Sheikh's Scandal

By Lucy Monroe

When the Sheikh comes to town  

Sheikh Sayed of Zeena Sarha and his harem of beautiful women are staying at the exclusive, opulent Chatsfield Hotel, London, for the last stop on his worldwide tour before his wedding. But when his engagement is unceremoniously broken, Sayed sets his sights on his sexy chambermaid! 

Liyah Amari only took the position as chambermaid to find the truth about her birth father. But her search ends in heartache, leaving Liyah vulnerable to this powerful Sheikh's desires. Now their one night of passion could result in a scandalous consequence for the proud Sheikh! 

Welcome to The Chatsfield, London!


Collect all 8 titles in The Chatsfield miniseries:

Sheikh's Scandal, by USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR Lucy Monroe
Playboy's Lesson, by USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR Melaine Milburne
Socialite's Gamble, by Michelle Conder
Billionaire's Secret, by USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR Chantelle Shaw
Tycoon's Temptation, by USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR Trish Morey
Rival's Challenge, by USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR Abby Green
Rebel's Bargain, by USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR Annie West
Heiress's Defiance, by USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR Lynn Raye Harris

• Language: English
• Publisher: Harlequin Presents
• Release date: May 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781460331323

Lucy Monroe

USA Today Bestseller Lucy Monroe finds inspiration for her stories everywhere as she is an avid people-watcher. She has published more than fifty books in several subgenres of romance and when she's not writing, Lucy likes to read. She's an unashamed book geek but loves movies and the theatre too. She adores her family and truly enjoys hearing from her readers! Visit her website at: http://lucymonroe.com

Reviews for Sheikh's Scandal

[wealhtheowwylfing · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

At the death of her mother, Liyah is finally given a clue to her absent father's identity: he is Gene Chatsfield, a rich hotelier. Liyah goes to work for him in hopes of meeting him, but after he dismisses her attempt to tell him they're related with immediate claims that she's a lying golddigger, she runs into the arms of a visiting sheikh. After a torrid night of passion, the couple fears that she's gotten pregnant, so he brings her with him to his home country. While there they fall in love, have lots of (completely not described) sex, and eventually get married.

Liyah and Sayed are cute together, with banter and intimacies that are, if not completely naturalistic, at least provide some basis to believe they know each other. But aside from that, this felt very empty, and the ending is rushed.

[eloquent_codex · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Liya Amari has been transferred to the Chatsfield's London location in order to prepare the hotel staff for the arrival of Sayed's engagement entourage. When Sayed's fiance' breaks off the engagement abruptly and Liya's true purpose for visiting the Chatsfield ends in heartache they allow themselves a passionate night to forget their troubles. Now they must deal with the consequences and prevent a scandal from developing. This is the first book in The Chatsfield continuity series, it can also be read as a stand alone.Sheikh's Scandal is a romantic story in The Chatsfield series from Harlequin Presents. I loved the amount world building that went into this story. I enjoyed reading the details included about the setting, culture, language, and customs. It gave the story a more immersive quality and made it stand out from other Sheikh romances I've read.I was excited to read Liyah’s story every since I saw the Chatsfield's family tree. As the illegitimate daughter of Gene Chatsfield, Liyah's had a very different upbringing then her privileged step-siblings. She was raised solely by her mother who taught her to be independent and take pride in her work. Her mother's dying wish was for Liyah to make herself known to her father.Sayed is determined to uphold tradition and serve his country. Taking a wife was just another step in the plan laid out for him. He never thought the woman he had been betrothed to for years would run off with another man. Liyah is a lovely distraction but he soon finds his life becoming even more complicated for giving into his impulses.I liked both of the main characters though I didn't find their drunken tryst entirely romantic. The beginning of the story is strong but there is definite lack of tension for the remainder of the book. Liyah's meeting with her father and Sayed's broken engagement were the most emotionally charged moments for the characters. Afterwards conflict in the story seemed somewhat subdued because both characters adjusted easily to opposition or the problems were immediately resolved. Enough happened to keep my attention and I still consider it an okay story but the world building and characters stood out to me the most.

[anuttyquilter · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really must stop reading books that are a part of a series; be it the first one or the 9th one. And you guessed it; this is the first in a series of books with each novella being written by different authors. I MUST also refrain from romance books that have instant love element which, let’s face it, is totally ridiculous.The book is written to the usual tried and tested formula. The characters are interesting but the emir is rather annoying to say the least. He is not your usual alpha male but rather an honourable which is something refreshing, in this day and age, but annoying. And we are constantly reminded that he is honourable throughout the book. She is sweet, vulnerable, loyal, and taken advantage of although she did not put up too much of a fight.There is very little for these characters to overcome and no angst to add to the tension. The small inconsistencies in the story are off putting to say the least; not least the huge inconsistency which would NOT be tolerated in any form. Finally, the HEA ending felt rushed and there was no epilogue which was rather depressing. Overall this is a non-deep, quick easy read with some hot bits but for this reader there was still something lacking.If you are looking for a short, cute romantic read then this is for you but if you want something more from your romance stories I would suggest you look somewhere else.Full Disclosure: ARC received from Netgalley for an honest review.

[marfisk_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Originally published on Tales to Tide You OverI have come to expect Lucy Monroe to push the edge in her romances, so imagine my surprise when this book seemed to start out so amazingly typical beyond elevating Liyah Amari to a position of some authority on the hotel housekeeping staff. I should have had more faith.Monroe riffs off the traditional line like a talented guitar player, adding complexity to Sheikh Sayed of Zeena Sarha by making him ill-suited for the role life has thrust on him, or so he thinks. Gone is the brash, arrogant, cocky desert warrior of tradition, replaced with a man determined to fill the shoes tragedy left him when his brother died though he finds the fit constricting and sees little true happiness in a path of duty and responsibility. He finds himself wanting in comparison to the brother he’s lost.For her part, Liyah is the child of a lapse in judgment who has just lost her mother, the only family she’s had because her father abandoned them after the affair and her mother’s traditional family turned their back on them because of the scandal. Only in her mother’s death, she learns who her father is and has the opportunity to go meet him, a rewriting of everything she knew about herself.These situations help set up the story and provide obstacles throughout the novel, especially when, in a moment of weakness, Liyah follows the same path her mother had in having sex with Sayed. Neither begins the book looking for a romantic connection, Liyah because of a strict upbringing and Sayed because he’s about to embark on a political marriage. Despite an instant connection, both exercise supreme control to prevent acting on it. But circumstances thrust them together and keep them close until they recognize the truth of their bond. The novel is very sensual and explicit, but even in those moments, it’s all about who they are, how life shaped them, and what they intend to do with that life.This opens the book to another tradition: the secret baby. Even here though, in Monroe’s hands cliche takes on a new feel because the baby is critical as just a possibility, and has political as well as personal ramifications.What begins as an homage to the desert sheikh romances of the 80s takes on a very modern feel through complex characters and a complicated story that allows them the space to learn and grow. It incorporates cultural elements often missing from the earlier stories, whether in how to address Sayed or who should have a special tea set. Even better, instead of the blonde Caucasian who amazes the dark Middle Easterners with her contrast, Liyah is a mixed-race second-generation American with family ties to his own country and who has been raised aware of her cultural heritage.Monroe offers a traditional romance story with all the right pieces to satisfy a romance reader, but adds her own twists to make it just a bit more complicated and compelling.P.S. I received this title from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.