The Desert King

by Olivia Gates

Their farce of a marriage will save his kingdom. And in return for an heir, Kamal Aal Masood will give his new wife Aliyah anything--except the trust and intimacy she desperately wants. When Kamal abruptly ended their blistering affair years ago, he vowed Aliyah would never ensnare him again. Only a fool allowed his actions to be ruled by his heart. And only a woman like Aliyah would dare to challenge a king in a passionate battle of wills....

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0373768966
• ISBN13: 9780373768967
• Release Date: September 2008
• Publisher: Harlequin Desire
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 4.2" x 6.6"

Customer Reviews

Emotional and passionate

Prince Kamal and the future King of Judar was the most ruthless brother of all in the final book in The Throne of Judar's miniseries. You'll just want to shake him for his lack of insight and anger when it came to a past affair with the lovely and fragile Aliyah. Seven years earlier they had been a couple and then the fierce and emotional break up when Kamal believed his lover to be a drug user and slut as he spat out to her, ending the relationship and leaving Aliyah in an emotional mess. Now he needs Aliyah to marry him, become his queen while he rules two nations, one being her father's. For Aliyah she's an emotion mess, not only is her heart broken by the parents she believed she had, she now finds out that she has not only a new father but also a new mother and a sister. On top of everything the insults she receives from Kamal and the realization she must marry him to save both nations and in the end, after she bears him an heir, they will divorce. Can her heart bear anymore hurt? This was an incredible ending for this miniseries with many lessons being learned in the end.....forgiveness, appreciation of each other, healing and miraculous love. The Desert King and The Throne of Judar minseries you won't want to miss written by the talented Olivia Gates.

She's A Keeper

I loved this book! This author writes with great emotion and intensity. I could literally feel what the characters were experiencing and as a fellow "professional romance reader" (grin), I'm sure I don't have to tell those of you who know, that's a writing technique hard to execute, but a pleasure as a reader to experience. I read this authors whole series, enjoyed each book and wait impatiently for her future work. Keep 'em coming!

A firestorm of passion and emotion!

Third in the Throne of Judar series, THE DESERT KING by Olivia Gates tells the passionate and tempestuous romance of the third brother Kamal Aal Massod. THE DESERT KING takes the reader on a journey into an exotic imaginary kingdom that combines hereditary and merit as entitlement to the throne. Be prepared to be swept into a world all its own in THE DESERT KING. Combining traditional ancient culture and passions with modern characters and concerns, Olivia Gates sets off a firestorm of passion between strong characters placed in a tension-filled drama that threatens to overwhelm character and region but just as the intensity builds, threatening to overtake all, she unveils a surprising tenderness, a turn that delights and uplifts, embracing not only the two lovers but also family and region. My main word of advice is put everything aside, open this book and be prepared to be transported with her unique sense of imagination, characterization and delightful, poetic use of language. Seven years ago, Kamal Aal Masood loved Aliyah with a passion, an addiction even, that consumed ever fiber of his being but then he discovered what she has been trying to hide. Addicted to drugs and promiscuous, Aliyah is now the woman he must marry to preserve peace among rival kingdoms! No matter the cost to him, Kamal will honor his duty. Of all the brothers, he alone now holds the key. How dare she refuse him! Kamal will do anything and give anything to honor his responsibilities to rule the kingdom and produce an heir, but will he find the way to Aliyah's heart? Can he give her the one thing she needs the most? Aliyah thought losing Kamal was the worst thing that could happen. Seven years later, a revelation and declaration turns her world upside down. She discovers her parents are not whom she thought, she must adapt to having new parents and she is expected to marry the one man who nearly destroyed her seven years ago and all for some outdated notion of power. How much more loss can she take? Now, as a pawn in a political game, must she lose everything, even herself and then be discarded when she has produced the desired heir? One thing is for certain --- Aliyah is no pushover and in a battle of wills, she can give just as much as she gets! Can destiny and love have a way of overpowering and upending the best laid battle strategies? In THE DESERT KING, Olivia Gates concludes her Throne of Judar series with an emotional, passionate romance that blends beauty, power, legend and innovation all in one. Kamal is all power and beauty behind his restrained, duty-bound intentions and yet, Olivia Gates also gives the reader an insight to the side of him even his brothers cannot see. Not only do we understand the reasons for his attitudes in the previous books, but here, we catch the insider's look into the heart of gold that lies hidden behind his all consuming power. Beneath the intense emotions provoked by Kamal, Aliyah is a rock, a woman who has her entire life pulle

A rousing love story

Occasionally a story almost overwhelms one emotionally, and THE DESERT KING is definitely an example of this consuming power. From the first exceedingly gripping scene filled with open feelings to the last compelling moment, there is never a respite from the depicted emotions pouring off the pages between this most unforgettable couple. Olivia Gates has absolutely outdone herself in creating a deeply affecting love story with touching sentiments and two particularly appealing characters. There has only been one woman who has been able to bring Kamal Aal Masood under her control; that is, until he discovered the truth about Aliyah Morgan. She professed to love him seven years ago, and although he also desired her above all others, he believes she is keeping secrets plus lying to him. When her addictions become known to him, any real feelings he had at the time are destroyed. Kamal regretfully knew their relationship had to end, and he informs her of how he never wants her in his life again. Destiny has a way of not adhering to one's wishes, as Kamal will shortly become the new King of Judar and the chosen queen for him will be Aliyah. With the recent disclosures of several misconceptions, he has learned marriage to the one woman whom he did not ever want to see again is the only way to keep peace in his desert kingdom. Though he has never forgotten one instant he shared with this stunning woman including all the tremendous heartache, he knows the future of his country is more important than his personal feelings and summons Aliyah to meet with him to discuss their upcoming marriage. From the moment these two are reunited, their inner declarations to not let the other have power over them in any way quickly dissolve, as emotions and passions come into play. Olivia Gates has once again masterfully created a beautifully told story of intense anguish and untold passions. Each story in her Throne of Judar miniseries has been totally fascinating throughout, and I believe this story is the most noteworthy. The characters are distinctive, as their true natures come through loud and clear with originality. Both Kamal and Aliyah possess a dogged determination and do not like to give in to others without a good reason, so it was very moving to watch these two go through such a myriad of emotions when it came to how they reacted toward each other. Their responses are always honest and frequently shown with a candidness which had me smiling from their sharp barbs. The intimate scenes between these two are overflowing with so much blazingly sensuality, I kept expecting to feel heat coming from the pages. Ms. Gates expertly depicts the passion felt by Kamal and Aliyah, and every single moment of these encounters ignited my own imagination. As for the story, it is told with such visual descriptions, letting the reader also experience each enchanting scene. The lavish traditions of the royal wedding are breathtakingly portrayed with such colorful facts, makin