The Desert King's Pregnant Bride (Harlequin Presents Extra) [Kindle Edition]

Annie West (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Sheikh Khalid Bin Shareef has always vowed not to get entangled with virgins. But innocent Maggie is too hard to resist--and he takes her....

The next morning she disappears. But Maggie is unfinished business, and he has her sent to his kingdom. There they discover the consequence of their night of passion.

Marriage is the only answer--but it must be one with no emotions, no expectations of love. Maggie will take her rightful place by the sheikh's side...and in his bed!

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 229 KB
• Print Length: 192 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin Presents Extra (March 1, 2009)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0023EFAKQ
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,850 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Desire under the desert sun, April 19, 2009

By 

Marilyn Shoemaker (Seattle, Washington) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Desert King's Pregnant Bride (Harlequin Presents Extra) (Mass Market Paperback)

Trapped by desire and something else, you won't want to miss The Desert King's Pregnant Bride!

Sheikh Khalid Bin Shareef and Ms. Maggie Lewis were like "two star-crossed lovers" when they met one dark, blustery and rainy evening. They were meant to be but they didn't know it; not at the time they first met nor did the handsome sheikh realize it until it was almost too late! Even taking into consideration how they were both raised, the emotional obstacles they needed to overcome; they were meant to be....lovers.

Maggie was upset, soaked to the bone and realized what a fool she'd been in wanting to take her relationship with her boyfriend a step further. It was like a slap in the face when she found him in the arms of another; she flees, stumbles and is rescued by a handsome stranger who she later finds out is visiting royalty. Khalid persuades Maggie to take a ride from him and upon close inspection sees that she's troubled; instead of taking her home he takes her to the lodge where he is staying while visiting Australia. He's determined to soothe her by getting her warm and dry clothes, just talking to her to reassure and comfort her. He realizes he might be in trouble because he finds her attractive and she intrigues him; he wants to protect her and more.

Khalid hasn't felt like this since his wife died 8 years ago and it disturbs him. While soothing and holding Maggie, things change and they act upon their attraction to each other (I call it fate). She gives Khalid the greatest gift of all, her virginity. However, the next morning she's determined to leave while Khalid sleeps; when he awakes and finds her gone, he's determined to see her again! On top of everything, his brother dies and Khalid is forced to return to his country and become the ruler.


Maggie felt foolish and stupid that she was so trusting. She'd never felt loved......her father used, rejected and over worked her; her mother left and took her younger sister when she was very young. She had no sense of belonging, of being loved, self confidence as a woman, or that she might be desired by a man. It was painful to read about Maggie's childhood. However, that one night in Khalid's arms, and their passionate love making would stay with her for a lifetime, she was sure of it!

As for Khalid's youth, his father was selfish; he only cared about his mistresses and Khalid's half brother which left Khalid on his own to forge his own future because he was not heir to the throne. Khalid married young; a few years later his wife died. He's vowed never to give his heart again. He desires Maggie, wants to see her again and arranges for her to travel to Shajehar on the pretence of purchasing horses. It's an accident which causes Maggie to be seen by a physician and later they both learn she's pregnant with his child. He's determined they will marry, she agrees because they are both committed to giving their child support, love and stability, something neither of them experienced when they were growing up. However, Maggie questions if she can live without love knowing Khalid is still mourning his dead wife?

The Desert King's Pregnant Bride was a moving, touching and very enjoyable love story set in a progressive country with its people accepting Maggie as their queen. Watching Maggie grow as a person, taking language lessons, meeting with the women of the village, promoting education, and bonding with Khalid's relatives, lovely!

As for this handsome Sheikh Khalid, his protectiveness and tenderness towards Maggie was incredibly sweet. Yet one wanted to shake him because he held on to a ghost, his dead wife. He was afraid to give his heart and you'll cry for him because it's obvious he adored Maggie.

This was a fascinating book to read. Their passion burns with their strong desire for each other. Annie West pens a wonderful romance novel with The Desert King's Pregnant Bride this being her third sheikh book. I think my favourite parts of this love story were watching Maggie grow, feeling more confident as a person, and taking charge of her life. As for the sexy sheikh.....his tenderness, his concern and desire for Maggie and reading about how he was brought to his knees! Thanks Annie for another wonderful story.....I felt as if I were in your lovely home country, Australia and the beautiful desert!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Desert King's Breathtaking Romance!, April 17, 2009

By 

romancelover (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Desert King's Pregnant Bride (Harlequin Presents Extra) (Mass Market Paperback)

I love this book, right from the dramatic, passionate opening when two people whose paths should never cross share a night of unforgettable passion. A night with consequences neither foresees but which change their lives forever. Tall, dark, handsome, mysterious Khalid (yeah, he's a great hero!) meets shy, lovely, but courageous Maggie on a stormy night in country Australia. Then he's called back to his country of Shajehar to take over as ruler. When he realizes that Maggie is carrying his child, he has her brought over to become his queen. But neither of these damaged people expects love to grow in their union. The journey they both take is wonderful, really emotional and heart-wrenching, and it's wonderful to watch them change as the story progresses. Khalid gradually opens himself up to the possibility of new love and Maggie's confidence grows as she comes to accept herself as a valid candidate for queen and wife and lover. Lovely stuff! Another winner from Annie West!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This Romance Touched Me, August 16, 2009

By 

Danielle "The Book Huntress" "Danielle" (Texas, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Desert King's Pregnant Bride (Harlequin Presents Extra) (Mass Market Paperback)

This book made me cry a little bit. That doesn't happen a lot (in fact it's pretty rare). It really affected me how deeply unwanted Maggie felt, growing up with a cruel, withdrawn, bitter father who never even celebrated birthdays or Christmas. She went home one day and her mother had left, taking her sister with her. So she is a character who really does have good reason not to believe that the hero might love and desire her.

I could totally understand why it took so long for her to believe that Khalid loved her. It was pretty sad that she thought he only had sex with her the night they conceived their baby out of pity. She walks in on her beau having sex with his married lover. It turns out he was just using her to keep suspicion off his relationship with the married woman. Heartbroken, she is wandering down the road in the rain, and Khalid gives her her a ride. He takes her back to his suite to dry off, and she more or less seduces him (with him being completely willing). He makes her feel very good and appreciated, but the next morning she leaves, not wanting to subject Khalid to any morning after explanations.

Flash forward one month and she is in Shajehar working as a groom with the horses from the sheikh's stud farm in Australia. She sees Khalid (now the sheikh since since his brother died the night that they made love) again when he helps her get control of an unruly horse (although I like that this book showed that Maggie probably could have handled the situation herself). She doesn't know it, but Khalid has her brought there so he can continue the relationship with her. With her low self-esteem, she doesn't see how a sheikh could have feelings for a lowly tomboy groom. Because the horse knocks her down, Khalid insists on her having an exam by the doctor, who does a test since Maggie said she was feeling dizzy. It turns out she's pregnant although Khalid scrupulously used protection.

Khalid insists on marriage, although Maggie is very resistant at first. I liked that he did try to consider her feelings and give her time to make a decision instead of blackmailing her and threatening to take her baby as some HP heroes might have done. Maggie feels the responsibility to do what is right for her baby and give it a family, so she says yes.

The rest of the book shows the tug of war that Maggie has with her feelings. She falls deeply in love with Khalid, but doesn't believe he loves her. She even thinks he consummates the marriage out of duty instead of desire. Again, this might cause some readers to roll their eyes, but I could see that she viewed everything through the eyes of an unwanted, rejected child. It would make her doubt any genuine affection from others. She really enjoys his desire and lovemaking, but it breaks her heart because she doesn't think he loves her and she needs his love. She grows increasingly withdrawn as she tries to protect her heart.

Khalid feels intense attraction and desire for Maggie from the beginning. This is one of those books where the hero sees the heroine as beautiful although she doesn't feel attractive because of being raised like a boy. Khalid has a struggle ahead of him. He lost his childhood love and wife tragically, and subsequently doesn't want to fall in love. He has had no-string sexual relationships with women and no trouble walking away when they are done. What he feels for Maggie is much more intense and different (eventually he realizes it's even more profound than his love for his deceased wife). He feels he can compartmentalize his strong feelings for Maggie as affection and desire, and the possessive feelings a man has for his wife and the mother of his child. But love creeps into his heart very quickly, although he makes the mistake of not telling Maggie this until it's almost too late. She just thinks he desires her and feels an obligation towards her because she's pregnant with his child.

This theme may not work for some readers who don't like heroines who have low self-esteem. However, this book affected me because of the sadness that Maggie had endured as a child, and the fact that she has trouble believing that she is loved. I like heroines who have emotional struggles ahead of them and need to grow. I think it's unrealistic for every heroine to be strong and confident, and to have hearts that are emotionally whole. Life isn't like that for most women. And it's nice to see women who have struggles with self-esteem find happiness in romance novels.

I think Annie West is a really good author, teaming sensual love scenes with intense emotion between the characters. She's great at creating strong, masculine heroes who are never domineering and cruel to their heroine. This kind of hero is sorely needed in this line of romances, and I can say that as a longtime fan of Harlequin Presents, but one who doesn't really like how cruel and overly arrogant and macho the heroes can be.

I was glad that I got the chance to read this emotional, well-written book, and will be adding it to my keeper shelf.