The Desert Bride of Al Zayed by Tessa Radley

I quite enjoyed this novel about a couple who were pulled apart by the lies of someone who was thought to be beyond reproach. I loved the descriptions of Zayed and the desert. I felt as though I was in this beautiful, exotic place, feeling the hot desert wind blowing on my face, seeing Tariq's majestic falcon on the hunt, feeling the deluge of a sudden, violent rainstorm, the smells of spices, and experiencing the customs so different from my own but much appreciated by me all the same. This book evokes most of those feelings that make sheikh romances so enjoyable for me. I feel that the author did try to do research and not just stereotype the Arab and Bedouin peoples, which is very important to me. And better yet, I liked both the heroine and the hero. They were both good people, although they had allowed the lies of the Emir to tear them apart. Finally a hero who remains faithful although he is separated from his wife. Tariq really was a good man. He was proud, but not so proud he was obnoxious. He really cared about doing the right thing, which made it so sad that he believed his father would never lie about something like telling him his wife Jayne had cheated on him. Jayne was also a good person, although she did something that I struggle with. I believe she did it because she felt it was the right thing to do, but my heart aches at the choice she made, which will affect Tariq and her lives for always. Sadly this couple will count the cost of the Emir's lies for the rest of their life, but for Jayne's sister, it was a wonderful blessing at the same time. This is my second read by Tessa Radley, and I must say she is a really good writer who knows how to involve a reader in the romance tale she weaves so skillfuly with words. I hope to read about Tariq's Greek cousins soon.