Their past haunts them, their future together remains tantalizingly out of reach…
Once upon a time, Khalid Steinsson and Pran Devan were deeply in love. They were planning their future, planning a commitment ceremony to each other. The unthinkable happened and the two were torn apart. Both men have changed. Pran carries his fiery anger as a shield against everything around him. Khalid carries his pain hidden underneath layers of icy cool restraint. It will take something monumental to either bring them back together, or tear them apart forever.
KHALID’S CHALLENGE is the fifth novel in THE PRIDELANDS series by Jade Buchanan. Each novel in this series is as good as the last but I found this novel particularly entertaining because I have always found Khalid intriguing and I looked forward to his story. I am pleased to say I quickly found myself becoming invested in it. Pran and Khalid’s emotions felt very real to me. As I was reading I found myself identifying with the pain and long both of the heroes were feeling.
Reviewed by Christina, Romance Junkies
(4 Stars!) Khalid’s Challenge is a beautiful addition to the Pridelands series. The characters are flawed yet eloquent in how they are expressed. Each character is endearing for how imperfect they are. Misunderstandings and disappointments add to the drama and uncertainty that bring about conflict in the story. Only after deep soul searching and past reflection can the two characters find their way back together.
Jade Buchanan’s Pridelands stories are absolutely must read books. The characters are majestic and regal, and the stories dramatic with a flair. There is hot sex and intriguing storylines. All combined they equal a series that is unique and utterly captivating. I can not wait for more of these books and characters’ stories.
Reviewed by Kimberley Spinney, Ecataromance
(4 Angels!) I love The Pridelands series and think that, unlike some series, the books stay consistently good throughout. Khalid’s Challenge is no exception to this rule. I thoroughly enjoyed the change of pace and thought that Jade Buchanan made and her excellent choice in having the focus of this story be on the tension between Khalid and Pran. The flashbacks emphasize that the line between love and hate is a fine one and that even when you do things for what you feel are the right reasons, people can get hurt and lives destroyed. While this is a love story the majority of the book focuses on Pran and his thoughts and feelings, it is not until late in the story that Khalid becomes more than the figure upon which Pran focuses his hatred. I can’t wait to read the next offering in this scrumptious series and hope that it is about Achan!
Reviewed by Hayley, Fallen Angel Reviews
Khalid and Pran's characters are actually spin offs from the previous series, The Felidae. I remember that I was intrigued by this possible story and wondered how it could be: till now, the books I read on these two series always paired a strong alpha male to an omega male; sometime the alpha males where two, but always they were balanced by an omega male between them. Here instead both Pran than Khalid are alpha males, but there is not a clear dominant between them. The author chose to balance them in the two most obvious way: Pran is older than Khalid, and so the age difference gives him points, and Khalid is bigger than Pran, and so the physical appearance gives him his points. Since this is a society where the physical strenght is a strong component of the political power, maybe Khalid has some more points than Pran, but not so much.
As always the story is not very long, 71 pages, and after the two main characters resolve their conflict, there is a lot of sex, very physical and with an heavy dose of brutal force, but always tempered by love. Jade Buchanan doesn't forget that, at the end, she is writing about half beast, and so her characters can't be shrinking violet, and they must be driven by instinct.
Reviewed by Elisa Rolle
© Jade Buchanan, all rights reserved.
“Get out of my way, you half-breed bastard.” Pran’s words were harsh, almost indistinguishable because of the throaty growl that accompanied them.
Khalid rumbled, just barely resisting throwing Pran up against the wall. He didn’t have time for this. Baring his fangs, he watched Pran stomp away from him, itching to go after him and teach him some control.
It was almost laughable. Every time he was close to the Tigris man, his control was lost entirely. He felt like a cub again, unsure, his emotions running freely. It was all he could do to hide himself away until he was back to normal. He’d never thought he’d be placed in this position again.
For the past fifteen years Khalid had gained a reputation for being cold and calculating. Shrewd. He didn’t let his emotions control him. He could always be counted on to provide a level head, to look at things in a way that others missed.
He wondered sometimes if he would have ended up the same had he stayed on Himalay instead of moving off planet. Who would he be now? It didn’t matter, though, so there was no point dwelling on the idea. He was who he was. He would not change that because some Tigris was bent out of shape.
He still didn’t understand what Pran was doing here anyway. Fifteen years ago, they had parted in a way guaranteed to harbor resentments.
“Khalid?”
Khalid turned to the left, spying the lithe figure of his sister. Rabi’a lifted her hand, brushing back her thick chin-length hair. The strands parted briefly, the striped locks shining in the ship’s light.
“Attika.”
“Will you be all right?”
He sighed, propping his shoulder against the wall of the narrow corridor.
“Talk to me, Binnodara. Let me help you.” Rabi’a walked closer, her brown and beige tail curling to wrap around his wrist.
Khalid dredged up a smile for her, thumping his own tail along the wall. Inhaling, he let his breath out in a shuddering sigh.
“Is this about going home?” His sister’s voice lowered, her concern evident.
“No.” His ears twitched. “Maybe.”
“Khalid.”
“I don’t know what to do. So much has changed in the past few months. I don’t know what I want anymore.”
“Okay. Are you no longer happy with your brother’s pride?”
Khalid considered her question. “I don’t know where I belong anymore,” he breathed. It wasn’t anyone else’s fault. It just was.
She nodded in understanding. “The past fifteen years have seen you becoming one with your Leo family, first under your father and then Durai. This is good, is it not?”
For many years now he had been a member of his brother’s pride, following and protecting Durai as he traveled amongst the stars, learning as much as possible about the other planets and people in the universe. He loved his life. He had always felt welcomed by his Leo brothers and sister. So why was he full of unrest now? Was it just because of the presence of Pran?
“I love Durai. I always will. He is my Binnodara, just as Jai is.”
Rabi’a nodded. “It cannot be easy balancing two such different families.”
“Do you think I neglected you and Jai?” He had never considered it before, but seeing his younger brother on Earth had made him come to some realizations lately. He had left everything behind on Himalay, including his sister and brother. He barely contacted his mother and the man who had raised him as his son.
He rubbed his wrist, feeling the scars that lay there, a constant reminder of who he now was. And who he wasn’t.
