Freedom was the goal. Falling on an elf was just a side quest.
Princess Esther Valedara didn't mean to set her life (or half a forest) on fire. But when her "escape for freedom" spell drops her face-first into a band of adventurers-featuring one brooding elf, one chaotic half-elf, and one too-proud orc-her royal problems get a lot messier.
Between explosive magic, tavern brawls, and far too many feelings, Esther might accidentally find what she's always been denied: friendship, freedom, and a dangerously attractive elf who fans her flames.
It turns out freedom isn't as simple as running away from the crown-
it's surviving your own heart... preferably without setting the everything on fire.
Dionna White is a romantasy author who writes cozy, whimsical fantasy romances designed to feel soft, comforting, and quietly enchanting. An author at heart since childhood, she creates stories where chaos and tenderness coexist, and where found family and healing take center stage.
Her books are known for their warm tone, character-driven storytelling, and delightfully chaotic casts who rarely follow the plan—much like the characters themselves, who tend to wander off with the story no matter how carefully it was outlined. Through magic, humor, and slow-building connection, her work explores themes of belonging, resilience, and choosing love in unexpected places.
Dionna lives in a rural town in Western New York, where she writes cozy romantasy filled with heart, hope, and just enough mischief to keep things interesting.
It was an AWESOME book! I really enjoyed reading through different POVs, and the whole story was so lovely. Being not rushed while reading is definitely impressive, because you're not feeling overwhelmed - which means the storyline is good. The backstories, key points, and the definitely romance was well written and connected. I found myself "one more page!!" stage a lot! 🤍
I felt what the characters feel, and being part of it made me so happy. It was my first time reading as an ARC Reader, and when I closed the book, found myself saying where is the second book?! I can't wait to read more.
If you see this review and want to read it, please go ahead. You will gonna love this book 🤍
This book was chefs kiss amazing! I enjoyed the multiple POVs that we got while reading. Being able to know what 3 different characters thought was lovely. The amount of characters that were introduced were each so important in their own way and it might’ve taken us a bit to realize why we met them but we eventually do. Esther’s growth throughout the book was admirable. She went through so much, trying to figure out what her true purpose in life was. She never really understood the importance of why her life was the way it was. It took her quite literally running away from her problems to find out the truth to it all. Lucy 😭 she was HILARIOUS! That girl is the definition of a ride or die.
Cannot wait to read book 2!
Thank you so much to the author for my gifted copy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This book was a change of pace for me being a New Adult book, but I really enjoyed it a lot. It’s a super cute romance with banter, found family, and love. Dionna does an excellent job making the world building engaging and immersive, so it’s easy to get pulled in. The characters are relatable and easy to connect with making you want to follow along on the journey. I love a good found family book with banter and this one had me laughing out loud on numerous occasions, which was a nice reprieve from all the books that have ruined me lately. 😘 If you are a person who likes to switch it up sometimes like me or prefer a cute, fun banter filled romance I would definitely suggest this book. Thank you for the ARC read Dionna White, I highly enjoyed it. ❤️
i am absolutely madly in love with this book, its characters, and the world itself. its a fantasy romcom (with HUGE anime vibes!!) in a classic, familiar dnd-esque setting. orcs, elves, beastkin, mages, taverns and adventurers guilds type stuff. i laughed out loud so many times reading this book, more than i ever have with any other type of book. there are two spicy scenes, one brief and one more detailed :) im so excited to find that there will be more to come, i cannot wait! also sylva is coming home with me he is way too perfect!!
also- the writing has a very punchy, fragmented style (lots of “not X. just Y” sentences). it does add intensity, though at times it pulled me out of the story a bit due to how often it appears. thats genuinely the only criticism i have with this book. i even loved the pacing!! and the ending made me smile so much!!!
This was such a fun read!!!!! I was blessed with an early copy of this book from the author and I enjoyed the journey immensely. The writing was great! The plot was entertaining and emotional. The characters were amazing! The banter, the sibling like in fighting, the love and care, so many amazing elements! Princess Esther has felt like a bird trapped in a gilded cage her entire life. Her father, the king, never letting her leave the castle. She attends her etiquette lessons, meals, and her magic lessons. She just so happens to be very powerful, with very little control. One day she has had enough and with the help of her maid and best friend Lucy she teleports herself away from the castle. Unfortunately she doesn't quite understand how that teleportation spell works and she reappears in the sky....falling. She lands on a handsome elf in the middle of a group of bandits. The rest you'll have to read to see, but trust me the journey is well worth it! Highly recommend for fantasy lovers!
What a magical and fun book! First off, Princess Esther, I see you and I hear you…because this girl right here loves her SMUTTY books as well (I would also burn my kindle/books because there’s just too much 🥵🌶️👀). But going back to the book, I truly did enjoy reading this book. It was funny, fun, cute, and so worth it! There was so many times I was laughing out loud and moments I was blushing and giggling because why was Nythir perfect ?!?! I was obsessed with how protective, caring, and jealous Nythir would get when it came to Essie! He truly did not play when it came to her. The magic, the creatures, the world…everything felt straight out of a fantasy/ fairytale. It was so good! Definitely worth the read!
