Rebecca Bernadette Mance

A Saudi crowned prince (Vassar) and an American woman (Sarah) have dreams of each other. Only the Vassar truly knows what they mean. He's dreaming of the Chosen One, a woman who is destined to be his wife and will unite the two countries and lead them toward a peaceful future. Sarah, however, needs convincing. Finally, he resorts to kidnapping her and taking her to his home. Sarah can't wrap her head around his contradictory actions: he takes her to Saudi against her will, but he treats her kindly and seems truly apologetic for his actions. Neither can deny their attraction for each other, especially after Sarah is coerced into becoming his wife. She blames him for the loss of her freedom and hates him for his actions toward her, but she's unable to resist him. Soon, the king dies and Sarah is now queen. Things change when their country is attacked and Sarah realizes she may, in fact, have the power to unite their countries...and perhaps she really does love her husband.

Sarah is an unlikable character. I felt sorry for Vassar for having to put up with Sarah's childish antics. She's meant to be strong and independent, but she comes across as stubborn and ridiculous instead. Several times, I got so frustrated with her, because she kept repeating the same mistake over and over again. Even after Vassar warned her of the implications of openly ridiculing him and going against accepted norms of behavior, Sarah continues to defy not only him, but the Saudi culture. Vassar has faults of his own; most of them are the result of his culture. He expects Sarah to comply with his demands, but at the same time, he attempts to woo her. The end fell together a little too nicely, and perhaps a bit too quickly after such a long period of conflict.

Despite these problems, the book is not without its charms. Vassar is a man torn between his Western education and his Eastern roots. He desires to bring more freedom to the women of his country, but he also wants to honor the old ways. The endearments he whispers to Sarah, and his gentle handling of her (despite her idiotic behavior) make him worth reading more about. I also enjoyed the way the author explains Sarah's prejudice against Arabs, and Vassar's handling of the delicate situation. Although such a union is highly unlikely in real life (especially Vassar's claim that his country was delighted that his wife was American), it is pleasant to read that such a world-changing event could take place.… (mehr)