Very entertaining! This has a great mix of fantasy, paranormal and historical romance. You have dragons, elves, shifters, trolls, talking trees, royal families and more.

The author has a good sense of humor that shows through her characters and great vision in her world building. This series would make a fantastic movie series. I could easily see this world and it's many fascinating characters through her words.

It will depend on the reader if this could be a standalone or not. It has continuing characters and does mention things that happened in previous books, but each book focuses on one couple and their story.

I'm looking forward to Sorcha's story next! ARC provided by NetGalley.

Unique historical-ish romance with a feeling of modern sarcasm along with shifters, elves and trolls. Sparks style is refreshing and exciting. Each book centers around one of five sisters, left on an island as a baby because their families feared for their safety. As grown women two have become royalty and have families. Gwenmore, an elf and healer, has gotten involved with a country of dragon shifting clans and a deadly curse. It's a magical story playing off the previous books for Luciana and Brigitta. Each romance is separate however there is an interconnected theme. My copy came through Netgalley and my review written voluntarily.

Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon by Kerrelyn Sparks is a paranormal romp about the romance between a kidnapped fairy lady and a dragon. What could possibly go wrong? Everything. Funny and engrossing.

This is one of those silly, fluffy paranormal/fantasy romances. We’ve got a misunderstood virgin heroine, a cinnamon-rolly General, a 500-year-old curse, insta-love, and dragons.I used to devour these like candy, but it’s not quite my thing any longer. This is the third in the Embraced series, and while each story could be read as a standalone, I think it’d work better if you read the series in order.

First off, I did enjoy the book. There are aspects of it that are quite fun, from the secondary characters like Annika and Dimitri – and Brody, I love Brody!, to the dating rules, to the trolls. There are other parts, however, that made the book a bit of a chore to get through, and I finished feeling rather unsatisfied.

To start off with, the plot is very predictable. If you’ve read the previous books in the series, you know exactly what’s going to happen, who the bad guy is, etc. I enjoyed the beginning – Luciana’s young daughter is kidnapped by a dragon, and Gwennore manages to get herself caught as well and taken to Norveshka, where, oh look, there’s something seriously wrong with this king and queen, too. Gwennore’s Embraced ability lets her be a sort of walking medical diagnostic kit – by touching someone in certain places, she can tell if they’re sick or injured. She immediately realizes that the queen who everyone believes is suffering from a curse is actually being poisoned. Of course, Silas, the general who comes to her rescue when the queen tries to have her thrown in the dungeons, believes her, and asks her to stay and solve the mystery of a curse that’s been plaguing the country for 500 years. And, of course!, that’s not the only reason he wants her to stay – they’re already halfway to insta-love after their first meeting.

“I will always love you, Gwennore, whether we’re flooded with rain or shining as brilliant as the stars.
She smiled. ‘That’s lovely. Thank you.’
My love for you will burn like an eternal flame deep in my chest.
She stifled a laugh. That sounded like a bad case of heartburn.
I heard that. A puff of smoke shot from his nostrils as he huffed. You think it’s easy to confess how much I love you? You give it a try.”


Unfortunately, I found the romance rather lacking as well. I loved the flirting between Gwennore and Silas – including the silly dating rules. I think Silas and Gwennore were at their best during these interactions, both as a couple and separately. But, Gwennore kept blowing hot and cold and honestly I half-wished Silas would throw up his hands and walk away. Literally, she slammed doors in his face multiple times rather than, I don’t know, actually dealing with her emotions or having an actual conversation with him. I’m not a fan of the “I’m so innocent that I can’t deal with my LUST so instead I must treat you like crap” trope, and sadly this strayed into that territory more than once. It just doesn’t feel like romance to me, and it was frustrating that all the work for the relationship fell squarely on Silas’ shoulders. Whenever one person in a relationship is doing all the work (and I don’t care what their gender is), and the other person is continuously rejecting them in a hurtful way, that’s not very romantic, in my eyes. Eventually, Gwennore gives in, and the relationship seemed to take a better turn from there, but since that happens at the end of the book, there’s not much time to enjoy it, since most of the chemistry between earlier in the book was ruined for me by Gwennore’s childish actions.

Even the internal conflict of Gwennore learning to love herself – despite everyone else hating her because she looks like an elf – fell flat for me. She seemed to take two steps forward and one step back, and most of the time it seemed like Silas (or someone else) was standing up for her in lieu of her doing it for herself. I accepted that a couple of nobles from Luciana’s kingdom would be snots to her, but to have pretty much the entire castle in Norveshka against her after just a few hours? It was a bit over the top, and seemed to happen just to give her an excuse to continue treating Silas like crap (“I like him, but if we’re together, everyone will hate him, too!”) which makes no sense because the way they explained Gwennore’s continued presence in the castle is that she and Silas are having an affair, so whatever “tarnish” would’ve happened to his reputation would already be there!

Over all, while I’ve enjoyed reading the series, overall, I think this is the weakest so far, and I’m not sure I’ll be picking up the next one. If you love fluffy paranormals and dragon shifters, though, you will probably enjoy this book!

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

3.75 Stars

“The Embraced” series is back with a charismatic, shrewd and witty Alphamale in “Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon.” General Dravenko stole my attention when he made a (short) appearance in “So I Married a Sorcerer” that I was so excited when the next entry in the series is putting him and Gwennore as the main leads.

Told from alternate POVs of Silas’ and Gwennore’s, this book is a fast-paced, quick-witted read with amusing slow-burn romance. It might be a predictable plot - after three books I’ve come to know what to expect while following the characters’ escapades - yet the writings still had me engrossed from the start to end.

Yes, Silas had flaw in the sense, despite his strength and ability, he was rather powerless to stop calamity to unfold. But I rather liked his other side; the person, not only the soldier and warrior, but the man who love his family and kinfolks, not to mention the attention he showed Gwennore. For her part, I loved Gwennore’s ingenuity and levelheadedness. More than once these traits helped her from tricky situation. I also enjoy the budding romance between Silas and Gwennore as - despite the immediate attraction - this was another not-jumping-each-other-bones-right-away sort of couple.

I kinda missed Nevis, close friend to the hero of book #1 that also appeared on the second book. He always managed to raise a laugh out of me. Most of the other usual suspects from previous installments interacted with either Silas or Gwennore though. And we’re also introduced to a few interesting new ones. In light of events unfolding in these book, and taking into account a few names that yet met their match, it looks we’re still half way for the ride. I can’t wait for what shenanigans the next installments this series would bring. :)


Advanced copy of this book is kindly given by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was above jublient when I got to escape in this author's book as it had been awhile since I had read one of hers. She always takes me away with this one being just like that also. This centers around Gwenmore and Silas "Puff" who captured me in this steamy tale. It also has its share of humor that is woven in this that along with the drama carries you away. As the mystery is being pieced together with questions getting their answers you will not want to miss a beat. It also holds a surprise or two maybe even three with you remembering if you have read this author why you love her books so.

It doesn't happen very often that a series comes along in which I absolutely love every book in the series. But so far that is the case with the Embraced. And quite frankly I doubt that will change for the remaining two books in the series. Silas is an absolute keeper even if he does have lots of secrets. And Gwennie is just such a strong protective character that you can't help but feel bad for the way she is always judged. Together they are a perfect match. This paranormal romance features in depth world-building, great characters, romance (but not overly explicit), and a plot that carries through all the novels in the series. Although each book does end with a HFN ending for each couple. Eagerly waiting for Sorcha's story and a little more about the Circle of 5.

This is the third book in The Embraced series. It can be read as a stand alone. I haven't read the other books in the series and I didn't feel lost at all.
This is a witty, funny,emotional, low angst read with a twist. I loved Silas and Gwen and their love story.
I received an adavanced copy from Netgalley for an honest review.

