A King's Ransom

A King’s Ransom is an exotic and romantic suspense about a woman who must balance her duty to family with her passion for an unlikely lover in a foreign land. Megan Wentworth heads to the forbidding deserts and modern cities of the Middle East only to find herself arrested by the mysterious and powerful Sheikh Mikal al-Shareef.

Forced to cruise the Mediterranean with her blackmailer, Megan escapes from him by heading into the desert nation of Turkistan. When her blackmailer chases her, they both land in the middle of a secret military weapons test and are detained on suspicion of spying by Sheikh Mikal al-Shareef.

At first, under austere conditions of confinement, the captor and victim find themselves mutually hostile. When her captor rescues Megan from an attack and moves her into his palace, she soon becomes deeply attracted to him. The sheikh is utterly captivated by Megan’s inner strength and beauty, and against her better judgment, she finds herself falling in love with this mysterious man who detains her against her will.

Back in the states, Megan’s younger sister faces a prison sentence if Megan and her blackmailer don’t return home soon. Megan struggles between her love and devotion to her sister and the man she comes to love. Will she choose to betray Mikal and return home, or will she choose to remain in Turkistan?

Meanwhile, Mikal doesn’t trust Megan. As the leader of his country, he must first ensure the security of Turkistan before following his heart. However, as a virile man who knows what he wants, the sheikh wants Megan to fulfill his destiny to produce a male heir. When Megan is used as a pawn during an attempt to overthrow the sheikh’s rule, both Megan and Mikal must confront their conflicted desires. A tale of cultural clash and forbidden love, A King’s Ransom is a high-wire romantic adventure set amidst the exotic landscape of the Middle East.

Coll’s writing was inspired by a tour of Egypt, where she met modern and welcoming Arabs, both Muslim and Coptic Christian. With its mix of ancient history and enchantment with modern technology, the country’s culture and open, forward-looking people impressed her. So too did the sheikhs with their opulent wealth, their friendly, veiled women, and their all-encompassing hospitality. Coll realized she had the perfect setting for her story of love blooming amidst the desert.