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Pub Date: February 2014
Publisher: Harlequin
FTC: e-Review copy courtesy of the publisher
Apologies for the extended radio silence. Real life obligations just got out of control in February! I'm back!!
*****
As part of my January Harlequin Presents reading glom (and crash course in Harlequin Presents styles and tropes), I requested a few HPs from Harlequin. This was one of them.
I can't quite put my finger on what annoyed me most about this book. It is probably the extremely derivative plot. I haven't read a ton of HPs, but I've read enough of 19th century lit to spot the imperialism/exoticism trope a mile away. Yes, it's a sheikh book, but I'm certain there are tons of stories to tell that don't fall back on cardboard characters, tired plots, and the whole arranged marriage/forbidden love conflict.
I also was really bothered by the isolation of our heroine. The hero is more than a bit douchey, too, and not in that alpha-hole way that is common in these books. It was way more manipulative than a charismatic man overwhelming an inexperienced woman. There was a horrible nonchalance about emotional fallout which rubbed me the wrong way.
I'm going to chalk this one up as "not for me." It wasn't awful, but it definitely didn't work for me. It may very well work for those who really like this trope.
My Grade: C-
The Blurb:
Famous last words…
When Sheikh Sharif offers Irene Taylor more money as chaperone to his sister than she's ever made before, she can't refuse—finally she'll safeguard her family. Irene may be innocent, but she knows the trail of destruction playboys like Sharif leave behind, and will resist his skilled seduction….
Sharif excels at everything he does—especially in the bedroom! His engagement hasn't yet been announced and he'll enjoy his freedom until then. Starting with the beguiling Irene—she's the ideal final challenge before he embarks on a life of duty.
But sometimes even the plans of a sheikh go awry!
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