Surrender to the Sheikh: WITH The Sheikh's Secret Bride AND Sheikh's Temptation [Paperback]

Two great Desert romance tales from Susan Mallery - (The Sheikh's secret bride) and Alexander Sellers - (Sheikh's temptation).

THE SHEIKH'S SECRET BRIDE - the first of the two was a typical M&B medium paced story with a predictable plot. Liana Archer a single mother with a nine year old daughter in her quest to secure a financial future for herself and her daughter accepted a great paying teaching job at the American school in the desert kingdom of El Bahar. On arrival at El Bahar, she caught the eye of the Crown Prince Malik Khan at the airport. Time stopped when they gazed at each other. Was it love at first sight or mere chemistry? The Crown Prince did not want to spend sleepless nights agonising what that could be. As patience was not one of his virtues, he literally kidnapped Liana and her daughter to live in the Palace with his family. Liana being very independent and strong willed fought him every step of the way until she was allowed to move to her promised Condo near the school. To what lengths this proud Sheikh will go to secure his heart felt desire (to make Liana his) is beautifully depicted in this story including consenting to a secret marriage without her knowledge with dire consequences. A good story with some incredible and humorous banter.

The 2nd book - SHEIKH'S TEMPTATION is very atypical of an M&B and is the first book by Alexander Sellers that I have read. I found it not only very interesting but very much like the Arabian tales of the old, with some modern setting. Lana Holding, a rich American heiress met and fell in love with the handsome Shiekh Arash Khosrari while both were students in London, without knowing he was a Sheikh. Sheikh Arash Khosari lost his heart to Lana Holding at first sight, but knowing who she was (an American heiress) and the fact that he had to leave London to go war to save his desert kingdom, felt he had nothing to offer her and did not want to bind her to an uncertain future. On his last night in London, they shared an incredible night of passion, without verbal declaration of their feelings for each other but each believed their action spoke volumes; and in the early hours of the morning he left. Lana believed he did not care for her and Arash believed she pitied him. Now the war is over and Lana with her father's wealth is helping to reconstruct the ravaged Kingdoms of Parvan including Aram Valley home to Sheikh Arash. With so much left unsaid between them and each assuming the worst of the other they go to great lengths to avoid each other and until their friends plotted to throw them together and with the help of mother nature in the shape if a blizzard they were forced to be together . Will Arash overcome his pride and ancient tradition to declare his love and claim the woman of his dreams, his soul mate, knowing that he has nothing to offer her in terms of material wealth except his love? This story is so well written that, the suspense level was maintained till the end with flash backs to past events uncovered gradually till the end of the story. What I liked most about the book was the in-depth pictorial description of this fictious Desert kingdom that really transports you to Arabian tales of old.

Both books do a great job in showing how good and clear communication is vital in developing and sustaining a good relationship. Great read, I recommend.