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Dark Oasis
When Kit was stranded in Morocco with no money, her memory a blank, she could only pray for a miracle. And when Gerard Dumont, a gorgeous Frenchman, came to her rescue, Kit was so grateful that it didn't occur to her he might not be the charming protector he seemed....
It wasn't long before Kit discovered that Gerard had a hidden agenda. But by then it was too late. This brooding stranger had taken over her life, and Kit soon realized he'd also captured her heart!
It wasn't long before Kit discovered that Gerard had a hidden agenda. But by then it was too late. This brooding stranger had taken over her life, and Kit soon realized he'd also captured her heart!
- GenresHarlequin RomanceMorocco
184 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1994
About the author
Helen Brooks
429 books124 followersRita Bradshaw was born on 1949 in Northampton, England, where she was educated as a good Christian. She met Clive, her husband, at the age of 16 andnow the magic is still there. They have three lovely children, Cara, Faye, and Benjamin, and have always had a menagerie of animals in the house, which at the present is confined to two endearing and very comical dogs who would make a great double act on TV! The children, friends, and pets all keep the house buzzing and the food cupboards empty but Helen wouldn't have it any other way. She still lives today in Northampton with her family. Although having enjoyed some wonderful holidays abroad she has never been tempted to live anywhere else, although she rather likes the idea of a holiday home close to the sea one day.
Being a committed Christian and fervent animal lover she finds spare time is always at a premium, but long walks in the countryside with her husband and dogs, meals out followed by the cinema or theatre, reading, swimming, and having friends over for dinner are all fitted in somehow. She also enjoys sitting in her wonderfully therapeutic, rambling old garden in the sun with a glass of red wine, (under the guise of resting while thinking of course!)
For years, she was a secretary. She began writing in 1990 as she approached that milestone of a birthday 40! She realized her two teenage ambitions (writing a novel and learning to drive) had been lost amid babies and hectic family life, so set about resurrecting them.
Her first novel was for Mills and Boon and was accepted after one rewrite in 1992 as Helen Brooks, and she passed her driving test (the former was a joy and the latter an unmitigated nightmare!) She has written 50 novels as well as several sagas as Rita Bradshaw.
Since becoming a full-time writer she has found her occupation one of pure joy and often surprised when her characters develop a mind of their own but she loves exploring what makes people tick and finds the old adage "truth is stranger than fiction" to be absolutely true. She would love to hear from any readers care of Mills & Boon.
Being a committed Christian and fervent animal lover she finds spare time is always at a premium, but long walks in the countryside with her husband and dogs, meals out followed by the cinema or theatre, reading, swimming, and having friends over for dinner are all fitted in somehow. She also enjoys sitting in her wonderfully therapeutic, rambling old garden in the sun with a glass of red wine, (under the guise of resting while thinking of course!)
For years, she was a secretary. She began writing in 1990 as she approached that milestone of a birthday 40! She realized her two teenage ambitions (writing a novel and learning to drive) had been lost amid babies and hectic family life, so set about resurrecting them.
Her first novel was for Mills and Boon and was accepted after one rewrite in 1992 as Helen Brooks, and she passed her driving test (the former was a joy and the latter an unmitigated nightmare!) She has written 50 novels as well as several sagas as Rita Bradshaw.
Since becoming a full-time writer she has found her occupation one of pure joy and often surprised when her characters develop a mind of their own but she loves exploring what makes people tick and finds the old adage "truth is stranger than fiction" to be absolutely true. She would love to hear from any readers care of Mills & Boon.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 30, 2011
The heroine is 25 year old, Kit. The story opens with her finding her fiance in bed with another woman. She immediately breaks the engagement and takes off for a break. The next scene she is in Casablanca and shortly after she's hit in the head and robbed. She comes to with amnesia (you have to love a good amnesia plot in Casablanca). There's a man helping her and she thinks he's the most gorgeous guy she's ever seen. The man helping her is Gerard the Hero. He helps her get assistance and has her admitted to a private hospital. As she still can't remember who she is and her purse was taken, the H offers her hospitality in his home until her memory returns. His sister will be there to chaperone. He whisks her away in his ferrari and private plane to his home in Marrakesh.
The h vaccilates between strong attraction to dreadful fear. The H makes it clear that he is very interested but frustrated with mixed signals. This book has great setting, interesting plot and sweet HEA.
The h vaccilates between strong attraction to dreadful fear. The H makes it clear that he is very interested but frustrated with mixed signals. This book has great setting, interesting plot and sweet HEA.
March 22, 2018
Love is like the amoeba. It divides, only to grow and multiply.
Ewwwwwwww! What a way with words. For a suave, French, ladies'man, he is sadly lacking lol.
Ewwwwwwww! What a way with words. For a suave, French, ladies'man, he is sadly lacking lol.
January 1, 2013
This one was barely okay. I'm surprised since I am a huge fan of this author's work. Helen Brooks usually delivers a much more powerful story with well developed characters and a connection between the hero and heroine that is mesmerizing. It seems her "Beautiful Widow" has spoiled me. It is the yardstick in which I measure all her other books. Disappointingly, this book just seemed to be one food fight after another with the heroine screeching at a hero, that frankly didn't deserve it.
Near the end, we finally learn what is motivating her behavior. She was abused by her stepfather and her mother chose not to intervene. So her feeling of self-worth and her ability to love is very limited. Unfortunately, the reveal comes too late in the book to have any impact. It actually felt like the author realized she had gone too far and needed some quick way to repair the damage.
Disappointing. I would recommend a pass on this one.
Near the end, we finally learn what is motivating her behavior. She was abused by her stepfather and her mother chose not to intervene. So her feeling of self-worth and her ability to love is very limited. Unfortunately, the reveal comes too late in the book to have any impact. It actually felt like the author realized she had gone too far and needed some quick way to repair the damage.
Disappointing. I would recommend a pass on this one.
August 10, 2014
3 1/2 Stars ~ When Kit discovered her fiance in bed with a voluptuous bimbo, she immediately gave him back his ring and told him she never wanted to see him again. She's a woman used to controlling her life, and this betrayal has spiraled that control out of her hands, so she decides to sort herself out somewhere sunny, warm and exotic, and flies to Morocco. Out on her own, she's mugged and a hit on her head causes her to go unconscious. When next she wakes, there's a gorgeous man carrying her and assuring her that she is safe and will be okay. Awaking in a private hospital, the only thing she can remember is the gorgeous man who had brought her there; gone are all her memories from before him. And as the mugger took her purse, gone too is her identity.
Gerard is a wealthy man with several businesses throughout Morocco. He's a very large man, 6'4" and broad, and absolutely gorgeous in both western clothing and the Arab robes he prefers to relax in. He finds himself compelled to help Kit, and when it becomes clear that more than the knock on her head is keeping her from her memories, he takes her to his home, assuring her that his sister is also there. Kit can't deny that she is attracted to Gerard, but she experiences real fear and hatred when he tries to get close to her. Gerard is certain that some man in her past has abused her and he tries everything to assure her that he could never hurt her.
I adore amnesia stories and Ms. Brooks does a really good job with this one. We are lead to believe that Kit's traumatic discovery of her fiance in bed with another woman, may be the memory she chooses to block, but this doesn't explain her violent emotions when Gerard tries to seduce her. When her memory does return, she's even more frightened of Gerard, and this is almost the last straw for him.
While Ms. Brooks doesn't give us Gerard's point of view, we can easily see from his actions that he's quite smitten with Kit. I loved that he didn't give up. Ms. Brooks gives these two a very sweet HEA
Gerard is a wealthy man with several businesses throughout Morocco. He's a very large man, 6'4" and broad, and absolutely gorgeous in both western clothing and the Arab robes he prefers to relax in. He finds himself compelled to help Kit, and when it becomes clear that more than the knock on her head is keeping her from her memories, he takes her to his home, assuring her that his sister is also there. Kit can't deny that she is attracted to Gerard, but she experiences real fear and hatred when he tries to get close to her. Gerard is certain that some man in her past has abused her and he tries everything to assure her that he could never hurt her.
I adore amnesia stories and Ms. Brooks does a really good job with this one. We are lead to believe that Kit's traumatic discovery of her fiance in bed with another woman, may be the memory she chooses to block, but this doesn't explain her violent emotions when Gerard tries to seduce her. When her memory does return, she's even more frightened of Gerard, and this is almost the last straw for him.
While Ms. Brooks doesn't give us Gerard's point of view, we can easily see from his actions that he's quite smitten with Kit. I loved that he didn't give up. Ms. Brooks gives these two a very sweet HEA
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2011
Disappointing. Usually Helen Brooks' novels have pretty well-developed characters, and the plot is a logical extension of those characters. Here, why characters choose to stay near each other in the first place is highly implausible, and then why the hero, urbane and magnetic as he is, would tolerate any more of the hysterical accusatory attitude of the heroine than necessary is a complete mystery to me.
May 11, 2022
This heroine needs some serious therapy!
May 22, 2010
OMG I absolutely love this book! Its one of my favourite books from Harlequin Mills & Boons. Kit is soo beautiful and my god David. David is just such a love sick guy, I really fell in love with these two!
June 20, 2024
Too disturbing for my taste!
The h was obviously in need of serious help for her mental problems, after being badly abused as a child by her psycho stepfather. (He had an unhealthy obsession for her overweight mom, who in turn was on the rebound from being a widow and became sexually addicted to her new husband. Talk about a bat crap mess!)
Her mental problems naturally affected her relationship with the H (as well as other men, including her selfish, cheating ex-fiancé), and even when she didn't fully understand what was going on (due to partial memory loss) she still didn't acknowledge that she needed professional help.
When the H learns the whole story, he seems to think his love and support will be enough, talk about dumb! The woman needs psychiatric help ASAP!
I think the author could have used some too, for writing this!
The h was obviously in need of serious help for her mental problems, after being badly abused as a child by her psycho stepfather. (He had an unhealthy obsession for her overweight mom, who in turn was on the rebound from being a widow and became sexually addicted to her new husband. Talk about a bat crap mess!)
Her mental problems naturally affected her relationship with the H (as well as other men, including her selfish, cheating ex-fiancé), and even when she didn't fully understand what was going on (due to partial memory loss) she still didn't acknowledge that she needed professional help.
When the H learns the whole story, he seems to think his love and support will be enough, talk about dumb! The woman needs psychiatric help ASAP!
I think the author could have used some too, for writing this!
kindle-hq
June 6, 2020When Kit was stranded in Morocco with no money, her memory a blank, she could only pray for a miracle. And when Gerard Dumont, a gorgeous Frenchman, came to her rescue, Kit was so grateful that it didn't occur to her he might not be the charming protector he seemed....
It wasn't long before Kit discovered that Gerard had a hidden agenda. But by then it was too late. This brooding stranger had taken over her life, and Kit soon realized he'd also captured her heart!
It wasn't long before Kit discovered that Gerard had a hidden agenda. But by then it was too late. This brooding stranger had taken over her life, and Kit soon realized he'd also captured her heart!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews