I can't believe I waited so long to read this off my TBR pile. Started November reading on a great note!

Summary:

Princess Katherine has always been destined for a political marriage. Her heart heavy, she prepares to meet her future husband—the man whisperers in his royal kingdom call the Beast of Hajar.…

Concealing his disfigurement from public scrutiny, Sheikh Zahir rules his country from within the castle walls, allowing no one in. Until duty demands he carry on the Hajar family dynasty, and allow his new bride to cross the threshold.

Zahir expects Katherine to flee at first sight. Yet her unflinching gaze fires Zahir's blood, their attraction burning hotter than the scorching desert sands.…

Review:

This is a re-telling Beauty and the Beast trope done so very well. Zahir should be required studying in how to do Alphas right - I loved him from the get-go. Katherine was no slouch either - her quiet determination made me connect with her early on.

Katherine, used to being the spare heir despite being the older sibling, was to be married to Zahir's brother Malik. She looks to keep said marriage to the same family in order to protect her younger brother (and heir to the throne), so she proposes an arrangement with Zahir. Malik and his parents died in a terrorist attack while in the public square; Zahir was badly scarred, walks with a limp, and suffers from PTSD and survivor's guilt. But he agrees with Katherine that for both of their countries' sakes, the marriage between families must happen.

Over the course of the story, both Katherine and Zahir learn to let go of their past hurts and move toward a loving marriage that started as an oath to their respective countries. This is a slow burn of a story with a lot of sexual tension. This was an emotionally satisfying read. I wished that I didn't wait so long to read it, but sheikhs are generally not my thing. The book ended my contemporary romance reading slump, which is another plus.

Bottom line: Keeper!