SYNOPSIS: Carmen had fled from Farooq Aal Masood, pregnant and alone. After all, their relationship was only intended as a fling and Carmen never thought she could get pregnant! Now, Farooq is determined to claim both Carmen and their child, Mennah. Will his sense of betrayal prevent him from seeing Carmen's love for him?
MY THOUGHTS: At first glance, THE DESERT LORD'S BABY is everything I don't want to read in a book. Farooq is a very dominant man and his power has made him used to others giving in to him. This is where the gift of an author truly shines however. Olivia Gates makes me like Farooq! In fact, she makes me understand him and see his point of view in the entire scenario as Farooq's passion for Carmen shines through every facet of his being. Carmen's fear of Farooq's reaction to the pregnancy has tainted her mental view of him, but her actions show what she cannot yet acknowledge herself: that their love is powerful beyond words.
Olivia Gates writes some of the most stunning scenes! The image of Carmen during the henna process is perhaps the most incredible and revealing scene of THE DESERT LORD'S BABY. The depth of Carmen's love begins to reveal itself as she yearns for him with every fiber of her being. I think it was at that point that I fell in love with Farooq's character as well... and the grand finale of the tale only solidified my belief that Farooq's tough exterior hid a compassionate heart of gold.
Olivia Gates writes one heck of a romance tale! THE DESERT LORD'S BABY is incredibly sensuous and it is beautiful to see Carmen and Farooq look beyond the exterior to what is in their hearts.
And just as a sidenote, I really enjoyed the whole underlying theme involving names and their power. Talk about a subtle but very powerful emotional punch!
NIce blog. This really was
NIce blog. This really was a powerful book! I am lookingforward to reading much more by this
author.
AKA Merri
Family Challenge Team: The Spine Breakers with my dh Glenn AKA Phaedrus
So glad you enjoyed it.
So glad you enjoyed it, sometimes I worry when I like a book so much, how others would feel. I was pretty sure you'd really like this one though. The words just flow and the scenes were so vivid in my mind. I too liked the names and the impact of them.
The D2K Paranormal Junkies ~ 2008 Book Challenge Blog
I think Olivia is really coming into her own
as an author. The most recent two reads by her -- the Desire and the medical -- have just, IMHO, been amazing and better than anything I've read by her to date. I'm very excited about everything she has in the pipeline!
Penn
Join the 2008 Book (Reading) Challenge!!! It’s for a good cause and it’s FUN!
Come find my teammates and me at The DFWPlus Blog!
I knew...
with all the rave reviews that it was worth taking the chance~ besides, Sadhbh offered to reimburse me if I bought the book and didn't like it!
But wow, I was impressed all the same!
The D2K Paranormal Junkies 2008 Challenge
Debi
If there's anything as good as giving those who'd enjoyed my books in the past a new book that maintains their good opinion, it has to be giving a reader who's skeptical about my book's premise a book that satisfies her mind and doesn't press any of the hot buttons she expected it to press and surprises her in only good ways.
I'm particularly thrilled that you said you got to understand Farooq, to see his point of view and how his love for Carmen shone through every facet of his being. I always hope my heroes would access a reader's empathy and not only her...uh, other responses.
I'm also delighted you thought Carmen's henna process scene incredible and revealing. I hope you enjoyed Farooq's reaction, when he'd seen what she'd done.
As for names and their power, glad you noticed. I agonize over names endlessly, can't start writing the book without the right name to go with the characters in my mind, feel that everything else doesn't become real to me, that I can't write about anything without any conviction, without that specific name it can't be called anything but.
Desire
THE DESERT LORD'S BABY—Waldens/eHar Bestseller—RT TOP PICK
THE DESERT LORD'S BRIDE—Waldens/eHar Bestseller—RT TOP PICK
THE DESERT KING—eHar Bestseller—RT TOP PICK
May/Jul/Sep 08
DESERT SURGEON'S SECRET SON—Nov 08
http://www.oliviagates.com
Hi Debibie - as I said, it's easy to make a promise like that
when I'm fairly sure I won't have to keep it -though I made it sincerely and was ready to open my wallet if need be
Dream Team 2008 Challenge blogs
I loved everything about
I loved everything about this book. Olivia, you are on my autobuy list now!
Margie :)
Sadhbh, Hey, we see you.
Sadhbh,
Hey, we see you. Sort of! I guess all your pictures are like that since you are reading all the time!
Margie :)
LOL
Yes, Sadhbh, it may be easy to make that sort of promise but it's also the sort of promise that lets someone know just how good a book really is!!
Olivia, I thought the whole henna scene was just brilliant. From Carmen doing what she does to Farooq's reaction, that scene is just very powerful. It's one of those scenes I'll remember for quite awhile.
Hi, Margie! I ended up loving everything about this book as well....
The D2K Paranormal Junkies 2008 Challenge
The henna scene was just one
The henna scene was just one of the scenes that I needed the fan and bucket of cold water I mentioned in my review.
Nancy
Merri!
I was thrilled to see your review all over the internet, on your site and the various branches of Amazon. And it's also getting so many helpful votes from readers who think it as great as I did! Thank you!!!
Desire
THE DESERT LORD'S BABY—Waldens/eHar Bestseller—RT TOP PICK
THE DESERT LORD'S BRIDE—Waldens/eHar Bestseller—RT TOP PICK
THE DESERT KING—eHar Bestseller—RT TOP PICK
May/Jul/Sep 08
DESERT SURGEON'S SECRET SON—Nov 08
http://www.oliviagates.com
Deb!
I'm simply thrilled by your confidence in The Desert Lord's Baby's favorable reception by other readers! And SO relieved it had come to pass so far!!!
As for the scenes, they come to me in full surround sensations and I strive to transfer the images and feelings into words and hope the reader will feel as immersed in the whole sensory experience as I was, so it's fantastic to know I succeeded.
Desire
THE DESERT LORD'S BABY—Waldens/eHar Bestseller—RT TOP PICK
THE DESERT LORD'S BRIDE—Waldens/eHar Bestseller—RT TOP PICK
THE DESERT KING—eHar Bestseller—RT TOP PICK
May/Jul/Sep 08
DESERT SURGEON'S SECRET SON—Nov 08
http://www.oliviagates.com