| Title | : | Wedlocked: Banished Sheikh, Untouched Queen (Dark-Hearted Desert Men #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0373129084 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780373129089 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Mass Market Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 192 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 2010 |
This queen deserves a Royal bedding worthy of the Arabian Nights and in her arms Xavian discovers that, though he may not have a kingdom, he has the strength and power of a thousand kings.
But this untouched queen could be his undoing
Wedlocked: Banished Sheikh, Untouched Queen (Dark-Hearted Desert Men #1) Reviews
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If you like Harlequin romance then you have to read this gem. It's been a longtime fave of mine and has been re-read too many times. ❤️
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4.5 stars.
That's it, if CM's h is named Layla and there's a desert somewhere in the book then I'm going to love it.
BTW the blurb is wrong. He's not marrying her because of threats of losing his power. He marries her because now that his parents are dead he became king and needs to produce an heir, besides he has been betrothed for some years to Layla.
Now my little review...
I'm a sucker for heroines that are aware and not happy about the heroes shortcomings.
In this case Layla knows of all the unfairness in her MOC with Xavian like her staying virgin for her playboy Prince, or her wedding vows practically slaving her to him while he only vows to provide for her.
She chooses her battles with Xavian and works hard to try to be a good queen for her country. Poor woman, as if having to deal with her countrymen wasn't enough she got the mamón Xavian.
And Xavian, well he thought himself as a god and obviously his world crumbled with the big revelation so he was more on the selfish asshole side like 90% of the book. But that 10% distributed along the book was enough for me to give him the OK. Fine, I only accepted him because Layla somehow fell for him and I'm not going to second guess my Layla and I think in time she will have him well domesticated now that he doesn't have the upper title.
One of my favorite parts at the end was when she told him: -
Two incredibly cranky characters end up making a decent if rocky romance with a slightly disturbing wedding night. I liked the mystery of Xavian/Zafir and its tie in to the previous books.
I actually teared up a little over the
Ugh, I'm on Royal House of Karedes/Dark-Hearted Desert men series binge, and I can't get off. Reading out of order is not recommended. -
well written story, but too dry for my taste. the H Zafir/Xavian seemed selfish and inconsiderate for most of the book and the h - though strong- wasnt very likeable either. So i didnt really feel their chemistry and it all appeared very perfunctory. the ending was abrupt and I had a hard time believing they found their HEA at all.
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An arranged marriage between strangers that actually feels like an arranged marriage. The heroine is not thrilled she had to save her virginity for a playboy. Hero is not thrilled he has to marry a stranger that he's barely thought about.
I found their journey to intimacy really interesting. Unfortunately, * a lot* of page time is devoted to palace intrigue, the secret of the hero's identity and how three different desert kingdoms react to the truth about the hero being revealed.
There is also a lot of groundwork laid for upcoming books in the series and references to characters from another series.
I felt the H/h's romance was short-changed, but it was an interesting story. -
This was a nice mix of melodrama and royal politics. I would be open to reading another book from this author in the future.
This is part of a series by multiple authors that is also an offshoot of the "House of Kareades" series. The hero is the missing prince that was mentioned in the infamous "little lizard" bk. (You know that one I am referring to:
The Playboy Sheikh's Virgin Stable-Girl) -
Carol Marinelli is becoming an autobuy author for me. Although, I've only read two books by her I really like her characters. Xavian was a bit arrogant in the beginning of the book and caused me to raise my eyebrows at one point when he was admiring himself in the mirror. Seemed a bit vain but anyway, just something small.
Both Xavian (Zafir) and Layla were strong characters, their love scenes were sweet, their fights were good but nothing cruel. Tough choices came into play in this one and were done well.
I liked this book and rank it up there with the last one in the Karedes series. I think I may like Zaqiri's book best but both were enjoyable reads and both by Carol Marinelli. -
The bones of this read had the potential to be seriously moreish, but sadly due to the writing style and how things/interactions were depicted, as I read, it felt like I had bitten into a lovely looking chocolate only to realise it was concealing a brussel sprout.
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I love arranged marriages stories and this book delivered. If you are looking for a love story with a strong heroine, an arrogant hero and lots of angst this book is for you!
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Originally posted at:
http://www.longandshortreviews.blogsp...
What’s not to like about a queen falling in love with a king with a dual personality? It’s fascinating and there’s plenty of feeling and emotion to rope a reader into the plot. It was like watching a big cute caterpillar slowly morph into a bold and brilliant butterfly, set to spread his wings like the hero he is.
That’s how I saw Xavian’s character. He was handsome, born to rule and had everything he wanted, including a new queen. However, a reader can sense that there’s something percolating inside him that needs to see the light of day. If a reader is coming into this story fresh, then they’re going to interpret it as foreshadowing in a huge way. However, if a reader snatched up this novel because of the hook in the previous book by Ms. Marinelli, The Desert King’s Housekeeper Bridethen they’ll know exactly what is pushing through his brain. I read the previous story and I entered into reading Xavian’s story with excitement and great anticipation. I was not disappointed.
Poor Queen Layla. She doesn’t have the insight of reading a book about her new husband’s family. She’s as in the dark as a new reader would be. She knows something isn’t right with her own kingdom but just for awhile, she let it all go and discovered who she was as a woman. She was a queen, why should she have to settle for less, now that she understood the mysteries between a husband and wife. It didn’t hurt that Xavian was knowledgeable about such things and that he cared. Under his sensual touch and burning kisses, she came alive and it was a great scene. I especially liked the part with Baja in the tent. I got the impression that Baja’s own experiences with men weren’t as fun or inspiring. Thank goodness for the new generation of royalty because they are a lot more interesting to read about.
Another thing to admired about Layla was her fortitude, determination and the fact she ruled by sheer grit. The people she should trust the most, her advisors, were a great strain and because of them, her rule was a heavy burden on her shoulders. There was one scene that highlighted the differences between hers and Xavian’s kingdoms and I felt really bad for her. It wasn’t fair. That is why when things came to a head, the hero earned his hero status because he ‘saw’, and acted. It might seem odd, but that moment in time, for me, was one of the most romantic things that man did for his wife and made me sigh in delight. Other readers might choose something else as their pivotal romantic moment because
Ms. Marinelli certainly provided many to choose from.
Secondary characters were the triggers that shifted the focus of the story and ramped up the tension and suspense. Presented with the truth, the facts about the scars on his wrists, and the ramifications of his life, the hero had some hard choices to make. He wasn’t exactly graceful about it either. That’s the only thing that wasn’t perfect about this book -- Xavian’s yo-yo shunning of Layla. I understood that he was going through an emotional morass, vacillating between accepting he was actually Zafir, a missing prince, and resisting it too. What I couldn’t accept was his reasoning that he was ‘giving her a choice’. Some choice if she didn’t even know what her options were because he initially, absolutely and unequivocally refused to tell her anything. How typical for a male character to assume a lady’s reaction and make a decision on that assumption instead of truly informing her and giving her the option. I expected more from his character because in every other aspect, he was a well written hero.
The dialogue was well done and the pacing always moved forward with no slow parts. Most of the story is told in either Xavian/Zafir’s POV or Layla’s. However, the author chose to briefly add one more POV from one of the secondary characters. I understood why she did it, but it was sudden and unexpected. Perhaps the author was stymied as to how to move the plot forward. It broke the flow but was effective and it did the trick.
Wedlocked: Banished Sheikh, Untouched Queen was everything I hoped for. It had a wonderful conflict, a strong hero and heroine, exotic locale and a delightful romance. I was thrilled with the plot resolution and the happily ever after. The greatest result of this story’s journey -- Zafir now has the best of everything. After what he’d been through, he deserved it. Pick up your own copy to see why. -
This dovetails with "The Royal House of Karades" series, at about #8, and is also #1 in the "Dark-Hearted Desert Men" series.
Queen Layla of Haydar and King Xavian of Qusay have been betrothed since childhood. Now that their royal wedding has taken place, they realize that they want their marriage to be a true one. Unfortunately, there are pressures from both sides and from an unexpected direction that threaten to destroy what they have.
I really liked this one. Queen Layla is a very strong woman- she has to be to be if she wants to rule as she needs to. King Xavian really doesn't want to marry this stranger, but it is his duty to do so. When secrets are revealed, they both have to deal with all the ramifications, political and personal. -
About to lose his kingdom, Xavian is marrying for power--his wedding night will be purely for duty. As he unveils his new queen, nervous and naked, bathed in fragrant oils, he's stunned that she's as beautiful as the desert stars....This queen deserves a royal bedding worthy of the "Arabian Nights."..and in her arms Xavian discovers that, though he may not have a kingdom, he has the strength and power of a thousand kings.
But this untouched queen could be his undoing -
Nice plot, poor writing. Another book that gives me wrinkles.
And I think their love to each other not so believable. It seemed to me their love to their country was stronger than their love to each other. -
A virgin bride apprehensive on the first night of her arranged marriage. A king who delayed the marriage for 10 years because he was fooling around, ended up being an amazing lover but a lonely soul. Big secret revealed.
There are lovely details and a start of a relationship. I also like that the heroine knew what she wanted. But overall, I am glad that romance have evolved past soap opera plots. -
I didn't really care for Xavian/Zafir's character...I don't care how handsome he was. I could care less about his prowess with women. Half the time he just acted so totally full of himself(Not to mention insensitive for keeping his bride waiting so long and I don't just mean for the wedding ceremony! Imagine waiting 26 years for this guy!). I understand that he was another tormented soul but it still didn't give him the right to act so over-bearing. Layla, I thought that she "fell in love" a bit too quickly. For the most part she did appear to be a strong woman except for when it came to her emotions for Xavian/Zafir. For some reason though, despite all of this, the book somehow managed to hold my attention until the end. Since I didn't read about the previous (Karedes) series some of the other dramatics went a little over my head. All in all I guess it was an OK read but didn't really leave a lasting impression.
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0.001 stars!!!
god! author is soooo dramatic! ohhh poor xaivan, also his brother. damn the other i'm the king i rule so it is how i decide. zakari only saw himself and his needs and wants just like xavian. and the way xavian behaved towards his wife. and his inner struggle...soo overdramatic.
and zakari is so brutal. imagine Layla loves Xavian even if love wasn't in their marriage deal...wow and he wasn't in love with his wife at the beginning and now he's head over heels in love. please, get real!!! A-N-N-O-Y-I-N-G
and the whole freaking book is about xavian announcing that he is not the king!
i don't like this author. she has poor writing. -
3.5 star read for me...it is part of a series from multiple authors (The Royal House of Karedes(google it for order). It can stand alone, but it will review secrets. For me this is not a big deal as I am notorious for reading spoiler reviews before and during a book I am reading. Not to mention at times I like to read the end too(and yet I like to be surprised at Christmas!) I did put this book down several times, the previous book The desert Kings Housekeeper Bride, kept me more engaged. The couple in that book show up for quite a few pages in this book.
I can’t even express what part was missing for me, because I even teared up in this book. It might be that the hero’s own tragic story got in the way of the love story. Plus the hero is not always likable. Especially in the beginning as he indicates that he was screwing around up to his wedding day(no details about this, but still) He made his bride wait an hour at the small wedding ceremony. He prejudged her looks and was planning on mistresses. The heroine is strong, but I really wished she would have put him in his place more than she did. Near the end of the book she gets a little more feisty again.
Again, no regrets reading the story. It had some angst. However, I’m really in the mood for an angst fest and my recent books haven’t provided that. Yet, I will seek out the rest of the series as I am at the tail end of it. -
3.5 stars
Both had been betrothed since they were kids. Only ever met once but never talked. He didn't want to be married like many heroes in HP that got into arranged marriages and thought the h was fat and kinda annoyed by that. Of course the h was sexy with curves at the right places and he got boner and banged her everyday for 3 days. Both fell in love with each other quite fast. He had an occurring nightmare that was actually snippets of his past trauma. He was actually a prince in neighbouring country and got swept to this country when he tried to escape from his kidnapper. He was brainwashed into an heir of this country (couldn't remember the name). The heir died and his mom was losing her mind and when she was at the beach she saw the H and brought him back to the palace and tried to pass him as her son. He was brainwashed and couldn't remember his past, as he was only 6 when that happened. With the drama going on, I just felt like the romance was lacking. Expected more, need an epilogue with the baby arrived safely, instead, we only got an ending where the h told the H that she was lying when she told him she wasn't pregnant when in fact she was preggers.
Okay read, not a fav. -
Four glittering stars for our heroine who is outwardly capable, intelligent, dignified and honourable yet also at heart shy and vulnerable. I honestly think she is my dream M&B heroine, she isn't a pathetic doormat, she doesn't let her 'treacherous body' rule her brain and she has pride.
The H, on the other hand... sigh... what a total bellend. Playboy turned king, he's moody, rude, unkind, childish and mean. Things not going his way? Pull a tantrum. Not sure what to do? Better call the h a slut and hurt her feelings. At the bitter end he decides to do the right thing (after doing the wrong thing every step of the way through the whole book) and is instantly forgiven and given a shining HEA that he doesn't bloody well deserve. -
interesting read
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*edit* read this, didn't rate it....must have been really bad...one star so my recommendations don't mess up
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i expected more angst and tension
it started off really well but kind of fell flat for me in the end -
I loved Layla, just wanted her to find happiness
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3.5
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Sheiks Bárbaros, Corações Selvagens 01.
Alma de Rainha.
Carol Marinelli.
H. Paixão 179.
2010.
Estória completamente diferente das que já li sobre os sheiks e o deserto.
Tenho a sensação que tudo foi diferente não só pra mim como leitora, mas principalmente para os personagens que estavam indo para um caminho, mas os acontecimentos levaram para outro.
Eles esperavam um casamento de conveniência, mas o amor e a paixão estragaram os planos dos dois. O sheik imaginava estar ficando louco com sonhos e lembranças que até então não faziam o menos sentido. A verdade vem à tona e ele vai descobrir que tudo tem o maior sentido.
A rainha só queria ter herdeiros para garantir o trono e o respeito de seus súditos. Mas caba sendo traída pelo seu próprio coração que quer muito mais, que ela seja mulher, mãe e soberana, nesta ordem.
Estou muito surpresa e feliz, porque o texto é muito melhor do que pensava.
Recomendo. -
Why I wasted time reading this. It was really bad. Like really, really bad. It was supposed to be a romance between two rulers, so arranged marriage trope which I like very much. But the word supposed is very important. It was so bad that I don't even want to talk about it. The heroine was so flat it hurt. Again she had one feature and job and did nothing more. And the hero has the mind of a five year old kid. He acts like a spoiled brat and can't even see what's in front of his eyes. Definitely not recommend.
0/5⭐ -
I enjoy Carol's style of writing. The blurb on the back could have been written better. He's about to lose his kingdom but we don't know that until well into the book and he doesn't know it either.
Carol's become one of my favourite authors. -
Only now getting around to rating this on Goodreads. Fantastic heroine, strong, smart, logical. Hero initially comes off as a jerk and doesn't start being sympathetic until a few chapters in, but after that he's great. Writing is beautiful. Good ending.
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I've always liked these modern day royal romances set in desert kingdoms but sometimes it can be difficult to like some really good ones that is apart from the rest. This book turned out to be a very enjoyable read with some surprising plot twists. One of CM's very good ones!
