Review of Malik by Marian Tee

Hey there, Booksnakes! It has been a while since my last review, but I am back with another Marian Tee novel, and it is part two of her Desert Sheikh Romance titled, Malik.

I have a confession to make: I actually read this after finishing Tarif, which is actually the third installment in the author's series. For some screwed up reason, I belatedly realized that I received a copy of this book from the author. I only found out about it when I was already writing my review of the book which apparently comes after this one. But better late than never, I say, so I jumped in head first in the story and came out of it feeling thrilled, happy, and slightly dirty (which was the author's intention all along).

Title: Malik: Desert Sheikh Romance
Author: Marian Tee
Published by: Jaded Speck Publishing
Publication Date: August 17, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: ARC Given by Author
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36069145-malik

SYNOPSIS:

Sheikh Malik Al-Atassi was only seventeen when his mother took in orphaned 7-year-old Kyria as her legal ward.

Since then, the royal family had raised Kyria alongside Malik as if they were brother and sister…even if they were not related by blood.

And for a while, everything was as it should be…until Kyria came into womanhood, and she realized that her feelings for the sheikh were also that of a woman for a man.

Come join Marian Tee in another sheikh romance set in the exotic desert kingdom of Ramil. This is a no-cliffhanger standalone romance and does not require you to read any of the other Desert Sheikh novels.

CHARACTER BACKGROUND:

Kyria Markide is a strong and passionate woman who hides herself behind an image of meekness and submission. She believes that she owes her life to the royal family of Ramil for taking her in, raising her up, and making her feel loved. To return their generosity, she swore to remain loyal to them and not bring them shame in any way. That is until she realized that her feelings for her sheikh brother is more than just familial...it was also quite carnal.

Malik Al-Atassi is a man of many faces. He could be gracious, forgiving, and patient, but he's also prone to doing dangerous and desctructive actions. Overall, he's an honourable, dependable man who would rather spend a decade pretending he doesn't just love his adoptive sister, he's also in love with her.

REVIEW:

As a bookworm whose main genre of focus is romance, I have read a lot of books that cover a myriad of love stories. There's the typical boy-meets-girl tale that make us all sappy, and then there's the more mature, dark, and erotic novels that are not for the feint of heart. Malik falls somewhere in between, with the author's writing as charmingly comedic as it is, but the subject-matter being taboo to a lot of people -- incest.

I'm no stranger to love stories that are far from the norm. Erotica is also a staple in my to-read list, so Marian's approach in Malik and Kyria's story didn't deter me from opening my e-reader and enjoying the ride one bit. In fact, one of the things I liked about this novel is the realistic approach the author took. Realistic, how? Kyria was taken in by the Al-Atassi family when she lost her parents at a very young age. Malik was 10 years her senior and so he made sure to look after her and do everything he can to take away her pain and make her happy.

FACT: They're not related by blood and Malik is old enough to understand this.

FACT: Loving someone doesn't always entail physical attraction first. Only pervs think that.

FACT: The bond these two people shared growing is deep and only they can understand it. This kind of relationship actually happens somewhere in the world, most people just refuse to acknowledge it.

But because this is not socially acceptable, the author made a point of putting this problem in perspective for the characters. So it's not all rainbows and butterflies.

I don't want to give much away about the story, but I will say that Malik is incredibly hot. I think he's the one I like most out of the five sheikhs. I also saw a funnier and more intimate side of the Al-Atassi family. From the banter between Malik and his mother, to the constant ribbing of the guys, and of course, the love and loyalty they all have for one another.

SUMMARY:

Malik, compared to the other part of the series, is relatively laid-back. I didn't cry as I did in My Arabian Billionaire or Tarif, but I felt satisfied knowing that they're happy together, and that they can fight whatever the world throws at them because they have the people who love them to back them up.

RATING: