Books like Heart of the Desert by Carol Marinelli

Russian billionaire Sergei Antonovich strikes a business‑like arrangement with a young bride: marry, produce a child, and then part ways—a transactional romance set against opulence and ambition.

A billionaire intern’s secret photos surface, forcing his boss, Emmie Marshall, into a tense power play that ends with a weekend in Greece.

After being betrayed by millionaire Gabriel Cabrini, widowed Sasha discovers he will inherit her late husband's fortune and become guardian to her sons—forcing her into a battle of wills where nothing is as it seems.

Natasha Kirby’s life turns upside down when a ruthless tycoon forces her to choose between her family’s survival and her own future, leading her into a dangerous game of power, love, and desire.

A British woman returns from London to the desert to discover her former playboy prince has become an iron‑fisted ruler; the story follows their volatile romance as she confronts his demands and her own independence.

A tale of forbidden love in a high-stakes kingdom, where a prince must use pleasure to win the hand of a princess.

Jake Freedman, after a family tragedy, vows revenge against a powerful businessman. When a blind date with Costarella’s daughter Laura forces him into a dangerous affair, he must balance vengeance with attraction.

Effie, a practical housekeeper and virginal servant, is summoned to serve Sheikh Zakari in his desert retreat, where their growing passion leads to a surprising marriage arrangement.

Nell Trim vows to wrest justice from the seductive Marquess of Leath, knowing she must resist his tempting charms herself.

When heir Saul Parenti unexpectedly ascends the Arrezzian throne after his cousin’s death, he and his new wife Giselle must balance royal duties with a fragile marriage, as Giselle’s painful past threatens their future.

A man embarks on a dangerous quest to win back his kidnapped bride, driven by a thirst for revenge and passion that sets off a thrilling chase through the city of lights.

Santino Ferrara and Fia Baracchi must navigate a business deal that forces them together, while a hidden family feud and an heir claim threaten their fragile romance.

A fiery romance unfolds in the Arizona gold rush as a young woman returns to run her late father’s mine and finds herself torn between a cunning deputy marshal and a guarded gold prospector.

Isobel’s world pivots when Brazilian millionaire Alejandro Cabral returns to Spain, revealing a secret daughter he never imagined.

A photographer pretends to be male to join a Kalahari geologist expedition, only to confront her own identity and the dangers of deception in the African bush.

Genevieve Jordan, a public‑relations executive, travels to Kashkiri to assist controversial desert lord Ali Ben Hari with an economic conference. Their cultural clashes spark tension—and an unexpected attraction—between East and West.

A witty romance where business clashes with desire: Carenza Tonielli must bring her family’s ice‑cream empire to life with the help of the irresistible Dante Romano, sparking a sizzling affair and a lesson in living in the moment.

GR Review by Linda Morris Desert Hearts, as the title implies, is a western, but it's unlike any other western you may have read. No cowboys, no machismo, no spunky schoolteachers, no cartoon-like Native Americans. Instead, just an incredibly well-written, well-researched story about characters coming to grips with the horror of the Indian wars in New Mexico territory during the 1860s. As a teen, Elizabeth Woolcott is the sole survivor of a massacre that kills her family on the Santa Fe trail. She is rescued by a kindly older officer who sends her to stay with his sister, and then later marries her. Elizabeth marries him out of genuine fondness, but not romantic love. As an officer's wife, she enjoys a certain status and security that make the loveless marriage a comfort to her. She lives a closed-off existence, filled with fears of the Native Americans who live nearby, and looking down on the rough, uneducated, and often immigrant men her husband commands. Michael Burke, an enlisted Irish immigrant who has risen through the ranks to the position of Sergeant, challenges her misconceptions about the Irish when he displays intelligence and sensitivity. As an Irishman, he has experienced the potato famine as well as oppression by the British army, and often finds himself the victim of anti-Irish sentiment in the US Cavalry. A skilled horseman, he befriends several Navajo through their shared love of horses and introduces these people to Elizabeth, challenging her bigoted notions. He finds himself beginning more and more to question the role of the US Calvalry, and to empathize with the natives rather than the US government he represents. Elizabeth and Michael do not share a romance at first, just a slow-developing friendship. For the first half of the book, she is married, and faithfully so, to her older cavalry officer, Thomas. The older man is not a caricature--he doesn't abuse her or belittle her. He's not a villain. But when he is killed suddenly in a raid, Elizabeth is faced with a dilemma. The fort is the only home she knows, but as a widow, she had no right to continue living there. The only way for her to remain is to marry another officer. After some hesitation, she chooses to marry Michael Burke. The book represents a slow journey of healing and discovery for both hero and heroine. She must come to grips with the tragic loss of her family and her own narrow-minded prejudices. He must deal with the feelings of guilt and shame that his own background of dispossession causes when he must inflict similar suffering on Navajo families. It's a very different depiction of the military than you often see in romance, where the US army are usually unquestioningly portrayed as "the good guys." It is altogether a wonderful, nuanced, thoughtful story. Ms. Farrell comes from a psychology background, and it's apparent when reading her books. I've come across few authors who have such a deep insight into their characters

A small‑town girl finds herself wedged between romance and danger when she falls for the powerful Sheikh of Qawi in the scorching Arabian desert.

A funeral director seduces strangers to keep her safe from the pain of loss.