Publisher: Vane Publishing, LLC
Date published: August 28, 2013
ISBN: 13:978-1492169956
Historical Romance
E-Book
Reviewed by Lynne
http://www.amazon.com/The-Sheik-Retold-Victoria-Vane-ebook/dp/B00EV516XU
Obtained via publisher
Date published: August 28, 2013
ISBN: 13:978-1492169956
Historical Romance
E-Book
Reviewed by Lynne
http://www.amazon.com/The-Sheik-Retold-Victoria-Vane-ebook/dp/B00EV516XU
Obtained via publisher
Rating:
5
The year is 1920. Diana Mayo is an English heiress, yet is
under the thumbnail of her half-brother, Aubrey, who is a selfish,
self-centered lout who is bored by women and seeks an American wife. Motherless Diana has been treated as a boy
all her life and was to be her brother’s companion. She learned to ride, shoot, and fish like a
man and, therefore, was raised with a cold nature and no love for any man. She is very strong-willed and independent and
rebuffs all the men seeking her hand, content with her lifestyle and being able
to afford to do whatever she fancies.
Diana soon fancies taking a tour through
the Sahara desert, despite one suitor’s attempt to stop her, sharing with her
the dangers of such a venture. Ignoring
his advice, she goes ahead with her plans, only to find herself suddenly
kidnapped and held captive by a gorgeous, powerful desert sheik, Ahmed Ben
Hassan. But little does Diana know that
her half-brother arranged the kidnapping and wants her killed.
Hassan intends to have Diana at all
costs, no matter what she wants. All she
can think of is escaping the only man who has ever stirred her heart, mind, and
body in ways she has never experienced before.
When she finally tests her boundaries, only then does she become aware
of her true feelings for her captor and reconsider what it is she really wants
out of life. And only then does she
realize the lengths Ahmed will go to to protect what is his.
THE SHEIK RETOLD by Victoria Vane
is a wonderful, skillfully-woven, exotic tale of adventure and romance that
will keep the reader on the edge of her seat.
Vane is a strong, talented writer who has done a fabulous job of
retelling the original story, THE SHEIK, first created by Edith Maude
Hull.
The passionate love story between Diana
Mayo and Ahmed Ben Hassan was later brought to life in the silent film, THE
SHEIK, which featured Rudolph Valentino and Agnes Ayres. Since I have a copy of this film, I was
intrigued at thought of Vane’s taking the initiative to retell the story. I was not disappointed. Vane has done an incredible job of rewriting THE
SHEIK, and I loved every minute of it.
Hassan and Mayo are both strong, independent characters, and it is a joy
to experience their conflicts and later the depth of emotion between them.
Vane also does the necessary job of
spicing up this story, in her own way, which adds so much more depth to THE
SHEIK RETOLD than one can experience in the film. I have not had the pleasure of reading Hull’s
original text, but I may see if I can get a copy.
Vane has made THE SHEIK RETOLD an
interesting, beautiful tale of romance that any hopeless romantic will love to
devour. Or anyone else who is interested
in well-written desert tales. Either
way, I would love to read this story again, just because I have always enjoyed
the original. This retelling has so much
more to offer the reader than one would see in the original film. Although, since I haven’t read the original
Hull version, I have nothing else with which to compare it.
The minor characters add a great deal to THE
SHEIK RETOLD as well. Gaston, Diana’s
loyal servant and faithful protector, Hassan’s enemy, Ibraheim Omair, and his
close friend, a Frenchman named Vicomte Saint Hubert, help bring this story to
life, and Vane has accomplished this well, in my opinion.
Vane does a good job in showing Hassan’s
true character, both in and out of the love nest. He is a strong, hunky, alpha male that any
woman would swoon over. And Diana is the
sort of woman that many aspire to be:
strong, independent, and in control of their lives. Yet she is also what God made women to
be: beautiful, talented,
intelligent. And able to love with her
entire being the man that is able to capture her heart.
THE SHEIK RETOLD is a fast-paced,
well-plotted romance that will thrill the reader and leave them wanting
more. I absolutely loved it. The fact that I’m a sucker for romance tales
about desert sheiks has nothing to do with it.
THE SHEIK RETOLD stands alone as a skillful tale of intrigue,
conflict, adventure, and romance that I would recommend to anyone who wants to
be whisked away to an exotic location, just for a spell, to experience a life
some may only dream about.
This is an objective review and not an
endorsement of this book.
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