Well written with interesting local color. Good hero and heroine. The only thing that held it back was that I felt it lacked conflict or any really big emotional moments. It was more gentle and inevitable feeling I guess. I liked it but can't quite put my finger on why it didn't score higher with me. I am going to look up the others in the series and read them though. ( )

I honestly wasn't expecting much from this, so I was pleasantly surprised that it was better than I thought it'd be. I wasn't sucked into this world, but I liked the characters well enough and I was mildly curious how things would play out. I hadn't known of this author before, but my library has the second book on audio as well, and I'll probably listen to it too. ( )

This book shone in its romantic aspect. Along with the heat of passion (and boy is there a load of that!), the tenderness of romantic love makes itself abundantly felt. I loved the moments where we got to see the domestic side of Ramiz's and Celia's relationship: talking about one's day, planning for the future, teaching children, and just enjoying each other's silent company under the stars. The two main characters seemed to really balance each other out. They were sweet, intelligent, and passionate together.

The world building is really a key point to this book. The author transports her readers to the Islamic Middle East very well. From clothes and food to glimpses into a more well rounded view of this world (like the real meaning of the word harem), I felt like I was living and breathing the setting with the characters. Not all romance novels take the time to build up a setting for the main focus, the romance, but this author and book did. It pays off in a fantastic sensual experience to go along with the emotional one.

While the overall plot of the book had some romance novel clichés and there was enough denial going on between our main characters to create a whole other river besides the one in Egypt, this book was extremely enjoyable. I definitely recommend it for anyone who enjoys tender romance in exotic locations and who can stomach a load of sexual situations and a few eye roll moments. ( )

Lady Celia has entered into a loveless marriage at the request of her father, a prominent British diplomat. But she is optimistic. After all she likes George and is very excited to be going with him on his assignment in Egypt. No sooner do they arrive then they are sent on a mission to the remote kingdom of A'Qadiz. On the way their caravan is attacked and George is killed. Celia is rescued by the handsome prince Ramiz, ruler of A'Qadiz. Ramiz offers Celia a place to stay (his harem) until someone can come from Cairo to take her home. At first shocked, Celia is soon tempted by the pleasures of the East and by Ramiz, himself.

Well, this was my first Harlequin Historical. I have to admit that stories of harems and desert sheikhs are pretty tempting to me. I was pleasantly surprised. I found it all together charming and erotic at the same time. The writing was much better than I expected and I enjoyed Celia's adventures very much. The author put in a nice historical note at the end to explain how she changed the amount of time travel would take for the sake of the story and the general location of the imaginary kingdom. This was very helpful. But to tell the truth I was so taken with Ramiz and Celia that I really did not care too much about things like that. It was lots of fun. I will be reading the next in this mini-series for sure. ( )