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The Al Dhakir Brothers #1
Strangers in the Desert
The desert king's lost wife...
Isabella, the wife Sheikh Adan thought was dead, has just walked back into his life on the eve of his wedding to another woman.
Now Adan is to be crowned King, Isabella must be his Queen -- sharing his desert throne and the royal bed. But gone is the dutiful, pure girl he once knew; in her place is a defiant, sultry woman who makes Adan's blood run hot. A woman who has no memory of being his wife....
Isabella, the wife Sheikh Adan thought was dead, has just walked back into his life on the eve of his wedding to another woman.
Now Adan is to be crowned King, Isabella must be his Queen -- sharing his desert throne and the royal bed. But gone is the dutiful, pure girl he once knew; in her place is a defiant, sultry woman who makes Adan's blood run hot. A woman who has no memory of being his wife....
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First published April 1, 2011
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About the author
Lynn Raye Harris
349 books2,960 followersLynn Raye Harris is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sizzling military romantic suspense novels and contemporary romance novels. She lives in Alabama with her husband (former military), her cat, and her American Saddlebred horse.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
April 23, 2018
Wow - this was really good. Angst and drama. A second chance and amnesia story. The soon-to-be-king-of-a-desert kingdom hero thought the heroine was dead for two years (she wandered into the desert a month after their baby was born) and was never seen again. When the story opens, the heroine is singing in Hawaii and has no memory of the hero or ever giving birth.
Hero is angry and cruel. Heroine is shocked to find she has a child and wants to see him. Hero wants a quick divorce and for the heroine to never see their child.
*happy sigh*
The hero has to bring the heroine back to his kingdom in order to divorce her (and she has to agree). Plus there is the mystery of just what happened to her.
The hero does realize what he put the heroine through during their first year of marriage and is contrite. He does an adequate grovel. Heroine grew up a lot and learned to stand up to the hero. There's a nice epilogue and I believed their HEA.
H/h were both celibate during their separation.
Hero is angry and cruel. Heroine is shocked to find she has a child and wants to see him. Hero wants a quick divorce and for the heroine to never see their child.
*happy sigh*
The hero has to bring the heroine back to his kingdom in order to divorce her (and she has to agree). Plus there is the mystery of just what happened to her.
The hero does realize what he put the heroine through during their first year of marriage and is contrite. He does an adequate grovel. Heroine grew up a lot and learned to stand up to the hero. There's a nice epilogue and I believed their HEA.
H/h were both celibate during their separation.
April 10, 2022
***4.5 Stars***
Oh, my! What a fantastic read. This was so much more than I expected.
It was time for Sheikh Adan to settle down and get married. It was arranged and he met his bride one-week before the wedding ceremony two years ago. He most definitely didn't have any feelings for her. She was his broodmare to bare his heirs and that was about it. She had been raised by her father who drilled into her how to act as a woman from Jahfar ...submissive, meet their every need etc. The sheikh was a very poor husband. He spent no time with her, totally ignoring her wants, needs, pregnancy, and health. He didn't even attend the doctor's appointments that she asked him to attend nor was he present at the birth. Everything was on her. She was unliked and used by her family. She had no other relatives or close friends and there was no one who bothered to look after her. Not a single person offered to take her to the hospital to deliver her child. Even when she brought their baby home she was expected to do everything on her own. This A$$ of a husband left her to her own devices. Next thing you know she has disappeared into the desert. She was pronounced dead although there was no body.
Our illustrious Sheikh who was becoming King and he had to have a wife before the coronation so he asked one of his best friends to marry him and bare his children. He had less than zero romantic feelings towards her. Two weeks before the wedding he received a call to say his wife had shown up in Hawaii. He took off to find her and get a quick divorce so he could marry a perfect woman for him...one who would require nothing from him and be a great mother for his son.
The A$$hat is just that. He treats her horribly convinced she left him and her baby son out of choice. She now has amnesia of that horrible time when she drifted into the desert and was found before death claimed her in some type of bad accident. But he doesn't care and blames everything on her. Apparently, she had some kind of melt-down related to a severe case of postpartum depression. She is not even aware she has a son and didn't recognize her husband.
She was expected to do her parents bidding, her husbands and everyone elses but NO ONE cared about her or looked after her and her newborn. She was so exhausted from giving...giving...giving and never receiving anything in return. Her emotional bank account was overdrawn. All she wanted was for one person in her life to love her and she got zip...nada...nothing. She is in her twenties and her parents have never said a kind word to her and made her feel she was never good enough. That is an awful feeling and the damage doesn't go away.
