Misty P. (prokopmisty) reviewed Captured by a Sheikh (Harlequin Intrigue, 550) on + 40 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I have to admit, I was skeptical. An Intrigue book digging up that dusty old romance standby, the sheikh? Not exactly my cup of tea. So it was a pleasant surprise to find in "Captured by a Sheikh" a well-told mystery that firmly engages from page one.
Holly Rivers' sister had disappeared, leaving her baby in Holly's care. Holly would do anything to care for her nephew, even if it meant marrying a man she didn't love. But Holly's wedding plans came to a halt when Sheikh Sharif Al-Khalil, a man who claimed he was the baby's father, tried to kidnap him. Holly went after him and found herself in the middle of a mystery of international proportions. Could she possibly trust a man who had every reason to get rid of her sister when he claimed he had done nothing? And what of the killers suddenly on their tail?
"Captured by a Sheikh" tells a tale of international intrigue too seldom seen in recent Intrigues, with a strong emotional line that gives it an instant immediacy and rooting interest in the characters. Though the book shares more than a few similarities with Diamond's first Intrigue, "And the Bride Vanishes," it is actually a breath of fresh air in many ways. Holly and Sharif's romance is tender, complicated by cultural issues the book doesn't avoid, and they're surrounded by a complex cast of characters covering a wide range of types. While some moments and emotions are a bit perfunctory, the author never fails to keep you turning the pages. It's also a book that only gets better as it goes along. The final fifty pages or so, full of surprise turnarounds and unexpected twists, are white-knucklers, full of edge-your-seat suspense as the characters are thrown into mortal danger, in a true race to survive. Fans of this particular theme, and those that aren't, will find much to enjoy in "Captured by a Sheikh."
Holly Rivers' sister had disappeared, leaving her baby in Holly's care. Holly would do anything to care for her nephew, even if it meant marrying a man she didn't love. But Holly's wedding plans came to a halt when Sheikh Sharif Al-Khalil, a man who claimed he was the baby's father, tried to kidnap him. Holly went after him and found herself in the middle of a mystery of international proportions. Could she possibly trust a man who had every reason to get rid of her sister when he claimed he had done nothing? And what of the killers suddenly on their tail?
"Captured by a Sheikh" tells a tale of international intrigue too seldom seen in recent Intrigues, with a strong emotional line that gives it an instant immediacy and rooting interest in the characters. Though the book shares more than a few similarities with Diamond's first Intrigue, "And the Bride Vanishes," it is actually a breath of fresh air in many ways. Holly and Sharif's romance is tender, complicated by cultural issues the book doesn't avoid, and they're surrounded by a complex cast of characters covering a wide range of types. While some moments and emotions are a bit perfunctory, the author never fails to keep you turning the pages. It's also a book that only gets better as it goes along. The final fifty pages or so, full of surprise turnarounds and unexpected twists, are white-knucklers, full of edge-your-seat suspense as the characters are thrown into mortal danger, in a true race to survive. Fans of this particular theme, and those that aren't, will find much to enjoy in "Captured by a Sheikh."
