Craving Beauty : Nalini Singh

He.....

Marc Bordeaux. A man carrying scars from his childhood. Not one to trust easily and definitely not a man to give his heart to any woman easily. Fighting a street life where thievery, drugs etc. were the norms of the day, he used his business acumen to rise up in life. While finishing his studies he did odd jobs to earn money to invest in the future. So it is of no wonder that he is introduced to the readers as an eligible bachelor who is considered appropriate to marry the desert beauty, Hira.

She...

Is Hira Dazirah. All her life she wanted to prove herself. She had a business sense but just because she was a girl she was not encouraged to study further.She had accepted that way of life. Rejected by what she thought to be her true love, she decides to marry according to her tyrant father's wishes.  She had seen him before the marriage, and had felt the full force of his ‘ghost gray eyes’.

The love affair......

From their first encounter attraction flared between them, but it was soon clouded with suspicion and misunderstanding when Marc agreed to marry Hira without meeting her at all. Hira did not want to end up like a trophy bride just like her mother. She did her best to appear cold and icy towards her husband when they went to his house 'far from the bustle of New Orleans, Southeast of Lafayette'. But soon she realized that they shared a very strong mutual attraction for each other. Would that be enough to seal their marriage for eternity?

Would Marc see her as an intelligent woman, who had an intelligent mind behind that beauty of hers, or would he possess her as a beautiful trophy to show the society that even with all his scars he could still have a beautiful woman?

Would Hira be able to make her husband understand that she needed not only his love but also his trust? Would she ever be able to put her husband’s insecurity to rest?

What I liked......

The characters were very distinct. Each had their own fears and insecurities. Both the characters were equal in terms of their insecurities and passion. I could relate to Hira very well, especially, when she was fighting for her rights as a woman. When she thought Marc was being patronizing, she stood up to him. When she thought that he was having a secret, she fought to know it and when she felt that Mac was being aloof she fought for her love. All in all, she was a complete woman who could overcome her insecurities, adjust to a new land and fight for her love.

Marc, with all his scars and insecurities, was a lovable character when he was not being a pain in the neck. (Ahem!!) But what I loved about him was when he opened an account for his mother in law, understanding that she had to beg her husband for money. (That made me fall in love with Marc!!)

What I didn't like......

Marc to some extend seemed pig headed and he seemed to solve all his anger, disagreement and sorrow by ‘romping’ on the bed. That characteristic of Marc makes him a bit shallow for me. The second thing which I found a bit off putting was Hira always acting without any flaws and being too good to be true. She went on calling March ‘Husband’ and the way she spoke English, though suited with her character, was a bit off-putting.

Rating: ****

On the whole I loved the story. The love and passion between them was palpable. I would give this story 4 out of 5 stars. The one star I am taking away for Marc’s pigheadedness.(Hmm. I can be stubborn too.....)