I have never met a Jody Hedlund book I didn't enjoy and this new YA fairytale retelling is no exception!

This is perhaps the most unique Cinderella retelling I have ever read. Gabriella is forced to work as a slave in the gem mines and mourns her murdered father. Vilmar arrives as a new slave but is not who he pretends to be. There is an evil plot, a thrilling escape, a forsaken quest, and swoony romance. This is Jody Hedlund romantic adventure at its best!

I enjoyed this book from first page to last and will be sharing it with my teenage daughter and I am eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but my opinions are my own.

Beholden is the first in a new medieval romance series by Jody Hedlund and I loved it!

Three princes get sent for 6 months of testing which will determine who will be the next King. Prince Vilmar is sent as a slave to the mines in neighboring Warwick where slaves mine for the Queens gems as punishment for "crimes." Here he meets Gabriella a beautiful noble woman who was sent there when her father died. Not only is she beautiful but she is also kind and has earned the favor of the other slaves, overseers and guards.

Once a year the Queen of Warwick has a fairest maiden ball in which all families must send their fairest daughter. Unfortunately the most beautiful maiden is picked from this ball to be sacrificed for the good of the country. Gabriella secretly arranges her release in order to attend this ball in place of her step-sister. When Vilmar and the other slaves figure out Gabriella's plan they must risk everything to try to save her.

This book kept me hooked the entire time! Hedlund's message of kindness superseding even the worst of circumstances can certainly apply today in our divisive world. I cannot wait to read the next books in this series and the best part- Hedlund releases a new one every month so instead of waiting a year between books it is only a month!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA medieval stories, fairytale retellings or just a good adventure!

I received this book free for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. Thank you Jody!

Author Jody Hedlund's medieval Young Adult series have been fantastic, and this new series is taking off with a great start.

Amid the fallout from her father's death, Gabriella has gone from a life of leisure to a slave in the depths of the gem mines, where she endures danger and hard work each day. But she shines among the other workers for her great kindness.

Vilmar expects to become king after his six months of testing are over, and takes the work in stride. As the story unfolds, he learns to appreciate other people for their skills and loyalty, and he turns from the pride that has propelled his decisions.

I loved how in the midst of the desperate slavery situation, the people had formed a supportive community, and were helpful to each other.

I also really appreciated that in this clean YA romance, characters from two neighboring countries had been taught Scriptural principals by which to guide their decisions.

The story is told in a dual narrator fashion, and there is enough perspective from Vilmar, and enough action and adventure that the story may appeal to boys as well as girls. I recommend it to all those who enjoy historical romance, especially in a medieval time period.

I received an e-ARC of this book from the author for review purposes. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Having read many of Jody Hedlund's novels, I had really high expectations and she absolutely did not disappoint! Although this book is written toward YA, I'm a bit older and truly loved this story. Set in medieval times, the characters must prove to themselves who they are and how they want to live their lives. Based on the popular fairytale Cinderella, this is really the best telling! The characters are so well-developed and the scenery so accurately described, I felt like I was there in the story. Don't let this one get away without reading it!

I highly recommend this story for people who love Christian historical fiction and happily-ever-afters!

I was given a copy of this book by the author with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.

The setting of the story is in medieval times with kings, queens, knights, and ladies. The hero is Prince Vilmar, but he is not recognized as a prince through most of the story as he works alongside the slaves in the mine pits of Gemstone Mountain. Lady Gabriella, the heroine, has already been there for months before Vilmar arrives. The reasons they are there are very different but nevertheless, they are slaving away with the others who are digging for valuable gems for the queen. Gabriella has such a gentle, caring nature and spends much of her time in the evenings looking after the needs of those who are sick and injured. She has a single-minded goal of bringing an end to a horrible practice started a few years earlier by the queen that enables the continuation of the slave mine. You will have to read the book to learn what this is, because I do not wish to give away too much of the story here. Prince Vilmar has led everyone to believe he displeased his father and was sent to work in the mines for a period of time. To tell the real reason, he would have to divulge more information about who he is than he is allowed to share. In turn, that could lead to other undesirable consequences. After being there for several weeks, he realizes that Gabriella has been demonstrating through her treatment of others what he needs to put into practice if he hopes to achieve his goals. I appreciate the lessons taught by Gabriella and Vilmar. One of the most important lessons is that they continued to learn from others throughout the story. I received an advance copy of this book from the author. This is my honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.