I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
Desert Warrior
by
Nalini Singh
romance in Paperback edition that was published by Silhouette on August 1, 2003 and has 192 pages.
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Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Must Love Hellhounds, Kiss of Snow, An Enchanted Season, Archangel's Blade, Angels of Darkness, Lord of the Abyss, Angels' Flight, Tangle of Need, Play of Passion, Archangel's Storm, Wild Invitation, Heart of Obsidian, Archangel's Legion, "Hide and Seek", "Making Dinner", Shield of Winter, "A Conversation", "Home", Angels' Pawn, "New Year's Kisses", Night Shift, "Weapons Training", "Zoë's Workshop", "Wild Night", Archangel's Shadows, Archangel’s Enigma, Shards of Hope, “Fairy Balloons”, “An Unexpected Guest”, Allegiance of Honor, "The Song of the Wolf", Silver Silence, Archangel’s Heart, Archangel’s Viper, Ocean Light, "Elena's School of Horror", Cherish Hard, "Ain’t No Party Like A Bear Party", Archangel's Prophecy, "One Night At The Refuge", "Secret Things", Rebel Hard, Rock Hard, Wolf Rain, "Clean and Dirty", "Wolf School", "Naya’s Most Important Visitors", "Grocery Shopping", "The Cannibal Princess", "A Gift for Kit", "Movie Night", "Kaleb and Sahara’s Meeting with Sascha and Lucas", "Housewarming at the Orchard", "Christmas in the Kitchen", "Stalking Hawke", "Romancing Drew", "Sunday Morning", "Rowan", "Baubles & Ben", Wild Embrace, Love Hard, Rock Addiction, "Music Awards", Rock Courtship, "Rock Courtship Memo"s, Rock Redemption, "Sunshine", Rock Wedding, "With This Memo", "That Lip Ring…", A Madness of Sunshine, "Beary Tiny Ghosts", Alpha Night, "A Wedding Breakfast", "Poker Night", "Knives and Sheaths", "Seedlings", "Star Kissed", "A Walk on the Cliffs", "Wild Cat Blues", Slave to Sensation, Caressed by Ice, Visions of Heat, Kiss Hard, Angels' Blood, Archangel's Kiss, Archangel's War, Archangel's Sun, Archangel's Light, Archangel's Resurrection, Last Guard, “A Perfect Moment”, "Music in the Rain", Storm Echo, Resonance Surge, "Mate", “New Year’s Eve”, Archangel's Lineage, Visions of Heat, Mine to Possess, Hostage to Pleasure, Branded by Fire, Blaze of Memory
Part of the Silhouette Desire romance series, #1529 to be exact.
My Take
A romance of thwarted love with the female half of it supposedly braving all sorts of dangers to be with the man she loves. And Singh does start off making us think that somehow Jasmine doesn’t want to be in Zulheil when actually she’s desperately hoping that Tariq still wants her.
Sure, he’s angry with her and it takes almost the entire story before he figures out that she was too young at the time. He has also — finally — learned how awful her parents were and how they undermined any confidence she may have had. Just as Jasmine uses the same time to realize the same thing, believing that her love for him now is richer, deeper.
Tariq alternates between loving and threatening Jasmine. He is terrified of allowing his weakness for her to overcome his judgment, his peoples’ perception of him. Of loving her and giving her that power over him. Instead, Tariq keeps her off-balance with his granting her “permission” to do things and his possessiveness.
It’s an uphill battle for Jasmine to prove her love, gain his trust. Just when she feels she has made a gain, he drags her down.
I don’t really see what the point was in having Jasmine “confirm” Tariq’s fears and lying to him about New Zealand. None of the writing in that particular section makes any sense.
That said, in spite of all the drama and the tension Singh creates, it’s really a fairly lame tale with all this adolescent hurt swirling about them. It’s all very surface. It is a fun, romantic read with all sorts of drama, just don’t expect anything deep.
The Story
Four years ago, Jasmine was too timid to go against her parents. But now, with four years of finding herself and her nerve, she has chosen to go to the man whom parents were against despite his threat to her that should she ever step on Zulheil soil, she will never leave it.
The Characters
Tariq al-Huzzein Donovan Zamanat is the new Sheik of Zulheil with the death of his parents. Four years ago Jasmine “Mina” Coleridge chose to stay with her family turning him and his love down. Now she has rallied her courage and is choosing Tariq over her family.
Hiraz is Tariq’s chief adviser and closest friend; Mumtaz is his wife and Jasmine’s guide within the palace.
Sarah is her older “sister” (a cousin really) who despises Jasmine for having Tariq’s love. The woman Jasmine had known as her mother’s sister is actually her mother while Lucille and James Coleridge, the people she had considered her parents were actually relatives who insisted on being paid for having to take Jasmine in. There are two other “brothers” as well.
The Title
The title is direct as it reflects the hero of our story, the Desert Warrior.