Her adoring husband (NOT) went to her room every night for the first month of their marriage and once pregnant he never went back...almost a year and nothing, not a single touch. She feels so abandoned and not knowing anyone around was tough. So was the severe morning sickness. Had he cared one iota he would have detected the after birth deep depression but he didn't.
Her own parents hid the fact that she had been married and given birth, keeping that from her. She thought she was alone in the world. Be prepared to get angry. She was the innocent party, used and never cared for with no memory of her life, husband or that she bore a child yet, as per her husband everything was all her fault. Real good story!
Oh, my! What a fantastic read. This was so much more than I expected.
It was time for Sheikh Adan to settle down and get married. It was arranged and he met his bride one-week before the wedding ceremony two years ago. He most definitely didn't have any feelings for her. She was his broodmare to bare his heirs and that was about it. She had been raised by her father who drilled into her how to act as a woman from Jahfar ...submissive, meet their every need etc. The sheikh was a very poor husband. He spent no time with her, totally ignoring her wants, needs, pregnancy, and health. He didn't even attend the doctor's appointments that she asked him to attend nor was he present at the birth. Everything was on her. She was unliked and used by her family. She had no other relatives or close friends and there was no one who bothered to look after her. Not a single person offered to take her to the hospital to deliver her child. Even when she brought their baby home she was expected to do everything on her own. This A$$ of a husband left her to her own devices. Next thing you know she has disappeared into the desert. She was pronounced dead although there was no body.
Our illustrious Sheikh who was becoming King and he had to have a wife before the coronation so he asked one of his best friends to marry him and bare his children. He had less than zero romantic feelings towards her. Two weeks before the wedding he received a call to say his wife had shown up in Hawaii. He took off to find her and get a quick divorce so he could marry a perfect woman for him...one who would require nothing from him and be a great mother for his son.
The A$$hat is just that. He treats her horribly convinced she left him and her baby son out of choice. She now has amnesia of that horrible time when she drifted into the desert and was found before death claimed her in some type of bad accident. But he doesn't care and blames everything on her. Apparently, she had some kind of melt-down related to a severe case of postpartum depression. She is not even aware she has a son and didn't recognize her husband.
She was expected to do her parents bidding, her husbands and everyone elses but NO ONE cared about her or looked after her and her newborn. She was so exhausted from giving...giving...giving and never receiving anything in return. Her emotional bank account was overdrawn. All she wanted was for one person in her life to love her and she got zip...nada...nothing. She is in her twenties and her parents have never said a kind word to her and made her feel she was never good enough. That is an awful feeling and the damage doesn't go away.
Her adoring husband (NOT) went to her room every night for the first month of their marriage and once pregnant he never went back...almost a year and nothing, not a single touch. She feels so abandoned and not knowing anyone around was tough. So was the severe morning sickness. Had he cared one iota he would have detected the after birth deep depression but he didn't.
Her own parents hid the fact that she had been married and given birth, keeping that from her. She thought she was alone in the world. Be prepared to get angry. She was the innocent party, used and never cared for with no memory of her life, husband or that she bore a child yet, as per her husband everything was all her fault. Real good story!
March 2, 2012
What an incredible read. If you only read one HP this year, pick this book. You will not be disappointed. I rarely give a 5 star rating to an HP. Realistically it's hard to get the depth of characters and plot with only 150 some pages. But surprisingly, this book does.
I don't want to give too much away and the many reviews tell you that Isabella, the wife of Sheikh Adan was assumed dead for two years after disappearing in the desert. The sheik is now ready to be king and is in the process of remarriage to a lifelong friend. Isabella, is found alive in Maui singing at a nightclub. The book focuses mostly on how do they pick up the pieces and where do they go from here. The author does an excellent job in tackling some very difficult subjects...why the selective amnesia? Was the marriage solid? Did they love each other? Why did she abandon her child? etc.
It's one heck of a ride, so buckle your seat.
I don't want to give too much away and the many reviews tell you that Isabella, the wife of Sheikh Adan was assumed dead for two years after disappearing in the desert. The sheik is now ready to be king and is in the process of remarriage to a lifelong friend. Isabella, is found alive in Maui singing at a nightclub. The book focuses mostly on how do they pick up the pieces and where do they go from here. The author does an excellent job in tackling some very difficult subjects...why the selective amnesia? Was the marriage solid? Did they love each other? Why did she abandon her child? etc.
