Cover Image: Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon

Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon

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I really enjoyed this book it is the third in the series I missed the second one and am definitely going to go back and read it cant wait for the other books that follow.

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I loved this book! Dragon Shifters, intrigue, curses, true love, what more could I ask for :)

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Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon is a humorous and sweet paranormal romance. Gwen is babysitting her niece when a dragon sweeps out of the sky to steal the child away. Our brave heroine holds on tight to be carried away too. When she about plummets to her death, another dragon swoops in to save the day whom she affectionately names "Puff". A sick queen demanded a child she believes is hers but when Gwen uses her gift on the queen she discovers the madness curse is in fact poisoning. Manipulated by the handsome General Silas, Gwen agrees to stay if the child is returned. Funny and flirty, Gwen and Silas relationship cracked me up and kept me reading way passed by bedtime. The action is enough to keep the plot flowing smoothly and the secrets they uncover satisfy the reader and further enchant. This book ended way too soon in a sweet HEA that gave me a hankering for the next in series. Totally satisfying and pleasing for a great read I recommend for paranormal romance lovers.

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Eight Simple Rules for Dating A Dragon by Kerrelyn Sparks is the third book in the author's series, Novel of the Embraced. The events in this story take place in Aerthlon, the world Ms. Sparks has created. This world is a fantasy fan's dream world. There's magic, shifters, pirates, dragons and royalty. I love this world and the stories Kerrelyn Sparks tells about it and all those who populate it.

The stories are based around five girls who are of the Embraced and are raised in a convent on an island which is a safe haven. On the main continent the Embraced have been feared and killed when found. In this book we get to read the story of Gwennore who was raised on the Isle on Moon and General Silas Dravenko of Norveshka, the land of the dragons. They have many adventures and find some answers for some mysteries from long ago as they get to know each other and fall in love. I loved this book and the entire series so far! I can't wait for the next book in the series.

I received an ARC provided by NetGally for an honest review.

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Loved this book love the characters and the storyline. Silas and Gwen are great together. A 500 year old curse dragons Elfes and so much more..

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After reading the first book I was a bit hesitant to pick up this one. Even when I liked that one, I remember it was rather light on the fantasy and a bit simple in the execution of the story. But I was curious how Gwennore would fare with a dragon, so here we are.

The story is indeed simple and straight forward. There are no big surprises here. Gwennore and Silas have a fast romance while having to save the country. I liked them as a couple, but the story is rather formulaic. I can already predict the ending of the next book and I don't mean the HEA.

Overall 3 big stars because I did enjoy it a lot.

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This is a really great series, love the books and am looking forward to more in the series.

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Silas is a very defensive man, “would you stop calling him Puff? He’s a war dragon, for Light’s sake.” I think Silas takes pleasure in embarassing his woman, "with a groan, Gwennore pulled the sheet over her face. “That’s my snookums,” he teased. “Always trying to sneak a peek at the crown jewels.” With a huff, she lowered the sheet and scowled at him." I don't understand why Silas is getting all in a tizzy, the man can't be jealous of himself, but it seems that way, "...she’d trampled all over his traumatized heart by declaring Puff the real hero. She’d called the general a jokester, a man who wasn’t to be taken seriously. Dammit to heck! How could she dismiss him like that? Was that any way to treat a man she was attracted to? He strode into the southern wing, then darted up the stairs, two at a time, headed for her bedchamber. She was going to take him seriously." Silas doesn't like interruptions especially if they disturb him when he's with his lady, “dammit to heck,” Silas growled. Gwen’s hands shook as she refastened her clothes. “Wait here.” He adjusted his too-tight breeches and strode toward the door." I loved this book, I love this author's writing she knows how to write memorable characters that stick with you.

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I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The 3rd installment of the Embraced series is fantastic! It was finally Gwennore's chance to discover her fate of the telling stones. Silas is a Norveshki Prince and General. When Princess Eviana is kidnapped by the Dragons, along with Gwennore, it is a dragon named "Puff" that helps rescue them. Its not hard to understand how Gwennore can fall in love with a dragon, who wouldn't? Can Gwennore use her own Embraced Gift to help the people of Norveshki, even though she is considered their enemy because she is a Woodwyn Elf?

