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Lion's Bride #2
The Treasure
Lady Selene Ware had been nothing more than a harem slave when Kadar Ben Arnaud, a man once trained in the black arts of death and seduction and helped her escape to the safety of her native Scotland. But even a world away she still wasn't safe from the sheikh who claimed her as his stolen property and who now forced both her and Kadar to return with a chance to win their freedom. There is, of course, a catch. First they must find the legendary religious relic that men of power have searched for from King Arthur's time to the present.
For Selene and the ex-assassin, it is a dangerous odyssey that begins in erotic captivity and leads to an encounter with the mysterious and reclusive Tarik, who now possesses the treasure. But the truth is far more explosive, the stakes far more deadly, and the closer they come to discovering the secret, the closer they will come to losing each other and their lives. For even as Selene grasps the key to this age-old mystery, Kadar may have to step over the fine line separating the dark path from the light to save her.
From the Hardcover edition.
For Selene and the ex-assassin, it is a dangerous odyssey that begins in erotic captivity and leads to an encounter with the mysterious and reclusive Tarik, who now possesses the treasure. But the truth is far more explosive, the stakes far more deadly, and the closer they come to discovering the secret, the closer they will come to losing each other and their lives. For even as Selene grasps the key to this age-old mystery, Kadar may have to step over the fine line separating the dark path from the light to save her.
From the Hardcover edition.
362 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1972
91 people are currently reading
1305 people want to read
About the author
Iris Johansen
226 books7,336 followersIris Johansen is a New York Times bestselling author. She began her writing after her children left home for college. She first achieved success in the early 1980s writing category romances. In 1991, Johansen began writing suspense historical romance novels, starting with the publication of The Wind Dancer. In 1996 Johansen switched genres, turning to crime fiction, with which she has had great success.
She lives in Georgia and is married. Her son, Roy Johansen, is an Edgar Award-winning screenwriter and novelist. Her daughter, Tamara, serves as her research assistant.
IRIS JOHANSEN is The New York Times bestselling author of Night and Day, Hide Away, Shadow Play, Your Next Breath, The Perfect Witness, Live to See Tomorrow, Silencing Eve, Hunting Eve, Taking Eve, Sleep No More, What Doesn't Kill You, Bonnie, Quinn, Eve, Chasing The Night, Eight Days to Live, Blood Game, Deadlock, Dark Summer, Pandora's Daughter, Quicksand, Killer Dreams, On The Run, and more. And with her son, Roy Johansen, she has coauthored Night Watch, The Naked Eye, Sight Unseen, Close Your Eyes, Shadow Zone, Storm Cycle, and Silent Thunder.
http://www.irisjohansen.com
She lives in Georgia and is married. Her son, Roy Johansen, is an Edgar Award-winning screenwriter and novelist. Her daughter, Tamara, serves as her research assistant.
IRIS JOHANSEN is The New York Times bestselling author of Night and Day, Hide Away, Shadow Play, Your Next Breath, The Perfect Witness, Live to See Tomorrow, Silencing Eve, Hunting Eve, Taking Eve, Sleep No More, What Doesn't Kill You, Bonnie, Quinn, Eve, Chasing The Night, Eight Days to Live, Blood Game, Deadlock, Dark Summer, Pandora's Daughter, Quicksand, Killer Dreams, On The Run, and more. And with her son, Roy Johansen, she has coauthored Night Watch, The Naked Eye, Sight Unseen, Close Your Eyes, Shadow Zone, Storm Cycle, and Silent Thunder.
http://www.irisjohansen.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
February 4, 2009
The Treasure finally tells the long awaited story of Kadar and Selene, who we met in The Lion's Bride. I am not quite sure what I feel about this story. On one hand, I enjoyed finally seeing Kadar and Selene's story. On the other hand, Selene was way too over-bearing and the story focused way too much on the mysterious treasure rather than a love story.
The story begins at Ware and Thea's castle in Scotland five years after the end of The Lion's Bride. Kadar and Selene both know they are meant for each other but Kadar will not marry Selene yet because he doesn't think she is ready for him because she still doesn't trust him. Selene grew up as a slave in the House of Nicolas, a silk embroidery house where she learned not to trust anyone except her big sister Thea. Kadar freed her when she was eight years old but her inability to trust still remains. I am not sure I bought this plot point, it seemed to me that she should have learned something about trust in the 9 years she spent in freedom. But I guess not.
In the Lion's Bride, Kadar promised Sinan, the mysterious Old Man of the Mountain, that he would perform a task for him someday if he let them live and leave his fortress. A ship shows up bearing Sinan's men, who tell him that Sinan has called in the favor and wants him to return to keep his promise. Kadar does not tell Selene that he has to leave but he finally gives into his passion for her the night before he is leaving in a very anti-climatic scene on a hill outside the keep. Not the most romantic deflowering ever.
The men who came to get Kadar were actually sent by Nasim, who was the power behind Sinan. The leader sees Kadar with Selene and decides to abduct her to make sure Kadar comes along willingly. Selene is pissed at Kadar for not telling her he was leaving, despite a promise years ago not to leave without telling her. Once they arrive at the fortress, Nasim tell them he wants Kadar to retrieve a treasure for him from a place in Italy but will not tell him any more details. He also makes Kadar do certain "dark" things for him, including taking Selene to a tower room and making love to her. One big problem I had with this book was that the love scenes were not detailed. I want detailed love scenes in my romance. Especially when the author states that the hero knows all kind of ways to make love, then pretty much fades to black except for saying he was inside her. How freaking anti-climatic.
After a few weeks, Kadar and Selene travel to Italy to steal this mysterious treasure for Nasim. They are accompanied by some of Nasim's men to make sure they accomplish the task. Once they arrive, the story pretty much turns to Kadar interacting with the mysterious man who owns the treasure while he is trying to figure out what the treasure actually is. Kadar is a very curious man, so the mystery intrigues him. Selene is pretty bitchy to Kadar during the entire stay, she decides he isn't allowed to make love to her anymore and pretty much just yells at him all the time. But only because she doesn't know how to trust - see the theme? We know that she needs to learn how to trust.
We finally learn what the treasure actually is and why Nasim wants it. I thought it was interesting but I don't really like the idea of it because I could see lots of problems down the road. There were a lot of mystical elements to the story, but we also saw some of that in the Lion's Bride with the magical banner. The rest of the book pretty much centered around the treasure.
My overall impressions of the book was that the story itself was interesting but the romance was too stilted and cold. Selene was a bitch - yes I said it and I mean it. I didn't hate her but I wanted her to chill out. She spent a lot of time being overbearing to everyone around her, trying to boss everyone around including Kadar. She spends most of the book pushing him away then running back, but he does some of that himself. She is very obstinate and wants her own way all the time. I think the author tried to portay her as strong but went overboard. If she just would have thawed out about halfway through the story, I wouldn't have had a problem - but she never thawed out except for a little bit at the end enough to admit she loved Kadar. Too much of the story was told from her point of view, I would have liked to see more of Kadar's thoughts because he is a very intriguing and likeable man. He let Selene get away with too much, I wish he would have called her more on the way she acted rather than just accepting that impulsive single-minded behavior was just her personality.
I did accept that Kadar and Selene were supposed to be together but I felt that Kadar might have gotten the short end of the deal unless Selene learns how to be a less overbearing person. The romance was lacking in this book because they spent almost no time happily together. He is either pushing her away or she is pushing him away for most of the book until the end. I like some fuzzy happiness in a romance but that was in short supply here. The love scenes should have been way more detailed, did Iris Johansen forget how she used to write? She wrote some pretty erotic scenes in her older historicals, which is why I was even more disappointed. The other aspects of the story were interesting enough but I felt more like I was reading historical fiction with a side of romance rather than a romance.
Overall, I enjoyed The Lion's Bride much better. It was a very good romance with interesting characters and a great setting. The Treasure was worth a read to me because I got to see how two of the characters from other book got together but the romance just was not good enough. The story was still good but it could have been much better.
My actual rating would be: 4 stars for the story, 3 stars for the "romance".
The story begins at Ware and Thea's castle in Scotland five years after the end of The Lion's Bride. Kadar and Selene both know they are meant for each other but Kadar will not marry Selene yet because he doesn't think she is ready for him because she still doesn't trust him. Selene grew up as a slave in the House of Nicolas, a silk embroidery house where she learned not to trust anyone except her big sister Thea. Kadar freed her when she was eight years old but her inability to trust still remains. I am not sure I bought this plot point, it seemed to me that she should have learned something about trust in the 9 years she spent in freedom. But I guess not.
In the Lion's Bride, Kadar promised Sinan, the mysterious Old Man of the Mountain, that he would perform a task for him someday if he let them live and leave his fortress. A ship shows up bearing Sinan's men, who tell him that Sinan has called in the favor and wants him to return to keep his promise. Kadar does not tell Selene that he has to leave but he finally gives into his passion for her the night before he is leaving in a very anti-climatic scene on a hill outside the keep. Not the most romantic deflowering ever.
The men who came to get Kadar were actually sent by Nasim, who was the power behind Sinan. The leader sees Kadar with Selene and decides to abduct her to make sure Kadar comes along willingly. Selene is pissed at Kadar for not telling her he was leaving, despite a promise years ago not to leave without telling her. Once they arrive at the fortress, Nasim tell them he wants Kadar to retrieve a treasure for him from a place in Italy but will not tell him any more details. He also makes Kadar do certain "dark" things for him, including taking Selene to a tower room and making love to her. One big problem I had with this book was that the love scenes were not detailed. I want detailed love scenes in my romance. Especially when the author states that the hero knows all kind of ways to make love, then pretty much fades to black except for saying he was inside her. How freaking anti-climatic.
After a few weeks, Kadar and Selene travel to Italy to steal this mysterious treasure for Nasim. They are accompanied by some of Nasim's men to make sure they accomplish the task. Once they arrive, the story pretty much turns to Kadar interacting with the mysterious man who owns the treasure while he is trying to figure out what the treasure actually is. Kadar is a very curious man, so the mystery intrigues him. Selene is pretty bitchy to Kadar during the entire stay, she decides he isn't allowed to make love to her anymore and pretty much just yells at him all the time. But only because she doesn't know how to trust - see the theme? We know that she needs to learn how to trust.
We finally learn what the treasure actually is and why Nasim wants it. I thought it was interesting but I don't really like the idea of it because I could see lots of problems down the road. There were a lot of mystical elements to the story, but we also saw some of that in the Lion's Bride with the magical banner. The rest of the book pretty much centered around the treasure.
My overall impressions of the book was that the story itself was interesting but the romance was too stilted and cold. Selene was a bitch - yes I said it and I mean it. I didn't hate her but I wanted her to chill out. She spent a lot of time being overbearing to everyone around her, trying to boss everyone around including Kadar. She spends most of the book pushing him away then running back, but he does some of that himself. She is very obstinate and wants her own way all the time. I think the author tried to portay her as strong but went overboard. If she just would have thawed out about halfway through the story, I wouldn't have had a problem - but she never thawed out except for a little bit at the end enough to admit she loved Kadar. Too much of the story was told from her point of view, I would have liked to see more of Kadar's thoughts because he is a very intriguing and likeable man. He let Selene get away with too much, I wish he would have called her more on the way she acted rather than just accepting that impulsive single-minded behavior was just her personality.
I did accept that Kadar and Selene were supposed to be together but I felt that Kadar might have gotten the short end of the deal unless Selene learns how to be a less overbearing person. The romance was lacking in this book because they spent almost no time happily together. He is either pushing her away or she is pushing him away for most of the book until the end. I like some fuzzy happiness in a romance but that was in short supply here. The love scenes should have been way more detailed, did Iris Johansen forget how she used to write? She wrote some pretty erotic scenes in her older historicals, which is why I was even more disappointed. The other aspects of the story were interesting enough but I felt more like I was reading historical fiction with a side of romance rather than a romance.
Overall, I enjoyed The Lion's Bride much better. It was a very good romance with interesting characters and a great setting. The Treasure was worth a read to me because I got to see how two of the characters from other book got together but the romance just was not good enough. The story was still good but it could have been much better.
My actual rating would be: 4 stars for the story, 3 stars for the "romance".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2017
“The Treasure” is the story of Selene and Kadar.
The sequel to Lions Bride, the book picks up a few years later. After everyone from the first book eventually escape to Scotland, they now live and do business there. Selene is now 17, and yearns for Kadar who continues to push her away- until they give into passion and are eventually kidnapped by Kadars enemies- Nasim- who want him back for a mission and take Selene as a safety measure.
The book then becomes all about the secondary characters- the mystery behind what’s in the treasure box, Nasim the evil dbag, Tarik and his ex wife Layla and heartbreak for our main characters.
The plot in this book is weak and the characters barely develop. One minute Selene has trust issues, next the thing is completely abandoned as she is whisked around the globe and seduced with the blink of an eye. The hero seemed inconsiderate at the best- a contrast to how Kadar was portrayed in the first book.
There’s a random magical element to the plot which didn’t make much sense to me, because it added nothing to the story at that point.
End was disappointing.
Not safe by definition
1.5/5
The sequel to Lions Bride, the book picks up a few years later. After everyone from the first book eventually escape to Scotland, they now live and do business there. Selene is now 17, and yearns for Kadar who continues to push her away- until they give into passion and are eventually kidnapped by Kadars enemies- Nasim- who want him back for a mission and take Selene as a safety measure.
The book then becomes all about the secondary characters- the mystery behind what’s in the treasure box, Nasim the evil dbag, Tarik and his ex wife Layla and heartbreak for our main characters.
The plot in this book is weak and the characters barely develop. One minute Selene has trust issues, next the thing is completely abandoned as she is whisked around the globe and seduced with the blink of an eye. The hero seemed inconsiderate at the best- a contrast to how Kadar was portrayed in the first book.
There’s a random magical element to the plot which didn’t make much sense to me, because it added nothing to the story at that point.
End was disappointing.
Not safe by definition
1.5/5
May 24, 2009
Steamy historical Romance. Two lovers are tricked into a deadly quest to find and retrieve an ancient artifact that could be the holy grail which contains the power of immortality. Ex-assassin Kadar Ben Arnaud thinks he is being summoned by his old master to collect on a promise he made years earlier. When his love, Selena Ware is kidnapped, Arnaud finds himself forced to once again don the cloak of his former life as an assasin to save her.
February 18, 2009
This is a poor sequel to the historical romance novel Lion's Bride. It's been a while since I read Lion's Bride, but I remember it being rich with historical detail--the first book I read that included the Knights Templar--and character development. The Treasure reads just like Johansen's contemporary suspense books...chapter after chapter of clipped dialogue. She can get by with that style in contemporary books, but that is not the way to write historical books, particularly if you're going for romance.
January 15, 2010
For me, this book was literally an ehhhhh kind of book. It's not difficult to read at all. In fact, the story is a bit annoying at times. I wanted to say to the book, "I get it, Selene is willful and bold and Kadar is distant and mysterious. Please get on with it!". But unfortunately, that's what most of the novel is about. Other than that the story was a bit much at times. It just seems so forced and awkwardly connected that it's almost unbelievable, but not in the good way.
March 14, 2016
Ever finish a book and go "what the fuck just happened?" Yeah thats what happened here. I'll admit although i love johansen when i saw this was historical i was skeptical. then i was more skeptical when this seemed to be a tad supernatural-y. turns out i was right to be skeptical because this was awful. Not writing wise because johansen is brilliant but literally nothing else about this was good. Let's start with the blurb...Selene was not a harem slave. I didn't read the first book but I can promise you she wasn't because she was a virgin in this book and harem slaves are NOT virgins. While on the subject of their pasts neither character had a very developed one. I don't know if it was developed in book 1 or if we were just supposed to assume their pasts but it made it impossible to understand the character's motivations. But back to the blurb...then there's supposed to be some sheikh who "claimed her as his stolen property" but as far as i know the villain wasn't a sheikh and he definitely didn't claim her so much as he used her captivity to make the hero do what he wanted.
Now on to the book itself. oh my FUCKING GOD it rambled on and on and on and on. Endless pointless rambling about seemingly nothing. then out of almost nowhere a happy ending but not really because we don't get to really resolve some of the biggest plot issues. I wasn't particularly fond of either character. The heroine was stubborn to a fault and frequently ventured into TSTL territory. Her turnaround to trusting the hero had no catalyst and made 0 sense. The hero was nice to the heroine most of the time but otherwise he was a little too "ooooh i'm an enigma with a shady past" for me. maybe if that past had been developed even a little i would've liked him more but neither one of them had any substance beyond their annoying surface traits and supposed love for each other. But lets talk about that love because its kinda creepy. He talks about how he always loved her but they met when she was like 8 or 11....super gross. Even in present day im pretty sure she's only 17 which is historically accurate i suppose but still skeezes me out. They love each other from the start but i never get a real sense of why other than because otherwise this wouldnt be a romance i suppose. The sex scenes basically all happened behind closed doors which was weird because she didnt pull punches in the gore arena and was rather disappointing. The plot tried to be lofty but then there was so much filler that the suspense/adventure part of the book got lost in translation.
All in all a disappointment from a really great author...but really a waste of two nights of my life. Johansen is many things but a historical/paranormal/romance author isn't one of them. A hint of romance works in her thrillers but a fully developed one...or rather not in this case is just not her forte
Now on to the book itself. oh my FUCKING GOD it rambled on and on and on and on. Endless pointless rambling about seemingly nothing. then out of almost nowhere a happy ending but not really because we don't get to really resolve some of the biggest plot issues. I wasn't particularly fond of either character. The heroine was stubborn to a fault and frequently ventured into TSTL territory. Her turnaround to trusting the hero had no catalyst and made 0 sense. The hero was nice to the heroine most of the time but otherwise he was a little too "ooooh i'm an enigma with a shady past" for me. maybe if that past had been developed even a little i would've liked him more but neither one of them had any substance beyond their annoying surface traits and supposed love for each other. But lets talk about that love because its kinda creepy. He talks about how he always loved her but they met when she was like 8 or 11....super gross. Even in present day im pretty sure she's only 17 which is historically accurate i suppose but still skeezes me out. They love each other from the start but i never get a real sense of why other than because otherwise this wouldnt be a romance i suppose. The sex scenes basically all happened behind closed doors which was weird because she didnt pull punches in the gore arena and was rather disappointing. The plot tried to be lofty but then there was so much filler that the suspense/adventure part of the book got lost in translation.
All in all a disappointment from a really great author...but really a waste of two nights of my life. Johansen is many things but a historical/paranormal/romance author isn't one of them. A hint of romance works in her thrillers but a fully developed one...or rather not in this case is just not her forte
April 5, 2010
I'm not sure why it took me so long to finish this. It was a book I would pick up, read for a bit, set down. Forget about. Then remember and pick it up again. I wanted to finish it, I just took my time about it.
One of my favorite books it "Lion's Bride" so I was excited to see Kadar's story. It was o.k. though I think the thing that bothered me the most is that we never had Kadar and Sabine to ourselves. They were always in iminent danger, which made it hard to get into their love story. Plus, things came way to easy for them. There wasn't enough sexual tension. I don't know. I almost feel like I should give this another read, and try to do it all in one setting as opposed to the 2 months it took me to finish this.
One of my favorite books it "Lion's Bride" so I was excited to see Kadar's story. It was o.k. though I think the thing that bothered me the most is that we never had Kadar and Sabine to ourselves. They were always in iminent danger, which made it hard to get into their love story. Plus, things came way to easy for them. There wasn't enough sexual tension. I don't know. I almost feel like I should give this another read, and try to do it all in one setting as opposed to the 2 months it took me to finish this.
July 31, 2013
The description on the back cover of the book sounded OK, but I didn't like it at all. If the story would've been about the quest, it would've been better. Instead, she wrote it half about the quest and half about the romance between Selene and Kadar. Selene was intolerable. I'm surprised one of the other characters didn't push her off a cliff about 10 pages in because she seemed like such a horrible person. Many times I felt like quitting, but then it would get interesting, so I'd hang in there a little longer. After about page 300, I decided I may as well just finish. It was painful, but I finished. I don't know if I'd even try anything else by this author.
July 23, 2009
What a pleasure to find that this book followed along with characters from another Johansen book I read long ago. It is a real page turner! As always, this author uses strong women, clever dialogue, constant action, and a sprinkling of the mystical. It was nice to see a return to a setting in the past after many contemporary novels.
September 10, 2014
Far fetched story, that isn't always logical. I really got bored in places. I also kept loosing empathy for the characters. I took forever to finish this book. I would not recommend it, unless you don't mind complete fantasy.
January 25, 2014
To simple with redundant dialogue and an infuriating female lead. So tired of word "coupling" that wanted to scream
October 23, 2018
#7) The Treasure: A Novel (Lion's Bride) by Iris Johansen (3274 pages)
Well this was certainly a disappointment! I had so enjoyed the first novel, “Lion’s Bride” and the story of Ware and Thea – I could so picture every detail of the first book….and then the author, Johansen made a very critical error…..she waited way too long to write this sequel.
Lion's Bride was written in 1996; and this sequel was written 2008 – which left 12 years and one influential author by the name of Stephanie Meyers who swept many people away with her Twilight series. Edward Cullen and Bella and their character development ultimately & unfavorably tainted the development of Selene and Kadar.
Honestly, I so enjoyed this 2nd book…..up until I was 62% into this book and then steadily my enjoyment declined…..and when I was done….I was fighting to give this story 3 out of 5 stars.
I just felt such a disappointment; such an empty lack of desire really…..I’m thankful there is not a 3rd book….it would be I fear worse than this one. I even noted my lack of enthusiasm by questioning if this book was going to end well…..I was worried that the author was going to go in a direction based on the title and I struggled with my suspicion…..there is a character in this story, Vaden (he was also in the first book) and many times his physical beauty was compared to the majesty of a lion…..
So my fear was that Kadar was going to be killed off and Selene would fall in love with or be forced to marry Vaden. This did not happen…..but maybe if the author had in deed done this it would have been a better book. Honestly, introducing Tarik also seemed (at least for me) to detract from the story – I struggled to “feel” this particular character’s internal conflict and the way this was articulated just did not register with me quite on the same level as the internal conflict that was not so different with Thea and Ware and their emotional and mental anguish. So, if you whole heartedly enjoyed the Twilight Saga and want to read a “similar” like love affair tale by all means read this series but I wouldn’t waste your time if you want to be swept away…..I probably wouldn’t have finished it except I feared that Vaden would ultimately steal Selene away and she’d be forced to be his bride……that is what honestly kept me reading till the end…..and the treasure…..was the biggest disappointment of all…..
Well this was certainly a disappointment! I had so enjoyed the first novel, “Lion’s Bride” and the story of Ware and Thea – I could so picture every detail of the first book….and then the author, Johansen made a very critical error…..she waited way too long to write this sequel.
Lion's Bride was written in 1996; and this sequel was written 2008 – which left 12 years and one influential author by the name of Stephanie Meyers who swept many people away with her Twilight series. Edward Cullen and Bella and their character development ultimately & unfavorably tainted the development of Selene and Kadar.
Honestly, I so enjoyed this 2nd book…..up until I was 62% into this book and then steadily my enjoyment declined…..and when I was done….I was fighting to give this story 3 out of 5 stars.
I just felt such a disappointment; such an empty lack of desire really…..I’m thankful there is not a 3rd book….it would be I fear worse than this one. I even noted my lack of enthusiasm by questioning if this book was going to end well…..I was worried that the author was going to go in a direction based on the title and I struggled with my suspicion…..there is a character in this story, Vaden (he was also in the first book) and many times his physical beauty was compared to the majesty of a lion…..
So my fear was that Kadar was going to be killed off and Selene would fall in love with or be forced to marry Vaden. This did not happen…..but maybe if the author had in deed done this it would have been a better book. Honestly, introducing Tarik also seemed (at least for me) to detract from the story – I struggled to “feel” this particular character’s internal conflict and the way this was articulated just did not register with me quite on the same level as the internal conflict that was not so different with Thea and Ware and their emotional and mental anguish. So, if you whole heartedly enjoyed the Twilight Saga and want to read a “similar” like love affair tale by all means read this series but I wouldn’t waste your time if you want to be swept away…..I probably wouldn’t have finished it except I feared that Vaden would ultimately steal Selene away and she’d be forced to be his bride……that is what honestly kept me reading till the end…..and the treasure…..was the biggest disappointment of all…..
February 26, 2020
FABULOUS!!
Iris Johansen's follow-up to Lion's Bride, The Treasure, far exceeds my expectations, providing me with hours of enjoyment. I anticipated romance and perhaps some action, I did not expect mysticism, faith, humor and constancy. The romance between Kadar and Selene was destined from their initial meeting when she was a child of ten, it simply took her some time to become used to the idea. The other romantic couple featured is Tarik and Layla, also a pair with much history however, revealing that would be a *spoiler* so I will hold a little something back. My advice would be to read the book! I did many years ago, loved it so much I decided to read it again. Best decision EVER!
Iris Johansen's follow-up to Lion's Bride, The Treasure, far exceeds my expectations, providing me with hours of enjoyment. I anticipated romance and perhaps some action, I did not expect mysticism, faith, humor and constancy. The romance between Kadar and Selene was destined from their initial meeting when she was a child of ten, it simply took her some time to become used to the idea. The other romantic couple featured is Tarik and Layla, also a pair with much history however, revealing that would be a *spoiler* so I will hold a little something back. My advice would be to read the book! I did many years ago, loved it so much I decided to read it again. Best decision EVER!
November 11, 2022
Lady Selene was once a harem slave to a sheik, but a reformed assassin, Kadar, rescued her and took her, her sister and the sisters husband back to England some years ago. But now suddenly they are pulled back to their old haunts.
They find themselves dealing with the assasins again and are in danger. In addition, they were lured back to search for a very powerful religious relic. Will they find it?? Will they get back home alive?? And finally, what is the power of the relic assuming it has any.
This is a fascinating adventure as well as a hot and spicy love affair. When it is over, at least four people's lives will never be the same.
They find themselves dealing with the assasins again and are in danger. In addition, they were lured back to search for a very powerful religious relic. Will they find it?? Will they get back home alive?? And finally, what is the power of the relic assuming it has any.
This is a fascinating adventure as well as a hot and spicy love affair. When it is over, at least four people's lives will never be the same.
October 15, 2018
At least it was something different.
Like most books of Iris Johansen's, I didn't find the characters particularly likable. Tarik was all right, and so was Layla. Selene was obnoxious, and Kadar was just as creepy and rapey as all of Johansen's other love interests. In fact, he was worse than most of them (Seth Caleb is still the actual worst) because of all this talk about Selene being "his" and "belonging to" him. I get it--this is a historical romance, and the different time distances the sexism and possessiveness from the reader. I understand that this is a very common fantasy. But I didn't like it.
There is some rape in the book, except it's rape by proxy--the villain makes Kadar and Selene have sex because he wants a child, but he's incapable of begetting one. Of course, he wants a son; he'll kill any girls.
I'm getting really tired of this idea that "Strong Female Characters" have to take every opportunity to risk their lives for everyone, otherwise they're not strong enough. Selene behaved very stupidly towards the end of the book, and honestly, she could have ruined everything. It was pure dumb luck that she didn't get herself and Kadar killed.
If you're looking to read this book as some sort of sultry "desert romance" with harems and objectified Middle Eastern men and women, don't. That's not what you're going to get. "The Sheik" this ain't. The sex is barely more explicit than in Johansen's other works. Also, Kadar is half-"Frank" (I guess French), so he's not *too* Middle Eastern. I'm always up for biracial representation, but this isn't for any good reason. Its only purpose is to make Kadar more "exotic."
This book does raise the question of whether or not immortality is a good thing. If that's a cliche, it's a worthwhile cliche in my opinion, but I couldn't really bring myself to care in this case.
I hate seeing the female character deny that she's in love; all it does is drag it out, because we know she's going to end up with the male character. Why are male/female relationships like this? Why does the conflict have to involve them constantly being awful to one another? Are fights exciting? Is being horribly petty with your loved one something to aspire to in a romantic relationship? I'm not saying relationships need to be perfect, but what we see of heterosexual couples in movies, TV, and novels is so far from perfect that that shouldn't be a concern.
Really, the fact that Iris Johansen was giving historical romance another shot should have made me like this book. I needed a change. And I did get a change, at least on the surface. The setting and time period changed. But the story, the characterization, and the writing was just more of the same.
The only thing that kept me interested in this book was replacing the male lead with one of my favorite characters from the Suikoden series. That's not something that should be said about a book.
Two more. And then I'll be done.
Like most books of Iris Johansen's, I didn't find the characters particularly likable. Tarik was all right, and so was Layla. Selene was obnoxious, and Kadar was just as creepy and rapey as all of Johansen's other love interests. In fact, he was worse than most of them (Seth Caleb is still the actual worst) because of all this talk about Selene being "his" and "belonging to" him. I get it--this is a historical romance, and the different time distances the sexism and possessiveness from the reader. I understand that this is a very common fantasy. But I didn't like it.
There is some rape in the book, except it's rape by proxy--the villain makes Kadar and Selene have sex because he wants a child, but he's incapable of begetting one. Of course, he wants a son; he'll kill any girls.
I'm getting really tired of this idea that "Strong Female Characters" have to take every opportunity to risk their lives for everyone, otherwise they're not strong enough. Selene behaved very stupidly towards the end of the book, and honestly, she could have ruined everything. It was pure dumb luck that she didn't get herself and Kadar killed.
If you're looking to read this book as some sort of sultry "desert romance" with harems and objectified Middle Eastern men and women, don't. That's not what you're going to get. "The Sheik" this ain't. The sex is barely more explicit than in Johansen's other works. Also, Kadar is half-"Frank" (I guess French), so he's not *too* Middle Eastern. I'm always up for biracial representation, but this isn't for any good reason. Its only purpose is to make Kadar more "exotic."
This book does raise the question of whether or not immortality is a good thing. If that's a cliche, it's a worthwhile cliche in my opinion, but I couldn't really bring myself to care in this case.
I hate seeing the female character deny that she's in love; all it does is drag it out, because we know she's going to end up with the male character. Why are male/female relationships like this? Why does the conflict have to involve them constantly being awful to one another? Are fights exciting? Is being horribly petty with your loved one something to aspire to in a romantic relationship? I'm not saying relationships need to be perfect, but what we see of heterosexual couples in movies, TV, and novels is so far from perfect that that shouldn't be a concern.
Really, the fact that Iris Johansen was giving historical romance another shot should have made me like this book. I needed a change. And I did get a change, at least on the surface. The setting and time period changed. But the story, the characterization, and the writing was just more of the same.
The only thing that kept me interested in this book was replacing the male lead with one of my favorite characters from the Suikoden series. That's not something that should be said about a book.
Two more. And then I'll be done.
April 8, 2020
Waiting for number 3.
The Lion's bride and the Treasure were special. Iris's research really puts you there. I can feel the stitching on the silk. I can imagine traveling of old in caravans and on ships.
Since traveling in Europe I've been hooked on historical fiction and non-fiction. Looking forward to more.
Thank you Iris.
The Lion's bride and the Treasure were special. Iris's research really puts you there. I can feel the stitching on the silk. I can imagine traveling of old in caravans and on ships.
Since traveling in Europe I've been hooked on historical fiction and non-fiction. Looking forward to more.
Thank you Iris.
August 21, 2017
I've never read an Iris Johansen book before and this one doesn't especially make me want to read another. As far as historical fiction/romance goes, this was no Outlander.
November 18, 2019
Goofy!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2020
This book was the sequel to Lion's Bride. Johansen doesn't disappoint. The book has an interesting group of characters, some with an interesting secret. And of course a healthy dose of romance.
March 31, 2021
I really loved the first book in this series but this book was off for me. It lacked the storyline and consistency if the first novel.
June 3, 2021
I loved it! Selene is an ultra sweetie and I loved Kadar—I would have gladly accepted a titch more smut and a bit less plot though
September 4, 2021
Good but slow going in parts. Keep putting it down….
September 28, 2021
Absolutely enjoyed reading a book with some history behind the Scottish treasure and Selene.
January 14, 2023
A great adventure book. Very page turning.
February 3, 2025
Her books are hit and miss but I can see the talent even if I dislike the plot
February 8, 2025
First romance, I enjoyed that it had more adventure and witty humor than romance.
December 18, 2020
Good read
Really enjoyed both books in this series, now if you would write a book about Vaden that would be awesome.
Really enjoyed both books in this series, now if you would write a book about Vaden that would be awesome.
November 14, 2018
Take a step back in time to twelfth century Scotland where danger burns like a flame and passion burns even hotter. All ex-assassin Kadar wants is to live a life free of the horrors of his past and to share that life with Selene. But though the years since her freedom from captivity have taught Selene safety, she still refuses to trust Kadar with her heart. And though he loves her, Kadar will accept nothing less from Selene than all that she has to give.
Even as the sexual tension mounts during Kadar and Selene’s silent battle of wills, Kadar’s past comes back to haunt him when Selene is kidnapped by Kadar’s old master. Now, in order to survive, the lovers must steal a treasure others will kill to keep safe. Their quest will take them throughout Europe, where they discover one of the most powerful artifacts of all time. As they begin to unlock the treasure’s secrets, Selene and Kadar find that the key to one of the greatest mysteries of all time might be the very thing that tears them apart.
Over ten years ago I picked up, on a whim, an enchanting historical romance by Iris Johansen called Lion’s Bride. In that story, I fell in love with Kadar and Selene and have been waiting (fairly) patiently for Ms. Johansen to write their tale. It was with equal parts excitement and trepidation that I picked up The Treasure, hoping that Selene and Kadar’s story would be all that I wanted. I am more than pleased to report The Treasure is well worth the wait.
Selene has a fiery spirit that makes her a joy to read about. When the book begins her heart is hardened against truly letting anyone in, and though her past has lent her a cynicism beyond her years, she is still slightly immature. I loved watching her character develop over the course of the story as she matured and learned to open her heart and fully trust the man she loves. Kadar, in turn, is everything I could hope for in a hero. He’s intelligent, inquisitive, and oh-so-sexy. His past is dark and yet he has defied his upbringing in being a man of honor. Separately, Kadar and Selene are intriguing. Together, they are captivating. Each lightens the other’s soul, but their road to happiness isn’t easy. It takes plenty of love and determination on both their parts to overcome all the obstacles in their path.
While Kadar and Selene’s romance is the heart of The Treasure, the quest for the mysterious treasure is every bit as entertaining. Without giving away spoilers, I will say that Selene and Kadar’s journey was a fantastic adventure that introduced interesting new characters, including the treasure’s guardians, and reintroduces a familiar face from Lion’s Bride, the enigmatic Vaden.
For readers who haven’t read Lion’s Bride, The Treasure fully stands on its own. All necessary information is woven in without slowing the pace for readers familiar with the previous tale. I am thrilled Ms. Johansen has returned to writing historical romances and hope that the teasing glimpse of Vaden’s plans means there is a story for him in the near future. I Joyfully Recommend The Treasure. It’s an engaging, fast-paced, sensual read that is sure to leave you feeling supremely satisfied. Like the title suggests, The Treasure is an absolute gem.
Recommended Read. Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed.
Even as the sexual tension mounts during Kadar and Selene’s silent battle of wills, Kadar’s past comes back to haunt him when Selene is kidnapped by Kadar’s old master. Now, in order to survive, the lovers must steal a treasure others will kill to keep safe. Their quest will take them throughout Europe, where they discover one of the most powerful artifacts of all time. As they begin to unlock the treasure’s secrets, Selene and Kadar find that the key to one of the greatest mysteries of all time might be the very thing that tears them apart.
Over ten years ago I picked up, on a whim, an enchanting historical romance by Iris Johansen called Lion’s Bride. In that story, I fell in love with Kadar and Selene and have been waiting (fairly) patiently for Ms. Johansen to write their tale. It was with equal parts excitement and trepidation that I picked up The Treasure, hoping that Selene and Kadar’s story would be all that I wanted. I am more than pleased to report The Treasure is well worth the wait.
Selene has a fiery spirit that makes her a joy to read about. When the book begins her heart is hardened against truly letting anyone in, and though her past has lent her a cynicism beyond her years, she is still slightly immature. I loved watching her character develop over the course of the story as she matured and learned to open her heart and fully trust the man she loves. Kadar, in turn, is everything I could hope for in a hero. He’s intelligent, inquisitive, and oh-so-sexy. His past is dark and yet he has defied his upbringing in being a man of honor. Separately, Kadar and Selene are intriguing. Together, they are captivating. Each lightens the other’s soul, but their road to happiness isn’t easy. It takes plenty of love and determination on both their parts to overcome all the obstacles in their path.
While Kadar and Selene’s romance is the heart of The Treasure, the quest for the mysterious treasure is every bit as entertaining. Without giving away spoilers, I will say that Selene and Kadar’s journey was a fantastic adventure that introduced interesting new characters, including the treasure’s guardians, and reintroduces a familiar face from Lion’s Bride, the enigmatic Vaden.
For readers who haven’t read Lion’s Bride, The Treasure fully stands on its own. All necessary information is woven in without slowing the pace for readers familiar with the previous tale. I am thrilled Ms. Johansen has returned to writing historical romances and hope that the teasing glimpse of Vaden’s plans means there is a story for him in the near future. I Joyfully Recommend The Treasure. It’s an engaging, fast-paced, sensual read that is sure to leave you feeling supremely satisfied. Like the title suggests, The Treasure is an absolute gem.
Recommended Read. Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed.
April 29, 2017
It was way better than the dime a dozen forgettable Regency and Historical Romances that turn up every month with the same plots or some with even plagiarized plotlines and too many were Americanized when the setting was supposed to be Regency England ~ with the word OKAY and this age's common phrases scattered all over the pages. Ms. Johansen is American, but that fact does not come out off her pages, only the characters' words do. Don't get me wrong, there are American authors who do pay attention to their stories and thoroughly research their historical materials and write good and creditable Regencies like: Sabrina Jeffries, Lisa Kleypas, Julia Quinn, Mary Jo Putney, Brenda Hiatt, and the late Bertrice Small to name just a few.
The Treasure was a good ride in terms of entertainment, fantasy romance and danger. A pretty good mix. A perfect Goodread.
The Treasure was a good ride in terms of entertainment, fantasy romance and danger. A pretty good mix. A perfect Goodread.
September 20, 2009
Definately not my favorite. It was okay, and I didn't have a problem finishing this book. I'm actually having a harder time trying to write my review.
This was much different that I expected. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't this. Selene and Kadar are interesting characters, but the whole plot was just hard to digest. The being safe at their home castle, but not safe outside the castle walls, and then Selene's bravery in the face of danger didn't really work. Considering her upbringing I expected her to be a little more timid.
Then, Kadar's easy acceptance of Tarik and his role in the locating of the treasure was too easy. While I actually liked Tarik, and his eventual role in the story, I think Kadar and Selene really went there too easily.
The ending was actually a little similar to Deadlock's end. It had a christian twist that actually worked better in this one than in Deadlock. (That was a complaint of mine in my review of Deadlock.) Overall it was okay, but don't put down anything else that you're reading to pick this up. Even if you're a fan of this author! Hang on for the next Eve Duncan coming out in October...Blood Game.
This was much different that I expected. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't this. Selene and Kadar are interesting characters, but the whole plot was just hard to digest. The being safe at their home castle, but not safe outside the castle walls, and then Selene's bravery in the face of danger didn't really work. Considering her upbringing I expected her to be a little more timid.
Then, Kadar's easy acceptance of Tarik and his role in the locating of the treasure was too easy. While I actually liked Tarik, and his eventual role in the story, I think Kadar and Selene really went there too easily.
The ending was actually a little similar to Deadlock's end. It had a christian twist that actually worked better in this one than in Deadlock. (That was a complaint of mine in my review of Deadlock.) Overall it was okay, but don't put down anything else that you're reading to pick this up. Even if you're a fan of this author! Hang on for the next Eve Duncan coming out in October...Blood Game.
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