3.0
Sheikh's Forbidden Conquest
ByPublisher Description
Sultan Kadir Al Sulaimar may be Europe's most notorious playboy, but since his bride-to-be finally came of age, he's sworn to be faithful to the princess he's never met.
Yet when feisty helicopter pilot Lexi Howard saves him from his sinking racing yacht during a storm, she turns Kadir's regimented world upside down. His first duty must be to his country, but avoiding the sensual ex-RAF pilot is becoming increasingly difficult . . . especially now that she's working for him!
Lexi's disregard for his command is somewhat . . . refreshing. Can the desert king resist making her his final—and most forbidden—conquest?
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesSheikh's Forbidden Conquest Reviews
3.0
“Major plot spoilers ahead. Read at own risk
I know from the reviews on this site that it hasn't gotten the greatest reviews, but I loved it. It was really good. I thought it was awesome. I just loved it, though I didn't think I would because in the beginning it was okay and I liked but I wasn't on the love train. But as I got deeper into the story and into the psyches of the characters the more absorbed I got and the more I fell in love with this book with every turn of the page. I just thought it was really great and very well done on Chantelle Shaw's part especially the emotional roller coaster and the journey that Kadir and Lexi go on together. It was just delicious and very intense all the way through.
I know from reading the reviews on this site that most people weren't thrilled with Lexi as a Harlequin Presents heroine because for one she wasn't an innocent virgin and two because she was the sweet, gullible naïve girl that most heroines are noted for in this genre. People believed that Lexi was very gruff and too strong, but I absolutely loved her. It was nice change from the typical Presents heroine and added a whole new spin to the story. She was just so unique. I quickly fell in love with her and could understand how Kadir had fallen so deeply in love with her. I loved the blend of her character that shown both the strong side and the vulnerable side, rounding out her character nicely. I liked seeing the contrasting sides to her personality and how that played a role in her relationship with Kadir. The main reason that she had those two sides of her was because of her past. The moments of her past really shaped who she was. She was rejected and unwanted by her biological mother, who was prostitute when she got pregnant and had no idea who her father was. Her adoptive parents no longer wanted her once they had their own child Athena and treated poor Lexi as a nuisance more than anything even sending her away so they could focus on Athena. And lastly her ex fiancé, the person she finally let her guard down with and expected to get the happily ever after with him, by betraying by revealing her already had a girlfriend and a baby back at home. It caused her pain and caused her to close herself up again. She became an ice princess with a firmly etched wall in front of her. But I totally understood why and I could feel her pain of what she experienced during her traumatic past. Then with her belief that she was unwantable and unlovable made me hurt for her even more especially when she believed she was going through a similar thing with Kadir when she finally let her guard down with him. My heart broke for most of the book, and I just wanted to give her hug. I wanted her to get her happily ever after and have some happiness in her life. I teared up a few times when her vulnerable emotions were finally coming to the surface. Because of all those experiences in her life, he had to put that wall around herself to survive and not allow the hurt to touch her like it had for so much of her past. That was where the strength portion of her character came to the surface and showed how strong she truly was. I also loved that she had an unconventional job of a rescue helicopter pilot and she had been in the service. So she had been through some tough terrain and circumstances along the way, which also toughen up. I loved seeing her bad ass side. And she had one. She showed when she stood up to Kadir for the first time when they met and showed no mercy not caring for who he was. It did take her a back when she was so intensely attracted to him. She never felt that way before and that's when the vulnerable emotions came into play. I loved everything about her. She was great.
Another thing I also loved was how they met in the first place because it was so unique and different. It made it have a unique twist/spin on the whole story. Lexi was the helicopter pilot sent to rescue Kadir and his crew after his boat capsized during a major storm. Lexi battled the elements and rescued Kadir and his crew without too much difficult, but thought Kadir was a class one idiot for getting in the situation in the first place. Boy sparks fly between them when they met and she basically confronted him and told him he was idiot, not knowing who he was, a Sultan or caring that he was such an attractive man. I mean the sexual tension was immediately there and oozed off the page from that confrontation. Not only that there was friction and back and forth going on that was a little bit playful but also reflected the tension between them. I loved that. It was so sexual charged from the beginning. I didn't know how much more sexual charged it could get before it melted the pages.
Let me tell, the sexual charged didn't dissipate throughout the story and just increased in intensity whenever they were in the same room together. Heck, it was there even when they weren't together. The sexual tension was there throughout no matter what, but it was off the charts when they were together. To add the intensity was the back and forth between them throughout the book. They liked to push each other's buttons. Him in a playful way while she did it defensively and trying to keep him angry thinking that would keep him away from her. Wrong. That just challenged him more and made him want to pursue her all the more even though he knew in good conscience he shouldn't, but he couldn't help it because he wanted her so much. It was really enjoyable to watch and see their story play out. The tension was thick, but it was just enough and created this great anticipation to the story that had me dying for their first kiss.
Their first kiss was hot. I mean steaming hot. In fact all their intimate moments and sexy scenes were hot and sizzling. It upped my temperature a bit for sure. It was just all that anticipation combined with tension that just made the words melt off the pages until it finally exploded with that first kiss. At first the kiss was meant to be punishment for Lexi after having pushed him too far but soon became all about the passion that they had for one another. If Kadir hadn't pulled away when he did that would have been when they did deed. But he did pull away remembering he wasn't free to explore the attraction between them because he was promised to another in an arranged marriage his father set up for him in order to secure peace among the nations. And Kadir felt he had no option but to obey the wish of his father so he went along with despite he despearately wanted Lexi with everything that was in him. He found it hard to stay away from him and from that hot kiss I could tell their love scenes were going to be boiling hot. I knew I had to prepare myself.
But nothing really could prepare me for what was to come both on the emotional journey between the two as well as their intimate journey with their mind, body and souls. I mean I wish I could come up with another term beside sizzling, but sizzling is the only thing I could up with. Their passion broke the thermometer that's how hot there were. Again it was a combination of the suppressed tension, the anticipation, and feelings starting to get involved on both sides. Lexi tried her best to keep her guard up, but finally knew she couldn't do it anymore. She wanted to be in his arms where she felt safe and for the first time in her life she felt like she belonged all while in his arms. It was a difficult thing for her to realize and she hated showing her vulnerable side to him, but he just broke down her defenses, and passion ensued.
There were so many sexy moments in this book, and it wasn't just the lovemaking scenes either. It was all the way through. Whether it was a brush of hand or just sexy looks they were giving other. It was all there. The way it was written it was accurate betrayed and made to feel very believable. I could feel the connection between them and it wasn't necessarily sexual. It was more than that. They needed each other, and I could tell when they finally gave into their passion that it was more than just lovemaking for both of them. Just many scenes made my breath catch and the pulse to race a little higher.
Their first scene was absolutely beautiful. It was beautifully written. The setting was perfect on that secluded island at his private tent. The timing was perfect as well and made sense why after all this time denying themselves what they wanted (both for different reasons)that they finally gave into it finally. They were both in an emotional and vulnerable state, but by being together they got their strength back temporarily. Their time together was a revelation to both of them and made them realize much the other meant to the other. Just everything about that scene was spot on and right. It was tender, loving, emotional, and very sexy. Oh my goodness was it sexy. It fit really well into the story and laid everything bare for the other to see.
But despite that intimate moment between the two, things blew up and turmoil ensued afterwards with the bliss of their first time together having disappeared. This was when my heart ripped out of my chest for her because she was in such a vulnerable spot. She believed he used her and slaked his lust while she fell hard for him. Once again she felt unloved and not wanted causing all this inner turmoil for her. Her pain and emotional turmoil really touched my heart as I continued on this roller coaster with her.
All the elements of a great romance were in this story. The tension. The anticipation. The friction. The passion. The intensity. The vulnerability. And finally the emotional roller coaster of the whole ride. I loved seeing the vulnerable sides of their characters come and play. It made the story richer. It made me feel it in my own heart what the characters were going through. And more than anything it felt real and genuine this love story and the relationship. It paced wonderfully so I could see the development not only in the characters but their relationship as well. It was really nice to see all that build up. They had a bit of friendship in the beginning and just grew from there. Granted it was friendship fraught with sexual tension but it still was a friendship. It was really refreshing to see, and I loved seeing it play out on the page. The story was developed perfectly I thought. It had a perfect balance of playful moments to serious one. For small book, it packed an emotional impact not only for the characters but for me as well.
Another complaint in the reviews were that Kadir wasn't as alpha as people would have liked for a Harlequin Presents novel, but I really loved him like I loved Lexi. I thought he was the perfect match for her. Yes, he wasn't a cruel jerk that set out to beat Lexi down emotional like alphas have done in the past to their counterparts, but I don't think it would have fit his character if he did do that. He was too much of a loyal guy who grew up with a loving father and great upbringing with him. He didn't want to cause Lexi any pain and hated when he did. He felt guilty about it because he could read her so well and see her pain. It killed him. I thought that was a refreshing change from the typical Presents heroes. It certainly made him more loveable. I loved his playfulness with Lexi, but also liked seeing he had a serious side to him as well. This book showed his emotional turmoil of what he wanted (Lexi) and his loyalty and duty to his father's memory (marrying a woman that was picked for him ten years ago once she became of age). I also loved seeing his integrity. He vowed not to sleep with anyone once his bride came of his age so he wouldn't be "cheating" on her despite the fact that they never met before but he was willingly to and vowed to do so. Well, until he met Lexi that was. And when he gave in to it he still vowed to go through with his marriage even when Lexi and him were intimate. He saw how that hurt Lexi and that killed him. I really loved him as a character. Just seeing all the softer sides to him. He was beautiful and yummy. And totally rootable.
The book was pretty perfect, I thought. I might have liked to see a scene between Lexi and her parents just to see hos they actually treated her because there were moments that I thought that maybe it was just her perception on things and not actually the truth. But since there was never a meeting/confrontation between them I wasn't sure if her view was as accurate as she believed. But regardless, it was still a great story with an emotional intense roller coaster ride that I went on along with Lexi and Kadir.
Well done Chantelle Shaw and thank you for creating a satisfying, emotional story that I completely dived into and didn't want to get out of until I finally closed the book. Everything was great and pretty spot on. I fell in love with this book. It was just so good.
Can't wait to read about Athena's story coming some time later in the year. She intrigued me when I read about her as a character, and I know that is going to be an emotional intense love story as well being that she has her own issues to deal with. She needs some loving in her life. I guess Luca is the man for that job. Hopefully it will be as passionate and steamy as this one. We will see.”
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