It's one heck of a ride, so buckle your seat.
February 20, 2013
I really liked it even though it frustrated me deeply! I was surprised how this book gave me so many emotions and for that I must applaud the author. I got sad, I cry I got mad. Full of emotion, passion and high drama. I liked how the emotional struggles were portrayed and despite the heartache there was a beautiful HEA. The hero was an amazing strong man dedicated to his son and he broke my heart especially towards the end! I would have given it 5 stars but I found the heroine too wishy-washy and bitchy at some points. Other than that it's a great book to lose yourself in!
July 23, 2011
The hero Adan is about to be crowned king, and also about to get married. However when one of his aides informs him that his first wife, whom is presumed dead after she walked into the desert and never found, has been spotted in Hawaii. Adan doesn't believe it but travels to Hawaii to check it out for himself. As it turns out his wife Isabella, the heroine, is alive but does not recognise Adan or have any memory of ever being married. Her father took her to live with her mother after an 'accident' that she has no memory of. Adan is not sure if he believes her, but plans to find out the truth and get a divorce so he can go ahead with his upcoming marriage and coronation. He takes Isabella back to his country in order to do this, but once there he gets to know the real Isabella and old passions return. But he still doesn't know the truth about what happened to Isabella and neither does she.
Once again Lynn Raye Harris has written an intense and compelling romance that draws you in from the very first page and keeps you guessing until the very last. The plot is rather unusual, but really well executed, I really love the fact that this is different than expected. In my opinion Lynn has a real talent for thinking up original and interesting storylines. There are many parts of this book where the author could so easily have drifted into cliché-land but wisely stayed away, hooray!(eg. the 'other-woman' fiancée could have been the bitchy-woman-scorned type, or Isabella's father could have been the devious-schemer type).
As for the reason why Isabella disappeared, it certainly keeps you guessing. Some of my many theories include; Isabella is lying and did fake her own death / she was kidnapped and brain-washed / her father cooked it up to get some sort of upper hand / Isabella is a twin and didn't actually marry Adan...! The actual reason is much less dramatic but very heartbreaking and beautifully written.
This book has two very well crafted characters and and original and exciting plot. In short, this is fantastic book.
Recommended
Originally posted at http://everyday-is-the-same.blogspot....
Once again Lynn Raye Harris has written an intense and compelling romance that draws you in from the very first page and keeps you guessing until the very last. The plot is rather unusual, but really well executed, I really love the fact that this is different than expected. In my opinion Lynn has a real talent for thinking up original and interesting storylines. There are many parts of this book where the author could so easily have drifted into cliché-land but wisely stayed away, hooray!(eg. the 'other-woman' fiancée could have been the bitchy-woman-scorned type, or Isabella's father could have been the devious-schemer type).
As for the reason why Isabella disappeared, it certainly keeps you guessing. Some of my many theories include; Isabella is lying and did fake her own death / she was kidnapped and brain-washed / her father cooked it up to get some sort of upper hand / Isabella is a twin and didn't actually marry Adan...! The actual reason is much less dramatic but very heartbreaking and beautifully written.
This book has two very well crafted characters and and original and exciting plot. In short, this is fantastic book.
Recommended
Originally posted at http://everyday-is-the-same.blogspot....
August 4, 2017
"Strangers in the Desert" is the story of Adan and Isabella.
When King Adan is about to remarry his childhood best friend so his son Rafiq can have a mother- he comes across the news that his first wife- whom he thought was dead- is alive and working as a singer in Hawaii.
Basically the book deals with topics like amnesia and sensitive ones like post natal depression, mixed with loads of misunderstandings and some hot love making.
I did like the scenes of reconnection with Rafiq, and that the hero was a doting father. Also loved the fact that he remained celibate, even though he claimed he didn't love the heroine.
Good read with a sweet epilogue.
Safe with minor exception
3.5/5
When King Adan is about to remarry his childhood best friend so his son Rafiq can have a mother- he comes across the news that his first wife- whom he thought was dead- is alive and working as a singer in Hawaii.
Basically the book deals with topics like amnesia and sensitive ones like post natal depression, mixed with loads of misunderstandings and some hot love making.
I did like the scenes of reconnection with Rafiq, and that the hero was a doting father. Also loved the fact that he remained celibate, even though he claimed he didn't love the heroine.
Good read with a sweet epilogue.
Safe with minor exception
3.5/5
March 11, 2016
It missed the 5 stars because the hero was an ass. He even admitted that he never cared for her even if they had a child together and when a man does the same thing ( loses out on their child first years) he is righteous in his demand that his child call him dad and f the consequences to that child. Holy shit did I not like that at all. Also his best friend situation was never resolved or talked about other then to say he loved her and respects her. Wtf??? Where was her love and respect he could not even be there for the birth of said son!? Come on his high grown is quicksand!!! Ended to fast with no real closure except that her had 3 more other kids. So what??? I wanted resolution!!!
December 10, 2014
Wow...this one will stay with me. I confess that I had a hard time forgiving hero. It's a bummer to think about men who take women for granted and can sleep with a wife without really caring anything about her as a person. Her situation drove home the powerlessness of the woman, especially in their culture. There was so much truth to the way the heroine was treated and what she experienced. I did love his devotion to his son, but in the end, I think she was too good for him. But I felt her story keenly.
But a common thread in romance across genre is that men don't value what they do to work for--e.g., Motorcycle Man, Beautiful Disaster. That's one reason so many of the women are virginal! It also brought to mind stories where heroine is in the power of the man and suppresses her personality to be agreeable so that he won't cast her aside. E.g. Hold
But a common thread in romance across genre is that men don't value what they do to work for--e.g., Motorcycle Man, Beautiful Disaster. That's one reason so many of the women are virginal! It also brought to mind stories where heroine is in the power of the man and suppresses her personality to be agreeable so that he won't cast her aside. E.g. Hold
December 3, 2013
This was in a book with three stories. My opinion stays the same. My problem was I couldn't get past the description on page 2 : Isabella was beautiful but unremarkable in every other way....a bland queen. It's not her fault..she was raised a Jafaran woman.' Well apparently as an Arab woman she has no redeeming qualities. Then she spends 2 amnesia filled years in America, and VOILA - instant personality ! I also felt there was absolutely no love between her and hero. I felt he just took her back because she was his wife. There was absolutely no chemistry between this couple.
It's a pity as I read the sequal about the hero's brother first and absolutely loved it.
It's a pity as I read the sequal about the hero's brother first and absolutely loved it.
May 28, 2012
Wonderful Intense Emotional read,this one is a keeper for me,i really cried when Isabella remembered her marriage and pregnancy and the pain and loneliness was the reason she blocked out her marriage and her child.Adan he started out as a jerk but later on as story progressed its clear he had good intentions for Rafiq their child,whatever he did was for his happiness.Adan was a very good father but a very bad husband but later as days pass by he also realizes his mistakes and regrets it,even acknowledges he never loved Isabella,she was just a possession but now he loves her.
The story was very good,it had me gripped from start till end,also liked the fact both Isabella and Adan put their child first and thought of his happiness first,both make efforts to make amends for Rafiq,Adan redeems himself.I wanted Hassan to pay for his actions,though he says what he did was to protect Isabella but as it is pointed out he was protecting himself.Really wanted him punished for it but it did not happen,that is the only disappointing thing for me.
Overall a very good read
Recommend it.
The story was very good,it had me gripped from start till end,also liked the fact both Isabella and Adan put their child first and thought of his happiness first,both make efforts to make amends for Rafiq,Adan redeems himself.I wanted Hassan to pay for his actions,though he says what he did was to protect Isabella but as it is pointed out he was protecting himself.Really wanted him punished for it but it did not happen,that is the only disappointing thing for me.
Overall a very good read
Recommend it.
June 1, 2012
For me this book suffered from being my least favorite trope: 2nd chance at love. Even the amnesia angle didn't save it for me. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood so don't let my poor rating put you off. I generally enjoy this author.
January 3, 2016
The plot had so many holes, it could have been used as a sieve. It was enjoyable nonetheless!
October 18, 2019
Re-Read.
The hero was the complete ass**t. He got off easily. I liked the heroine very much.
The hero was the complete ass**t. He got off easily. I liked the heroine very much.
November 11, 2011
STRANGERS IN THE DESERT by Lynn Raye Harris is a Mills & Boon Modern and a Harlequin Presents release.
Desert King Sheikh Adan was preparing for his upcoming nuptials when he gets information that his wife may be alive. Cancelling all his appointments he flies to a small Island and finds her singing in a bar!
He is outraged. And brings her back with him to his desert kingdom. Why did Isabella Maro leave her husband and a two year old son to go and sing in a bar?
