A Review of

The Cowboy and the Belly Dancer

by Charlotte Maclay

Summary

A genie is finally released from her bottle after several centuries, and finds herself in the company of a modern-day Colorado rancher. She must now figure out how to break the curse that confined her to the bottle, as the rancher tries to figure out where she should fit in his life.

Fact Sheet

Title	The Cowboy and the Belly Dancer
Author	Charlotte Maclay
ISBN	0-373-16585-4
Publisher	Harlequin Enterprises
Category	Romance Novel
Rating
Number of Pages	202
Published In	1995

Description

This is a Harlequin romance novel. As Parker Dunlap is going through his deceased sister's effects, he is startled when a beautiful genie named Nesrin pops out of an old, beat-up lamp.

Nesrin had been condemned to a life in the lamp because she had defied an evil magician who had sought to possess her. So when several centuries later the handsome young Colorado rancher finds her bottle among his sister's belongings, Nesrin is freed from it and now has choices to make.

Things became tangled when Parker finds himself at risk of losing his ranch, Nesrin tried to avoid being cursed back into the bottle, and mysterious strangers from the Middle East appear on the scene to stir up trouble.

Is It Right for You?

You Will Probably Enjoy This Book If...

• You're looking for a simple book that you can read quickly.
• You enjoy light-hearted romance novels.

This Book Probably Isn't Right for You If...

• Romance novels are not your cup of tea.
• You prefer stories with complex plots and complicated characters.
• You dislike stories that exoticize the Middle East.

What I Liked, What I Didn't

What I Liked:

• This book is written in easy, everyday language and relaxing to read.
• The writing style uses a certain playful tone which frequently made me smile as I read it.
• The story is a bit reminiscent of the 1960's television show, I Dream Of Jeannie.
• The story is pleasant, in standard romance novel formula: a man and a woman meet, each brings issues to the table which get in the way of their blossoming love, some things occur to drive a further wedge between them, and at the end love conquers all.
• As promised by the title, Nesrin does a little bit of dancing in the book which fits in with the plot.

What I Didn't Like:

• This is formula romance. If you like romance novels, which I do, this won't be a problem. But if you're looking for great literature, this is not the right book for you.
• The character development is pleasant but not deep, and the plot is predictable.

Conclusion

I read this entire book from beginning to end on a 5-hour airplane flight. It's short and simple, and goes quickly. This book might be suitable to curl up with in the bathtub because it doesn't make you think too hard. There are some soft-core sex scenes in the book — theh book's target audience is clearly adults.

Disclosures

There is nothing to disclose. I have never had any contact with anyone associated with this book.

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