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Desert Kings #2
The Sheikh's Bargain Bride
Anna Whitman has yearned for freedom and independence her whole life but she's forced to accept a marriage of convenience so she can live with her son.Sheikh Zahir Al-Zaman is a ruthless desert warrior who believes the only way he can control his obsession with Anna is to possess her. And he'll do almost anything—even kidnap her son—to have her.But Zahir will not force her into his bed. He has his strategies for seduction—strategies Anna finds increasingly hard to resist. But she won't have a relationship based on lies. And how can she reveal her secrets when they will shatter the beliefs he holds most dear?"Zahir is definitely all alpha male and will have your heart beating a little faster... I like a character with depth, and Zahir fits this description perfectly." (www.bookwenches.com)""...a really terrific and deeply satisfying read!" (www.goodreads.com)Diana's Books (in order of most recent series)Diamond SheikhsAt the Sheikh’s CommandAt the Sheikh’s BiddingAt the Sheikh’s PleasureBritish BillionairesThe Billionaire's Contract MarriageThe Billionaire's Impossible CEOThe Billionaire's Secret BabySecrets of the SheikhsThe Sheikh's Revenge by SeductionThe Sheikh's Secret Love ChildThe Sheikh's Marriage TrapThe Sheikhs of HavilahThe Sheikh’s Secret BabyBought by the SheikhThe Sheikh’s Forbidden LoverSurrender to the SheikhTaken for the Sheikh's HaremDesert Kings A Wife for the SheikhThe Sheikh's Bargain BrideThe Sheikh's Lost LoverAwakened by the SheikhClaimed by the A Baby by the SheikhItalian RomanceThe Italian’s Perfect LoverSeduced by the ItalianThe Passionate ItalianAn Accidental ChristmasMedieval Romance Written as Saskia KnightClaiming His LadySeducing His LadyAwakening His LadyDefending His LadyHonoring His Lady
184 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2011
147 people are currently reading
287 people want to read
About the author
Diana Fraser
97 books86 followersDiana writes emotional, heartwarming contemporary romances. Wherever the location—from desert kingdoms to the beautiful, romantic cities and lakes of Italy—she makes sure the path to true love doesn't run smoothly, by adding in a few secrets, a little intrigue.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
January 31, 2013
This review can also be found on my blog.
My first read by Diana Fraser, and I definitely want more. This story easily swept me off my feet and tumbled me around a little before setting me down gently. Exotic locations, exotic characters, love, revenge, secrets, and heartache all come together perfectly to create an emotional yet romantic tale.
When we first meet Anna, we see her as a frantic mother trying to get her son back from her brother-in-law, Zahir. When they come face to face, their chemistry is sizzling, with an underlying current of anger and hatred. The story moves swiftly to divulge a few secrets as the plot unfolds little by little, and with each new revelation, I began to see the characters differently. They were constantly changing. Anna could have easily come across as selfish or deceitful, but it turns out she was trying to keep the peace and save her dead husband’s family, particularly his brother, from a shameful truth. Even when she was faced with Zahir’s proposition to agree to a marriage just so that she could continue to see her son, she put her son first. Her feelings and her yearning to be free were put on the back burner.
Zahir was a hero one would love to hate, but he was dark, seductive, charming – he was intoxicating. He didn’t have all the facts, not about Anna or her marriage, so his actions were fueled by anger and revenge. I loved them as a couple because as time went on, they discovered things about themselves as well as each other. Despite not knowing the whole truth, Zahir made huge strides in becoming a different person, to the point of loving Anna and wanting her for the right reasons instead of the wrong ones. Once they ceased to pass judgement on each other, their feelings really blossomed.
The emotional turmoil came when Zahir tried to make her dreams come true and give her what she wanted the most – to be free. Not necessarily to be free of him, but to do the things she always wanted to do before getting married and pregnant. But then the truth eventually surfaced and threatened to tear them apart for good. Misunderstandings on both sides and the failure to communicate with each other had me in tears until one of them was brave enough to lay everything on the line for a HEA.
