Kindle Price:	$5.99
	Price includes tax, if applicable
Sold by:	Amazon Australia Services, Inc.

You've subscribed to ! We will pre-order your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.

Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your memberships & subscriptions

There was an error! We were unable to process your subscription due to an error. Please refresh and try again.

Follow the author

Natalina Reis

Follow

Desert Jewel: Fantasy Romance (The Jewel Chronicles Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Natalina Reis (Author), Claire Smith (Illustrator), Hot Tree Editing (Editor) Format: Kindle Edition

32

Book 1 of 3: The Jewel Chronicles

See all formats and editions

She’s a princess. He’s an ex-slave. To survive, they must fight the all-powerful Elders, and Jaali's demons.

MILENDA
She’s a princess in a world of lush jungles and hellish deserts where the modern mixes with centuries-old traditions and superstitions. Taking a husband at the age of eighteen goes against every fiber of her being, but as a future monarch, she must follow the rules, even if her heart already belongs to someone.

JAALI
He’s an ex-slave who wishes to be invisible in a world where he can’t hide. Loving the headstrong princess may prove to be his demise. To win her hand he must survive a grueling trek through the desert. Will her love make him strong enough?

Desert Jewel is the first book in The Jewel Chronicles. A unique interracial romance set against a breathtaking fantasy world with complex characters and twists at every turn. Let Desert Jewel take you to another world.

“It had the perfect mix of adventure, love, hate and mystery to keep you hooked.”- Amazon Reviewer

“Desert Jewel by Natalina Reis is a great read full of love, hate, hope, joy, devastation, fantasy and magic all rolled into one wonderful story.” – Amazon Reviewer

“I am so happy I had an opportunity to read this book. It really is a hidden gem!” - Amazon Reviewer

Book 1 of 3

The Jewel Chronicles
Print length

305 pages
Language

English
Sticky notes

On Kindle Scribe
Publication date

8 October 2016
File size

3443 KB
Page Flip

Enabled
Word Wise

Enabled
Enhanced typesetting

Enabled
See all details

Report an issue with this product

All 3 for you in this series See full series

See included books

Total price: $17.97 + applicable tax

Sold by: Amazon Australia Services, Inc.

Gen Ryan
6
Kindle Edition
1 offer from $0.00
Natalina Reis
79
Kindle Edition
1 offer from $5.99
Lindsay Detwiler
19
Kindle Edition
1 offer from $0.00
Natalina Reis
12
Kindle Edition
1 offer from $5.99
Natalina Reis
22
Kindle Edition
1 offer from $5.99
Natalina Reis
15
Kindle Edition
1 offer from $3.99

Product description

Review

"Desert Jewel is a captivating read of love and survival."

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01LW97IA1
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hot Tree Publishing (8 October 2016)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3443 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 305 pages

Customer Reviews:
32

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Natalina Reis

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Natalina wrote her first romance in collaboration with her best friend at the age of 13. Since then she has ventured into other genres, but romance is first and foremost in almost everything she writes.

After earning a degree in tourism and foreign languages, she worked as a tourist guide in her native Portugal for a short time before moving to the United States. She lived in three continents and a few islands, and her knack for languages and linguistics led her to a master’s degree in education. She lives in Virginia where she has taught English as a Second Language to elementary school children for more years than she cares to admit.

Natalina doesn’t believe you can have too many books or too much coffee. Art and dance make her happy and she is pretty sure she could survive on lobster and bananas alone. When she is not writing or stressing over lesson plans, she shares her life with her husband and two adult sons.

Review this product

Write a customer review

Sort reviews by

Top reviews from Australia

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Angela Hayes

She loves that he has no expectations of her and their interactions are ‘natural’ and easy. The more time they spend together

Reviewed in Australia on 26 March 2017

Verified Purchase

5 Stars

Desert Jewel is a fantasy novel by Natalina Reis. There is so much happening in the story, from action, adventure, drama, romance, political power play, intrigue, Magical and Mystical beings, and so much more. The story takes place in a magical kingdom called Natale, in Africa.
Milenda is the Princess of her kingdom, the Jewel in the Crown and heir to the throne. She carries the heavy weight of responsibility and expectation- but she really longs to make her own path in life and break the mold she has been groomed for, all of her life.
Jaali was only a child when he was taken from his home and forced into slavery. He has since earned his freedom. When he meets Milenda, he has no idea who she is- only that she takes his breath away. She loves that he has no expectations of her and their interactions are ‘natural’ and easy. The more time they spend together, the deeper the feelings of belonging develop, and love blossoms.
But the kingdom of Natale is one steeped in tradition, where ancient customs and rituals must be adhered to. No one is exempt, especially the Princess. Milenda has little hope of a future with Jaali, as their traditions call for her to choose a husband from the men who compete and finish the “Trials”- a test of skills in strength, problem solving and endurance. She doesn’t want Jaali’s life to be endangered, or for him to have to endure the grueling conditions of the Trials. Anyway, there was little hope that he would be chosen anyway.
But Jaali is willing to do whatever it takes for them to be together. He would rather die trying for a future together, than live his life without her in it. He is now set to face the trials.
The story gets more intriguing, as there are some powerful people with their own agendas pulling strings in the background- who are determined to orchestrate their own outcomes and for some that means keeping the two apart. With the odds being stacked against them, what hope do Jaali and Milenda really have of succeeding? Does Jaali have any chance of finishing the trials, or is he doomed to fail even before he’s begun? Will Jaali and Melinda find the happy future they both want so badly?
Ms. Reis writes beautifully, and her talent is very apparent throughout the book. The characters are charming and endearing, and the world in which the book is set is vibrant, with exquisitely detailed imagery.
This is pretty captivating reading. The concept is quite unique, interesting and has been executed beautifully. The author did a great job of infusing quite a lot of emotion, tension and romance into the story.
The inclusion of the glossary of the translations for the Swahili words used in the story, added another dimension to my reading experience.
I would like to have found out more about the magical and mystical aspect of the kingdom.
This is my first read from this author and it certainly won’t be my last. I hope to have more of her work to read, real soon!

Thank you Ms. Reis!

Helpful

Jennadb

Milenda has already found the love of her life but knows she can not go ...

Reviewed in Australia on 28 March 2017

Milenda is the Jewel of the Crown of Natale and is set to become ruler. Ancient traditions state, she must select a husband upon her 18th birthday. Men vying for her hand must face the trial, which is set up in accordance with the Elders wishes. A trial that is as older than the Elders themselves and just as deadly but the men who face the trials do so without knowing that the odds have been stacked against them by these cruel and malicious old men. The men have presented themselves before the Jewel to receive her favour but one sends the fear of death into her upon seeing his face. Milenda has already found the love of her life but knows she can not go against traditions let alone the Elders.

Jaali is a former slave that has won his freedom. He teaches at the university and that is how he met his love, Milenda. He knows that in order to be accepted as one worthy of her hand he must face the Elders and the trial they have set before him before they can be man and wife and Milenda can claim the throne. Jaali is determined to win but he starts to realise that the Elders have their own agenda and that does not include Jaali and a happily ever after with Milenda, the Jewel of the Crown. Jaali heads to the desert to start the trials he has to face his deepest fears and fight for his life.

Meanwhile Milenda discovers that the Palace is full of secrets, lies and mystery when it comes to the Elders, causing her to face the problems thrown at her. The Elders do not want Jaali to survive and marry the Jewel,l in fact the Elders plans are very different to those of Melinda and that of the Goddess and Natale. Melinda has been given a gift, gifted to her by the Orisa. Shel learns that her gift may be the one thing that may save her love and could mean his survival, but is it really a gift?

If you like a book with mystery and intrigue then this book is for you.

Helpful

Amazon Customer

The worst (and best) bit about this book is that it ...

Reviewed in Australia on 5 April 2017

Natalina has written a most astounding novel, a romantic fiction that blends what some might think quite disparate genres, African, mythological, magic, religious, monarchist and romantic. Natalina’s writing builds strong characters without being saccharine, gives you fantasy grounded in humanity.
‘Opposites attract’ may be a long standing romantic notion but the author makes is very believable with strong ties to how non-judgemental believes and practices will triumph. The yin / yang is reversed with a strong female lead character and a damaged timid male character, without the female becoming viscous or proselytising. It just is. A female lead that those of any age can identify with or wish to emulate.
The social injustice in this book mirrors our own world situation, highlighting kindly our human foibles and emotions such as grief, self-worth and lust. Showing strength can come from any and all, identifying with those that have the least to give (be it voluntary or involuntary) and that power is totally different from strength and comes from those that are fearful, that have a vested interest in subjugating others.
Conversely, the mythological and magical involvement also lends itself to the reader escaping from our world situation!
This story is not finished. The worst (and best) bit about this book is that it is not finished, the author has left us at the pinnacle, leaving us with baited breath for the next instalment. We can tell that the characters and environment have plenty of room for growth and we eagerly await the next book.

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Butterfly Femme

A potential fairy tale

Reviewed in the United States on 17 July 2019

Verified Purchase

The book hooked me from the beginning. The author arouses all five senses with her vivid descriptions of colorful clothing, giant purring lizards, and the pungent odor of strong herbal tea. The lovers prove what happens with soul mates: a match made in heaven. Class, race, age do not stop two hearts that are linked by kismet. The sex scenes were steamy, but not too explicit. They built heat without making the reader feel like a shameful voyeur.

I also found the concept of reverse slavery interesting. It's a big risk that Reis made totally believable. I recommend this fantasy love story to anyone who has doubts about true love, perseverance, and a woman as an indomitable protagonist.

2 people found this helpful

Tammie

Easy read perfect for fans of either romance or fantasy genres

Reviewed in the United States on 31 December 2016

Verified Purchase

Desert Jewel is a great story with love and intrigue mixed in equal parts. The fantasy elements are light, so even if you aren't a fan of the fantasy genre, you will enjoy this sweet romance. I enjoyed the easy read and highly recommend it to any romance or fantasy reader.

3 people found this helpful

Caye

Quick, but not fleshed out fantasy read

Reviewed in the United States on 1 January 2017

Verified Purchase

Desert Jewel is a quick read that seems to be geared towards young adult audiences interested in fantasy, but it also highlights on some mature topics including consensual and non consensual sexual topics.

Milenda is the Crown Jewel of Natalie, set in a constructed, fantasized Afrika. Jaali is an foreign-born, ex-slave who has endured unimaginable horrors and teaches at the local university where he meets the princess. Despite falling in love, Milenda must choose her husband from a set of contenders that survive a series of brutal, cruel tasks in the desert. And so Jaali, unknown to Milenda, volunteers as a contender. Milenda, when she finds out, will do anything she can to save his life and battle his demons.

It is a quick read with a fast moving plot and a vivid setting and context. However, the novel also pushes through a great deal of material, meaning that time isn't taken to fully flesh out this new fantasy world and the sociopolitical environment that Melinda and Jaali's stories are based upon. Fairly serious and traumatic topics, while discussed in some depth, seem glossed over in the greater emotional sense, and elements of the storyline don't seem particularly realistic. The plot is fairly tunnel-visioned in that the love story is the main focus (which, for those interested, is pretty interesting), meaning the topics of slavery and questions of governmental power as well as the other contenders are largely ignored despite being set up as important elements.

Overall, a quick and easy read in an interesting fantastical world. Some elements of the novel may be troubling or triggering for readers.

Thanks to the publisher for a digital copy.

5 people found this helpful

Kindle Customer

Amazing story to read!

Reviewed in the United States on 12 July 2019

Verified Purchase

This story is amazing! Love the not so slow burn of love! The suspense, mystery and love for each other! Love Africa and Munjisi! Still answers are needed. For questions, I look forward to reading the next book! Awesome story to read of love from slave to princess!

One person found this helpful

BELINDA MILLER

A Colorful Romantic Adventure

Reviewed in the United States on 5 July 2018

Verified Purchase

Befit for either the young adult, or the not so young adult. Beautifully written, a cross between the tale of “Aladdin” and “Scherezade,” the two main characters enliven these old stories with a new life. I loved the intertwined mysticism created by the author. A wonderful example of the romance genre.

Image Unavailable

Follow the author

Desert Jewel: Fantasy Romance (The Jewel Chronicles Book 1) Kindle Edition

Popular titles by this author

Product description

Review

Product details

About the author

Natalina Reis

Customer reviews

Review this product

Top reviews from Australia

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries