The Golden Barbarian

This is the most intelligent and non-cheesy Sheik romance that you're ever likely to find. Set around 1800, it's the story of Princess Tess of a fictional Balkan country who marries Galen Sheik of a desert tribe. The marriage takes place pretty early in the book, so this may count as a marriage-of-convenience plot if that's your thing (or not). Tess is no unwilling victim - she's given the chance to exert some control over her life and future and she goes for it. Galen has his own schemes but finds himself falling for his wife. The wonderful hero and heroine set this romance apart from many others. Galen is hot-tempered and just plain hot. He feels his "barbaric" blood keenly and controls himself rigidly. You get the impression of a volcano trying to keep itself from exploding. Alpha and sexy, he's also very protective towards Tess. He finds he desires her a lot more than he thought he would. He waits though until she's ready for the marital bed and (great hero!) doesn't even look at another woman in the meantime. Tess is a strong and vibrant young woman, overflowing with vitality and enthusiasm but never dumb. A virgin but thankfully no prude or shrinking violet in the bedchamber. She shows her bravery and quick wits when the villain abducts Galen's sister. She actually has a sound plan and her playacting is delicious. Of course the hero still saves her in the nick of time. This is a romance after all :-) The sexual tension is very strong leading up to the consummation. Actual sex scenes are rather few and not particularly graphic after the first. The story was so engrossing though, I really didn't miss them much. What I liked best was that the hero and heroine were actually heroic. They both rise above their times, and in the hero's case his inner "barbarian". Galen has a purpose - to unite the warring tribes into 1 law-abiding country. Tess aims to improve the lot of women in the new country. Galen refuses to whip her when she goes too far and he's expected to punish her. He finds another way to make her scream ;-) Ah we should all be "punished" so!

Wonderful story!! A hero who falls in love with a young girl's enthusiasm and vitality and waits to have her until she comes of age! The hero was "heroic," but the heroine was such a wonderfully strong and vibrant character. I hate it when the heroine is a simpering miss who waits around for the hero to rescue her. It was very refreshing to see her take matters into her own hands. I kept imagining women from countries like Iraq or Iran might be going through similar plights -- strong women fighting to change the way they are treated in those countries. The heroine was very inspiring and the hero was heroic because he was willing to forgo long standing traditions of his kinsmen's treatment of their women. The storyline was great, the romance was great! A definite keeper!

This is a well-written romance with likeable, strong-willed, and heroic characters. For those who have read Johansen's other books set in Sedikhan, this is the story of Galen Ben Rashid and Tess Rubinoff - who start off the dynasty. The novel transports you in time and place.

I just re-read "The Golden Barbarian" and remembered how endearing this book really is. It's one of my favorite books by Iris Johansen. The setting was fascinating, and the plot never bogged down. The lead characters, Tess and Galen, began the book as sympathetic and likeable and ended the book as loveable people with depth and richness of emotional response. Galen is a sexy hero who actually does heroic things (imagine that)! Tess is intelligent, strong and never petty. The utter lack of stupidity exhibited by the couple is such a refreshing change from so many romances. The secondary characters are well-drawn, and I'd love to see a sequel concerning Tess's cousin who will play a pivotal role in Tamrovia in the future. A very good book from an excellent author.

I started reading iris Johansen books a month ago, and I love them. They Make you believe in the possibility of a enduring and passionate love. the golden barbarian is another novel of hers that I couldn't put down!!!! Her novels makes you forget about the world and just dream!!!