Independent Book Award Finalist Best Multicultural Fiction
San Francisco Book Festival Honorable Mention
Years of buying, breeding and training lead up to the most exciting two minutes in sports: the Kentucky Derby. But horse racing isn't just an American pastime; the United Arab Emirates, Japan and Ireland also ante up billions to add thoroughbreds to their stables. A sinister element is working behind the scenes to sabotage future Derbies and set back Kentucky's horse industry. Author Robert Monahan spins a tale of intrigue and romance, where lives and livelihoods are at stake.
Wrestling with his tortured past, Sasha, also known as Darkside, is now the trusted confidante and manager of the Sheikh of Karoumi's most valued horse stables. Loyalty and motives are tested as Darkside finds himself lured into a fantasy voyage with the woman of every man's dreams. The discovery that his sheikh has been kidnapped while he is conveniently unavailable quickly turns his dream cruise into a nightmare.
Physical struggles against the terrorist cell, the Knights of the Caliphate, are not as painful as his emotional struggles with guilt, lust, and a search for redemption. In the midst of chaos and betrayal, some find peace and a second chance for love, while others find the dark side of their soul. All seek forgiveness, but who grants this merciful gift?
