Tabs’ review of So I Married a Sorcerer (The Embraced, Book 2) by Kerrelyn Sparks
Fantasy Romance published by St. Martin’s Paperbacks 29 Aug 17
The telling stones have been indicating for months that something big is about to happen to Brigitta. Nonetheless, she isn’t expecting to find out that she’s a secret long-lost princess whose evil brother has sent his men to retrieve her. But that turns out to not be as big a problem as the wind sorcerer pirate who has just kidnapped her! Brigitta boards his ship armed with her wits, a secret power, a shapeshifter protector she doesn’t know about, and a nun companion hell bent on preventing any kind of ravishing whatsoever.
The notorious pirate Rupert sails the high seas attacking royal Tournian ships and stealing all of their gold. He’s basically a fantasy sea-faring Robin Hood who only steals from the evil king (Brigitta’s brother). He mostly snatches Brigitta just because her brother wants her. There’s a vague plan about bartering her for gold, but Rupert and his pals are the good guys and not at all the kind of people who can barter with human lives. So that’s pretty much a non-starter from the beginning.
This book is just bonkers, really. There are sorcerers, secrets, improbable inventions, naked pirate butt, dragons, and more. At one point, I shit you not, there is a bonafide “ye olde medieval american ninja course” complete with a wild boar hazard. That one made me giggle.
This book was a lot of fun once it got going, but the first third really drags. So getting to the good stuff is a bit of a slog. Also, if you hate insta-love stories, then this is not a tale for you. It takes like a week for both Brigitta and her nun protector to fall in love with their respective menfolk. It worked for me, but your mileage may vary. I didn’t think this one was quite as strong as the first book in the series, How To Tame A Beast In Seven Days, which is a Beauty and the Beast story with a heroine who sees (and talk to) dead people. Both books are good escapist fun, though.
Grade: B
Summary:
Growing up on the Isle of Moon, Brigitta knew that she was born with the magical powers of the Embraced—even if she did not know how to wield them. But she has finally learned the truth: Brigitta is the lost princess of the kingdom of Tourin. She was sent into hiding as an infant to escape the wrath of her half-brother, the king. And now he knows just where to find her. . .
Rupert is a notorious pirate and sorcerer. He’s spent most of his life plotting revenge on the evil king—and Rupert believes that Brigitta could be the key to finally destroying his enemy. But what begins as a kidnapping of the innocent beauty escalates into something deeper, and more passionate, than either captor or captive could have imagined. Rupert soon vows to protect Brigitta against the king—but will they survive long enough to find their happily-ever-after. . .or does fate have something else in store?
Other books in this series:
