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The Karimi Siblings #2
Veiled Seduction
Even the best-laid seductions can go awry.
Veiled, Book 2
Beneath Dr. Maira Khan s reserved exterior, her heart beats triple-time for only one man: Sasha Karimi. For two years she s waited patiently for the handsome police lieutenant to wake up and see her as more than a buddy. When he s injured in the line of duty, though, she realizes time is too precious to waste. Ditching her scrubs and her shyness she cooks up her very first seduction.
Sasha s had a hell of a week. Thanks to the national media, amorous women are pouring out of the woodwork, all wanting a piece of America s newest hero . The biggest disappointment? Maira seems to have contracted the same case of mass hysteria. Betrayed, he pushes her away but not before he samples a taste of her luscious mouth and body.
It works. Maira retreats, mortified and ashamed. And Sasha realizes he s just driven away the perfect woman. Now all he needs is a foolproof plan to win her back, starting with a proper courtship and restraining his lust. Except once Maira glimpses the man behind the uniform, she sets out to show him that pure need has its own ideas about what s proper Warning: Contains a brilliant heroine who knows how to take matters into her own hands, a sexy hero who knows how to win his woman, an awesome full-body massage, a tender romance and sizzling bedroom (and kitchen) shenanigans."
Veiled, Book 2
Beneath Dr. Maira Khan s reserved exterior, her heart beats triple-time for only one man: Sasha Karimi. For two years she s waited patiently for the handsome police lieutenant to wake up and see her as more than a buddy. When he s injured in the line of duty, though, she realizes time is too precious to waste. Ditching her scrubs and her shyness she cooks up her very first seduction.
Sasha s had a hell of a week. Thanks to the national media, amorous women are pouring out of the woodwork, all wanting a piece of America s newest hero . The biggest disappointment? Maira seems to have contracted the same case of mass hysteria. Betrayed, he pushes her away but not before he samples a taste of her luscious mouth and body.
It works. Maira retreats, mortified and ashamed. And Sasha realizes he s just driven away the perfect woman. Now all he needs is a foolproof plan to win her back, starting with a proper courtship and restraining his lust. Except once Maira glimpses the man behind the uniform, she sets out to show him that pure need has its own ideas about what s proper Warning: Contains a brilliant heroine who knows how to take matters into her own hands, a sexy hero who knows how to win his woman, an awesome full-body massage, a tender romance and sizzling bedroom (and kitchen) shenanigans."
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 25, 2010
14 people are currently reading
288 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
June 18, 2016
I always love a good book with POC, especially when it's written by one! In this case, you've got the 24 y/o Maira Khan, who's a doctor and of Pakistani descent, and 30 y/o Sasha Karimi, who's a cop and of Iranian descent. I really liked these two. They were both super sweet to one another (even though Sasha has a moment of assholeness in the beginning, but I understood his frustration then) and had been circling one another for quite some time. During their friendship, they usually did friendly date things, but what Sasha didn't know that whole time was that Maira had been harbouring feelings for him for the last two years.
Like the first one, this one is pretty sweet with a side of sexy. It also has a trope that I wasn't really sure I'd end up liking, but it worked for me in this one, and that's the heroine being a virgin. I generally despise virgin heroine's paired with an experienced hero, but I didn't mind it so much here. First, although I'm not sure about how experienced he is, Sasha isn't a manwhore. At one point he says to Maira that he doesn't casually mess around with women, so that was a point in his favour. And near the end, it's mentioned that he's been celibate for three years, which I liked a lot! The only thing here that might annoy some readers who don't like the virgin h/experienced H setup is that Sasha's experience, although not thrown in our faces with explicit mentions, is evident when the heroine takes note of how he's able to touch her or do things just right when they're intimate. (Though it is made pretty clear that Maira is super special and his experiences with her are incomparable to anything before her.)
The other reason why I liked it was that her virginity was used as part of the story. Usually in other books in which virginity is a thing, it's done away with in two seconds and holds no other purpose than to have the heroine remain sexually "pure" for the hero. Here, the heroine's inexperience is actually a block in the relationship and not used as a fetish. Sasha keeps putting off getting physical because he feels he needs to take things slow due to her being a virgin, which irritates Maira because he's the one deciding this for her rather than asking her how she feels about the matter. While it's sweet that he doesn't want to push her, which is how she feels about it as well, it also equally frustrates her in many ways, including sexually because she totally wants in his pants.
So, while I did like certain things about the book, there were others that I didn't. For one, I think the book could've used more relationship friction or angst. While the beginning does have some with Sasha and Maira's initial misunderstanding, once things do get on track with them, it's pretty smooth sailing. While that's great because the characters are so level-headed and mature and don't like complete idiots, it did make for a pretty uneventful read.
Now, that's not to say NOTHING happens. One aspect of the book has to do with Sasha's career, which is him being a cop, might be upsetting or triggering to some, and that's Sasha's involvement in a school shooting outside of an elementary school. (Which, I want to note, is not based on Sandy Hook. This book was published in 2010 and that happened in 2012, so I was relieved about that.) Sasha's lauded for his bravery throughout the book, which he's uncomfortable with because he felt he was just doing his job. He also has to deal with having shot a person, which he'd not done before. Maira helps him with this throughout the book.
SO. Yeah. It's not that NOTHING happens in the book, but I could've just used more with their relationship. I was fine with it being pretty angst-free in the first because it was a novella, but it wasn't as much fun for me here. (Also, there's a sex scene between Mason and Leyla that happens near the beginning. I didn't really care for its inclusion because it felt like it was included for the sake of adding something sexy early in the book. Sasha and Maira were clearly going to take their time getting to that point, so it felt like an early offering. BUT, again, I didn't care for it.)
Another odd thing was one small line near the end. When Maira's mother shows up, she mentions that she has a poker tournament that she'll be going to with her friends. This...was odd to me. I'm assuming that Maira's family is Muslim? It's not outright stated, but I assume that's the case because her family's from Pakistan and her last name is Khan. If that's the case, I found the poker comment odd because gambling is frowned upon in Islam. (Though if you're not actually playing for money, that's fine with most people, I believe.) Of course Maira's family doesn't have to be Muslim OR super religious, and being brought up conservatively could mean a lot of different things, but it was just something that stuck out to me.
So, like the first, if you're in for something pretty angst-free but sexy, this might be something to look in to. (Also like the first, this book has been re-released by Rai with a much better cover: Waiting For Her. Again, not sure of any changes in that version.)
Like the first one, this one is pretty sweet with a side of sexy. It also has a trope that I wasn't really sure I'd end up liking, but it worked for me in this one, and that's the heroine being a virgin. I generally despise virgin heroine's paired with an experienced hero, but I didn't mind it so much here. First, although I'm not sure about how experienced he is, Sasha isn't a manwhore. At one point he says to Maira that he doesn't casually mess around with women, so that was a point in his favour. And near the end, it's mentioned that he's been celibate for three years, which I liked a lot! The only thing here that might annoy some readers who don't like the virgin h/experienced H setup is that Sasha's experience, although not thrown in our faces with explicit mentions, is evident when the heroine takes note of how he's able to touch her or do things just right when they're intimate. (Though it is made pretty clear that Maira is super special and his experiences with her are incomparable to anything before her.)
The other reason why I liked it was that her virginity was used as part of the story. Usually in other books in which virginity is a thing, it's done away with in two seconds and holds no other purpose than to have the heroine remain sexually "pure" for the hero. Here, the heroine's inexperience is actually a block in the relationship and not used as a fetish. Sasha keeps putting off getting physical because he feels he needs to take things slow due to her being a virgin, which irritates Maira because he's the one deciding this for her rather than asking her how she feels about the matter. While it's sweet that he doesn't want to push her, which is how she feels about it as well, it also equally frustrates her in many ways, including sexually because she totally wants in his pants.
So, while I did like certain things about the book, there were others that I didn't. For one, I think the book could've used more relationship friction or angst. While the beginning does have some with Sasha and Maira's initial misunderstanding, once things do get on track with them, it's pretty smooth sailing. While that's great because the characters are so level-headed and mature and don't like complete idiots, it did make for a pretty uneventful read.
Now, that's not to say NOTHING happens. One aspect of the book has to do with Sasha's career, which is him being a cop, might be upsetting or triggering to some, and that's Sasha's involvement in a school shooting outside of an elementary school. (Which, I want to note, is not based on Sandy Hook. This book was published in 2010 and that happened in 2012, so I was relieved about that.) Sasha's lauded for his bravery throughout the book, which he's uncomfortable with because he felt he was just doing his job. He also has to deal with having shot a person, which he'd not done before. Maira helps him with this throughout the book.
SO. Yeah. It's not that NOTHING happens in the book, but I could've just used more with their relationship. I was fine with it being pretty angst-free in the first because it was a novella, but it wasn't as much fun for me here. (Also, there's a sex scene between Mason and Leyla that happens near the beginning. I didn't really care for its inclusion because it felt like it was included for the sake of adding something sexy early in the book. Sasha and Maira were clearly going to take their time getting to that point, so it felt like an early offering. BUT, again, I didn't care for it.)
Another odd thing was one small line near the end. When Maira's mother shows up, she mentions that she has a poker tournament that she'll be going to with her friends. This...was odd to me. I'm assuming that Maira's family is Muslim? It's not outright stated, but I assume that's the case because her family's from Pakistan and her last name is Khan. If that's the case, I found the poker comment odd because gambling is frowned upon in Islam. (Though if you're not actually playing for money, that's fine with most people, I believe.) Of course Maira's family doesn't have to be Muslim OR super religious, and being brought up conservatively could mean a lot of different things, but it was just something that stuck out to me.
So, like the first, if you're in for something pretty angst-free but sexy, this might be something to look in to. (Also like the first, this book has been re-released by Rai with a much better cover: Waiting For Her. Again, not sure of any changes in that version.)
June 17, 2010
I love this book! Seriously, this is the best book I have read from Alisha Rai so far and it just makes me excited to see what else she has in store for us. My excitement might make my review sound really funky, but its so good.
Maira Khan is a prodigal ER doctor who has loved her friend, Sacha (the brother from the previous book, Veiled Desire) from afar, until a shooting that put Sacha's life in danger, makes her realize that she needs to do something about her love. Sacha also has the hots for Maira, but has kept her in friend zone until now. Stubbornly, he is under the impression that he has to take it slow - plus he isn't spectacular with women anyhow. When Maira's attempt to confess fails to get the response that she was looking for, it starts a whole chain of events for the pair to finally get together. And even after they get together, there is the whole problem of getting Sacha to sleep with Maira.
Maira is my ideal heroine, physically described to be tall and 'statuesque' (my most hated word since I seem to be described as so - and its usually not a good thing). She also has a similar personality as me, usually timid, but packed with some spice and lots of sexual aggression. The one thing we don't have in common is her intellect - Maira is a extremely smart and went to Medical school at 18.
Sacha is my new favorite hero. He has his faults (ok, only two), holding grudges until the end of time and being ridiculously cautious toward his sexual relationship with Maira. The man got it in his head that they should only kiss, WITH clothes on, until he deems virgin Maira is ready for the next step. So obviously he's not the perfect man, but he is definitely the man I would fall for. He is humble (and kinda agoraphobic), protective, thinks far too much, yet he manages to do really dumb things, and just ends up being an amazing guy. Basically, the entire package is pretty darned yummy.
The plot was a friends to lovers theme with a little bit of culture and interracial themes thrown into it. Sacha is a police officer, which only makes him even more attractive. My favorite part of the book was Maira's very sexually aggressive persona due to Sacha's remarkably ridiculous control. The pair had great chemistry and already I predict a reread.
What I did find surprising was the sex scene between Mason and Leyla. Anal play was the last thing I expected. Maira and Sacha's "bedroom" scenes were steamy and pretty perfect. I great balance between character and relationship depth and the sensual details.
I would recommend this to everyone, but I must emphasize that this has a lot of erotic content - and to read with discretion. It still manages to be very funny and entertaining (in the non-erotic ways).
Maira Khan is a prodigal ER doctor who has loved her friend, Sacha (the brother from the previous book, Veiled Desire) from afar, until a shooting that put Sacha's life in danger, makes her realize that she needs to do something about her love. Sacha also has the hots for Maira, but has kept her in friend zone until now. Stubbornly, he is under the impression that he has to take it slow - plus he isn't spectacular with women anyhow. When Maira's attempt to confess fails to get the response that she was looking for, it starts a whole chain of events for the pair to finally get together. And even after they get together, there is the whole problem of getting Sacha to sleep with Maira.
Maira is my ideal heroine, physically described to be tall and 'statuesque' (my most hated word since I seem to be described as so - and its usually not a good thing). She also has a similar personality as me, usually timid, but packed with some spice and lots of sexual aggression. The one thing we don't have in common is her intellect - Maira is a extremely smart and went to Medical school at 18.
Sacha is my new favorite hero. He has his faults (ok, only two), holding grudges until the end of time and being ridiculously cautious toward his sexual relationship with Maira. The man got it in his head that they should only kiss, WITH clothes on, until he deems virgin Maira is ready for the next step. So obviously he's not the perfect man, but he is definitely the man I would fall for. He is humble (and kinda agoraphobic), protective, thinks far too much, yet he manages to do really dumb things, and just ends up being an amazing guy. Basically, the entire package is pretty darned yummy.
The plot was a friends to lovers theme with a little bit of culture and interracial themes thrown into it. Sacha is a police officer, which only makes him even more attractive. My favorite part of the book was Maira's very sexually aggressive persona due to Sacha's remarkably ridiculous control. The pair had great chemistry and already I predict a reread.
What I did find surprising was the sex scene between Mason and Leyla. Anal play was the last thing I expected. Maira and Sacha's "bedroom" scenes were steamy and pretty perfect. I great balance between character and relationship depth and the sensual details.
I would recommend this to everyone, but I must emphasize that this has a lot of erotic content - and to read with discretion. It still manages to be very funny and entertaining (in the non-erotic ways).
June 25, 2012
I rated this story 3 stars because even though it didn't work for me at all, it's not badly written. My gut reaction was to give it 1 star but that hardly seems fair--I can see why so many like this story.
My issues with this story:
1. Virgin heroine in a contemporary - Not a big deal, really, since I realize that being annoyed about virgin heroines in Romance would be as ridiculous as hating the HEA. This wouldn't have gotten more than an eye roll for me if so many other things didn't bother me.
2. The hero's reaction when he learned of heroine's virginity - I wanted to punch him in the face at his constant condescension. I'll accept the premise that virginity is a big deal (not what I believe personally, but whatever), but for a man to insist that he can't just have sex with a woman because she's a virgin, and it has to be special, even though the virgin in question tells him several times that, no, actually, she totally wants to have sex like yesterday...well, let's just say he lost his hero status. If it were me I would have told him to go f* himself.
3. The sappiness - yeah, yeah, it's Romance, but it was too much for me. It was just so tooth-achingly sweet, which I'm not a fan of. The whole courtship just dragged on and on so by the time the h/h finally had sex, I had completely lost interest in them. I was actually going to DNF at that point--I stopped to read another book--but I went ahead and finished it since I was so close to the end.
All that, and I had assumed Alisha Rai's writing was supposed to be erotic, so I picked up Veiled Seduction expecting a hot read. That's not what I got.
My issues with this story:
1. Virgin heroine in a contemporary - Not a big deal, really, since I realize that being annoyed about virgin heroines in Romance would be as ridiculous as hating the HEA. This wouldn't have gotten more than an eye roll for me if so many other things didn't bother me.
2. The hero's reaction when he learned of heroine's virginity - I wanted to punch him in the face at his constant condescension. I'll accept the premise that virginity is a big deal (not what I believe personally, but whatever), but for a man to insist that he can't just have sex with a woman because she's a virgin, and it has to be special, even though the virgin in question tells him several times that, no, actually, she totally wants to have sex like yesterday...well, let's just say he lost his hero status. If it were me I would have told him to go f* himself.
3. The sappiness - yeah, yeah, it's Romance, but it was too much for me. It was just so tooth-achingly sweet, which I'm not a fan of. The whole courtship just dragged on and on so by the time the h/h finally had sex, I had completely lost interest in them. I was actually going to DNF at that point--I stopped to read another book--but I went ahead and finished it since I was so close to the end.
All that, and I had assumed Alisha Rai's writing was supposed to be erotic, so I picked up Veiled Seduction expecting a hot read. That's not what I got.
March 25, 2019
I intend this rating by Goodreads' 2 star definition of: this was okay. Because I wasn't invested in the couple, I was a bit bored at times, but there are definitely strong points to it, and it might work really well for a different reader.
That said, I love the rep: it's a romance between a Pakistani female doctor and an Iranian male cop. It's great to see couples where the woman is more intelligent and the man isn't threatened by that. The scene where Maira's mom shows up was absolutely the best scene in the book for me.
Where this one didn't work for me personally, I think, was the catalyst for the romance. Sasha's a cop, as I mentioned, and he singlehandedly stops a man shooting up an elementary school. The victims are taken to Maira's hospital, and when she hears that he's there, she goes to his room where he's unconscious and kisses him and tells him she loves him, because she's been doing the unrequited love thing for a while. A school shooting, for me, is not a good foundation for a romance novel. That's not what I want from a romance. I want to be uplifted, not bummed out.
On top of that, Sasha's behavior when she first makes a move is super enraging. As is his reaction to the fact that Maira's a virgin; it's great that he wants to make sure she's comfortable and he's not pushing, but not trusting her to know when she's ready is also offensive to me. Some of her responses to him about being a "bad virgin" (because she's so horny and not nervous) also really rubbed me the wrong way.
I'd hoped for more cuteness like in the first one, but the dynamics here just were not Christina-style.
That said, I love the rep: it's a romance between a Pakistani female doctor and an Iranian male cop. It's great to see couples where the woman is more intelligent and the man isn't threatened by that. The scene where Maira's mom shows up was absolutely the best scene in the book for me.
Where this one didn't work for me personally, I think, was the catalyst for the romance. Sasha's a cop, as I mentioned, and he singlehandedly stops a man shooting up an elementary school. The victims are taken to Maira's hospital, and when she hears that he's there, she goes to his room where he's unconscious and kisses him and tells him she loves him, because she's been doing the unrequited love thing for a while. A school shooting, for me, is not a good foundation for a romance novel. That's not what I want from a romance. I want to be uplifted, not bummed out.
On top of that, Sasha's behavior when she first makes a move is super enraging. As is his reaction to the fact that Maira's a virgin; it's great that he wants to make sure she's comfortable and he's not pushing, but not trusting her to know when she's ready is also offensive to me. Some of her responses to him about being a "bad virgin" (because she's so horny and not nervous) also really rubbed me the wrong way.
I'd hoped for more cuteness like in the first one, but the dynamics here just were not Christina-style.
June 16, 2010
To be honest, I liked this one a lot better than I liked Veiled Desire.
Sasha ends up hospitalized after saving kids from being gunned down. Maira who's a long term friend of both Sasha and his family is the youngest in her profession. At least, at her hospital. When she finds out that the police officer who had been injured was Sasha, her calm and collected exterior falls to pieces. And with Mason, Sasha's best friend and brother in law to witness. On the up side, at least Sasha wasn't awake.
I found that Maira was such an easy character to relate to. She's hard working, comes from a conservative family, and puts on this collected personality because of her job. She has a good heart and even though she's young, she's not stupid. Sasha on the other hand, always kind of annoyed me. He's a good person but just so set in his own ways. It was nice to see another part of the big bad Sasha though! To see their friendship and relationship on its roller coaster ride was definitely a fun journey to witness. I'm glad to see a bit of Mason and Leyla in there and see how their story turned out after Veiled Desire.
But like Veiled Desire, I wished this book was a bit longer. It does leave you with a sense of closure but at the same time, it has the potential to be so much more. I especially feel that way about this book, it could be an amazing erotic romance!
Sasha ends up hospitalized after saving kids from being gunned down. Maira who's a long term friend of both Sasha and his family is the youngest in her profession. At least, at her hospital. When she finds out that the police officer who had been injured was Sasha, her calm and collected exterior falls to pieces. And with Mason, Sasha's best friend and brother in law to witness. On the up side, at least Sasha wasn't awake.
I found that Maira was such an easy character to relate to. She's hard working, comes from a conservative family, and puts on this collected personality because of her job. She has a good heart and even though she's young, she's not stupid. Sasha on the other hand, always kind of annoyed me. He's a good person but just so set in his own ways. It was nice to see another part of the big bad Sasha though! To see their friendship and relationship on its roller coaster ride was definitely a fun journey to witness. I'm glad to see a bit of Mason and Leyla in there and see how their story turned out after Veiled Desire.
But like Veiled Desire, I wished this book was a bit longer. It does leave you with a sense of closure but at the same time, it has the potential to be so much more. I especially feel that way about this book, it could be an amazing erotic romance!
November 3, 2017
I know people rant about her books and maybe I just picked a wrong one but it was soooo MEH for me. Didn't really stir any emotions at all. Unless boredom is an emotion. I have got to admit the writing was solid but I didn't particularly warm to either of the main characters. Put me off trying her other books.
January 15, 2018
I really liked this. I loved both Sasha and Maira so much. I didn't love the look into Mason and Leyla's love life, though. I mean, it wasn't bad, but I don't usually love that in a book about another couple. It was also more sexy than I was expecting. Full review soon.
October 14, 2015
Having recently read "Falling for Him" (the first book in the series), I was looking forward to Sasha's story. He was pretty much a stubborn ass in Book 1 and I couldn't wait to see how love tamed him. I wasn't disappointed.
I will say that the heroine, Maira, has a lot of balls. I definitely wouldn't have been courageous or brave enough to put myself out there as she did. For that alone, she deserves a heaping round of applause. I love that despite her inexperience in the relationship field, she didn't let it deter her. She still went after what she wanted with gusto. Hell, she wasn't afraid to demand it - and she got what she needed.
Sasha! I won't lie, I LOVED him in this book. Sure he was still as stubborn as ever, but I understood where he was coming from - as well as his reasoning. He just needed a fireball (a dynamite) like Maira to blow his old fashioned ideals out the door, because they didn't apply to her. I LOVED that he wasn't interested in playing games and was determined to give Maira what she deserved. Sure there were misconceptions in his mind as to what that entailed, but he was quickly set straight.
I also LOVED that we got to see Mason and Leyla (from Book 1) and that, while they were present, didn't dominate the entire story. And I also LOVED that there were laugh out loud moments interspersed within.
This was a great story about having the courage to put yourself out there and get what you want out of life. It was about seizing the moment as life is not guaranteed. It was about learning to listen to your partner and giving them what they want - not what you think they want. And lastly, it was about love and that you can never go wrong when you open your heart and let it in.
I will say though, it ended wayyy too soon! *sobs*
Great job Ms Rai!!!
I will say that the heroine, Maira, has a lot of balls. I definitely wouldn't have been courageous or brave enough to put myself out there as she did. For that alone, she deserves a heaping round of applause. I love that despite her inexperience in the relationship field, she didn't let it deter her. She still went after what she wanted with gusto. Hell, she wasn't afraid to demand it - and she got what she needed.
Sasha! I won't lie, I LOVED him in this book. Sure he was still as stubborn as ever, but I understood where he was coming from - as well as his reasoning. He just needed a fireball (a dynamite) like Maira to blow his old fashioned ideals out the door, because they didn't apply to her. I LOVED that he wasn't interested in playing games and was determined to give Maira what she deserved. Sure there were misconceptions in his mind as to what that entailed, but he was quickly set straight.
I also LOVED that we got to see Mason and Leyla (from Book 1) and that, while they were present, didn't dominate the entire story. And I also LOVED that there were laugh out loud moments interspersed within.
This was a great story about having the courage to put yourself out there and get what you want out of life. It was about seizing the moment as life is not guaranteed. It was about learning to listen to your partner and giving them what they want - not what you think they want. And lastly, it was about love and that you can never go wrong when you open your heart and let it in.
I will say though, it ended wayyy too soon! *sobs*
Great job Ms Rai!!!
September 22, 2015
Another strong and sexy romance novel from Rai. Doctor Maira Khan has been nursing a crush on the brother of her colleague's wife for two years now. Though he's attracted to her, policeman Sasha Khan worries that the brilliant Maira is too young and too experienced ("when a girl started med school at eighteen, seh got pretty used to being men's buddies") for him to pursue. But after he is injured while responding to a school shooting, Maira decides to take things into her own hands and announce her feelings.
Unfortunately, the public at large now regards Sasha as a hero, and lots of women have been acting extra-friendly toward him. When Maira practically throws herself at him, trying to tell him with her body rather than with her words what she feels, Sasha mistakes her intentions, thinking she's a shallow hero-worshipper like all the others. Only after his brother-in-law sets the rather clueless Sasha straight does Sasha realize what a mistake he made in rebuffing the gorgeous Dr. Khan. He vows to woo her, but is determined to take things slowly, a romantic pace with which the inexperienced but eager Maira grows ever more frustrated...
Lovely to see a virgin heroine who owns her own sexuality, who knows what she wants, and who overcomes the temptation to allow a kind man to tell her when she's ready for sex, and when she isn't. And great to see a heroine of Pakistani ancestry and a hero of Iranian ancestry, with small cultural references grounding their identities but said identities not forced to the be the issue of the entire story.
Fav line: "Why the hell had she laid down and meekly followed his lead? What if he's not ready for sex? Well then, the man should just say so instead of couching it in terms that made it all about her" (Kindle Loc 1787)
Unfortunately, the public at large now regards Sasha as a hero, and lots of women have been acting extra-friendly toward him. When Maira practically throws herself at him, trying to tell him with her body rather than with her words what she feels, Sasha mistakes her intentions, thinking she's a shallow hero-worshipper like all the others. Only after his brother-in-law sets the rather clueless Sasha straight does Sasha realize what a mistake he made in rebuffing the gorgeous Dr. Khan. He vows to woo her, but is determined to take things slowly, a romantic pace with which the inexperienced but eager Maira grows ever more frustrated...
Lovely to see a virgin heroine who owns her own sexuality, who knows what she wants, and who overcomes the temptation to allow a kind man to tell her when she's ready for sex, and when she isn't. And great to see a heroine of Pakistani ancestry and a hero of Iranian ancestry, with small cultural references grounding their identities but said identities not forced to the be the issue of the entire story.
Fav line: "Why the hell had she laid down and meekly followed his lead? What if he's not ready for sex? Well then, the man should just say so instead of couching it in terms that made it all about her" (Kindle Loc 1787)
September 25, 2019
This book needs a trigger warning since it opens with a school shooting. That being said, it was published in 2010 and I guess warnings to readers are a relatively recent trend...the sad and tragic thing though is we’re in 2019 and how many mass shootings have we had in the 9mos to date?
Anyway - this is the conclusion of the Karimi siblings series and now that I have a couple more books from her backlist to compare to, I can say that yes, Alisha Rai’s craft as an author has improved with time.
Anyway - this is the conclusion of the Karimi siblings series and now that I have a couple more books from her backlist to compare to, I can say that yes, Alisha Rai’s craft as an author has improved with time.
April 3, 2021
dis was cute dis was cute. didnt like the fact he was a cop but they literally had him saving lives and killing only the bad guy accidentally and off page so i guess i'll ignore it.
she was great but she shoulda held out longer cuz he was outta pocket. loved older sis/bff too. and woot woot for older virgins who are not idiots.
she was great but she shoulda held out longer cuz he was outta pocket. loved older sis/bff too. and woot woot for older virgins who are not idiots.
September 28, 2019
This was a nice story. The conflict is resolved so early in the book, though, that it felt like the second half existed just for the hero and heroine to have lots of sex. But they were likable and it was a quick, easy read.
May 17, 2020
This follows the brother of the female main character in the first book. He is a police officer and one day while he was off duty he got a call and ended up doing some heroic type stuff. Afterwards he is flooded with invites from talk shows, females, and friends. What he doesn't expect is for her closest female friend to be one of the women who throws herself at him. Little does he know that behind those actions are lots of feelings.
June 16, 2010
Sasha has just become the hero of the town. After a man opened fire on a school playground, police offer Sasha happened to be in the right place at the right time. He gunned down the shooter, risking his life but saving so many. Rushed to the hospital for a bullet wound to the leg, Maira, the ER doctor freaks out when she is informed her good friend has been admitted. As Sasha lay under heavy sedation, Maira lets out all her hidden emotions of love she has been holding in secretly towards Sasha.
After he is home, and very hounded by neighbors and the media, Maira sneaks in to give him some food and makes the bold decision that she wants to take their friendship to the next level. Her way of telling him is to just take her shirt off. Sasha is stunned, and with so many women throwing themselves at him because he is a hero, he thinks Maira is just following suit. He treats her badly, and Maira leaves, devastated.
After meeting with his sister and her husband, and getting some sense knocked into him, he realizes Maira was sincere in her affections. Now he must win her back – apologizing and romance are in the plan.
I knew Sasha would be quite a different hero than Mason in her first book. He is more surly, quiet, and overall a harder hero to break out of his shell. I was taken aback by how he treats Maira when he misunderstands her intentions in the beginning. He definitely redeems himself in the book, almost too much, making a plan that includes only kissing her and truly winning her affection, rather than just basing it on sex. He holds Maira up on a pedestal, frightened he will scare her away if he goes too far too fast.
Maira is a virgin, but not a delicate flower. She wants the strong sexy Sasha – BAD. I didn’t quite feel as strong of an emotional connection between these two as in her first book, but they still had their very sexy moments. Alisha Rai puts such naughty sex scenes in this book – I love it. We even get a very explicit scene between Mason and Leyla from Veiled Desire. I loved revisiting those characters.
I’m very impressed with Alisha Rai. I’ve already bought her back list and I look forward to anything she writes in the future. Really sexy, fun books.
Rating: 3.5/5
After he is home, and very hounded by neighbors and the media, Maira sneaks in to give him some food and makes the bold decision that she wants to take their friendship to the next level. Her way of telling him is to just take her shirt off. Sasha is stunned, and with so many women throwing themselves at him because he is a hero, he thinks Maira is just following suit. He treats her badly, and Maira leaves, devastated.
After meeting with his sister and her husband, and getting some sense knocked into him, he realizes Maira was sincere in her affections. Now he must win her back – apologizing and romance are in the plan.
I knew Sasha would be quite a different hero than Mason in her first book. He is more surly, quiet, and overall a harder hero to break out of his shell. I was taken aback by how he treats Maira when he misunderstands her intentions in the beginning. He definitely redeems himself in the book, almost too much, making a plan that includes only kissing her and truly winning her affection, rather than just basing it on sex. He holds Maira up on a pedestal, frightened he will scare her away if he goes too far too fast.
Maira is a virgin, but not a delicate flower. She wants the strong sexy Sasha – BAD. I didn’t quite feel as strong of an emotional connection between these two as in her first book, but they still had their very sexy moments. Alisha Rai puts such naughty sex scenes in this book – I love it. We even get a very explicit scene between Mason and Leyla from Veiled Desire. I loved revisiting those characters.
I’m very impressed with Alisha Rai. I’ve already bought her back list and I look forward to anything she writes in the future. Really sexy, fun books.
Rating: 3.5/5
March 3, 2013
Note: This book starts with the physician heroine and police officer hero dealing with the aftermath of a school shooting, which might make it sensitive reading for anyone who has the Newtown/Sandy Hook tragedy in mind.
This novella feels like a full romance novel should; the story is compelling, the characters fleshed out, the writing focussed, the romance believable instead of rushed - overall exactly what I want from my romance reading (which I suppose might disappoint those who picked this up as erotica - there is that, but it's not the focus, the romance is). Loved that Maira had strength despite her insecurities, and that Sasha's (no matter how relatively gentle) chauvinism was addressed and firmly taken down by the end.
One thing that did feel out of place - the love scene between Leyla and Mason, who were apparently the leads in the previous installment of the series (haven't read it yet; sort of think I will, because the hints about their story in this one were interesting). It's tender and hot, but really out of place, as it occurs early on in the story when we're wanting to see how Sasha and Maira's relationship will develop.
I picked this up because I wanted a desi story, and I'm impressed that Rai manages to deliver on that in a muted that way that makes the story also works as a run-of-the-mill contemporary. I really don't understand why the Pakistani heroine has bacon in her fridge, though (...because obvs non-marital sex is less of characterization deal-breaker than implied pork consumption :P)
This novella feels like a full romance novel should; the story is compelling, the characters fleshed out, the writing focussed, the romance believable instead of rushed - overall exactly what I want from my romance reading (which I suppose might disappoint those who picked this up as erotica - there is that, but it's not the focus, the romance is). Loved that Maira had strength despite her insecurities, and that Sasha's (no matter how relatively gentle) chauvinism was addressed and firmly taken down by the end.
One thing that did feel out of place - the love scene between Leyla and Mason, who were apparently the leads in the previous installment of the series (haven't read it yet; sort of think I will, because the hints about their story in this one were interesting). It's tender and hot, but really out of place, as it occurs early on in the story when we're wanting to see how Sasha and Maira's relationship will develop.
I picked this up because I wanted a desi story, and I'm impressed that Rai manages to deliver on that in a muted that way that makes the story also works as a run-of-the-mill contemporary. I really don't understand why the Pakistani heroine has bacon in her fridge, though (...because obvs non-marital sex is less of characterization deal-breaker than implied pork consumption :P)
April 8, 2016
Slick's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
Originally published back in 2010 under the name Veiled Seduction Alisha Rai's Waiting for Her is the second book in her Karimi's sibling's series. A police officer set in his ways meets his match when a young doctor who's been his friend for years decides to go for it following an event that caused her to examine and act on her feelings. I loved this sweet yet sexy story of two people finally figuring out the person they want has been in front of them for a long time.
Dr. Maira Khan is young, graduating high school in 2 years, sailing through college and medical school; Maira's social skills aren't quite what you'd expect from a 25 year old woman. My heart hurt for Maira as she tried her best to make her friend Sasha Karimi see her as a woman and not just as a buddy especially when he took it the wrong way. I give Sasha a lot of credit for owning up to his stupidity and working to make it right even if he ends up driving Maira a wee bit crazy as their relationship builds.
These two were fun to watch, some of their inner turmoil was quite hilarious to read and I appreciated the fact that Sasha wanted to do the relationship right by Maira, but she had other ideas which just made it all the more special. While these two took some time to get to the sexy times, once they did they made up for all the lost time.
Entertaining and sweet but with a definite sexy side, Waiting For Her was a joy to re-read.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
Originally published back in 2010 under the name Veiled Seduction Alisha Rai's Waiting for Her is the second book in her Karimi's sibling's series. A police officer set in his ways meets his match when a young doctor who's been his friend for years decides to go for it following an event that caused her to examine and act on her feelings. I loved this sweet yet sexy story of two people finally figuring out the person they want has been in front of them for a long time.
Dr. Maira Khan is young, graduating high school in 2 years, sailing through college and medical school; Maira's social skills aren't quite what you'd expect from a 25 year old woman. My heart hurt for Maira as she tried her best to make her friend Sasha Karimi see her as a woman and not just as a buddy especially when he took it the wrong way. I give Sasha a lot of credit for owning up to his stupidity and working to make it right even if he ends up driving Maira a wee bit crazy as their relationship builds.
These two were fun to watch, some of their inner turmoil was quite hilarious to read and I appreciated the fact that Sasha wanted to do the relationship right by Maira, but she had other ideas which just made it all the more special. While these two took some time to get to the sexy times, once they did they made up for all the lost time.
Entertaining and sweet but with a definite sexy side, Waiting For Her was a joy to re-read.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
July 13, 2010
This ebook is the second in the Veiled series. I love this author and was so excited to get to read Sasha's story. I must admit that I liked the first Veiled better, but this ran a close second. There was great emotional depth in the characters and the romance sizzled. I didn't feel the flutter in my stomach like I normally do with Ms. Rai's stories, but it was a nice read. I must say that the build up to the sex scene was the bulk of the book. It was a bit long. There were points where i wanted to say, "Come on. Let's get it on!" By the time I finally got to the penetration scene I was exhausted. I loved Sasha. He's a bold, dominating, sexy cop and what more could a girl ask for? To be honest my favorite interaction in the book was between Sasha's sister and her husband. They were the characters from the first book. Overall, this was a great read. I would recommend this read to anyone who enjoys the sentimental side of love.
April 12, 2011
This was longer and more developed than Veiled Desire. It's the story of Leyla's (the heroine from Veiled Desire) younger brother, Sasha. I love the character development, sexual tension, and dialogue for both books a lot.
What I liked about this book was that the conflicts in the way of the HEA felt believable. There was some lack of communication, but not the stupid I-can't-believe-you-won't-just-SAY-it kind--instead, the awkward kind you have at the beginning of a relationship. Sasha did some stupid things but then did some great groveling. Maira stood up for herself.
Overall, it felt very real and modern--like something that could really happen, but with the spark of fantasy that makes it romance.
I highly recommend Alisha Rai for those who like contemporaries, especially shorter novels.
What I liked about this book was that the conflicts in the way of the HEA felt believable. There was some lack of communication, but not the stupid I-can't-believe-you-won't-just-SAY-it kind--instead, the awkward kind you have at the beginning of a relationship. Sasha did some stupid things but then did some great groveling. Maira stood up for herself.
Overall, it felt very real and modern--like something that could really happen, but with the spark of fantasy that makes it romance.
I highly recommend Alisha Rai for those who like contemporaries, especially shorter novels.
November 12, 2011
This book didn't grab me quite as much as book one did, but Ms Rai still delivered on it. Solid characters and a believeable story line.
I did have one peeve this time around. This was a story about Maira and Sasha, yet Ms Rai put in a very explicit scene with Leyla and Mason. They had their story told in the previous book, so the whole thing seemed too out of place to make any sense. It's as if it was put there to satisfy more sex-demand from the publisher or something.
And again, rather lax work done by the editor. Seems Ms Rai should find someone else to edit her books, someone who isn't afraid to fix mistakes and say so when something doesn't make sense.
But yes, a book completely worth reading if you're willing to overlook some grammar mistakes and typos.
Ms Rai sits firmly on my list over favorite authors.
I did have one peeve this time around. This was a story about Maira and Sasha, yet Ms Rai put in a very explicit scene with Leyla and Mason. They had their story told in the previous book, so the whole thing seemed too out of place to make any sense. It's as if it was put there to satisfy more sex-demand from the publisher or something.
And again, rather lax work done by the editor. Seems Ms Rai should find someone else to edit her books, someone who isn't afraid to fix mistakes and say so when something doesn't make sense.
But yes, a book completely worth reading if you're willing to overlook some grammar mistakes and typos.
Ms Rai sits firmly on my list over favorite authors.
April 10, 2016
Sasha is hurt while shooting a shooter in a school shooting (that's a lot of the same word). His actions make him newsworthy and heroic. Unfortunately the press interest and interest from the general public make him very uncomfortable. Added to that, women are trying to come on to him left and right and he hates that they are just after him because of the publicity and uniform. When his friend, who is in love with him, is badly shaken by his near miss with death, decides to not wait any longer to make him understand how she really feels...he reacts badly...he's a jerk to her.
Realising the truth and realising how badly he has messed up, sends him to apologise and grovel a bit.
They change their friendship to dating and it's really sweet.
An epilogue would have been nice.
Realising the truth and realising how badly he has messed up, sends him to apologise and grovel a bit.
They change their friendship to dating and it's really sweet.
An epilogue would have been nice.
October 10, 2016
I can't believe I already finished this book. I DEFINITELY WANT MORE. Especially the dinner with Sasha & Maira's parents. How amazing and hilarious would that part be?
I love Maira & Sasha so much! A Pakistani doctor + an Iranian police officer. Damn, their chemistry is over the top.
It's so funny to me how well Leyla knows Sasha like "If this situation is going according to Sasha's plans, then there is definitely something wrong".
The first encounter between Sasha and Maira's mom. IM CRYING. SHE'S SO SNEAKY I LOVE HER.
Can we get more books for this series please? Possibly about Ash? HA.
Why did I wait so long to read Alisha Rai's books though? She's definitely become one of my all time favourite romance authors.
I love Maira & Sasha so much! A Pakistani doctor + an Iranian police officer. Damn, their chemistry is over the top.
It's so funny to me how well Leyla knows Sasha like "If this situation is going according to Sasha's plans, then there is definitely something wrong".
The first encounter between Sasha and Maira's mom. IM CRYING. SHE'S SO SNEAKY I LOVE HER.
Can we get more books for this series please? Possibly about Ash? HA.
Why did I wait so long to read Alisha Rai's books though? She's definitely become one of my all time favourite romance authors.
February 29, 2016
Just love
This story flowed so perfectly. I loved Maira and Sasha -- their connection, their personal convictions & strengths. This was a Romance to be sure and this couple had chemistry in spades.
This story flowed so perfectly. I loved Maira and Sasha -- their connection, their personal convictions & strengths. This was a Romance to be sure and this couple had chemistry in spades.
August 3, 2010
2.5, Closer to 3 than 2.
August 28, 2012
3.5 stars
November 4, 2013
Didn't grab me as much as the first book. More of a 2.5
February 23, 2014
Very sweet with just a touch of angst.
September 8, 2015
Read on Oyster. 3.5 stars. Sweet, sexy read. The hero, Sasha, had to grow on me. It took my awhile to feel connected with the couple, but in the end I really liked them.
December 26, 2015
Loved reading Sasha’s story. Meira was awesome - super smart, capable, mature, totally kick ass.
Bought from kobo.
Bought from kobo.
November 1, 2016
3.5 stars
This book is short, sweet, and hot. The last scene had me emotional. Now excuse me while I go grab my dessert in the fridge and stuff my face with it bc I'm gonna die alone.
This book is short, sweet, and hot. The last scene had me emotional. Now excuse me while I go grab my dessert in the fridge and stuff my face with it bc I'm gonna die alone.
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