The Cobra & the Concubine

Fans of Bonnie Vanak's sensuous - and riveting - "The Tiger and the Tomb" won't be disappointed by her latest effort. Again set against the mysterious and exotic world of 19th-century Egypt, Ms. Vanak gives her readers another irresistible hero and determined, strong-willed heroine. I was turned off by the sexual abuse of child Badra, but the reader heals from this initial repulsion even as the heroine does. Ms. Vanak handles this trauma truthfully and with good taste, a pitfall that has ruined many another otherwise excellent book. I highly recommend this writer's works. Her talent for hot, sexy romance blends so well with thrilling adventure. Check out "The Tiger and the Tomb" if you haven't already.

This was my first Vanak book and I am ordering 2 more. The ending was a surprise, and was wonderful. I hope Ms. Vanak expands in another book, the story of Rashid. He would make another interesting book. I would highly reccomend this book. History seemed very accurate and at times, I wanted to reach through the book and help them with the battles.

A wonderful story that flowed from start to finish.Our hero Khepri is adopted by the khamsin when his parents are killed in Egypt.Badra the heroine is rescued from a sadistic sheik and given sanctuary by these warriors.Khepri is given the responsibility of protecting Badra but forbidden to touch her.He consequently falls in love with her and worships her from afar in true courtly love fashion for a time.Badra returns his love but is afraid to show this because of the horrors of her past.Khepri believing she doesn't love him returns to England vowing to forget her.They are reunited,and face obstacles to their love which they overcome.I enjoyed this book because the hero and heroine were sympathetic characters.The hero wasn't arrogant and overbearing which is a plus in my book as I get tired of reading about these types of men who ride roughshod over their heroine's feelings.After being rejected by Badra Khepri was hurt but he was still very protective of her,he did not seek to get any form of revenge on her,very chivalric like a knight of old.he's my favorite hero to date.Badra's story is sad and I'm glad the author did not have her getting over her traumatic experiences very quickly.There was a progression from her facing what happened to her,talking to khepri about it and being able to make love with Khepri-superbly done.This book is a sad love story but it's beautifully written.There are enough truly romantic moments in that it doesn't become morbid.I will be buying The Tiger and the Tomb and The Falcon and the Dove by the same author because of this book.

Novels like this are the reason I started reading romance in the first place. Exotic locations, a woman who keeps both her humanity and her determination despite impossible circumstances, a passionate and dangerous hero... I was caught up in Badra's tale and could not stop until I got to the end. A completely satisfying romance. More, please!

Setting - Egypt and England 1890's --- For Badra, her childhood ended early for at the age of 11 she had been sold as a slave to a maniacal sheik who raped and beat her unmercilessly for the next four years. After an attack by an enemy tribe, the Khamsin, she and another slave begged the attackers to take them away promising to be slaves to a new master. The sheik of the Khamsin was kind and when Badra's terror of being touched by another man was revealed and Badra's history related to him by the other concubine, he assigned one of his finest warriors, Khepri, to be her Falcon guard, admonishing him that he should guard her with his life and let no one touch her including himself until she was ready. For Khepri, this would be both a trial and a labor of love for he'd fallen head over heels with the beautiful young girl from the very first moments. Over the next five years they would become friends with Khepri's feelings intensifying, and though Badra loved him, the memories of the pain of intimacy still held her hostage and kept her from admitting to Khepri how she felt. At around this time it was revealed that Khepri, only adopted by the Khamsin was Kenneth Tristan, English by birth and heir of a wealthy English Duke who came to claim him. Not wanting to leave his Arab brothers, the desert, or woman he loved, he asked Badra to marry him only to be turned down. Devastated thinking Badra didn't love him, he turned his back on all he loved and went to England. When he saw Badra a year later in England, he realized he still loved her, and when he discovered she was making the ultimate sacrifice to save a child, he would risk everything he possessed to save her, praying that he would one day be able to heal the woman he could not touch with his love. *** Once more this author has revisited Egypt with another exciting and thrilling tale featuring the Khamsin Warriors of the Wind, the women they loved and who loved them! In this entry, the author tells the story of the young child Badra, sold to a brothel at the age of 4 by her parents then sold as a slave to cruel master who raped and brutalized her until at the age of 11 until she was lucky enough to escape. (Unfortunately, a horrendous practice that while fictionalized here with a happy ending, still exists in the world today.) This was an emotional as well as lovely romance with the lead protagonist's motives and feelings fully developed into characters whom the reader can truly empathize with. The action and suspense was well paced with just enough humor injected into the dialogs to add a little levity into the mix. This author just sweeps you away with another exhilarating Egyptian romantic adventure. --- Marilyn , for www.historicalromancewriters.com ---