Hajar's Hidden Legacy (Mills & Boon Modern)

Princess Katherine must marry to save her country from an unsuitable ruler, the marriage contract for her to marry the ruling sheikh of Hajar was agreed between the two families some years before, time is now running out as her Father is dying. But Zahir is a recluse. known as the beast of Hajar due to his physical and emotional scars. He has no intention of marrying anyone, he is happy to stay behind his palace walls and rule his kingdom. That is until Katherine forces her way into his life. Demanding that he marry her.I had mixed feelings about this story, yes it was well written, and it has a strong heroine something I really like. But Zahir was very badly physically scarred, but more so emotionally. I felt at times that Katherine was more like his counsellor than his intended. In fact most of the book dealt with his issues and Katherine's attempts to help him. Not that I minded that so much but it did not make it a very romantic read. Of course some might think that a beautiful princess helping the scarred hero is romantic, but that is not how parts of this book were presented to the reader. It did not quite hit the mark for me, maybe other readers might feel differently.

Wow! Just wow! I'm a big fan of Maisey Yates' books and this one has got to her best yet. I was drawn into the story from the first page.This is an intense, emotional read that had me sniffing and smiling in equal measures.I love tortured heroes and Zahir's emotional pain jumps off the page and really makes you root for him. If ever a man deserved to be loved it's Zahir. Katharine is a truly amazing heroine, determined to do the right thing for her country and protect the ones she loves in the process.She challenges Zahir at every turn, forcing him to face up to his weakness, and helping him heal in the process.Maisey Yates truly digs deep in this story and it will stay with me for some time. Definitely one I will read time and time again.Should come with a warning. Do not start reading late in the evening, cause you will not be able to put it down and you will need intravenous coffee the next day ;-)

I love this author, she writes such great characters, this is a wonderful thought provoking tale of love and understanding, rainy day read, curl up and enjoy this book.

I thought this was an amazing service as I got my books quickly and it is good condition , I couldn't of asked for better

Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD) and Survivor's Guilt are hardly the basis for a fairy tale, so it is probably a good thing this dark story isn't one of them. Some may think that this is a Beauty & The Beast story, but it goes much further than that. The mistake that creates the "Beast of Hajar" isn't one of his own making, but that of political extremists.Sheikh Zahir of Hajar has had he entire life destroyed in a bomb blast. Originally the second in line to the throne, he enjoyed his carefree, playboy days with little care about the future. In a flashing millisecond he loses his immediate family, his looks, his fiancée and becomes King. To his mind the worst thing that happened was that he survived. Unable to cope any other way, Zahir shuts himself off from the world for five years.Princess Katherine arrives from some hideously backward Balkan type kingdom and forces Zahir to marry her. Their conflict, which is a mirror to the inner torment of Zahir, forces the King to address his demons and to cease hiding behind them. He tries every trick in the book to get her to run away so that he can return to his comfort zone of isolation only to find his Queen is a morally and emotionally strong woman who finds she cares for this man deeply enough to put up with his fears, self destruction and nonsense. This gives him the strength to develop and return the feelings he cut himself off from because of his PTSD and Survivor's Guilt.Yes, there are issues with how the author dealt with the Royal Households and the Royal Protocols, but if I wanted all of those tossed in I would read a more real life historical novel of which there are many on the shelves currently. I found the lack of staff for our Royals only emphasised the very little care that Katherine's father has towards her and the isolation Zahir desires as his penance for surviving.I am pleased that Harlequin/Mills&Boon have allowed a novel to be published by them that takes on this very real, modern issue.