The secret she kept from the Sheikh…
A grief-stricken Sheikh Tariq na Hassir, the formidable ruler of the Kingdom of Avana, arrives in Paris to claim his brother’s child after a car crash killed his parents–unaware that the child isn’t their biological son. Salim is Tariq’s son, with his former lover, a renowned architect.Three years ago, after being banished by Tariq from his desert kingdom, … architect.
Three years ago, after being banished by Tariq from his desert kingdom, Melanie Jones secretly gave her baby to Tariq’s childless brother and his wife, in a swap the world was never supposed to discover.
The tragedy pulls her back to the world that rejected her and the man who abandoned her—the only man capable of turning her carefully controlled world upside down.
Tariq will do whatever it takes to protect his legacy, including claiming Melanie as his bride and his son as heir.
But Melanie has other plans for her future—a westernized life where she’s free to operate her own business, control her own life and meet a man who loves her for who she is.
“A magical, mystical, hauntingly beautiful story which will stay with you forever.”
If you love sensuous romance and true love stories, set against a sensuous backdrop of the desert, art, and innovative architecture you’ll love Claimed by The Sheikh.
Praise for Book Two in The True Love series
“Wow, just wow, I can’t articulate enough how compellingly page-turning this remarkable story was. If I could give it more than 5 stars this would be it! This author has the gift & the power to make you experience her remarkable craft on a whole other level. I’m not one to tell the story, the blurb & other reviewers will cover that but I will concede that this magical, mystical, hauntingly beautiful story will stay with me for the longest time. Highly recommended.”
~ Terry
“This book grabbed me from the first page. Both lead characters were portrayed fully as real people not just by how they looked as in many books. There being a child involved added to my enjoyment!”
~ Melba
“The tone for this book is set in the opening chapters as the young Sheikh is faced with ongoing difficulties in the kingdom created by his atrocious father. He is fighting an ongoing battle to prevent himself from being sucked into the past and to rather create a new and prosperous future for his people. Tariq’s previous rejection of Melanie and the results have soured her against romantic love and made her determined to carve a career for herself. ”
~ Margaret
“I really like the premise of the book, I always like the royal romance with impediments to happiness and this book has it in spades. I like the strong figure of the Sheikh and the strong heroine who has built a professional career. Immediately I can see lots of problems that seem insurmountable at first: their past stormy relationship, the baby secret, her desire to have her own career, his desire for an heir, his demand to raise the child, his vow to swear off women. I also like that, right of the bat, we learn about his plan to build a reserve for animals and to right the many wrongs from his father’s legacy. These are all good foundations for a fiery, passionate and conflicting relationship.”
~ Elaine
“Fantastic premise that has a substantial conflict behind it. I like Melanie a lot. A strong female heroine is what I want to read. I think that is particularly important with such a powerful man, and here in this instance, someone who can wield such power. I love love love the beginning.”
If this is the first time you have read a True Love story, you can easily read each book as a standalone.
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I did enjoy this story very much.
Melanie has to move and live with Tariq, but is afraid of his reaction when he learns what she did in the past.
A love story with a culture clash. Claimed by the Sheik is easy to read and points the many differences that exist for women in the western and eastern cultures. It also mentions the difficulties that a woman has to face when competing with a man specially in which is seen as a man’s career and above all what women have to do to have a successfull career, family, children and personal time. The book could be shorter as sometimes the descriptions of places or situations are too long or repetitive but it makes interesting read.
The Sheikh has an unknown illegitimate son with an ex girlfriend he never forgot nor got over. She’s a strong independent woman whose gone out of her way to keep the child a secret.
A second chance romance with a lot of suspense and desperation of a mother.
I recommend and can’t wait to read more.
I was given a copy and am voluntarily reviewing.
This is a good book set primarily in a world and a culture that is foreign to most people and was also foreign to Melanie, (h), who wants her talent as an architect to be acknowledged and respected in this male-dominated land that Tariq (H) rules. Betrayal, regret, suspense, drama, and second chances all make this a book to curl up with and immerse yourself into a different lifestyle and culture!
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
An excellent story! The book pulled me in and I was completely engrossed from the first page until the last. This is the first book I’ve read by this author, and it will not be my last! I like how Tariq and Melanie, are shown on a real level and are both strong characters. The story is so well written, the plot flowed smoothly from page to page and the characters are captivating, have depth, and are well developed. A fantastic read and one I definitely recommend.
Claimed by the Sheikh has an intriguing plot: keeping the Sheikh’s illegitimate child a secret through all the complications that arise. The main characters, Melanie as the independent architect and Tariq as the wealthy, powerful Sheikh of a fictitious Arab country are well fleshed out and believable. You have empathy for their situation and the tension about whether the secrets will be revealed carries you through the book. This is the stuff of fairy tales. The book does go a long way towards helping the reader understand Tariq’s Islamic beliefs and his commitment to helping his people and the endangered animals he wants to rescue. There is a nice subplot about Melanie’s struggle to become recognized as a creative architect in a field dominated by men. Tariq’s wealth comes in handy there. The only reason I did not give the book 5 stars is that it bogged down a little with descriptions and reveries but it is a good heartfelt romance.
Wow, just wow, I can’t articulate enough how compellingly page turning this remarkable story was. If I could give it more than 5 stars this would be it! This author has the gift & the power to make you experience her remarkable craft on a whole other level. I was drawn in to the story when she shared a few chapters with me quite a while ago now & I’m beyond thrilled that she managed to finish it. I’m not one to tell the story, the blurb & other reviewers will cover that but I will concede that this magical, mystical, hauntingly beautiful story will stay with me for the longest time. Highly recommended.
Claimed by the Sheikh was a fast paced read that held my interest from the first page to the last. The story had a depth to the characters and strong imagery due to the author’s attention to details. Watching two worlds collide, as well as two strong characters fight for what they each believe is right, just added another layer to the story.
I enjoy books that are set in the desert with desert royalty or sheikhs. Claimed by the Sheikh was a strong story with a depth to the characters of both Tariq and Melanie who we get to know a little at a time as well as their history from three years before. They seem to have unresolved issues and feelings for each other but given their differences will it be any different this time around? There was very strong imagery due to the vivid descriptions of the scenery, the palace and Melanie’s drawings, which made me feel that I was there. Tariq’s rescue of endangered animals and his philanthropy was a nice addition to the story. I liked how the child, Salim, was brought into the story as well as his importance to the story line.
The was a nice flow to the story but it did get a little choppy at times. There was strong character development and we saw both the characters strengths and their weaknesses and what caused some of their doubts about their feelings, their past and even maybe their future. There was nice closure with a better than expected played out happily ever after.
The story was reminiscent to me of the Hot Arabian Nights series by Marguerite Kaye, another favorite author.
Ms. Mathews is fast becoming a favorite author. I enjoy her writing style and how much she packs in to her shorter stories. Claimed by the Sheikh is the first of her full length novels that I’ve read. I look forward to reading more of her stories.