This is the 4th book in the series and I have only read one of the others - but I found there was enough explanation given to not be at all confused or spoil what I haven’t yet read. 

Basically there were five baby girls who were raised together in a sort of secret school on an island because they had magic powers and needed to be hidden from those who would kill them. Now they are grown up and each girl is finding her happy ever after while saving the land that wanted to destroy them. 

This book is about Sorcha a red head whose magical talent means she can start fires. Sorcha is kidnapped by the baddies (did I tell you there was a war going on?) and taken into the forest where she is rescued by a woodsman - yep, fire burns wood - you just know who she is eventually going to fall in love with!

Behind this is a solid story with adventure, danger, talking oak trees, elves (hence the title) dragons, magic, laugh out loud moments and, of course, romance. Will certainly read the other books in this series. 

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, Kensington Books, for my copy to review

How to Love Your Elf is a sweet and sexy romance with a splash of adventure and fantasy . The heroine and hero are great characters and I really enjoyed this story.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for my e-arc copy of this book. I am so happy to be back into the world of the Embraced. Since reading the previous I wanted to know what would happen to Sorcha and her other sisters. In this tale we are following Sorcha who has just celebrated the wedding of her brother and one of best friends that she grew up with. Not long after the wedding they go to see her new sister in laws estranged mother. While on the journey they run into trouble. Sorcha is put in danger and is rescued by a handsome stranger who is only known as the Woodsman. Sorcha like her sister is embraced and has powers thanks to be born under the twin moons. I liked Sorcha and I enjoyed her tale. This book as a very much Robin Hood and Maid Marian and I am enjoyed that aspect. If you have read the other books in the series, then you will enjoy this one. If you have not picked up book one then I recommend that you do. All books are light, fun and at times steamy Fantasy romances.

Kerrelyn Sparks immerses the reader in a delightful fantasy in How to Love Your Elf. Sorcha continues the adventures of her fellow four girls who were raised on an island with only women and who have magic.  Sorcha is the fourth to go fourth and find her place in life. She is the sister and heir of a king and has been kidnapped by elves from the neighbouring kingdom.  She is launched into her path to destiny with the Woodman who rescues her and his ragged group of rebels.

This is the fourth book in a series that I haven't read, but that didn't impact by reading experience too much. As a fan of Kerrelyn Sparks other works, I expected this to be full of magic and sexy times. However, what I got was actually a ton of political talk and characters I didn't really enjoy. My biggest issue was that it felt almost like I was listening to someone telling me the story after they read it versus reading it myself. The story happened in bullet points as if checking off a list. Finally, there was so much insta-love that I had trouble connecting with it. The thing I enjoyed most was reading Sorcha's character. She was strong-willed and stepped up in the end. If you enjoy Kerrelyn Sparks other books or paranormal/fantasy romance then give it a try! I recommend reading the first three books before this one though.

Rating~ 3.5 stars

I was so excited to read this one, this is the fourth book in the embraced series (and the first in embraced by magic due to some publishing issues) I had quite enjoyed the other books in the series and this one seemed very intriguing from the blurb with the whole robin hood situation!

Its a pretty decent addition to the series, I just felt the Sorcha not realising the identity was a bit lame ? its pretty obvious along with her obliviousness to the hair dye situation and a bunch of other quibbles including the Woodsman averseness to her fire powers, like she's gonna set my woods on fire on accident is bit too much. Though the importance of the woods and why the Elves seems to really care and cherish them was a pretty neat twist.

Author #Kerrelyn Sparks next book #How to Love Your Elf is a great entertainment.It can
be read as a stand alone.This is perfect for the vacation weekend coming up and a great 
book if you haven’t read any of her books.This is a hilarious,fantasy and romance treat.
Thank you,
#Netgalley,#Kerrelyn Sparks and # Kensington Publishing

Sorcha is trying to meet with elves from across the border but is betrayed and taken hostage.  She escapes with the help of the Woodsman.  The journey back to safety is not without peril, but it was a fun journey to watch.

Technically you can read this book as a stand alone because there is enough explanation of things in it, but I think you would get more enjoyment if you read the other books in the Embraced series (that was released under a different publisher).

I've always enjoyed Kerrelyn Sparks books and this one did not disappoint.  She always seems to have a creative take on things

#HowtoLoveYourElf #NetGalley

Absolulove this book, this series and this author!!! She has yet again, given us a wonderful story of another sister!!!

One of the things I love most in fantasy novels is a strong female protagonist.  How to Love your Elf was the perfect escape read and the perfect fantasy.  Sparks created a universe id like to visit again

Like others have stated, this is technically a fourth book in an ongoing series, but it jumped publishers (for various reasons) and thus Kensington changed the series named and this became the first book in a "new" series for the final two books in the original series (man I love IP law). Hopefully unlike me you're not freaking out because the Kensington titles are trade paperback while the non-Kensington titles are mass market paperback.

In previous books I had no real thoughts about Sorcha beyond loving her name. The previous book ([book:Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon|34962717] is about her brother Silas meeting  her Embraced Sister Gwennore and was the Dragon side of things and like I said in that review, that war made no sense.

From the elven side it didn't make sense either and I was kind of over the elves. Gwennore was DEFINITELY better off not being around them as she grew up. The Woodsman was ok and his band of (don't call them merry) minions were fun, but at this point I was guessing the Woodsman secret pretty quickly. 

I think Sparks has a tell but I'm hard pressed to figure out what it is. 