This author’s writing is lush, sensual, and flowing. There was never a moment of boredom with this story. I couldn’t stop flipping the pages, wanting, no, desperate to know more. There were some memorable moments that stood out to me, for instance when Anna watches Zahir with his falcon and has an epiphany, or when Zahir realized that he loved her enough to let her spread her wings and fly.
Their conversation at the end was one of the loveliest I’ve read in a long time. Speaking in metaphors, they finally came to an understanding.
If you’re a hopeless romantic like myself, you will want to pick up this book.
My first read by Diana Fraser, and I definitely want more. This story easily swept me off my feet and tumbled me around a little before setting me down gently. Exotic locations, exotic characters, love, revenge, secrets, and heartache all come together perfectly to create an emotional yet romantic tale.
When we first meet Anna, we see her as a frantic mother trying to get her son back from her brother-in-law, Zahir. When they come face to face, their chemistry is sizzling, with an underlying current of anger and hatred. The story moves swiftly to divulge a few secrets as the plot unfolds little by little, and with each new revelation, I began to see the characters differently. They were constantly changing. Anna could have easily come across as selfish or deceitful, but it turns out she was trying to keep the peace and save her dead husband’s family, particularly his brother, from a shameful truth. Even when she was faced with Zahir’s proposition to agree to a marriage just so that she could continue to see her son, she put her son first. Her feelings and her yearning to be free were put on the back burner.
Zahir was a hero one would love to hate, but he was dark, seductive, charming – he was intoxicating. He didn’t have all the facts, not about Anna or her marriage, so his actions were fueled by anger and revenge. I loved them as a couple because as time went on, they discovered things about themselves as well as each other. Despite not knowing the whole truth, Zahir made huge strides in becoming a different person, to the point of loving Anna and wanting her for the right reasons instead of the wrong ones. Once they ceased to pass judgement on each other, their feelings really blossomed.
The emotional turmoil came when Zahir tried to make her dreams come true and give her what she wanted the most – to be free. Not necessarily to be free of him, but to do the things she always wanted to do before getting married and pregnant. But then the truth eventually surfaced and threatened to tear them apart for good. Misunderstandings on both sides and the failure to communicate with each other had me in tears until one of them was brave enough to lay everything on the line for a HEA.
This author’s writing is lush, sensual, and flowing. There was never a moment of boredom with this story. I couldn’t stop flipping the pages, wanting, no, desperate to know more. There were some memorable moments that stood out to me, for instance when Anna watches Zahir with his falcon and has an epiphany, or when Zahir realized that he loved her enough to let her spread her wings and fly.
He felt his light dim. Perhaps he would never be enough for her to wipe out her past, to believe that they had everything together, that she didn’t need to keep on looking for that elusive something that led her on and on to the goal of freedom.
Their conversation at the end was one of the loveliest I’ve read in a long time. Speaking in metaphors, they finally came to an understanding.
If you’re a hopeless romantic like myself, you will want to pick up this book.
September 20, 2013
A decent Harlequin Presents style Arab sheikh/secret baby/forced marriage story. I disliked that Zafir basically gets away with telling Anna that he'll dump her as soon as he's tired of her, and their child sounds more like a 10 year old than a 3 year old. On the plus side there was some unusual reality about the difficulty of using condoms in water. ;-)
January 24, 2012
4.25 out of 5. This is a novel I wasn't sure I was going to like. But I had read another of Ms Fraser's books and decided to go for it. I don't like the usual future's that occidental women face in the Middle Eastern scheme of things and the experience of a number of American women with Middle Eastern husbands has turned me off to these relationship possibilities. Just way too many cultural differences sometimes. In this particular novel, however, it would seem that this man has nurtured a deep desire for Anna for many years and that their one night together has not only enslaved her in an obsessive way but has also become a part of his dislike of her, especially his not knowing that his brother, Anna's husband for a while, was gay and a man who feared "coming out" more than anything. Yet as Anna begins her sojourn as Zahir's wife and as their passion escalates, she begins to see him differently and to understand a bit more about him. However, her love of "independence" and her fear of his leaving her when he grows weary of her are the two issues that keep her from giving herself to him fully. How they work this all out is really surprising in some ways, as Zahir makes so many of Anna's dreams come true. But having one's dream may not be all that life is cracked up to be, and what is it compared to having that emotional "home" that comes into one's life when a mutually loving and giving relationship comes into being. When that is lost, where is the joy? Just a really terrific and deeply satisfying read!
