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Desert Kings #3
Duty, Desire and the Desert King
As the black sheep of the Fehrs, a powerful desert family, middle son Zayed has sworn off love and marriage. This playboy prince is happiest when cruising the casinos of Monte Carlo. But then family tragedy leaves him the heir to his kingdom's throne. Custom dictates that a wife must be seated beside him, and he's got just the bride in mind….
Rou Tournell is a feisty, independent woman—and if she won't marry Zayed for duty, maybe desire will help persuade her….
Rou Tournell is a feisty, independent woman—and if she won't marry Zayed for duty, maybe desire will help persuade her….
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 30, 2009
About the author
Jane Porter
600 books2,063 followersBorn in Visalia, California, I'm a small town girl at heart. I love central California's golden foothills, oak trees, and the miles of farmland. In my mind, there's nothing sweeter in the world than the heady fragrance of orange blossoms on a sultry summer night.
As a little girl I spent hours on my bed, staring out the window, dreaming of far off places, fearless knights, and happy-ever-after endings. In my imagination I was never the geeky bookworm with the thick coke-bottle glasses, but a princess, a magical fairy, a Joan-of-Arc crusader.
My parents fed my imagination by taking our family to Europe for a year when I was thirteen. The year away changed me (I wasn't a geek for once!) and overseas I discovered a huge and wonderful world with different cultures and customs. I loved everything about Europe, but felt especially passionate about Italy and those gorgeous Italian men (no wonder my first very Presents hero was Italian).
I confess, after that incredible year in Europe, the travel bug bit, and bit hard. I spent much of my high school and college years abroad, studying in South Africa, Japan and Ireland. South Africa remains a country of my heart, the people, the land and politics complex and heart-wrenching.
After my years of traveling and studying I had to settle down and earn a living. With my Bachelors degree from UCLA in American Studies, a program that combines American literature and American history, I've worked in sales and marketing, as well as a director of a non-profit foundation. Later I earned my Masters in Writing from the University of San Francisco and taught jr. high and high school English.
I now live in Seattle and Hawaii with my three sons. I never mind a rainy day, either, because that's when I sit at my desk and write stories about far-away places, fascinating people, and most importantly of all, love. I like a story with a happy ending. We all do.
As a little girl I spent hours on my bed, staring out the window, dreaming of far off places, fearless knights, and happy-ever-after endings. In my imagination I was never the geeky bookworm with the thick coke-bottle glasses, but a princess, a magical fairy, a Joan-of-Arc crusader.
My parents fed my imagination by taking our family to Europe for a year when I was thirteen. The year away changed me (I wasn't a geek for once!) and overseas I discovered a huge and wonderful world with different cultures and customs. I loved everything about Europe, but felt especially passionate about Italy and those gorgeous Italian men (no wonder my first very Presents hero was Italian).
I confess, after that incredible year in Europe, the travel bug bit, and bit hard. I spent much of my high school and college years abroad, studying in South Africa, Japan and Ireland. South Africa remains a country of my heart, the people, the land and politics complex and heart-wrenching.
After my years of traveling and studying I had to settle down and earn a living. With my Bachelors degree from UCLA in American Studies, a program that combines American literature and American history, I've worked in sales and marketing, as well as a director of a non-profit foundation. Later I earned my Masters in Writing from the University of San Francisco and taught jr. high and high school English.
I now live in Seattle and Hawaii with my three sons. I never mind a rainy day, either, because that's when I sit at my desk and write stories about far-away places, fascinating people, and most importantly of all, love. I like a story with a happy ending. We all do.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 6, 2011
3,5 stars
This is the 3rd book in Jane Porter’s fabulous Desert Kings Series about the royal brothers of a faraway desert country….
A psychologist/scientist – a super matchmaker who finds compatible people to marry, who is asked by the prince to find him the perfect wife.
So what happens when the prince discovers that he’s actually attracted to the matchmaker, who he had previously thought dull and boring…yes they had met a few years before – now, after one kiss, decides that none of the proposed brides match the matchmaker???
That’s right!!!! He wants Rou because after getting to know her and after one kiss…he realizes that she’s the perfect match for a wife!!!!
This is a really sweet and endearing story and the two main characters are totally engaging.
