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Possessed by the Sheikh
Held captive in the desert!
Stranded in the sands, Katrina is rescued by the Sheikh and taken back to his lavish desert camp....
She has to marry the Sheikh....
In order to protect her, he will have to wed her!
Then he discovers that she's a virgin!
He's a desert sheikh who lives by a strict code of honor: Katrina must become his wife...for real!
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 28, 2005
41 people are currently reading
416 people want to read
About the author
Penny Jordan
1,124 books662 followersPenelope Jones Halsall
aka Caroline Courtney, Annie Groves, Lydia Hitchcock, Melinda Wright
Penelope "Penny" Jones was born on November 24, 1946 at about seven pounds in a nursing home in Preston, Lancashire, England. She was the first child of Anthony Winn Jones, an engineer, who died at 85, and his wife Margaret Louise Groves Jones. She has a brother, Anthony, and a sister, Prudence "Pru".
She had been a keen reader from the childhood - her mother used to leave her in the children's section of their local library whilst she changed her father's library books. She was a storyteller long before she began to write romantic fiction. At the age of eight, she was creating serialized bedtime stories, featuring make-believe adventures, for her younger sister Prue, who was always the heroine. At eleven, she fell in love with Mills & Boon, and with their heroes. In those days the books could only be obtained via private lending libraries, and she quickly became a devoted fan; she was thrilled to bits when the books went on full sale in shops and she could have them for keeps.
Penny left grammar school in Rochdale with O-Levels in English Language, English Literature and Geography. She first discovered Mills & Boon books, via a girl she worked with. She married Steve Halsall, an accountant and a "lovely man", who smoked and drank too heavily, and suffered oral cancer with bravery and dignity. Her husband bought her the small electric typewriter on which she typed her first novels, at a time when he could ill afford it. He died at the beginning of 21st century.
She earned a living as a writer since the 1970s when, as a shorthand typist, she entered a competition run by the Romantic Novelists' Association. Although she didn't win, Penny found an agent who was looking for a new Georgette Heyer. She published four regency novels as Caroline Courtney, before changing her nom de plume to Melinda Wright for three air-hostess romps and then she wrote two thrillers as Lydia Hitchcock. Soon after that, Mills and Boon accepted her first novel for them, Falcon's Prey as Penny Jordan. However, for her more historical romance novels, she adopted her mother's maiden-name to become Annie Groves. Almost 70 of her 167 Mills and Boon novels have been sold worldwide.
Penny Halsall lived in a neo-Georgian house in Nantwich, Cheshire, with her Alsatian Sheba and cat Posh. She worked from home, in her kitchen, surrounded by her pets, and welcomed interruptions from her friends and family.
aka Caroline Courtney, Annie Groves, Lydia Hitchcock, Melinda Wright
Penelope "Penny" Jones was born on November 24, 1946 at about seven pounds in a nursing home in Preston, Lancashire, England. She was the first child of Anthony Winn Jones, an engineer, who died at 85, and his wife Margaret Louise Groves Jones. She has a brother, Anthony, and a sister, Prudence "Pru".
She had been a keen reader from the childhood - her mother used to leave her in the children's section of their local library whilst she changed her father's library books. She was a storyteller long before she began to write romantic fiction. At the age of eight, she was creating serialized bedtime stories, featuring make-believe adventures, for her younger sister Prue, who was always the heroine. At eleven, she fell in love with Mills & Boon, and with their heroes. In those days the books could only be obtained via private lending libraries, and she quickly became a devoted fan; she was thrilled to bits when the books went on full sale in shops and she could have them for keeps.
Penny left grammar school in Rochdale with O-Levels in English Language, English Literature and Geography. She first discovered Mills & Boon books, via a girl she worked with. She married Steve Halsall, an accountant and a "lovely man", who smoked and drank too heavily, and suffered oral cancer with bravery and dignity. Her husband bought her the small electric typewriter on which she typed her first novels, at a time when he could ill afford it. He died at the beginning of 21st century.
She earned a living as a writer since the 1970s when, as a shorthand typist, she entered a competition run by the Romantic Novelists' Association. Although she didn't win, Penny found an agent who was looking for a new Georgette Heyer. She published four regency novels as Caroline Courtney, before changing her nom de plume to Melinda Wright for three air-hostess romps and then she wrote two thrillers as Lydia Hitchcock. Soon after that, Mills and Boon accepted her first novel for them, Falcon's Prey as Penny Jordan. However, for her more historical romance novels, she adopted her mother's maiden-name to become Annie Groves. Almost 70 of her 167 Mills and Boon novels have been sold worldwide.
Penny Halsall lived in a neo-Georgian house in Nantwich, Cheshire, with her Alsatian Sheba and cat Posh. She worked from home, in her kitchen, surrounded by her pets, and welcomed interruptions from her friends and family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
July 15, 2009
The writing in this book was pretty darn bad, I can't believe it was published.
Every! Single! Sentence! Ended! With! An! Exclamation! Point! (annoying to read isn't it?)
The plot didn't really make sense and the romance was a bit (very) lacking. There are much better Harlequin writers out there than this one.
Every! Single! Sentence! Ended! With! An! Exclamation! Point! (annoying to read isn't it?)
The plot didn't really make sense and the romance was a bit (very) lacking. There are much better Harlequin writers out there than this one.
August 10, 2016
What a lovely romance! This is why I love Penny Jordan! Simple stories with wonderful characters. I was so engrossed in the book, I finished it in a couple of hours!
July 23, 2013
I usually do not like the sheikh theme but this romance was cute and heartwarming. Both characters were decent, heroine was innocent but feisty and Xander alpha, honorable and even insecure. The man really suffers when he thinks Katrina doesn't return his feelings and I found that endearing and swoonworthy. Also the epilogue was all kinds of cute!
September 10, 2016
I couldn't believe this was a Penny Jordan because it was . . . boring. PJ might be OTT, but she's never boring - until now. Oddly, the set up wasn't boring at all - the scientist-researcher heroine is drugged by her boss and taken out to a desert oasis for him to assault her. Before he can set up camp, they find themselves in the middle of a band of bandits. The hero is a member of the royal family who is undercover in the group of bandits in order to stave off an assassination attempt on his half-brother, the king. When the evil boss leaves heroine to her fate, hero fights another bandit to "possess" her.
Now this sounds exciting - right? Well it is until the author puts the cement boots of inner monologue on to these characters and everything seems to happen in slow motion. It doesn't get any better once the H/h are in a forced marriage. Just taking a shower and drying off with an Egyptian cotton towel takes three pages.
There are also too many pages of the hero on his own, talking about the assassination fears and palace politics with people we don't know or care about.
The only time this felt like a Penny Jordan was when the hero thought the heroine must be slutty and lying about her married boss drugging her. And, for awhile, they are at cross-purposes, she is a virgin having carnal thoughts for the first time (and one very long, boring sex dream).
I wish the editors had just let Penny Jordan be Penny Jordan - without the hero's point of view. I didn't need to know the hero's brooding thoughts on being torn between the desert and Europe. An obsessed, jealous alpha with the dual motivations of protecting the heroine and his half-brother would have been good enough for me. All of his pain from the heroine's words rang false. He was a watered down PJ alpha. But it all works out. There's a half page epilogue.
Now this sounds exciting - right? Well it is until the author puts the cement boots of inner monologue on to these characters and everything seems to happen in slow motion. It doesn't get any better once the H/h are in a forced marriage. Just taking a shower and drying off with an Egyptian cotton towel takes three pages.
There are also too many pages of the hero on his own, talking about the assassination fears and palace politics with people we don't know or care about.
The only time this felt like a Penny Jordan was when the hero thought the heroine must be slutty and lying about her married boss drugging her. And, for awhile, they are at cross-purposes, she is a virgin having carnal thoughts for the first time (and one very long, boring sex dream).
I wish the editors had just let Penny Jordan be Penny Jordan - without the hero's point of view. I didn't need to know the hero's brooding thoughts on being torn between the desert and Europe. An obsessed, jealous alpha with the dual motivations of protecting the heroine and his half-brother would have been good enough for me. All of his pain from the heroine's words rang false. He was a watered down PJ alpha. But it all works out. There's a half page epilogue.
June 15, 2019
"Possessed by the Sheikh" is the story of Katrina and Xander.
Another great read!