August 2, 2013
Contemporary Arab sheikh romance with a smart rags-to-riches young lady and a secret baby plot.
Anna Whitman married her first husband because of lies, once she found out that he was gay (well the not consummating the marriage was probably the big hint) she divorced him, but since they were best friends she still tried to play the part of the good wife to his family to protect his in the closet status. Except she made one mistake by falling in love with the older brother, the ruler, the Sheikh Zahir Al-Zaman and having a passionate one night stand which produced her son, Matta. No one asked questions about his parentage because Zahir was brothers with her husband. But the secrets come out one by one in this story.
Zahir blackmails Anna into marriage by kidnapping and keeping her young son, Matta because he lusts after Anna. You'll find lots of hot and cold in this frustrating story and seriously people need to speak up with big secrets like when they've fallen in love and surprise pregnancies which would avoid all these angst ridden stories.
Still it was a fun read.
167 pages and kindle freebie
2 stars
Anna Whitman married her first husband because of lies, once she found out that he was gay (well the not consummating the marriage was probably the big hint) she divorced him, but since they were best friends she still tried to play the part of the good wife to his family to protect his in the closet status. Except she made one mistake by falling in love with the older brother, the ruler, the Sheikh Zahir Al-Zaman and having a passionate one night stand which produced her son, Matta. No one asked questions about his parentage because Zahir was brothers with her husband. But the secrets come out one by one in this story.
Zahir blackmails Anna into marriage by kidnapping and keeping her young son, Matta because he lusts after Anna. You'll find lots of hot and cold in this frustrating story and seriously people need to speak up with big secrets like when they've fallen in love and surprise pregnancies which would avoid all these angst ridden stories.
Still it was a fun read.
167 pages and kindle freebie
2 stars
June 27, 2023
This was a collection of well worn tropes. It was a quite interesting and well written story but it had so many cliches in it.
First there was the ‘forced marriage with a sheikh’ trope.
In addition we had the ‘unconsummated marriage to the gay guy’, and then the baby ‘whose father is really the brother of the gay husband’ trope; but the heroine ‘doesn’t tell him till 6 years later’ trope.
Then we have the hero ‘gives up his wife so she can have her freedom’ trope and the heroine ‘doesn’t tell husband she’s pregnant’ (again) trope.
By the time we got to the end where the heroine had become Queen and the legal eagle who dealt with women’s issues, I had lost interest. Parts of this book were brilliant - full of emotion and drama and other bits felt like watching paint dry.
A little more honesty and open communication would have sorted things out much more satisfactorily.
Overall, a not bad read but too many cliches and boring bits - so, only 2 stars for me.
First there was the ‘forced marriage with a sheikh’ trope.
In addition we had the ‘unconsummated marriage to the gay guy’, and then the baby ‘whose father is really the brother of the gay husband’ trope; but the heroine ‘doesn’t tell him till 6 years later’ trope.
Then we have the hero ‘gives up his wife so she can have her freedom’ trope and the heroine ‘doesn’t tell husband she’s pregnant’ (again) trope.
By the time we got to the end where the heroine had become Queen and the legal eagle who dealt with women’s issues, I had lost interest. Parts of this book were brilliant - full of emotion and drama and other bits felt like watching paint dry.
A little more honesty and open communication would have sorted things out much more satisfactorily.
Overall, a not bad read but too many cliches and boring bits - so, only 2 stars for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2014
I was surprised to see so many good reviews for this book. It reminded me of a bad story line from a soap opera. Woman's son is kidnapped by her brother in law who is Royalty in far away land. He will only let her be with her son if she stays and marries him. She decides she must do that because she realizes her son is happier where he is instead of at home with her. She also realizes she must tell her brother in law that he is not the uncle of her son but the father instead. Her husband is dead but had been gay and they never actually had sex. The story line just doesn't work for me. No matter who you were, if you kidnapped my son and tryed to manipilate me, I wouldn't fall in love with you, have sex with you, and get pregnant again. Sorry. I'm giving this two stars simply because the writing was okay. Even as a free book, this was just awful.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. It was a sweet romance. There wasn’t anything big, like an accident, or illness that happened in the story that made me hold my breath. On the other hand the twist and turn caught me by surprise. This is one of those books that you just have to read. If I give you too many details of the book, it will spoil the whole book. I wouldn’t want to do that.
Here is a sample taken from chapter one:
He dipped his head to hers, as if to inhale her and her breath caught. In that one instant she absorbed the details of his face as if she could actually feel the dark stubble of his jaw roughly abrading her own jaw, could feel his silky hair fall gently against her own cheek. She closed her eyes in order to break the connection, willing herself to dispel the confusion of hate and need; the clash between mind and body.
Here is a sample taken from chapter one:
He dipped his head to hers, as if to inhale her and her breath caught. In that one instant she absorbed the details of his face as if she could actually feel the dark stubble of his jaw roughly abrading her own jaw, could feel his silky hair fall gently against her own cheek. She closed her eyes in order to break the connection, willing herself to dispel the confusion of hate and need; the clash between mind and body.
own-need-to-read
November 22, 2015Free today for Kindle! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006GWZWB8
A Devil's Bargain...
All Anna Whitman wants is to live a free and independent life, but she's forced to accept a marriage of convenience so she can live with her son.
Sheikh Zahir Al-Zaman is a ruthless desert warrior who believes the only way he can control his obsession with Anna is to possess her. And he'll do almost anything--even kidnap her son--to have her.
But Zahir will not force her into his bed. He has his strategies for seduction--strategies Anna finds increasingly hard to resist. But she won't have a relationship based on lies. And how can she reveal her secrets when they will shatter the beliefs he holds most dear?
September 3, 2013
Anna was married to the Sheikh Zahir's brother. He just didn't know it and they spent one passionate night together. He never knew that he left her pregnant and that there were things about his brother that he didn't know about.
Years later he kidnaps his nephew to get the woman that he wants. When he finds out the secrets that she has kept he just doesn't know what to do.
This book was well written and I enjoyed it. Love to read about Sheikh's.
Years later he kidnaps his nephew to get the woman that he wants. When he finds out the secrets that she has kept he just doesn't know what to do.
This book was well written and I enjoyed it. Love to read about Sheikh's.
December 17, 2011
This is a fantastic read and I found myself crying at the end as Diana sure knows how to write a powerful book with a lot of depth. The chemistry between Zahir and Anna is electrifying making it a definite must read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 25, 2024
La premisa es interesante y la poquita trama me mantuvo entretenida, así que lo disfruté.
April 19, 2021
Book 2.
5 stars
I purchased a copy of The Sheikh's Bargain Bride (Desert Kings # 2) Zahir Al-Zaman in the six book collection Desert Kings Complete Boxed set 1-6 by Diana Fraser and this review was given freely.
A steamy Paris to Middle Eastern story starting six years prior with a one night stand that leads to misunderstandings, obsession, revenge, secrets, doubts and a strong attraction which ultimately culminates in the rigid Sheikh Zahir Al-Zaman keeping his "nephew" Matta in Qarawan to draw his former sister-in-law Anna Whitman into a marriage of convenience which backfires. Lots of conflict but ends happily.
Book 3.
4 stars
I purchased a copy of The Sheikh's Lost Love (Desert Kings # 3) Razeen, King of Sitra in the six book collection Desert Kings Complete Boxed set 1-6 by Diana Fraser and this review was given freely.
