Katidom Welcomes: Monica Burns!

Kati says: I've had the pleasure of knowing Monica Burns for more than five years. When I first met Mon, we were just two posters over at Romance Buy the Book, Michelle Buonfiglio's blog. But as years have gone by, we've become good friends. Monica is not just a good friend though, she's a superb author. Her newest romance Kismet is out on shelves now, and I can tell you without equivocation, that it's one of the strongest Sheikh romances I've read in ages. And look at how gorgeous the cover is!

Here's the book blurb:

It was a gamble she was born to make…
Raised in a brothel at a young age, Allegra Synnford quickly learned that survival meant taking charge of her destiny. Now, a renowned courtesan skilled in the pleasures of the flesh, she chooses her lovers carefully—vowing never to be vulnerable to any one man. Until a mesmerizing Sheikh strips that control from her…

With a man who wasn’t used to losing.
Sheikh Shaheen of the Amazigh has been hiding from his past for a long time, but not enough to forget how another courtesan made him abandon his life as the Viscount Newcastle. It’s why the yearnings this dangerous temptress ignites within him are so troubling. Worse, thoughts of Allegra pervade every fantasy, threatening to undermine his cover. With old enemies circling, experience tells him he must resist her charms at all cost. In fact, he’s betting on it. That’s a risky wager when it comes to a woman of pleasure. But Allegra has her own reasons for playing games…with a man who can’t afford to lose.

What happens between them is Kismet…

Monica:

First, thanks to Kati for asking me to come chat on her blog. I’ve known Kati for a while now, and she continually amazes me with her knowledge about romance and her ability to analyze a book. So on with the post.

Valentino. Does that name conjure up any images to mind? Perhaps Valentino as the arrogant lover in that silent movie classic The Sheik? It’s a famous flick, and it solidified Valentino’s star quality. The guy was bigger than Brad Pitt or Gerard Butler in his own time. More than 100,000 women attended his funeral. So what was it about the guy and his portrayal of a Sheikh that had women gaga over him?

I’m not sure, because I’ve seen bits and pieces of the movie


and I confess the acting doesn’t impress me all that much, nor does the Valentino’s looks, and I’m Italian!! LOL Still, I can appreciate the movie and his reputation as classic. Over the years, I’ve seen or read several books and movies involving a Sheikh (this is the accurate spelling). Lawrence of Arabia is one of my favorite. In fact, I listened to the theme regularly when I was rewriting my Berkley Sensation release Kismet. I don’t know why, but I found Alec Guiness delicious as a powerful Sheikh. Then there’s Oded Fehr who played the Arabic Medjai warrior in the Mummy movies. The hero in my book Mirage was inspired by Oded Fehr . So I guess you could say that I have a thing for the desert and hot-blood alpha males dressed in flowing robes.

And in Kismet, my Sheikh is a hot-blooded alpha all the way. Shaheen, aka Robert Camden, Viscount Newcastle, is a man who was thrown into the desert to die, but a Bedouin finds him and saves his life. Over the years, he’s come to love the simple life of the nomad, and Allegra, the heroine of Kismet, throws a major kink in his plans for helping his adopted family, not to mention his ability to control his lust. As for Allegra, she’s always controlled her destiny, but Shaheen rips the control of her fate out of her hands. It puts her in a vulnerable position, something that Shaheen finds not only alluring, but it arouses his protective instincts. The push and pull between these characters is something I love. Check out my excerpt for an example.

So tell me, do you find Sheikh heroes appealing? If so, why? If you don’t think they’re all that, that’s cool too, just tell me why. You never know, I might be able to coerce you to the dark side. *grin*

Visit Monica at: www.MonicaBurns.com

Buy Kismet here (Amazon)or here (B&N). You'll be glad you did!