How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days by Kerrelyn Sparks

How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days (Embraced, #1)

by Kerrelyn Sparks

From the brilliant imagination of Kerrelyn Sparks comes a bold new fantasy romance series in which passion and magic collide. Behold the Embraced...

As one of the Embraced―one born with magical powers―the beautiful, innocent Luciana escaped certain death after her father hid her away on the Isle of Moon. Now, nineteen years later, her father has returned with a frightening request. He will be executed unless Luciana returns to the mainland and marries a man feared throughout the land: a terrifying brute known as the Beast.

Luciana accepts her fate and agrees to wed the Beast―Lord Leo―in order to save her father. Soon she learns that her betrothed is also one of the Embraced. With the ability to wield lightning, Leo’s immense power strikes fear into the hearts of men. . .and his mere touch can put an end to a woman’s life. But Luciana cannot deny the passion that burns between them. How can she resist the man who scorches her soul and makes her feel intoxicated with desire―even if surrendering to him could destroy them both?

Reviewed by EBookObsessed on

5 of 5 stars

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I have missed Kerrelyn Sparks's humor. This new series is delightful. I can't wait to see what comes next.

As this is the first book of a new series, there is so much to talk about -- the set up for the new world building as well as all the new characters. To keep this review shorter than the book itself, we will just focus on just this book. If you want more, we spoke with Kerrelyn Sparks back in December about her new series.

The first story takes place in the Kingdom of Eberon which is ruled by a greedy king who has decided the best way to take back all of the lands in his kingdom would be to set impossible goals for the lords and upon their failure, they would forfeit their lands, and most often their lives, to the king.

If a child is born on a night when the two moons are entwined in the sky, the child will be Embraced which means that they will be borne with a magical ability. In How to Tame a Beast in Seven Day, Luciana has been hidden on an island and raised in a convent with a few other girls. More than just Embraced, Luciana was born a twin which is considered even more dangerous than simply Embraced. Raised to believe she was an orphan, Luciana is quite surprised when her father appears at the convent to bring her home. Not only does she learn that she has a father, but she also learns that she had a twin sister who just died. Her sister was to marry the Beast of Benwick by the order of the king of Eberon.

Failure to meet the king's demand means that the very profitable lands of her father will be forfeit to the king, along with his life. So Luciana returns home with her father pretending to be her sister, Tatiana.

Don't worry since the king is already finding alternate ways to make sure the Duke fails to produce a bride. He has sent assassins into the Duke's lands. And even if Tatiana/Luciana makes it to the church, she is not the only one who is Embraced. Leofric of Benwick can harness the power of lightening. This is a power which has served him well as Lord Proctor keeping the other kingdoms from invading Eberon. But this ability makes him a very dangerous adversary, it also makes Leo long for something as simple as touching another person. The last person he touch, when he was only a child, was electrocuted. Now everyone fears him.

The Duke isn't the only one the king is setting up for failure on this marriage arrangement. As Leo is a possible heir to the king, the king wants to make sure that Leo disappears and if he can't make that happen, he wants to make sure that Leo never has an heir of his own. Leo can't touch his bride without electrocuting her and now that Leo has met her, he really, really wants to touch.

When an accident touch doesn't cause her any harm, Leo begins to make plans to try to consummate his marriage. If he is successful, the danger to Leo and Luciana will only increase.

And this is only just part of what is happening in How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days, there is also ghosts, and shifters, and fae, and hints of so much more to come.

I know that a re-read is already in order since I raced through this the first time wanting to find out how Leo and Luciana work through their shocking issues. Hehe, shocking. Get it?

I can't wait to see the next book has in store and what new Embraced powers will be introduced.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 8 February, 2017: Finished reading
  • 8 February, 2017: Reviewed