Kerrelyn Sparks never disappointed me as her novels are always highly entertaining and compelling. This is a mix of humour, fantasy and romance: a well plotted story that kept me hooked
Can't wait to read the next story
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

When a Dragon Falls by Kerrelyn Sparks, the fourth installment in the Embraced by Magic series, we meet the dragon Princess Lenushka of Norveshka. Captain in the army, she’s courageous, beautiful, heir to the throne and the first ever female dragon shifter. The book begins with the wedding day of Princess Roslyn, but when it is revealed her fiancé is a traitor, and the Kings and brothers of Lennie and Roslyn are also kidnapped, the two Princesses take off on a mission to destroy the Brotherhood of the Sun. Not only does the Brotherhood threaten to destroy all of Aerthlan, but they are believed to be behind the kidnappings.

The Raven is an evil creature, member of the Brotherhood, responsible for kidnapping Lennie’s aunt, Queen Luciana and her daughter Princess Eviana months prior, Lennie is out to seek revenge on the Raven. Bird shifter Bran Morris is the son of the leader of the Brotherhood. He is whipped every year when the two moons embraced, a punishment for being Embraced, yet used by the same priests for his abilities. When Master Greer kills Bran’s brother, Bran vows to kill Greer himself, although he is not sure he will be capable of going through with murder.

When the two Princesses find the Raven, they injure him thinking he is responsible for the recent kidnappings, but they will soon understand, they both seek the same thing. Greer has also kidnapped Bran’s younger brother, and when they agree to work together to rescue their family members, but soon Bran realizes Lennie is the soldier he fell in love with 5 months prior. She has been invading his dreams every day since, but he doesn’t know she is a dragon, and Lennie wants to keep her identity hidden, for her own safety.

This book is actually 7th in the Embraced series, but a change in publishers refers to this as the 4th. I recommend reading the books prior to this one so you will have a better understanding of who is who in all of Atherlan, trust me you won’t be disappointed! This book will also not disappoint you. The latest book takes us to the lives of the children of the Embraced Royalty. There are so many secrets, twists, struggles of good and evil, love and hate, you will fly through this book and be wanting more. I have to admit, I absolutely love the entire Embraced series. I don’t know how Ms Sparks continues to come up with these ideas, but please keep them coming! I look forward to the next installment!

I would like to thank Netgalley, Kensington Paperback and Kerrelyn Sparks for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When a Dragon Falls by Kerrelyn Sparks
Embraced series #7. Fantasy romance. Best read as part of the series. Though it’s marked as #4, it is actually #7 across two different publishers. It reads as a conclusion and includes couples and descendants from all the prior books.
Princess Lenishka of the Norveshka kingdom is the only female dragon shifter ever born. To protect herself and show her strengths to the kingdom, Lennie has been trained as a soldier. She knows she will need to mate one of the single male dragons to ensure the continuation of her family line. Her main goal is to help destroy the Brotherhood of the Sun since they threaten all the lands.
Bran Morris was brought to the monastery when he was very young and punished by whip each year as the two moons embraced. After Master Greer killed Bran’s brother, all Bran wants is to seek revenge and kill Greer. But he also fears that will make him a monster. One night when Bran was spying as a Raven, he saw Lennie as she was sleeping and he fell in love. When Bran is injured five months later, he thinks Lennie is an Angel and he declares his love.

The kingdoms battle against the Brotherhood and once Lennie has confirmed that Bran is not one of the bad guys, they become close and entangled as they track Greer. Secrets between the two cause problems as they typically do but their faith in each other was sweet and tender. As the other kingdoms join the fight, we revisit with the primary heroes and heroines from the previous books and their now grown children. It was heartwarming knowing couples became families.
Bran and Lennie have hurtles and opposition to overcome but it’s so clear they want to be together.
A wonderful addition to the Embrace world.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and the publisher. I also bought a copy to share.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with this ARC.

Before this novel, When a Dragon Falls, I’d read all but one of the Embraced/Embraced by Magic series. Though I was a huge fan of Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon, the third book of the series, I found that I just didn’t care for the following novels, How to Love your Elf, and The Siren and the Deep Blue Sea quite so much. However, after seeing that When a Dragon Falls focused on the daughter of my favorite couple from the series, I decided to give the series another chance. 

My favorite part of the series by far is the world-building. In this world, children born under the eclipse of the two moons, known as the embraced, are blessed with certain powers. Past female protagonists in the series have had the powers to speak to the dead, see diseases, summon flames, shapeshift, and more. Though those who were embraced were formerly feared and shunned, the female protagonists all becoming queens of major countries in previous entries in the series has really helped to turn that prejudice around.   

When a Dragon Falls centers on Lennie, short for Lenushka, the daughter of King Silas and Queen Gwennore, from Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon. I was immediately interested in Lennie as she was the first female dragon shifter in history and was chosen as the heir to the throne over her younger brother, Pendaras, which has the rest of the kingdom in an uproar. Lennie is also a captain in the military, so I felt she’d be a strong female protagonist, especially considering the personal character of her parents.

Though I was expecting a tough and determined character along the lines of Violet from Fourth Wing or Oraya from The Serpent and the Wings of Night, readers never really get to see Lennie in action. She claims to be trained to fight and is supposedly a capable leader, but it’s just not shown. There are no training segments or fight scenes with her in human form. There's also nothing demonstrating her as a brilliant tactical leader or anything that makes her the best choice for the heir to the throne (other than the order of her birth). The most that is offered is a chase scene or two when she's in here dragon form and a few orders she doles out to others in the military force.

I would have liked to see more of her past, perhaps her growing up as the first female dragon shifter, and how she came to terms with the misogyny she faced as both a female heir and shifter. But the focus on this novel is really not on either the male or female leads, but instead on their romance, which unfortunately, really didn’t work for me. I find it hard to root for the romance when I can’t really get attached to the characters, which was the case for me here.

It didn't help matters that the male lead, Bran, was outright impossible for me to like. He claims to have fallen in love with Lennie the first time he ever saw her, which was from a distance, and while she was unconscious, and he was kidnapping her best friend. These factors alone don’t do much to endear him to Lennie (or me, for that matter). But embarrassingly enough, he continues to unironically refer to her as “my angel” and “my dream girl,” both aloud to her, to others, and to himself with no care for the mission at hand or who is around to hear. It's embarrassing just how much subtlety this man, who is supposedly a former spy, assassin, and member of a deadly brotherhood, lacks.

I am personally a very big fan of the slow burn and prolonged mutual pining. In fact, I enjoy the build up to the realization of feelings between characters even more than the actuality of characters finally acting on their feelings. That's the kind of romance that gets me excited, but this was sadly very much not the case with the relationship between Lennie and Bran. There is literally none of that mystery of romantic feelings or the butterflies of two characters finally getting together in When a Dragon Falls. The two have just met and the man has decided she is The One and is immediately hitting on her, regardless of how she outwardly feels about him. Even the novel feels like it has to explain his instant obsession:

“‘There is no need for you to discuss my personal life.’

‘But didn’t we decide to be friends?’ She gave him a frustrated look.

‘True, but even so, we just met in person yesterday.’

‘I met you five months ago.’

‘You saw me asleep that hardly constitutes—’

‘I held you close to my heart all that time. So when I see two clowns trying to win your affections, I find it hard to like them. More importantly, I don’t think you like them either.”

The way Bran decides to pursue Lennie no matter her feelings and immediately inserts himself into her private life, thinking he knows what is best for her, is concerning to me. Instead of an exciting "will-they-won't-they" situation, the romance read way more to me like sexual harassment or love bombing and control than actual consensual flirtation. Though When a Dragon Falls repeatedly tells me how unlike the other men Bran is, even having other characters constantly claiming he is a “dear boy,” or other women fawning over him, I really don’t see a whole lot of actual admirable qualities, and instead see an actual whole color guard of red flags proudly waving. 

When a Dragon Falls also jumps back and forth from the perspectives of characters, even within the same chapter, which makes it just as confusing as these two characters falling for each other. But I guess this writing style might have been needed to push the romance forward and to make it seem more like the feelings were mutual. It gave me a bit of whiplash trying to keep straight from which perspective I was reading. Furthermore, the novel also switches from using more antiquated language, unironically saying things like "gnashing of teeth," to using more colloquial language like “two clowns” and "dream girl" and so on. I wish it would have picked a style and stuck to it. Plus, characters spew the most unbelievable and unfiltered declarations of feelings constantly, such as:

“‘It’s not that simple.’

‘It is that simple. You either feel the same sort of deep, irreversible longing that I am feeling, or you do not.’” 

And nothing is left to the imagination of the thoughts in the characters either, as they constantly tell the readers every last, painful detail of what they are feeling for the other person. Nothing ever just happens without a wall of exposition surrounding it. Making matters worse is the dialogue between characters. There is one exchange comparing a waitress’s breasts to melons and another with men’s genitalia to cucumbers (and an old man’s to a pickled cucumber—and no, I am not making this up). But what astonished me was that When a Dragon Falls makes a very conscious and quite frankly, inadvisable, choice to choose the word “cheese" during a bedroom talk scene. 

“‘When I was seventeen, a new maid came to work at the monastery. She begged me to come to her room one night, saying there was a rat in there, and she was terrified. But when I went in, carrying a trap, I discovered a bigger trap waiting for me. She bolted the door and threw off her clothes.

‘So she was the rat!’ Lennie huffed. ‘I suppose she got your cheese?’ 

He shrugged. ‘I was young and curious. And flattered, thinking she wanted me.’

‘I should have known,’ Lennie grumbled. ‘Any man as gorgeous as you is bound to have women throwing themselves at him. So how many rats have jumped onto your ship?’”

This scene really felt anything but sensual and I couldn’t take it even remotely seriously. Instead, this exchange ruined what little immersion I had managed to retain in this novel, jolting me right out of the story as I tried to make sense of what I had actually just read. Perhaps other readers will find this scene (and some of the others). funny and endearing, but it really didn't work for me. Likewise, I struggled to wrap my head around how perfectly everything worked out for literally all of the characters in the novel. Every problem that arises is easily dealt with, including objections to princesses and princes marrying beneath their rank, and people marrying former enemies of the state. It seems there is not a single crime too big to be forgiven.

When a Dragon Falls is definitely perfect for readers who don't like slow-burns, love universally happy endings, and don't have issues with instalove. Despite the fact that I really liked the novels in the beginning of the series, I don't think I am the intended audience for When a Dragon Falls. I would definitely recommend When a Dragon Falls to fans of cozy romantasy novels with low stakes stories and guaranteed happy endings. Those who are looking for an ongoing series will also delight in this novel, as it looks like there are more on the way featuring the children of the leads from previous entries in the series. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be sticking around to read them.

BOOK: WHEN A DRAGON FALLS
AUTHOR: KERRELYN SPARKS @kerrelynsparks
PUB DATE: 24 OCTOBER 2023
REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
🐉🐦‍⬛
This book was an amazing, fast-paced fantasy novel. I read it without any stops, and it was so good. I loved that there was not too much strife, anger, betrayal, and fights over power. I liked this because it's unlike most books in this genre. It was a simple, easy read with lovely, lovely characters. I also loved the world building
🐦‍⬛🐉
Now our, MCs; Lennie, the first ever female dragon shifter and Bran, a raven shifter with a lot of trauma. Although there was a bit of miscommunication, it was not overpowering, and they easily got past that. I loved their chemistry and their relationship. I also liked the side characters and the side romances, they were really cute.
🐉🐦‍⬛
This book was definitely a yes for me, I liked it and I recommend it! I'd definitely like to read more books in this series.

*4.5 stars*

I love this series…

Is it too early to say the ‘L’ word? I didn’t think so! This is the fourth in a sequel series (the first was Embraced) where the characters are deeper, the intrigue and danger more compelling and the action rating even higher….

Lennie is a female dragon, one of a kind. And so is the person behind her beautiful scales. A warrior, a thinker, she protects her family and her land against all adversaries, despite those who say she is not worthy. Vowing to do anything – including marrying one she does not love – she stays true. Until Bran arrives. Cloaked in mystery, Bran is no longer the enemy, instead working towards the same goal – to rid the land of the Brotherhood and avenge his brother….

If this sounds like there is hardly room to fall in love, I would have agreed. The author, of course, knew differently, and took me on a whirlwind story where friendships and family were tested, again and again. There were light moments too with laughter sneaking up when you least expect it. Oh, and an extra bonus? There weren’t just one love story but three!

Make sure you read all books in Embraced and in this series. They are great reads on their own and help understand (aka keep straight) the characters and the roles they play. A swashbuckler (on land), this was a great read to add to a wild, fantastical, epic-worthy series. I hope there are many more!

I have been a fan of Kerrelyn Sparks for a long time. This new addition to the Embraced By Magic series will remind you why we love this author. This is the tale of Princess Lenuska and Bran Morris, the Raven. This story is absolutely packed full of adventure. This tale has everything you could want in an adventure: secrets, romance, action, danger, magic, strong characters and humor. Absolutely perfect. Sparks has a talent for making fantasy feel like reality. You become a part of the world and the story and never want it to end. You're going to love this adventure.

This book continues with the ongoing EMBRACED BY MAGIC series by focusing on the main couple and secondary characters in a quest to rescue family members and stop the encroaching evil of the Brotherhood. The main couple first withhold significant information about themselves, but when the truth is revealed, their relationship grows stronger. With so many things that keeps them apart, how can the main couple get their happy ending?

This is another addition to this particular Kerrelyn Sparks series. The series continues with the children of the original cast of the first few books in the series; though the book provides relevant information about the series, it would be best to read the whole series to get an image of world created by the author. This book has a unique cast of characters and includes some romantic relationships, though the story focused on the romance between the heroine and the hero. The main couple goes through their own growth, individually and together. Though I enjoyed the book, the story did have instances in which the progression was slower than in other parts. It would also be nice to add a bit more details in certain areas of the story, a personal preference of mine. Overall, a solid addition to the EMBRACED BY MAGIC series and I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.


** Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions and thoughts in the review are my own. **

Book #4 in the Embraced by Magic series. Each book centers on an individual character(s) in the series so yes, they are designed as a set of stand alones, but you'd miss out on the back story development which explains how the characters fit into the series.
Princess Lenushka has her future planned. She will follow her destiny and secure the future of her kingdom. But, as always in a Kerrelyn Sparks paranormal romance that is heavy on the romance.....there's a "hot bad boy" waiting to tempt her into following her heart. I enjoy Spark's books as a change of pace from the norm. She always weaves a little magic into the story so you've got plenty of action and romance but end with a big SIGH!.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was steamy, fun and action packed. I didn't want to put it down. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

Princess Lenushka “Lennie” of Norveshka is the daughter of Gwennore and Silas and is not only the first (and only) female dragon shifter and a captain in the Norveshki army but also has been named as the heir to the crown of Norveshka. Today she is playing another role, bridesmaid to her cousin Princess Roslyn of Tourin who is marrying Earl Freydor. But things don’t go as planned and the bridegroom is revealed to be a traitor to the crown and is murdered by Greer, the leader of the traitorous Brotherhood of the Sun. Lennie is tasked with following Greer and while in pursuit spies the Raven, a shifter and member of the Brotherhood who kidnapped her Aunt, Queen Luciana, and her cousin Princess Eviana, and she in her dragon form goes after him. However, while trying to evade Lennie, the Raven is accidentally shot by Roslyn and crashes to the ground. Lennie is horrified, she didn’t mean for him to be injured and transports him to the monastery. Soon it becomes clear that they are both in pursuit of Greer, as he has kidnapped Lennie’s brother Pengrast, her cousin Prince Reynfried, and the Raven’s brother Zane. She begrudgingly agrees to work with him but keeps her true identity and the fact that she is a dragon shifter a secret. She is sure he is a villain, but the more time she spends with him, the more she questions that judgment and soon she is wondering how she will be able to live without him.

Bran Morris is the son of Lord Morris, one of the Circle of Five and the head of the Brotherhood of the Sun, he is also Embraced and has the power to shift into a raven. But unlike his evil father, Bran has a good heart and has only participated in Lord Morris’ schemes to protect his siblings, it is during the abduction of Queen Luciana and the princess that Bran sees Lennie for the first time and instantly falls in love with her – or at least the idea of her. When his father was killed, the Brotherhood assumed that Bran would take his place, but Bran has no desire to continue the Brotherhood’s evil agenda and tries to move the group in a different direction but, not all the members agree and Greer, one of his father’s minions, picks up Lord Morris’ scepter and the Brotherhood splits. Bran tries to thwart Greer, but never forgets Lennie, so when his brother Zane is kidnapped by Greer and he is injured by the dragon, he is thrilled to see Lennie and decides to win her. But Bran doesn’t really know who Lennie is and without the truth and trust, how can love grow? Plus there is still the matter of Greer to deal with. Can they overcome the obstacles that are keeping them from their HEA or are they doomed to heartache?

OMG, what a great book! I love this series and was thrilled when Ms. Sparks decided to expand the series to include the children of the original Embraced. It was wonderful to visit with previous characters and get a glimpse into their HEAs, and while this book has a lot going on, as well as multiple romances, there is no doubt that Lennie and Bran are the stars of this book. The story is filled with secrets, hidden identities, shifters, magic, humor, longing, misunderstandings, mild love scenes, betrayal, surprising discoveries, battles between good and evil, and finally an ending that gives the reader more than one HEA and will leave you anticipating the next installment. This is the fourth book in this series, but the seventh book about the Embraced, I would recommend reading the series in order, so you have a better understanding of the fantasy world Ms. Sparks has created, thus giving you the best reader experience. Overall, this was a great read and I happily recommend not only this book but the entire series for historical paranormal/fantasy romance lovers.

4.5 stars, rounded up.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

I hadn’t read the previous books in the series and I must admit, I did feel a little lost when all the characters were introduced. The recap was helpful, but I was still a bit confused. This is an obviously a series which must be read in order. Although it took me a while to get into it, I did really enjoy it. I would describe it as an epic fantasy novel, rather than a romance, as the slow burn relationship between Lennie and Bran does feel secondary to the action, adventure and fantasy theme. The author is very talented and the world building is outstanding. I’m now going to go back and read the previous books in order!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
When a Dragon Falls is the fourth book in the Embraced by Magic series, and by virtue of messy publishing shenanigans, the seventh book in The Embraced series. It can be read as a standalone, although I will note that the early part of the book does throw a lot of names of characters at you. I definitely wish that the map the previous publisher included, plus a character guide (thanks to the increasingly intricate relationships) were included, as even I, having followed every installment, found myself a little lost getting back into the swing of things. I also feel like, even though this was a later book in the series, Sparks was walking a tough line between making this book work as a standalone, yet feel consistent with what came before, and the overemphasis of the reintroduction of the cast slowed the story down.
However, once I got to the central romance, the characters shined through. Lennie is so interesting, because she herself is a dragon shifter, and she’s also preparing for her role as a future leader for her people. Bran is also compelling, given what has been established about the Raven and the Brotherhood. Both he and Lennie have similar goals, along with a strong sense of love for their families, and that made them a natural fit, even with the taboo nature of their relationship.
This was a solid installment, and I’d recommend it to fans of fantasy romance.

When a Dragon Falls by Kerrelyn Sparks is book #4 in the Embraced by Magic series. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC 💜! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are my own. Publication Date 10/24/23

Dragon shifter princess Lenushka(Lennie) of Norveshka is the first female dragon in existence. She is part of her cousin Roslyn's wedding party and they've gathered for the bridesmaids' dress reveal. Roslyn is an ordinary princess with no special powers like other Embraced. Her groom Earl Freydor is the wealthiest gold miner in the kingdom who she barely knows. She quickly finds out he has been unfaithful, and an even bigger betrayal is revealed. Her father King Ulfrid has been kidnapped by pirates, along with Lennie's father King Silas. Bran's brother, Lennie's brother, and Roslyn's brother are taken by Greer-Bran's mortal enemy who killed his brother Arlo. Bran and Lennie plan a coup to rescue them.

There isn't much romance for the main characters Bran and Lennie, but their quest to find their brothers brings them closer. There are a few subplots: Roslyn's budding romance with a former teacher, Bran's sister Milena hiding her identity, and Lennie hiding being a shifter in a royal family. Bran's brother Zane, Lennie's brother Pendras, and Roslyn's brother Reynfrid deal with being held captive by Greer without use of their powers. Lennie and Bran start as enemies with Bran getting wounded by Roslyn and Lennie accidentally. She takes care of him, he calls her his "dream girl," and they steal a little time alone. Both get upset lying to each other, but they reconcile. It was hard getting through the last hundred pages because things were so slow. I like slow burn done right, and this didn't work for me. I wish the Brotherhood and all the atrocities they committed against the children was a bigger story. Of course, they all wanted revenge, but what Bran and Milena went through needed a little more time. Maybe Milena and Reynfrid will get their story told?


Warnings: religious zealots, molestation discussed, and torture

I must disclose I haven't read the first three books in this series, but I will go back for Sorcha, Maeve, and Eviana (my favorite character w/ Quentin) stories. I'd recommend reading the previous books first because a lot of character names get thrown in quickly.

Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐1/2
Spice 1/5🌶️ the scene with H/h sex off page

Based on the description I HAD to read this book. Game of Thrones meets The Princess Bride? That's like my favorites merged into one. This world is beautiful. I want to crawl inside the book and live there. It just feels like a very classic fantasy book with dragons and princesses and the villain trying to take over the world. I really enjoyed that the MMC wasn't made to be a macho, tough guy as is done in pretty much every other romance book. We get to see him injured and reliant on the FMC for protection and aid and it was just so refreshing to read. There were a handful of things that bothered me when reading this. I found it difficult to keep up with all of the different characters and their relationship with each other, especially in the beginning when it felt like we were being introduced to 15+ characters within the span of 7 pages. Sometimes details were added that seemed irrelevant to the story (for example, going on for several pages about bridesmaid dresses), and while the author did a great job of building the world so we as the reader get a full picture of what it is like to live there, sometimes it felt a bit clunky, like information was just dumped rather than flowing smoothly. The romance in this book is primarily focused on Lennie and Bran, but we also see two other couples come together as well by the end of the book. I really liked Melina and Reynfrid and would have loved to read more about them! Bran and Lennie have a very love-at-first-sight kind of romance, filled with sweet moments and also sometimes very cringy dialogue. It was a very fun, easy read! If you like dragons, quests, instalove, and happy endings you'll enjoy this book. Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Loved this book. Filled with romance suspense and even a chuckle or two. When you can get all in 1 book, then that’s a good book. Lennie is a dragon, the only female dragon. Bran is the bird she falls for, but not until she makes him fall, or should I say crash! Together they must save their brothers, but how?

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

I loved returning to this world and seeing all the couples we followed in the original series!
In When A Dragon Falls we are following Lennie aka Princess Lenouska as she works with Bran aka The Raven whom everyone thought was evil and a total tool, at least until they see his side of why he did what he did.
I loved the first time Lennie met Bran, he had been injured, and after getting cleaned up and medicated his mouth was running away just saying how beautiful she was and she's his angel and a whole other host of things he would find super embarrassing when the meds ware off.
They are on a mission to save both Lennie and Bran brothers from the actually evil Greer who is responsible for many many deaths.
I loved the journey they went on, slowly falling in love (the beginning of the book is a bit slower in pace as well, but does pick up) Their banter had me smiling and laughing out loud, and I loved that when the source of the conflict is discovered its resolved pretty quickly. This is a super cute and fun series with plenty of magic, romance, and action scenes to keep you glued to the page.

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨


First Impressions
When A Dragon Falls is the seventh installment in the Embraced series. This is a book that features more than one couple but the primary couple that we see is Princess Lenushka and Bran. Lenushka is the daughter of Silas who is our dragon king from the previous books. So Lenushka is the heir to the throne and is the first female dragon in existence. This story is packed with plenty of world-building of this fantastical world that this author has created and we see how the plot lines work together and the justice in getting rid of an enemy who is seeking to destroy all the kingdoms that have been united. When A Dragon Falls was a bit of a forbidden romance, with some conflict between the couples and mistaken identity factors. Kerrelyn Sparks really delivers in this one and I had a action-packed time with this installment.


Summary
Princess Lenushka is a princess but has had to work hard to prove herself to her people. She is a warrior in training as she would need to be the next leader. She has never shirked in her duties and is devoted to her parents and her brother. She will marry because she knows that its expected and she always lives up to the expectations and knows its required and needed for the kingdom. Then we have Bran, who is on a journey for revenge. He is determined to protect his siblings no matter what it takes and will get rid of the Brotherhood monsters that have manipulated his family and he has had enough of that manipulation. He is drawn in the crossfire and ends up injured by a pink bellied dragon but doesn’t know that dragon is none other than the beautiful female warrior who has only built a connection with him and traveled with him on his journey to regain their loved ones. But when everything is revealed will they find a way past the secrets and past the forbidden relationship between them?


What I Loved
This book was a roller coaster ride and I couldn’t get enough of these two. Bran and Lan were so brilliant together and I really enjoyed how their relationship builds throughout the story. The romance is well balanced with the fantastical plot of redemption and revenge on this one. We actually have more than one love story here, but our primary couple that is features is Lenushka and Bran. I really enjoyed seeing the descendants of the original embraced find their way together and work together to bring down the Brotherhood and those that want to destroy their loved ones. It also had plenty of laughs which you can expect from this author. There were also some fun side characters that really intrigued me throughout the building of the story. The plot of this book was brilliantly built. I loved the thrills and intrigue that are built alongside with the fantastical world building that we see grown within this one. There is also a strong sense of family within it that gives you all the warm fuzzies. Then of course we have the romance being built between Lenushka and Bran. I adored these two together. They have such a strong attraction, but also a relatable emotional connection that builds throughout the story. Seeing our couple find their way together and past the forbidden was so satisfying. The way that these two come together and have such forgiving hearts for each other. There is a sweet steady understanding between them that even when there are secrets, they have this patience and acceptance of each other that is so gratifying. The romance was solid and steady and one you can easily stand behind on.


What I Struggled With
So the only real aspect to this story that I struggled with is the pacing. It goes kinda slow, especially in the first half, but once you get past that hurdle then the story really picks up and then you can’t put it down. So keep in mind this quality and just stick with it and it will deliver for you.

Overall View
When A Dragon Falls is a beautiful story that captures the heart and poignant emotion in the small moments. Its a story packed with adventure, fantastical world-building and love worth fighting for!

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Fantasy Romance, Epic/High Fantasy
Character Types: Shape Shifter, Dragons, Royalty
Themes: Secrets, Family Bonds, World Building a Focus
Tropes: Forbidden Love, Revenge, Secret Identity

Book Perspective
3rd POV

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Plot Conflict

Song This Book Inspires
Broken Things by Matthew West

Recommendation For Reading Order
Yes I recommend reading these books in order

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Now we are in the next generation with the children of the original characters of the Embraced series. It's fun to see the parents who were the original folks I knew and loved, and now the trials and life decisions of their children as they find their places in life. I thought I wasn't in the mood for this genre and as soon as I started reading I was loving it.

Now, after many years of peace and prosperity, there is a new threat, the remnants of the Circle of Five, calling themselves the Brotherhood. Many of the young adults were taken as young children or born to mothers taken into the Circle of Five. They have been abused for years and are just starting to find their way. But if they don't do a mission for the Brotherhood, its leaders murder them.

Bran, along with his younger brother Zane, are after the leader Greer, who killed their brother Arlo. It runs them up against dragons, Lennie and her brother, Pendras. who are also after them as they have captured a prince. Lennie thinks Bran is a criminal then learns he is not. They end up going after their brothers, who have been kidnapped by Greer.

Bran and Lennie each have plenty of secrets which gradually unfold as they get to know each other. But Lennie is the heir and expected to marry a dragon. So even if they are attracted how can it go anywhere? Besides, they need to focus on the rescue. I enjoyed the action and smart strategy of the rescue.

Other friends and family are also on the rescue team with multiple romances brewing. The banter and humor was great. It's also inspiring to see characters who really care about others.

A heartwretching and epic tale set in an incredible fantasy world. There's nothing to complain about when it comes to Kerrelyn Sparks 'When a Dragon Falls' I was instantly sucked into this incredible tale.