Monday, February 5, 2018

Book #Review: Delaney's Desert Sheikh by Brenda Jackson .@AuthorBJackson

Book Title: Delaney's Desert Sheikh (Westmoreland's 1)
Author:  Brenda Jackson |WebsiteTwitterFacebook|
Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series/Standalone: Series Starter
Format: ebook, Mass Market
Cost: $4.75
Pages: 186
How I got it: Purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: November 2002
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Synopsis:
Delaney Westmoreland refused to let a mix-up in her vacation plans postpone the R and R she craved. But when she reluctantly agreed to share a secluded cabin with an arrogant sheikh bent on seduction, she found herself enrolled in a crash course in human sexuality. Unfortunately, commitment and love were misplaced pages in her darkly handsome mentor's manual. Jamal Ari Yassir had intended to school Delaney in sensuality for his pleasure, but his plan backfired. Instead of loving and leaving her, he became engulfed by an irresistible passion for his sexy-as-sin cabin mate. Could his convenient summer lover be the woman he was destined to share his life with? 
This the first of the Westmoreland family saga and it starts with the baby of the family Delaney.  She's recently accomplished her dream of becoming a Doctor and has graduated and is gearing up to complete her two year residency, but first she needs a much deserved break.  Her cousin knowing she needs the break offers her his cabin in the woods to relax for a month and she of course jumps at the chance for a little relaxation without her brothers interrupting her and getting into her space.  Except when she gets to the cabin it's already occupied by Jamal.  Jamal has recently brokered an important deal for his people and his principality and needs the time away before he goes home to assume all the duties of a Crown Prince.

Jamal is here in the house because his friend from Harvard offered him the place to stay for a month, and he's not leaving just because Delaney showed up.  I really enjoyed reading their story as Delaney as strong stubborn and had a strength that was deeper than the Mississippi river.  She's here and she's not putting up with player attitude just because he's the only man around.
"Let's Get One Thing Straight Prince" Delaney all but screamed. Your body could be made of solid gold and sprinkled with diamonds --I still wouldn't touch it unless it was mine exclusively.  I get exclusive rights from a man or nothing at all."   Jamal's gaze hardened as he stared at her " I would never give any woman exclusive rights over me". 
 I really appreciated that Brenda wrote these characters the way she did.  Jamal is a Prince used to getting his own way, as well as a man used to his countries standards and mores.  Usually when Arab men a written in these romance, they are only Arabic on paper, they speak the language they may dress 'exotically' but the religion has been stripped away, and so of course are all the cultural norms.  This book discussed what it would mean to date someone from a different culture.  In Jamal's world one marries for necessity and to be advantageous for your family, and men maintain mistresses for their 'needs' separate from producing heirs.  This goes against everything Delaney had been raised to believe about love, romance and marriage.  So this of course leads to them butting heads quite a bit.

I loved that for a time within the novel duty trumped the idea that love conquers all, and personal feelings ere put aside as Jamal wished to do hat was required of him as a Prince. Jamal as a Prince believes he has a high standard to live up to in his father, and he's here in the cabin to gain perspective and to get ready to become the man he needs to be, Delaney challenges that without even meaning to.

I loved that the two of them had so much in common and that their chemistry was off the charts.  I really enjoyed their conversations event he ones in which Delaney sounds super judgmental, because she made him think and challenged Jamal.  However,  I would have loved her learning to humble herself a bit more and not think that her way was the only way that women could be happy as well.  I enjoyed that both characters came from healthy familial backgrounds and had great relationships with their families.  They were also both successful int heir own right and had pretty healthy perspectives as individuals.

While Jamal overall as a likeable & self aware character, there is a scene within the book where he touches Delaney while she is sleeping; yes he stops on his own and doesn't take it further, he even questions his behaviour the fact that he even did it wasn't OK with me.  This plain and simple was assault, it wholy unnecessary for the story because we already knew that Delaney desired him, we didn't need her to say his name in her dreams to prove that.  For that reason I deducted a star.

I really loved the romance. I also quite enjoyed the discussion of cross cultural dating and ho they would have to bend, blend, or change for each other to make the relationship work.  Especially because the cultures were so different as well as the social classes.  I have quite a few favorite moments, including learning all about a new "not so new" kissing technique; I as thrilled to read Jamal meeting the brothers and even getting to see all the siblings interacting.  I can't wait to read the rest of the Westmoreland family and their stories.
 ★★★★☆
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Happy Reading my loves, 

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