"Inspired by actual events . . . inspiring and enlightening!" - Ann B. "A heart-wrenching but inspiring tale of courage, resilience, and human survival. Beautifully written." - Jane R. "A must read! Tammy refuses to surrender and no matter what they do to her, her spirit is not broken." - Rachel M. "The suspense is intense. A sad story, but extremely well written." - Marie C. "This book really took me by surprise. It's fundamentally a horror story, a fascinating psychological study of what slavery does to the victim—and to her owners. An unflinching look at human trafficking carried out with finesse and grace." - Kristin W. "I stayed up reading this book until five a.m., then called in sick so I could finish it. I simply could not put it down. Best book by far I have ever read." - Chad K. "A fantastic book on a terrifying topic. I just wanted to curl up somewhere and keep reading. Fell in love with the gutsy heroine." - Doug H. "I didn't want to put this book down even long enough to eat. A revealing and restrained treatment of an explosive topic. Riveting!" - John H. "This book made me cry and shook me to the core. I was moved beyond words." - Leigh "I simply could not put this book down and polished it off in one day. The heroine's amazing strength of character and good heart shine through on every page." - Cathy D.

Kidnapped from her home in Cairo, Egypt, Laila is placed on an auction block in Constantinople and sold to work as a handmaid to a wealthy man and his daughter. Unhappy as a maid and leery of the lustful advances of her owner, Laila dreams of returning to her home. Laila is sold to a Turkish harem where she catches the eye of the handsome yet arrogant palace heir, Kudar al Numan. As Laila fights to deny her feelings for Kudar, their relationship is threatened by the jealous rage of another woman. To keep the couple apart, Laila's nemesis hatches a plan to force her to make a choice...return to the family she loves or remain in her new life with her new love. Either choice may be seen as an act of betrayal. Which will she choose? And does going back to relive the past mean there is no hope for the future?

The "fascinating . . . lively" story of the Russian slave girl Roxelana, who rose from concubine to become the only queen of the Ottoman empire (New York Times). In Empress of the East, historian Leslie Peirce tells the remarkable story of a Christian slave girl, Roxelana, who was abducted by slave traders from her Ruthenian homeland and brought to the harem of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent in Istanbul. Suleyman became besotted with her and foreswore all other concubines. Then, in an unprecedented step, he freed her and married her. The bold and canny Roxelana soon became a shrewd diplomat and philanthropist, who helped Suleyman keep pace with a changing world in which women, from Isabella of Hungary to Catherine de Medici, increasingly held the reins of power. Until now Roxelana has been seen as a seductress who brought ruin to the empire, but in Empress of the East, Peirce reveals the true history of an elusive figure who transformed the Ottoman harem into an institution of imperial rule.

The first study exploring the lives of female slaves of the Ottoman imperial court, drawing from hitherto unexplored primary sources

This Is A New Release Of The Original 1873 Edition.

The slave harem is all. If you enter, you can never leave. Contact with the outside world is forbidden. With a secret talent for seeing auras of physical and emotional arousal, Ren, a sought-after pleasure slave, is sold to a mysterious master in a foreign land where he will become part of a collection of beautiful men. Though the men appear welcoming, there is competition and jealousy among the ranks. And their mysterious master who is heard but never seen elicits more questions than answers. One friendly slave, Li Po, helps Ren settle in, but it is the voiceless man, Zanti, who draws Ren's attention. With his wicked beauty and bratty scowls, Zanti is the least welcoming of them all, and Ren's training and control are put to the test. Gay harem, slow-burn, enemies to lovers. Extraordinary and strange. Hot and cold. This book explores the many levels of sex, lust, loneliness and belonging. And maybe, just maybe, there can be love.

Women in the Ancient Near East offers a lucid account of the daily life of women in Mesopotamia from the third millennium BCE until the beginning of the Hellenistic period. The book systematically presents the lives of women emerging from the available cuneiform material and discusses modern scholarly opinion. Stol’s book is the first full-scale treatment of the history of women in the Ancient Near East.

Ottoman Empire, 1565 Prince Khadin knows his days are numbered. His death could come at any moment, but even he cannot help but be distracted by the Bedouin princess he sees making a daring bid for freedom from the slave market. Even in captivity, her courage and purity attract Khadin to her as much as her beauty. Unable to resist the temptation, he takes