The Sheikh’s Wayward Wife by Sandra Marton
14 Comments November 10th, 2008 in author, books, miniseries, sheikh Posted by Amyby Sandra Marton, author of The Sheikh’s Wayward Wife, The Sheikh’s Defiant Bride, and The Sheikh’s Rebellious Mistress
Hi, everybody!
Last month, I had the great pleasure of telling you a little about my current trilogy, The Sheikh Tycoons, and about the very first book in that trilogy, The Sheikh’s Defiant Bride. This month sees the publication of the second book, The Sheikh’s Wayward Wife. It’s steamy, romantic, and incredibly exciting!
The Sheikh’s Wayward Wife delves into what might happen if a Western woman found herself trapped and very much alone in a world far from her own, one in which centuries-old traditions are on a collision course with everything modern—especially with the rights and roles of women.
Sheikh Khalil al Hasim is as powerful, gorgeous and sexy as a man can be. He’s an Alpha hero from his head to his toes! Khalil lives, works and plays in New York but his roots are in the ancient desert kingdom of Al Ankhara. As modern as he is, he’s been raised to honor his duties to his people and to his father, the Sultan, so when he is called home on what his father describes as urgent business, Khalil expects to be given a job commensurate with his skills in running a business empire.
Not so. The ‘urgent business’ seems, at first, to be strictly ceremonial. He is to escort a bride across the kingdom to her groom. Khalil doesn’t see any reason for him to take part in something like this. Acting as an escort is beneath him. But it turns out that this isn’t just a matter of ceremony. The Sultan explains that there are serious political ramifications to the marriage, ones that will directly affect the security of Al Ankhara. Khalil’s presence as the bride’s escort will be a sign the Sultan has given the plan his blessing. It’s vital he participate.
Reluctantly, Khalil agrees and soon discovers that all is not what it seems. He’s been told that Layla, the bride, is looking forward to the wedding, that she is the obedient daughter of a sheikh. She’s a sheikh’s daughter, all right, but everything else is a lie. Layla is far from obedient. She despises her father. She’s also an American, and she certainly doesn’t want to become the wife of a barbaric brute.
Khalil is a man of honor. He knows he must find a way to do the right thing for his people as well as for the beautiful Layla. The solution? He will kidnap her and marry her himself. Never mind her wishes, or the anger of the Sultan, or the rage of the vicious bridegroom. Khalil will carry out his plan and then, with all the passion deep in his wild heart, he will bed the fiery Layla and make her his wife.
Would you like to read excerpts from The Sheikh’s Wayward Wife and from the other two books in The Sheikh Tycoons? Just go to my website, http://www.sandramarton.com/, and click on each beautiful cover.
While you’re there, click on my Contest page and enter my drawing. I’ll be giving away autographed copies of another of my best-selling trilogies. You could be the lucky winner!
By the way, even though I’m sure you’ll love all three books in The Sheikh Tycoons, I want to be sure you know that you can read them individually. Each story easily stands on its own.
Tagged with: contest • Sandra Marton • The Sheikh Tycoons
I’m fanning myself here! This story sounds delicious, Sandra! I have both books, but can’t allow myself to read just yet. I have to make progress on my own story at the moment, but I am *dying* to read these books!
I wish I’d met you in SF. The time flew by so fast, and I was always running from one thing to another, that I never did get a chance to meet you. Next year for sure!
Sandra, I’ve just read this and loooooved it, absolutely delicious from beginning to end. Can’t wait for the third installment…
x Abby
Amy as you can see everything is sorted out with my login in problems, Thanks you for taking care of it.
Sandra Marton and Kate walker are two of my favorite authors along with others. Unfortunately I have a extreme dislike for Sheikh heroes and right now I’m feeling the same with the Greek heroes, they are everywhere.
I guess one of the reasons a sheikh hero does not ignite my fire is that in the Middle East a “sheikh” is usually referred to as religious middle aged man and is known for giving a Islamic verdicts not seducing western women. So it’s hard for me to picture a sheikh as Romantic leading man.
Another great story, Sandra, and you’re right, the cover is lovely. I can really feel that heat!
Sandra–I think the word of the day for your new release is DELICIOUS!
Of course Layla isn’t obedient! As if! Sounds like another winner and I can’t wait to read it!
Hugs!
Marian Pearson Stevens
Hi Sandra
It’s so un-fair! I have to wait until the end of the month, for Amazon to get Khalil to me. How will I cope with the agony of that??