This was my first 3rd person pov and I have to say it was enjoyable with the storytelling. The story itself was really good! I love how Esther found herself with the help of her friends. I love the search party that was looking for Esther. The banter was great. And the love everyone shared was relatable! This is definitely a book I would recommend. I really really really hope there will be a book 2 and I hope it’s about Lucy and Sylva 💜
I absolutely adored How to Accidentally Fall on an Elf by Dionna White. The spice was very minimal, but honestly the story itself was so cute, funny, and magical that I didn’t even mind. The main character is a princess who decides to run away because she doesn’t agree with the plans being made for her life. She has magical powers she doesn’t fully understand or know how to control yet, and watching her slowly grow into herself throughout the story was one of my favorite parts.
During her journey she ends up falling for someone unexpectedly, and their relationship was so sweet. I also loved how the story slowly revealed more about her deceased mother and her family history because it added so much emotional depth to the book. Some scenes even gave me goosebumps.
The writing style was genuinely pretty and immersive, and I could definitely see the care put into the world and characters. The world-building was easy to follow and thoughtfully crafted. I think this would be perfect for readers who enjoy softer, lower-intensity YA fantasy storylines. It also feels like a great palate cleanser if you’re coming off heavier or more emotionally intense books.
I really enjoyed the writing style of this book is light, charming, and very easy to read. The humor works well, the dialogue feels natural, and the chemistry between the characters keeps the story entertaining from beginning to end. It has the cozy, comforting atmosphere that many romantasy readers look for.
However, the biggest issue for me was the lack of a stronger central conflict. While the story is enjoyable, it often feels like a series of cute and romantic moments rather than a plot with real stakes or emotional tension. I kept waiting for a major obstacle, a meaningful dilemma, or a stronger antagonist to raise the emotional intensity of the story, but it never fully happened.
Because of that, the book felt somewhat flat at times. The romance was sweet, but without enough conflict or character struggle, the emotional payoff did not feel as impactful as it could have been. The fantasy world is interesting, but it also stays mostly in the background instead of becoming an important part of the tension or plot development.
Overall, this is still a fun and cozy romantasy with lovable characters and an enjoyable writing style. I would recommend it to readers who prefer soft, comforting fantasy romance over high-stakes drama. Personally, I just wished the story had pushed the characters further and given them a bigger conflict to overcome.
I have to say, I really enjoyed this one, the storytelling completely pulled me in from the start. The plot itself was so engaging, and I loved following Esther’s journey as she slowly found herself. The found family element was everything, and the search party storyline added such a fun and heartfelt layer to the book.
The banter was natural, and had me laughing out loud more than once. Thefriendship, love and connection between the characters felt genuine and relatable, which made it even easier to get invested in their story. The pacing kept things moving perfectly and the writing style matched the world so well that I felt fully immersed right away.
That said, I did feel like the romantic relationship developed a bit too quickly for my taste. I would’ve loved a slightly slower build to deepen that connection even more.
Overall, this was such a fun, sweet fantasy with strong found family vibes, and it’s one I’d recommend. Looking foward for next book!
Thank you to the author for the eARC, this is my honest review.
“How to stay composed: first panic, then panic harder, then make a terrible decision with confidence.”
The way Dionna crafts this story is a unique balance of modern day, magic and Medieval times. The amount of times I found myself giggling and highlighting while reading this book is absurd, but in the best way possible. I loved all the characters, the world, the dynamics between the characters, the humor, the way the story drew me in….this was truly the escape I needed. Will you find some philosophical story? No, and I would hope with the title of the book and its whimsical appearance that you weren’t expecting one. But what you will find is a delightful story with lovable characters, a FMC who finds herself and her purpose, and a lot of laughs.
*Disclaimer* I received this copy for free as an ARC — I was not paid to review this book, these are my own thoughts and feelings. Thank you to Dionna for the honor to read and review this book!
If you enjoy sweet, fun fantasy with a found family trope, this one is for you! I really enjoyed the storyline and pacing, there was never a dull moment. The writing style perfectly matches the world of the book, making it easy to become fully immersed from the very beginning. The humor is spot on, and I found myself laughing out loud a lot. I did feel like the relationship progressed a bit too quickly, though.
Personally, I’m Team Sylva. I definitely need my own Sylva (seriously, where can I find one?). I’m already looking forward to the second book.
(This was my first experience as an ARC reader, and it was a great one.)
This was such a cute book! The progression of this book was perfectly paced, and transitioned the storyline from the FMC’s rebellion to her becoming queen beautifully. The character development in literally all of the characters was heartfelt and invigorating to experience, and every character had their own story that gave detail and personality to the book. The main couple were a case of instalove, which I feel like I don’t see often but am head over heels for, and there are so many love stories woven into this one that you won’t be able to help the occasional grin or laugh. This book does contain explicit sexual content later in the plot.
This was a fun adventurous story that kept me on my feet. The characters are lovable and really make the story wonderful. This book has a found family and an adorable love story, I was really invested while reading this story. The pacing was a little to fast but still I couldn't put it down. Overall this was a really great read.
this is book is the perfect example of why I love reading. it completely transported me into its world. it was like reading an adventure anime. Guilds, elfs, Mages. Orc. it was cozy and action and adventure and heart warming it will make you laugh and love characters you think your going to hate. it was every i wanted in a book and more
very cute fairytale YA feel with a couple mild spice scenes. perfect for those who like a fun adventure tale with comical characters and rebellious princess