Never Refuse a Sheikh

I really enjoyed “Never Refuse a Sheikh”, I love Sheikh romances and who doesn’t love a Sheikh that is hot, sexy, and brooding. The emotion and angst in the book between the characters and even their internal battles really makes this one great. The passion and love scenes between them also keep a reader interested and keep the heat turned up.
Altair learns that Princess Safira didn’t die when her parents were assassinated 15 years ago. He knows some people do not believe he should be on the throne and decides to find Safira and marry her to cement his claim to the throne. Safira has lived in the desert with a foster family, but kept apart because of her status. Safira has been lonely for a very long time and craves affection and agrees to go with Altair and marry him in order to take up her role as Sheikha.
Safira can’t understand why Altair is so cold even though she can sometimes see hot passion inside of him that he won’t let out. Altair feels guilt for past mistakes and is determined to shut Safira out of his life and his heart. Safira has to find a way for both Altair and herself to forget the past and move on or she fears she will be consigned to a cold loveless marriage.

Sheikh Altair rules the sheikhdom of Al Harah after the King and Queen were murdered in a civil insurrection. The man who brought him up and was knows as his father was their chief advisor and also died. He know that to maintain his grasp on the country he loves he must marry the princess who escaped the coup to live hidden and protected with a Bedouin tribe. Princess Safira, however, has other ideas! She has been brought up to protect herself, trained as a warrior and also very lonely. The chemistry between them is felt by both but will they give in to it or reject it to protect their hearts? Can they help each other heal? Will love find a way to bring them together?

This is the fifth book in the International Bad Boys series. It is another great romance with a strong alpha male, used to having his own indomitable way immediately, finding that the female of the species can also be feisty and make life very interesting for them both! Princess Safira shows that, even though innocent, she is a strong character, determined and wilful, too. A great set of characters in an out of the ordinary romance, a great reading escape

Really enjoyed the story. It read fast but had a lot of "meat" to it. I felt for Altair, I couldn't imagine the guilt he must have felt. Same with Safira...she'd lost that family and then spent 15 years alone surrounded by people. I can't think of a more awful existence. Didn't know this was part of a series but know that I do I will have to read the others. Thank you for turning me on to Ashended, I really enjoy her writing.

Altair needs to find the princess she has been hiding for the last 15 years and he has found her but she won't go quietly. Safira is tired of everyone telling her what to do all she wants is her freedom. But Altair takes her back to the palace and she will be his bride even if she doesn't want it. They both realize that they both want the same thing but can they trust each other as there are so many secrets that will come out. A great interesting read had to finish it in my seating. Loved the characters and the meaning behind the book, everyone does deserve a second chance

***I received this ebook from NetGalley and the publisher in return for my honest opinions.***

I really enjoyed this book in the ways that it showed how much is expected of a sheikh or any royalty for that matter to do what is best for their people and not necessarily for themselves. It was really sad to read about how the poor princess was whisked away and raised in secret just to keep her alive only to be wanted as she is older to be a pawn basically. She is told she is to marry the Sheikh and there isn't anything she can do about it, she might as well accept her fate. While I felt for her and her situation I was so excited with who the sheikh was and what it would mean for him as well as her to be together. I loved their story and how they did come together and how they faced the situations thrown at them head on...sorta lol. Really enjoyed the book.

Never refuse a Sheik is a quick interesting sexy romance. I enjoyed reading it. It is well written and story goes flawless through the whole book. It is my first book which I read about these topic so I’m do not know anything about Sheiks or tribal and their way of life. So it was a nice change. Altair wants to bring peace in his country by marrying the lost princess Safira. Safira lives since her parents were killed hiding in the desert until Altair comes for here. Altairs façade who is always under control of his fillings and behavior suddenly cracks under Safira. Attraction between both is too strong and in the end leads to only one thing. There are struggle to overcome in the country but more and important are the one that both have fighting inner themselves.
Book with interesting plot and a small twist at the end.
*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Romance at it's best. Alitair is an alpha male who chooses to ignore the word NO. Safira knows who she is and what she wants. She has no intention of being controlled and told what to do by anyone. Never Refuse a Sheikh is an entertaining, sexy fun tug of war between two people who will not back down. Who wins is anyone's guess. Received an ARC of this story for an honest review.

A very enjoyable read. This is from one of my favorite authors and as expected, the writing was fantastic. This book is filled with tons of angst and emotions while Altair tries to convince Princess Safira that wedding him and bringing the royal bloodlines back into power is the only way to save their country. This is a great quick read and I recommend it!

Loved it!!! Hoping for a full series of sheikhs!!

I'm not overly fond of Sheikh stories, but when it's Jackie Ashenden writing them, I love them.

The characters feel real, and not (to me, at least) just some white woman's exotic fantasy, which I know is a common flaw with this trope. But not here. I especially loved Safira, the heroine, because she truly is a strong warrior. Paired with Altair, a man who is impenetrable, they combined to make a HOT couple. And, as always, there was that heart-wrenching tug of emotions that came along with such strong-willed and well-written characters that show up in all of her books. I'll never get enough of it!

Thank you to Tule Publishing and Netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Altair is quite the bossy man, "no, princess . I do not want to marry you. I am going to marry you." His woman can read right through him, "you are very forbidding. No wonder you have more people who don’t like you than like you. Are you going to be like this as a husband as well as a sheikh?" It takes the right woman to make a man come undone and Altair's kitten is the perfect woman for him she brings out passion, "shall I take you, kitten?” he murmured against her hungry mouth. “Right here in the courtyard." I enjoyed this book I loved it when Altair let his guard down and removed the stick from his butt.

Fifteen years ago Princess Safira had been ripped from the life she had known and thrust into the arms of a stranger. At seven years of age she had no idea of what was happening around the palace, what the screaming, the shouting, the panic really meant – but her mother did as she commanded Safira be taken into the desert, hidden and safe from the chaos that was now the reality of her kingdom.

Altair is a man with a mission. He had taken the throne of his country when Al Harah had been tossed into chaos. His single minded purpose had been to rebuild his country, to make it safe and secure in the world once more. Now, fifteen years of hard work stood in the balance as loyalists to the slain King began their rumblings to place a person of royal blood on the throne once more. Altair knew the only thing, the only person who could help him retain control was Princess Safira. Yes, it had been assumed that she was killed in the uprising – but he knew better. And on this day he was traveling the desert sands to claim his princess from the wandering tribe who had protected her all these years.

Both of their lives were about to change forever. One with the cold heart of stone and determination. The other with the spirit of the wild desert, unwilling to be tamed. Could they save their country together? Perhaps more important – could they save each other?

The story of Safira and Altair is fast paced, so intense and equally so heart wrenching that you will be swept into their world from the opening words and not leave them until the very end. Without giving away any major spoilers, Safira and Altair will need to overcome their own demons, see past what is best for their country and decide if forgiveness, finding that one person who understands them deep inside and if love truly are things that they can fight for and win. I imagine you can guess the answer – but you really need to read this passionate, emotional tale of their journey to fully understand what an amazing novel Never Refuse a Sheikh truly is.

If I could give this novel 10 stars I truly would – but I will settle for a 5+ star rating. I strongly urge you to pick up this intense story and discover for yourself just what love can do to change a person’s life forever. Pick this one up, it is so worth your time and emotional involvement.

*I received an e-ARC of Never Refuse a Sheikh from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. That does not change what I think of this novel.*

Never Refuse a Sheikh by Jackie Ashenden is a well-written, emotional, and exciting novel.

Ms. Ashenden does a great job creating characters with depth. The story follows Altair, the sheikh, who must wed Princess Safira to keep his position as sheikh and avoid unrest amongst the people. Princess Safira has been hidden for her protection amongst a wandering Bedouin tribe in the desert. She is such a strong and independent character who knows her mind. When these two characters meet sparks fly.

Their relationship is hot and I enjoyed how we get to know these characters and their internal struggles, especially Altair who holds himself back emotionally.

Overall, this was a fun and quick read that I readily recommend.

(Thanks to Jackie Ashenden, Tule Publishing, and NetGalley for a chance to read an ARC of Never Refuse a Sheikh for an honest review.)