Regardless while I enjoyed the Woodsman moreso than Silas, I liked Gwennore moreso than Sorcha, making this book just a little less enjoyable (as more of the book focuses on Sorcha). Its possible that despite Silas and Sorcha being dragons/dragon clan...I liked the ELVES more and I've never said that in my entire life.

I don't honestly recommend reading this as a stand alone. Especially given the jump in publisher. While Sparks doesn't assume you know all, she spends precious little time on previous books' shenanigans leading one to wonder what the fuss is about the Embraced. In her "Love at Stake" books this worked a little better as the world felt larger, you didn't feel like you were constantly hearing the same world lore just with a different slant to it. 

There was some really nice build up for the second (and fifth, so the last) book in the series however and I've read this far so I'm gonna read all the way to the end to see what is going on.

Funny, emotional, and sexy. Fully enjoyed this read and can’t wait for the next in series. Also loving these covers!

For some reason I thought the stories of ‘the embraced’ were over, but with How To Love Your Elf by Kerrelyn Sparks I realize that assumption wasn’t all the way correct. See, this installment in both the continuation and branching off point to and from The Embraced and Embraced By Magic series (once again, this assumption was incorrect since it’s it’s shown to be fully under the Embraced by Magic series). I’m not sure why the author chose to break the series up, but I can somewhat see the direction she’s going in with this move.

As to the characters of How To Love Your Elf, I was somewhat shocked by how much I didn’t really care for them. Sorcha and the Woodsman were too much alike that if it wasn’t for the sensual vibes the author made sure to add early on they would’ve worked well as brother and sister by how much they nitpicked at each other. I loved the supporting characters and the cameos of the main couples from The Embraced series. The villains were also lacking and transparent as well; there wasn’t much depth to the characters that drove this story.

The overall story of How To Love Your Elf by Kerrelyn Sparks was so engaging and entertaining that I found it extremely hard to put the story down. When I was in the story, I was in it. I really felt like I was transported into another world. Plus, the abilities of the characters in this book, and what I’m guessing will carry on in the rest of the series, was interesting and on brand with this series branch off. I’m excited to see/read what’ll come next for the characters of this world.

I recently saw the second book in this series up and available on NetGalley to request, and while I enjoyed this story and its supporting characters I didn’t enjoy the main characters. Reading or having main characters that are strong enough to not get overlooked by the storyline or the supporting characters is something that I crave in a book – it’s the biggest selling point for me. So, with that said I may just pass up on continuing this series for a while, read some reviews for it as they come out, and then decide if it’s something that’ll interest me.

I adore this series.  I look forward to each and every one to see what elements of whichever classic fairy tale/trope Sparks uses. I was anxiously waiting this one because of Sorcha and it was well worth the wait. I can't wait for the next one, pout, the last one.

I love this Series so much!! I’m so happy that I finally got to read this book I took forever but I understand way it took so long I’m just glad I finally got to read it!!

As the 4th book in a series, this one can easily be read as a stand alone, but the reading experience will be better if you know the back stories and can see the growth of the characters in their world.  That being said....

Princess Sorcha joins the defense of the elfin lands where she is captured along with a member of her extended family.  Enter The Woodman, an expert in keeping to himself who must decide what action to take when he witnesses the battle and abduction of Sorcha.  The story is well defined, Kerrelyn Sparks is one of my "followed" authors because she gives her characters so much detail that you easily "see" them and recognize their characters.  The battles between the elves and the invaders are heart felt, the elves must protect their lands since they have no where else to go.  The Woodman has the skills that will not only let him save the princess but the day.  But each battle brings this community to the edge of their limited resources.  How will they keep fighting?  You will just have to read the book.  Then you too, will add Kerrelyn Sparks to your list of favorites.

Kerrelyn Sparks does it again. 

I'm not always one for romance books, but I absolutely loved the Love at Stake series for a long time and I knew I would have to check out the next fantasy series put out by this author. I've always enjoyed how she writes and I look forward to finishing the whole series.

Five girls princess were exile to island to keep them safe and see if they can bring peace to their world .As they get older each will met people who will want to kill them and stop the prophesy the Princess will marry their mates who with their help will change their world. This is the fourth princess Sorcha   and the Woodman story. When Gwennore mother invites her to her land for a meet all is not what it seem during a battle Sorcha is left behind when she stop to rescue Gwennore  brother in law who was injured during battle. They both get capture and its up to the Woodman to try and save  them. The story was very well written in that it pulls the reader into their world the last book written about a year ago and after reading a little abut the other sister one remember the story. This Is Sorcha adventure which has Elves an tree and magic. I enjoyed the marriage of romance and action they are companions in this story. Ms Spark has written a story that can be read alone or as part of series it also very hard to put down.

In full disclosure, I have already read the previous book for this series, but I still found myself confused. How to Love Your Elf is a continuation of The Embraced Series, yet at the same time it is the first novel of the Embraced by Magic series-- this leads to confusion for the readers, is it the beginning of a series or should I read the other three previous books of the series. The answer would be yes, you do need to read the other three books as previous characters from the other books are talked about and tend to pop up now and again in the pages.

Once you get over the confusion, How to Love Your Elf is a guilty pleasure to read if you love fantasy books focusing mostly on the "hate to love" troupe of romance stories-- which I do love.

I love Kerrelyn Sparks. This was a great story that I couldn’t put down! I can’t wait to see what happens next in this series.