Of course there’s a lot of misunderstandings and obstacles on the way…but really, what else did I expect???? The desert prince gets his priorities in order and flies off into the horizon…no, that’s what they both do when they sort out all their nonsense…he flies off across the oceans to get her back into his life and so …then they both fly off into the horizon and find their HEA!!!
Don’t you just love escaping into another world????
This is the 3rd book in Jane Porter’s fabulous Desert Kings Series about the royal brothers of a faraway desert country….
A prince who steals the heart of beautiful and smart woman….swoon!!!
A desert prince – tortured by his childhood memories..handsome, rich and the black sheep of the desert kingdom Fehr royal family, who spends his life living it up all over the world hot spots. Finds himself having to give up his playboy lifestyle and go back home to find a suitable wife when his brother, the King goes missing in a plane crash.
A psychologist/scientist – a super matchmaker who finds compatible people to marry, who is asked by the prince to find him the perfect wife.
So what happens when the prince discovers that he’s actually attracted to the matchmaker, who he had previously thought dull and boring…yes they had met a few years before – now, after one kiss, decides that none of the proposed brides match the matchmaker???
That’s right!!!! He wants Rou because after getting to know her and after one kiss…he realizes that she’s the perfect match for a wife!!!!
This is a really sweet and endearing story and the two main characters are totally engaging.
Of course there’s a lot of misunderstandings and obstacles on the way…but really, what else did I expect???? The desert prince gets his priorities in order and flies off into the horizon…no, that’s what they both do when they sort out all their nonsense…he flies off across the oceans to get her back into his life and so …then they both fly off into the horizon and find their HEA!!!
Don’t you just love escaping into another world????
Read
February 9, 2020Skimmed then DNF.
Everyone's glass is half full.
Too many dead people.
It's me not you.
I'll give the older brother a try.
Everyone's glass is half full.
Too many dead people.
It's me not you.
I'll give the older brother a try.
June 7, 2017
Cold heroine.
January 4, 2010
Afraid-to-love Cursed Sheikh meets afraid-to-love repressed matchmaker. I thought this was a pretty fun read, in a dumb kind of way. Decent drama, if you don't think about it too hard. My mouth just fell open at the very end though, in which the heroine finds absolute bliss at being a wife and mother and throws the whole rest of her former life in the toilet. Who still writes endings like that, in 2009? Jane Porter, I guess.
September 29, 2020
Sorry but this failed on so many different levels and was a total disappointment in an already ‘so-so’ series.
I disliked Rou, the heroine. I found her boring, petty and unpleasant.
The hero was okay - definitely the more interesting character. I’ve come to the conclusion that JP is great at writing heroes but not so good with her heroines. For me, Rou does not behave like a 21st century, intelligent and educated woman at all. By the end I had lost all patience with her.
The big flaw for me in this book was what JP did to poor King Sharif. Even when he’s rescued and recovered we don’t get a single word from him, and his poor wife doesn’t even get a mention at the christening. Why wasn’t there a scene to catch up all the brothers and their wives enjoying their happy ever after. This was really disappointing.
I disliked Rou, the heroine. I found her boring, petty and unpleasant.
The hero was okay - definitely the more interesting character. I’ve come to the conclusion that JP is great at writing heroes but not so good with her heroines. For me, Rou does not behave like a 21st century, intelligent and educated woman at all. By the end I had lost all patience with her.
The big flaw for me in this book was what JP did to poor King Sharif. Even when he’s rescued and recovered we don’t get a single word from him, and his poor wife doesn’t even get a mention at the christening. Why wasn’t there a scene to catch up all the brothers and their wives enjoying their happy ever after. This was really disappointing.
July 2, 2019
Years ago I would never have picked up this book. It's a Harlequin and the title sounds very contrived. Thankfully, I am reading through the RITA winners and finalists. This was a terrific book and the title is 100% appropriate.
Rou Tornell was a Ph.D. psychologist, author, and renowned matchmaker. Sheikh Zayed Fehr was the middle son and the black sheep of his family. When his older brother, King Sharif Fehr, is presumed dead in a plane crash Zayed must marry quickly in order to assume the throne. He turns to Rou for helping finding a wife, but ends up marrying Rou.
Both Zayed and Rou have quite a bit of emotional baggage to overcome before they can make their marriage work. I really wanted them to work things out. When they did, my tears were flowing. This was a much better book than I ever dreamed it would be. Top notch example of a good Harlequin romance.
Rou Tornell was a Ph.D. psychologist, author, and renowned matchmaker. Sheikh Zayed Fehr was the middle son and the black sheep of his family. When his older brother, King Sharif Fehr, is presumed dead in a plane crash Zayed must marry quickly in order to assume the throne. He turns to Rou for helping finding a wife, but ends up marrying Rou.
Both Zayed and Rou have quite a bit of emotional baggage to overcome before they can make their marriage work. I really wanted them to work things out. When they did, my tears were flowing. This was a much better book than I ever dreamed it would be. Top notch example of a good Harlequin romance.
June 25, 2017
Zayed Fehr's older brother, Sharif, went missing when his aircraft went down. As second in line to the throne of Sarq, it is Zayed's responsibility to take over as King until Sharif is found alive or dead. According to the country's laws, Zayed must marry in a short period of time. To fulfill that requirement, he hires Rou Tornell, professional matchmaker to find a wife, but then decides she would be the best one for him.
If you don't want major spoilers, don't look at the tags.
If you don't want major spoilers, don't look at the tags.
November 14, 2017
About the what you'd expect from a Harlequin about a Sheikh. The h is an emotional mess (with good reason) but she knows she is and she works on it. The H was a real insensitive jerk and hurt her deeply in the past. I wish that the past hurt had been better handled and that the H could've better understood the hurt he caused many women (not just the h) by his behavior. But it was glossed over and forgotten.
This was a great romantic story. There are many twists and turns and mountains to climb to get to the HEA. Happily, the h stands up for herself without becoming a shrew. And the H figures his sh#$ out and gets his act together.
This was a great romantic story. There are many twists and turns and mountains to climb to get to the HEA. Happily, the h stands up for herself without becoming a shrew. And the H figures his sh#$ out and gets his act together.
November 8, 2018
Thank God I'm finally at the end of this.
I found this book to be slightly more interesting than the 2nd book in the trilogy, but that was mainly due to the accident that involved the main character from the 1st book, Sharif Fehr. I found the storyline more compelling than the characters, and even they did their best to put me off reading this book. I can now return these to my library and forget about them.
2.75 stars
I found this book to be slightly more interesting than the 2nd book in the trilogy, but that was mainly due to the accident that involved the main character from the 1st book, Sharif Fehr. I found the storyline more compelling than the characters, and even they did their best to put me off reading this book. I can now return these to my library and forget about them.
2.75 stars
November 2, 2019
It was a good book with many twists and turns!
I have read all three books in the series, and I truthfully say they are worth the time to indulge in reading them and see what fighting for your love is worth! It's worth the most most happy, estataticly happy existence in the world in the arms of true love!
I have read all three books in the series, and I truthfully say they are worth the time to indulge in reading them and see what fighting for your love is worth! It's worth the most most happy, estataticly happy existence in the world in the arms of true love!
February 19, 2017
Zayed, the middle brother, believing himself to be a curse to his family, left them all and became a playboy out in the world, to avoid hurting them. In his playboy experiences, he met and charmed professional matchmaker Rou Tournell, and just their one evening together, ending with just a peck on the cheek and a promise to call made an impression on her. Until he didn't call. And she found out how he really felt about her. So when Zayed ends up as temporary king and needs to marry ASAP, he turns to Rou to make a match for him, but he's surprised at her hostility and refusal to help. And once he kisses her, he realizes that no other wife will do but her. But she doesn't trust him, especially since he admits that he will not ever love.
Eh. As much as I liked some parts of this, like Rou's initial backbone and refusal to even help Zayed and Zayed's periods of extreme vulnerability, I still had problems with parts of this. First is how quickly we just drop the issue of the hurtful e-mail. Especially as it's also indicatory of his attitude toward breaking women's hearts. Maybe Zayed didn't realize it, but his leaving his family to avoid hurting them caused pain for all the women he loved and left. And he never actually deals with this or is forced to come to terms with it. I wasn't even satisfied with his apology to Rou over it all. Now Rou is an emotional mess, but with good reason considering Zayed's history and manipulation. And he drops the ball in his promises too, further hurting Rou. So after he forces her to marry him, gives her just enough time to fall in love with him and makes so many promises about how he'll protect her, respect her and be there for her, he abandons her and treats her as third rate. Her response was beautiful, but his later apology lacked some serious grovel. At least he apologized - I appreciate that much, but there needed to be so much more. Also - so not thrilled with the epilogue here as .
