So, what did I like about it?
I’ve only read one other book by Kerrelyn Sparks – Eight Simple Rules For Dating A Dragon – so she’s still a new-to-me author but I’ve really enjoyed both books; I like her writing style, find her stories easy read, her plots gripping and her characters engaging.
I haven't read any other books in The Embraced series, but Ms Sparks descriptive prowess and adventurous plot catapulted me into the world of Aerthlan with ease.
Ok, so those of you that have read my reviews before, will know that I enjoy a story more if the lead female character is intelligent, resilient and is self-reliant - I wasn’t disappointed here. Sorcha is smart, witty and has plenty of gumption, she has a strong moral code and a loyalty that makes her put the needs of others before her own – family is everything.
I enjoyed the character development around Sorcha, the mysterious Woodsman and the Woodwyn citizens, loving that a couple of them became instant favourites in my mind while others grew to become so. I love it when the supporting characters end up holding as special a place in my heart as the main characters. I also love a villain you can hate and rally against - I wasn’t disappointed here.
I loved all the twists and turns Ms Sparks weaved into her tale, she kept me on my toes and the little grey cells working overtime trying to work out the clues and guess what would happen next.
I know that this book had me hooked because I had a few lone tears trickle down my cheek and my blood boiled with anger and indignation but it also had me chuckling out loud, sent tingles of titillation to all the right spots *blush* and warmed my old romantic heart.

So, ummm, was there anything I disliked about it?
Although I really enjoyed this story, I must confess to have rolled my eyes a few times at some of the melodramatics of a couple of female characters. Ugh! The climactic battle and immediate threat by our protagonists’ enemies are dealt with by the end of this book, however, there are a few threads left to continue into the next and final book in the series.

So, basically what I’m saying is...
I really enjoyed this book. How To Love Your Elf has everything that I look for in a great read; adventure, mystery, action, great characters, humour, banter, romance and passion.
Due to the explicit sexual nature of some of the scenes within these pages, I’d only recommend this book to adults who are not offended by this type of content.
If you love well written tales of magic, betrayal and mystery played out as a backdrop to an entertaining romance I think you’d enjoy this book: it’s a perfect mix of paranormal, mystery, romance and adventure.

HOW TO LOVE YOUR ELF features a world of characters with magic, shifters, and elves.. and maybe more. Sorcha is a princess with magical powers who needs to learn to fight for herself. The Woodsman is a Robin Hood type figure with a code of honor and mysterious past. He rescues her when she's captured. Things ensue.

Amazon (as of this date) indicates that this is the first book in the series - it's the fourth. I might have been more taken in by the world if I had read the previous books in the series. The series set up - five adopted sisters with magical powers, all raised together, each find their love - is promising.

Unfortunately, this book did not work for me. Part of this may have been being dropped into the world and not getting my bearings as quickly as I would have liked. But I also had issues with the character building - I would have liked Sorcha to have developed more over the course of the book. For example, she mentions that she's had a bad experience using her powers - I would have loved to have seen her gain greater control and expand those powers to become a force to be reckoned with using them I also wasn't invested in the tension between the MCs. It didn't work for me. I felt that there were pacing issues. It seemed like there was a long slow stretch in the middle and then action packed in the last quarter.

While this book didn't work for me, I think that lots of readers will enjoy the world and the fairy tale story that's told here. The foundation that's been laid for the next book is also intriguing... a sea witch and a curse? Sounds like fun.

I received an ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley.

Fans of Kerrelyn Sparks’ original “Embraced” series will be delighted to learn that this new series takes us back to Aerthlan and picks up where that one left off!

Sorcha has sworn off love, she is determined to escape the fate the telling stones predicted and not fall in love, especially not with an elf! She is in Norvshka with her brother King Silas and his new bride Gwennore, when Gwen gets a letter from her mother Princess Jenetta of the Elven country of Woodwyn, requesting to meet her. Sorcha insists on going with her and soon it is clear that the letter was a ruse and they are ambushed. Gwen and Silas escape, but when the dragon shifter Aleksi is injured, he and Sorcha are captured by the Elves.

An outlaw elf known as the Woodsman witnesses the battle and helps them escape, he too is “embraced” and has the power to manipulate wood and can communicate with the trees. He is immediately attracted to Sorcha, but he has a mission to complete and has no time to pursue a romance. He tells her he will get help for Aleksi’s injuries and return her to her family. She is wary of him, but with no options, she agrees to accept his help. She is attracted to him, but as he doesn’t fit the description of the man the stone foretold, she doesn’t believe he is “the one” – but she wishes he was! She is upset when she learns he is an outlaw, but soon realizes he is actually protecting the people of Woodwyn, acting as a sort of Robin Hood. The more time she spends with him, the more she wants him, but he is not her destiny…or is he?

This was a well written, fast paced story with lots of humor, some action, a little magic, new and old villains, secrets, surprising revelations, some steamy love scenes, shifters, elves, dragons, cameos with her adopted sisters, some heartbreak and finally a well-earned HEA complete with an epilogue that sets up Maeve’s story. I really enjoyed this book – it was a fun read that pulls you into the fictional world of Aerthlan and the Embraced. I had so much fun reading this book that I didn’t want the story to end and when I got to the last page it left me anxiously awaiting the next book!

If you like historical paranormal romance (but be warned - the dialogue is decidedly modern) – you must read this series. This is the first book in the Embraced by Magic series published by Kensington Books, but it is not the first book Kerrelyn has written about the sisters – You could read this book as a stand-alone novel, but I suggest looking into this authors backlist.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the Publisher.*

Hmmmm.....

Yep. That was basically the sum of my thoughts after finishing How to Love Your Elf.

PROS
1. Obsessed with this universe. I just love it. The embraced powers, the elves, the dragons - very well done. I wish I lived there.

2. Loving the slight Lord of the Rings vibe with the elves.

3. I will most definitely be reading the next book.

CONS
1. Very confused why this is suddenly the start of a new series. This is very clearly a continuation of the Embraced series. Why? Because you most definitely have to read How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days, So I Married a Sorcerer, and Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon before even trying to delve into this one. And it's the same world with the same characters - ALSO A CONTINUATION OF THE SAME BACKGROUND PLOT

2. Sorcha was such a disappointment in this one. What a big ole chicken. She was portrayed as this feisty-take-no-prisoners-full-of-awesome character in the first three books and in this one she was just blah. It was the same old trope "I'm too scared of being hurt so I'm not going to love anyone ever again" for majority of book.

3. Very odd Robin Hood feel throughout the novel.

The series name Embraced by Magic #1 implies that this book is the first in the series, doesn’t it? Foolish me! As I was reading this novel I quickly realized this was not the first novel. There were clearly a few couples already covered in a previous series which normally would make me mad. I kept reading because I had to, as I was given an ARC of this novel to review. At this point you’re probably thinking that I got lost in the story and soon forgot that the publisher misled me….you’re wrong! I only got more mad because this novel was so poorly written! Even though I’ve never read a Kerrelyn Sparks novel before, I know this is an author who has written a whole bunch of novels and well, this novel felt like it was a first attempt by a high schooler. If it had been? Well, maybe I would be a little less harsh, but it wasn’t. So, how did I feel about this book? Disappointed would be putting it mildly.

I’m not a reviewer that normally writes scathing commentary. It’s not worth my time unless I feel like I need to take a stand on behalf on women for a horrible topic like romanticizing sexism or rape. This novel didn’t have any of those topics, it was a fantasy romance about a bunch of elves in a forest. It should’ve been fun, but was really just bad. That happens. I get it. That’s why I usually just choose to pass on the review. However, I feel like I need to make a point about how putting this novel, which was clearly the third or fourth in a different series and titling it as #1 in a new series clearly misleads the reader. Added to that is that it was just poorly written and juvenile and well, you’ve got one really unhappy reader and I got this book for free!

Setting the publisher’s intentions aside, why didn’t I like this book? This story was in 2-D. The character’s weren’t developed, the love story was contrived, and the sex scenes truly awful. The dialog was pretty comical. Our hero was a wood elf and our heroine Sorcha jokes about his wood-like erection. Yeah, it was really bad and I found myself rolling my eyes and skimming the pages hoping it would get better. It didn’t. So, despite our hero’s wood-like penis, I was left totally unsatisfied.

Maybe this style of writing is what Kerrelyn Sparks is famous for and I’m going to anger a bunch of fans of this author, but I hope it’s just one bad book in her catalog and I just chose the wrong one to test the waters.

How to Love Your Elf is a spin-off from the Embraced series. While you could start this book off as a standalone, I would actually recommend reading that series first. You will understand so much more about this world, as well as learn who most of these side characters are. I think I might not have enjoyed this one as much if I hand't read the previous series first. The more I know about the characters the faster I become invested.

Sorcha and The Woodsman (you don't learn his real name until the end) were pretty entertaining together. They did lack a bit of heat compared to the other sisters books, but the overall their banter kept me entertained. It made the denial into their attraction fun to read. I also enjoyed the full cast of side characters and you get introduced to that are a part of the Woodsman's part of the world. That dang chameleon is still causing problems everyone. I'm sure we will see him still reeking havoc in the next book of the series.

Ok, this one is a bit harder for me to review. I love Kerrelyn and her books, but this one just didn't quite do it for me. It was more of an ok read, whereas I loved the previous in the series (as well as her Love At Stake series). If you haven't read the previous books, you will be quite confused when reading this book since it didn't do a recap exactly, just sort of jumps right in. The story itself felt like it dragged, took forever for anything to happen. It was also focused mainly on their angst romance instead of the plot of furthering the story (The Chameleon, Circle of Five etc). I mean, some things do happen, but I felt it lacking compared to the previous books.

Sorcha was a disappointment for me. In the previous books, she's portrayed to be tough and fiery, yet in this one she was afraid to love and pined after the Woodsman. I'm glad she grew a little bit at the end and took charge, but man it took forever for it to happen.

The Woodsman was the only thing I liked about the story honestly. He was confident, had a strong personality, protector of those weaker than him (like Robin Hood), and honorable.

All in all, this was just a meh read which is a bummer. Overall, I'd rate this probably 2.5-3 stars. Hopefully the last book in the series will be better than this one. Thank you NetGalley for this copy. This is my honest review.

This author always delivers!! The story was well written and engaging with characters you grow to love, Read It!!!

Having following “The Embraced” series, I was curious what story would reveal when it came to the land (or forest) of the Elves. And HOW TO LOVE YOUR ELF actually delivers with its lies, intrigues, deceptions, and revelation. Readers would surely guess it all - being the ones watching from the sideline and all - but yes, it still delivers. All the twist of plotting from both sides of the war, the greed, long held secrets and resentment, the haunted forest (considering) made for quite captivating a spiel in this first installment to Sparks’s new “Embraced by Magic” series, sequel to “The Embraced”. The red thread from the previous books continued with more revelation of the evil Circle of Five and their sinister plan. To say the book promising was downplaying the issue. However, boy did I have issues with this book, which was such a bummer - considering how excited I was at first.

Let me start by saying I loved many characters in this book, especially the Woodsman. Sort of the Robin Hood but with magical gift, he was an embraced - a mysterious and legendary thief who stealthily played mischief with malevolent Woodwyn soldiers and gave back to people of the forest. For the most part he was illustrated as can do no wrong - not true - still, his redeeming quality capped his transgression to me.

The leading lady however, was such a loud, insipid, stubborn, and smarty-pants young lady - and I didn’t mean that as compliment. Sorcha was jabbering and nay-saying everyone from her brother to her cousin to her foster sister and of course, the Woodsman. She was a blend of naive, judgy, pigheaded, holier-than-thou know-it-all character - always scolding and arguing; so much that she tested my patience throughout reading! 😪😶 She was slightly better only from the villains of the story.

And then there was a supporting character who just couldn’t stop screeching and dramatize every. single. things. Nearly every time they made an appearance, they would wail, faint, making it all about them. Using the dramatization to save the day just failed to endear them to me. I was done.

Following the story, I also wondered why was it when MCs of previous books made appearance in the following story they ended up loosing a bit of their brain and intuition?? It boggled the mind. For all the forceful the villains of the story, I thought they were defeated way too easily. Oh, the casualties here and there lent more weight and feeling to readers, no doubt. But it was such an anticlimactic! All in all, I actually enjoyed HOW TO LOVE YOUR ELF. If only there weren’t a pair of really annoying characters (Sorcha and that other person. Grrr) infuriated me that affecting my enjoyment of the story. Oh well. I just hope the sequel which bring together the final pair of couple would fare better than this.


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

Thanks Netgalley and to Kensington books! I had some issues with this book, but ultimately rated it 4 stars because the romance was fantastic. First, I was completely thrown from the book number. It's being marketed as book 1, when it's actually book 4 but the first for this publisher. I was so excited when I saw Kerrelyn Sparks had a first in a new series, to only be disappointed diving in halfway through missing a lot of the world building and background.

That being said, I was pleasantly surprised with how well Sparks connected information that was missed in previous books. There was a lot of introduction to character names and events that I have no idea what really happened, but that didn't take away from anything in this story!

I really enjoyed Sorcha and the Woodsman. The biggest connection I have to stories is character development, and these two were wonderful!! As with many romance novels, there were cheesy moments, and insta love was STRONG. The battle scenes weren't fully developed, and sometimes I felt like I missed something. However I still really enjoyed it, and now I'm looking forward to reading all the other books in this series!

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review *
For some reason, I simply cannot get into this book. I enjoyed Kerrelyn Sparks' other books but this one was a bit difficult for me. I couldn't really fall in love with the characters or the plot. Sorcha was a little irritating for me and the woodsman was pretty predictable. I knew he was royalty.

First things first. Why in the world has this been made into a continuation series from the original? When I added this to my to read shelf, it was listed as #4. I go back to it and now it's a new series? Nothing was concluded in the last book. I don't get it. And it bugs me.

I loved the first three books and gave them all 5 stars. So as I write this I am trying to figure out why I didn't love this one as much. I just can't put my finger on it. The characters were still fun and believable, and I still laughed. But I guess I just didn't get as into it. It was ridiculously predictable with so many things, but I actually enjoyed getting to the point when things came out in the open. So it wasn't that.

When elves arrive at Silas's castle trying to sweet talk their way into getting on Gwen's good side, you have to know something is up. Using the lure of meeting her mother they all agree to meet at the boundary between territories. The whole thing is such an obvious trap, but Gwen is so blinded by her misplaced desire to meet her mother that she wants to go. And when things get even more suspicious she still thinks her mother is a good person that wants to meet her. I swear, I would have smacked some sense into Gwen if I could have.

Sorcha has been trying to train ever since she came to live with her brother and Gwen. She has been working hard at it, and apparently is good enough to be Gwen's personal bodyguard. But during this meeting, when the ambush is struck, she finds herself stuck behind with the enemy and a wounded Aleksi. Fortunately for her, the Woodsman was watching the whole thing and was impressed with her actions.

I liked the Woodsman. It was painfully obvious who he was going to be, but like I said, I enjoyed him playing his part until his identity could be revealed. He knows he must rescue the two captured by the army before another war breaks out, but he didn't expect Sorcha to also be embraced. His ability is control over wood and with hers control over fire, he knows the two of them must go their separate ways as soon as possible. Which ends up easier said than done.

Sorcha travels with the Woodsman and his people in order to get somewhere safe for her and also to get Aleksi healed. During this time, she learns that almost everything she has learned about the elves has been wrong. And that the Woodsman is trying to protect his people from their own army.

It was really sweet how these two were with each other, and despite their gifts being incompatible, they also really worked as a couple. It did annoy me that Sorcha kept letting the telling stones dictate who she would end up with and how she couldn't see the truth right in front of her though. But that in turn, did lead her to finally decide to follow her own heart despite what they said.

Turns out, Gwen's mother was locked up for 7 years after giving birth and the time she spent in the tower sort of drove her mad. When she was released she had become obsessed with gaining power and it didn't matter who she had to kill or frame to get what she wanted. And now she's working with the circle of five (though not part of them) to take down the rest of the kingdoms. See, crazy. And now that the true heir to the throne has come back from the dead, she's desperate to hold onto what little she can.

Honestly, I'm glad that the Woodsman's coupe was not completely bloodless. It was more exciting this way, and lets face it, more believable. The only thing that bugged me about the end was how over protective the dragons were of Sorcha. For crying out loud if she wants to stay, let her stay! She loves the guy, just leave it be.

Obviously Brody is going to end up with the last sister in the next book. Does that mean it's the last book of the series? I don't know, but I am looking forward to Brody finally being freed from his curse.

How to Love Your Elf is the first book in the Embraced by Magic series by Kerrelyn Sparks, however I think it could also be counted as book four of the Embraced series for continuity's sake. I would recommend reading the previous four books for a better understanding of the character and world building that has already been done but think that newcomers could catch on to the story pretty quickly.

Sorcha knew the mission was dangerous. Leaving the safe grounds of her brother’s kingdom and parlaying with the elves across their border . . . well, treachery seemed at least as likely as true peace. But to support her sister, Sorcha would brave far more than the underhanded ways of the elves. Or so she thought, before she was taken hostage. Of course, her captors didn’t count on her particular abilities—or on the help of the Woodsman, the mysterious thief who made his home in the forest. He saw the battle from the trees, saw the soldier attacking against incredible odds to save a comrade—and then saw the valiant fighter revealed as Princess Sorcha of Norveshka. He can’t tell if he wants to kidnap her or kiss her. But despite Sorcha’s stubbornness, his inconvenient honor, and a rebellion on the cusp of full war, something burns between them that neither can let go.

How to Love Your Elf took me a few pages to remember where the story of the sisters raised on the Isle of Moon left off. I did a quick check to make sure I had not missed any because it just felt like it had been so long since I had read the previous book from Sparks. Thankfully I was up to date and just had to jog my memory a bit. I really enjoyed both Sorcha and the Woodman character. They are both good people, with stubborn streaks a mile wide, and the need to help those around them. Exploring their insecurities, doubts, and attempts to protect each other, and their own hearts, was interesting and engaging to read. I liked getting to know more and more of their personalities and to see some of the characters from the earlier stories continue their tales or make cameos. I will admit that I find the individual character arcs to be much more important and interesting to me personally than the larger story about the circle of five and their nasty plans, but I am interested to see where that part of the story goes. I am also quite invested in reading the next book- because I have been waiting for Brody and Meave to have their time since this whole story began.

How to Love Your Elf is a good story that is part of a larger whole. Although, the romance and many of the characters can be fully enjoyed and understood without reading the previous books.

This is the fourth book in a series but can be read as a stand alone. I hadn’t read the other three books but It wasn’t necessary. This is a straightforward romance with magic welders, elves, shifters, magical beings and dragons. I enjoyed the living oaks and King redwoods and how they helped the Woodsman. Sorcha is kidnapped in a trap set by a neighboring elf army. She is rescued by the Woodsman who has vowed to her brother, a king, to keep her safe. There is intrigue, betrayal and romance. It’s an easy read. I liked it for the most part. There were some annoying dialogue issues and awkward moments that were tough to overlook. Many times the characters would say, “ye “ and “yerselves” but most of the time they didn’t. It was inconsistent and strange. It took away from the story a bit and could have been avoided by some good editing. Overall it was good for what it was supposed to be. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Finally!!! After waiting for over two years after How To Tame a Beast in Seven Days (Embraced #1), So I married a Sorcerer (Embraced #2) and Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon (Embraced #3) we finally get to read Sorcha's story in How To Love Your Elf (Embraced by Magic #1). Still not sure why the publisher didn't want to finish the series, but very happy that Kensington took over.
Sorcha is taken hostage by the evil Elves that roam near her brothers Kingdom. But fortunately she is saved by the mysterious Woodsman, who takes her with him into the woods. Although Sorcha is weary towards her rescuer, she needs him to get back to her brother and to keep the secret of Norveshka safe. And since the Elves can't be trusted, she doesn't want to rely on the handsome and mysterious Woodsman.
But when the Chameleon makes yet another move, both the Woodsman and Sorcha have a lot to loose. Can they work together to stop the Circle of Five?
Although I really enjoyed the first three parts, this part was a tad less enjoyable than the other parts. But maybe it was because of the high expectations of waiting for over two years. However, I'm very happy to await the last one of the stories: Maeve and Brody's story. Yay! Four out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

Book four in the Embraced series and yet strangely the series title has changed !
Reading order is
How to take a beast in seven days
So I married a Sorcerer
Eight simple rules for dating a dragon


Obviously a change of publisher might account for this. I can only say I enjoyed this fun fantasy with more than a touch of romance. I look forward to the next book
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

Thanks NetGalley for the chance to read and review. How to Love Your Elf is the first installment of the Embraced by Magic series by Kerrelyn Sparks. As a long time reader of Kerrelyn's works I assure you that you will be entertained and please with this new series.

Toss your stylistic expectations out the window and strap in for a tale of love, cool tree magic, and one hilariously awkward picnic.

This is the fourth book in the series, but to the new reader I say: Fear not! If the editorial mistakes don’t send you packing, you’ll do just fine jumping into Sorcha’s story. I have not read the previous books, but this one stands well enough on its own. It only took a few chapters to get a hang of the many character mentions and political shenanigans referenced in from before. (To make things easy, just think of it like fantasy X-men. Cool powers, what are motives, no one trusts Mystique).

The story: Having recently found peace with her new life as a princess in Norveshka, Sorcha’s biggest worry is that she’ll fall in love. With an elf, specifically, as was foretold by her sister’s Telling Stones. Sorcha accompanies her sister on a diplomatic mission, but their meeting is ambushed. The Norveshki escape, except for dragon-shifter Aleksi and Princess Sorcha. Captured by the enemy, they encounter the mysterious Woodsman, who promises to help them escape and prevent war between their countries. But how can they trust this thief, who hides in the shadows and isn't used to Norveshki questioning his plans?

And of course he has plans. You know why? Cause he's the Woodsman! Thanks to our man Liz, we are reminded of this in every other scene. (“The Woodsman always has a plan.” Two fights later: “The Woodsman always has a plan!”)

In addition to hype-man Liz, there are other fun faces running amok in the forest. Tara, the adolescent drama queen, General Caladras who’s obligated to call Sorcha ugly because he’s the Bad Guy, Aleksi the broody dragon warrior, that one guy who is supposed to be evil but is most known for yelling “Save our dinner!”, and the returning villain known as the Chameleon who I guess is evil too but he yeets in and yeets out so fast I’m not certain of his motives. Could be misunderstood.

It is this motley crew who surrounds Sorcha and the Woodsman on their unforeseen journey. Mostly, it is unforeseen for Sorcha, who is Oblivious. And the Woodsman Knows Everything, because tree magic. So we the readers get to float in between, and witness such scenes as the Woodsman brooding over his secret identity (*gasp*), Sorcha accidentally making folks think they are married by sitting on the same picnic blanket, and the Woodsman’s internal adolescent boy dialogue (“She didn’t pull away! Yes!”. [Do I want her to touch me?] “Hell yes!”).

Seriously, I had a great time with How to Love Your Elf, just perhaps not in the way it was intended. I mean, I shipped it - but mostly because they’re such awkward cupcakes. And...Robin Hood-esque elf-dude tree-magic mysterious past...I mean, that’s hard not to like. Even with the moments of sloppy editing (and lack of indentation, which I hope was just a fluke in my digital copy), it was fun.

Fun fact, one of my favorite lines is when the Woodsman shouts, “Drop your wea pons now, and I will grant you clemency.” Drop them wee pawns now, ye rascals! Ha ha...ha...Ah well, it was funny in the moment.

To sum it all up: There’s laughs and there’s cringe, but once I got over the technical hiccups I read this in three hours and had an absolute blast.

P.S. I have one unsolved question: Is using Ye/Yer instead of You/Your indicative of characters speaking in Eberoni? In that case, does Aleksi have a bad accent, since he doesn’t make the switch? Or is this peculiar to Sorcha? Or are the words entirely interchangeable, no matter the language? Please, anyone, I would like to know the answer.

**Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington for the ARC**

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.*