The Sahara - 1859

Cecile Villier has just buried her father and her only link to her adopted country of France. Her mother, who died giving birth to her, was a Badawin woman, and Cecile is determined to return to the country of her birth to claim her inheritance, and to try to fit into society there. In France, she was always treated as an outsider. Placing the horse breeding farm that her father left her in capable hands, Cecile departs for Bayrut with her faithful and trusted Arab servant, Jali. She has sent a message ahead to the man who had been her father's friend, Andrew Blackmoore, another breeder of Arabian horses, that she would be arriving soon.

Cecile's welcome to Bayrut is anything but pleasant. Before she can even step foot on the land, she is kidnapped by slave traders to be sold at auction. The local caliph barely outbids a persistent stranger, but as Cecile is being transported to the man's harem, she is, once again, kidnapped, this time by the other bidder. To her surprise, he turns out to be Matthew Blackmoore, a.k.a. El Faris. He takes her to his camp where his followers quickly prepare to depart, knowing the caliph will not take lightly to the fact that his property has been stolen.

Matthew has lived most of his life in the Sahara, taking over the family business after his father's death. He has made a name for himself as a good, honest man, and has embraced the local culture completely. Now he is responsible for the life of another, a young woman who is quite obviously of Badawin blood, but with a fiery temper and independent streak that sets her apart from the native women. Fascinated by her ability to adapt to her new surroundings, Matthew is torn by his attraction to her, while confused by her anger at him and all men. He gets Cecile to agree to abide by camp and native customs until they reach his home in Oman where he will let her decide if she wishes to return to France. Little does he know what will transpire between Bayrut and Oman.

CALL OF THE TRUMPET is a well-researched historical adventure in a setting that is alien, yet magical to this reader. The stark realities of life as a Badawin are shown through the eyes of a person raised in a completely different culture. At first, Cecile has great difficulty relinquishing her independence to a society that shelters women behind veils, but she gradually begins to understand many of the reasons why. Some of her unexplained behavior is annoying as she continually misunderstands Matthew's intentions until she slowly comes to realize that she cares for him. Matthew is an alpha hero who starts out just wanting to help Cecile, but later has deeper, more emotional reasons for his protection of her.

Secondary characters help explain many of the cultural differences to Cecile. The dialogue is realistic, the attention to detail is excellent, and the mysterious Sahara is an exciting background to the story line. The author shows a lot of knowledge of Arabian horses and their history.

For a uniquely interesting romance novel, don't miss CALL OF THE TRUMPET.

Jani Brooks