A steamy story of instant attraction, postpartum depression ,healing and love with a nice description of the Sitra landscape, people and cultures. When world traveling chef Lucy Gee joins a reef restoration project to Sitra in search of her missing sister, she doesn't expect to have an accidental moonlit encounter , an instant attraction to King Razeen ibn Shad of Sitra., or painful memories resurface.
Book 4.
5 stars
I purchased a copy of Awakened by the Sheikh (Desert Kings # 4) Tariq, King of Ma'in in the six book collection Desert Kings Complete Boxed set 1-6 by Diana Fraser and this review was given freely.
Fate, irony, a little manipulation, art theft and an introduction to the rocky relationships of King Tariq and his two brothers, Sahmir and Daidan, are found in this steamy instant attraction second chance at love story where both parties fail to fully open up to each other after surviving broken relationships. Contains a heartwarming ending and an update on prior couples.
When soon to be divorced, disillusioned and financially challenged commercial voice artist/translator Cara Devlin finds herself working for single father King Tariq, she doesn't expect to become physically involved in a political plot or emotionally evolved with the Sheik.
Book 5.
4 stars
I purchased a copy of Claimed by the Sheikh (Desert Kings # 5) Prince Sahmir of Ma'in in the six book collection Desert Kings Complete Boxed set 1-6 by Diana Fraser and this review was given freely.
A steamy winter/spring romance with vivid descriptions, rocky romances and a happy ending. . Parisian resident and playboy Prince Sahmir is on a path to self destruction trying to postpone the start of a loveless arranged marriage and fulfilling the promise he made his deceased sister through gambling and woman until a chance meeting with Aurora . Comtesse de Chambery brings him more excitement than he bargained for by way of the Russian mafia, an instant attraction and an unplanned pregnancy.
Book 6.
4 stars
I purchased a copy of Wanted: A Baby by the Sheikh (Desert Kings # 6) Prince Daidan in the six book collection Desert Kings Complete Boxed set 1-6 by Diana Fraser and this review was given freely.
A poignant and drama filled reunion romance blended with a threat to both their marriage and their diamond jewelry business but ultimately ending happily.
One year after their wedding, diamond mine co-owner, Prince Daidan struggles with doubts, jealousy and the fear of losing his wayward Finnish heiress Taina again while trying to save their business from Russian saboteurs.
5 stars
I purchased a copy of The Sheikh's Bargain Bride (Desert Kings # 2) Zahir Al-Zaman in the six book collection Desert Kings Complete Boxed set 1-6 by Diana Fraser and this review was given freely.
A steamy Paris to Middle Eastern story starting six years prior with a one night stand that leads to misunderstandings, obsession, revenge, secrets, doubts and a strong attraction which ultimately culminates in the rigid Sheikh Zahir Al-Zaman keeping his "nephew" Matta in Qarawan to draw his former sister-in-law Anna Whitman into a marriage of convenience which backfires. Lots of conflict but ends happily.
Book 3.
4 stars
I purchased a copy of The Sheikh's Lost Love (Desert Kings # 3) Razeen, King of Sitra in the six book collection Desert Kings Complete Boxed set 1-6 by Diana Fraser and this review was given freely.
A steamy story of instant attraction, postpartum depression ,healing and love with a nice description of the Sitra landscape, people and cultures. When world traveling chef Lucy Gee joins a reef restoration project to Sitra in search of her missing sister, she doesn't expect to have an accidental moonlit encounter , an instant attraction to King Razeen ibn Shad of Sitra., or painful memories resurface.
Book 4.
5 stars
I purchased a copy of Awakened by the Sheikh (Desert Kings # 4) Tariq, King of Ma'in in the six book collection Desert Kings Complete Boxed set 1-6 by Diana Fraser and this review was given freely.
Fate, irony, a little manipulation, art theft and an introduction to the rocky relationships of King Tariq and his two brothers, Sahmir and Daidan, are found in this steamy instant attraction second chance at love story where both parties fail to fully open up to each other after surviving broken relationships. Contains a heartwarming ending and an update on prior couples.
When soon to be divorced, disillusioned and financially challenged commercial voice artist/translator Cara Devlin finds herself working for single father King Tariq, she doesn't expect to become physically involved in a political plot or emotionally evolved with the Sheik.
Book 5.
4 stars
I purchased a copy of Claimed by the Sheikh (Desert Kings # 5) Prince Sahmir of Ma'in in the six book collection Desert Kings Complete Boxed set 1-6 by Diana Fraser and this review was given freely.
A steamy winter/spring romance with vivid descriptions, rocky romances and a happy ending. . Parisian resident and playboy Prince Sahmir is on a path to self destruction trying to postpone the start of a loveless arranged marriage and fulfilling the promise he made his deceased sister through gambling and woman until a chance meeting with Aurora . Comtesse de Chambery brings him more excitement than he bargained for by way of the Russian mafia, an instant attraction and an unplanned pregnancy.
Book 6.
4 stars
I purchased a copy of Wanted: A Baby by the Sheikh (Desert Kings # 6) Prince Daidan in the six book collection Desert Kings Complete Boxed set 1-6 by Diana Fraser and this review was given freely.
A poignant and drama filled reunion romance blended with a threat to both their marriage and their diamond jewelry business but ultimately ending happily.
One year after their wedding, diamond mine co-owner, Prince Daidan struggles with doubts, jealousy and the fear of losing his wayward Finnish heiress Taina again while trying to save their business from Russian saboteurs.
August 13, 2020
Apologise accepted
A sheikh forcing a mother to come to his country to see her son, who was there to visit his uncle the Sheikh and his family, or she would never see him again. Once there, he blackmailed her to marry him if she wanted any part in his life. She had secrets she did not want to reveal because she knew he would blame her, which he did. The Sheikh used threats in order to control her. Never record freedom, that is all she craved. Him wanting her to stay, but felt she deserved to be free. He told her a lie that she out lived her usefulness and she needed go, but her son would only live with her in Paris during the time he's attending school. When there is no school he comes back to live with him. Both would not express their feelings regarding their situation until it was almost to late.
A sheikh forcing a mother to come to his country to see her son, who was there to visit his uncle the Sheikh and his family, or she would never see him again. Once there, he blackmailed her to marry him if she wanted any part in his life. She had secrets she did not want to reveal because she knew he would blame her, which he did. The Sheikh used threats in order to control her. Never record freedom, that is all she craved. Him wanting her to stay, but felt she deserved to be free. He told her a lie that she out lived her usefulness and she needed go, but her son would only live with her in Paris during the time he's attending school. When there is no school he comes back to live with him. Both would not express their feelings regarding their situation until it was almost to late.
Read
January 2, 2021This was a collection of well worn tropes. It was interesting and well written version but it had so many cliches in it.
First there was the ‘forced marriage with a sheikh’ trope.
In addition we had the ‘unconsummated marriage to the gay guy’, and then the baby ‘whose father is really the brother of the gay husband’ trope; but the heroine ‘doesn’t tell him till 6 years later’ trope.
Then we have the hero ‘gives up his wife so she can have her freedom’ trope and the heroine ‘doesn’t tell husband she’s pregnant’ (again) trope.
By the time we got to the end where the heroine had become Queen and the legal eagle who dealt with women’s issues, I had lost interest. Parts of this book were brilliant - full of emotion and drama and other bits felt like watching paint dry.
Overall, a not bad read but too many cliches and boring bits - so, only 3 stars for me.
First there was the ‘forced marriage with a sheikh’ trope.
In addition we had the ‘unconsummated marriage to the gay guy’, and then the baby ‘whose father is really the brother of the gay husband’ trope; but the heroine ‘doesn’t tell him till 6 years later’ trope.
Then we have the hero ‘gives up his wife so she can have her freedom’ trope and the heroine ‘doesn’t tell husband she’s pregnant’ (again) trope.
By the time we got to the end where the heroine had become Queen and the legal eagle who dealt with women’s issues, I had lost interest. Parts of this book were brilliant - full of emotion and drama and other bits felt like watching paint dry.
Overall, a not bad read but too many cliches and boring bits - so, only 3 stars for me.
February 28, 2021
A lovely story about two people caught up in secrets and misinformation that find true love and a relationship that each wanted but was afraid to pursue. Zahir and Anna's story is full of angst, highs and lows, misinformation, perceived notions and a myriad of feelings including lust, sexual attraction and love vs. hate. The anti-hero can be wicked and calculating but also has a side to him that only can be breached by the woman he loves. It takes the entire book for these two characters to find their HEA but it's a wonderful and entertaining ride.
This author knows how to write a love story that will tear at your heart one moment and leave you breathless the next. The love scenes are well described taking the reader into not just a world of sex but a world of all encompassing passion and love.
It was a lovely read that kept me captivated the entire time. Enjoy
This author knows how to write a love story that will tear at your heart one moment and leave you breathless the next. The love scenes are well described taking the reader into not just a world of sex but a world of all encompassing passion and love.
It was a lovely read that kept me captivated the entire time. Enjoy
August 15, 2017
This is a romance, but the romance between the main characters always felt forced to me and lacked appeal because of it. I realized who the child’s father was before it was ever mentioned, all because it was never mentioned that the boy’s father was who it was supposed to be, and the revelation made me just want to slap the sheikh, because it was blaringly obvious otherwise. There were little things about their time together that bothered me as well and how he tricked her into staying with him, but the moment she did something he didn’t like, he’d punish her using her son, which essentially punished the child as well. It wasn’t right, and I hated Zahir for it.
April 1, 2019
The Sheikh’s Bargain Bride (#2)
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were interesting and the story line was good. I couldn’t put this book down until I finished it.
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were interesting and the story line was good. I couldn’t put this book down until I finished it.
Read
August 6, 2019The best
November 23, 2019
Great
This is the second book in the series and I loved it as much as the first. The author keeps you engaged from the first page all the way through
This is the second book in the series and I loved it as much as the first. The author keeps you engaged from the first page all the way through
September 2, 2021
Not a perfect understanding
Stories like this are why I read romance and never intend to stop! Misunderstanding, miscommunication and a love farther than the horizon!
Stories like this are why I read romance and never intend to stop! Misunderstanding, miscommunication and a love farther than the horizon!
June 25, 2024
La premisa es interesante y la poquita trama me mantuvo entretenida, así que lo disfruté.
October 31, 2025
It was an easy read.
December 19, 2016
The Sheikh's Bargain Bride (Desert Kings Series: Book 1)
This is the first book that I have read of Ms. Fraser and I have to say that I believe that I have a new author to add to my “go to authors”.
To say that this story of Sheikh Zahir Al-Zaman and Anna Whitman has twists, turns, surprises and hot sex, would be an understatement. Ms. Fraser’s writing style draws you in from the first page and you keep turning until you are finished.
As we start the book, the path start takes a different path that has several mysteries and lots of secrets. The journey keeps your interest peaked until the last paragraph.
Zahir visits his brother and meets a woman in the elevator of the hotel. They end up spending one hot night together. The next day, Zahir finds out it was his brother’s wife, or at least he thinks she is. After Zahir’s brother passes away, he spends four years to find Anna. She had gone into hiding after his death because she had a son, Matta and she knew that Zahir would try and take him away from her.
As we begin the story, Anna has just arrived in Zahir’s country of Qarawn to get her son. The courts ordered Matta could visit Qarawn for a holiday. Zahir had refused to allow his nephew to return to Anna.
Their first meeting, Anna felt the same intensity to connect just like four years ago. Just like four years ago. Zahir gave Anna a choice. Marry him and she can be with her son, or walk away.
To find out what happens when an alpha male Sheikh and a determined, stubborn female bent on keeping that freedom, you will need to purchase this wonderful love story.
This is the first book that I have read of Ms. Fraser and I have to say that I believe that I have a new author to add to my “go to authors”.
To say that this story of Sheikh Zahir Al-Zaman and Anna Whitman has twists, turns, surprises and hot sex, would be an understatement. Ms. Fraser’s writing style draws you in from the first page and you keep turning until you are finished.
As we start the book, the path start takes a different path that has several mysteries and lots of secrets. The journey keeps your interest peaked until the last paragraph.
Zahir visits his brother and meets a woman in the elevator of the hotel. They end up spending one hot night together. The next day, Zahir finds out it was his brother’s wife, or at least he thinks she is. After Zahir’s brother passes away, he spends four years to find Anna. She had gone into hiding after his death because she had a son, Matta and she knew that Zahir would try and take him away from her.
As we begin the story, Anna has just arrived in Zahir’s country of Qarawn to get her son. The courts ordered Matta could visit Qarawn for a holiday. Zahir had refused to allow his nephew to return to Anna.
Their first meeting, Anna felt the same intensity to connect just like four years ago. Just like four years ago. Zahir gave Anna a choice. Marry him and she can be with her son, or walk away.
To find out what happens when an alpha male Sheikh and a determined, stubborn female bent on keeping that freedom, you will need to purchase this wonderful love story.
August 23, 2013
I really enjoyed this story about Zahir and Anna. It has a little bit of everything my emotions were up and down. Zahir meets Anna one night in Paris. They are both highly attracted to one another. They have sex but Zahir finds out that Anna is his brother's wife. Now the guilt and anger comes in. Fast forward four years and David's brother is dead and Zahir has taken his son back home. Zahir still burns Anna and he uses her son to convince her to marry him but what he doesn't know is she still wants him too. But Anna holds some secrets that could turn David's world upside down. The two of them truly love it each other but are to afraid to show it. Anna to afraid to lose her independence will find out some hard truths and so will Zahir. Can they find there HAD. I will read this one again. It's full of surprises. Introduced me to the art of training the falcons and the Sheikh go hand in hand. My first Diana Fraser book but won't be the last. I've reread the ending a couple of times.
August 4, 2013
Good...pretty obvious at the start the kid was the H's...the H/h had chemistry and the location and touch of another culture made it different from the standard FSoG / Crossfire. I think if this story was reworked...made a bit darker...started before, when the H and h first met...could have something potentially unique and more fulfilling. Found myself skimming the last chapters since the temporary breakup wasn't strong enough as a plot point. All in all this story is like a piece of a better larger story that needs to be told.
January 21, 2017
"All Anna Whitman wants is to live a free and independent life, but she's forced to accept a marriage of convenience so she can live with her son.
Sheikh Zahir Al-Zaman is a ruthless desert warrior who believes the only way he can control his obsession with Anna is to possess her. And he'll do almost anything--even kidnap her son--to have her."
Sheikh Zahir Al-Zaman is a ruthless desert warrior who believes the only way he can control his obsession with Anna is to possess her. And he'll do almost anything--even kidnap her son--to have her."
September 18, 2016
While I enjoyed this short length romance, it relied too much on the Big Misunderstanding trope. If these two just had an HONEST conversation where both parties talked and listened equally, this book would have been over in 50 pages.
I did like both characters and the romance was slowly drawn out and beautifully written. If you can tolerate the lack of communication (or unwillingness to hear the truth) then it's a good book to spend a few hours on.
I did like both characters and the romance was slowly drawn out and beautifully written. If you can tolerate the lack of communication (or unwillingness to hear the truth) then it's a good book to spend a few hours on.
November 11, 2013
This is a nice enough easy read with likable characters the reason I've only given two stars is because I've read almost the exact same story a couple of times before and knew what was coming next, I don't know who wrote it originally and maybe I'm doing this author a disservice but all the way through I was hoping for something different but that didn't materialise.
August 6, 2013
This was a freebie from Amazon. And while I enjoyed it, it felt like I had read it before. There was nothing new to recommend this story. But if you want to escape to a land of alpha men and rare beauty then you might want to give this book a try.
September 14, 2013
3.5 stars... a really quick read. I thought elements of this book were very good - the first 30% or so were especially strong - especially the description of the palace, the clash of cultures. A nice read to while away some hours.
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