A sweet and sexy romance between a courageous and innocent heroine, a caring and responsible hero, loads of tender and passionate moments, angst, action, drama and a heartwarming HEA.
Both the h and H were extremely likable and believed in love- their attraction for each other was magnetic and I love when the hero goes gaga over the heroine.
Off to the rest of the books in this series!
Safe
4.25/5
Another great read!
A sweet and sexy romance between a courageous and innocent heroine, a caring and responsible hero, loads of tender and passionate moments, angst, action, drama and a heartwarming HEA.
Both the h and H were extremely likable and believed in love- their attraction for each other was magnetic and I love when the hero goes gaga over the heroine.
Off to the rest of the books in this series!
Safe
4.25/5
April 9, 2020
2.5 ☆
Me ha gustado un poco más que el anterior.
Pero igual corto y entretenido
Me ha gustado un poco más que el anterior.
Pero igual corto y entretenido
February 5, 2014
This was gloriously over-the-top and contained a few deliciously silly, swoon-worthy scenes (most notably the traditional desert marriage, but the EVIL boss was also hilarious and perfect). It would have been five stars for me, except for the whole "she cannot be a virgin! so she must be a slut!" thing, which is rapidly becoming my single most hated trope.
July 10, 2021
Nonostante la trama trasudi cliché e dejà-vu, questo libro mi è piaciuto. Non è tra i migliori di Penny Jordan, ma si è lasciato leggere.
Le oasi nel deserto hanno sempre un loro fascino e se si aggiunge uno sceicco affascinante, tutto d'un pezzo, tormentato e tormentoso, la lettrice (io) è cotta!
Tornando però con i piedi per terra, il tutto rasenta l'inverosimile... ma è un Harmony, e lo sanno anche i bambini che sono stati creati per far sognare a occhi aperti e non si devono prendere troppo sul serio!
3 stelle e mezza, ma arriviamo a 4 grazie allo sceicco di cui sopra.
Le oasi nel deserto hanno sempre un loro fascino e se si aggiunge uno sceicco affascinante, tutto d'un pezzo, tormentato e tormentoso, la lettrice (io) è cotta!
Tornando però con i piedi per terra, il tutto rasenta l'inverosimile... ma è un Harmony, e lo sanno anche i bambini che sono stati creati per far sognare a occhi aperti e non si devono prendere troppo sul serio!
3 stelle e mezza, ma arriviamo a 4 grazie allo sceicco di cui sopra.
September 4, 2012
The heroine was put through an awful amount of trouble in this novel. I felt very sympathetic with her and her plight. The hero was kind of an asshole that used sex to get an emotional response. The ending was alright but kind of lame.
April 6, 2017
This book has a potential but it lacks on a lot of parts. The romance is ok though hero has been an arrogant @ss till the 90% of the book. Not contented with the ending.
July 26, 2016
Poor Katrina! She's kidnapped by a co-worker who intends to assault and possibly rape, her. He then strands her in the desert to be kidnapped by desert rebels. At this point, we might hope the worst has happened to Katrina, but no, she is then protected by a man who she admittedly finds attractive, but who is really quite a knob, while being stalked by another of the desert rebels.
It's pretty much one traumatic event after another for Katrina. It's very easy to sympathise with her, and while he is a bit of a tool, her desert sheikh, Xander, ultimately does play quite the hero.
I received this novel as part of a Harlequin Presents' package, and I must admit it isn't the usual sort of title I go after, so I was a little dubious about this story. That said, I have to admit it won me over a little. The writing isn't great, the heroine is the virginal victim (a romance trope which I really don't like) and there isn't much to love about the hero who is mostly insulting rather than appealing. One would be forgiven for wondering if Katrina is a victim of Stockholm syndrome. However, unlike we sometimes see in such stories, Xander is not to blame for her capture, rather he is her protector. Not a great protector, to be sure, but he isn't really to blame for anything more than being a bit rude and obnoxious. And, he likes books and poetry, so... I sort of loved him by the end.
The story of Katrina's capture was quite tedious, but after Katrina and Xander returned to safety, I began to like the story a little more. By this point Katrina has fallen in love with Xander and we get a bit of honeymoon romance. I was a little unsure as to why Xander had to keep disappearing in the daytime - it would have been nice to have their relationship develop into more than a sexual attachment, but all the same I liked the way Katrina developed an understanding of Xander through his library (very Beauty and the Beast) and came to find pleasure in their relationship.
This book certainly could have been better, but it wasn't quite as terrible as I had assumed.
I read the Audiobook, so what about the Narrator?
Juani Tantillo was an effective narrator. Nothing special but well suited to romance of the Harlequin Presents' type. She seemed to fit the virginal Katrina, discovering sex and romance for the first time.
It's pretty much one traumatic event after another for Katrina. It's very easy to sympathise with her, and while he is a bit of a tool, her desert sheikh, Xander, ultimately does play quite the hero.
I received this novel as part of a Harlequin Presents' package, and I must admit it isn't the usual sort of title I go after, so I was a little dubious about this story. That said, I have to admit it won me over a little. The writing isn't great, the heroine is the virginal victim (a romance trope which I really don't like) and there isn't much to love about the hero who is mostly insulting rather than appealing. One would be forgiven for wondering if Katrina is a victim of Stockholm syndrome. However, unlike we sometimes see in such stories, Xander is not to blame for her capture, rather he is her protector. Not a great protector, to be sure, but he isn't really to blame for anything more than being a bit rude and obnoxious. And, he likes books and poetry, so... I sort of loved him by the end.
The story of Katrina's capture was quite tedious, but after Katrina and Xander returned to safety, I began to like the story a little more. By this point Katrina has fallen in love with Xander and we get a bit of honeymoon romance. I was a little unsure as to why Xander had to keep disappearing in the daytime - it would have been nice to have their relationship develop into more than a sexual attachment, but all the same I liked the way Katrina developed an understanding of Xander through his library (very Beauty and the Beast) and came to find pleasure in their relationship.
This book certainly could have been better, but it wasn't quite as terrible as I had assumed.
I read the Audiobook, so what about the Narrator?
Juani Tantillo was an effective narrator. Nothing special but well suited to romance of the Harlequin Presents' type. She seemed to fit the virginal Katrina, discovering sex and romance for the first time.
September 22, 2015
Hmm, this is a sheik romance by Penny Jordan that I like but do not love.
If one is looking for a tough hero, plenty of misunderstandings, sexual tension, passion and political intrigue, then this is the book to read. I myself would have preferred more romance - and a more smitten hero - and less political intrigue. Xander took a looooooong time to realize his love for Katrina. Sure, he did have pressing (life and death) political matters to focus on but still...
I also would have preferred the mutual misunderstandings to not drag on as long as they did. And how did Xander come to his incorrect impression of Katrina in the first place? Other than being an excuse for him to fight his feelings for her, it seemed flimsy. He had barely known her for a few minutes before concluding she was a loose woman.
If one is looking for a tough hero, plenty of misunderstandings, sexual tension, passion and political intrigue, then this is the book to read. I myself would have preferred more romance - and a more smitten hero - and less political intrigue. Xander took a looooooong time to realize his love for Katrina. Sure, he did have pressing (life and death) political matters to focus on but still...
I also would have preferred the mutual misunderstandings to not drag on as long as they did. And how did Xander come to his incorrect impression of Katrina in the first place? Other than being an excuse for him to fight his feelings for her, it seemed flimsy. He had barely known her for a few minutes before concluding she was a loose woman.
June 8, 2015
I borrowed this from the library to be a quick and easy read while waiting for my son to come out of surgery from having his adenoids and tonsils out. It was quick, and I guess it was easy, but it was also clichéd and kind of boring. I wasn't hugely impressed and this quickly ended my Harlequin category romance reading kick with a grand total of two books.
I've been reading message boards discussing things in romances that are out of date and annoying and I felt this book contained most of them. So it was interesting for ticking off the various clichés but that was about all.
It did what it was supposed to do - give me something else to think about while sitting waiting - but I won't be rushing out to find more like it.
[Copied from LibraryThing.]
I've been reading message boards discussing things in romances that are out of date and annoying and I felt this book contained most of them. So it was interesting for ticking off the various clichés but that was about all.
It did what it was supposed to do - give me something else to think about while sitting waiting - but I won't be rushing out to find more like it.
[Copied from LibraryThing.]
November 28, 2014
A good read....short sexy and sweet.
Their eyes meet across the market and a connection is formed between Xander and Katrina that will see them through danger and intrigue to marriage.
The author does an amazing job cramming so much danger, intrigue, and romance into this fast read. Also amazing location details that you can almost feel the desert sand and feel the heat.
Great read....just love Penny Jordan!
Their eyes meet across the market and a connection is formed between Xander and Katrina that will see them through danger and intrigue to marriage.
The author does an amazing job cramming so much danger, intrigue, and romance into this fast read. Also amazing location details that you can almost feel the desert sand and feel the heat.
Great read....just love Penny Jordan!
September 29, 2020
Here is another story of a young woman, Katrina, who is rescued by a sheikh. She is left to defend for herself when her lecherous boss tries to rape her in the dessert. The sheikh is undercover for his brother and must make sure she is safely returned. But Xander ends up marrying her to save her from the others in the camp. When he finds out she is a virgin the stakes take a different turn. I have read this story several times. Penny Jordan has many books out that I have enjoyed.
July 22, 2012
Great quick and easy read. Likeable characters. Predictable plot but well done and an enjoyale read.
May 27, 2017
this is my favorite favorite sheikh book ,Oh God I love xander and Katrina♡♡
September 12, 2017
DNF. Annoying heroine.
October 1, 2018
Nothing great to write about. Yet another prim English miss venturing out on an Arabian work assignment. Gets rescued by the hero from a group of bandits. She initially thinks he is an unscrupulous rogue too. But always feels drawn to him.
A full fledged X rated dream follows which is the most vivid sex scene in the book. He then proposes marriage to save her from 'a fate worse than death'. She readily agrees.
Why miss out on a gorgeous hunk just because he is a bandit, murderer etc :)
After losing her virginity, she realises the guy is not a local thief but royalty in disguise to uncover some plot against the king.
Funnily enough, now she has a problem with him. She was mad about him when he was a thief. Now that he turned out to be a prince, she is disappointed. What nonsense !!
Anyway, the king and queen get together to convince her how crazy the poor guy is about her. And she gives up crazy objections to the fellow quite reluctantly. HEA.
Ok read. Silly in parts, decent in others.
A full fledged X rated dream follows which is the most vivid sex scene in the book. He then proposes marriage to save her from 'a fate worse than death'. She readily agrees.
Why miss out on a gorgeous hunk just because he is a bandit, murderer etc :)
After losing her virginity, she realises the guy is not a local thief but royalty in disguise to uncover some plot against the king.
Funnily enough, now she has a problem with him. She was mad about him when he was a thief. Now that he turned out to be a prince, she is disappointed. What nonsense !!
Anyway, the king and queen get together to convince her how crazy the poor guy is about her. And she gives up crazy objections to the fellow quite reluctantly. HEA.
Ok read. Silly in parts, decent in others.
October 22, 2024
I don't understand how these writers come up with men who automatically assume a woman is a tramp without even getting to know them nor women that are so stupid that when kidnapped in a foreign country don't have sense enough to keep their mouth shut and do as they are told when it is so obvious that the man is trying to protect them another thing I didn't understand was at the end after she had been shot even though it wasn't a serious wound it still needed time to heal and had to be sore even taking pain medicine common sense tells me to much movement is going to make it bleed so I wouldn't think having sex the next day would be a good idea.
January 31, 2025
Chatrný příběh.
s. 30 jediné, co mohla zahlédnout, byly jeho oči
Přesto na s. 31 vidí, že stiskl rty?
Některé formulace jsou zvláštní.
s. 2 jaro zbrunátnělo
s. 7 jehož členům proto přezdívali jako „modří muži“
s. 31 muže, [muže.]
s. 38 Co ty to o tom můžeš vědět
s. 40 ty,“ [ty?“]
s. 54 v [V]
s. 146 řekni? [řekni.]
uvozovky – s. 19, 21, 72, 82, 119, 123, 125, 149
s. 30 jediné, co mohla zahlédnout, byly jeho oči
Přesto na s. 31 vidí, že stiskl rty?
Některé formulace jsou zvláštní.
s. 2 jaro zbrunátnělo
s. 7 jehož členům proto přezdívali jako „modří muži“
s. 31 muže, [muže.]
s. 38 Co ty to o tom můžeš vědět
s. 40 ty,“ [ty?“]
s. 54 v [V]
s. 146 řekni? [řekni.]
uvozovky – s. 19, 21, 72, 82, 119, 123, 125, 149
December 5, 2017
Mi è bastato mezzo estratto per capire che: a) non posso rispettare un’autrice che riesce a vedere pagliuzze dorate negli occhi di un uomo a diversi metri di distanza; b) non so come sia una bocca “pericolosamente passionale” e morirò senza saperlo; c) non è facile leggere uno di questi romanzi sul mondo arabo e trovarne di convincenti. Ergo, ciao Penny.
July 2, 2022
If nothing else, these old school Harlequins have shown me how much I hate Stockholm Syndrome/forced seduction plots, the spineless, ruled-by-my-brainless-treacherous-body doormats, and the arrogant assholes who treat them so poorly. There was no romance to this story whatsoever. Oh, and the evil would-be rapist abducting co-worker gets off scott-free. Yay.
May 8, 2019
Preposterous. Fun.
September 30, 2020
Did not like it. I don't like books with the sheikh theme and that the hero wouldn't have stayed married to heroine had she not been a virgin. MP.
March 3, 2022
Very good book!
I like most of Penny Jordan's books; but I love the desert sheik books! They remind me of my lost love - my own sheik.
I like most of Penny Jordan's books; but I love the desert sheik books! They remind me of my lost love - my own sheik.
July 19, 2024
2.5 stars
December 5, 2024
Great story!!
I loved it ❤️
I loved it ❤️
June 22, 2011
Realizing that her co-worker was taking her to a desert oasis was not bad enough, after arriving at the oasis Katrina Blake was promptly left by that co-worker after seeing a band of men. Seeing a women left alone did not sit well with Allessandro “Xander” BinAhmed Sayed even if it caused a problem with his current plans, he couldn’t leaver her to the other men. Remembering that his primary goal was to find the people who were planning to do harm to his half brother, who happened to be the ruler.
Save me from the arrogant idiots that are the main characters of the books I have been reading lately …. yeah, a personal problem in selecting books lately. To this book ….. Cultural differences aside, the ego of the characters are the main discord of the story line. “Use your words.” This was a not the greatest but a decent and quite frankly, a typical harlequin romance with the added interest of the plot against the ruler and the innocence of Katrina.
Save me from the arrogant idiots that are the main characters of the books I have been reading lately …. yeah, a personal problem in selecting books lately. To this book ….. Cultural differences aside, the ego of the characters are the main discord of the story line. “Use your words.” This was a not the greatest but a decent and quite frankly, a typical harlequin romance with the added interest of the plot against the ruler and the innocence of Katrina.
April 21, 2014
This book has a lot of plot scenarios that I have a penchance for: secret identity, knight in shining camel(?), smart scientist lady, etc. There's a lot of great potential in the story.
Sadly, it read like a 1st draft to me or a kids' animated movie. Characters were too simplified. The evil plot was lame at best, the secret agent was also lame with its amazing cell phone coverage, and a helicopter that leaves when no one is supposed to leave.
The TV appearance did not make any sense whatsoever (does James Bond show up on TV after saving the day? Yes, let's just tell the world my secret so I can never again foil an evil plot).
Katrina falls in love within a span of a few days, a week? Somehow I as the reader must recognize that it's the love bug based on her attraction to Xander. Character development was minimal.
Again, I find the basic skeleton sound and very promising but the execution did not measure up and I felt very let down.
Sadly, it read like a 1st draft to me or a kids' animated movie. Characters were too simplified. The evil plot was lame at best, the secret agent was also lame with its amazing cell phone coverage, and a helicopter that leaves when no one is supposed to leave.
The TV appearance did not make any sense whatsoever (does James Bond show up on TV after saving the day? Yes, let's just tell the world my secret so I can never again foil an evil plot).
Katrina falls in love within a span of a few days, a week? Somehow I as the reader must recognize that it's the love bug based on her attraction to Xander. Character development was minimal.
Again, I find the basic skeleton sound and very promising but the execution did not measure up and I felt very let down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews