He's an investigator on a mission, but it's impossible to
ignore the brilliant woman helping him complete it…
His sister's life is at stake, and despite his wealth and
power, Sheik Emir Al-Nassar feels helpless. At least heading his family's
security agency provides him with resources to track down her kidnappers. But
when the ace profiler he's sent turns out to be K. J. -- Kate -- Gelinsky, Emir
is furious. Finding the kidnappers' desert hideout is dangerous enough without
the distraction of a beautiful woman.
But K.J. is unlike any woman he's ever known. Her
fearlessness and incisive mind inspires Emir's admiration. And her compassion
breaches his guarded heart. Still, rescuing his sister is a perilous mission.
And allowing desire to cloud his focus could endanger them all.
Good book and start to the series. The suspense was excellent,
with a nice mix of romance. The story opened with a bang, as Emir finds out
that his beloved younger sister has been kidnapped. Since the deaths of their
parents six years earlier, Tara has been the glue that holds the family
together. Losing her is not an option.
Emir is the head of the family security firm. Though very
good at what he does, Emir is also realistic enough to know that his emotions
would affect his objectivity in this case. He contacts his second-in-command at
the Wyoming branch and asks for their best profiler/kidnapping agent. KJ hasn't
been with the company long but has a fantastic reputation. What he doesn't know
is that KJ is a woman.
I loved the first meeting between Emir and KJ. He is
furious when he discovers that she is a woman, and makes it clear that he
doesn't want her there because of it. I loved how KJ got right up in his face,
calling him out on his attitude. Her response to his assertion that he'd have
to look out for her was priceless and certainly got his attention. Her insight
into their family dynamics made him reconsider.
I liked the development of the relationship between KJ
and Emir. It's a little rocky at first because of Emir's earlier attitude. Underneath
the antagonism, there is also a definite attraction that affects both of them,
creating distractions that neither one welcomes. There is also a deeper
connection that forms between them. One of KJ's strengths is her observational skills,
which she puts to good use when dealing with Emir. I loved how well she
understood what he was going through and how she could cut through his pain and
bring him comfort. Emir normally keeps very tight control over his emotions,
and he is dismayed by his lack of control around her, but also grateful for her
understanding. Their feelings for each other grow quickly, thanks to the amount
of time spent together and the need to trust and depend on each other. The
scene in the helicopter at the end of the book was funny, with Emir's twin
calling him out on his "declaration."
The suspense of the story was good and kept me engaged
throughout the book. The big questions of who, why, and where drove the investigation.
Who took Tara, and why? And where are they now? I could see it was hard for
Emir to admit that he wasn't in top form for the investigation. KJ's incredible
attention to detail and refusal to leave any possibility unspoken made her the
perfect person to cut through his objections. I liked the way that she could
think on her feet and adapt to circumstances. Her familiarity with Moroccan
culture was a big plus, especially during their time in El Dewar. There were
also some scenes told from Tara's point of view that emphasized the danger she
was in. The final confrontation with the kidnapper was intense, with an
unexpected twist at the end.
I liked seeing a little bit of each of the brothers. Zafir
is Emir's identical twin. Though he wants to go with Emir and KJ, his part is to
play decoy. Talib is the next youngest brother. He is hot-tempered but must
keep a lid on his rage to provide the backup they need. The youngest brother,
Faisal, runs their Wyoming branch and is too far away to do anything but hope
that his brothers reach Tara in time. It is clear that family means everything
to them, and nothing will stop them from saving their sister.
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