Fantasy novel: man transported from his world to new world, desert merchants, secretly intelligent lizard mounts, magical deception, return to own world not possible

Genre: Fantasy (possibly independently published or audio-original)

Publication date: Likely within the last 15 years (2008–2023)
Plot summary & memorable details:
I’m trying to identify a fantasy novel (which I most likely encountered as an audiobook) set primarily in a (sometimes desert-like) fantasy world. The main character, originally from his own world (not Earth), faces trouble early on from a powerful noble, possibly a count or baron. He might have financial troubles, or so. The story in his original world continues for some time, even after he is transported to this new world and I seem to remember someone who either transported him there or is otherwise important to this event – like a magician, warlock, or so, but someone influential. I do not remember the exact reason why this transport occurred, possibly to get rid of the main character. The setting is medieval fantasy, not our earth or modern times.

One of the first scenes I remember as him getting his bearings in the desert and meeting a figure, possibly a djinn or something of this kind, although this is quite fuzzy in my memory. 

Early in the story, he meets desert merchants riding unusual, lizard-like mounts who help im traverse a desert, maybe in exchange for work or help. Later, the merchants are attacked and killed in the desert. To one merchant’s horror, these mounts reveal themselves as intelligent, malevolent, and capable of speech—secretly allowing themselves to be used as mounts to further their hidden agenda (though this wasn’t necessarily central to the main plot).

The protagonist participates in a war or conflict between two factions or kingdoms, one notably wealthy—possibly merchant-controlled. He also travels with a female companion, I believe. Toward the story’s end, another character pretends to help them return to their/his home world using magic but instead puts them to sleep, later admitting he either lacked the power or knowledge to actually teleport them. In the end, I think they accept not being able to return.

I’m not sure if it is a series or not, and I think I have listened to it as an audio book on either audible or youtube – though having looked through my audible library, it must have been on youtube.
I tried AI search like ChatGPT or Perplexity, but they couldn’t find anything on the web.

Thanks!