This was an interesting romance but I enjoyed the dynamic between the two characters nonetheless. I liked their banter and the background story of both of them and also felt like they had a good Chemistry going on.

Hi, Sweeties! Finally I’m back on reviewing and this time I choosed the famous and critically acclaimed Leslie North, thanks to Netgalley I have two of her series of books so I decided to start from one of them. I hope you enjoy this review! <3

PREMISE
I’m back from a really though period. I’ve finished writing my novel, and I’m editing it with my editor. It’s a hard work, so I’ve been feeling not so well in these weeks. But don’t mind it, it will pass like everything. I only have to get used to it. I decided to read this book because I needed something romance and hot, but at the same time something that could keep my mind off the changes I’m living right now. So Leslie North was a right choice, because this novel that I’ve read in one day and a half, is one of the best of his genre.

SYNOPSIS (From Goodreads)
After losing her parents, American artist Elena set out on a trip around the world. Now, in the sultry heat of the Middle East, she’s having a hard time imagining returning to real life back home. But with half of her vacation still ahead of her, she and her friend are packed and ready to move onto their next destination... when a chance encounter changes everything. A dark, handsome stranger with a devilish grin catches Elena’s eye, but how could she know that an innocent favor is about to change her life forever?
Sheikh Asim always relies on his intuition...with business and with women. Along with his brothers, he works hard to keep their company profitable, but he prefers to live in the moment. With pressure mounting from his mother to settle down and marry a family friend, Asim needs an escape. He’s enchanted by the beguiling American beauty he sees at the café, and she couldn’t have come along at a better time. But when he asks her to be his fake fiancée, he never could have known she would change his life forever.

The two waste no time coming together, but when the spontaneity wears off and Elena learns of an unexpected complication, will Asim be ready to face the future?

REVIEW
As I said before, this book came in the right moment at the right time. The Sheik’s Fake Fiancée by Leslie North, first book of the Azhar Sheiks is the kinda romance I couldn’t wait to read. I know Leslie North is very famous in the USA, but here in Italy I didn’t see her books anywhere and I’m disappointed by that, because I liked this one very much and I’m sure that I will love the other books too. So, starting with the premise I liked a lot this books, let’s start narrating a bit to you.
The book’s main protagonist is the fresh-out of college Elena, who with his best friend Aubrey is on a lifetime vacation around the world. They’ve visited a ton of cities, scrapped on the budget for their next travel, and when we read about their last day in Beirut, the reader is introduced to them by the medias res. Elena is sad to go away from Beirut, a city totally different from hers in the northern part of California, while Aubrey seems to find it difficult to organize everything. In this thing the two friends compensate each other: where Elena is pragmatic and schematic, Aubrey is a happy mess of a girl, but a kind one so I found it easy to empathize with them. Elena and Aubrey decided to go to a café, one of the richest of a kind café of the city, and there they meet the sexy and magnetic Asim Azhar, one of the main sheik’s of Beirut. He asks Elena to be his fake fiancée for that day, promising that he will repay them of the delay on their tour around the world. The relationship between Elena and Asim is contradicted by one element: the fact that Safiya, Asim’s mother, wants him to marry the Dahoud girl, one of the richest business girl of the Western. Asim don’t want to, so it’s like this that their “fake” relationship began. What started as a mere charade for Elena, become real, as she begins to realize she’s fallen in love with Asim. But Asim is the kind of man who wants a no-strings-attached relationship, and after the wild sex they had, she decided to go away from Beirut with Aubrey. Aubrey, on her part, she’s fallen for Nasir, one of Asim brother’s, who we meet almost in the midst of the book. Asim’s brothers are Nasir and Basri, the younger one, they will have separate books in this trilogy. And I will review them for you, here.
The evolution of the relationship between Asim and Elena is very sweet and hot, it’s not like the ones that I’ve read ‘til now and I loved it. I loved how what started as fake became real, at least for one of them (and I won’t say who, you have to read to discover that). I loved the way it ended, it’s a beautiful hot fairytale with a man every woman dream of.
The characters were well developed, although I would like to see more Aubrey. I liked a lot her character and I think one novel about her and one man will be amazing! Elena’s background is verisimilar, she’s very deep, sensitive and passionate and thanks to that characteristics she empathizes with Asim. Asim’s brothers personalities very well delineated, and I must say that if I should choose between one of them, I would choose Nasir, after Asim. Gosh, these books men are smokin’ hot! One last thing: give Aubrey one book and I will be a happy reader!
The book is structured with an alternated POV of Elena and Asim, and although the descriptions were short, I found them a bit repetitive. I think that if the editor gave one read more, they won’t affect this last part of my review.
I salute you all with one quote from this book, to which I gave four stars and that I advise to you all because it’s really a good read for me:
“If she wanted to protect what few shreds remained of her heart, she’s have to act fast.”
(Elena)