I will never understand how Kerrelyn Sparks continues to write some of the best books I have ever read. From the Love At Stakes series, now with the Embraced series, each book just gets better and better. She is so talented at developing characters you not only fall in love with, you stir up an empathy for them and their quest to use their gifts to help others. I have never met a Kerrelyn Sparks book I didn't like, and this is no different! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a great love story, with plenty of action and secrets. I must warn you, once you start reading...it will be very difficult to put down, so my suggestion would be to cozy up with this book, a nice cup of tea, and a long weekend without any other plans!

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That was so sweet!!!!! This is the first book I read by this author it definitely won't be the last one.
I love the relationship between Captain Gorgeous and Gwen; they are the sweetest.

Now I'm going to read this first two books of this series

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A big thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This is part of a series, but I haven't read them all. This book reads well as a stand alone. You know there is history you don't know but it isn't distracting. There are a lot of odd names which could be confusing, trying to keep everyone straight. The plot is fairly convoluted which I liked. I rate this a 4. Loved the Redwoods. I think a lot of romance readers will enjoy this book.

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Four and a half
This series about 'embraced' women who have grown up together is just so imaginative and fun. In this book it's Gwenmores turn to step into the limelight and boy does she have a huge problem. When the young princess is snatched by a dragon ( told you it was huge ), Gwenmore tries to follow but then she's dropped only to be saved by another dragon ! What makes everything worse is discovering that as an elf Gwenmore is considered to be an enemy but she's not backing down . Luckily general Silas intervenes saving Gwenmore from the dungeon but strange things are happening in the land of dragons. An insane Queen , an ancient curse and an enemy of old.
This was fun to read although perhaps a tiny bit predictable. It's a completely different take on the usual shifter stories and never fails to entertain the reader. Humour abounds from the title which reminds me of a much loved show to the name that Gwenmore calls her dragon rescuer . Such a well written story and hurrah no instant love but a relationship based on respect as much as attraction. Yes it's a romance although Silas does sound remarkably modern for a fantasy character but I still enjoyed it. I actually wanted a slightly different ending but alas my lips are sealed. I'm guessing Sorcha might get her man next and I for one can't wait to read it.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

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This was a well-written, very entertaining book. Gwennore is an Elf, greeted with suspicion by everyone around her. She suddenly finds herself in the realm of the dragons, with General Silas Dravenko asking her to use her healing skills to help the royal family he serves. They should be enemies, but they find themselves becoming allies and trying to fight their attraction to each other. This book can be read as a standalone story, though it is #3 in The Embraced series. This amazing author has written another great book and I am eager to read other books in this series!

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Why does this series just keep getting better and better? I'm intrigued now about who Maeve and Sorcha are going to end up with. I loved Silas as the hero in this book. I love sexy dragon shifters so much. I knew though from the beginning who Puff the dragon was. It was so obvious. I can't wait for the next book in the series. I need it so badly.

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I thought this would be a fun, quirky story with light-hearted romance, and Fantasy is almost always a good fit for me. Unfortunately, this was very not for me. Not because it’s the third in a series. It can be read as a standalone, as is often the case in Romance series.

Gwennore is an intimate of the previous two heroines. While at a massive birthday party (seriously, the way the Embraced get their magic means that everyone has the same birthday), she and her friend’s three-year-old daughter are abducted by dragons. Gwennore fights for the child’s return and in doing so makes a bargain to help General “Gorgeous” Silas Dravenko investigate the madness and intrigue infesting his kingdom’s court.

The romance is refreshingly based on mutual admiration and time spent together as well as lust. To be fair, the time they spend together isn’t nominally very much because the pacing is such that the entire story takes place over a short time and they do need to be in love by the end. A great deal of the novel harkens back to Old School Romance. The heroine is virginal, has a youthful lack of self esteem despite a strong support system of other women, and there is a strong focus on purity, easily scandalised society, and marriage and children. The Fantasy elements are also rooted in older tropes.

That was the first of my two problems. This book does not work very hard to be Fantasy. There are basic cookie cutter ideas like elves with pointy ears, murderous trolls, dragons that breathe fire, and royal courts based on the most rudimentary understanding of a Western monarchy. None of these things meld together well, nor do they hold up under logic or examination.

Sad to say, my second problem was with the writing. The voice is oddly juvenile. With the sexual references removed, this could easily be for a younger audience. The vocabulary is limited, overly modern for a Fantasy setting with Western historical influences, and childish. For example, iterations of the phrase “fall for” appear twenty times, and the curse is referred to as “so-called curse” fourteen times. This phrase is also the only use of the word “so-called” in the text. A great deal of time is wasted in repetition and perpetuating misunderstandings or deceit that a child could see through. Ironically, the child character in the beginning doesn’t behave or speak like a real child.

I like this genre. I love Mark of the Tala and the other books in that series. I’ve read a lot more of it in YA, and I’ve liked most of that too. I suppose I just want better commitment to and execution of the Fantasy elements. The romance is fine. He convinces her that she was Beautiful All Along and their banter over the rules for dating dragons is quite cute. And the madness subplot was interesting. It simply wasn’t enough to engage me.

Less picky readers will enjoy the banter between the two romantic leads, the large cast is a lot of fun (I loved Dimitri), and Gwennore’s innocence can be charming.

(I received an ARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review.)

This review is scheduled to appear on my blog March 19, 2018.

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Oh my goodness, this book really surprised me! After having read another dragon book that intrigued me, this book caught my eye and I just had to read it. I must admit that I had never heard of Kerellyn Sparks before so I had no idea what to expect. Let's just say that when I finished reading this amazing book, I went straight to a retailer's page and checked out her other books, adding the one or the other to my wishlist and... so on.
Yes, it was that good.
I loved the characters, both strong and capable, working together, believing in each other and, well, falling in love with each other. The storyline was unique and intriguing, keeping me glued to my reader, laughing out loud, giggling and gasping and feeling with our hero and our heroine.

When a dragon kidnaps a little girl, it's Gwen who follows her and stays with her even if that means to hitch a ride with a dragon. Her talent to find out what ails those around her might come in handy because their kidnapper's country is plagued by a mysterious illness ..... or might it really be a curse?
Working together with the very handsome and captivating General Silas Dravenko, Gwen realizes that her life and her heart are on the line and a race against time and other odds begins...

I loved this book and I am so looking forward to exploring her other books as well!

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As long as people realize this a fantasy novel much different from her previous series you will enjoy this book and the other two before it. I really like that it stands alone even though it is part of a series. Liked he story the world and the characters - looking forward to more!

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ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

When I started this book I didn’t realize it was the third book in the series, but once I got into the story it worked well as a stand-alone.

There are five Kingdoms, four on the mainland and a pair of islands. Twice a year the two moons on the planet eclipse and any child born will be gifted with a magical power. The kings on the mainland wanted these children killed, although some infants were secretly sent to the Ilse of Moon to be saved. This is the story of five girls were raised as sisters. Two of the sisters have married kings, the other three are single.

Gwennore is the only sister who is an elf and is treated as an outcast by most people on the mainland. The elves have a reputation of being vicious killers, constantly at war, so some people are wary of her. Gwen’s talent is the ability to find illness simply by touching a person and she trained with a healer to be able to heal people.

Silas is the younger brother of a king, and is a dragon shifter. When his brother the king, in dragon form, kidnaps the daughter of one of Gwen’s adopted sisters, Gwen grabs onto the dragon and tries to free the child, but is shaken loose. As Gwen is falling, another dragon catches her. When she discovers she can communicate with the dragon who saves her, he won’t tell her his name so she names him Puff.

Gwen was a strong character, smart, insightful, with a strong desire to use her gift to help people, but also despairing of ever finding her true love. When she spends time with Silas, the king’s brother, she is attracted to him but knows his people would never accept her, as his country was at war with the elves. It takes a while before she realizes Silas is Puff.

Silas/Puff was so funny, he had a great sense of humor and was constantly teasing Gwen. They had great chemistry and it was fun watching them verbally spar.

The only thing I didn’t like was the epilogue, where some problems just seemed to be solved without knowing how they were solved. Maybe the next book will provide more details.

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This was not a favorite. It is too much a fairy tale with steam. If the author removed the steam this could be a good young persons story. I just could not get involved.

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This book is pure magic! Queens, kings, princesses, trolls, dragons and shifters are represented with delight. Gwennore has encountered prejudice for being and Elf, although she was raised in a convent and has never met another Elf. Silas saves Gwen and their friendship grows and grows. She, as a healer, is willing to work to help rid his family of a curse that had led to infertility and madness. He is willing to risk the wrath of his brother, the King, for trusting and falling in love with an Elf. This lovely story has me believing in Happily Ever Afters. I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review. After reading this book, I quickly found other books by the author, which I look forward to reading.

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