What do you think?
Rate this book
Long, Tall Texans #9
Donavan
"Anything worth having is worth fighting for..."
From the moment the elegantly dressed society woman walked into the bar on the wrong side of town, rugged Texan Donavan Langley knew she was trouble—and just the type of woman he'd vowed to avoid. But the lovely Fay York awoke a tenderness in him that he'd never known...and a yearning for something he could never have.
The electrifying instant Fay gazed into a pair of glittering silver eyes, she fell hard for Donavan. Even though the rough-and-tumble cowboy was determined to keep his heart from her, he needed Fay. And it wasn't such a big step from needing to loving....
From the moment the elegantly dressed society woman walked into the bar on the wrong side of town, rugged Texan Donavan Langley knew she was trouble—and just the type of woman he'd vowed to avoid. But the lovely Fay York awoke a tenderness in him that he'd never known...and a yearning for something he could never have.
The electrifying instant Fay gazed into a pair of glittering silver eyes, she fell hard for Donavan. Even though the rough-and-tumble cowboy was determined to keep his heart from her, he needed Fay. And it wasn't such a big step from needing to loving....
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 2, 1991
205 people are currently reading
512 people want to read
About the author
Diana Palmer
1,039 books3,097 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Diana Palmer is a pseudonym for author Susan Kyle.
(1)romance author
Susan Eloise Spaeth was born on 11 December 1946 in Cuthbert, Georgia, USA. She was the eldest daughter of Maggie Eloise Cliatt, a nurse and also journalist, and William Olin Spaeth, a college professor. Her mother was part of the women's liberation movement many years before it became fashionable. Her best friends are her mother and her sister, Dannis Spaeth (Cole), who now has two daughters, Amanda Belle Hofstetter and Maggie and lives in Utah. Susan grew up reading Zane Grey and fell in love with cowboys. Susan is a former newspaper reporter, with sixteen years experience on both daily and weekly newspapers. Since 1972, she has been married to James Kyle and have since settled down in Cornelia, Georgia, where she started to write romance novels. Susan and her husband have one son, Blayne Edward, born in 1980.
She began selling romances in 1979 as Diana Palmer. She also used the pseudonyms Diana Blayne and Katy Currie, and her married name: Susan Kyle. Now, she has over 40 million copies of her books in print, which have been translated and published around the world. She is listed in numerous publications, including Contemporary Authors by Gale Research, Inc., Twentieth Century Romance and Historical Writers by St. James Press, The Writers Directory by St. James Press, the International Who's Who of Authors and Writers by Meirose Press, Ltd., and Love's Leading Ladies by Kathryn Falk. Her awards include seven Waldenbooks national sales awards, four B. Dalton national sales awards, two Bookrak national sales awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award for series storytelling from Romantic Times, several Affaire de Coeur awards, and two regional RWA awards.
Inspired by her husband, who quit a blue-collar manufacturing job to return to school and get his diploma in computer programming, Susan herself went back to college as a day student at the age of 45. In 1995, she graduated summa cum laude from Piedmont College, Demorest, GA, with a major in history and a double minor in archaeology and Spanish. She was named to two honor societies (the Torch Club and Alpha Chi), and was named to the National Dean's List. In addition to her writing projects, she is currently working on her master's degree in history at California State University. She hopes to specialize in Native American studies. She is a member of the Native American Rights Fund, the American Museum of Natural History, the National Cattlemen's Association, the Archaeological Institute of Amenca, the Planetary Society, The Georgia Conservancy, the Georgia Sheriff's Association, and numerous conservation and charitable organizations. Her hobbies include gardening, archaeology, anthropology, iguanas, astronomy and music.
In 1998, her husband retired from his own computer business and now pursues skeet shooting medals in local, state, national and international competition. They love riding around and looking at the countryside, watching sci-fi on TV and at the movies, just talking and eating out.
Diana Palmer is a pseudonym for author Susan Kyle.
(1)romance author
Susan Eloise Spaeth was born on 11 December 1946 in Cuthbert, Georgia, USA. She was the eldest daughter of Maggie Eloise Cliatt, a nurse and also journalist, and William Olin Spaeth, a college professor. Her mother was part of the women's liberation movement many years before it became fashionable. Her best friends are her mother and her sister, Dannis Spaeth (Cole), who now has two daughters, Amanda Belle Hofstetter and Maggie and lives in Utah. Susan grew up reading Zane Grey and fell in love with cowboys. Susan is a former newspaper reporter, with sixteen years experience on both daily and weekly newspapers. Since 1972, she has been married to James Kyle and have since settled down in Cornelia, Georgia, where she started to write romance novels. Susan and her husband have one son, Blayne Edward, born in 1980.
She began selling romances in 1979 as Diana Palmer. She also used the pseudonyms Diana Blayne and Katy Currie, and her married name: Susan Kyle. Now, she has over 40 million copies of her books in print, which have been translated and published around the world. She is listed in numerous publications, including Contemporary Authors by Gale Research, Inc., Twentieth Century Romance and Historical Writers by St. James Press, The Writers Directory by St. James Press, the International Who's Who of Authors and Writers by Meirose Press, Ltd., and Love's Leading Ladies by Kathryn Falk. Her awards include seven Waldenbooks national sales awards, four B. Dalton national sales awards, two Bookrak national sales awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award for series storytelling from Romantic Times, several Affaire de Coeur awards, and two regional RWA awards.
Inspired by her husband, who quit a blue-collar manufacturing job to return to school and get his diploma in computer programming, Susan herself went back to college as a day student at the age of 45. In 1995, she graduated summa cum laude from Piedmont College, Demorest, GA, with a major in history and a double minor in archaeology and Spanish. She was named to two honor societies (the Torch Club and Alpha Chi), and was named to the National Dean's List. In addition to her writing projects, she is currently working on her master's degree in history at California State University. She hopes to specialize in Native American studies. She is a member of the Native American Rights Fund, the American Museum of Natural History, the National Cattlemen's Association, the Archaeological Institute of Amenca, the Planetary Society, The Georgia Conservancy, the Georgia Sheriff's Association, and numerous conservation and charitable organizations. Her hobbies include gardening, archaeology, anthropology, iguanas, astronomy and music.
In 1998, her husband retired from his own computer business and now pursues skeet shooting medals in local, state, national and international competition. They love riding around and looking at the countryside, watching sci-fi on TV and at the movies, just talking and eating out.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
November 24, 2021
I’m coming off a Diana Palmer bender of epic proportion, and maaaan am I hungover with vague blurry memories of thickets of chest-hair tenderly nestling little pink-and-mauve virgin breasts; smoky kisses, asshattery of epic proportions, MCs with the worst cases of Treacherous Body Syndrome ever seen, lots of biscuits and beef steers (not cows), soapboxing about everything from failing morals to hormones in beef, and… well, like I said, it’s all a bit fuzzy and overwhelming and I wonder where my panties are (just kidding :-D). Hell no, I won’t be reviewing most of them—this inebriating detour came in the midst of my trying to nail down 134 Betty Neels books, so damn you, Diana of the 100+ books, for leading me astray!
My appreciation of DP has grown in leaps and bounds. For an asshat collector like me, her heroes are a smorgasbord of whiplash emotions, outright emotional cruelty alternating with tender lovemaking (whiplash!), terrible unfounded misjudgments about our spunky-yet-vulnerable heroines (whiplash!), and an incredible vulnerability (whiplash!) that not many romance authors of her heyday would even attempt, let alone carry off. For all the hero POV she provides (a rarity in romance throughout much of her career, where enigmatic heroes were more the norm), her heroes are still so often SUCH incredible assholes even when you know what they’re thinking/feeling and how they are mostly being such jerks out of self-preservation. Even knowing their motives and emotions/thoughts doesn’t neuter the angsty goodness much, as our heroines are tossed hither and nigh in the hot-and-cold surf of our heroes’ emotions and desires. So much fodder for fans of alphahole heroes and angst, like me.
The stories themselves are ludicrous, repetitive, and hugely entertaining (whiplash!), full of high drama (car and plane crashes! Bad guys vs. white hats! Lawmen and mercenaries! Miscarriages! Leaky heart valves!) and misunderstanding. Donovan was low in the action-drama stakes (no spies-like-us stuff, no bad guys out to off the heroine, no failing hearts or one-shot pregnancies, even), but had a hefty share of emotional angst in a relatively straightforward story . Our hero is about middlin’ in the DP cruelty stakes (which, for any other author, would put him beyond the pale), but that’s just a relative measure against her worst heroes. Mostly he’s just dumber than dirt and prone to emotional whiplash (I want her! I want her gone!) because of a mild-in-DP-terms past experience. And yet, I still somehow buy into her HEAs! This book is probably a good intro to DP since you get a soupcon of cruelty and drama while working up to heroes/backstories like those in Lawman and Rodrigo, who really torture their oh-so-vulnerable and damaged (but spunky-sweet!) heroines.
I have to say, for all that DP is weirdly prudish in some ways and prone to exalting masses of chest hair and smoking as sexually alluring (ah, the 80s, with Marlboro Men and Tom Selleck/Sam (whew!) Elliot of the twinkling eyes), DP writes some serious heat somehow (even with her often impenetrable virgins, out-of-the-gate-minute-men heroes, and not-so-great first (but transcendent subsequent) sexual encounters). I don’t understand how exactly, but even without being truly explicit, she pulls off hot and very tender sex scenes even with her hairiest, cig-puffing-est, worst-offender asshat heroes. It’s a kind of magic that is entirely her own. I get the love now, I really do, from all the DP fans out there. I’ve actually become one myself, something I never envisioned when I first starting reading her earlier this year. Go figure!
For a real review of Donovan, instead of drunk-on-DP ramblings, see St Margaret’s review. For a dip-your-toe-before-plunging-in intro to the absurdities and wonders of DP’s catalog, Donovan’s not a bad place to start.
My appreciation of DP has grown in leaps and bounds. For an asshat collector like me, her heroes are a smorgasbord of whiplash emotions, outright emotional cruelty alternating with tender lovemaking (whiplash!), terrible unfounded misjudgments about our spunky-yet-vulnerable heroines (whiplash!), and an incredible vulnerability (whiplash!) that not many romance authors of her heyday would even attempt, let alone carry off. For all the hero POV she provides (a rarity in romance throughout much of her career, where enigmatic heroes were more the norm), her heroes are still so often SUCH incredible assholes even when you know what they’re thinking/feeling and how they are mostly being such jerks out of self-preservation. Even knowing their motives and emotions/thoughts doesn’t neuter the angsty goodness much, as our heroines are tossed hither and nigh in the hot-and-cold surf of our heroes’ emotions and desires. So much fodder for fans of alphahole heroes and angst, like me.
The stories themselves are ludicrous, repetitive, and hugely entertaining (whiplash!), full of high drama (car and plane crashes! Bad guys vs. white hats! Lawmen and mercenaries! Miscarriages! Leaky heart valves!) and misunderstanding. Donovan was low in the action-drama stakes (no spies-like-us stuff, no bad guys out to off the heroine, no failing hearts or one-shot pregnancies, even), but had a hefty share of emotional angst in a relatively straightforward story . Our hero is about middlin’ in the DP cruelty stakes (which, for any other author, would put him beyond the pale), but that’s just a relative measure against her worst heroes. Mostly he’s just dumber than dirt and prone to emotional whiplash (I want her! I want her gone!) because of a mild-in-DP-terms past experience. And yet, I still somehow buy into her HEAs! This book is probably a good intro to DP since you get a soupcon of cruelty and drama while working up to heroes/backstories like those in Lawman and Rodrigo, who really torture their oh-so-vulnerable and damaged (but spunky-sweet!) heroines.
I have to say, for all that DP is weirdly prudish in some ways and prone to exalting masses of chest hair and smoking as sexually alluring (ah, the 80s, with Marlboro Men and Tom Selleck/Sam (whew!) Elliot of the twinkling eyes), DP writes some serious heat somehow (even with her often impenetrable virgins, out-of-the-gate-minute-men heroes, and not-so-great first (but transcendent subsequent) sexual encounters). I don’t understand how exactly, but even without being truly explicit, she pulls off hot and very tender sex scenes even with her hairiest, cig-puffing-est, worst-offender asshat heroes. It’s a kind of magic that is entirely her own. I get the love now, I really do, from all the DP fans out there. I’ve actually become one myself, something I never envisioned when I first starting reading her earlier this year. Go figure!
For a real review of Donovan, instead of drunk-on-DP ramblings, see St Margaret’s review. For a dip-your-toe-before-plunging-in intro to the absurdities and wonders of DP’s catalog, Donovan’s not a bad place to start.
November 3, 2018
What goes up, must come down. The wheel of fortune rolls along in this story so quickly you’ll think you’re on a carnival ride.
Heroine is a poor little rich girl – in fact hero calls her that in one of his affectionate moments. (Hero does have affectionate moments that roll into cold moments that roll into affection again. This is *the* emotional pattern of the book. )
Hero does not like debutantes or rich girls because his father married his second wife for her money and the whole town gossiped about it. Hero has never lived down that shame. (Reviewer note – try living in the heroine-from-Evan’s world, tough guy)
Let’s set that wheel in motion, starting with affection:
Hero meets heroine at a bar where a seedy cowboy is trying to pick her up. Heroine is off of her rich girl chain because her uncle is trying to pimp her out to his business partner. She has a few months left until she inherits her trust money, so she has to put up with her uncle or get a job.
Hero advises heroine get a job. They dance. Heroine is in love. Hero sends her on her way.
Cold
Heroine gets a job at the feedlot office working for Callahan from book one. Hero thinks she’s following him.
Poor
Heroine finds out there’s no money in her trust fund.
Affection
Hero asks her to marry him since he needs a wife if he’s going to win custody of his orphaned nephew. Virgin whispering ensues.
Rich
Heroine finds out she’s inherited money from her Great-aunt.
Cold
Hero calls off engagement
Poor
Heroine isn’t going to inherit the whole estate, but she doesn’t tell the hero that.
Affection
Hero remembers he still needs the hero for a custody fight. They marry, but don’t consummate their wedding night because hero discovers heroine has a super-hymen and must have a doctor cut it away.
Cold
Hero wants a divorce as soon as custody is settled. People are talking about heroine’s inheritance.
Affection
At the custody hearing the hero realizes he loves the heroine. They do get custody. Finally go all the way.
Poor
Heroine tells hero how much she inherited. She’ll be a cooking, cleaning, poor drone, but she’ll be happy.
So the wheel stops at poor and affectionate rather than cold and rich.
*is dizzy*
I just don’t like this sort of plot, although DP has a better handle of her characterization. The blowhot/ blowcold antics are better explained and are less surprising.
Diana Palmer checklist
Hairy chest – check – the word “pelt” is actually in the description.
Breast description – check – large and golden
Cigarettes – check
Alcohol – beer at the cowboy bar
Town Descriptions – Cole’s Café, Daycare, Whitman Estate where H/h both attend a ball, Grocery store with take out deli.
Gardenia Scent – check
LOL detail – I’m getting immune – not even the super hymen and the sympathetic doctor made me bat an eye.
Cutesy detail – Callahan and Donovan don’t like each other and snipe whenever the other is mentioned.
The next book in the series is Emmett, which I have already read. I hated it. Gave it one star. But that was before I had taken on this project and learned the DP code. I'm not going to re-read, not even for "research purposes."
Heroine is a poor little rich girl – in fact hero calls her that in one of his affectionate moments. (Hero does have affectionate moments that roll into cold moments that roll into affection again. This is *the* emotional pattern of the book. )
Hero does not like debutantes or rich girls because his father married his second wife for her money and the whole town gossiped about it. Hero has never lived down that shame. (Reviewer note – try living in the heroine-from-Evan’s world, tough guy)
Let’s set that wheel in motion, starting with affection:
Hero meets heroine at a bar where a seedy cowboy is trying to pick her up. Heroine is off of her rich girl chain because her uncle is trying to pimp her out to his business partner. She has a few months left until she inherits her trust money, so she has to put up with her uncle or get a job.
Hero advises heroine get a job. They dance. Heroine is in love. Hero sends her on her way.
Cold
Heroine gets a job at the feedlot office working for Callahan from book one. Hero thinks she’s following him.
Poor
Heroine finds out there’s no money in her trust fund.
Affection
Hero asks her to marry him since he needs a wife if he’s going to win custody of his orphaned nephew. Virgin whispering ensues.
Rich
Heroine finds out she’s inherited money from her Great-aunt.
Cold
Hero calls off engagement
Poor
Heroine isn’t going to inherit the whole estate, but she doesn’t tell the hero that.
Affection
Hero remembers he still needs the hero for a custody fight. They marry, but don’t consummate their wedding night because hero discovers heroine has a super-hymen and must have a doctor cut it away.
Cold
Hero wants a divorce as soon as custody is settled. People are talking about heroine’s inheritance.
Affection
At the custody hearing the hero realizes he loves the heroine. They do get custody. Finally go all the way.
Poor
Heroine tells hero how much she inherited. She’ll be a cooking, cleaning, poor drone, but she’ll be happy.
So the wheel stops at poor and affectionate rather than cold and rich.
*is dizzy*
I just don’t like this sort of plot, although DP has a better handle of her characterization. The blowhot/ blowcold antics are better explained and are less surprising.
Diana Palmer checklist
Hairy chest – check – the word “pelt” is actually in the description.
Breast description – check – large and golden
Cigarettes – check
Alcohol – beer at the cowboy bar
Town Descriptions – Cole’s Café, Daycare, Whitman Estate where H/h both attend a ball, Grocery store with take out deli.
Gardenia Scent – check
LOL detail – I’m getting immune – not even the super hymen and the sympathetic doctor made me bat an eye.
Cutesy detail – Callahan and Donovan don’t like each other and snipe whenever the other is mentioned.
The next book in the series is Emmett, which I have already read. I hated it. Gave it one star. But that was before I had taken on this project and learned the DP code. I'm not going to re-read, not even for "research purposes."
January 13, 2019
“What he didn’t mention was that he had his own suspicions about her future. He didn’t think she was going to inherit anything at all, and that would put her right in his league. She’d be lost and alone, except for him, when the boom fell. She was sweet and biddable and he wanted her. “Jeff needed a stable environment. It wouldn’t hurt his chances with the new president of Mesa Blanco to be a settled family man, either, but that was only a minor consideration. Jeff came first. He’d worry about the complications later.”
(...)
“I’ll keep you from getting pregnant. I want you in my bed tonight. Hear me out,” he added when she started to speak. “Sophistication is the one thing you can’t fake. If even Jeff realizes we aren’t living like married people, his stepfather might realize it as well. We could still lose Jeff.”
But of course he fell in love at first sight. ;)
(...)
“I’ll keep you from getting pregnant. I want you in my bed tonight. Hear me out,” he added when she started to speak. “Sophistication is the one thing you can’t fake. If even Jeff realizes we aren’t living like married people, his stepfather might realize it as well. We could still lose Jeff.”
But of course he fell in love at first sight. ;)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2014
Sweet and romantic! Loved Donavan's heartfelt apology and grovelling!
January 25, 2019
Sí, es un despropósito, pero lo que me he podido reír por lo absurdo de todo....
April 9, 2020
Donovan que desquiciante su actitud voluble, vaya con sus prejuicios que son un gran obstáculo y una pérdida de tiempo para su relación :c...
May 1, 2018
Entiendo que los hombres de esta serie son desesperantes por la época y tal, de todos modos, fue una bonita historia.
January 8, 2023
3 ⭐⭐⭐ - OK or decent reads.
==============================
★ *˛ ˚♥* ✰。˚ ˛˚ ♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★
.•°*”˜˜”*°•. ˜”*°• •°*”˜ .•°*”˜˜”*°•.
.•°*”˜Diana Palmer's Marathon, 2023˜”*°•.
.•°*”˜.•°*”˜.•°*”˜ ˜”*°•.˜”*°•.˜”*°•.
★ *˛ ˚♥* ✰。˚˛˚ ♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★
==========================
UPDATE: Relido em 10 de junho de 2016
==============================
★ *˛ ˚♥* ✰。˚ ˛˚ ♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★
.•°*”˜˜”*°•. ˜”*°• •°*”˜ .•°*”˜˜”*°•.
.•°*”˜Diana Palmer's Marathon, 2023˜”*°•.
.•°*”˜.•°*”˜.•°*”˜ ˜”*°•.˜”*°•.˜”*°•.
★ *˛ ˚♥* ✰。˚˛˚ ♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★
That was a joke, too, because in all her twenty years, she'd never had a beer. White wine, yes. Even a pina colada down in Jamaica. But never a beer.
She was living with a mercenary, social-climbing relative who was doing his best to sell her to a rich friend with eyes that made her skin crawl.
He was tall. Very tall. Lean and muscular and quite well-known locally. His temper, in fact, was as legendary as the big fists now curled with deceptive laxness at his sides as he walked.
“I’m Fay," she told him. She forced a smile. "And you...?""Most people just call me Donavan."
"His father's marriage soured him on women. He's been something of a playboy in past years, but he's settled somewhat since he's been managing the Mesa Blanco companies.
She'd had hopes that Donavan might have felt something for her, but he'd dashed those very efficiently.
"I told you yesterday," Donavan said at her shoulder, "that I don't like being chased. Didn't you listen?
I don't like bored little rich girls, so stop following me around. Got that?"
"Again?" J. D. Langley asked with a vicious scowl. "My God, do you have radar?"
He had no use for her at all, and he'd made sure she knew it. Their one evening together had sent him tearing away in the opposite direction.
She only hoped their newest employee wasn't going to be badly hurt. Everyone locally knew that J. D. Langley wasn't a marrying man.
"My father disgraced himself to marry money, to keep the ranch for me and my children, if I ever have any. Ironic, that I've never married and never want to, because of him."
She wasn't beautiful, but she was elegant and well-mannered, and she had a big heart.
"Stud cattle, not beef cattle." "Why doesn't that surprise me?" she teased.
gardenia scent of her skin.
"You taste of gardenias," he breathed urgently. "Soft and sweet...Fay...!"
"I'm not sure I've ever made love to a virgin in my life. It was fascinating. You just go right in headfirst, don't you? There's not even a sense of self-preservation in you."
"I want Jeff. If I'm married I have a good chance of getting him. But you and I could give each other a lot, too. If you're willing, we'll start spending time together and see where it leads."
"I think he's got some suspicions that her Uncle Henry isn't telling her everything. I have some of my own," he added. "I wonder if Fay has anything left to inherit."
He didn't really care about me. If he wanted me at all it was because he had a better chance of keeping Jeff if I was around. I'm not stupid. I know he doesn't love me."
She did, first thing Monday morning, although the minor surgery was a little embarrassing.
The doctor was pleased at Donavan' s care, because, he added, it would have been an unpleasant experience for both of them if her new husband had been impatient.
"I only married you to get Jeff. Maybe I wanted you, too," he added when she looked at him. "But bodies come cheap, honey. I've never gone hungry."
She didn't care what he did or said anymore, she told herself. He'd hurt her for the very last time.
Even if he wanted her for keeps, which he didn't. He had one scandal to live down. He couldn't take another.
==========================
UPDATE: Relido em 10 de junho de 2016
October 27, 2012
I disliked Donavan intensely. And that's a big deal for me because I'm almost /always/ on the guy's side in any romance I read. He treated her heartlessly and callously, said horrid things to her and it was very hard for me to believe him when he said that he loved her.
Fay, on the other hand, was very likeable, if a bit timid.
Fay, on the other hand, was very likeable, if a bit timid.
January 24, 2022
A conservative 3 ⭐️s. Grrrrace has an excellent overview on this story and DP in general! https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Basically, Donavan has a huge chip on his shoulder. It was one his daddy placed on him when he married a much younger, plain woman to get her fortune. When she discovered the reason for the marriage, she committed suicide. Well, the town of Jacobsville was all a flutter over this. Therefore, Donavan makes sure that he will never get involved with a wealthy woman. He doesn’t want Jacobsville to get the wrong impression of him and “talk about him”. Yes, this supposed alpha hero worries about what others think of him.
In walks, rich woman Fay. Her clothing and poise screams “I’m rich, please don't mug me!”. She is just waiting until her 21st birthday in a couple of weeks to claim her dead parents trust. Meanwhile, she is under the guidance of her Uncle who is trying to marry her off to an older wealthy man. She breaks free one night and hangs out in the Jacobsville bar where the hero rescues her from unwanted attention. He makes his prejudice about her clear, but they go on to a festival and engage in some lighthearted dancing.
This is a case of love at first sight. Our heroine is all set to embrace it, but our hero ignores his inner feelings and puts it down to good ole’ fashioned lust.
Stmargarets review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... gives all the pinging and ponging back and forth that the H does to the heroine.
I am pretty sure he is the type of guy who goes to a restaurant, takes forever to decide on a meal, and then regrets his decision when he see’s his dinner companion’s plate. (Wait that would be my husband) Moving on….
What I am a little confused about, is that he thinks it is wrong to marry a woman for her money, but he had no qualms marrying the h so he could get custody of his nephew. I know, I know, he used that as an excuse to marry the h because he loved her, BUT he wasn’t aware at this point that that was his motivation.
IF you are familiar with DP books, then many of her go to’s are in here. There are some magical loving moments between the h and H. DP also did a little bit of a commentary on ethical treatment of animals. Our h was another one of those “super” virgins, so she needed some outside help to embrace her lover. She is pretty passionate and seems to like to give as good as she gets. This is good, because I am pretty confident that our hero won’t feel the need to explore anymore bodies:
I’ve had a lot of bodies,” he said with faint cynicism. “Just that, Fay, a lot of bodies in the dark. I went through the motions and learned the right moves.
Basically, Donavan has a huge chip on his shoulder. It was one his daddy placed on him when he married a much younger, plain woman to get her fortune. When she discovered the reason for the marriage, she committed suicide. Well, the town of Jacobsville was all a flutter over this. Therefore, Donavan makes sure that he will never get involved with a wealthy woman. He doesn’t want Jacobsville to get the wrong impression of him and “talk about him”. Yes, this supposed alpha hero worries about what others think of him.
In walks, rich woman Fay. Her clothing and poise screams “I’m rich, please don't mug me!”. She is just waiting until her 21st birthday in a couple of weeks to claim her dead parents trust. Meanwhile, she is under the guidance of her Uncle who is trying to marry her off to an older wealthy man. She breaks free one night and hangs out in the Jacobsville bar where the hero rescues her from unwanted attention. He makes his prejudice about her clear, but they go on to a festival and engage in some lighthearted dancing.
This is a case of love at first sight. Our heroine is all set to embrace it, but our hero ignores his inner feelings and puts it down to good ole’ fashioned lust.
Stmargarets review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... gives all the pinging and ponging back and forth that the H does to the heroine.
I am pretty sure he is the type of guy who goes to a restaurant, takes forever to decide on a meal, and then regrets his decision when he see’s his dinner companion’s plate. (Wait that would be my husband) Moving on….
What I am a little confused about, is that he thinks it is wrong to marry a woman for her money, but he had no qualms marrying the h so he could get custody of his nephew. I know, I know, he used that as an excuse to marry the h because he loved her, BUT he wasn’t aware at this point that that was his motivation.
IF you are familiar with DP books, then many of her go to’s are in here. There are some magical loving moments between the h and H. DP also did a little bit of a commentary on ethical treatment of animals. Our h was another one of those “super” virgins, so she needed some outside help to embrace her lover. She is pretty passionate and seems to like to give as good as she gets. This is good, because I am pretty confident that our hero won’t feel the need to explore anymore bodies:
I’ve had a lot of bodies,” he said with faint cynicism. “Just that, Fay, a lot of bodies in the dark. I went through the motions and learned the right moves.
February 12, 2019
Wow what can I say about this book Donavan Langley was scorned of rich woman because of what his dad did. Fay York was rich or was supposed to be when her inheritance was coming up so he wanted nothing to do with her because of it. He started liking her before she was supposed to get it she didn't get it so he was good with that so they started seeing each other he wanted custody of his nephew so they got married so it would be better chance for him to get him. She forgot to tell him about her rich great aunt that passes away and he thinks she is leaving her money so than he wants out of the marriage.
July 25, 2024
This book was a bit deceiving - it is a re-brand of two old books (copyright 1991 and 1992) with zero editing, updating or changing. I thought that there were be some updates (like adding cell phones, not pagers, or methods of transportation, or even the way the character's interacted) but there was not. It was very dated, very antiquated and very not fun to read. I wish that the publisher added this information to the cover or the synopsis as when you purchase a book online this information isn't readily available either. Very disappointed - just proves that you should never judge a book by it's cover!
January 16, 2019
Long, Tall Texans : Donavon and Emmett is by Diana Palmer. This is a two book set in one book. Diana Palmer uses her adjectives to a good use in writing these books. She makes you feel like you are right there with them on the ranch.
In Donovan, Donovan knows Fay York was going to be trouble as soon as she walked into the bar. She was completely out of her comfort zone. However, he couldn’t let her get into trouble, he escorted her out of the bar and drove her around. Eventually, he brought her back to her car and made sure she drove home. Her uncle is handling her trust so until she is twenty-one, she must now live on her own. She gets a job at the feedlot where she sees a lot of Donovan. Then it seems her inheritance was lost by her own father, although her uncle tries to keep what he could of it for her. Now, she is indeed destitute. Can Donovan help her or will she not let him?
In Emmett, Emmett is a single father of three who still rides the rodeo circuit to be able to keep his ranch. He knows they need a stricter hand; but he can’t seem to do it. He finds himself attracted to his ex -wife’s sister, Melody. Can anything good come from that?
In Donovan, Donovan knows Fay York was going to be trouble as soon as she walked into the bar. She was completely out of her comfort zone. However, he couldn’t let her get into trouble, he escorted her out of the bar and drove her around. Eventually, he brought her back to her car and made sure she drove home. Her uncle is handling her trust so until she is twenty-one, she must now live on her own. She gets a job at the feedlot where she sees a lot of Donovan. Then it seems her inheritance was lost by her own father, although her uncle tries to keep what he could of it for her. Now, she is indeed destitute. Can Donovan help her or will she not let him?
In Emmett, Emmett is a single father of three who still rides the rodeo circuit to be able to keep his ranch. He knows they need a stricter hand; but he can’t seem to do it. He finds himself attracted to his ex -wife’s sister, Melody. Can anything good come from that?
December 22, 2022
Donovan and Fay
It was good. The hero was not that bad, he had a few moments of being a jerk but after the last book (Evan), Donovan is a saint. He didn't talk to other women and didn't even dance with another woman at the one party there was in book.
I liked heroine and that she wasn't a total doormat. She planned to leave after he got mad about her coming into money and he told her to leave after the custody was settled with his nephew. She recognized that she deserved to be loved for her not whether she had money or no money.
She was pretty quick to forgive him, but I didn't think he did anything so horrible he deserved to suffer. Np.
It was good. The hero was not that bad, he had a few moments of being a jerk but after the last book (Evan), Donovan is a saint. He didn't talk to other women and didn't even dance with another woman at the one party there was in book.
I liked heroine and that she wasn't a total doormat. She planned to leave after he got mad about her coming into money and he told her to leave after the custody was settled with his nephew. She recognized that she deserved to be loved for her not whether she had money or no money.
She was pretty quick to forgive him, but I didn't think he did anything so horrible he deserved to suffer. Np.
July 29, 2023
The relationship between these two was so dysfunctional and miserable, I felt like I was reading some dreary Northern kitchen sink drama about an abusive husband rather than a romance.
Donovan was the pits. I won't go into every awful thing he does because I'll fill the whole page, so I'll just highlight his main attributes: he's nasty, selfish, rude, cruel, self-involved and so contrary one feels he is determinedly gaslighting the heroine. He's a user and an abuser and I hated his guts. The h was a massive wet blanket who puts up with no end of horrible abuse because 'I love him' - infuriating.
Donovan was the pits. I won't go into every awful thing he does because I'll fill the whole page, so I'll just highlight his main attributes: he's nasty, selfish, rude, cruel, self-involved and so contrary one feels he is determinedly gaslighting the heroine. He's a user and an abuser and I hated his guts. The h was a massive wet blanket who puts up with no end of horrible abuse because 'I love him' - infuriating.
August 16, 2024
Otro libro de Diana en donde la idea central de la trama suena anticuada no representando al USA de los 90, también otra historia en donde lo único que Diana conoce de México son los mariachis y la comida tex mex. La música ochentera y noventera mexicana es ICONICA! Me pregunto si Diana conoce siquiera al querido Juan Gabriel?
El libro es de lectura rápida, bastante corto y aburrido. Fay no es un personaje principal memorable y el pasado de Donovan no es lo suficientemente trágico como para excusar su comportamiento.
El libro es de lectura rápida, bastante corto y aburrido. Fay no es un personaje principal memorable y el pasado de Donovan no es lo suficientemente trágico como para excusar su comportamiento.
May 12, 2025
4 Stars
I purchased a copy of the steamy Long, Tall Texans: Donavan by Diana Palmer, and this review was given freely.
A story of pride, ego, sudden financial loss, irony, instant attraction, and love.
When the suddenly orphaned, wealthy but sheltered 20-year-old Georgia debutante Fay tries to escape the arranged marriage plans of her Texas Uncle, she finds herself rescued in a bar by the arrogant and quick-tempered ranch foreman and businessman Donavan aka J.D. Langley, working for a living, and quickly married to a man who does not give her the security she craves.
I purchased a copy of the steamy Long, Tall Texans: Donavan by Diana Palmer, and this review was given freely.
A story of pride, ego, sudden financial loss, irony, instant attraction, and love.
When the suddenly orphaned, wealthy but sheltered 20-year-old Georgia debutante Fay tries to escape the arranged marriage plans of her Texas Uncle, she finds herself rescued in a bar by the arrogant and quick-tempered ranch foreman and businessman Donavan aka J.D. Langley, working for a living, and quickly married to a man who does not give her the security she craves.
March 1, 2021
A strong novel with great H/h repartee---shades of Benedict and Beatrice
This one ticked off important DP boxes:
Great opening scene that sets the tone for the rest of the book
Slow burn
Class/money conflict
Friends to enemies to friends to lovers...
Steamy scenes that are erotic without becoming base
Likeable H/h and nephew
Various assorted DP tropes like Gardenia scents and so on
Enjoyable read that will be read yet again.
This one ticked off important DP boxes:
Great opening scene that sets the tone for the rest of the book
Slow burn
Class/money conflict
Friends to enemies to friends to lovers...
Steamy scenes that are erotic without becoming base
Likeable H/h and nephew
Various assorted DP tropes like Gardenia scents and so on
Enjoyable read that will be read yet again.
February 27, 2023
Obviamente es como todos los demás, súper predecible, chapado a la antigua y con pensamientos machistas. Pero eso ya lo sabemos al entender el contexto en los que fueron escritos.
A este libro de ella le pongo 5 estrellas porque realmente lo disfrute mucho, me encantó la historia y me pareció muy emotivo todo. Vi evolución de los personajes principales y me encantó el final.
A este libro de ella le pongo 5 estrellas porque realmente lo disfrute mucho, me encantó la historia y me pareció muy emotivo todo. Vi evolución de los personajes principales y me encantó el final.
July 24, 2024
Donovan is a pretty typical Diana Palmer romance. It’s not her best but not her worst. I liked the story enough but not sure if I’d read it again. It’s an older book and there are several versions. It reads like an older book too. Like one from the 70’s in parts especially when talking about women’s lib! LOL
November 1, 2021
Romántica y entretenida
Muy buena la historia de estos esposos por conveniencia. Pasiones, resquemor y frustración en la vida de Donovan, lo llevarán casi a perder el amor de su vida.
Muy buena la historia de estos esposos por conveniencia. Pasiones, resquemor y frustración en la vida de Donovan, lo llevarán casi a perder el amor de su vida.
May 9, 2020
Good I like Donavan but Fay seemed like a doormat
May 3, 2022
I enjoyed Gay and Donovans story. He is a hard working cowboy and she is a debutante. They end up perfect together.
September 2, 2023
horrendous
January 27, 2024
Great read. Fay and JD are soulmates who eventually come together with love after misconceptions, inheritance games, a custody battle and a marriage of convenience. A wild ride but a good one.
December 16, 2024
another quick and light read
April 7, 2025
I loved this book!!
June 15, 2017
I've given up with this series now, the stories are repetitive and horribly dated, perhaps if I'd read them at the time they were published I would have enjoyed them better.
April 12, 2022
H & h meet in a bar when she needs a little help and he H must resist her charms as he reckons she is super rich.
He is ashamed as his dad married his 2nd wife for her money and he feels everyone judges him because of it. This doesn't stop him from marrying the h for his own mercenary reasons to gain custody of his nephew.
He is also a reformed man -ho who has been loving up the ladies in abundant quantities for a several years and tackily tells the h that because of all his practice he can satisfy her. Blugh
the h quickly falls under his spell but she has a DP super vajayjay that cannot be accessed without medical intervention. Must be something in the water in Jacobsville.
Much blowing hot and cold by the H as he dithers over her money and all sorts of other crappy barriers and he eventually persuades her to stay married to him once he realises they won't be much money to inherit. He will magnanimously love her and have kids with her if she wants. He then says he fell in love with her when they met anyway. Urgh! why are DP men so difficult?
He is ashamed as his dad married his 2nd wife for her money and he feels everyone judges him because of it. This doesn't stop him from marrying the h for his own mercenary reasons to gain custody of his nephew.
He is also a reformed man -ho who has been loving up the ladies in abundant quantities for a several years and tackily tells the h that because of all his practice he can satisfy her. Blugh
the h quickly falls under his spell but she has a DP super vajayjay that cannot be accessed without medical intervention. Must be something in the water in Jacobsville.
Much blowing hot and cold by the H as he dithers over her money and all sorts of other crappy barriers and he eventually persuades her to stay married to him once he realises they won't be much money to inherit. He will magnanimously love her and have kids with her if she wants. He then says he fell in love with her when they met anyway. Urgh! why are DP men so difficult?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2017
When they first met, he acted sweet and understanding, but the second time he was hell. He didn't want to know anything to do with her, specially because she was rich and a scandal in his family was enough to keep him from her. But he didn't count on the attraction he fell. And when he started the legal proceedings for his nephew, it was only natural to ask her to marry him, a married relative was better than a stepfather...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews