Review of The Sheikh and the Virgin Secretary by Susan Mallery

My love for the sheikh and desert romance genre stems from it being the first romance and adult book I got my hands on. I've since branched out to fantasy, historical and modern romances penned by Brenda Joyce,and Jayne Ann Krentz. But as it always goes with first love, it never dies so sheikh romances are my ultimate, quickie romantic escape.

That being said, looking for a well-written one is a lot like searching for a diamond among peanuts or however you say it. Needle in the sand. Needle in the haystack. But there are good ones, and Susan Mallery's got one of them.

Susan Mallery wrote the Desert Rogues series. You can read it any order or chronologically. I 've only read one so far, which is The Sheikh and the Virgin Secretary,# 10 in the series. I don't like the title (I bemoan the lack of creative titles in romance these days and will get to that in another post) but this is a jewel of a book! Simply unputdownable!

Characters

Prince Rafiq of Lucia-Serrat and Kiley Hendrick

Plot
Kiley catches her fiance Eric cheating on her just days before the wedding. In revenge, she calls on her boss, Rafiq, to be her lover. Kiley's attractive and smart so of course, Rafiq agrees. Things are easy-breezy until his stepmother comes along and shakes things up. As it goes with stepmothers, she's a bitch and knows how to get to Rafiq. He reacts by proposing marriage to Kiley. Again, things are easy-breezy until Eric makes another appearance (this guy pops out like a jackrabbit, really) and, whether intentionally or out of genuine concern for Kiley (really now), bursts the happy bubble of fun and sex the boss and secretary are floating in. 

I Love Them Both!
I've never seen a couple as well-matched as Kiley and Rafiq. They are both strong, assertive people. 

Of all the fictional sheikhs I've come across, I like Rafiq the best. He's really sweet on Kiley, is pretty down-to-earth, friendly and he trusts her to fight her own battles though he would step in the second she snaps her fingers. Kiley too is no wimpy, weepy heroine. She's sure about what she wants, and doesn't hesitate to let them be known. I just love her.

And they're really funny together. Kiley keeps on reminding Rafiq what a waste of time it is for him to put on all those seductions moves as she's "the sure thing:" but he's just as insistent that her first time should be perfect.  

Hands down, Kiley and Rafiq are my favorite couple. 

Best Lines

"So is there a place one goes to find a woman fit to be a princess? Like a princess store?" 

Her eyes were bright with humor and the corners of her mouth curved up.

"There's an Internet site, he said, pretending to be serious.

"Oh, I'd love to see it. Do you type in specifications? Height, weight, number of sons required."
"Of course. Along with how many languages I want her to speak and what accomplishments she should have."

Goes into the Kasbah or Cast Out
Are you kidding me? I'm never letting this book out of my sight!