To Tempt a Sheikh is the second book in the Pride of Zohayd series. It's absolutely a brilliant love story and probably one of the most amazing in the "sheikh" genre because of the exotic and passionate heat due to the amazing talents of author, Olivia Gates.
From the moment as a reader I was introduced to Prince Harres Aal Shalan Zohayd's Minister of Interior and head of Central Intelligence and Homeland Security, I knew due to his position and love of his other "sheikh" brothers he would be loyal, fierce and determined to find out who was trying to over throw his family's reign. For months, they had known of a conspiracy to overthrow their father, the King. The Pride of Zohayd jewels which gave the royal house the right to rule, had been stolen and replaced with fakes just before their holiday, Exhibition Day. There was the threat if this information was exposed it would bring down chaos that would see the King removed from power. A US reporter by the name of T.J. Burke had information concerning the conspiracy. However, "he" had been kidnapped and it was Harres job to rescue T.J. A successful mission but oh what a surprise.
Talia Burke, a surgeon was on a mission to prove her twin brother T.J.'s innocence. However, before she could leave for Zohayd in her disguise as a man, she was kidnapped and held captive in the Desert until a group of men burst into the cabin and bodily took her away. She was thrown into a helicopter by her new captor and whisked away into the desert until they were fired upon and crashed. Imagine both of their surprises when Harres uncovered Talia Burke NOT T.J. Burke and Talia found out that Harres family are the ones she feels responsible for having her twin brother T.J. imprisoned in a US jail for a crime he did NOT commit. However, in order to survive, she needed to stitch up the wounded pilot, Harres and then make a 200 mile trek across the desert to the oasis in order to be rescued by Harres family and get to the bottom of everything.
From the first moment one reads about their "crash meeting" and their connections to each other, one immediately learns a couple of things. They are two confident individuals, loyal to their family, fierce, determined to survive and very, very attracted to each other. For Harres I believed it was love at first sight and he saw into her soul. For Talia, I knew there would be trust issues because all she had left in the world was her twin and she believed he'd had been set up. However facing all of the danger together, the elements of the desert and trying to get to safety and get down to the bottom of things became very complicated. I believed there was one thing for sure, there would be great passion and challenges for this couple and that would take place at a very exotic oasis if they survived their desert trek.
The oasis was magical and I can honestly say I felt transported to that oasis with these two soon to be lovers because of the way the author set up all of the scenes. From the culture and welcoming of the oasis nomad tribe, to the way their culture was described, the wildlife, flora and fauna, everything was magnificent. It was all very exotic, erotic and so full of emotion. From the moment Harres had to leave Talia behind to make his way on his own, to his feelings for this woman, to his worry was he going to be too late and would he find her dead? And then there were Talia's feelings, if she were going to die, why hadn't they made love in the desert sands, something she would regret. Talk about a knight to the rescue and one dedicated to seeing this woman live so he could make love to her and oh such erotic scenes, especially the two of them on a "white horse". Onething was for sure,in the end they loved each other and their time together would soon end. Harres family would come for them, take them back to the palace and try to sort out everything. They needed to prove her brother innocent and find out who was trying to overthrow the reigning Aal Shalaan's?
Talia was anxious about her brother but there was one thing for sure, she loved and adored this prince. After meeting his family she was secured undercover at the palace until they flushed out the traitors. But not before she was set up to over hear a conversation between Harres and his brother at the hands of the "royal's" enemies. After that everything came crashing down around the two of them. However, her brother was set free but at what cost because Talia's heart was broken. She felt used and she returned back to the United States to her position as a surgeon at the hospital and to the truth!. So much heart break for this couple and feelings of betrayal. The ending of To Tempt a Sheikh was gripping and so very unexpected. So hold on to your seat when this desert prince surprises his princess and gives her that happy ending in a very public way!
Book Description:
He rescued hostage Talia Burke from his royal family's rival tribe and swept her into his strong embrace. But Prince Harres Aal Shalaan soon discovered there was more to the brave beauty than he knew. Talia held information vital to protecting his beloved kingdom…and she had every reason not to trust him.
Marooned together at a desert oasis, Talia couldn't resist Harres. Yet even as his sizzling seduction entranced her, his loyalty to his family and country would always make them enemies. Falling for the sheikh would be her heart's greatest mistake…but she feared it was already too late….
What other's are saying:
To Tempt a Sheikh garners PRIDE OF ZOHAYD trilogy its 2nd TOP PICK from RT Book Reviews!!
“Unbelievably, Gates gives readers a second sexy and Singularly Charming Sheikh from the royal family of Zoyhad.”
“Unbelievably, Gates gives readers a second sexy and singularly charming sheikh from the royal family of Zoyhad.”
This post first appeared on ROMANCING THE DESERT - SHEIKH BOOKS, please read the originial post: here
