Kerrelyn Sparks is back with a fourth book set in the magical world of Aerthlan, home to magical heroes and heroines, dragons, witches and elves. Two moons inhibit Aerthlan’s night sky, and it’s said that any child born on an eclipse when the moons overlap becomes one of the Embraced and is gifted with magical powers. How to Love Your Elf is a light-hearted launch to a new Aerthlan series, Embraced by Moonlight.
Sorcha, one of the Embraced, is a princess of a country at war with its elven neighbors. Brave, adventurous and loyal, Sorcha refuses to stand by when her loved ones are in danger—which is how she finds herself deceived, captured and imprisoned by their enemies. But the mysterious Woodsman, impressed with Sorcha’s spirit, comes to her rescue.
The Woodsman is a throwback to classic characters like Robin Hood and the heroic woodsman in “Red Riding Hood.” He’s enigmatic, brave and strong, and has sex appeal out the wazoo. He’s working on behalf of a sect of elves who want peace between the kingdoms, and he’s got a substantial secret of his own to keep. But until the political subterfuge can play out, the Woodsman remains an elusive presence in Sorcha’s life.
How to Love Your Elf is an inspiringly positive fantasy romance. Aerthlan is inhabited by all kinds of paranormal and magical beings that have their own histories, goals and expectations, yet when cooler heads prevail and diplomacy and a yearning for understanding enter the picture, the world is a happier place. Because, what if? What if I talk to and befriend this being that looks and speaks differently from me? What if I open my heart to the possibility of love and a happy ever after with this individual? What if we laid down arms and forged a peaceful path?
The romance is less prominent in this novel than the preceding three Aerthlan books, but the sweeping adventure and the potential for Sorcha and the Woodsman’s future relationship make How to Love Your Elf a promising start to Sparks’ new series.
