fight human trafficking. My most recent read is A Faithful Hope by DaLeena Taylor, which might be my favorite in the series thus far. This book retells an obscure French fairy tale called "The Blue Bird," which was translated in The Green Fairy Book. This story has it all--an outcast princess, a broken kingdom to restore, a magical transformation, and a love story to stand the test of time. I was hooked from the first page and riveted by all the twists and turns this detailed story took. It is a faithful gender-swapped depiction of the fairy tale. In this version, the princess turns into a bluebird instead of the prince.

Princess Aderyn's kingdom is in crisis. Her family and their subjects need the healing properties of silver to survive, but the kingdom has run dangerously low on its supply. To save everyone, Aderyn enters an arranged marriage with Prince Sterling, whose kingdom is prosperous in the desperately needed precious metal. When she arrives, she is surprised to find that Prince Sterling is hidden from her and encouraged to marry one of his stepmother's sons instead. Sterling manages to meet with Aderyn in secret when he disguises himself as a gardener named Silver. The two hit it off immediately, and, upon learning his true identity, Aderyn is determined to marry no one else. Unfortunately for her, the queen has a powerful and wicked fairy godfather who curses her to spend seven years in the body of her beloved pet bluebird, Saffira, unless she agrees to marry one of the other two princes.

I don't remember much about "The Blue Bird" in the Fairy Books, but after reviewing it, I think it was too long and convoluted to make my top ten list. In novel form, however, this story has lots of room for growth and development. The book expands upon Sterling's tragic backstory and how his family and reputation fell apart when his wicked stepmother came into the picture. The two fairy characters are also fleshed out. Lorenzo and Laelynn are brother and sister, but Lorenzo chooses the path of darkness, while Laelynn remains on the path of light. As Aderyn and Sterling's sanctioned fairy godmother, Laelynn does her best to help Aderyn with her predicament. Life as a bluebird is difficult for Aderyn, but she finds ways to use it to her advantage such as flying Sterling's silver rings to her family. Meanwhile, Sterling never gives up hope that he will find a way to save Aderyn.

Even the two wicked princes have realistic thoughts and feelings. Marius is the dominant brother who is determined to silence everyone around him so he can always get his way, while Milo feels pressured into agreeing with everything his mother and Marius says so he won't get silenced like Sterling was. By the end of the book, he goes through a transformative arc and comes out as a better person. Although it is understandable why Aderyn does not want to marry Marius, there was a moment that I questioned her intent in sticking to her determination to marry Sterling. She makes it very clear that if she does not make an alliance with this kingdom quickly, everyone she cares about will die due to a lack of silver. There was a point where it may have been better to put her own selfish desires aside for the needs of her people, but since this is a fairy tale about hope, I knew everything would work out in the end.

A Faithful Hope by DaLeena Taylor is an inspirational retelling of "The Blue Bird," elevated by its thoughtful expansion on the original story. With well-developed characters, unexpected twists, and a swoon-worthy romance, this novel has secured its place as my favorite in the Hope Ever After series so far. Taylor's faithful adaptation breathes new life into this lesser-known fairy tale, reminding us that even in the darkest moments, hope and love can prevail. I highly recommend A Faithful Hope to fans of fairy tale retellings and inspiring stories. If you've already completed this series and are seeking a new multi-author collaboration of romantic fantasy books, keep an eye out for Tethered Hearts, and upcoming series of forced proximity romantasies from some of my favorite authors!