The Peasant's Dream by Melanie Dickerson

Book 11 of  Hagenheim

Summary: 

In this reverse reimagining of the Cinderella story, secrets and dangerous enemies threaten a fairy-tale romance.

Adela, daughter of the Duke of Hagenheim, is rarely allowed outside the castle walls. But one day, longing for freedom, she sneaks away to the market disguised as a peasant. There, she meets a handsome young woodcarver named Frederick.

Frederick, a poor farmer, is the sole provider for his family, and he often has to defend his mother from his father’s drunken rages. He dreams of making a living carving beautiful images into wood, and he is thrilled when the Bishop of Hagenheim commissions him to carve new doors for the cathedral. As Frederick works on the project, he and Adela meet almost daily, and it doesn’t take long for them to fall in love. Yet her true identity remains hidden from him.

When disaster separates them, Adela and Frederick find themselves caught in the midst of deceptions far more dangerous than innocent disguises. As the powerful lords set against them proceed with their villainous plans, secrets emerge that put Frederick and Adela’s future at risk.

Opening Lines: 

Adela stood watching her brother Steffan marry his true love, Katerina of Hamlin, memorizing how the autumn sun bathed everything in warm light and made the stained glass windows of Hamlin Cathedral spark and glow. She would begin to capture this moment with her paints and brushes as soon as she went to her room in her brother and sister-in-law's home.

The scene was perfect--a lovely wedding on the steps of the Cathedral. Katerina's violet gown brought out the rich color of her chestnut hair, and even Steffan looked handsome, in spite of the fact that he was her irritating older brother.