La fiancée du Calife

by Anne Herries

Istanbul, XVIe siècle

Capturée, lors d’un voyage en mer, par les pirates barbaresques, Harriett Sefton-Jones se retrouve quelques jours plus tard sur le marché d’Alger. Un marché aux esclaves, comprend-elle, terrifiée. Se peut-il vraiment qu’on veuille la vendre comme une marchandise ? Alors qu’elle est au fond du désespoir, un Anglais se présente afin de l’acheter. Harriett se croit sauvée. Cet homme a tout d’un gentilhomme, et il la libérera, nécessairement. D’autant qu’il semble la trouver à son goût. Hélas, Harriett découvre vite que les intentions de son compatriote sont loin d’être aussi chevaleresques qu’elle le pensait. Et que cet homme qui répond au nom de lord Hadley, et qu’elle a pris pour son sauveur, est en réalité l’homme de confiance du calife, à la recherche d’une femme pour son maître.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Mills and Boon, Medieval

320 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

LINDA SOLE also writes under the names of Anne Herries, Emma Quincey, Lynn Granville and one as Juliana Linden.

Linda was born in Swindon. Her family moved to Ely in Cambridgeshire when she was nine, and Linda attended the local school but left at fifteen to work as a hairdresser in her father's business. She was married at eighteen and ran her own hairdressing business for some years before moving to Cambridge, although Linda has now moved to somewhere a bit quieter in Cambridgeshire. She started writing in 1976, combining this with helping her husband to run his antique shop.

Writing as Anne Herries, Linda won the 2004 RNA Romance Award and the Betty Neels Trophy. She lives in Cambridgeshire. After many happy years of taking their holidays in Spain she and her husband, now have a second home in Norfolk. Being only a short drive, they can visit for a few days at a time, which suits their busy lifestyle these days. They are only just across the road from the sea, and can see it from their windows. At home and at the sea they enjoy watching the wildlife and have many visitors to their gardens, particularly squirrels. Anne loves watching their antics and spoils both them and her birds shamelessly. She also loves to see the flocks of geese and other birds flying in over the sea during the autumn, to winter in the milder climes of this country. Anne loves to write about the beauty of nature and sometimes puts a little into her books, though they are mostly about love and romance. She writes for her own enjoyment and to give pleasure to her readers.

Reviews

[🐝 Shaz 🐝 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in Elizabethan times.
Harriet and her cousin are captured and sold as slave. Kasim , bought them to take to the Caliph’s Palace.
The cousin to be married to the prince, and Harriet is kept to be with her cousin.
Kasim who was an English gentleman, but is treated by the Caliph as a son. He wants Harriet for himself.
Nice story.

[Tasneem · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an okay read. Nothing too special and although I enjoyed the descriptions of the palaces and the harem, it got to be a bit repetitive. Harriet is so full of pride, and yet despite supposedly being so clever doesn't seem to realise that Kasim holds her life in his hands. She insults the people and their culture, looking at it with such superior English eyes. And really, once she's reunited with her family, despite the claims of England's greater civilization and superiority, freedom and rights, she's still under her brother and sister-in-law. She can't retire to the country without their permission, or marry on her own or anything like that.
So, that got to me a bit. However, Kasim was gorgeous and I just wanted them to be together. His whole being an English nobleman was a bit far-fetched, but I liked that he chose Arabia over staying on in England.
Harriet's cousin Marguerite was a pain. God what an idiot. I'm glad she was removed from the story early on.

[Shanelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

This story was more about the culture and customs of the Middle East at the time than the relationship between the hero and heroine. It dragged on and on. Unbelievably dull and there was no spark between the characters. I was bored to tears.

[Christie Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was this like every other M&B story out there? Yes.
Did I enjoy reading it? Yes

[Marina Andreou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ειλικρινα θα του εβαζα 5 αστερακια..ειχε ωραιες περιγραφες για το χαρεμι.Οπου 2 αγγλιδες αιχμαλωτιζονται και με την βια τις πουλανε σε ενα πρωην Αγγλο για λογαριασμο του αφεντη του χαλιφη.Μου αρεσουν αυτα τα βιβλια και προσπαθω να βρω οσο το δυνατον πιο πολλα βιβλια με ετσι περιεχομενο.Λιγο στην πορεια ομως με κουρασε απο τις τοσο λεπτομερειες...σε ενα σημειο ομως ειπα οτι ειναι στην κατηγορεια ιστορικου αισθηματικου .Η συγραφεας αργει πολυ την σχεση να εκδηλωθει της Χαριετ και του Κασιμ.Θα ειχε ενδιαφερον αν εδειχνε μερικα σημεια ετσι για ενδιαφερον και να κυλουσε πιο γρηγορα η ιστορια.Αλλα ενταξει δεν εχω καποιο παραπονο μονο αυτο.Η υποθεση κυλαει γρηγορα με πολλες εκπληξεις και ανατροπες

[Siret · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story could have been interesting, instead it was stretched and forced me to skip pages. Characters where moody and fickle minded- their change of heart felt random and fitted for the plot's interest. Therefore had a hard time to feel sympathy towards characters whose inner monologue's arguments had no logical conclusions (they where supposed to be well read!).
Last but not least: the words and sentences suggested for chemistry taking place between main characters, but it ended there.

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far, so good. I wish it had a bit more oomph but I'm hoping it gets better. It's a pleasant story and it's giving me a few hours of enjoyable reading.

[Marina Andreou · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing!! read it in one day!! couldn't stop reading!!

[Xenia Pavlidou · Rating 4 out of 5]

💕 Χάριετ Σίφτον-Τζόουνς & Κασίμ 💕

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was Ok. A predictable story that gave me nice hours of reading! :)