Rating - 3.5 stars

This was my first time ever reading a “romance” novel. I was little hesitant, especially at the sight of the cover, which is not my general cup of tea. However, to my surprise and delight, this book read much more like a fantasy novel than an actual romance novel. In fact, there was only one sex scene in the entire book—less than even some fantasy novels I have read—and a lot less than I was suspecting I would encounter. Though I really enjoyed this novel—and of course, I loved the entire premise of it—I felt the execution of it was sadly lacking. I often found myself wishing the author had gone deeper with her characters and developed the romance and the plot differently. And while the humor in the book was great, the flirting between the characters amusing, the writing was on the simplistic side. I was also frequently irritated by the main character, Gwennore and her actions.

Gwennore, a virginal healing elf, is a member of the Embraced, a set of people born under the eclipse or “embracement” of the two moons and born with the magical ability to sense diseases in people. Gwennore, or Gwennie, as her five adopted sisters call her, is faced with prejudice wherever she goes, as the elves are currently locked in a brutal war with other nations. To avoid a party with her sisters (two of which who are queens), and the undoubted continued racism, she picks flowers with her niece, Princess Eviana, only to witness her getting snatched by a dragon! She quickly grabs on, but it is not long before the kidnapper-dragon dislodges her. Luckily, another dragon, whom she laughingly dubs Puff, saves her from crashing to her death and agrees to chase after Eviana. Gwennore then winds up in Norveshka, a land where dragons and humans live in harmony. Once there and under Puff’s arranged protection of General Silas Dravenko, she decides to help him cure the curse of the Three Cursed Clans and the plague, so no other children will be kidnapped by dragons in the future.

Annoyingly, once Eviana is safely returned home, Gwennore appears to forget all about Eviana—who before was referred to as the only person she ever felt a strong, loving connection with—and Gwennore instead focuses entirely on Silas and curing the disease, which she didn’t really want to cure in the first place. Perhaps her lack of concern and missing of Eviana would not be so annoying if her attraction to Silas, whom she cringingly thinks of as General Gorgeous from the first time she laid eyes on him, did not feel so much like instalove. Plus, for someone for whom she considers giving up living with her precious sisters—which really did not seem like a loss to me as they seemed completely clueless to the prejudice she dealt with on a daily basis and also used her as a nanny to all of their children—she certainly leads Silas on a lot.

Constantly, after a breakthrough in their feelings, she turns him down seconds later because of crippling self-doubt about whether or not they even have a future together. She claims it is because Norveshki hates Elves even more than her sisters’ peoples due to their continued war with the elves. When the two finally kiss, it is only for her to reject him a mere moments later—claiming she only was curious about being kissed for the first time—and to spread rumors about their breakup. This was exceedingly frustrating not only for Silas, but also for me, the reader. Not exactly my idea of a whirlwind romance or how you should treat someone whom she thinks of as:

“…somehow it felt like she’d known this man more than a day. She’d always known him. She’d been born knowing him. She’d only been waiting for him to make his appearance.”

Her thoughts and her actions are always two very disconcertingly separate things. Plus, Gwennore, who is revered for her intelligence and cleverness, takes almost the entire book to figure it out that Silas and her beloved dragon, Puff, are one and the same, something that is painstakingly obvious to readers. For God’s sake, the man is divulging to her 8 Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon throughout the novel, and this isn’t enough to give her a clue. But what irritated me even more than her slowness, was that when she eventually realizes the truth, she is very unhappy and disappointed about it! Um, hello, I would be thrilled if my boyfriend were able to shapeshift into a dragon—where are her priorities? Gwennore is sad because apparently Puff as she thought he was never truly existed. I thought this was a huge stretch, as she only actually met Puff twice—something that I found a bit of a letdown. I really would have enjoyed if the author had had Gwennore meet with Puff more often—he could have very easily taken her to meet the ancient sentient trees she could communicate with or to see the trolls.

This kind of development not only would have explained her obsessive attachment to Puff, but also would have been hilarious, as Silas was determined to hide his other nature from her. It would have opened up other doors to show how tortured Silas was at keeping his secret from her and could have showed his worry over whether or not she would have loved him if she knew the truth about him. Instead, he never seems concerned about this, and is in fact, more troubled about if she likes Puff more than him. This seems odd to me and I wish the author would have given up some of the humor of Silas being jealous of himself in order for more of this kind of development. On the other hand, I would have enjoyed more Silas in Puff form interaction with Gwennore in this different way and the push and pull of whether or not Gwennore would figure it out. It also would have added a deeper attachment to the two that did not involve their sexual attraction. I felt like this was a big missed opportunity for character development and to show off more of the humor at which the author excels.

Another thing I felt the book could have really used was a dragon fight. I just could not comprehend how in a book filled with dragons, that there was never a scene where two dragons went at it in a fire breathing, clawing, death defying battle. I would have loved if Silas were forced to change into a dragon in front of Gwennore in a big dramatic reveal in order to save her from a dire situation. I just felt that the Chameleon, a shapeshifter who can shift into literally anyone or anything, was not really that threatening. Perhaps this is because I had not read the other two books in the series, but to me, a guy sitting in cave pretending to be an ancient dragon while manipulating a grieving, mentally diminished king and his greedy secretary is plainly not that intimidating. Plus, the Chameleon stupidly shifted FROM A DRAGON into a wildcat to fight another shapeshifter fairly in the final battle.

This battle was very anticlimactic, with Silas’s grief over his brother’s death lasting only half a second, and everything was wrapped up super neatly, so that Silas and Gwennore could get married and become the King and Queen of Norveshka. For someone who did not even like being referred to as a prince or heir to the throne, Silas certainly had no qualms about becoming King. Again, another missed chance for character development—Silas could have appeared anxious about the new role and Gwennore could have given him confidence. Instead, Gwennore’s discovered Norveshki blood seems to be a magical band aid for both their relationship—Gwennore finally decides to consummate their flirtaitonship and marry the poor bastard once she is certain of her blood—and Norveshki peoples’ hatred of her. The book remarks in passing that they now see her as merely a good “witch” instead of an evil Elf witch who murdered their former Queen immediately after the burial—which we are not even privy to, to see Silas’s grief over the loss of his brother.

Anyways, how the Norveshki people get from mobbing her and accusing her of murdering the former Queen to accepting her literally overnight is beyond me. Furthermore, I would have liked the book to end with Gwennore and Silas meeting with the delegates from the elves, prior to their happily ever after marriage. I would have preferred to see the elves treating Gwennore, whom we know they refer to second hand as a half-breed and a pawn, cruelly firsthand. Consequently, this could have served for the impetus for Gwennore to finally recognize her true love for Norveshka and, of course, Silas, but there is no further development there—just a fairytale wedding, with visits from her sisters and set up for the next novel in the series, which hints at involvement of elves for her now sister-in-law Sorcha.

It was obvious to me from the beginning of the novel when the Seer’s prophecy was shared, that the five Embraced sisters will end up becoming Queens of different nations and bringing peace to the realm. But I don’t care about Sorcha possibly marrying an elf, I wanted to see Gwennore coming to terms with both sides of her heritage, especially the one that gave her up and served as a source of misery her entire life. I was not really interested in her marriage—which took place off scenes for some bizarre reason anyways—and would have gladly given it up for additional growth of the characters and their relationships. It was frustrating to me that everything was glossed over and I wondered if the author was given a length restriction and was not able to fill the gaps in and finish her story.

I was also perplexed when the author repeated the same words over and over. Not only were the same insults used—one single man was called a “weasel,” over and over multiple times by different characters, as if other insults simply did not exist. Similarly, the phrase “jump his bones” was used so often that I had to roll my eyes. But worst of all the phrase “could it be any better,” was used 4 times in 5 pages in the single, pivotal sex scene in the book—something that actually made me pause and awfully detracted from the long awaited scene. Hopefully these things will be fixed in the final edition of the book, (I am, after all, reading an ARC) but if not, I think the author could benefit from a new editor or perhaps an insult book for new ideas.

Despite this repetitiveness and the simplicity of the story, the writing succeeded at an atmosphere of pure fun, and excitement. I could easily put myself in both Silas and Gwennore’s shoes as they danced the danced of romance. I did not mind the cheesiness of the flirting, or the rules for dating a dragon—it simply added to the charm of the novel. The author definitely excels at dialogue and all kinds of banter—romantic or simply friendly. I definitely enjoyed the humor of the novel, often laughing aloud at exchanges like this between Gwennore and Silas:

“’How about I let you throw me overboard?’
‘Can you swim?’
‘Yes.’
She shrugged. ‘Then it’s hardly worth my trouble.’”

I did enjoy this book a lot and even picked up the first novel in the series to go back and read. I think my main problem with the book—and franky the reason that I was not able to give it a higher rating—was that I was really attached to the characters, the premise, and the events of the novel and would have loved to read an entire series based on purely this novel and its main characters, and not one the other side characters, like the other Embraced sisters. I would have gladly read a much longer version of this novel and would have been utterly pleased to see more of a slow burn instead of instalove. I would have been thrilled at battle scenes with the elves, more developments with Puff, fleshing out of friendships, and more conflict and torture within the characters. All in all, I loved its humor, the premise of the novel, and would encourage anyone looking for a light novel with both fantasy and romance to pick up this book!

I am loving this series. I always have so much fun reading them and before I know it, I'm done. I especially enjoyed this book because of Silas. I just loved him! Who would expect a fierce dragon General to be so freakin' funny? But he was. Actually, he was quite perfect in almost every aspect. And I couldn't help but feel sorry for him when he was with Gwen because she was so innocently naive that he really suffered from it. All because he was such a good guy. I thought him and Gwen made such a great couple.

During a birthday celebration, Eviana (Luciana's daughter) is taken by a dragon while spending time away from the crowds with Gwen. Refusing to let the little girl be taken alone, Gwen hitches a ride on the dragon but is soon kicked free. Only to be caught by another dragon before she falls too far. For some reason she can hear their conversation, something that should be impossible. But because of that she is able to tell the dragon that caught her that she refuses to leave the princess. Gwen immediately feels a connection to this dragon and trusts him to keep her safe even after he drops her off at the castle.

Silas is the Norveshki general we met the last book. I liked him then, and I loved him here. He has many secrets that he must keep from Gwen but he can't deny how much he wants her. His cover story for who she is makes Gwen uncomfortable, but Silas fully intends to enjoy it.

Together they will work to find a cure for the plague that ravages his people as well as try to figure out why all the rulers go crazy. Pretty much everybody thinks it a curse, but the two of them are determined to prove otherwise. The more time they spend together, the more they fall for the other. Silas embraces his feelings for Gwen despite the pain her rejection always causes him. But Gwen fears the strength of her own feelings for Silas. Not only that, but his people would never accept her because they have been at war with the elves for years. Fortunately for Gwen, we eventually find out her parentage and it just might be enough.

The chameleon has moved onto the Norveshki kingdom this time in his plan to take over. Easily manipulating the King, he's well on his way to getting what he wants. Thank goodness for Brody! While they are able to stop things from going to far, and even get a little more knowledge than before, they fail to make the final strike and their enemy gets reborn even stronger. Even though that really ticked me off because I kept thinking they had to finish the job, over all I was pretty happy with the end.

I also loved Silas's subordinates. They were just great. And one's heart can't but help to break for Leo. The poor guy is terrified to even touch his own children.

I so cannot wait for the next book.

5 - "Rejected again..." Stars!

This series just keeps getting better and better. I loved the previous two books in Kerrelyn Sparks’ The Embraced series, but Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon was even better (and that is saying something). And I will be honest one character was solely responsible for that; Silas Dravenko.

GIF.

The man’s smile was a weapon… and he knew how to use it.

GIF.

This was one of those books that you start, and pretty much have a smile on your face, and a giggle sitting on your tongue the whole way through, I loved Gwenmore’s no nonsense attitude, Puff the Dragon, and getting more time with the recurring characters from previous books, as well as introductions of new ones Gwen meets, while staying in the Realm of Dragons, trying to help Silas save his country from Plague and Curse.

If she wasn’t very careful she could lose her heart…

As you can imagine, there is a lot going on in general, the Chameleon is still at large, Gwen and Silas are working through their feelings for each other, while trying to stop war, deal with prejudice, and overcome some pretty big secrets.

If he fell for her would he be able to let her go…

I loved the dynamic between them from the get-go, and although Gwen was a little slow on the uptake with a few things that as a reader I worked out early on, it was just an absolute pleasure to read this book. It left me happy, fulfilled and utterly desperate for more from the series.

"The more I listen to your thoughts, the more im tempted to do every damned thing I’ve been imagining… and believe me, I’m barbarian enough to do it."

The writing was superb, the author has got a fan for life in me, and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

*I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Let me start out by saying that I am sooooo glad I saw this book. Before I requested it, I decided to read the first book in the series (look at me being smart) and I fell in love with it. I read the second one and devoured it in a night-- I stayed up to finish it. So, I requested this one and when I was approved, it took most of my willpower not to read and review it months earlier. Was the wait worth it?? YES.

Look, I'm not going to lie to you, this series can be goofy and silly and I do brush some things off as 'meh' quality or 'wow I can't believe that was included.' Yet, by the end of the book I don't really remember what they are because I enjoyed the book so. much.

It is fun. I laugh throughout the book. With this book the overarching bad guys are finally named and make the books feel more connected, making me even MORE invested. The characters are lovely, albiet sometimes too good to be true. (Wow I remembered a slightly negative aspect?!)And do I even need to mention the dragons again?! DRAGONS!
I'm a fan ^_^

If you are in the mood for a silly, fantasy romance pick up this series. While you don't need to read them in order, if you don't then prior couples and little things might be spoiled for you. Do yourself a favor and go pick up the first book in this series!

She was raised to never trust a dragon, but Gwennore, an Elf with the power to heal may have to do just that to save a kidnapped girl. Silas, a powerful general in the royal dragon family guard will do anything to save his dying people, even strike a deal with his enemy, the beautiful Elf with the power to get to the cause of sickness and heal it. To get things rolling, it only took one kidnapping and a rescue...

Together, Silas and Gwennore may find more than political détente as passion runs as hot as their desire to reach their end goals. EIGHT SIMPLE RULES FOR DATING A DRAGON by Kerrelyn Sparks makes dating a dragon seem like a hot idea! But what about dating an Elf?

Once again we have another great fantasy read that heats up the pages with tension, danger, a little humor and some dragon passion. Ms. Sparks has put together an interesting collection of characters that at times seem almost like square pegs being forced into round holes. Get ready for great secondary characters, they can make those pages fly! Gwennore wasn’t always my picture of a heroine, but then again, I’ve never been confronted by an enemy like she has and most definitely have never had one seem so honorable. Silas had all the he-man stuff down pat, complete with that tinge of loneliness or longing. Together, they make it work EVENTUALLY and make for a wonderful way to pass a few hours in the realm of fantasy.

I received a complimentary ARC edition from St. Martins Press!

Series: The Embraced - Book 3
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Publication date: March 27, 2018
Genre: Romantic Fantasy
Print Length: 448 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

If you liked the LOVE AT STAKE series by Kerrelyn Sparks, you should try her series, THE EMBRACED. The setting is a fantasy world called Aerthlan where all babies born on the night the two moons eclipse will have a magic talent. On most of this world, the law says these “embraced” babies must be put to death, so children are sometimes hidden by those who love them, although they would also be killed for protecting them.  But there are now two countries with embraced kings and queens so the laws are changing. This has caused some unrest from the nobles who are losing their power.

Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon is the third book in the series which continues the adventures of the five embraced adopted sisters from the Convent of the Two Moons, Luciana, Brigitta, Sorcha, Gwennore and Maeve. Luciana won her true love in the first book, How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days. Brigitta finds her soulmate in Book Two, So I Married a Sorcerer. This time, it is Gwennore's turn to have those spooky “Telling Stones” predict her future of romance and adventure – Brown, green, and three.

Gwennore knows nothing about the family who abandoned her at the convent but she has to be from the country of Woodwyn as she has lavender blue eyes, white blond hair and pointed ears so she is obviously an elf. She has never met another elf and has experienced prejudice in the courts of Eberoni and Tourin from noblemen who her well meaning adopted sisters hope to match to their unmarried sisters. Gwennore does not want to cause problems in her sisters' countries, so she hides from these snobbish “nobles” who make fun of her pointed ears and laugh at the thought that anyone would want to marry her. One of the places Gwennore likes to hide is in the nursery and she forms a close attachment to Luciana's daughter, Eviana. So when Eviana is kidnapped by a dragon, Gwennore follows to protect the darling girl and return her to her parents. She blames herself for placing Eviana in danger by having the girl in the wrong place at the wrong time and must save her from the dragon. Through a set of circumstances, Gwennore finds that she is needed to solve some mysteries at Draven Castle. She finds herself strangely attracted to General Silas Dravenko, and although she fears it may break her heart, she feels she must stay and help the country of Norveshka. Mother Ginessa always said there was a reason the sisters are embraced and encouraged them to help people in need with their gifts. Gwennore has the gift of diagnosing what illness a person has and she has been trained as a healer. With a murderer on the loose and a secret family curse, she has to try to save these people, even though it could be dangerous for her. I love that she is a fighter and can prove her bravery.

One of the themes of this book is honesty and its opposite, dishonesty. Silas tells the court a lie as a reason why Gwennore is to stay at the castle. She refuses to allow that and tries to never lie. She can't give the real reason, because they are working undercover on solving some lethal problems, but there is always a way to say the truth without all the details. She knows that Silas is not telling her everything. Silas has many, many secrets, some that he dare not tell her. But Gwennore is very clever and curious; and although those are traits of hers that Silas admires, it is dangerous for her to know too much.

The book is filled with surprises and adventures and it also has several side romances and minor characters to love and hate. I especially like how Gwennore finds friends and allies among the people of Norveshka, even though elves are at war with the country of dragons. Kerrelyn Sparks is excellent at writing comedy into her storylines. It is hilarious that Silas is jealous of Gwennore's hero worship of “Puff” the dragon. Mind reading abilities is a two edged sword, but makes for many situations that are laugh out loud funny. I am not going to predict which sister will be next to find love in Book #4 of the EMBRACED series, because in my last review I was totally wrong. You will have to guess yourself. Enjoy!!!

Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon was such a delight to read. Ms. Sparks knows the perfect way to write a paranormal romance. Good blend of romance and magic. I liked how she was able to bring Gwennore and Silas together. This book just sparks!

I absolutely LOVE this series!! I can't get enough!!
Three years have passed since the last book and Gwennore is so LONELY!! In comes Puff ;) Ms. Sparks I LOVE how you worked in Puff the magic dragon!! SO CUTE!!

Gwennore and Silas were the best!!! I can't wait to read MORE!!

I have adored Sparks writing throughout this series and Dating a Dragon is no exception! She gives us the story of Gwennore, an elf, and Silas, the prince of Norveshka (and a general). The people of Norveshka and Woodwyn have been bitter enemies so there is a bit of a Romeo and Juliet vibe to this story and I loved it.

Gwennore has been discriminated against her entire life because of her elfin heritage and she has, for the most part, just accepted this and done her best to avoid people. Silas is captivated by her and she isn't quite sure what to think! I loved the innocence of Gwennore mixed with her wit and drive. And Silas is wonderful book boyfriend material. He is determined, devoted, and playful. I just loved both of these characters.

Amidst their blossoming relationship, Gwennore and Silas are attempting to find out the truth behind the supposed 'curse' and prove to the people of Norveshka that there is no such thing as the cursed clans. I think this is where you really see the intelligence of Gwennore and Silas. Beyond that, you get some great supporting characters that add depth and levity to the story.

I simply adored Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon! This world that Sparks has created is wonderfully detailed and has such a magical quality, I find that I want to return repeatedly! From the different tribes of people, to the ancient trees, to the shifters, it all creates a vivid picture of a unique world that I have come to love.
Link live on blog on 3/24/18

This was a bit of a slow start for me but once I got about 100 pages in, it took off. Silas was battling with his brother about the curse on the royals and their people. Silas believed it to be poison and his brother believed it to be an ancient curse. Silas enlists Gwennore’s healing ability to prove his theory. Gwen agreed to stay until she solved the mystery but she was falling for Silas and their love was forbidden because she was of enemy elf lineage.

This book reads like a fairytale but a fairytale with some sexy times. It is total escapism since everything is like a fantasy. I liked the light-hearted feel of the book and enjoyed the tension and mystery concerning the curse. Some of the book is too farfetched for even a fantasy, like a Mead and hot pepper drink to cure the plague, but it was still a most fun read. Dragons might just be my next book boyfriends.

Eight Simple Rules For Dating a Dragon by Kerrlyn Sparks

3rd in the paranormal romance series. A novel f the Embraced. Full of humor, high moral values and an abundance of conflicts, this book was the ultimate entertainment.
I loved being back with this world and the so-called orphans that grew up with nuns. Two of the five are now queens of their lands.
This heroine, Gwen, is almost painfully naive. It’s endearing.
In her eyes, Silas is a rascal. And she would almost prefer to date Puff, the dragon, than be with Silas, who makes her stomach tumble.
As they fight to save the land from a curse, Gwen and Silas find their attraction turn into love.
I really enjoyed this 3rd in the series. It definitely foretells what’s to happen in the next story. Or at least we think it does...

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley. I also purchased a copy.

I received this book through Netgalley, thanks to St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. What drew me to this book was the title, then the description. To be honest previous to Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon, I was not familiar with this author’s works. Though the title drew me in (I was a huge fan of the show Eight Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter), the story hooked me. I binged it in a day.

While this is part of a larger world or series, you don’t need to read the previous novels to enjoy this one. As a personal preference, I do wish I had read them before this book just because I prefer to read a series in order and to get a better sense of Gwennore and her adoptive sisters. But it is by no means necessary! I loved this book without any additions needed.

The world of five nations, Aerthlan, created by Ms. Sparks is a vibrant and sweeping land filled with a rich history and great characters. Gwennore as an elf is looked down on by most of the countries and is searching for her place in a world that thinks she is just a vicious, dangerous elf. I loved her quiet strength and bravery and how she came alive around Silas. And Silas... nothing is better than a strong man trying to save his country. The instant chemistry and witty repartee between the two certainly doesn’t hurt the story!

There is only one extremely small issue I had with the novel. At one point Silas basically tells Gwennore to ask him anything and he’ll be honest. The question she chose was “Do you truly think I’m beautiful?” I understand part of Gwennore’s arc is that as an elf out of the wood and having had years of insults, her self confidence isn’t high but for some reason it really annoyed me that Silas has a ton of secrets and that’s what she asks about?! Now Silas’ response saved the situation (I’ll let you all read it yourselves so you can fall in love with Silas) and I recognize that if I were actually in the situation and having those doubts, I might also ask that question but it just seemed too damsel in distress.

UPDATE

I continued the binge and read the first two books in the series, How to Tame a Beast In Seven Days and So I Married a Sorcerer, over a 48hr period. They are just as great as Eight Simple Rules For Dating A Dragon. I now am waiting impatiently for the next books in the series about the other sisters!

Bottom Line

I must have had my head in the sand to not know Kerrelyn Sparks’ work. Her stories have heart, adventure, mystery and romance - what more do I need?

RATING 4 Stars