Whimsical and magical. To live among talking trees, handsome dragons shifters, and heroic princes would be special. All five ladies consider themselves sisters, three are now queens while the last two are still searching for their purpose. Although a spin-off from the other series it can be read separately because enough information is given throughout to catch a reader up. I have greatly enjoyed the Embraced series as an escape and adventure. My copy came through Netgalley, review written voluntarily.

Sorcha travels with her sisters to the border of elf territory for a meeting. She knows it’s probably a trap but refuses to let her sister go alone. It was a trap and she was taken hostage. The elves don’t know about her fire abilities though and she is eventually able to get free, with a little help from the Woodsman.

This book started a little slow for me and I wasn’t sure where the story was going to go. It quickly picked up once the hero and heroine meet. I liked Sorcha. She was sassy, stubborn, and not afraid to kick a man in the balls. The Woodsman was tall, handsome, and secretive. This book totally had a Robin Hood and Maid Marion vibe going for it and I quite enjoyed it.

Overall, I can’t wait to see what is going to happen with the next sister, Maeve, and between the Circle of Five. Also I need to know what happened to Brody.

*ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.*

I usually enjoy books by Kerrelyn Sparks but this book didn't really do it for me. First of all it was listed as first in the series when it was actually fourth due to a change in publisher. So although I had read one of the previous four books I was kind of out of the loop on the characters and had to do research before I started reading. Once I started reading I did enjoy the story of Sorcha and the Woodsman in general. It would have been much better if I had read the series in order.

How to Love Your Elf is book four in The Embraced series by Kerrelyn Sparks.

I’m not sure why the author or publisher decided to labeled this novel as Embraced by Magic series when it’s part of The Embraced series. It's not a title that can be read as a first in a series. How to Love Your Elf needs to be read after Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon.

I’ve loved the previous titles in The Embraced series, but unfortunately this one feel off the mark.

If you’ve been following the series, Sorcha, is a princess and ‘Embraced’. She was featured throughout the series as a women with a fiery personality, but we soon learning that that’s just a front. She’s scared to love to the point that she makes herself physically ill. I was very disappointed to learn that Sorcha wasn’t the go getter she was portrayed. She lacked confidence in everything she did, even her Embraced gift is next to nothing. She was dull and spent the novel pining and obsessing over the Woodsman.

The Woodsman had a sexy appeal. I liked his confidence and strong personality. He was the only thing I liked about this novel.

The store progressed at a snails pace. I was not invested in the characters or plot. The main plot focused on the angst caused by the romance between these two. We also don’t spend any time dealing with who the Woodsman is and his history. As for the ending it happens fast and things are put to rest way to easily.

You might be wondering why I read this one. Well I loved the previous novels, I also wanted to get the full picture on the Embraced prophecy; which is the secondary plot featured throughout this series, and to also get those surprise tidbits offered up in the novel.

How to Love Your Elf was not the book for me. It's my least favorite and I was sadly disappointed. If the blurb intrigues you, I urge you to give it a shot. Just because it did not work for me does not mean it won’t for you.

Rated: 2 Stars

*Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy provided by Kensington via NetGalley with the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.

<b> ROBIN HOOD REIMAGINED WITH ELVES

Actual rating: 2.5⭐</b>

I absolutely loved Kerrelyn Spark's 'Love at Stake'-series so I was really excited to get into this book. It had its good sides that I very much enjoyed, but there were also things I didn't like which made me sad, because I didn't see that coming. My expectations weren't completely met.

<i>Disclaimer! I was unaware that this was actually the 4th in a series, so I haven't read the first 3 books. However, this review is not going to be affected by that.</i>

<b>👍 WHAT I LIKED 👍</b>

<u>Robin Hood</u>: I always like a good retelling and Robin Hood retellings are few and far between. So I liked that this was a spin on that beloved tale - it even had a Friar Tuck! It was not a literal retelling, but it had some of the key elements which I liked.

