Chloe secretly carried and gave birth as the surrogate mother of her half sister, the queen of a desert country. However, as Chloe waited for her sister to pick up her baby, her sister and her husband perished in an accident. To Chloe, who is a dedicated researcher and has never given any thought to love or marriage, the child they left behind is her only blood relative. She’s determined to raise the child with all her love, no matter how difficult it might be. But then Sayid, the younger brother of the late sheikh, who is now serving as regent, appears at her door. With a cold, stern expression, he informs her that he has come to collect his country’s future ruler and is prepared to take the baby by force. Now the only way for Chloe to stay by her child’s side is to marry Sayid! She will do anything for her child—even wed Sayid in a loveless marriage. But will her heart be able to withstand the charm hidden under Sayid’s serious facade?※This work is originally colored.
Sayid al Kadar was trained from childhood to be a warrior. He's fought, he's conquered—but was never meant to rule… Thrust reluctantly to the throne, Sheikh Sayid is shocked to discover a child who is his country's true heir, and he'll do anything to protect him, even if it means taking on the child's aunt! Chloe James might behave like a tigress protecting her cub, but this trained soldier can see her weak spot. Taking Chloe as his bride would appease the people of his kingdom, and provide the perfect outlet for the blistering chemistry between them….
“Please marry me…” Princess Katharine of Austrich pleads with the king of an allied country, a man known as the Beast of Hajar. She is in awe of his his sharp eyes and wounded body, but still, she must make this marriage happen! She gains his approval by explaining that it would be a formality, an arranged marriage, but surprisingly he says they must make it seem real. Katharine planned on signing a contract and returning home, but now she’s staying in Zahir’s palace!
Sayid al Kadar was trained from childhood to be a warrior. He's fought, he's conquered—but was never meant to rule… Thrust reluctantly to the throne, Sheikh Sayid is shocked to discover a child who is his country's true heir, and he'll do anything to protect him, even if it means taking on the child's aunt! Chloe James might behave like a tigress protecting her cub, but this trained soldier can see her weak spot. Taking Chloe as his bride would appease the people of his kingdom, and provide the perfect outlet for the blistering chemistry between them….
A Spellbinding Tale of England's Most Passionate Queen-and the Three Men Whose Destinies Belonged to Her Alone. "Fast-paced...one of the most fascinating monarchs in history." -New York Times Book Review "A stupendous achievement...a book that captures Queen Elizabeth I completely." -Mainstream Historical Beloved for its stunning storytelling, Legacy offers an exquisite portrait of the queen who defined an era. Tracing the unlikely path from her tragic childhood to her ruthless confrontations with Mary, Queen of Scots, and capturing in all its glory her brilliant reign as Europe's most celebrated queen, Legacy peels back the layers from a mysterious monarch and satisfies the questions of history. Winner of the Georgette Heyer Historical Novel Prize and the Betty Trask Award, Legacy gives us Elizabeth the woman: proud, passionate, and captivating in her intensity. She inspired men to love her with bewitching devotion, no matter what the cost, but the depth of her love for England required a sacrifice that would haunt her to the grave. "Full of dramatic twists and turns, not to mention a scintillating central character and colorful supporting cast. Readers will lose themselves for hours in this richly entertaining novel." -Booklist Includes Bonus Reading Group Guide
In 680 C.E., a small band of the Prophet Muhammads family and their followers, led by his grandson, Husain, rose up in a rebellion against the ruling caliph, Yazid. The family and its supporters, hopelessly outnumbered, were massacred at Karbala, in modern-day Iraq. The story of Karbala is the cornerstone of institutionalized devotion and mourning for millions of Shii Muslims. Apart from its appeal to the Shii community, invocations of Karbala have also come to govern mystical and reformist discourses in the larger Muslim world. Indeed, Karbala even serves as the archetypal resistance and devotional symbol for many non-Muslims. Until now, though, little scholarly attention has been given to the widespread and varied employment of the Karbala event. In Reliving Karbala, Syed Akbar Hyder examines the myriad ways that the Karbala symbol has provided inspiration in South Asia, home to the worlds largest Muslim population. Rather than a unified reading of Islam, Hyder reveals multiple, sometimes conflicting, understandings of the meaning of Islamic religious symbols like Karbala. He ventures beyond traditional, scriptural interpretations to discuss the ways in which millions of very human adherents express and practice their beliefs. By using a panoramic array of sources, including musical performances, interviews, nationalist drama, and other literary forms, Hyder traces the evolution of this story from its earliest historical origins to the beginning of the twenty-first century. Today, Karbala serves as a celebration of martyrdom, a source of personal and communal identity, and even a tool for political protest and struggle. Hyder explores how issues related to gender, genre, popular culture, class, and migrancy bear on the cultivation of religious symbols. He assesses the manner in which religious language and identities are negotiated across contexts and continents. At a time when words like martyrdom, jihad, and Shiism are being used and misused for political reasons, this book provides much-needed scholarly redress. Through his multifaceted examination of this seminal event in Islamic history, Hyder offers an original, complex, and nuanced view of religious symbols.
An epic fantasy adventure set in the beloved world of the Demon Cycle, following a new generation of heroes, from New York Times bestselling author Peter V. Brett “Heart-wrenching, smart, and modern . . . The Desert Prince has set a new standard for fantasy.”—Wesley Chu, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The War Arts Saga Fifteen years have passed since the end of the war with demons, creatures of darkness who have hunted the night and plagued humanity since time out of mind. The heroes of humanity’s hour of need have become legend, and those who remain struggle to escape their shadows. Olive Paper and Darin Bales have grown up in this new peaceful world. Demons have been all but destroyed, but dangers still lurk for the children of heroes. Olive, princess of Hollow, has her entire life planned out by her mother, Duchess Leesha Paper: a steady march on a checklist to prepare her for succession. The more her mother writes the script, the more Olive rails against playing the parts she is assigned. Darin faces challenges of a different kind. Though free to choose his own path, the weight of legacy hangs heavy around his shoulders. It isn’t easy being the son of the man people say saved the world. Everyone expects greatness from Darin, but the only thing he’s ever been great at is hiding. When Olive and Darin step across the wards one night, they learn the demons are not all gone, and those that remain hunger for revenge. Events are set in motion that only prophecy can foresee as Olive and Darin seek to find their own places in the world in time to save it again.
A Hunger for the Forbidden Scandalized & Seduced: to desire a Corretti… Alessia Battaglia is a vision in white…as she flees the church. She's abandoned her fiancé, praying that his cousin, Matteo Corretti will come after her. Because there are two things Matteo doesn't know… Alessia is pregnant, and the child is his! The Highest Price to Pay All about the money? Blaise Chevalier intends to discard Ella Stanton's failing business—that is, until he meets her! Cast in the same fiery mold, she's an intriguing adversary. Proud and beautiful, Ella's determined to prove Blaise wrong…if she can just ignore the flicker of attraction burning between them!