This classic desert romance has everything I expected to find - a hard, unyielding leader who hides his passion, a feisty virginal princess, sand, heat, and a marriage of convenience or more appropriately, a marriage of necessity. Sheikh Altair knows that the only way to foment the rebellion in his country is to marry the daughter of the previous Sheikh, a girl who was hidden away when civil war erupted, killing her parents and forcing her into hiding. But Safira is not the biddable princess he expects to find after her 15 years of desert exile. To escape that isolation and land back in the palace of her youth is to deny her the freedom she so desires. But Altair won't take no for an answer. And Safira soon learns that the man she is to marry, the one with the burning desire in his eyes for her, may just be her salvation after all - and maybe his as well.

I really enjoyed this story. It was a perfect escape from the everyday into the life of a desert sheikh. The setting was well described and interesting - I could feel the heat coming off the book (in more ways than one!). The sexual chemistry between Altair and Safira is present from their first meeting and I loved that Safira was a feisty and strong woman who could speak her mind and bargain for what she wanted, even if ultimately she knows that it is best for her country to follow Altair's dictates. The struggle she experiences with being the woman her parents would want her to be and keeping her independent nature makes her an empathetic character. Altair comes across as cold, hard and driven by duty, at least at first. But you get glimpses right away into what has driven him to become that man, and how Safira cracks through his shell, one encounter at a time. They share several steamy scenes full of emotion as Altair comes to realize that the passion he's buried for so long can finally be freed with her. 5 stars for a great, sexy read.

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1296350187

Altair is the portrait of a ruthless but just sheikh. He loves his country and will do just about anything to help it get back on it's feet after more than a decade of war and civil unrest. Including marry the original heir to the throne, Princess Safira. Before she was sent away to safety by her parents, she was a spoilt and pampered child of seven to his twenty years. And at the time there was already doubt as to whether she would make a suitable ruler. But he has no choice but to marry her if he wants to restore peace to Al Harah. And he has a dark secret that may disrupt the delicate balance he has striven to create and which she must never know about.

Absolutely loved it!!!!

Read in June, 2015

MORE International Bad Boys goodness .... ahhhhhhh !!!

Altair and Safira are a powerhouse of a couple! Safira makes for a true warrior princess and Altair makes for a true Sheikh with his commanding presence! You can't help but just swoon at the man! Jackie Ashenden did an exceptional job of painting these two people as a force to be reckoned with! Their story and path is not an easy one, but it is passionate and scorching hot!
This story was full of hope and desire and heart-warmth and a joy to read. ALL of these short stories have been a pleasure to read. I've enjoyed every single one and I think you will as well!

ARC kindly provided by Tule Publishing via NetGalley for an honest review!

Absolutely loved this one!

Wow! dark and brooding Another good book from the Sheikh's series!!!!

Altair and Safira are two characters with a past that has caused deep hurt and pain to each. Altair is a Sheikh doing all he can to rebuild his country and Safira is a princess in hiding/protection in fear of her life.

Altair believes and know's that finding Safira and making her his wife will go a long way in securing his country.

The story begins with Altair and Safira's first meeting. His search has paid off in finding the princess and now begins the battle of their coming to an agreement on the future of their country and marriage.

I found the begining somewhat slow. I had a difficult time engaging in their first meeting, but it picked up after the first chapter. We had two characters that had a lot of angst and carried baggage from their past. What makes a book for me is when I experience and feel what the characters are going through and that's one thing Jackie Ashenden as an author has seems to deliver well. I found the heroine strong but yet tender. The hero was an alpha but loved how he was with Safira. The characters seem real and emotions very honest. The pacing was good after the first chapter and at the end of the book you are left with a very happy and satisfied feeling.

I don't generally enjoy reading stories about Sheikh's as they don't fall into my believable category...but I have to say I really, really enjoyed this book....do I feel guilty saying that?? Not at all! I have read other books by Jackie Ashenden and I have to say she just plain writes a good book.

I really liked Altair and Safira. They are both strong characters and they feel a strong duty to their country. She because her bloodline dictates it and he because of past decisions he needs to make right. I don't write spoilers so I am not going to get into a total recap of the story. I will say that these two show strong character and emotions and the story is well paced and well written. I highly recommend this book.

A good story. Unique!

Let's face it, Arabian Princes were my go to Harlequin Romance back in the day. This is a grown-up version of those desert romances. Jackie Ashenden has strong writing skills. I especially liked the beautifully detailed settings, so vivid and real. The story itself moves quickly and smoothly. The journey to happily ever after is well plotted and as always, the characters are engaging and multi-dimensional. This has proven to be a strong series.
*I received my copy through NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars!

This book. Gah!

I love it when you go into a book thinking it's just your normal generic romance novel featuring a Sheikh and ended up getting the surprise of your life. This is exactly what happened with Never Refuse a Sheikh.

Sheikh Altair of Al Harah is a man whose past is fast catching up with him. To secure his throne, he must marry Princess Safira, the daughter of the former Sheikh. Princess Safira barely escaped with her life the night her parents were assassinated. For the last 15 years, she was protected by a Bedouin tribe. But Sheikh's arrival would mean that Safira had to go back to the palace to marry a man she doesn't know.

There are so many things to love about this book. First was the writing. Jackie Ashenden's prose is flawless in this book. They're descriptive without being too flowery. The struggles that each of these characters went through were palpable throughout the book. I was there with them. Ashenden's voice is simply brilliant.

The characters were well written. Both are very complex and very flawed but they're written in a way that readers would root for them. And trust me, you would root for both of them.

The plot is really quite simple but very well developed. I still can't believe this book only has 165 pages because it's so dense that you'd think you're reading a full length novel instead of a novella. Everything you could ask for in a novella is here. It's well written and emotionally satisfying. I wish I had gotten an epilogue but I really can't complain because everything else is just perfect.

Altair lives with guilt, regret, and trying to fix what he feels responsible for destroying.
Part of the solution is to marry Safira.
Safira is strong willed, and lonely. Most of her life she has been in hiding, living in the desert, without much human interaction.
The battle of tradition, culture, and customs with an ironclad will to always be in control, comes in between the connection Altair and Safira have.
For the first time Safira has feelings of passion, affection, and happiness. Feelings Altair doesn't allow for himself, and the battle of the minds to follow. Altair's conflict between his heart and feelings towards Safira against duty and repentance nearly damage the fragile relationship and shatter the advantage and change he has made as a ruler of the country. Equality of rights is not accepted in all the cultures. The battle between tradition and Western worlds is constant, and also present in this story. The cultural differences and traditions are interesting. But despite the strong sense of duty, love still wins.
~ Three Spoons

I received a copy of Never Refuse a Sheikh from Netgalley and I have to say I truly enjoyed this book. It is the story of Princess Sakira, who has been raised in the desert by one of the Bedouin tribes for the last 15 years and Sheikh Altair who is the King of Al-Harah where there has been terrible civil war for the last 5 years. He spent the previous 10 years getting the kingdom under his control to have that civil war break out, which it threatens to do again. He has a plan and Princess Sakira is the key to that plan. The only problem is she is wild and has no desire to follow Altair. All she wants is her freedom but, she has a fight on her hands to get it.

One of the things that makes Never Refuse a Sheikh a great read is that it has action and intrigue in addition to a great romance. Princess Sakira is skilled with blades and a rifle and is not afraid to use either of them as Sheikh Altair finds out almost to his detriment. One of the best scenes in this book is when they first meet out in the desert. It was awesome. I have only read one other romance based in the Middle East and it was also pretty great. I have taken a look at the other books in the International Bad Boy series and it looks like they all will be worth a look.

I'm surprised with how much I actually enjoyed this one! From the minute I started reading Never Refuse a Sheikh I didn't want to put it down. Whenever I had to put it aside I would run right back to it as soon as I had free time! The chemistry between Altair and Safira is undeniable! I loved how Safira's character is portrayed, she's been through a lot but she's still a very strong/a force to be reckon with type of woman. I enjoyed how much she challenged Altair, and how she made him open up about the guilt and need for forgiveness. I really enjoyed how desire and love won out in the end :)

Princess Safira has been hidden with a desert tribe since she was a young girl and her parents were killed. There has been war for the past five years and now, is the time that Sheikh Altair is coming to claim her to be his queen to quell the unrest. He finds an uncivilized woman that he wants to bring to his will. Yet, in Altair, Safira sees his wild side that he has clamped down.
This was a wonderful novel full of action and intrigue. The alpha hero has to stake his claim not only on his throne but on his woman. For a novella, it is amazingly well developed and I didn't want it to end. This novel can stand up to any Harlequin Sheikh novel.
I received this novel from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A lovely story.

Thank you NetGalley and Tule Publishing for the ARC!

I'm not a huge fan of deserts. Too hot. Too dusty. And consequently, I don't usually seek out books set in or around deserts, but I have just read Never Refuse A Sheikh and I have to say that author Jackie Ashenden has nailed it! This novella seems pretty believable as far as the setting goes with good contrasts drawn between the hot, dry and dirty desert and the crisp, cool cleanness of the palace and its grounds.
I liked both leading characters. Altair is written with a good combination of regal aloofness and smouldering passion while Safira floats between being feisty and argumentative one minute to being warm, passionate and caring the next. As I made my way through the book, the reasons for their behaviour became more apparent and I found them more and more appealing.
The plot is well thought out though I would have liked to see the rebel uprising take a more prominent place in the story. Nothing like a bit of blood and guts to get the heart pumping, and it would have given both leads a chance to shine in a different setting. Having said that, this is a novella so there wasn't really any space to develop a side story.
On the whole this has been an enjoyable book to read. Perfect for a weekend at the beach, or if you're heading into the Australian winter as I am then it might be a good one to read in front of the fire on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

Playful interesting and different characters to the normal powerful characters I've read. Enjoyed the twist at the end.

Princess Safira became an orphan when her parents were murdered when she was seven. Altair is the sheikh that needs Safira by his side as his princess to help towards a peaceful country. Safira is still grieving and Altair carries the guilt of her parents' death. They both learn to love and forgive. Great story.

4 - "I want more." Stars!

Jackie Ashenden pitched it right out of the park with Never Refuse a Sheikh as part of the International Bad Boys series, it stands out as one of best books I have read of this genre for a very long time.

Too much. Too overwhelming. Too intense.

This book had it all, great storyline, great characters, and a really great relationship in Altair and Safira.

IMAGE.

For such a short book it really does deliver a massive punch, especially as the background of not only Safira, but also Altair is revealed as the book progresses. You expect a bit of romantic fluff when you pick up a book with Sheikh in its title, well this one is so much more, and enjoyably so.

Well worth a couple of hours of your time, and if you are looking to pop your cherry on a book from this genre, then you will not go far wrong with Never Refuse a Sheikh.

”Why do you call me kitten? I am a lion.”

ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.

Really enjoyed this book

I wanted to love Never Refuse a Sheikh by Jackie Ashenden and I did like it.

First what I liked about the story. I don’t remember reading any other books by this author but liked to plot pacing, not too slow or too rush. The basic plot, marrying out of duty is plausible even in this day and age. When the focus was on the romance between Altair and Safira, I loved it. The guilt ridden leader and the “Sleeping Beauty” kind of princess are memorable with the author giving so much background and insight into them for a short novella.

Now to my main problem with the story. I just could not see Safira even being considered to lead a Middle Eastern country. The culture fit more of a small Eastern Europe setting. If I had read this in the late 80’s, I would have just loved the story but now the lack of women’s rights has been too well documented.

Love story is 5 stars, the setting 2 stars, rounding out at 3.5 stars The publisher through Net Galley provided a copy.

I am a fan of steamy, desert romance and Jackie Ashenden delivers with Never Refuse a Sheikh. Altair and Safira are strong characters well matched. Ashenden provides background that has the reader understanding them and wanting to know more. The pace of the story kept me in the desert with Altair and Safira. And the attraction had me needing to know what was going to develop between them.

Historical intrigue, mystery and passion. A great beach read!

Ashenden crafts deliciously sexy sheikhs and this one was no exception. Loved it!

This was a good book. I enjoyed this story. The heroine is a strong spitfire of a woman, while the hero is an alpha male. The two clash and sparks fly. The two strong willed main characters come together, fall in love, and get their HEA.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.

Safira and Altair were completely combustible in this read. Action and secrets uncovered in a story that grabbed this readers attention and kept it. Author Jackie Ashenden never disappoints in creating strong, yet vulnerable characters who delight and charm readers.
4 stars
*Review copy received from Tule Publishing