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Long, Tall Texans #15
The Princess Bride
The Hard Headed Groom
He was everything Tiffany Blair wanted. He was danger. He was love . . . and she was meant to spend forever with him. Trouble was, the almighty Kingman Marshall insisted marriage was for fools. But for better, for worse, Tiffany vowed she'd walk eon the aisle as King's bride.
And the Virgin Bride
She was young, beautiful . . . and totally off-limits. He was too old, too jaded and too burdened with secrets to indulge in fantasies of living happily-ever-after. But what he wouldn't give to carry the ravishing Miss Blair over the threshold to womanhood . . .
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1998
179 people are currently reading
598 people want to read
About the author
Diana Palmer
1,042 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
November 11, 2018
Finally. I needed some angst and injustice and drama without a chaser and I got it.
Heroine is 21 year-old debutante who chases her father’s business partner a 30-something rancher and cynical playboy. The hero very much wants to have sex with heroine, but she’s a virgin and he is not interested in marriage or children.
The heroine wears a designer white dress with diamante straps and a gardenia in her hair for her 21st birthday. (Remember that because she doesn’t wear anything as nice for her wedding.) Heroine pouts at her party because the hero is flirting with another guest, so she runs off with an assistant town clerk in her Jaguar. Assistant town clerk is driving because the heroine has had a few. They get pulled over for going 85 miles an hour (gotta love those straight roads in Texas). Hero shows up to take the heroine home. He pulls over to introduce her to breast rubs and chest hair, but harshly tells her that's as far as it will go between them. Assistant town clerk is never seen again.
The next day, hero goes off to Jamaica with his secretary (OW) and heroine realizes she has lost – hero only wants her for her body and not marriage.
She goes to New York with her godmother and begins a great modeling career. Hero is miffed that she’s doing lingerie shots, but her father points out that hero has no say in the matter. Heroine returns for Christmas break with a male model in tow. Male model promptly falls for a neighbor of the h’s. Hero is jealous of the MM and angry the heroine didn’t invite him and the OW to their annual holiday party. Heroine is able to show him that the OW deleted their invitation to make the heroine look bad.
I did like this heroine. She fought for what she wanted and she grew up. When she eventually landed the hero (he was planning on marrying for a few months so he could have sex with her and then divorce), she agreed to a small wedding since her priorities had changed . But when she saw the OW’s hand in the insulting flowers the hero was supposed to provide, as well as the OW’s white dress and the OW kissing the hero on the mouth in front of everyone after the ceremony, she was angry and told the hero off.
Hero didn’t try to defend himself, although they did go on their Caribbean honeymoon to keep up appearances. Heroine got drunk on their wedding night and slept in another bedroom. Heroine had a hangover the next day and hero gave her aspirin. She had an allergic reaction and had a ride in the ambulance for emergency treatment. Hero is shaken by the h's near-death experience and finally realizes he wants their marriage to work.
When heroine recovers, they have sex for the first time and all is well until the hero is called back home for a labor dispute. Heroine knows right away it was the OW’s doing.
Meanwhile, heroine’s father had a showdown with the OW and fires her. (Go Dad!) Hero is angry OW tricked him, but he feels like he should give the OW two weeks to work out her notice. Heroine’s father is so angry he has a heart attack and dies.
I know right? Finally some drama and OW comeuppance on the page.
Heroine is angry at the hero and the OW for triggering her father's heart attack. But there is more bad news. Her father had been duped by an embezzling accountant and she will have very little money from her inheritance.
Hero is working non-stop to save her father’s business interests. Heroine is glad he is away so much since she is pregnant and she knows the hero doesn’t want children. She is planning to leaving him so she can have her baby in secret. Hero discovers her pregnancy when he sees her bump and heroine misunderstands his reaction. She runs out of the house and falls, earning yet another ride in an ambulance.
Hero is actually excited by the baby and is sorry for his stupidity about marriage and impending parenthood. HEA
Despite the age difference, the H/h were both immature in their own way and managed to grow up during the course of the story so I’m happy with their HEA.
Diana Palmer checklist:
Hairy chest Check
Breast Description They taste like gardenias!
Cigarettes N0
Alcohol Pina Coladas strike again! No wonder h had a hangover.
Town Descriptions Adding a flower shop, bakery
Gardenia Scent see breasts
LOL detail How heroine became a top model in six weeks
Cutesy detail None, thank goodness.
Heroine is 21 year-old debutante who chases her father’s business partner a 30-something rancher and cynical playboy. The hero very much wants to have sex with heroine, but she’s a virgin and he is not interested in marriage or children.
The heroine wears a designer white dress with diamante straps and a gardenia in her hair for her 21st birthday. (Remember that because she doesn’t wear anything as nice for her wedding.) Heroine pouts at her party because the hero is flirting with another guest, so she runs off with an assistant town clerk in her Jaguar. Assistant town clerk is driving because the heroine has had a few. They get pulled over for going 85 miles an hour (gotta love those straight roads in Texas). Hero shows up to take the heroine home. He pulls over to introduce her to breast rubs and chest hair, but harshly tells her that's as far as it will go between them. Assistant town clerk is never seen again.
The next day, hero goes off to Jamaica with his secretary (OW) and heroine realizes she has lost – hero only wants her for her body and not marriage.
She goes to New York with her godmother and begins a great modeling career. Hero is miffed that she’s doing lingerie shots, but her father points out that hero has no say in the matter. Heroine returns for Christmas break with a male model in tow. Male model promptly falls for a neighbor of the h’s. Hero is jealous of the MM and angry the heroine didn’t invite him and the OW to their annual holiday party. Heroine is able to show him that the OW deleted their invitation to make the heroine look bad.
I did like this heroine. She fought for what she wanted and she grew up. When she eventually landed the hero (he was planning on marrying for a few months so he could have sex with her and then divorce), she agreed to a small wedding since her priorities had changed . But when she saw the OW’s hand in the insulting flowers the hero was supposed to provide, as well as the OW’s white dress and the OW kissing the hero on the mouth in front of everyone after the ceremony, she was angry and told the hero off.
Hero didn’t try to defend himself, although they did go on their Caribbean honeymoon to keep up appearances. Heroine got drunk on their wedding night and slept in another bedroom. Heroine had a hangover the next day and hero gave her aspirin. She had an allergic reaction and had a ride in the ambulance for emergency treatment. Hero is shaken by the h's near-death experience and finally realizes he wants their marriage to work.
When heroine recovers, they have sex for the first time and all is well until the hero is called back home for a labor dispute. Heroine knows right away it was the OW’s doing.
Meanwhile, heroine’s father had a showdown with the OW and fires her. (Go Dad!) Hero is angry OW tricked him, but he feels like he should give the OW two weeks to work out her notice. Heroine’s father is so angry he has a heart attack and dies.
I know right? Finally some drama and OW comeuppance on the page.
Heroine is angry at the hero and the OW for triggering her father's heart attack. But there is more bad news. Her father had been duped by an embezzling accountant and she will have very little money from her inheritance.
Hero is working non-stop to save her father’s business interests. Heroine is glad he is away so much since she is pregnant and she knows the hero doesn’t want children. She is planning to leaving him so she can have her baby in secret. Hero discovers her pregnancy when he sees her bump and heroine misunderstands his reaction. She runs out of the house and falls, earning yet another ride in an ambulance.
Hero is actually excited by the baby and is sorry for his stupidity about marriage and impending parenthood. HEA
Despite the age difference, the H/h were both immature in their own way and managed to grow up during the course of the story so I’m happy with their HEA.
Diana Palmer checklist:
Hairy chest Check
Breast Description They taste like gardenias!
Cigarettes N0
Alcohol Pina Coladas strike again! No wonder h had a hangover.
Town Descriptions Adding a flower shop, bakery
Gardenia Scent see breasts
LOL detail How heroine became a top model in six weeks
Cutesy detail None, thank goodness.
April 6, 2020
3.75*
This was shaping up as one of DP's keepers but then it self-destructs.
Or the H does.
This was shaping up as one of DP's keepers but then it self-destructs.
Or the H does.
April 22, 2016
No bueno.
This story just did not do it for me.
The heroine, Tiffany (not the best name), is a very young girl with a huge crush on King and a terribly immature flirtatious manner. Although this was published in '98, it seems more dated than that.
King is a big ole hunk of Texas rich awesomeness. I can see why a young girl would find his cool appeal alluring, but he is really a total jackass up until the very end.
He practically seduces her when she's 18; he has a stone cold bee-yotch as a secretary/mistress he puts first always, and he's kinda mean to our little girl.
Tiffany briefly grows a backbone, but ultimately they end up getting married in one of the saddest little scenes ever. I'm a sucker for wedding especially a great dress. And, girls, this heroine was robbed!!! It's so bad the guys even notice.
I'm not going to rehash the plot, but unless you are a Diana Palmer fan I would stay away.
This story just did not do it for me.
The heroine, Tiffany (not the best name), is a very young girl with a huge crush on King and a terribly immature flirtatious manner. Although this was published in '98, it seems more dated than that.
King is a big ole hunk of Texas rich awesomeness. I can see why a young girl would find his cool appeal alluring, but he is really a total jackass up until the very end.
He practically seduces her when she's 18; he has a stone cold bee-yotch as a secretary/mistress he puts first always, and he's kinda mean to our little girl.
Tiffany briefly grows a backbone, but ultimately they end up getting married in one of the saddest little scenes ever. I'm a sucker for wedding especially a great dress. And, girls, this heroine was robbed!!! It's so bad the guys even notice.
I'm not going to rehash the plot, but unless you are a Diana Palmer fan I would stay away.
November 8, 2019
"La mujer de su vida"
March 20, 2018
==>Relido em 17 de junho de 2016.
---------
The hero is an ogre and comes accompanied by a secretary who is a whore.
He is a jerk, idiot, imbecile, moron, douche canoe, asshole ... and so on.
He accepts to get married only to have sex with the heroine and I never seen anything more stupid. He is reluctant from the beginning and the relationship with the whore Secretary didn't help at all.
Secretary from hell strikes again and ruin the wedding of heroes and the asshole does nothing ... gave me the greatest hatred.
-----------
The Princess Bride (Diana Palmer)
"He took his secretary with him." Her heart jumped, but she didn't miss a stitch. "Did he? I hope Carla enjoys the trip. Where did they go?"
==========
"I may be the first man you've ever wanted, Tiffany, but you aren't the first woman I've wanted."
==========
"It's too soon, Tiffany, but I'm going to give you what you want."
==========
"But there was something in the way King looked that made him uneasy. That man didn't have happily ever after in mind, and he wasn't passionately in love with Tiffany—and it showed. He wanted her; that was obvious to a blind man. But it seemed less than honest for a man to marry a woman only because of desire."
==========
"Here was proof that Tiffany had years, not months, of marriage in mind, while he only wanted to satisfy a raging hunger.
==========
"And just when she thought she couldn't feel any worse, she spotted Carla in the front pew on King's side of the church. With disbelief, she registered that the woman was wearing a white lacy dress with a white veiled hat! As if she, not Tiffany, were the bride!"
==========
"when she saw a laughing Carla lift her arms around King's neck and kiss him passionately, full on the mouth."
==========
"He and his lover had humiliated her beyond bearing, and on her wedding day."
==========
"'Marriage was never in my mind, until you started throwing yourself at me! God knew, an affair was never an option."
==========
"Not one person in that church would have thought so, after you kissed Carla. In fact, I must say, her dress was much more appropriate than mine for the occasion, right down to the veil."
==========
"I've been living in a fool's paradise, looking for happily ever after, dreaming of satin and lace and delicious nights and babies. And all I've got to show for it is a secondhand lust without even the gloss of friendship behind it and an absolute edict that I'm never to think of having a child."
==========
"This is your fault." She choked. "My father is dead! Was keeping Carla worth his life?" He sucked in a sharp breath."
==========
"One time," he murmured dryly. "And look what you did," he accused. ' What I did!'' she exclaimed. "I only plant. I don't cultivate."
==========
"But we'll sleep in each other's arms, as we should have been doing from the first night, when you were a virgin bride—a beautiful princess bride. If you're cold, I'll warm you. If you're afraid, I'll cuddle you."
==========
---------
The hero is an ogre and comes accompanied by a secretary who is a whore.
He is a jerk, idiot, imbecile, moron, douche canoe, asshole ... and so on.
He accepts to get married only to have sex with the heroine and I never seen anything more stupid. He is reluctant from the beginning and the relationship with the whore Secretary didn't help at all.
Secretary from hell strikes again and ruin the wedding of heroes and the asshole does nothing ... gave me the greatest hatred.
-----------
The Princess Bride (Diana Palmer)
"He took his secretary with him." Her heart jumped, but she didn't miss a stitch. "Did he? I hope Carla enjoys the trip. Where did they go?"
==========
"I may be the first man you've ever wanted, Tiffany, but you aren't the first woman I've wanted."
==========
"It's too soon, Tiffany, but I'm going to give you what you want."
==========
"But there was something in the way King looked that made him uneasy. That man didn't have happily ever after in mind, and he wasn't passionately in love with Tiffany—and it showed. He wanted her; that was obvious to a blind man. But it seemed less than honest for a man to marry a woman only because of desire."
==========
"Here was proof that Tiffany had years, not months, of marriage in mind, while he only wanted to satisfy a raging hunger.
==========
"And just when she thought she couldn't feel any worse, she spotted Carla in the front pew on King's side of the church. With disbelief, she registered that the woman was wearing a white lacy dress with a white veiled hat! As if she, not Tiffany, were the bride!"
==========
"when she saw a laughing Carla lift her arms around King's neck and kiss him passionately, full on the mouth."
==========
"He and his lover had humiliated her beyond bearing, and on her wedding day."
==========
"'Marriage was never in my mind, until you started throwing yourself at me! God knew, an affair was never an option."
==========
"Not one person in that church would have thought so, after you kissed Carla. In fact, I must say, her dress was much more appropriate than mine for the occasion, right down to the veil."
==========
"I've been living in a fool's paradise, looking for happily ever after, dreaming of satin and lace and delicious nights and babies. And all I've got to show for it is a secondhand lust without even the gloss of friendship behind it and an absolute edict that I'm never to think of having a child."
==========
"This is your fault." She choked. "My father is dead! Was keeping Carla worth his life?" He sucked in a sharp breath."
==========
"One time," he murmured dryly. "And look what you did," he accused. ' What I did!'' she exclaimed. "I only plant. I don't cultivate."
==========
"But we'll sleep in each other's arms, as we should have been doing from the first night, when you were a virgin bride—a beautiful princess bride. If you're cold, I'll warm you. If you're afraid, I'll cuddle you."
==========
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2018
I prefer cruel heroes but he was also dumb. After deleted list fiasco, he should have fired the OW. (Yes, she was OW, his ex, and she kissed him on his wedding day to heroine while wearing a white lace dress with veiled hat and he still waited to fire her after honeymoon fiasco) I gave 3 stars for the sake of tears I jerked.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2021
This is the first H of DP that I think could be clinically diagnosed as a narcissist:
Everything is about him. His pursuit of the h stems from the fact that he thinks he has lost her admiration.
He knows nothing about the h or her father, and he feels bad -- not because he hasn't been a good friend, but because he is unable to delude himself that he is a good person.
Even his eventual feelings about the h had a lot to do with the fact that he no longer was getting the ego gratification from her helpless adoration, and he couldn't stand it.
He pursued the OW because she was an exciting challenge, and kept her on after their affair as his secretary because she gave him an ego boost.
We end the book with him love bombing her, but that's just until he feels he has her back under his thumb.
Everything is about him. His pursuit of the h stems from the fact that he thinks he has lost her admiration.
He knows nothing about the h or her father, and he feels bad -- not because he hasn't been a good friend, but because he is unable to delude himself that he is a good person.
Even his eventual feelings about the h had a lot to do with the fact that he no longer was getting the ego gratification from her helpless adoration, and he couldn't stand it.
He pursued the OW because she was an exciting challenge, and kept her on after their affair as his secretary because she gave him an ego boost.
We end the book with him love bombing her, but that's just until he feels he has her back under his thumb.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2012
This book was an okay read. I didn't like Tiffany much from the beginning, and King wasn't much better either. What I particularly hated was the way he treated her before they got married and also how quickly she believed the rumour about him. She didn't have any faith in him at all.
March 5, 2015
Romantic and heartwarming, gotta love Diana Palmer!
August 25, 2020
One of the first books by Diana Palmer I read. I remember, it made me cry a lot.
Final rating: 3.5 stars
Final rating: 3.5 stars
February 28, 2016
This was one of the worst DP books I had ever read. Not only does the hero act like an asshole but he put all the blame on her!! Really if he did not to have kids he should have told her before they married and when she tell him he acts like a total asshole!! I mean he was not even willing to meet her halfway. She puts herself out there for him a million times for him to kick! And did he kick her hard!!! I still love her books and I read them all..even when she writes under a different name. Just read with caution. At least she gets one kid out of the deal to love. Hope nothing happens to it cause they are never going to have another that's for sure. He is so anti kids that I would have told him to go F himself. The book itself was somewhat well written. At least there is not gaming references in it lol
July 23, 2025
SPOILERS:
Hated this.
What happened to her dad and the H telling his secretary (his former mistress) that she can go on working for another two weeks completely wrecked this for me.
Hated this.
What happened to her dad and the H telling his secretary (his former mistress) that she can go on working for another two weeks completely wrecked this for me.
May 31, 2022
What a completly stupid, ridiculous book. Thank you, it was only 206 pgs
April 10, 2020
Kingman es de lo peor, no me gusta nada de nada, hace sufrir casi todo el libro a la protagonista y no recuerdo que le pida perdón por todos lo errores que comete y más aún en un día tan especial y único como es el casarse, lo arruina horriblemente y encima Tiffany como si nada decide quedarse a su lado, no comprendo :# Es una burla al amor :( ...
January 28, 2025
Cute little raggedy silhouette.
Bratty heroine has her sights set on her father’s business partner at her 21st birthday bash. Hero is a womanizing bachelor.
I enjoyed it! It was short and had plenty of drama and emotions.
Bratty heroine has her sights set on her father’s business partner at her 21st birthday bash. Hero is a womanizing bachelor.
I enjoyed it! It was short and had plenty of drama and emotions.
November 29, 2013
I don't like this book at all, especially the ending.
I mean, sure Tiffany's determined to tamed Kingman, I don't mind about that, but I don't like the way King treated her. I was expecting he came to his sense after they got married, but no he didn't. In fact he became more annoying. I hate Carla and I hate the way King didn't "hate" her after everything. I hate Tiffany for being too meek and forgiving. God!
I just don't like the way things ended. Sure the angst tickled me but the story went too quick. It left me unsatisfied. :/
So.. Yeah.
I mean, sure Tiffany's determined to tamed Kingman, I don't mind about that, but I don't like the way King treated her. I was expecting he came to his sense after they got married, but no he didn't. In fact he became more annoying. I hate Carla and I hate the way King didn't "hate" her after everything. I hate Tiffany for being too meek and forgiving. God!
I just don't like the way things ended. Sure the angst tickled me but the story went too quick. It left me unsatisfied. :/
So.. Yeah.
February 8, 2012
This one started off okay in the beginning. I liked the older man younger heroine theme. The writing was very choppy though, so it took away from some of the enjoyment of the book. It's kind of hard to get into a book when one minute the hero and heroine is talking and the next minute he's moving back and forth between her legs, and then WALAA they just had sex without the reader even knowing what the heck was going on! So yeah, really bad writing stopped this one from being any good.
February 20, 2019
3 stars.
It's so refreshing to read about a DP heroine who's not the chaser. I really liked Tiffany. Now, the hero —King— was the dumb one. Dude your secretary messed up the flowers of your wedding on purpose, kissed you in the church in front of your wife and made you leave your honeymoon by telling you lies and you didn't fire her? DUDEEE. What the hell.
I didnt't cry with this one. I laughed.
It was entertaining all the same.
It's so refreshing to read about a DP heroine who's not the chaser. I really liked Tiffany. Now, the hero —King— was the dumb one. Dude your secretary messed up the flowers of your wedding on purpose, kissed you in the church in front of your wife and made you leave your honeymoon by telling you lies and you didn't fire her? DUDEEE. What the hell.
I didnt't cry with this one. I laughed.
It was entertaining all the same.
December 13, 2021
I actually liked this one. I'm shocked, usually I am the on the opposite side (reviewing lower than the average rating. Without giving spoilers, based on the reviews I thought this was going to be a heavier read with a cheating jerky hero, and a poor doormat h. It wasn't, it definitely is not heavy, or serious. It's silly at times, and actions of the characters won't make sense, it's like a soap opera so you need to be in the right mindset. I read this after a heavier read and enjoyed it just from an entertainment POV.
The book follows Tiffany and King. Tiffany is 21, she's been sheltered from an overprotective dad, is rich, flighty and been in love with King since she was 14. She tells everyone also, King, her father...she tells everyone he is it for her and they will be married at live HEA. King is a 34 year old rancher playboy that has never wanted to settle down. It is implied he sleeps around, including his secretary.
This doesn't seem to bother T, she knows she is his endgame. :) King is attracted to her, but thinks she's too young. He wants her to grow up some and doesn't trust himself around her so he pushes her away pretty brutally, cuz girl was not taking no for an answer. T moves away, and while gone King realizes he misses her and doesn't want to wait.
Spoilers ahead.....
To address some of the parts that could be offensive. The reasoning to marry is stupid. He wants sex, but knows they need to marry first because she is a virgin and could never be a hook up. (??) She is aware and still pushes forward. His bitch of a secretary does some crappy things to ruin their special time. He does show remorse, anger for the secretary's actions, and realizes he has messed up, but the damage is done. A lot of readers tagged this as cheating, but there wasn't any. They aren't in a relationship at all when he goes off on vacay with the secretary. It alludes that he's still seeing her while they are separated because Texas cattle men are always in the tabloids in NYC...like I said soap opera...but later he says what they had was over long before his marriage.
So if you're looking for something similar to a bravo tv show...give it a whirl.
The book follows Tiffany and King. Tiffany is 21, she's been sheltered from an overprotective dad, is rich, flighty and been in love with King since she was 14. She tells everyone also, King, her father...she tells everyone he is it for her and they will be married at live HEA. King is a 34 year old rancher playboy that has never wanted to settle down. It is implied he sleeps around, including his secretary.
This doesn't seem to bother T, she knows she is his endgame. :) King is attracted to her, but thinks she's too young. He wants her to grow up some and doesn't trust himself around her so he pushes her away pretty brutally, cuz girl was not taking no for an answer. T moves away, and while gone King realizes he misses her and doesn't want to wait.
Spoilers ahead.....
To address some of the parts that could be offensive. The reasoning to marry is stupid. He wants sex, but knows they need to marry first because she is a virgin and could never be a hook up. (??) She is aware and still pushes forward. His bitch of a secretary does some crappy things to ruin their special time. He does show remorse, anger for the secretary's actions, and realizes he has messed up, but the damage is done. A lot of readers tagged this as cheating, but there wasn't any. They aren't in a relationship at all when he goes off on vacay with the secretary. It alludes that he's still seeing her while they are separated because Texas cattle men are always in the tabloids in NYC...like I said soap opera...but later he says what they had was over long before his marriage.
So if you're looking for something similar to a bravo tv show...give it a whirl.
September 28, 2013
185 pages
Printed 1998
Long Tall Texan series #17
I must have a very early copy it says Harlequin Mills and Boons Spring Brides Book 1 of 6. Anyway.
Wasn't sure if I'd read this one but a few pages in I realised I had and some time ago. Here she follows the DP stamp; older jaded alpha nasty, silly young virginal heroine, a jealous ex, misunderstandings, more alpha nasties, more silly heroine, more jealous ex, more misunderstandings...
I simply don't get the appeal of her books. Her heroes are controlling, manipulative and emotionally abusive and her heroines so weak (add spoiled here) I lose all respect for them. Gah.
October 21, 2018
Look! I really love Diana Palmer. she is one of my favourites authors but this story is a bit hard to swallow. Tiffany is basically a door mat and Kingston just doesn't care about her. There is not chemistry between those two at all. He was forced to marry her, his mistress showed up at the wedding dress in a wedding dress and kissed him in the mouth in front of everyone. He sleeps with her once and lives her alone on her honeymoon. It's just to much .
March 31, 2012
another virgin bride.
I do like a diana palmer novel every now and then. yes the formular is the same but they are very nice quick stories that always have a bastard hero and a happy ever after.
Not her best but still enjoyable'
I do like a diana palmer novel every now and then. yes the formular is the same but they are very nice quick stories that always have a bastard hero and a happy ever after.
Not her best but still enjoyable'
August 12, 2024
Quería leer esta serie en orden pero después de la decepción que me lleve con Connal, decidí darle una oportunidad a este.
Admito que no es un gran libro de romance, no hay nada de atractivo en un personaje masculino como King aunque la autora trate con todas sus fuerzas de decirnos que es un tipo que vale la pena.
La historia empieza de una forma interesante, Tiffany esta dispuesta a casarse con King, coquetea abiertamente con él y esta dispuesta a todo con tal de conseguir lo que quiere. King por su parte se siente atraído hacia ella, quiere tener sexo con Tiffany PERO se niega a hacerlo porque es la única hija de su socio. La hija de 21 años mientras él tiene 34, en su interior King sabe que ella es muy joven, inmadura y como toda personaje principal de Palmer una virgen sin experiencia.
Como toda historia de este tipo, pasan cosas entre Tiffany y King lo que lleva al miserable a primero irse en un viaje de dos semanas con su secretaria quien es también su amante. Cuando vuelve, Tiffany se viste bien bonita, le inventa una historia para ponerlo celoso lo que funciona. King va a la casa de esta, la enfrenta y pues vuelven a pasar cosas.
Acá es cuando la historia se pone tal cual telenovela de los 90, Tiffany es la que se va a Nueva York con su madrina y en pocas semanas se vuelve una modelo exitosa, allí conoce a Mark, se hacen amigos y con este vuelven al rancho de su Padre para una fiesta de año nuevo. Ah! se me olvidaba, Tiffany vuelve con un nuevo look.
De aquí en adelante Carla, la secretaria y amante de King, hace de todo para arruinar la frágil relación que tiene King con Tiffany. Este al verla más madura, le vuelve el calorcito en su entrepierna y le pide matrimonio, nada muy romántico, no hace muchas promesas, si hasta le da un ataque cuando van a comprar anillos de compromiso al darse cuenta que Tiffany pensaba en una relación duradera.
¿Gran tipo no?
En este periodo de boda, King se vuelve frio, retraído y no quiere saber nada hasta el día del matrimonio, Tiffany le dice si el no quiere casarse con ella que no lo haga pero como buen hombre caliente sigue adelante la boda.
Obviamente la boda es un desastre, Carla llega con vestido de novia, velo y la decoración es un asco, Tiffany no tiene ni ramo de flores y King tiene el DESCARO DE ENOJARSE. Enojarse porque Tiffany tiene un traje blanco y no un vestido, enojarse porque Tiffany no tenía ramo, porque no se mostraba contenta CUANDO Carla lo besa en frente de todos los socios de negocios de King y ¿cual es la reacción? Ninguna, ni siquiera se enoja con Carla más bien sigue enojado con Tiffany.
Si la boda fue un desastre, la luna de miel fue peor. Tiffany se emborracha con una piña colada, luego tiene una reacción alérgica por unas aspirinas y estando toda débil después de un día horrible, King como buen marido se acuesta con ella para irse al otro día de nuevo a Jacobsville por un "problema de sindicatos". Tiffany tan inteligente sabe que Carla lo hizo para arruinarle la luna de miel, ella toma un vuelo para Texas ese día.
Harrison, el papá de Tiffany, se las canta todas a Carla, la despide para que al llegar King le de dos semanas a Carla para presentar su renuncia y le dice que le encontrara otro buen trabajo. Esta mujer le arruina la boda, le arruina la luna de miel y este hombre tan romántico no reacciona.
Ese mismo día se muere Harrison de un ataque al corazón, el día en que Tiffany recién esta llegando a Jacobsville, acá es cuando a King le da el arrepentimiento pero aun así NO SE DISCULPA CON TIFFANY.
Pasan otras cosas más y para el final del libro, lo único que Tiffany obtiene es un te amo. Cero disculpa, cero introspección de King. Nada.
La historia es tan telenovela de los 90 que me entretuvo por eso las 3 estrellitas. Tiffany merecía algo mejor y si esto fuera la vida real, King se divorciaría de Tiffany cuando se aburra de ella y encuentre a otra mujer que le suba el ego.
Admito que no es un gran libro de romance, no hay nada de atractivo en un personaje masculino como King aunque la autora trate con todas sus fuerzas de decirnos que es un tipo que vale la pena.
La historia empieza de una forma interesante, Tiffany esta dispuesta a casarse con King, coquetea abiertamente con él y esta dispuesta a todo con tal de conseguir lo que quiere. King por su parte se siente atraído hacia ella, quiere tener sexo con Tiffany PERO se niega a hacerlo porque es la única hija de su socio. La hija de 21 años mientras él tiene 34, en su interior King sabe que ella es muy joven, inmadura y como toda personaje principal de Palmer una virgen sin experiencia.
Como toda historia de este tipo, pasan cosas entre Tiffany y King lo que lleva al miserable a primero irse en un viaje de dos semanas con su secretaria quien es también su amante. Cuando vuelve, Tiffany se viste bien bonita, le inventa una historia para ponerlo celoso lo que funciona. King va a la casa de esta, la enfrenta y pues vuelven a pasar cosas.
Acá es cuando la historia se pone tal cual telenovela de los 90, Tiffany es la que se va a Nueva York con su madrina y en pocas semanas se vuelve una modelo exitosa, allí conoce a Mark, se hacen amigos y con este vuelven al rancho de su Padre para una fiesta de año nuevo. Ah! se me olvidaba, Tiffany vuelve con un nuevo look.
De aquí en adelante Carla, la secretaria y amante de King, hace de todo para arruinar la frágil relación que tiene King con Tiffany. Este al verla más madura, le vuelve el calorcito en su entrepierna y le pide matrimonio, nada muy romántico, no hace muchas promesas, si hasta le da un ataque cuando van a comprar anillos de compromiso al darse cuenta que Tiffany pensaba en una relación duradera.
¿Gran tipo no?
En este periodo de boda, King se vuelve frio, retraído y no quiere saber nada hasta el día del matrimonio, Tiffany le dice si el no quiere casarse con ella que no lo haga pero como buen hombre caliente sigue adelante la boda.
Obviamente la boda es un desastre, Carla llega con vestido de novia, velo y la decoración es un asco, Tiffany no tiene ni ramo de flores y King tiene el DESCARO DE ENOJARSE. Enojarse porque Tiffany tiene un traje blanco y no un vestido, enojarse porque Tiffany no tenía ramo, porque no se mostraba contenta CUANDO Carla lo besa en frente de todos los socios de negocios de King y ¿cual es la reacción? Ninguna, ni siquiera se enoja con Carla más bien sigue enojado con Tiffany.
Si la boda fue un desastre, la luna de miel fue peor. Tiffany se emborracha con una piña colada, luego tiene una reacción alérgica por unas aspirinas y estando toda débil después de un día horrible, King como buen marido se acuesta con ella para irse al otro día de nuevo a Jacobsville por un "problema de sindicatos". Tiffany tan inteligente sabe que Carla lo hizo para arruinarle la luna de miel, ella toma un vuelo para Texas ese día.
Harrison, el papá de Tiffany, se las canta todas a Carla, la despide para que al llegar King le de dos semanas a Carla para presentar su renuncia y le dice que le encontrara otro buen trabajo. Esta mujer le arruina la boda, le arruina la luna de miel y este hombre tan romántico no reacciona.
Ese mismo día se muere Harrison de un ataque al corazón, el día en que Tiffany recién esta llegando a Jacobsville, acá es cuando a King le da el arrepentimiento pero aun así NO SE DISCULPA CON TIFFANY.
Pasan otras cosas más y para el final del libro, lo único que Tiffany obtiene es un te amo. Cero disculpa, cero introspección de King. Nada.
La historia es tan telenovela de los 90 que me entretuvo por eso las 3 estrellitas. Tiffany merecía algo mejor y si esto fuera la vida real, King se divorciaría de Tiffany cuando se aburra de ella y encuentre a otra mujer que le suba el ego.
September 6, 2023
Urgh I haaated it.
The h was one of those slightly insane bunny boiler types who had been obsessed with the H since she was 14 and come hell or high water she was determined to force him into marrying her. She had no self-respect, no dignity, nothing. 'I'll do anything King, anything !' she whines as she flashes her titties at him and prances about in slutty dresses in some pathetic attempt to lure him in.
The H, meanwhile, was so put-off, disinterested and at times even disgusted by the h. He seriously did not want to marry her, refused point blank to consider having children, and treated her like an irritating skin condition for the majority of the book. It's obviously he doesn't care about her, he doesn't even like her.
As a result the entire 'romance' was wretched, depressing and bleak. Throw in a relentless mistress, a ruined wedding and honeymoon, several trips to the emergency room, a dead parent and an endless parade of hurt feelings and disappointments and you have one of the worst DP I've ever read.
Now- cold, mean, careless alpha-hole heroes are par for the course in Jacobsville, but they work because along the way we can see them falling in love (even when they fight it) - I honestly did not see any love here, it was a love-void, and for that reason the mean hero doesn't work.
Probably the worst Long, Tall Texan book I've read so far. I've been really enjoying the series so far, and hope this is a rare one off stinker.
The h was one of those slightly insane bunny boiler types who had been obsessed with the H since she was 14 and come hell or high water she was determined to force him into marrying her. She had no self-respect, no dignity, nothing. 'I'll do anything King, anything !' she whines as she flashes her titties at him and prances about in slutty dresses in some pathetic attempt to lure him in.
The H, meanwhile, was so put-off, disinterested and at times even disgusted by the h. He seriously did not want to marry her, refused point blank to consider having children, and treated her like an irritating skin condition for the majority of the book. It's obviously he doesn't care about her, he doesn't even like her.
As a result the entire 'romance' was wretched, depressing and bleak. Throw in a relentless mistress, a ruined wedding and honeymoon, several trips to the emergency room, a dead parent and an endless parade of hurt feelings and disappointments and you have one of the worst DP I've ever read.
Now- cold, mean, careless alpha-hole heroes are par for the course in Jacobsville, but they work because along the way we can see them falling in love (even when they fight it) - I honestly did not see any love here, it was a love-void, and for that reason the mean hero doesn't work.
Probably the worst Long, Tall Texan book I've read so far. I've been really enjoying the series so far, and hope this is a rare one off stinker.
November 7, 2021
What can I say…it had all the components for a Diana Palmer story. I enjoyed it, but it isn’t my favorite DP book. The hero was definitely cruel, but it didn’t elicit as strong of a response as some of her other cruel heroes. Like most of DP’s heroes, if he happens to go to a KFC he will be ordering the breasts. Here are just a few of his responses…
.
“Here,” he whispered roughly, moving her so that her soft breasts were crushed against the abrasive warmth of his chest.
I want to suckle you,” he said quietly, staring into her shocked eyes as he freed her body from the clothes...
He lifted an eyebrow and his eyes slid over her like hands. “We both know that you’ve belonged to me since you’ve had breasts,” he said blatantly. “I kept my distance, almost for too long. But I came to my senses in time.”
I don’t always leave detailed reviews on her books, because Stmargarets does such an awesome job on them in her reviews. Check out her review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
.
“Here,” he whispered roughly, moving her so that her soft breasts were crushed against the abrasive warmth of his chest.
I want to suckle you,” he said quietly, staring into her shocked eyes as he freed her body from the clothes...
He lifted an eyebrow and his eyes slid over her like hands. “We both know that you’ve belonged to me since you’ve had breasts,” he said blatantly. “I kept my distance, almost for too long. But I came to my senses in time.”
I don’t always leave detailed reviews on her books, because Stmargarets does such an awesome job on them in her reviews. Check out her review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
January 1, 2023
Kingman and Tiffany
I didn't like it. I liked the heroine but not the hero. He slept with his secretary (OW) years before (perhaps even just before getting with heroine) and kept her working for him. Heroine proved to him that the OW lied to him about the invitation to her father's party and he kept her working for him. He let the OW kiss him right after getting married to heroine, right in front of everyone and he didn't fire her or even scold her.
The only thing I liked about him was that he was celibate during the months she left for New York. However he wanted to sleep with the OW but his body wouldn't cooperate.
He only wanted to marry heroine to sleep with her, he never took her wants or needs into consideration at all. She desperately wanted kids but he didn't want them at all and sprung that on her thr day before wedding. He only changed his mind once heroine actually was pregnant, he was just minutes before finding out she was pregnant telling her to get on birth control. P.
I didn't like it. I liked the heroine but not the hero. He slept with his secretary (OW) years before (perhaps even just before getting with heroine) and kept her working for him. Heroine proved to him that the OW lied to him about the invitation to her father's party and he kept her working for him. He let the OW kiss him right after getting married to heroine, right in front of everyone and he didn't fire her or even scold her.
The only thing I liked about him was that he was celibate during the months she left for New York. However he wanted to sleep with the OW but his body wouldn't cooperate.
He only wanted to marry heroine to sleep with her, he never took her wants or needs into consideration at all. She desperately wanted kids but he didn't want them at all and sprung that on her thr day before wedding. He only changed his mind once heroine actually was pregnant, he was just minutes before finding out she was pregnant telling her to get on birth control. P.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2018
This is the same formula for a lot of her books: Older hero, younger virgin with a massive crush on the hero. Hero is a jerk, misunderstandings, a wedding the hero didn't think he wanted basically a rocky road to a happy ending.
I didn't much care for Tiffany in the beginning as she had just turned 21 and was very sheltered yet flirting outrageously with King, he father's 34 year old business partner. She did mature and change as the story progressed and King just continued to push her away until he couldn't. Then the trouble started.
It was a fast read and not one of my favorites but it was entertaining.
I didn't much care for Tiffany in the beginning as she had just turned 21 and was very sheltered yet flirting outrageously with King, he father's 34 year old business partner. She did mature and change as the story progressed and King just continued to push her away until he couldn't. Then the trouble started.
It was a fast read and not one of my favorites but it was entertaining.
July 20, 2019
I needed some angst! Hero, what can I say? He was in lust but he was blind and stupid regarding the other woman. He allowed his marriage ceremony to be disrespected by the OW and even allowed her to kiss him in front of others. Then he allowed her to disrupt the honeymoon. All of this after having been shown how devious she already was. Once she was fired, he was going to allow her to work a 2 week notice! Extremely dangerous business practice.
Even though h was much younger and far less experienced than the H, she was the most mature.
Even though h was much younger and far less experienced than the H, she was the most mature.
May 13, 2025
4 Stars
I purchased a copy of the steamy Long, Tall Texans: The Princess Bride by Diana Palmer, and this review was given freely.
Contains a lot of negative drama and tragedy but ends happily.
Debutante Tiffany marries the man of her dreams, her father’s business partner and neighboring rancher, Kingman Marshall. But, he almost loses her to an allergic reaction, his secretary and ex-lovers' vindictive ways, grief over her father’s sudden death, embezzlement, and an unplanned pregnancy.
I purchased a copy of the steamy Long, Tall Texans: The Princess Bride by Diana Palmer, and this review was given freely.
Contains a lot of negative drama and tragedy but ends happily.
Debutante Tiffany marries the man of her dreams, her father’s business partner and neighboring rancher, Kingman Marshall. But, he almost loses her to an allergic reaction, his secretary and ex-lovers' vindictive ways, grief over her father’s sudden death, embezzlement, and an unplanned pregnancy.
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