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Long, Tall Texans #41
True Blue
In True Blue, Diana Palmer brings her readers an exciting installment in her Long Tall Texans series as she delves into the heart of San Antonio and one of its top detectives, Rick Marquez. Rick had never met a case he couldn't solve -- or a woman he couldn't charm. In the midst of one of the toughest cases he's ever worked on, he's confronted by the one woman who just might be able to rein in this smooth-talking Romeo.
231 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 2011
393 people are currently reading
557 people want to read
About the author
Diana Palmer
1,044 books3,098 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
August 9, 2016
San Antonio Detective Sergeant Rick Marquez has a new detective on his squad---Gwen Cassoway. She tripped and came close to contaminating evidence at a crime scene (because she hates wearing her glasses.) She unexpectedly beats a fellow lieutenant's score during target practice. And Rick's finding himself very attracted to her. But, unknown to him, Gwen is working undercover on a case that secretly involves him!
This was a sweet romance, my first read by Diana Palmer, but my main problem with this book was that there was way too much time spent talking/gossiping about other characters from (I assume) previous books. I've never read any books in this series so all this information was useless to me since I didn't know who any of these people were. I wish there was more focus on the main couple. Though, the second half of the book did improve a bit, and focused a little more on the romance. Rick was a sexy hero, with his long dark hair tied back in a ponytail. And Gwen was a likable heroine, I thought she was cute and sweet. I liked when she shyly invited Rick over to watch her "Twilight" DVD movie collection. This book had some funny moments. It was an okay read.
This was a sweet romance, my first read by Diana Palmer, but my main problem with this book was that there was way too much time spent talking/gossiping about other characters from (I assume) previous books. I've never read any books in this series so all this information was useless to me since I didn't know who any of these people were. I wish there was more focus on the main couple. Though, the second half of the book did improve a bit, and focused a little more on the romance. Rick was a sexy hero, with his long dark hair tied back in a ponytail. And Gwen was a likable heroine, I thought she was cute and sweet. I liked when she shyly invited Rick over to watch her "Twilight" DVD movie collection. This book had some funny moments. It was an okay read.
March 7, 2020
The romance is thin gruel, I’m afraid.
Hero is a sergeant in the San Antonio Police Department. Heroine is a “clumsy” CIA agent who is undercover. Their (mild) attraction is foreshadowed by their (mild) irritation and finally by their (mild) sexual encounter after a date where they decide to elope because they are both old-fashioned and want to have sex. The only conflict after their marriage is the hero is angry heroine didn’t tell him that her father is a four-star general and heroine grew up well-off. This lasts less than 12 hours since heroine is in a car accident and hero is remorseful for being mean to her. That’s it – that’s the romance.
The hero is the adopted son of the café owner (Barbara) in Jacobsville. And his biological father is For those of you who wanted this reoccurring character to have a happy ending – well - here it is.
The ongoing saga of hero’s father is left open, but heroine does solve the college girl’s murder so there is that.
Lots of other trailing threads (the crooked cop who suddenly resigned, the drug kingpin at large), lots of past characters show up and then there are long passages about random history, flamenco music, bull-fighting, soccer, and science fiction. Thankfully, no x-box references this time around.
Diana Palmer checklist:
Hairy chest No but hero has a ponytail – like so many of DP’s recent heroes. If one of her H’s is sporting a manbun in future stories, I’m peacing out
Breast Description “pretty pink breasts with tight little dusky pink tips”
Cigarettes one detective quit, but misses it
Alcohol crooked cop wants to confiscate a six pack of beer as “evidence” and then drink it. H/h scold him.
Town Descriptions Comanche Wells is really growing – but no specifics. (I’m waiting for an airport or mall or theme park)
Gardenia Scent heroine smells like roses
LOL detail Heroine takes case notes on her phone and all her witnesses are impressed with her technological savvy.
Cutesy detail History is fun and history facts without context are foreplay. H/h watch DVDs of the Twilight movies to get their motors revving.
DP hobbyhorse Police budgets are never enough/ real women like a man who carry a gun/ being able to cook is a lost art.
DP is trolling us Hero’s mother is a conspiracy theorist. With no pushback, we get aliens, GMO foods, dangers of wifi, and the joys of unpasteurized milk. I’m really afraid of what DP actually believes.