<u>Wooden humour</u>: The male protagonist of this book is called The Woodsman. He lives in the woods and is able to communicate with the spirits of the trees. I found it <i>hilarious</i> that this was basis for so much wood-related humour! 😂🌳

<blockquote><i><b>"Why do the trees do what you want? Do they relate to your wooden personality?"
- Sorcha </b></i></blockquote>

<b>👎 WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE 👎</b>

<u>Insta-love</u>: The attraction between the Woodsman and Sorcha, the female lead, was so shallow and insta-love-ish it really triggered me. There seemed to be nothing else besides physical attraction between the two of them...

<u>Sorcha</u>: Honestly, I just didn't like Sorcha... she was so passive. Not until the last 30 pages or so did she take action and become somewhat tolerable. Still, overall she lacked spark and spunk, which saddened me greatly.

Not the first in series but because of the publisher change was set as first.
This is about one of the Embraced Sorcha and the mysterious Woodman that meet under an harrowing experience and found a connection in their touch.
Before they can discover why they will have to overcome some drama,adventure,angst twists and of course romance.
Like the update on the other characters in series.
In all a good story, looking forward to reading about Brody and Maeve in the next.
Voluntarily reviewed

I enjoyed every page! Once again we are transported to a mythical time and reunited with the sisters , Utah with the focus new. We finally know the Woodsman. Wonderful story, fantastic characters and like all K.S. books, I’m completely swept away.

I have loved the previous three books in the Embraced series and was quite disappointed to find that due to some issues with the publisher, the fourth book - How to Love Your Elf would be published by a different publisher and that we would have to wait for a while to read it! And I have waited patiently! 😂
So, I'm happy to report that after waiting patiently I finally got the chance to read this early!

Note : Since this book is being published by a different publisher it is listed as the first in a new series - Embraced by Magic, but it is the fourth book in the Embraced series and features the same over-arching plot! You can find more about this on the author's website here!

Raised in isolation on the magic-shrouded Isle of the Moon, five girls became five sisters. Now women, they are ready to claim their places in the world—and perhaps change it forever . . .

How to Love Your Elf follows the fourth of the five sisters - Sorcha, who has the power to create fire and her journey! Each book in the series follows the story of a different sister and her love interest, and they can be read as standalones, but I'd suggest you to read all the books in the series for a more enjoyable experience!

The events of the previous books revealed that Sorcha was a princess of Norveshka and she was sent to the Isle of the Moon to keep her safe. The book starts off with Sorcha back in her home country, spending time with her brother Silas, his wife Gwen(her adoptive sister featured in the previous book) and her cousins.

When Gwen's mother from Woodwyn suddenly decide to contact her, everyone is a little suspicious. Though Gwen wants to connect with her, they soon find out that it's a trap and Sorcha ends up getting kidnapped while trying to save the injured Aleksi.
The Woodsman is a Robin Hood-esque guy who regularly steals the food and supplies from the Woodwyn army and gives it back to the villages they take it from. While he and his crew are out on one such exploit, they learn of the army's plan to trap the Norveshki royals and he decides to intervene.

So, when Sorcha manages to escape using her powers, he helps her free Aleksi too and volunteers to shelter them and deliver them back home safely! Despite Sorcha's initial wariness, she does feel an intense attraction to the Woodsman and he seems to return it. But, who is he actually and what is he hiding from her?

I liked this book a lot, but I didn't love it as much as I loved Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon! That one had a perfect mix of romance, magic and humor plus Silas and Gwen were amazing together!
Sorcha and the Woodsman(sorry can't spoil his name) had amazing chemistry too, but I just wanted a little more time with them! Sorcha was fiery and brave, but she did have her own set of issues to overcome too!

I just want to make it clear to you guys that if you don't like insta-attraction themed books, then this series might not be a right fit for you!
Personally the reason I like this book and the series(even though I prefer slow burn romances) is because sometimes amazing chemistry between the characters is enough to build the path for a fictional romantic relationship! Plus the author's writing and the world-building is pretty amazing with the mystery about the Chameleon's identity and the Circle of the Five!

How to Love Your Elf has a strong plot with amazing characters and we get to learn more about the country of Woodwyn and the members of the Circle of the Five! And it had the perfect amount of humorous scenes to add some lightness to the story!
All in all, this was a pretty amazing fantasy romance that I loved escaping into for a few hours!
The author has neatly set the stage for the final book and I can't wait to read Brody and Maeve's story! I've been waiting for Brody to get the spotlight for so long! And the sneak peek at the end has made me so much more excited! xD

I was struggling to get into this book. I was confusing the characters. Not really understanding the premise or the world that the author created. So I did a little investigation to see if others were having a similar problem. Then I discovered that this really isn't the first book in the series. Its listed that way. But it is really a continuation of The Embraced series, which I have not read. It should be listed as book 4 of the Embraced Series. No wonder I felt a bit lost.
And now a little bit cheated since I would have preferred to have read them in order had I known. It definitely would have made more sense.

So DNF at 10%

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. My opinions are all my own.

Unfortunately this book is going under DNF. It only took a couple pages to realize that this book may be the first in this series, but clearly not the first in this world. I can't say how annoying that is to me since I specifically looked it up on here to check before requesting. Needless to say I felt wayyyy behind right away.

Besides that, I kept going for a bit, because the story sounds really interesting and I've had multiple Kerrelyn Sparks books on my TBR list for years. So I was pretty excited to give this one a try.

No. I found the writing somewhat boring very quickly to the point that I wasn't retaining anything, partly because I don't know the characters that you're clearly supposed to know, and partly because it's just... Well it's a little like being TOLD about something rather than being shown.

I'd like to say I'll go back and try the first series (?) but I just don't know, as the writing itself wasn't keeping me interested.

So I hope other people who enjoy her work enjoy this book, but it's just not for me.

As always, I absolutely loved this story. The story line, the character arc is amazing. I've been waiting for this story. When The Woodsman enters the scene you're not sure if he's a good guy or a self made Robin Hood, but the moment he meets Sorcha danger lurks everywhere. Can they beat the threats coming from every corner and manage to find out their destiny?

Who’s really to blame - me or the book? I took an ARC way outside my comfort zone when really I should have known better.

It took me days to start it. Days to read the first twelve percent.

The writing was plain and unimaginative. The story was ludicrous. The characters frequently did things that were dangerous, ridiculous and inexplicable.

And at some point I kinda caved. I think around 44% I thought “this isn’t that bad.” And as long as I ignored large hunks of boring descriptions or stupid behavior the reading cruised right along.

The truth is - I know better than to read something like this. Sometimes Past Me is an optimist who fobs unpleasant things off on Future Me assuming “it won’t be that bad.” And then Future Me becomes Present Me and suddenly the piper must be paid. I’d like to tell you I won’t do this again - but we both know that’s a lie.

<a href="http://alleskelle.com"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1531392914r/25962167.jpg?v=1531392917324"width="400"></a>

Like many others I thought this was the start of a new series, and was surprised it was part of the Embraced series. I have read one of the books and I enjoyed it so I continued reading, but this one just didn't do it for me. I really didn't like Sorcha. I couldn't understand or connect with her so the whole book was off for me. The romance seemed odd. The set up seemed odd. Actually the set up really annoyed me. It starts with Sorcha not being able to defend herself in practice, but two weeks later she's so good at it that she's now the queens bodyguard..... So overall this one just wasn't for me.

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Ms. Spark's next installment in the Embraced series.

Raised in isolation on the magic-shrouded Isle of the Moon, five girls became five sisters. Now women, they are ready to claim their places in the world—and perhaps change it forever

Princess Sorcha of Norveshka is one of the Embraced, children born during a yearly eclipse between the two moons. As an Embraced child, she was sent off as a baby to live in a convent where she was raised with other girls she grew to recognize as her sisters.
Her country is constantly at war with its elven neighbors. A dangerous mission, she does what she can to support her own sister. But when she is taken hostage her captors didn’t take into account count her bravery and fierce fighting skills.

A chance meeting with a mysterious Woodsman, and some romance makes this lovely book a great read

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I had been looking forward to reading this one for awhile now. This is the new book in the embraced series well in a new spin off set in the same world with same characters. I enjoy this read. I’m already for the next one. This book is Sorcha’s story In this series there are several adopted sisters that must face their fate and meet their loves in order to save their kingdoms. All of the sisters have powers Sorcha’s power is fire and when she meets her fate sparks insue. This was a fun read and I can’t wait.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The book was hard to get through. I honestly got bored during parts had to keep coming back. Which is strange as there were plenty of action scenes. I think it may because Sorcha fell flat for me. Compared to her sisters/friend's, it almost felt like she liked a complex personality. The scenes with her and the Woodsman (they were hot and had alot of humor helped) made up for alot of the issues in the book.
I love this series so much which makes this book a little of a disappointment. The world is amazing however and worth reading the series and the book. The author has created something special with this book series. I hope the next book is better.

Kerrelyn Sparks' books have come across my different book-related feeds for years. I've had a few of them in my TBR list for just as long. Seeing How to Love Your Elf's ARC available seemed like the perfect chance to get to know her writing and read—what seemed, and I hoped would be—a fun and exciting story.

I was sorely disappointed.

I'm going to first mention the two points that made me somewhat enjoy the novel: the Woodsman had sex appeal (at least beginning to mid-way through the story), and there were a scattering of amusing moments sprinkled about, which is always a bonus.

And then I had to deal with the rest.

Sorcha is our lead. She has red hair, which is very obviously made to state that she has a fiery and independent, headstrong personality. This is pushed on us again and again by how often she tries to fight the Woodsman's will. I was never able to pinpoint what her actual personality is. She was dull often, she spent 90% of the novel pining and obsessing over the Woodsman's looks, and she would attempt to show sparks of life then go back to moving with the flow of the narrative.

And then the Woodsman... We begin the story with a seemingly strong character, decisive in nature, bold will...that goes out the window the moment that he lays eyes on Sorcha. He is so amazed by this incredible soldier-woman he sees while she attempts to escape from the enemy that he, a Wood Elf with an affinity with trees, almost falls right off of the one that he is sitting upon when he sees her. And as soon as he has the convenient chance to get his hands on her (because of course, as tends to happen in these books, some feisty physical response from her to deny his help makes him have to somehow touch her), he goes on to describe her as...

“...Green eyes. As green as the newly unfurled leaves of an oak tree in spring. Sorcha. His hand flinched, still gripping her thigh. She was different. With her face turned up to look at him, the moon shone off her luminous skin, and a million stars sparkled in her eyes.

She was incredible. Unique. Her beauty paired with her brave fighting spirit made a combination that took his breath away. How long could he hold her in his arms?”

They just met. She is unique, her fighting spirit is already fully obvious to him, she is different from apparently any other woman that he has known before...and they just met. Alright.

The pace of the novel itself is quick enough, the events themselves don't really play out other than to state facts a they occur. In “big” moments, like a murder scene, or a battle, we spend a page and a half maybe stating who stabs who, who hits who over the head, who fires an arrow at who, who dies, and then we move on. And I never quite understood the lay of the land. I am aware that there are a handful of kingdoms, but (and this is nitpick-y of me, yet it nagged at me every time that it came up) the distance within the land of Woodwyn, for example, is never clear. It takes these characters a day or two—sometimes less—to travel from one place to the next, on horseback, as if everything is within arm's reach. It just sparked of unrealistic.

And one of the most irritating things about this book was Sorcha's way of speaking o others by referring to them as “ye” and then would switch back to “you” without rhyme or reason. I did not understand it. It trips you up mid-dialogue again and again.

Most of this novel revolves around the two leads thinking of how much they like each other, how big their attraction is, and what they want to do with that attraction from the second that they meet. And it's just forced without the buildup of a good intimate chemistry that sparks. We barely spend any time dealing with the fact of who the Woodsman is and his history, the end of the story happens so fast and things are put to rest so very easily when drama should have actually been spent in those times.

It was, overall, sadly lackluster.

Though HOW TO LOVE YOUR ELF is a continuation of Kerrelyn Sparks' Embraced by Magic series, it clearly reads as a stand-alone fantasy romance. Full of romance, wit, and adventure, this lighthearted romance is enough fun that it had me laughing out loud and reading from page one to the end in one sitting.

Princess Sorcha of Norveshka feels much less than her sisters, the five girls raised together on the Isle of the Moon--girls destined to become women of greatness. She's got a little power, the ability to create fire, but it's small and not nearly as grand as her sisters' talents. But she'll do whatever she can to help. Except in doing so, she leaves the safety of her brother's kingdom and finds herself captured by the enemy, those blasted elves.

5 Hearts, Recommended Read
SJ, Romance Junkies

Rescued by a mysterious man named the Woodsman, a thief with a bounty on his head, Sorcha learns that all is not as it seems. Thrust in the middle of a civil war and learning to trust a people she'd long held as evil, Sorcha finds that sometimes what's in the heart is more important than what seems to be a truth. 


The humor in this story made it so much fun. The unfortunate honor of the Woodsman who's infuriated by Sorcha one minute and dying to kiss her in the next, and Sorcha's ability to get into mischief while doing her best not to be attracted to the handsome thief. The characters work so well together, and mention of Sorcha's "sisters" makes me want to go pick up the rest of their stories.

For fun, romance, and a rollicking good time filled with magic—and elves!!!—pick up Kerrelyn Sparks HOW TO LOVE YOUR ELF. It's a must-read!

Recommended Read

I was very happy when I got this book through NetGalley, in exchange for a review, since I have been a fan of Kerrelyn Sparks for ages. Now even though I liked the book, I was extremely confused why this book was labeled as a #1 when it is clearly a continuation of the Embraced series. This is were you first meet our heroine, and you should definitely be familiar with the series to enjoy to its fullest. I think this way you could fool some new readers into thinking they are stepping into a new series and I have no idea why they would market it as such.
There was plenty of action and romance but somehow this book fell a little short for me, not sure why since I loved the other books, but I suppose I just expected her to be more fiery and a bit more kick butt. Either way I did enjoy the book, even though it was a bit predictable. I am looking forward to the next book and hope that Maeve's story will be all I hope it will be.

The Embraced series follows a group of five sisters with magical abilities as they discover not only who they really are but who they are meant to be. This fourth installment is Sorcha’s story. After learning that she is actually a princess, Sorcha has been struggling to settle into her role as heir to her brother’s throne. Being his heir leaves her vulnerable to attack, but she refuses to let that stop her from accompanying her queen and sister to meet her long lost mother. Unfortunately, the meeting is a set-up, and Sorcha finds herself captive to the Elvish army and its cruel general. Luckily for her, a mysterious man called the Woodsman is determined to help her. Though determined not to fall in love, Sorcha can’t help but feel a pull towards this stranger. The Woodsman has his own agenda, and Sorcha doesn’t fit in with it. If only he could leave her alone.

The absolute best part of this series is the fantasy world Sparks has created.
In every book we have dived deeper into the history and culture of these five kingdoms. Sparks doesn’t just show you a kingdom. She teaches you what they believe, how they got here, and what their traditions are. In How to Love Your Elf, we finally get to see the inner workings of the Elf kingdom, Woodwyn. All of the other lands view the Elves as vicious. After all, Elves have been coming across their borders and attacking for seems like no reason at all for decades. As we get to know the Elves, we learn how misunderstood they are. It is a wonderful lesson about making assumptions about people’s motives when it comes to their behavior. What to the Elves as a rational response to actions by others is seen as random violence by the world.

Sorcha is a combination of bold and fearful that works together for an intriguing personality. She considers herself to be weak but presents a brave and strong front to the world. Her greatest fear is falling in love, but she can’t help but love the Woodsman because let’s face it, he looks like this Legolas.
Who wouldn’t live a self-sacrificing, brave hero like that?

The only downside to How to Love Your Elf is it’s fast climaxes. After spending much of the book trying not to love each other, Sorcha and the Woodsman just seem to do a sudden 180 and be ready to marry. Resolutions to the action seem to come to just a quick conclusions.

Unlike many romance novels, though, this book has a strong storyline that doesn’t revolve solely on the developing relationship. The Woodsman’s rebellion and continuing conflict with the Circle of Five (introduced In prior novels) carries enough tension to keep you turning pages.