Customer Reviews

Sheik

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, until the very end. It is a refreshing change from the typical romance stories that take place in either early America, or Europe. This story takes place in exotic Morocco, where Connie Mason entreats you to a rich culture that includes Arabian clothing, castles, foods, etc...
Ms. Mason also stays true to her way of creating a heroine that is brave, strong, smart, and yet still feminine. Zara is a Berber warrior princess, who fights boldly against those who oppress her people. She has a smart wit, and a sharp tongue that almost cause her to be beheaded by the Arabian sultan.
Sheik Jamal is intrigued by her daring. He is used to the submissive women of his own culture. He persuades the sultan to give Zara to him as a slave. Expecting to easily tame the woman he comes to call "Vixen", Jamal is in for a much greater challenge than he bargained for. Zara is headstrong and willful. She takes on Jamal's male slaves and female concubines in both verbal and physical battles. Meanwhile, her father plans a raid to free her.
This is only the beginning of the story! The rest follows through with exciting sword battles, humorous battles of will, exotic love scenes (really good ones!!!), and romantic encounters.
My only disappointment came with the last few chapters. Jamal and Zara are forced to flee Morocco and settle in England. They leave behind their warm exotic world, and move into one of his many English estates. It turns out he holds an English title and vast wealth (surprise, surprise). For me, it didn't come close to comparing to the beauty of the Moroccan castle and culture.
A final conflict arises when Jamal's mother disapproves of his choice of wife. This conflict is too suddenly solved. Also, a very typical twist is thrown in for Jamal's mother. I wish Ms. Mason would have left the couple in Morocco, ending the book with them living in the same unique surroundings they had through the rest of the story.
All told: Some of the best love scenes I've read to date. Interesting and exciting characters. Fast passed and never boring. This book is a great read.

Right from the time I saw the front cover. Ok, someone was reading the story sitting by the pool and I fell for the picture.

One thing I enjoyed about this book is that Ms. Mason is not an average romance writer. I have read several of her books, like Bold Land, Bold Love and was pleasantly surprised with Sheik and the other because the females in these books were headstrong.

I actually expected Zara to inflict more harm on her master than just injure his pride emotionally. Hey, the woman had plans, you can't fault her for that!In order to gain what she desired, she had to "bargain" with the man who held her fate in his hands. As a Berber and a female, she was underestimated by Jamaal. I enjoyed it when they sparred with each other. Of course, the almond milk scene was funny too.

Jamaal was playing with fire. He knew that he should turn the troublesome Berber leader and his beautiful daughter, Zara, over to the Sultan to stay in his good graces. Irrational behavior and thought seized him when he saw her curves, and felt the softness of her skin under the blue robes.

This book has many interesting twists and turns, which also made Sheik a wonderful read. Be prepared to get swept away by the words on the books pages!

A classic love story between two people who were born of very different worlds and are thrown together and then torn apart.
A Princess and a Sheik.

Morocco 1673,
Raised a Berber warrior to fight at her father's side, Princess Zara was taught to fight the blood thirsty Arabs who stole her people's land.
In a simple, but effective raid one night in the desert, Zara was taken prisoner to be used as a bargaining chip against her father, the cadi of the tribe. Her captor? Sheik Jamal abd Thabit; the sultan's favorite warrior.
Sent to destroy the 'blue men' as they were called, the wandering desert nomads who struck fear into the hearts of many Arabs eluded the powerful sultan for too long. Jamal was determined to catch them, but failed he did, until he caught the princess and vowed to deliver her instead to the sultan. He didn't wager he'd fall in love with the headstrong woman or that he risk everything including his life for her either.
A richly told tale of love, power and desperation that only Ms Mason can tell. Through the burning sands of Morocco to the marketplaces of a distant time and place, love finds a way.

Tracy Talley~@

I am a big fan of Connie Mason books and this was one of her best. I could not put the book down and finished it in a day. It was interesting and I LOVES Shiek Jamal and Zara. I thought they were perfectly matched for eachother. It was a hot, wild ride. I thought the ending could have been a little better, it turned kinda cheesy, but only the very end. It just seemed that with so much going on in the rest of the book, all the feelings and passion, that their would have been more of an impact on the reader at the end. But it was still real good. Shiek was one of the best adventures Ive been on in a while and this book will jgo on my keepers shelf. I also liked the change of scenery. Wow. It was just one heck of a book. Amazing.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. There was excitement, danger, lust and love. It kept me on the edge of my seat for most of the book. I enjoyed how Zara was a powerful woman and not a bubble-headed heroin. She was strong in her convictions and did not sway in her loyalties to her people. Sheik Jamal was a brave fighter with a sensitive side that just made me want to be able to reach out and console him during the more stressful moments in the book. Oh, who am I kidding! I wanted to reach out and touch him throughout the entire book. I found the sex scenes to be very erotic but not overdone. I have never read a Connie Mason book before but I will be looking for her other books. I enjoyed the follow-through and cohesiveness of her story telling. I also enjoyed the historical information provided in the book not to mention the nice glossary of terms in the back. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good love story.

This was the first book I ever read of Connie Mason's, and boy, did it take my breath away. I started Sheik in the morning and by the end of the day I had finished it. I couldn't put it down. I am now one of Connie Mason avid readers and will continue to be, that is, if Connie still continues to write masterpieces, which I am sure she will.

This is a wonderful book full of passion and excitement. It show the courage of women and the love of two people. I would recommend this book to people who love to read about passion.

wow, what a book. I had to take a cold shower. This is a book you wont want to put down unless you have no desire for romance. Connie you made me blush! thanks

This was my first Connie Mason, and I have 4 others on my shelf, but I won't be getting to them anytime soon if this book was indicative of her general quality. I don't mind the sex - I cut my romance teeth on Bertrice Small - but there was no spark to any of it. It was as if quantity was substituted for quality, and during one of the many many "silver balls" moments, I found my mind wandering and imagining that Jamal was rotating Zara's hips like one of those wooden box maze puzzles. When that happens, a book just isn't grabbing my attention.

Zara was a lame heroine - touted as being a fierce warrior and brave fighter, but apart from sneaking about with potions and stuff, there was no action she took part in that showed she was an actual warrior. Telling, not showing. Dull!

The characters and situations read like Mason went to a storeroom, pulled out the box labeled "Sheik" with all the cliches and cheese, and set about writing it like a bored workman.

I ended up skimming the last 100 pages because the story was so slight I had lost all interest. Even reading a sentence or two per page, I knew what was happening. Again, not a good sign that a book has me riveted, and I normally love the macho sheik type.

Sheik was my first Connie Mason book that I read. After that one I was hooked to her books. And her books keep getting better and better