Hero is a sergeant in the San Antonio Police Department. Heroine is a “clumsy” CIA agent who is undercover. Their (mild) attraction is foreshadowed by their (mild) irritation and finally by their (mild) sexual encounter after a date where they decide to elope because they are both old-fashioned and want to have sex. The only conflict after their marriage is the hero is angry heroine didn’t tell him that her father is a four-star general and heroine grew up well-off. This lasts less than 12 hours since heroine is in a car accident and hero is remorseful for being mean to her. That’s it – that’s the romance.
The hero is the adopted son of the café owner (Barbara) in Jacobsville. And his biological father is For those of you who wanted this reoccurring character to have a happy ending – well - here it is.
The ongoing saga of hero’s father is left open, but heroine does solve the college girl’s murder so there is that.
Lots of other trailing threads (the crooked cop who suddenly resigned, the drug kingpin at large), lots of past characters show up and then there are long passages about random history, flamenco music, bull-fighting, soccer, and science fiction. Thankfully, no x-box references this time around.
Diana Palmer checklist:
Hairy chest No but hero has a ponytail – like so many of DP’s recent heroes. If one of her H’s is sporting a manbun in future stories, I’m peacing out
Breast Description “pretty pink breasts with tight little dusky pink tips”
Cigarettes one detective quit, but misses it
Alcohol crooked cop wants to confiscate a six pack of beer as “evidence” and then drink it. H/h scold him.
Town Descriptions Comanche Wells is really growing – but no specifics. (I’m waiting for an airport or mall or theme park)
Gardenia Scent heroine smells like roses
LOL detail Heroine takes case notes on her phone and all her witnesses are impressed with her technological savvy.
Cutesy detail History is fun and history facts without context are foreplay. H/h watch DVDs of the Twilight movies to get their motors revving.
DP hobbyhorse Police budgets are never enough/ real women like a man who carry a gun/ being able to cook is a lost art.
DP is trolling us Hero’s mother is a conspiracy theorist. With no pushback, we get aliens, GMO foods, dangers of wifi, and the joys of unpasteurized milk. I’m really afraid of what DP actually believes.
March 28, 2012
Not the worst Diana Palmer I've ever read, but I can't really call it good, either. All the characters seem so prissy, and in typical late Palmer fashion, they spend vast amounts of time weirdly gossiping about characters from other Palmer books. Still, somehow I was kind of drawn in... would perhaps give it 1 1/2 stars if I could.
December 4, 2011
I've always been a huge fan Of Diana Palmer. I have probably over 40 of her books and love to reread them. Sadly this will not be one of them. Over the past few years, I've noticed a sad trend with her books. It's the same characters with pretty much the same problems, just with different names. I used to love when she would tie in former characters, but now it just seems forced, with the characters just name dropping. In between the name dropping there are the endless history lessons characters give each other and the preaching about an issue. The characters are stuck in the past. The heroine: mousy, her hair in a bun, usually needs large, outdated glasses that the hero finds attractive, values chastity, tidiness and obscure facts from Spanish/American history or archeology while harboring a secret (sinful) interest in toy trains/video games/ballet/opera. The hero: law enforcement past/mercenary connections tall, dark, angry with mousy girl, because she's not pretty enough, values chastity, tidiness, and has a well known interest in toy trains/video games/ballet/opera while secretly harboring a fascination with Spanish/American history or archeology.
Even if Palmer was going to use the same character type (and I know this is partly due to guidelines set by Harlequin) she could have made the dialogue and plot more original. Machado as Rick's father was a boring idea. It was set up as a problem and was suppose to carry the entire book. But it wasn't a problem. The whole secret father who is very powerful was done much better in her novel Paper Rose. It set up a true conflict between the hero and heroine.
There have been plenty of times I've read one of Diana Palmer's books and cried, and immediately wanted to reread the book. True Blue will just be one to sit on my shelf, most likely to never be opened again along with the last five or so new releases.
Even if Palmer was going to use the same character type (and I know this is partly due to guidelines set by Harlequin) she could have made the dialogue and plot more original. Machado as Rick's father was a boring idea. It was set up as a problem and was suppose to carry the entire book. But it wasn't a problem. The whole secret father who is very powerful was done much better in her novel Paper Rose. It set up a true conflict between the hero and heroine.
There have been plenty of times I've read one of Diana Palmer's books and cried, and immediately wanted to reread the book. True Blue will just be one to sit on my shelf, most likely to never be opened again along with the last five or so new releases.
May 7, 2018
This book is Sweet.
June 13, 2017
Sweet love story between Gwen and Rick, which involves the classic DP storyline but in a law and detective setting this time around- and a semi kickass heroine.
A conservative love story with almost no angst (or sex scenes except how they experienced passion)- there was so much happening in regards to the police and his past that I couldn't connect to the characters. The couple share moments together and somehow develop chemistry- there was also contradicting information at times.
An average story ends in a HEA.
Safe
2/5
A conservative love story with almost no angst (or sex scenes except how they experienced passion)- there was so much happening in regards to the police and his past that I couldn't connect to the characters. The couple share moments together and somehow develop chemistry- there was also contradicting information at times.
An average story ends in a HEA.
Safe
2/5
December 17, 2011
2.5 stars.....sigh.....I miss the DP of old!
March 6, 2015
Romance was underdeveloped :(
September 13, 2021
READ: JUNE 2013
RE-READ: DECEMBER 2014
True Blue is about Rick Marquez. He appeared a few times in Ms. Palmer's books on Jacobsville. And I'm happy that he finally got his story told. The first few pages made me laughed so hard. I loved the witty remarks between the characters.
In this, we were introduced to Rick Marquez, a sergeant of an eight detective squad in the Homicide Unit, in the murder/attempted murder detail. It was well known that Barbara was his adoptive mother and didn't know his birth father. He was contented with his life, except when it came to his love life. But there's a new detective that piqued his interest, Gwen Cassaway. But he didn't want to date a colleague. And he hates the fact that she keeps messing with his crime scene by accidentally tripping.
Gwen Cassaway is an undercover fed. She was sent to observe Rick and how much he and his adoptive mother knew about his background, specifically his birth father's identity, who happens to be an exiled South American Dictator. Some federal agencies were hoping to talk Rick into being a go between them. Will Gwen be able to tell Rick about the truth behind his parentage? Or will their growing feelings for each other will complicate things?
I enjoyed reading Rick and Gwen's story. I was pleased that Rick finally got his happy ending. You know the saying 'Always a bridesmaid, never a bride' situations was very much applicable to him. He couldn't ever seem to wind up a serious girlfriend. Women found him useful as a sympathetic shoulder to cry on over their true love. He’s the first hero I know that didn't have women chasing him. I can't figure out why. I mean, he's pretty hot and loved going to Opera and loved Twilight. And he loves his mother very much. Who wouldn't want a guy like him? So far, Rick's my favorite Diana Palmer's hero. He's a total sweetheart.
Gwen is the perfect heroine for Rick. She's pretty cool herself. She's a little clumsy but knows her way around gun pretty well. I say she was on par with Rick on the professional level. And like Rick, she always passed over.
Although it was a little bit predictable, I still enjoyed it. I loved that Ms. Palmers brought back some of my favorite characters, like Cash Grier. And we were also introduced to new characters. I liked them, especially Machado, Rick's biological father. I also enjoyed reading about Rick's adoptive mother, Barbara, and Gwen's father.
Overall, True Blue is such a fun book to read. I enjoyed the ending.
RE-READ: DECEMBER 2014
True Blue is about Rick Marquez. He appeared a few times in Ms. Palmer's books on Jacobsville. And I'm happy that he finally got his story told. The first few pages made me laughed so hard. I loved the witty remarks between the characters.
In this, we were introduced to Rick Marquez, a sergeant of an eight detective squad in the Homicide Unit, in the murder/attempted murder detail. It was well known that Barbara was his adoptive mother and didn't know his birth father. He was contented with his life, except when it came to his love life. But there's a new detective that piqued his interest, Gwen Cassaway. But he didn't want to date a colleague. And he hates the fact that she keeps messing with his crime scene by accidentally tripping.
Gwen Cassaway is an undercover fed. She was sent to observe Rick and how much he and his adoptive mother knew about his background, specifically his birth father's identity, who happens to be an exiled South American Dictator. Some federal agencies were hoping to talk Rick into being a go between them. Will Gwen be able to tell Rick about the truth behind his parentage? Or will their growing feelings for each other will complicate things?
I enjoyed reading Rick and Gwen's story. I was pleased that Rick finally got his happy ending. You know the saying 'Always a bridesmaid, never a bride' situations was very much applicable to him. He couldn't ever seem to wind up a serious girlfriend. Women found him useful as a sympathetic shoulder to cry on over their true love. He’s the first hero I know that didn't have women chasing him. I can't figure out why. I mean, he's pretty hot and loved going to Opera and loved Twilight. And he loves his mother very much. Who wouldn't want a guy like him? So far, Rick's my favorite Diana Palmer's hero. He's a total sweetheart.
Gwen is the perfect heroine for Rick. She's pretty cool herself. She's a little clumsy but knows her way around gun pretty well. I say she was on par with Rick on the professional level. And like Rick, she always passed over.
Although it was a little bit predictable, I still enjoyed it. I loved that Ms. Palmers brought back some of my favorite characters, like Cash Grier. And we were also introduced to new characters. I liked them, especially Machado, Rick's biological father. I also enjoyed reading about Rick's adoptive mother, Barbara, and Gwen's father.
Overall, True Blue is such a fun book to read. I enjoyed the ending.
December 16, 2011
Disappointing, this is the only word i can find to describe my experience reading this book, first it started with a whole lot of information i didn't feel i need to know and didn't want, then there was a whole lot of repetition i swear i read the same thing at least 4 time, and the way previous characters were thrust in the story along with a rundown of their history, what they do, who they are with, it just messed up everything.
Diana palmer's LTT series were of the first romance books i ever read and i still revisit some of them, but i can honestly say i could have lived happy and content not knowing rick marquez story.
Diana palmer's LTT series were of the first romance books i ever read and i still revisit some of them, but i can honestly say i could have lived happy and content not knowing rick marquez story.
November 27, 2011
I've read and loved Diana Palmer since the 1980s, and will always grab a new book from her when it comes out...but the last 10 books or so are all the same story. Old fashioned, virginal, usually poor girl falls for tough, moral guy. The "grab" in her stories seems to be gone. It's disappointing. She's also trying to pack in so much information from previous books and making obvious references to future books (hmm...let's see...I'm guessing this anthropologist that was mentioned twice will be the next heroine, either with Machado or the foreman guy that Gwen's father from this book knew (can't think of his name off the top of my head)...).
August 1, 2024
I probably should have skipped this one. It wasn't bad but wasn't great, especially for the romance.
I picked this one up as I was curious about Rick Marquez, who was in love with the heroine in Lawman, but she only considered him a friend. However, there was no mention of her in this book, only that all women used him as a shoulder to cry on but passed him for romance and marriage.
There wasn't any conflict between the hero and heroine either. The conflict centered on the fact that Rick's father was a South American dictator of a fictional country, which I stupidly looked up just in case, but he didn't know this. Gwen also hid her father's real identity.
Gwen and Rick were pursuing a case of the murder of a college student, which seemed to be forgotten and only picked up at the very end.
There was almost no steam in the book, which was also massively disappointing. Then Rick proposes marriage just so he could bed Gwen, a virgin. Later he thinks to himself that he's in love with her, but then why wouldn't he have told her in the marriage proposal? It made no sense.
Since the two talked about having a large family, it would have been nice to have seen that in the epilogue.
I can't say I was ever bored during the book, which was good, but the romance didn't deliver here at all. The romance also took a while to warm up, but that might have been because they were colleagues, and Rick had a rule against dating colleagues. Thankfully, the book was short.
It always amuses me that no matter how hard Diana Palmer tries to make her books seem modern, they always come off as old-fashioned. There's mention of people thinking the world's going to end in 2012, Rick's adopted mom spouts all these conspiracy theories, etc.
I think I should take a break from Diana Palmer and read other books, though I do have one of her books on my to-read list, but I still want to read that.
I picked this one up as I was curious about Rick Marquez, who was in love with the heroine in Lawman, but she only considered him a friend. However, there was no mention of her in this book, only that all women used him as a shoulder to cry on but passed him for romance and marriage.
There wasn't any conflict between the hero and heroine either. The conflict centered on the fact that Rick's father was a South American dictator of a fictional country, which I stupidly looked up just in case, but he didn't know this. Gwen also hid her father's real identity.
Gwen and Rick were pursuing a case of the murder of a college student, which seemed to be forgotten and only picked up at the very end.
There was almost no steam in the book, which was also massively disappointing. Then Rick proposes marriage just so he could bed Gwen, a virgin. Later he thinks to himself that he's in love with her, but then why wouldn't he have told her in the marriage proposal? It made no sense.
Since the two talked about having a large family, it would have been nice to have seen that in the epilogue.
I can't say I was ever bored during the book, which was good, but the romance didn't deliver here at all. The romance also took a while to warm up, but that might have been because they were colleagues, and Rick had a rule against dating colleagues. Thankfully, the book was short.
It always amuses me that no matter how hard Diana Palmer tries to make her books seem modern, they always come off as old-fashioned. There's mention of people thinking the world's going to end in 2012, Rick's adopted mom spouts all these conspiracy theories, etc.
I think I should take a break from Diana Palmer and read other books, though I do have one of her books on my to-read list, but I still want to read that.
November 5, 2024
2 stories in one.
2nd one by Fossen I had read before & didn’t like :
Sheriff in the Saddle.
True Blue was new to me. 2024 edits updated it some. It moved along nicely. Romance was sudden and too abrupt for this reader. Plot was okay. Lots of previous Jacobsville characters mentioned.
2nd one by Fossen I had read before & didn’t like :
Sheriff in the Saddle.
True Blue was new to me. 2024 edits updated it some. It moved along nicely. Romance was sudden and too abrupt for this reader. Plot was okay. Lots of previous Jacobsville characters mentioned.
November 22, 2011
I have read all Diana Palmer's books. I was disappointed in the last few but this one is horrid. I got through 66 pages of the 216 and put it down. The "da*m" thing is only 216 pages long and all that has happened so far is history from all the other stories. It's almost like advertising for read this one it was about so and so, or read that one it was about so and so. Leaves 150 pages to develope some story re Rick and this new gal (who by the way is not very likeable). I could go on and on but just makes me want to rant. Ms. Palmer's not the only author guilty of some poor stories lately but this is just the pits!
December 4, 2013
Not exactly my favorite. I was expecting an alpha jerk with meek heroine because I'm kind of in the mood for it, but this book isn't providing it. But overall I enjoyed it.
I was surprised with Twilight twist in it. I don't really know she's watching it.
I was surprised with Twilight twist in it. I don't really know she's watching it.
January 31, 2012
Another great book by Diana Palmer. They just keep getting better and better.
January 30, 2015
Update: Re-read in January 2015
July 9, 2013
She's so sick and yet she still writes for us :'(
September 3, 2023
Reread, great H and h, little misunderstanding in the middle but nothing harm happened, and surprisingly, no cruel H.
March 7, 2023
This was a weird one for me because at times I felt like I read this before and then other times I felt like I have it with things that didn’t seem so familiar. I think a big reason that I felt like I read this before was because I knew information that had happened because I read further along in the series so I knew what was what there. Plus, this had very much a similar romantic plot as other Diana Palmer bucks. It just wasn’t new or fresh and it had the same formula that she is known for. And though that is great in some aspects, in other ways, not so much, because then the romances blend together, and nothing really stands out about them. That was the case with this one with Gwen and Rick.
This one had a lot of potential specially with the unique opening of Gwen, being this undercover agent that was sent to get close to Rick in order to gather information on him. That I thought was gonna to bring a great level of tension and complexity to the romance budding between them as she struggled, whether to tell him the truth, or not, as she’s hiding her identity from him. Then I think that would’ve been an amazing love story, but sadly, even though it was there in a way it wasn’t as much is a conflict between them as I would have liked to seen. Instead, it was just very minimal, and then it went back to the same formula that Diana Palmer is known for.
The romance was not it. It happened very quickly. There was no real development. It was the same formula of literally. There’s the budding attraction, they do some naughty things together, then before they go full-blown, naughty, they get married in order for her to stay pure Until their wedding night, but the only reason they seem to want to marry was because they wanted to sleep together and that was it. I didn’t believe the love between them. There is no indication that they had feelings for each other aside from physical. There was just no depth to the relationship. It was just very basic, and nothing more. There is no soul mate vibes whatsoever. There needed to be so so much more development and it just wasn’t there. Their relationship just wasn’t that exciting or romantic in my I opinion. It was just nothing.
This one had a lot of potential specially with the unique opening of Gwen, being this undercover agent that was sent to get close to Rick in order to gather information on him. That I thought was gonna to bring a great level of tension and complexity to the romance budding between them as she struggled, whether to tell him the truth, or not, as she’s hiding her identity from him. Then I think that would’ve been an amazing love story, but sadly, even though it was there in a way it wasn’t as much is a conflict between them as I would have liked to seen. Instead, it was just very minimal, and then it went back to the same formula that Diana Palmer is known for.
The romance was not it. It happened very quickly. There was no real development. It was the same formula of literally. There’s the budding attraction, they do some naughty things together, then before they go full-blown, naughty, they get married in order for her to stay pure Until their wedding night, but the only reason they seem to want to marry was because they wanted to sleep together and that was it. I didn’t believe the love between them. There is no indication that they had feelings for each other aside from physical. There was just no depth to the relationship. It was just very basic, and nothing more. There is no soul mate vibes whatsoever. There needed to be so so much more development and it just wasn’t there. Their relationship just wasn’t that exciting or romantic in my I opinion. It was just nothing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2026
Lettura Amatoriale.
Divertente!
Una bella carrellata dei personaggi LTT e serie associate!
Conosciamo meglio personaggi già presenti in altri libri come il Generale Machado
e tanti altri come compresa Barbara del Barbara's Cafè di cui il protagonista è il figlio adottivo e incontrato in tanti libri della serie.
Amico di Grace Carver, lavorerà ad un caso con Garon Grier nel libro a loro dedicato “Lawman LTT #32” (inedito) nominato anche qui.
Amico e collega dei fratelli Kilraven-Blackhawk infatti Kilraven “Passione pericolosa LTT #39” viene nominato, come anche il fratellastro nominato Jon Blackhawk “Merciless LTT #41” (inedito)
È anche collega della mamma di Winnie moglie di Kilraven.
È amico/ conoscente di vari ranger e mercenari
lo troviamo anche in Wyoming Bold (Wyoming Men #3 inedito) insieme a tanti altri personaggi della stessa serie e della serie “Soldati di Ventura”
nominata Alice Mayfield Jones Fowler “Il milionario ribelle LTT #38” anche lei la troviamo in tanti libri medico della scientifica
Cash Grier e nominata Tippy “Renegade LTT #27” (inedito)
nominati Hayes Carson e Minette Raynor protagonisti di “Protector LTT #44” (inedito)
nominati Stuart York e Ivy Conley “Rosa d'Inverno LTT #33”
nominato Jason Pendleton e breve partecipazione della moglie Gracie “Dritto al Cuore LTT #37”
nominato Eb Scott “La donna del Mercenario” Soldier of Fortune #4
Winslow Grange “Courageus-Coraggioso LTT#43” (inedito)
nominato Stanton Rourke “Untamed LTT #47” (inedito)
vengono nominati i Ballenger con il loro recinto di ingrasso. “Fiore di serra” LTT #1 e “Justin LTT #2” (inedito)
Rodrigo Ramirez “Emozioni senza paura LTT #35” e vengono nominati anche sua moglie Glory e Blake Kemp “Dire sì alla passione LTT #29”con cui lei lavora, è anche imparentata con Gracie Pendleton “Dritto al Cuore LTT #37” così lui è il cognato.
nominato Dalton “Tank” Kirk “Wyoming Bold-Audace Wyoming” (Wyoming Men #3) (inedito)
Lou Coltrain e nominato il marito Copper “Coltrain's Proposal LTT #13” (inedito)
Divertente!
Una bella carrellata dei personaggi LTT e serie associate!
Conosciamo meglio personaggi già presenti in altri libri come il Generale Machado
e tanti altri come compresa Barbara del Barbara's Cafè di cui il protagonista è il figlio adottivo e incontrato in tanti libri della serie.
Amico di Grace Carver, lavorerà ad un caso con Garon Grier nel libro a loro dedicato “Lawman LTT #32” (inedito) nominato anche qui.
Amico e collega dei fratelli Kilraven-Blackhawk infatti Kilraven “Passione pericolosa LTT #39” viene nominato, come anche il fratellastro nominato Jon Blackhawk “Merciless LTT #41” (inedito)
È anche collega della mamma di Winnie moglie di Kilraven.
È amico/ conoscente di vari ranger e mercenari
lo troviamo anche in Wyoming Bold (Wyoming Men #3 inedito) insieme a tanti altri personaggi della stessa serie e della serie “Soldati di Ventura”
nominata Alice Mayfield Jones Fowler “Il milionario ribelle LTT #38” anche lei la troviamo in tanti libri medico della scientifica
Cash Grier e nominata Tippy “Renegade LTT #27” (inedito)
nominati Hayes Carson e Minette Raynor protagonisti di “Protector LTT #44” (inedito)
nominati Stuart York e Ivy Conley “Rosa d'Inverno LTT #33”
nominato Jason Pendleton e breve partecipazione della moglie Gracie “Dritto al Cuore LTT #37”
nominato Eb Scott “La donna del Mercenario” Soldier of Fortune #4
Winslow Grange “Courageus-Coraggioso LTT#43” (inedito)
nominato Stanton Rourke “Untamed LTT #47” (inedito)
vengono nominati i Ballenger con il loro recinto di ingrasso. “Fiore di serra” LTT #1 e “Justin LTT #2” (inedito)
Rodrigo Ramirez “Emozioni senza paura LTT #35” e vengono nominati anche sua moglie Glory e Blake Kemp “Dire sì alla passione LTT #29”con cui lei lavora, è anche imparentata con Gracie Pendleton “Dritto al Cuore LTT #37” così lui è il cognato.
nominato Dalton “Tank” Kirk “Wyoming Bold-Audace Wyoming” (Wyoming Men #3) (inedito)
Lou Coltrain e nominato il marito Copper “Coltrain's Proposal LTT #13” (inedito)
January 6, 2024
Badly written and boring. So boooring.
The majority of this book is political/military chat about some upcoming coup in South America. Men standing about, hands on hips, guns on belts, talking and talking and talking about exiled dictators, drug supply lines, military operations, border skirmishes and what not. Fine if you wanted to read a Tom Clancy book... but it's supposed to be a romance.
There is also an entire 'murder mystery' plotline about a murdered college girl that is just abandoned at the mid-way point before finally being 'concluded' on the last page with some voice over going 'and oh by the way the killer handed himself in'. We spend so much time with our heroine chasing up leads on this case and Diana Palmer just drops it.
The 'romance' in this book is unsatisfactory, so brief as to be non-existent, and BORING. There is no conflict, not really, they date a few times (one of these dates is her making him watch Twilight, I cringed so hard), then they run off to get married, and that's it. DP tries to include some conflict but it is introduced and resolved in, what, 12 pages probably.
She also makes sure to include a TON of waffle about her own personal hobbies and interests. I know Diana Palmer is wild about military history, bull fighting and Latin dancing because she makes every single one of her characters interested in those things too. And they have to talk about those subjects, at length, for pages and pages and pages. It's just endless time wasting so DP can waffle on and on about her hobbies. When you get this far into the series and you have YET ANOTHER character in YET ANOTHER book that just so happens to be an expert on ye olde bullfighting you start to get fucked off and wonder why DP's editors don't step in.
The majority of this book is political/military chat about some upcoming coup in South America. Men standing about, hands on hips, guns on belts, talking and talking and talking about exiled dictators, drug supply lines, military operations, border skirmishes and what not. Fine if you wanted to read a Tom Clancy book... but it's supposed to be a romance.
There is also an entire 'murder mystery' plotline about a murdered college girl that is just abandoned at the mid-way point before finally being 'concluded' on the last page with some voice over going 'and oh by the way the killer handed himself in'. We spend so much time with our heroine chasing up leads on this case and Diana Palmer just drops it.
The 'romance' in this book is unsatisfactory, so brief as to be non-existent, and BORING. There is no conflict, not really, they date a few times (one of these dates is her making him watch Twilight, I cringed so hard), then they run off to get married, and that's it. DP tries to include some conflict but it is introduced and resolved in, what, 12 pages probably.
She also makes sure to include a TON of waffle about her own personal hobbies and interests. I know Diana Palmer is wild about military history, bull fighting and Latin dancing because she makes every single one of her characters interested in those things too. And they have to talk about those subjects, at length, for pages and pages and pages. It's just endless time wasting so DP can waffle on and on about her hobbies. When you get this far into the series and you have YET ANOTHER character in YET ANOTHER book that just so happens to be an expert on ye olde bullfighting you start to get fucked off and wonder why DP's editors don't step in.
August 22, 2024
I have read fanfiction that was better than... whatever this book is. It's so naive I refuse to acknowledge it was written by someone over 15 years of age (including the porny scenes which added nothing). The crime part is so weak it's pathetic. So is the pair of our heroes - short-sighted police officer Mary Sue, sorry, Gwen, who does not wear glasses and risks crime scene contamination because her sight is so bad, but somehow gets a perfect score on a shooting range (as someone with myopia, I facepalmed at this so hard I have a permanent mark now). Paired with the handsome officer whose name I forgot who somehow enjoyed the Twilight movie XD there's also mandatory wedding prepared in 30 minutes and two virgins enjoying orgasm on their first night together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2023
After reading other books in this series in which Rick Marquez played important roles, I was anxious to read his story. I don't remember when I have ever been as disappointed in a book as I was with this one. Ms. Palmer needed to concentrate on plot and character development to make her novel more interesting with more plausible events. She never really developed the relationship between Rick and Gwen before she began developing another relationship. I am so glad I borrowed this book from my online library and didn't pay money for it.
April 1, 2018
This was Rick Marquez's story. He works with a new detective from back East, Gwen, but she has secrets about him and her family.
Marquez is drawn to her and her to him but I didn't feel a connection there. I like Marquez but didn't think that the story did him justice.
Unlike a majority of this series the two married before they consummated their relationship.
There were a few typos that I noticed as well.
I will still read her books but this wasn't my favorite.
Marquez is drawn to her and her to him but I didn't feel a connection there. I like Marquez but didn't think that the story did him justice.
Unlike a majority of this series the two married before they consummated their relationship.
There were a few typos that I noticed as well.
I will still read her books but this wasn't my favorite.
February 22, 2021
Gwen Cassaway the newest member of Jacabsville Police Force. She was really anundercover FBI agent. She was working to get Detective Rick Marquez to help the USA. He was soon to learn who is real father was. He had been adopted a a young age by Barbara after his mother died. His mother never told his biological father General Machado about him. The twists and turns in this book made it an interesting story.
September 9, 2024
I’m glad Rick finally got a wife! He had fallen for just about every other heroine born in Jacobsville!
It’s really not all that romantic of a book though. Too much dialogue with so many other people who have been in other books. And the general?!?! That is just the craziest plot twist!! Unnecessary!
If you’re trying out DP for the first time start in the 80’s books! They are awesome and you can see how she develops a huge fan base!
It’s really not all that romantic of a book though. Too much dialogue with so many other people who have been in other books. And the general?!?! That is just the craziest plot twist!! Unnecessary!
If you’re trying out DP for the first time start in the 80’s books! They are awesome and you can see how she develops a huge fan base!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2024
Another in the Long, Tall Texans series, in which detective Rick Marquez can't seem to stop growing feelings for his partner, Gwen Cassaway when she joins his squad. What he doesn't know involves a father from another country and her father as well as who she really works for. But when those secrets begin to come out, so also do the feelings between the two and where it leads seems both fantastical and expected.
But will they live to enjoy their time together?
But will they live to enjoy their time together?
May 20, 2018
Esperaba mucho de esta historia porque este personaje era reiterativo en las novelas anteriores y muy interesante, peo no le encontré el sentido a poner una investigadora para darle la noticia de su padre, y obtener su colaboración, solo con una cita con sus superiores hubiera bastado. Y ese insta amor entre padre e hijo me sonó raro. Pero bueno, Diana Palmer con unas de sal y otras de arena.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2017
Ms Palmer is one of the best. I have read 132 of her books and have never been disappointed. Highly recommend this book
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