Book Review: How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days (The Embraced) by Kerrelyn Sparks

How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days is the first book in The Embraced series by Kerrelyn Sparks. 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 is a wonderful start to a new series. I liked that the majority of he information you need to understand the world was laid out in a quick opening page without a heavy information dump buried in the story. I also really enjoyed the characters. Each of the characters is complex and  has a clear personality. Even the secondary characters were written to be more than background noise, to the point where any or all of them feel like they might be important in the rest of the series. I connected with both Luciana and Leo, and enjoyed watching them dance around each other while they struggled with both the external dangers and their own feelings. I found them both to be intelligent and compassionate- despite the danger and complications that surround them. Even after finishing the book I found myself worried for them and thinking about them. I cannot wait to continue this series- and I assume see the rest of Luciana's sisters from the Isle of Moon find love.

How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days is a great reminder of how much I enjoy Sparks' writing style. The character and world building is extremely well done, and I know I will be following this series, in fact I already have the galley for the second book- So I Married a Sorcerer on my Kindle.