When Isabella meets her two year old son, she knows for certain that she'll never be able to leave him and go again. Yet Adan wants to divorce Isabella so that he can proceed with his marriage preparations. Now that Isabella and his precious son had bonded, can he split them apart? What about the electrifying attraction between Adan and Isabella? When he had married her, she was an innocent and simple girl with nothing remarkable about her. Yet, now she was a sultry, seductive woman who makes Adan's pulse rage just by looking at her!
STRANGERS IN THE DESERT is a romance packed with sizzle and sexual tension. This breath-taking story deals with the effect of post-natal depression on unrequited love resulting in amnesia. Add in a hot desert Sheikh and readers won't be able to help themselves from flipping the pages late into the night. It is an exciting premise altogether and the story keeps you involved from the first page. I had to restrain myself from turning to the last pages to know the `why' and `how' Isabella had left!
Lynne Raye Harris sure knows how to keep readers engaged from the first chapter by her story-telling. She showed warmth and sensitivity while touching on the subject of post-natal depression. Along with a woman building back her loss of self-confidence after being brought up to be subservient is heart-touchingly written.
Desert King Sheikh Adan was preparing for his upcoming nuptials when he gets information that his wife may be alive. Cancelling all his appointments he flies to a small Island and finds her singing in a bar!
He is outraged. And brings her back with him to his desert kingdom. Why did Isabella Maro leave her husband and a two year old son to go and sing in a bar?
When Isabella meets her two year old son, she knows for certain that she'll never be able to leave him and go again. Yet Adan wants to divorce Isabella so that he can proceed with his marriage preparations. Now that Isabella and his precious son had bonded, can he split them apart? What about the electrifying attraction between Adan and Isabella? When he had married her, she was an innocent and simple girl with nothing remarkable about her. Yet, now she was a sultry, seductive woman who makes Adan's pulse rage just by looking at her!
STRANGERS IN THE DESERT is a romance packed with sizzle and sexual tension. This breath-taking story deals with the effect of post-natal depression on unrequited love resulting in amnesia. Add in a hot desert Sheikh and readers won't be able to help themselves from flipping the pages late into the night. It is an exciting premise altogether and the story keeps you involved from the first page. I had to restrain myself from turning to the last pages to know the `why' and `how' Isabella had left!
Lynne Raye Harris sure knows how to keep readers engaged from the first chapter by her story-telling. She showed warmth and sensitivity while touching on the subject of post-natal depression. Along with a woman building back her loss of self-confidence after being brought up to be subservient is heart-touchingly written.
December 5, 2025
Reread Nov 2025- I'm rereading several of these. I still liked it, I wish the new fiancée would've caused some drama, but she was really nice.
***Original review**
Really enjoyed this one. It’s an angsty/drama filled read with many of my favorite tropes: amnesia; OMG you’re alive; second-chance and troubled marriage. Adan is on the cusp of remarrying (must be married to take throne) when he receives news that his dead wife might be alive. He finds Isabella in Hawaii with no memory of him or their son. Adan is pretty grumpy and mean towards her at the start, because he doesn’t believe her amnesia (she only forgot her time w/ him) and feels she abandoned her son. He’s a very dedicated father and very protective from allowing her to hurt little Rafiq again.
This is an emotional read. I really liked Adan, and Isabella eventually grew on me. She starts out hostile and stubborn, but warms up, and grows into herself. They both acknowledge their own issues, and IMO there’s adequate groveling. It’s a bit of a slow burn and takes 60% to get to the first coupling.
Bottom Line-This one’s totally safe. The bride-to-be (Jasmine) is super kind about getting passed over, (it was an arranged marriage) so no OW drama, and both were faithful during the three-year separation. Cute epilogue.
***Original review**
Really enjoyed this one. It’s an angsty/drama filled read with many of my favorite tropes: amnesia; OMG you’re alive; second-chance and troubled marriage. Adan is on the cusp of remarrying (must be married to take throne) when he receives news that his dead wife might be alive. He finds Isabella in Hawaii with no memory of him or their son. Adan is pretty grumpy and mean towards her at the start, because he doesn’t believe her amnesia (she only forgot her time w/ him) and feels she abandoned her son. He’s a very dedicated father and very protective from allowing her to hurt little Rafiq again.
This is an emotional read. I really liked Adan, and Isabella eventually grew on me. She starts out hostile and stubborn, but warms up, and grows into herself. They both acknowledge their own issues, and IMO there’s adequate groveling. It’s a bit of a slow burn and takes 60% to get to the first coupling.
Bottom Line-This one’s totally safe. The bride-to-be (Jasmine) is super kind about getting passed over, (it was an arranged marriage) so no OW drama, and both were faithful during the three-year separation. Cute epilogue.
January 9, 2013
Prince Adan is ready to become King in just two weeks. He will be marrying his long time friend who will become a mother to his son. There is just one thing standing in his way. The wife he believed dead has been found alive in Maui.
Prince Adan travels to Maui to see for himself if this is indeed his wife. She is a singer who goes by the stage name Bella Tyler. Her really name is Isabella, and she has no memory of her husband and the child she left behind. She has been told by her parents that she had a car accident and hit her head, but this is far from the truth. Prince Adan brings her back to Jahfar with all intentions of divorcing her as he never really loved her and is very angry she walked away from him and her son. He does not believe at first that she has lost her memory.
Their marriage had been very one-sided. She was in love with him, but she was basically just a wife to him. Someone to bed and give him heirs.
Lynn Raye Harris addressed a very important issue with postpartum depression. When Isabella gets her memory back it is so heartbreaking. You can feel her pain and sadness.
There is so much more to this story than what I have reviewed.Very well written and well worth the read.
Prince Adan travels to Maui to see for himself if this is indeed his wife. She is a singer who goes by the stage name Bella Tyler. Her really name is Isabella, and she has no memory of her husband and the child she left behind. She has been told by her parents that she had a car accident and hit her head, but this is far from the truth. Prince Adan brings her back to Jahfar with all intentions of divorcing her as he never really loved her and is very angry she walked away from him and her son. He does not believe at first that she has lost her memory.
Their marriage had been very one-sided. She was in love with him, but she was basically just a wife to him. Someone to bed and give him heirs.
Lynn Raye Harris addressed a very important issue with postpartum depression. When Isabella gets her memory back it is so heartbreaking. You can feel her pain and sadness.
There is so much more to this story than what I have reviewed.Very well written and well worth the read.
April 18, 2014
This was a very good story. But I didn't like the hero Adan much. The heroine, Isabella loved him immensely and had dedicated her whole life to be a good wife to him. She had even confessed to her husband that her only aim in life was to make him happy. In spite of such declarations, the hero never really noticed her. She was just a part of the furniture, totally unforgettable. This really irked me. There's this woman who loves you and wants only to make you happy, you fail to notice her. You fail to notice that she isn't happy or that she might be suffering post natal depression? I think he was very shallow. He loved her body but not her personality and he did nothing to bring her out of her shell.
His declaration of love at the end of the story didn't quite ring true. The story was quite gripping and I was intrigued by Isabella's story and her disappearance but the hero ruined it for me.
This is one of those very few books where I like the heroine but the hero kills it for me.
Extremely interesting, read it for the sake of Isabella's story.
His declaration of love at the end of the story didn't quite ring true. The story was quite gripping and I was intrigued by Isabella's story and her disappearance but the hero ruined it for me.
This is one of those very few books where I like the heroine but the hero kills it for me.
Extremely interesting, read it for the sake of Isabella's story.
February 18, 2013
Fantastic story.Every woman should have an "Adan" in their life.God that man is so damn hot!!!!!
August 22, 2013
I loved this book a lot. Its packed full of emotion ,love and emotion.
No wonder am a big fan of Mrs.Harris books she is a wonderful writer.
No wonder am a big fan of Mrs.Harris books she is a wonderful writer.
October 29, 2017
I felt sorry for the h the entire story...it was a sad one... and the H... man.... he was an ASS....and the part I WANT YOU I LOVE YOU..go and ******..... yeah
January 16, 2013
Lynn Raye Harris' Stangers in the Desert is a heartwrenching love story of love lost, passion, trust & moving on. I truly felt for Isabella when she found out about her "missing" past. It was amazing to see Adan's & Isabella's love story unfold. Great read!
April 16, 2014
I love it. This book gives me goosebumps.
I love Isabella and Adan. I really like that Isabella and Adan slowly learn to introspect their true feeling and their faults in the past and try to be a better person in their relationship.
It's intense but lovely. Totally love it.
I love Isabella and Adan. I really like that Isabella and Adan slowly learn to introspect their true feeling and their faults in the past and try to be a better person in their relationship.
It's intense but lovely. Totally love it.
May 8, 2012
pretty decent read, pretty good plot..just needed a little more ooomph to really connect and love it.
May 23, 2020
3.5 Stars
November 1, 2023
Did not finish.. not sure if it's because of the bland story or the fact that Im just not into royalty themed novels
March 12, 2012
Originally posted at: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...
Isabella a.k.a. Bell Tyler learned to live with the hollow place in her heart and in her memory. She sings in a bar in Maui where the clientele love her. She's a long way away from Jahfar and the desert; where she grew up in her father’s house.
When the arrogant, magnificent, “full-of-himself” King of Jahfar appears and declares she is his wife, Isabella is sucked into a vortex of confusion. Sadness, terror, anger, and a crushing desperation assail her. He has proof of their marriage and he also tells her she gave birth to a son, Rafig.
The reader gets to go with Isabella back to Jahfar to try to make sense of that forgotten part of her life and to assimilate it into who she is now.
The king, Adan Dhakir, deems Isabella a treacherous woman and not fit to mother their son, Rafig. He wonders what happened to his once sweet, biddable, meek, innocent, dull wife. How did she become the mysterious, sensual, independent, smoky-green eyed siren that stirs his libido?
He liked his wife and took care of her like any other precious possession but love had not been part of it. Now Isabella sets his blood humming. He's furious. He made other “safe” plans for himself, his position, and his much-loved son.
How Isabella finds her way, the accepting nanny Kalila, the adorable Rafig who bounces and says “sing Bell”, Isabella’s father, and Adan’s good friend/fiancé Jasmine all come together to comprise a story that captivates and keeps one turning pages. The love scenes and mother/son scene are breathtaking.
Lynn Raye Harris packs a wealth of engrossing reading into Strangers in the Desert. She uses imagery and descriptions that entice all the senses, taking the reader into the heat of desert and into the heat of love that moves past old horrors and sparkles with humor, joy of life, and promise of a lasting happy-ever-after.
Isabella a.k.a. Bell Tyler learned to live with the hollow place in her heart and in her memory. She sings in a bar in Maui where the clientele love her. She's a long way away from Jahfar and the desert; where she grew up in her father’s house.
When the arrogant, magnificent, “full-of-himself” King of Jahfar appears and declares she is his wife, Isabella is sucked into a vortex of confusion. Sadness, terror, anger, and a crushing desperation assail her. He has proof of their marriage and he also tells her she gave birth to a son, Rafig.
The reader gets to go with Isabella back to Jahfar to try to make sense of that forgotten part of her life and to assimilate it into who she is now.
The king, Adan Dhakir, deems Isabella a treacherous woman and not fit to mother their son, Rafig. He wonders what happened to his once sweet, biddable, meek, innocent, dull wife. How did she become the mysterious, sensual, independent, smoky-green eyed siren that stirs his libido?
He liked his wife and took care of her like any other precious possession but love had not been part of it. Now Isabella sets his blood humming. He's furious. He made other “safe” plans for himself, his position, and his much-loved son.
How Isabella finds her way, the accepting nanny Kalila, the adorable Rafig who bounces and says “sing Bell”, Isabella’s father, and Adan’s good friend/fiancé Jasmine all come together to comprise a story that captivates and keeps one turning pages. The love scenes and mother/son scene are breathtaking.
Lynn Raye Harris packs a wealth of engrossing reading into Strangers in the Desert. She uses imagery and descriptions that entice all the senses, taking the reader into the heat of desert and into the heat of love that moves past old horrors and sparkles with humor, joy of life, and promise of a lasting happy-ever-after.
September 12, 2012
STRANGERS IN THE DESERT by Lynn Raye Harris is a Mills & Boon Modern and a Harlequin Presents release.
Desert King Sheikh Adan was preparing for his upcoming nuptials when he gets information that his wife may be alive. Cancelling all his appointments he flies to a small Island and finds her singing in a bar!
He is outraged. And brings her back with him to his desert kingdom. Why did Isabella Maro leave her husband and a two year old son to go and sing in a bar?
When Isabella meets her two year old son, she knows for certain that she’ll never be able to leave him and go again. Yet Adan wants to divorce Isabella so that he can proceed with his marriage preparations. Now that Isabella and his precious son had bonded, can he split them apart? What about the electrifying attraction between Adan and Isabella? When he had married her, she was an innocent and simple girl with nothing remarkable about her. Yet, now she was a sultry, seductive woman who makes Adan’s pulse rage just by looking at her!
STRANGERS IN THE DESERT is a romance packed with sizzle and sexual tension. This breath-taking story deals with the effect of post-natal depression on unrequited love resulting in amnesia. Add in a hot desert Sheikh and readers won’t be able to help themselves from flipping the pages late into the night. It is an exciting premise altogether and the story keeps you involved from the first page. I had to restrain myself from turning to the last pages to know the ‘why’ and ‘how’ Isabella had left!
Lynne Raye Harris sure knows how to keep readers engaged from the first chapter by her story-telling. She showed warmth and sensitivity while touching on the subject of post-natal depression. Along with a woman building back her loss of self-confidence after being brought up to be subservient is heart-touchingly written.
Desert King Sheikh Adan was preparing for his upcoming nuptials when he gets information that his wife may be alive. Cancelling all his appointments he flies to a small Island and finds her singing in a bar!
He is outraged. And brings her back with him to his desert kingdom. Why did Isabella Maro leave her husband and a two year old son to go and sing in a bar?
When Isabella meets her two year old son, she knows for certain that she’ll never be able to leave him and go again. Yet Adan wants to divorce Isabella so that he can proceed with his marriage preparations. Now that Isabella and his precious son had bonded, can he split them apart? What about the electrifying attraction between Adan and Isabella? When he had married her, she was an innocent and simple girl with nothing remarkable about her. Yet, now she was a sultry, seductive woman who makes Adan’s pulse rage just by looking at her!
STRANGERS IN THE DESERT is a romance packed with sizzle and sexual tension. This breath-taking story deals with the effect of post-natal depression on unrequited love resulting in amnesia. Add in a hot desert Sheikh and readers won’t be able to help themselves from flipping the pages late into the night. It is an exciting premise altogether and the story keeps you involved from the first page. I had to restrain myself from turning to the last pages to know the ‘why’ and ‘how’ Isabella had left!
Lynne Raye Harris sure knows how to keep readers engaged from the first chapter by her story-telling. She showed warmth and sensitivity while touching on the subject of post-natal depression. Along with a woman building back her loss of self-confidence after being brought up to be subservient is heart-touchingly written.
August 3, 2014
I loved this book!!! I recommend it to anyone! I like romance novels, but some I am unsure of and this was one of them. At first I wasn't sure how I would react to it, but I sat down one night and read the first two pages and put a bookmark in it. A few days later, I was thinking about reading a bit before going to bed. It was about three or four in the morning, actually, more like five when I decided to read and I remember starting the book and finally deciding to stop on chapter ten and looked at the clock and it was already seven!! I was so mad for losing so much sleep, but it was totally worth it. The pase was much faster than I expected and I was able to finish the book the next day when I wasn't as tired. I remember stopping at chapter ten and cursing and wining that I had to put the book down and that I was mad that it stopped at a climax in the novel. I knew what had happened and wanted to know what happened next, but I made myself go to sleep and find out the next morning. I was shocked when there was a slight twist towards the end, but I loved it and knew it would have a happy ending. I read on a foot note that Lynn Raye Harris loves happy endings, so I expected this book to have a happy ending and I was glad. I had an expectation of how the book was going to end and was thrilled that it happened. In fact, it was even better than I hoped. Some of the worries and fears mentioned by the lead female were summed up in the epilogue and to top it off, the fears and worries were suppressed with a Jahfaran dream come true!!
November 9, 2019
The summary above is misleading. Isabella does not "just walked back into" Sheikh Adan's life. He has thought her dead for 2 years after she went into the desert and disappeared after the birth of their son, only to find her in Hawaii, claiming that she didn't remember being married to him or having a child. Adan is about to remarry to ensure that he will be crowned king of his country, but cannot as long as he is married to Bella.
Very intense in some spots as each tries to come to grips with the change in their relationship that amnesia and 2 years have brought.
Very intense in some spots as each tries to come to grips with the change in their relationship that amnesia and 2 years have brought.
March 17, 2012
I really enjoyed this category romance and the heroine's change from meek, subservient wife to strong woman who stands up for herself. I enjoyed how the reasons behind why Isabella left Adan and their son, Rafiq, gradually were discovered. I was a bit disappointed by Adan not completely acknowledging his role in Isabella's problems to Isabella, which is a bit of a pet peeve of mine. He DOES realize how his actions affected her, but the full implications of his actions are only addressed in an interior monologue. I would have liked to have seen him express regret for all of his actions to the heroine as well.
Still, this was really well written, and I would definitely recommend it!
Still, this was really well written, and I would definitely recommend it!
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