I need him with me as soon as possible. The only consolation is that a gorgeous Sheikh is best savoured slowly and with care and appreciation.
xx Karen
Sandra, I always love your sheikh books. Looking forward to reading this! I adore a romantic kidnapping story–so dramatic and passionate!
Mona, your comments made me laugh! I never thought of it that way before. So you must prefer Sandra’s fabulous city settings then, and tycoon heroes? Her New York City settings always blow me away. Sandra is so gracious and stylish, she’d fit in perfectly on Park Avenue if you ask me!
But just out of curiosity (and this sounds like a question Amy would ask), what types of heroes are you liking at the moment, if not Greeks and sheikhs?
LOL Jennie, I guess I’ve garnered a rep for asking questions!
Can I answer your question? I’m big on the Aussie heroes — always have been, always will be!
Glad you could log in Mona! (you can change your password at any time, by the way)
~Amy
I took this book on my Mexican Cruise and let me tell you the sun wasn’t the only hot thing on that ship! The book Sandra is wonderful and I adored Layla but Kahlil…..wow!
Thank you for all your great comments–and forgive me for not logging in sooner but it’s been hectic around here. (Uh huh. And what else is new???) I just finished my latest manuscript, we celebrated my dh’s birthday, my anti-virus program went out… in other words, life got in the way. Again.
Mona, just a quick response to your comment on sheikhs. The word is not really associated with religious leaders, middle-aged or otherwise. It’s a hereditary title of respect, royalty and privilege. Besides, as you know, Presents is all about fantasy and one of the oldest, sexiest, most romantic fantasies in romance literature concerns the powerful, gorgeous, I-am-in-control desert sheikh.
I still love them. The ones we create, anyway. But you know what they say: to each his (her) own!
Love,
Sandra
Jennie you said it for me. I really like romance that takes place in the city especially ones with rich and powerful heroes. I always get excited by American, Australian and English heroes. Can’t get enough of them.
Sandra the exact meaning of the word “sheikh” means elder. This is commonly used in the Islamic world for wise Islamic scholar who is usually an older gentleman. If you ask anyone who is a Muslim to describe a “sheikh” the only answer you would get is associated it with religion, nothing to do with royalty and privilege like it has been romanticized in the west.
I should know sense they are several sheikhs in my family. But like you said romance is about the fantasy not the reality. But for me sheikhs will have to stay away sense I don’t want my uncles and grandfather in my fantasy. Give me City tycoon heroes any day.
Mona, you’re in a position to know… but I have friends in the Muslim world who would tell you that the definition of sheikh depends on which country you live in, which branch of Islam you’re part of, etc. Sheikhs are more the rich guys we talk about in, say, Dubai than they are in, for instance, Iran.
But we can definitely agree that the fantasy is the thing. As for American heroes… they’re among my favorites. Though my next hero is a Greek prince–the launch book for an amazing new continuity series, coming in July–I’ve just begun writing about 4 American guys for my next mini-series, the Orsini Brothers, which will begin in 2009. (Though I have to admit, I think my Greek prince is yummy!)
Hello Sandra,
I’ve been reading and enjoying your books for many years. I’m glad to hear that you will be writing more books with American heros soon. It’s been quite a while since I have read any recent Presents set in the States, I’ll look forward to reading them.
I do agree with Mona on the saturation of Greek heros, it seems that most Presents books are about Greek or Italians, which is ok, but getting a little stale. Unfortunately, I am also a reader who is totally turned off by Sheikh books, I never buy them. But, I think that I am in the minority on this point, so I’m sure your new books will do well, they certainly sound exciting.
And, I’m looking forward to a new continuity series, although I’ve never gotten around to finishing all my Niroli books yet. I wanted to wait to read them until I had the whole set and didn’t have to wait for the next one to come out, but that wasn’t a very good plan because they got buried in my “to read” pile and never made it up to the top! I’d better finish them before the new series starts.
Cheryl
Hi CheryL
I’m delighted to hear that you’ve been enjoying my books for years. That’s a lovely compliment. Thank you.
It’s true that Meditteranean heroes are very popular… but I have to admit that my Greek and Italian heroes, even my sheikh heroes, are almost always based in the USA and educated in American universities.
My current three sheikhs, for example, were all educated in NYC, live in NYC, and work in NYC.
I guess you could say I try to combine the best of both worlds, the world I know with a world that’s slightly more exotic.
But the bottom line is that a Presents hero is always an Alpha hero, and Alphas are truly the heroes those of us who write them, and read them, love.
Sandra