An Arabian Marriage (Harlequin Presents, No. 2271)

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable Read!
Review: I bought this book thinking that I was going to enjoy a romance taking place in one of my favorite cultures. I was disappointed when I realized that this book is filled with negative stereotypes about arabs and muslims. Miss Graham is selling the idea to her readers that Arab men, particulary Muslim men, are all sexual fiends who can't get enough. Also, it is obvious that she has not studied much when it comes to arab culture. There is NO such thing as a Christian Sheik! The idea of a Christian sheik is perposterous. I assume she made the characters Christian since Muslims have been getting a bad wrap after September 11th. Maybe it is silly for me to assume that a mere romance novel should be respectful to the culture it is writing about or at least critique that culture from a place of knowledge rather than using stereotypes that are as old as the Crusades. It is also bizarre that her characters have distincly Muslim names but they are Christian. I wasn't sure if I was reading a love story or a book against Islam. I think Miss Graham needs to stick to love stories and cultures that she is fimiliar with and not comment on such things that she seems to have little knowledge of. Certain pages stick out--page 6-7, a character referring to four wives and concubines. Sorry, but most Muslim marriages, 99%, are monogomous. Only poor farmers or rich kings practice polygamy. Page 79, the veil, Turkey is a Muslim country and the women AREN'T allowed to wear veils. I could go on but I won't. If anyone wants to read a real Arabian love story, try Leila and Majnun or The Arabian Nights!

Rating:
Summary: disappointing!
Review: I bought this book thinking that I was going to enjoy a romance taking place in one of my favorite cultures. I was disappointed when I realized that this book is filled with negative stereotypes about arabs and muslims. Miss Graham is selling the idea to her readers that Arab men, particulary Muslim men, are all sexual fiends who can't get enough. Also, it is obvious that she has not studied much when it comes to arab culture. There is NO such thing as a Christian Sheik! The idea of a Christian sheik is perposterous. I assume she made the characters Christian since Muslims have been getting a bad wrap after September 11th. Maybe it is silly for me to assume that a mere romance novel should be respectful to the culture it is writing about or at least critique that culture from a place of knowledge rather than using stereotypes that are as old as the Crusades. It is also bizarre that her characters have distincly Muslim names but they are Christian. I wasn't sure if I was reading a love story or a book against Islam. I think Miss Graham needs to stick to love stories and cultures that she is fimiliar with and not comment on such things that she seems to have little knowledge of. Certain pages stick out--page 6-7, a character referring to four wives and concubines. Sorry, but most Muslim marriages, 99%, are monogomous. Only poor farmers or rich kings practice polygamy. Page 79, the veil, Turkey is a Muslim country and the women AREN'T allowed to wear veils. I could go on but I won't. If anyone wants to read a real Arabian love story, try Leila and Majnun or The Arabian Nights!

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable Read!
Review: It amazed me that the previous reviewer was so negative about this book. I read a romance for the emotion and the developing relationship and love between the hero and heroine. I enjoy the foreign, exotic setting, but the setting only serve as the romantic backdrop for the story. I don't get all work up over the details of the setting as long the story and characters grab me. Besides which, the Arab country in the book was FICTIONAL so why couldn't Ms. Graham take some literary liberties? Even if there has never been a Christian shiek in real life, it is not beyond the realm of possibility to have a Christian shiek in a FICTIONAL Arab country since his mother was Christian. I did not find Ms. Graham's portrayal of the Arab world as negative or off the mark. The setting gave me a general feel for the Arab world and that is all I need in a short romance. Lynne Graham is an exceptional writer, and her Harlequin Presents are all a notch or more above the rest. She does the foreign heroes like no other! All her heroes are YUMMY! Most of her books are 5-stars reads for me. The reason I gave this book 4 stars is that I have enjoyed some of her other books a little more. Even her 4-stars books is still much more enjoyable than any other series writer in the Harlequin Presents line.