Eh. As much as I liked some parts of this, like Rou's initial backbone and refusal to even help Zayed and Zayed's periods of extreme vulnerability, I still had problems with parts of this. First is how quickly we just drop the issue of the hurtful e-mail. Especially as it's also indicatory of his attitude toward breaking women's hearts. Maybe Zayed didn't realize it, but his leaving his family to avoid hurting them caused pain for all the women he loved and left. And he never actually deals with this or is forced to come to terms with it. I wasn't even satisfied with his apology to Rou over it all. Now Rou is an emotional mess, but with good reason considering Zayed's history and manipulation. And he drops the ball in his promises too, further hurting Rou. So after he forces her to marry him, gives her just enough time to fall in love with him and makes so many promises about how he'll protect her, respect her and be there for her, he abandons her and treats her as third rate. Her response was beautiful, but his later apology lacked some serious grovel. At least he apologized - I appreciate that much, but there needed to be so much more. Also - so not thrilled with the epilogue here as .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2015
I have a lot of opinions about this book, I really didn't enjoy I found myself irritated with both of them but mostly the heroine Rou.
Apparently Rou and the hero Zayed went on a date a couple of years earlier, and Rou enjoyed the date,but Zayed didn't, He even complains about how boring and lackluster she was in a PRIVATE email to HIS BROTHER!! Rou who was working as his brothers research assistant reads the email and doesn't tell anyone she has, and kinda holds it against the hero for basically most of the book.
1) It wasn't as though he was rude to her, she thought it went great so he wasn't a dick about it. He wrote to his brother about how much he didn't enjoy it, we can't hold it against the poor guy for discussing how he actually felt in confidence with his brother. She was wayy more upset about it then it was warranted, and yes she had childhood issues, but this guy wasn't being mean to her, and she spends the beginning half of the book being super rude to him without really explaining to him why.
2) who gets a PhD and spends almost a decade studying to become a professional matchmaker, like really that's what the world needs smart intelligent women for.
3) He was kinda demanding too much from her so quickly, like you can't tell someone you're going to take care of them and protect them and support them, and then literally leave them to fend for themselves.
and I lost my train of thought so heres this so far and I will edit this and add more points as a I remember them
Apparently Rou and the hero Zayed went on a date a couple of years earlier, and Rou enjoyed the date,but Zayed didn't, He even complains about how boring and lackluster she was in a PRIVATE email to HIS BROTHER!! Rou who was working as his brothers research assistant reads the email and doesn't tell anyone she has, and kinda holds it against the hero for basically most of the book.
1) It wasn't as though he was rude to her, she thought it went great so he wasn't a dick about it. He wrote to his brother about how much he didn't enjoy it, we can't hold it against the poor guy for discussing how he actually felt in confidence with his brother. She was wayy more upset about it then it was warranted, and yes she had childhood issues, but this guy wasn't being mean to her, and she spends the beginning half of the book being super rude to him without really explaining to him why.
2) who gets a PhD and spends almost a decade studying to become a professional matchmaker, like really that's what the world needs smart intelligent women for.
3) He was kinda demanding too much from her so quickly, like you can't tell someone you're going to take care of them and protect them and support them, and then literally leave them to fend for themselves.
and I lost my train of thought so heres this so far and I will edit this and add more points as a I remember them
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2012
Unexpectedly good, except for word repetitions in sentences. It could've been much better if the viewpoint of Zayed was explored more.
I liked the character development in this novella, we see the various facets of each character and we come to understand why they did what they did.
Given each of their histories, the ending does make sense.
I liked the character development in this novella, we see the various facets of each character and we come to understand why they did what they did.
Given each of their histories, the ending does make sense.
October 13, 2011
Loved this story of opposites attracting...It is a fast, enjoyable read and has sensual aspects between the main characters.
July 4, 2012
3.5 Stars!
July 16, 2012
A predictable but still an enjoyable read.
July 29, 2015
The 3rd in the series and I'm just loving this series and can't wait for the next one
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews