How To Tame A Beast in Seven Days by Kerrelyn Sparks ~ Review

Title: How To Tame a Beast in Seven Days (The Embraced #1)
Author: Kerrelyn Sparks
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Fantasy
Length: 416 pages
Publisher: St Martin’s Press
Release Date: March 7, 2017
Source: Review Request
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: 3
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Luciana grew up on the Isle of Moon, hidden away because of her magical powers. But when her father arrives, he offers her a choice: remain on the island or return with him and marry the Beast of Benwick in order to save their legacy—and her father's life.

Lord Leofric, the Beast of Benwick, has not been touched since he was a child. Born with the power to harness lightning, he is a danger to everyone he touches. When he meets his betrothed, he expects a loveless, lonely marriage...until he discovers she's vastly more powerful than he realized. But is she strong enough to withstand his touch?

If they can survive, their love will alter the future of the kingdom. But will their extraordinary powers cost them everything?

How To Tame a Beast in Seven Days was a fantastic book. Set in a fantasy world, it pulled on my roots of high fantasy reading and made them proud. A world that is detailed and vibrant, with people to go right along with it. There are even dragons!!!! Combine that with a beautiful arranged marriage style romance, I think I found a truly winning series.

The Embraced are a group of people born under a certain moon and grow up to be blessed/cursed with strange and sometimes terrifying powers. Luciana is an orphan growing up on the Isle of the Moon, the one place where Embraced are not feared and reviled. She was sent there to protect her from those that would kill her for what she is. She loves the island and her 'sisters,' but when her father (surprise!) shows up, she finds out that her history is completely different than what she believed.

Returning with her father to the mainlands, Luciana will have to convince the world that she is another person as she prepares to marry the Beast of Benwick, a man rumored to kill all who come near. And so begins our romance. Of course, the Beast has a surprising history and personality. I'm wasn't sure how Kerrelyn Sparks was going to get these characters together for a while. Everything was stacked against them and both were terrified of what might happen.

There are some crazy twists and turns as Luciana and the Beast travel to the capital. Attacks, deaths, discoveries, and along the way we get to meet some really great secondary characters that I feel just might show up with a story of their own - I certainly hope so.

While I enjoy a good twisting tale, there were a few times that it seemed like a twist was thrown in to drag the story out just a tad, and then we had a bit of a rushed ending. Overall, I loved the world, I loved the characters, and I can't wait to see what they are going to do next.

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book**

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Divine by Choice by P.C. Cast

Title: Divine by Choice (Partholon #2)
Author: P.C. Cast
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Fantasy Romance
Length: 377 pages
Publisher: Luna Books
Release Date: December 1, 2006
Source: Purchased
Rating: 3
Heat Rating: 4
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Shannon Parker has finally come to terms with life in the mythical world of Partholon. She loves her centaur husband, her connection to the goddess Epona and the pampering that comes with both! She's almost forgotten her old life on Earth—especially when she discovers she's pregnant….

Then a sudden burst of power sends her back to Oklahoma. Without magic, Shannon can't return to Partholon—and so she needs to find help. Trouble is, it might take the form of a man as tempting as her husband. And along the way she'll discover that being divine by mistake is a lot easier than being divine by choice….

I want to start by saying that you shouldn't let the 4 sexual rating scare you away from this one. I felt I had to rate it that way because of one crazy sex rite done by our bad girl. But it's short and easily skippable (is that a word?) if you don't want to read it. Seriously, like one paragraph.

Shannon has settled into her life in Partholon with her centaur husband and endless supply of handmaidens ready to wait on her every need. The danger seems to have passed and life is returning to "normal" once again. But she's uneasy, and with good reason. She finds herself ripped out of Partholon into her old life.

I enjoyed this story, but I had some issues with it as well. Seeing Shannon come in to her own as Epona's Choosen and learning to trust herself and the world around her was great. But I didn't like the twisted love story that wove through the middle of everything. When she meets the man that mirrors her husband things got a little tricky. I totally get her confusion and attraction to him. But I didn't like where that always led.

Finally meeting Rhiannon was very nice though. I love how damaged her character is, and the glimpse into her past only cements that she isn't a truly evil person, but more a victim herself as well. She just didn't deal with things as in a very healthy way. Finally being able to compare her beside Shannon showed sides of both that were quite eye-opening.

A great addition to the world of Partholon, but I just didn't enjoy all the aspects presented.

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Partholon

Divine Beginnings #0.5

Divine by Mistake #1