I voluntarily reviewed an Readers Copy of this book thanks to Netgalley.
This is my first Leslie North story and I really enjoyed it.
It's a lovely romance about Elena and Asim.
It's very well written and I loved every second.

For readers of middle-east meets west romances, this book won't disappoint!

A very good romance novel. I would recommend this book to my friends.

A good light-hearted, sweet romance. I enjoyed the book.

I have read a lot of this author's early work. This one just didn't interest me. I felt like it was the same story I have read many times before. Just OK for me.

This is a very short fluffy, cute, typical but captivating love story. Hot and passionate. Rushed but will leave the reader still satisfied yet wants more. And for me, that is a good thing. If a reader wants more from a story, it means s/he cares about the story. I will definitely look for more from this author and expect her to write longer novels in the future. 

Yummy yummy. Really liked this story. Great couple.

Asim needed a fake fiancee stat to keep his mom from marrying him off to a business friend daughter. He runs into American Elena at a coffee shop in Beirut, and ask for a favor. Elena and Asim start to get to know each other at his family's palace while trying to make his mother believe they were to be married. What starts out as a favor deepens into something more.

I couldn't put it down! Normally I don't like Sheik-type stories but this one pulled me in. Loved Asim & Elena.

This book got my attention from the first page and enjoyed the story to the end . Looking forward for the next Sheikh.
Ebook from Netgalley and publishers with thanks. Opinions are entirely my own.

I was unable to get into the first book of this series, so I didn't bother reading this one.

The book was a fabulous, quick, and entertaining read. It was a great start to a new series. The chemistry between Asim and Elena was explosive. I can't wait to read the other books in this series. This book can be read as a stand alone. I would recommend this book.

A stranger asks a woman to pose as his fiancée, then she ends up pregnant.

This synopsis is about as interesting as the story. There was little character development. Granted, this is a novella but still- there should be something besides heat! I will say that there is plenty of heat.

This is a fun, entertaining, and sensuous quick read. I loved Elena and Asim's story. Asim is so focused on what he doesn't want. Will he miss out on something he didn't know he wanted? This would be a great read for the beach or a afternoon little escape.

Leslie North's Sheikh series is well written and perfect for a jot summer night. Asim and his brothers are attractive, well educated and so charming that you will want to read the whole series!

ARC - I voluntarily offered to review this book with no obligations and my opinions are honest!
For Elena, it was just a new adventure.
Instead of have a penny saving vacation, she could have a 5 star vacation.
At the same time, she would be helping Asim.
What could go wrong ?
Asim was tired of his mother's matchmaking.
Marrying someone just for business purpose did not appeal at all.
However, it really wasn't a chore to be engaged to Elena.
His fake fiance was even better than the actual fiance.
What is Asim to do ?
Both of them did not foresee falling in love.
Now they have a decision to make.
You will have to read the book to find out what was their decision.

This was okay. I miss the things that should have made a "sheik"s romance exciting.

A thoroughly entertaining read. Every single ladies wish, to get stopped by a good looking man while on vacation in another country and find out that he's super-rich. Not a lot of complex plot twists but good characters and a fun, light read!