“Love is not weak, love is strong.”

The Inherited Bride is Maisey Yates “debut” sheik romance and if you think the desert is hot, well think again, this is one spectacular hot romance that will definitely need an oasis to cool everyone down or will it heat everything up?

Princess Isabella Rossi knew and understood her duty to her country.  She honored the marriage contract her family had arranged with High Sheikh Hassan al bin Sudar to benefit both countries.  However, before she could go through with the marriage, she only wanted a few days to experience life.  So she fled her brother’s home and retreated to Paris. She wanted to experience things like sightseeing, movies, shopping, the normal things any young girl would have had the opportunity to do. Why?  Because her parents had told her what to do her entire life.  How to think, how to dress, leaving nothing but an empty shell. She didn’t know who she was and she just wanted to experience the simple things in life. However, Hassan’s brother Adham had different ideas. He had arrived in Paris to stop Isabella from not only making the mistake of putting her self in danger; he was determined to bring her home to his brother, her future bridegroom because their royal wedding was to take place in a few months and he wanted to keep an eye on her to make sure it happened for the good of his country.

Adham was a handsome sheikh himself.  He was so loyal to his brother, the high sheikh and duty bound to his country. He felt honor was the one thing no one could take away from you. Isabella stirred things in him he tried to deny.  He thought her to be a spoilt royal.   After some conversations with her, he agreed to take her to the Eiffel Tower, buy her a simple hamburger, take her to a movie and shopping. The shopping trip, well let’s say she had never chosen her own clothes but she tormented him when they went to the lingerie department. He saw a different side of her. She was a lovely and beautiful woman with curves and she made his body harden.  She drove him crazy and there was only one way to put a stop to it!  So he took her home to the Palace and his brother, the brother who had gone missing and was now at the family retreat!

During the early chapters, the interesting reading part for me was getting to know both Adham and Isabella because one could immediately feel their connection.  It was going to be intense and very, very sad because he definitely would not betray his brother. Their loyalty was not something that could be thrown aside for a woman even if she was sweet, beautiful and tempting.  She was forbidden as his brother’s future wife and as brothers, they had an unbreakable bond.  They worked together as a team for the good of their country. On top of that, Adham had seen too many things, horrible things……the death of his parents and it had scarred him in more ways one could imagine.  He also had physical scars from being a prisoner of war.

As for Isabella's feelings, she was attracted to him and was confused because she had no experience with men.   She ached for him and she was tormented like him because she also wouldn’t betray and agreement nor her country. However, where was her future groom and why was he away at a retreat and not to return  until the wedding? Well, Adham knew the truth and he was not just angry, he was shocked and was put in a position again to entertain Isabella. How could survive this and survive this passion and tension?

Poor Adham, I thought when he suggested taking her to Adalia, a desert oasis located two hours away from the palace because I knew it would be trouble for both of them. Palm trees, sand, water, sun, the seductive setting of a tent because who in their right mind could resist something like this and kid themselves and survive? Isabella called to him more than any other woman. She was alive in the desert and temptation. But it was a line he would never cross. We’ll see, I personally thought! Duty and honor like I mentioned before, meant everything to him but would cross the line?

This proud sheikh had seen so much…..his parents being killed in front of him. He’s been a prisoner of war. .He would protect the high sheikh, his brother and his country with his life. Isabella wanted to comfort and soothe him. Her innocence and touching turned into blazing heat, At this oasis, in the tent, this couple exploded with want and mutual need for their passion. She honestly loved him but it cost Adham everything he was, everything he believed in and she knew she was the cause of it. He had betrayed his only family member and he felt the shame because she had been promised to his brother.

However, I couldn’t help but wonder, wasn’t his brother also betraying his country and Adham as well because I knew the “secret” of why he wanted two months at the retreat before the wedding.  What his brother Hassan asked of both of them would not only affect both his country and hers due to the original agreement to benefit trade routes, military alliance and oil prices; it would change their lives. Everything well let’s just say was complicated.. You’ll just have to read it to understand it without me spilling their secrets.

The ending chapters were amazing and shifted just like the desert sands. He was so cold, so hard and she wondered how she would live and survive Adham withholding himself.  Now everything was different for both of them and for his country and they were both tormented. He now had so much placed on his shoulders, a man who needed to be strong and one with so much responsibility one will learn. What a roller coaster with so much emotion and so much to loose if they each made a wrong move.

What was so special about The Inherited Bride? Adham had “taught this sheltered woman and had helped her to become a woman, shown her the importance of putting others before herself and the importance of living for more than her own happiness. He made her complete.” Isabella taught him about absolute love and healed him. It was such a beautiful, sweet and romantic royal romance thanks to the author’s creative and genuine skills.  It reminds one of the true meaning of love and how it can heal and make one strong, not weak because of it.


Behind the book:

Way back when, Maisey posted a blog post and her wedding pics……and about her sheikh and the inspiration



Book Description:

Princess Isabella was certain of three things...

She desperately didn't want to marry the Sheikh to whom she was betrothed...

There was more to the darkly handsome, dark-hearted desert stranger escorting her back to the altar than met the eye...

And, having kissed the stranger once, she was never going to be the same again...