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Για την αγάπη της Έλινορ
Ήταν ένα τρελά ερωτευμένο κοριτσόπουλο κι εκείνος ένας έμπειρος άντρας που τη χρησιμοποίησε για να εκδικηθεί τη γυναίκα που αγαπούσε. Τέσσερα χρόνια αργότερα, η Έλινορ πονούσε ακόμα στην οδυνηρή θύμηση της πρώτης ερωτικής της σχέσης και μισούσε τον άνθρωπο που την πλήγωσε. Παρ' όλα αυτά, όταν τον ξανάδε, ο πόθος κυρίεψε και πάλι το κορμί της. Αλλά κι ο Κίνγκαν, που είχε πραγματικά μετανιώσει για τον άκαρδο τρόπο που της είχε φερθεί, ήταν τώρα διατεθειμένος να κάνει τα πάντα για να την ξανακερδίσει. Και πρώτα απ' όλα έπρεπε να την πείσει ότι ο Ουέιντ Γκρέιντζερ δεν ήταν ο άντρας που θα την έκανε ευτυχισμένη...
157 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1986
87 people are currently reading
378 people want to read
About the author
Diana Palmer
1,038 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 65 reviews
October 13, 2019
A lot of readers like this story because the heroine dresses down the hero several times. Hero is not cruel, etc. That’s all true, but for me the devil is in the details in this story.
Plot: Upper-crust hero has sex with young virgin heroine who has crushed on him forever. Hero took heroine out once to make his girlfriend jealous. He didn’t intend to have sex, but passion overcame him and he ended up hurting the heroine. Hero gets engaged to gf the next day and heroine leaves town for nursing school. Four years later hero is not married and heroine is still heart-broken.
The hero pursues the heroine, but doesn’t tell her how he feels so heroine just assumes he wants a sexual relationship. Since all the hero does is push for sex , the heroine’s doubts are understandable. Add in an OM who is a much nicer guy/catch than the hero and DP totally undermines the romance.
But these pesky details really ruined what little enjoyment I was getting out of this story.
*Hero was described as spoiled with no real job. He helped his dad with the horse farm and indulged in lots of hobbies. Entitled rich boys don’t thrill me.
*Hero had red hair and freckles. Heroine then makes jokes about freckles. So no – this hero didn’t seem at all sexy.
*Hero suffers from food poisoning, which lands him in the hospital. It’s a chance for the heroine to reveal her true feelings, but I couldn’t get over the gross details of hero putting cooked chicken back on a plate with raw chicken and contracting salmonella. This hero did not land in the hospital because of doing something brave or protective. He landed there because he was stupid.
*Heroine’s father is carpenter on the horse farm, yet their house is falling down. Why?
*DP was working out her biscuit obsession with this story. Heroine made biscuits every morning before work for her father.
*The title is mentioned on the second to last page. It’s not referencing the 80’s song. It’s a Chinese proverb about the eye of the tiger having narrow vision. So there’s a shoehorn.
Diana Palmer checklist:
Hairy chest Heroine feels faint just looking at it.
Breast Description mauve!
Cigarettes Constantly. He follows her around the house smoking.
Alcohol Champagne buffet at OM’s house.
Town Descriptions Lexington, Kentucky has a lake with a yacht club, walking trails and fishing. There’s a luxury house section where guests park some distance away and are shuttled in Rolls Royce limos. Hero’s horse farm is a miniature town with all employees having their own homes. French restaurant, luxury boutique, hairdressers, hospital.
Gardenia Scent Her hair smelled like that before the deflowering.
LOL detail That cover – popped collars, mullet, busy knit patterns and big hair. Hums: It's the eye of the tiger, it's the dream of the fight/
Risin' up to the challenge of our rival
Cutesy detail Boring banter about Cinderella with the OM, Freckles jokes.
DP hobbyhorse Makeover time! Make up, haircut and good foundation garments will turn heads
DP is trolling us
Wade sighed. "I might have known. You can't ever get away from work, not as long as there are telephones anywhere on the planet."
"Wait until the cellular phones catch on,” Keegan said with a grin.
"God forbid! Be right back, darling. Thanks, Keegan."
Reviewer’s note: How did she know?
Plot: Upper-crust hero has sex with young virgin heroine who has crushed on him forever. Hero took heroine out once to make his girlfriend jealous. He didn’t intend to have sex, but passion overcame him and he ended up hurting the heroine. Hero gets engaged to gf the next day and heroine leaves town for nursing school. Four years later hero is not married and heroine is still heart-broken.
The hero pursues the heroine, but doesn’t tell her how he feels so heroine just assumes he wants a sexual relationship. Since all the hero does is push for sex , the heroine’s doubts are understandable. Add in an OM who is a much nicer guy/catch than the hero and DP totally undermines the romance.
But these pesky details really ruined what little enjoyment I was getting out of this story.
*Hero was described as spoiled with no real job. He helped his dad with the horse farm and indulged in lots of hobbies. Entitled rich boys don’t thrill me.
*Hero had red hair and freckles. Heroine then makes jokes about freckles. So no – this hero didn’t seem at all sexy.
*Hero suffers from food poisoning, which lands him in the hospital. It’s a chance for the heroine to reveal her true feelings, but I couldn’t get over the gross details of hero putting cooked chicken back on a plate with raw chicken and contracting salmonella. This hero did not land in the hospital because of doing something brave or protective. He landed there because he was stupid.
*Heroine’s father is carpenter on the horse farm, yet their house is falling down. Why?
*DP was working out her biscuit obsession with this story. Heroine made biscuits every morning before work for her father.
*The title is mentioned on the second to last page. It’s not referencing the 80’s song. It’s a Chinese proverb about the eye of the tiger having narrow vision. So there’s a shoehorn.
Diana Palmer checklist:
Hairy chest Heroine feels faint just looking at it.
Breast Description mauve!
Cigarettes Constantly. He follows her around the house smoking.
Alcohol Champagne buffet at OM’s house.
Town Descriptions Lexington, Kentucky has a lake with a yacht club, walking trails and fishing. There’s a luxury house section where guests park some distance away and are shuttled in Rolls Royce limos. Hero’s horse farm is a miniature town with all employees having their own homes. French restaurant, luxury boutique, hairdressers, hospital.
Gardenia Scent Her hair smelled like that before the deflowering.
LOL detail That cover – popped collars, mullet, busy knit patterns and big hair. Hums: It's the eye of the tiger, it's the dream of the fight/
Risin' up to the challenge of our rival
Cutesy detail Boring banter about Cinderella with the OM, Freckles jokes.
DP hobbyhorse Makeover time! Make up, haircut and good foundation garments will turn heads
DP is trolling us
Wade sighed. "I might have known. You can't ever get away from work, not as long as there are telephones anywhere on the planet."
"Wait until the cellular phones catch on,” Keegan said with a grin.
"God forbid! Be right back, darling. Thanks, Keegan."
Reviewer’s note: How did she know?
December 20, 2016
Diana Palmer sure loves her hairy heroes. Rapunzel-like chest hair abounds.
After myrant review over Evan, it was nice to see a misunderstood cowboy asshat who redeems himself by a few years of maybe celibacy as well as some half-hearted efforts to win the heroine back and explain his horrible behavior.
The h had a crush on the H forever. Her dad happens to work on his family ranch so there is more than a hint of master/servant dynamic that is beat to death. When the H finally asked her out, she's thrilled and dresses to the nines. They end up having sex which ends up being a painful experience for the h in more ways than one. The great big ole H is very enthusiastic which is physically painful, but the real problem happens is when she finds out he just asked her out to make his main love jealous. That is real pain!!!
The H gets engaged the next day and the heroine leaves town for her nursing classes. Surprisingly the H's engagement to the more socially appropriate fiancee only lasts a couple of weeks. The h could care less as SHE HATES THE MANIPULATIVE BASTARD THAT TOOK HER HEART AND HER VIRGINITY!!!!! Really, who could blame her? Over the course of the next few years, the H tries to talk to her even sends her a letter. For a buttoned up cowboy, yeehaw, that's something. Unlike most h's of RomanceLand, the h maintains her hate and disgust for the H. She throws the circumstances in his face every chance she gets.
Current times, the h is now starting to date a young lad with a silver spoon and a less than sterling rep with the ladies. The H warns her what a trouser snake he is (not in those terms) and she laughs in his face. If you like your h's with a spine and sass, then you'll like this when for a while at least.
Much is made of the class, social and financial distinctions between the new couple to the point I became very uncomfortable. Was this realistic in the mid 80s? Yep, I think so. My BF's family was incredibly snobby, and were horrified that she dated a self-made man, a Catholic from Wisconsin. I don't know which was worse for them, that he was Catholic or a Cheesehead. They were Episcopalians (or Whiskapalians as my aunt calls us) so OBVIOUSLY alcohol wasn't a problem. I digress.
The old sport OM as we have to call him is a snazzy dresser, think Redford in The Great Gatsby. He wears lots of ascots, white pants and navy blazers, but it all amounts to upper scale prepster.
The h manages to win his snooty mother and sister over, but sadly the OM knows she doesn't love him. He has already pegged it that the H took her virginity, and points out some of the H's more pining moments much to her surprise. He agrees to help her make the H jealous. This is when DP lost me. It's such a sweet moment, I realized that this was a perfect moment to change the direction of the h's path. Since this was 1986, Diana Palmer, and not that kind of romance, it wasn't going to happen. The almost-virgin must end up with the man that took her virginity. Really too bad as this new womanizer really has a heart of gold to match his bank balance.
Plot contrivances occurs, and the h caves to the H. I guess it's okay since he's been pining for her since they had sex.
After my
The h had a crush on the H forever. Her dad happens to work on his family ranch so there is more than a hint of master/servant dynamic that is beat to death. When the H finally asked her out, she's thrilled and dresses to the nines. They end up having sex which ends up being a painful experience for the h in more ways than one. The great big ole H is very enthusiastic which is physically painful, but the real problem happens is when she finds out he just asked her out to make his main love jealous. That is real pain!!!
The H gets engaged the next day and the heroine leaves town for her nursing classes. Surprisingly the H's engagement to the more socially appropriate fiancee only lasts a couple of weeks. The h could care less as SHE HATES THE MANIPULATIVE BASTARD THAT TOOK HER HEART AND HER VIRGINITY!!!!! Really, who could blame her? Over the course of the next few years, the H tries to talk to her even sends her a letter. For a buttoned up cowboy, yeehaw, that's something. Unlike most h's of RomanceLand, the h maintains her hate and disgust for the H. She throws the circumstances in his face every chance she gets.
Current times, the h is now starting to date a young lad with a silver spoon and a less than sterling rep with the ladies. The H warns her what a trouser snake he is (not in those terms) and she laughs in his face. If you like your h's with a spine and sass, then you'll like this when for a while at least.
Much is made of the class, social and financial distinctions between the new couple to the point I became very uncomfortable. Was this realistic in the mid 80s? Yep, I think so. My BF's family was incredibly snobby, and were horrified that she dated a self-made man, a Catholic from Wisconsin. I don't know which was worse for them, that he was Catholic or a Cheesehead. They were Episcopalians (or Whiskapalians as my aunt calls us) so OBVIOUSLY alcohol wasn't a problem. I digress.
The old sport OM as we have to call him is a snazzy dresser, think Redford in The Great Gatsby. He wears lots of ascots, white pants and navy blazers, but it all amounts to upper scale prepster.
The h manages to win his snooty mother and sister over, but sadly the OM knows she doesn't love him. He has already pegged it that the H took her virginity, and points out some of the H's more pining moments much to her surprise. He agrees to help her make the H jealous. This is when DP lost me. It's such a sweet moment, I realized that this was a perfect moment to change the direction of the h's path. Since this was 1986, Diana Palmer, and not that kind of romance, it wasn't going to happen. The almost-virgin must end up with the man that took her virginity. Really too bad as this new womanizer really has a heart of gold to match his bank balance.
Plot contrivances occurs, and the h caves to the H. I guess it's okay since he's been pining for her since they had sex.
October 11, 2019
After I started reading this I realized I had read it before. It was cheesy and I thought the Hero was a pig. I didn't like him calling her baby, I didn't like his who seduction routine. It was dumb and I can;t believe I ever liked this book but I think I did. I wish she would have married the other man. He was at least nice. The hero just totally disgusted me at all points.
And No I do not think he was celibate while they were apart at all. And his loss of control just grossed me out. I wish I hadn't read this again and just left it in the bad choices pile. And it was a bad choice.
Maybe it's just me but I just was very turned off by this story and I actually cringed at the sex scenes and at the stuff he said. I embarrased myself by reading it.
Must be having a bad night. I just am disgusted by this story. I need bleach. Cringeworthy crap for sure. In my opinion. Don't kill me. I usually love DP. No idea what is wrong with me but I am totally squicked out.
And No I do not think he was celibate while they were apart at all. And his loss of control just grossed me out. I wish I hadn't read this again and just left it in the bad choices pile. And it was a bad choice.
Maybe it's just me but I just was very turned off by this story and I actually cringed at the sex scenes and at the stuff he said. I embarrased myself by reading it.
Must be having a bad night. I just am disgusted by this story. I need bleach. Cringeworthy crap for sure. In my opinion. Don't kill me. I usually love DP. No idea what is wrong with me but I am totally squicked out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2017
This is a book where you wish the OM was the hero.
No. Seriously.
Despite him being a manwhore he was the better man with lots of respect for heroine and I have a feeling he was in love with her, in fact he loves her so much that he had to let her go.
As for hero’s celibacy/faithfulness: he didn’t sleep with his fiancée however draw your own conclusions from following line. My vote: not celibate.
“I was careful with you [heroine] that night,” he said, his voice velvety rough, warm. “More careful than I’ve ever been with a woman, before or since.”
He had a fight with his sophisticated girlfriend whom he thought was a knockout and he took heroine out to make her jealous. He confessed this to the heroine. He was “practically” engaged to her. So he was not engaged enough to fuck the heroine while taking a break with his fiancée but enough to not break the engagement that was announced the very next day after he took the heroine’s virginity and humiliated her beyond oblivion and stomped over her love! He’s an epitome of faithfulness.
Sorry, this was a solid negative star specially after revisiting The Pregnancy Bond where hero couldn’t actually cheat on his wife even while trying and this guy did it with ease and went back and announced his engagement? Once a cheater, always a cheater comes to mind! He DID cheat on the OW with heroine!
No. Seriously.
Despite him being a manwhore he was the better man with lots of respect for heroine and I have a feeling he was in love with her, in fact he loves her so much that he had to let her go.
As for hero’s celibacy/faithfulness: he didn’t sleep with his fiancée however draw your own conclusions from following line. My vote: not celibate.
“I was careful with you [heroine] that night,” he said, his voice velvety rough, warm. “More careful than I’ve ever been with a woman, before or since.”
He had a fight with his sophisticated girlfriend whom he thought was a knockout and he took heroine out to make her jealous. He confessed this to the heroine. He was “practically” engaged to her. So he was not engaged enough to fuck the heroine while taking a break with his fiancée but enough to not break the engagement that was announced the very next day after he took the heroine’s virginity and humiliated her beyond oblivion and stomped over her love! He’s an epitome of faithfulness.
Sorry, this was a solid negative star specially after revisiting The Pregnancy Bond where hero couldn’t actually cheat on his wife even while trying and this guy did it with ease and went back and announced his engagement? Once a cheater, always a cheater comes to mind! He DID cheat on the OW with heroine!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2016
AMAZING THIS WHY I LOVE THIS AUTHOR!
This is one of those rare DP books where the hero sleeps with the heroine years before and then comes back to win her over.
I love how he felt guilty over his treatment of her and how she honestly tell him that she had no pleasure from their sexual encounter and it was the most basic in his car on the way home!!! Could it be more cheep! Then he has the nerve to tell her that she should be careful cause the guy she is seeing is a player!!
Really more then you are?
There was some great lines and funny scene in here that made me laugh and even when they have their first experience since that night (which sucked according to her), it was intense and I loved it.
Just a great find and I loved it.
They should have been more like this where the hero actually had to make it up to her.
Awesome!
I have read it at least 6 times.
Safe with some light OW/OM drama.
Keeper and one of the best by this author in terms of heat. HOT SWEET READ!
This is one of those rare DP books where the hero sleeps with the heroine years before and then comes back to win her over.
I love how he felt guilty over his treatment of her and how she honestly tell him that she had no pleasure from their sexual encounter and it was the most basic in his car on the way home!!! Could it be more cheep! Then he has the nerve to tell her that she should be careful cause the guy she is seeing is a player!!
Really more then you are?
There was some great lines and funny scene in here that made me laugh and even when they have their first experience since that night (which sucked according to her), it was intense and I loved it.
Just a great find and I loved it.
They should have been more like this where the hero actually had to make it up to her.
Awesome!
I have read it at least 6 times.
Safe with some light OW/OM drama.
Keeper and one of the best by this author in terms of heat. HOT SWEET READ!
September 12, 2019
If you want a heroine who will stick up for herself and not roll over for the H, then this is the book for you!
4 years ago, much older Keegan asked 18 year old virgin Eleanor out on a date, both got drunk, then he took her virginity in the back seat of his Lincoln. It was painful and horrible for her. But even worse, he told her that he only took her out to make Lorraine jealous and he promptly got engaged the very next day. Yikes! That is some serious back story.
Eleanor left town and went to nursing school and is now back home helping to take care of her dad after he had an accident. And guess who is sniffing around all the time? That's right, Keegan. He wants another chance and Eleanor is having none of that. When she starts dating OM, Keegan tries to warn her that she should stay away.
She got some really great zingers in!
Keegan really does feel remorse, he broke off his engagement months later after realizing that his fiance was a gold digger. And he hates himself for treating Eleanor so badly. But I didn't like this H. He wants the h, but his only method of wooing her is through seduction. He pushes, he kisses, he grabs, he manipulates. She denies, she runs, she gives in, then she hates herself for her weakness. And most of all, he cheated on his fiance with the h all those years ago. They weren't engaged yet, but he had sex with another woman the night before he got engaged? Sounds like they were in a committed relationship to me. On top of all of that, the ex-fiance later spread rumors about the h that she had an affair with the H and that's why she broke off their engagement. So now the h has rumors going around damaging her reputation. No one in the book seems to care about this or even address it.
Conversely, I really liked the OM. The H should've taken lessons on how to court a woman from him. He is a playboy, but is honest about it. He wants to date Eleanor and he recognizes that there is something different and special about her.
They were both honest, and the OM told her of his intentions, they communicated, they went on dates and talked. Sadly, the h only has eyes for that big jerk Keegan so they decided to just be friends. (and make Keegan jealous while they were at it)
Meanwhile, Keegan constantly corners her alone and tries to seduce her and before long he succeeds. Eleanor is certain that he only has intentions of a pump and dump just like last time. And Keegan goes on and on, about how she won't listen to what he trying to tell her. Well guess what? He never tells her anything. If he had taken a page from the OM book, taken the h out on a few dates with some nice hand holding, goodnight kisses, then explained that he wanted to court her with the intention of marriage, things would have turned out very differently. (and the book would be half as long).
I guess that is my main issue with this book. There was too much game playing, tit for tat jealousy making, no conversations, and the H made the h admit she loved him before he would make a move. Coward!
The last chapter is very nice and sweet when the H finally decides to open up and explain his feelings and convince the h to marry him.
Safety:
4 years ago, much older Keegan asked 18 year old virgin Eleanor out on a date, both got drunk, then he took her virginity in the back seat of his Lincoln. It was painful and horrible for her. But even worse, he told her that he only took her out to make Lorraine jealous and he promptly got engaged the very next day. Yikes! That is some serious back story.
Eleanor left town and went to nursing school and is now back home helping to take care of her dad after he had an accident. And guess who is sniffing around all the time? That's right, Keegan. He wants another chance and Eleanor is having none of that. When she starts dating OM, Keegan tries to warn her that she should stay away.
Damn you, will you listen to me? He's just out for a good time!"
"So were you." Eleanor folded her arms across her breasts. "Go ahead, boss, warn me about the consequences. Lecture me on rich men who look upon less wealthy woman as fair game for their unsatisfied desires. You sure ought to know what you're talking about."
She got some really great zingers in!
Keegan really does feel remorse, he broke off his engagement months later after realizing that his fiance was a gold digger. And he hates himself for treating Eleanor so badly. But I didn't like this H. He wants the h, but his only method of wooing her is through seduction. He pushes, he kisses, he grabs, he manipulates. She denies, she runs, she gives in, then she hates herself for her weakness. And most of all, he cheated on his fiance with the h all those years ago. They weren't engaged yet, but he had sex with another woman the night before he got engaged? Sounds like they were in a committed relationship to me. On top of all of that, the ex-fiance later spread rumors about the h that she had an affair with the H and that's why she broke off their engagement. So now the h has rumors going around damaging her reputation. No one in the book seems to care about this or even address it.
Conversely, I really liked the OM. The H should've taken lessons on how to court a woman from him. He is a playboy, but is honest about it. He wants to date Eleanor and he recognizes that there is something different and special about her.
"But a lot of my reputation is inflated. I'm not realy the big, bad wolf."
"You're a nice man," she told him, and smiled back. "I like doing things with you."
"I like being with you, too," he said, then searched her dark eyes. "Suppose we give it a chance. I won't try to seduce you, if you won't try to seduce me. How's that for fair?"
They were both honest, and the OM told her of his intentions, they communicated, they went on dates and talked. Sadly, the h only has eyes for that big jerk Keegan so they decided to just be friends. (and make Keegan jealous while they were at it)
Meanwhile, Keegan constantly corners her alone and tries to seduce her and before long he succeeds. Eleanor is certain that he only has intentions of a pump and dump just like last time. And Keegan goes on and on, about how she won't listen to what he trying to tell her. Well guess what? He never tells her anything. If he had taken a page from the OM book, taken the h out on a few dates with some nice hand holding, goodnight kisses, then explained that he wanted to court her with the intention of marriage, things would have turned out very differently. (and the book would be half as long).
I guess that is my main issue with this book. There was too much game playing, tit for tat jealousy making, no conversations, and the H made the h admit she loved him before he would make a move. Coward!
The last chapter is very nice and sweet when the H finally decides to open up and explain his feelings and convince the h to marry him.
Safety:
December 29, 2022
OMG I actually really enjoyed this the h really made the H suffer for his massive mistake and rightly so. I loved, loved, loved the fact that she was not a doormat and he had to chase her around like a puppy! the OM was awesome too - hope he gets his own HEA in another book! Far too often these books suffer from a lack of grovelling and a spineless h so this made the book a winner for me despite it being a little dated. Also loved for the portrayal of a realistic first time - its not all rainbows and true bliss.
April 10, 2022
2.5 “somewhat snoozy” Stars
I think this is a case of setting my expectations too high and my tendency to become bored with “nice guys”. I’ve seen this pop up on different lists through the years and finally got around to tracking a copy down. Since I found it on THIS LIST… I thought it would be juicier. In a nutshell the h’s dad works on the H’s ranch, and she’s loved him forever. Her dreams come true when he asks her out, and she ends up cashing in her V-card. The next day she finds out he became engaged and immediately takes off for nursing school. The book opens with her returning home to an unengaged H that she HATES.
I think some readers might like that Eleanor puts up a good fight and pushes back A LOT… and chews his ass/insults him several times. The problem for me was that Keegan isn’t an ass, and it’s super obvious he into her, and we know she’s into him, and one conversation could clear shit up… so I started to get bored.
There’s no real OW drama, a whiff from a wannabe, but I thought it was obvious the H wasn’t interested. There’s an OM on the scene, but I thought it was obvious he was ok in the friendzone. The bickering takes us all the way to the end.
Bottom Line- I like a h with a spine but prefer it be balanced… not a one-sided insult fest. The lack of communication and taking things the wrong way went way too long for me. I like my hairy DP men to be broodier… Keegan wasn’t wimpy, but he did have to go to the hospital for food poisoning (nausea and diarrhea) which doesn’t scream alpha man either.
I think this is a case of setting my expectations too high and my tendency to become bored with “nice guys”. I’ve seen this pop up on different lists through the years and finally got around to tracking a copy down. Since I found it on THIS LIST… I thought it would be juicier. In a nutshell the h’s dad works on the H’s ranch, and she’s loved him forever. Her dreams come true when he asks her out, and she ends up cashing in her V-card. The next day she finds out he became engaged and immediately takes off for nursing school. The book opens with her returning home to an unengaged H that she HATES.
I think some readers might like that Eleanor puts up a good fight and pushes back A LOT… and chews his ass/insults him several times. The problem for me was that Keegan isn’t an ass, and it’s super obvious he into her, and we know she’s into him, and one conversation could clear shit up… so I started to get bored.
There’s no real OW drama, a whiff from a wannabe, but I thought it was obvious the H wasn’t interested. There’s an OM on the scene, but I thought it was obvious he was ok in the friendzone. The bickering takes us all the way to the end.
Bottom Line- I like a h with a spine but prefer it be balanced… not a one-sided insult fest. The lack of communication and taking things the wrong way went way too long for me. I like my hairy DP men to be broodier… Keegan wasn’t wimpy, but he did have to go to the hospital for food poisoning (nausea and diarrhea) which doesn’t scream alpha man either.
November 9, 2018
Incredibly nice H, for a DP book of course. He was a jerk 4 years ago but the story began at the present time so it was not counted. He was not cruel but not clever either. That’s why there was angst. :)
June 1, 2019
.
Pretty different from DP's cowboy stuff.
Kinda like 'Sabrina' in that Eleanor has grown up on the estate where Keeghan is the beloved son. He's spoiled but sexy and when she was 18 she let him take her virginity only to have her heart crushed the next day.
Now, 4 years later, she avoids him like the plague and won't even let him close enough to apologize.
Keeghan was an interesting character. He's a freckled red-head and he spends most of the book pursuing Eleanor.
Eleanor was a bit annoying after a while with her unrelenting bitterness towards Keeghan. I get it already! He broke your heart and that sucked. But that was 4 years ago for pity's sake. Just let the man apologize! I think if Eleanor had shown more sides to her character than anger and hurt, I would have liked the story a lot more.
Still I enjoyed it, but it was definitely a middle of the road DP.
Safety is good
Pretty different from DP's cowboy stuff.
Kinda like 'Sabrina' in that Eleanor has grown up on the estate where Keeghan is the beloved son. He's spoiled but sexy and when she was 18 she let him take her virginity only to have her heart crushed the next day.
Now, 4 years later, she avoids him like the plague and won't even let him close enough to apologize.
Keeghan was an interesting character. He's a freckled red-head and he spends most of the book pursuing Eleanor.
Eleanor was a bit annoying after a while with her unrelenting bitterness towards Keeghan. I get it already! He broke your heart and that sucked. But that was 4 years ago for pity's sake. Just let the man apologize! I think if Eleanor had shown more sides to her character than anger and hurt, I would have liked the story a lot more.
Still I enjoyed it, but it was definitely a middle of the road DP.
Safety is good
November 25, 2017
decent but some of the plotting was stretching it. A lot of the conflict could have been resolved if he had just told her he loved her instead of wanting her to say it first.
March 10, 2017
I liked it, but it felt a little bit like something was missing because we never actually saw the scene of what happened That Night all those years ago. I mean, we're told about it a buncha times since it was so pivotal, but I would've liked to have actually seen it.
Still, Keegan was quite repentant and nicely intense in wanting to woo Eleanor back to him. She had a real chip on her shoulder about class differences, that carpenter's daughter. Still, the passion between them was great and I loved how Keegan wouldn't give up. Really good groveling!
Still, Keegan was quite repentant and nicely intense in wanting to woo Eleanor back to him. She had a real chip on her shoulder about class differences, that carpenter's daughter. Still, the passion between them was great and I loved how Keegan wouldn't give up. Really good groveling!
March 20, 2012
Actually liked this one very much,here we have a cruel h who keeps taunting and pushing H away cause he had used her and hurt her but still she loves him deep down.H he realizes his mistake and regrets his action and wants to win h back and keeps trying no matter how much h keeps taunting and hating him.Kiked the way story progressed towards HEA.
Overall a good read
Overall a good read
August 5, 2015
Heroine was fickle and an immature brat.
May 24, 2017
2.5 stars
July 14, 2017
"The eye of the Tiger" is the story of Eleanor and Keegan.
Four years ago Keegan broke a Doe eyed Eleanor's heart- and the next day got engaged to Lorraine. Utterly devastated, Eleanor goes to nursing school and returns back a different woman.. only to find a subdued Keegan.
He always watches her, despite her having a new boyfriend Wade and him having an Irish lady pursuing him.
Soon old flames ignite, and it makes for a wonderful story.
If you like second chance romances with an insane groveling hero and gripping chemistry- this book is for you. I loved the yearning both the leads had for one another- their lovemaking was sweet- and I love how crazy Keegan was about her.
There are a few laugh out loud moments, but overall I'll remember this as a fulfilling read. I love a pursuing hero who doesn't give up, and repents, and a witty and strong heroine.
Safe with exceptions
4.75/5
Four years ago Keegan broke a Doe eyed Eleanor's heart- and the next day got engaged to Lorraine. Utterly devastated, Eleanor goes to nursing school and returns back a different woman.. only to find a subdued Keegan.
He always watches her, despite her having a new boyfriend Wade and him having an Irish lady pursuing him.
Soon old flames ignite, and it makes for a wonderful story.
If you like second chance romances with an insane groveling hero and gripping chemistry- this book is for you. I loved the yearning both the leads had for one another- their lovemaking was sweet- and I love how crazy Keegan was about her.
There are a few laugh out loud moments, but overall I'll remember this as a fulfilling read. I love a pursuing hero who doesn't give up, and repents, and a witty and strong heroine.
Safe with exceptions
4.75/5
April 20, 2019
A great one from DP which was much steamier than my previous reads. The only dull moments are when h is interacting with OM. H relentlessly woes h and subdues her time and time through forced seduction. Both are in love as soon as they make love but sadly DP forced them to be apart for 4 years. and then h stupidly believes H only wants her as his mistress as he won't likely marry a hired help. H is patient with her tantrums but never misses opportunity to impress upon her that she belongs to him—mind, body and soul—through his kisses and forcing her to touch him.
January 31, 2011
This book was kind of different from Diana Palmer's usual formula. Instead of the hard male, in this case we have the heart-hardened female who was scorned years ago. I found Ellie to be very likable and strong, so different from any other Palmer heroine. Keegan was lovesick from the get-go and did everything he could to win her affection. There was, of course, the usual lack of communication between the two as is Palmer's specialty, but this book wasn't as harsh as the majority of her other ones. There wasn't a time that I wanted to hit the hero in the mouth, and there was no moment when I wanted the heroine to finally grow a backbone.
Really enjoyed this one!
Really enjoyed this one!
September 24, 2014
UPDATE: Re-read september 2014.
May 12, 2022
Welllllll, while it was unlike most other Diana Palmers I’ve read, you still felt as if you were in her world. For the most part. The heroine’s misunderstanding of the hero’s intentions and his lack of clear communication at the 15 or 20 percent of the book was a bit annoying and cloying. Otherwise kind of fun.
December 17, 2017
I have to say this book just become an all time favourite of mine.
A feisty Heroine who gives as good as she gets, an over the top possessive hero. plus an om and ow complex. I loved wade he was an absolute gem.
Not only a sweet story but funny as well, DP done a brilliant job on the story
so read this book you wont regret it
A feisty Heroine who gives as good as she gets, an over the top possessive hero. plus an om and ow complex. I loved wade he was an absolute gem.
Not only a sweet story but funny as well, DP done a brilliant job on the story
so read this book you wont regret it
May 22, 2022
Eye of the Tiger was about Eleanor "Ellie" Whitman, a nurse in a nearby Lexington hospital, and Keegan Taber, son of Gene Taber, the man who owned the farm on which they lived, and her father's boss.
Four years before the story started, Keegan had taken Ellie on a date and then promptly claimed her virginity. She learned that night he had only invited her out to make his girlfriend jealous. The following day, she learned his ploy had worked, for his engagement was announced that day. Later that week, heartbroken and crushed, Ellie left for nursing school, vowing to never forgive him for the way he had used and abused her.
Returning to her father's home four years later, Ellie continued to hold her grudge against, Keegan, even though, throughout the four years' separation he had tried to make amends. But things were a bit different, for Ellie now had another man interested in her, and Keegan didn't like it one bit. He did everything he could to discourage her from liking Wade, the "filthy rich playboy", even to the point of telling her all the guy wanted to do was bed her. Ellie reminded Keegan that he was the one who did that, much to his chagrin. Keegan went out of his way to get her attention, but Ellie wasn't playing the game, even though she was very much aware of him when he was around, and she couldn't seem to put him out of her mind when he wasn't. Even her father seemed to be intent on pushing the two of them together.
But Ellie was determined to stay away...until her "boyfriend" got the idea that he, his sister, and his mother should help her "bag her man". They were intent on making Keegan believe the relationship between Wade and Ellie was getting serious, even though Wade knew where Ellie's affections truly lay.
Then Keegan ended up in the hospital with Salmonella poisoning. Ellie had finally admitted to herself that she was still in love with him, but she didn't want to just be another notch in Keegan's bedpost, and she very much feared that was all he wanted from her. After he released himself from the hospital, they ended up in her bed, but when it was over his attitude was anything but romantic, and that was a tremendous disappointment to Ellie. Afterward, when Keegan tried to tell her what it was he wanted from her, she told him flat out she wouldn't settle for clandestine interludes or an affair and, though he tried to tell her that wasn't what he wanted either, she wouldn't listen. She told him Wade had asked her to marry him and that's what she was going to do, "Because I can’t risk letting what happened today repeat itself. I can’t seem to say no to you. So I’ll settle for a permanent relationship instead...I’ll take care of him, and be there when he needs me. I’ll have everything I want, and I’ll give him children.". Keegan started to feel defeated, thinking she no longer loved him. He started to tell her how he truly felt but got interrupted and instead of blowing off the interruption, he walked away without finishing what he had intended to say. However, during dinner at his house, Keegan took the bull by the horns and flat out asked her to marry him. She said no. A fight ensued and she left with both of their fathers.
The next morning, Keegan was once again at her house for breakfast, wanting to spend the day with her. When she refused, he asked her to go walking with him because he wanted to talk with her. As they walked, he reminisced about the night he took her innocence four years before. She tried to stop him, but he was determined to have his say. In the end, they had sex and told each other of their love.
This story didn't make a great deal of sense. Oh, it had all the angst and drama any true romance reader could ask for, but the main characters were both needing a skillet to the head. Ellie used Wade to push Keegan away, even though he did everything he could to make her aware of his desire for her. But that's all he did. For a man of his age, Keegan didn't know how to tell Ellie he loved her. He only showed her that he wanted her in his bed. Neither one of them showed a lick of maturity. In fact, the only one in the trio to do so was Wade, but his idea to make Keegan jealous nearly ruined the relationship between the two lovebirds. I guess the two fathers were a bit more mature than their respective offspring too, but that would only be natural. The twists and turns of the book left much to be desired. They didn't exactly hold the attention of the reader. It was too easy to set the book down and walk away for long periods of time. Oh, and the other woman? She was not in the picture enough to cause anything but a minor distraction, so the fact she was even in the book lacked any common sense. But there were several things thats bothered me the most about the whole darn book. First was Keegan's stupid action where he placed the cooked chicken on the same platter as the still-raw chicken. In this day and age, who the hell does that?! For an intelligent man, he sure pulled a stupid move. It was his own fault he ended up sick in the hospital. Then there were also the jokes Ellie told about redheaded men and their freckles. It was never done in a nice way and it did not really make for showing her in a good light. She was also a reverse snob. No one else in the story seemed concerned that she was the daughter of the carpenter of Keegan's father, or that she was "just a nurse" while everyone else was loaded. She mentioned that so damned much I wanted to reach into the pages of the book and slap her. Nor did I like how she treated Wade. She used him and, I think, in the end, he had fallen in love with her for real. I don't think she even considered that or the fact that his mom and sister truly wanted the two of them to marry.
The ending was pretty whacked and left much to be desired. While it was a HEA, it was a poor one as it just kind of...stopped with a Chinese proverb about, "...revenge was like the eye of a tiger, seeing with narrow vision". Well okay then, so she was supposed to be the tiger that didn't see Keegan for his true self? What kind of sense did that make?
While it was just an okay story, it did not come anywhere close to earning a five-star rating. In fact, I think it didn't even earn a two-star rating. I just didn't like how Ellie treated either of the men in her life. To be honest, she didn't really treat her father all that well either. Just...not a good heroine at all.
Four years before the story started, Keegan had taken Ellie on a date and then promptly claimed her virginity. She learned that night he had only invited her out to make his girlfriend jealous. The following day, she learned his ploy had worked, for his engagement was announced that day. Later that week, heartbroken and crushed, Ellie left for nursing school, vowing to never forgive him for the way he had used and abused her.
Returning to her father's home four years later, Ellie continued to hold her grudge against, Keegan, even though, throughout the four years' separation he had tried to make amends. But things were a bit different, for Ellie now had another man interested in her, and Keegan didn't like it one bit. He did everything he could to discourage her from liking Wade, the "filthy rich playboy", even to the point of telling her all the guy wanted to do was bed her. Ellie reminded Keegan that he was the one who did that, much to his chagrin. Keegan went out of his way to get her attention, but Ellie wasn't playing the game, even though she was very much aware of him when he was around, and she couldn't seem to put him out of her mind when he wasn't. Even her father seemed to be intent on pushing the two of them together.
But Ellie was determined to stay away...until her "boyfriend" got the idea that he, his sister, and his mother should help her "bag her man". They were intent on making Keegan believe the relationship between Wade and Ellie was getting serious, even though Wade knew where Ellie's affections truly lay.
Then Keegan ended up in the hospital with Salmonella poisoning. Ellie had finally admitted to herself that she was still in love with him, but she didn't want to just be another notch in Keegan's bedpost, and she very much feared that was all he wanted from her. After he released himself from the hospital, they ended up in her bed, but when it was over his attitude was anything but romantic, and that was a tremendous disappointment to Ellie. Afterward, when Keegan tried to tell her what it was he wanted from her, she told him flat out she wouldn't settle for clandestine interludes or an affair and, though he tried to tell her that wasn't what he wanted either, she wouldn't listen. She told him Wade had asked her to marry him and that's what she was going to do, "Because I can’t risk letting what happened today repeat itself. I can’t seem to say no to you. So I’ll settle for a permanent relationship instead...I’ll take care of him, and be there when he needs me. I’ll have everything I want, and I’ll give him children.". Keegan started to feel defeated, thinking she no longer loved him. He started to tell her how he truly felt but got interrupted and instead of blowing off the interruption, he walked away without finishing what he had intended to say. However, during dinner at his house, Keegan took the bull by the horns and flat out asked her to marry him. She said no. A fight ensued and she left with both of their fathers.
The next morning, Keegan was once again at her house for breakfast, wanting to spend the day with her. When she refused, he asked her to go walking with him because he wanted to talk with her. As they walked, he reminisced about the night he took her innocence four years before. She tried to stop him, but he was determined to have his say. In the end, they had sex and told each other of their love.
This story didn't make a great deal of sense. Oh, it had all the angst and drama any true romance reader could ask for, but the main characters were both needing a skillet to the head. Ellie used Wade to push Keegan away, even though he did everything he could to make her aware of his desire for her. But that's all he did. For a man of his age, Keegan didn't know how to tell Ellie he loved her. He only showed her that he wanted her in his bed. Neither one of them showed a lick of maturity. In fact, the only one in the trio to do so was Wade, but his idea to make Keegan jealous nearly ruined the relationship between the two lovebirds. I guess the two fathers were a bit more mature than their respective offspring too, but that would only be natural. The twists and turns of the book left much to be desired. They didn't exactly hold the attention of the reader. It was too easy to set the book down and walk away for long periods of time. Oh, and the other woman? She was not in the picture enough to cause anything but a minor distraction, so the fact she was even in the book lacked any common sense. But there were several things thats bothered me the most about the whole darn book. First was Keegan's stupid action where he placed the cooked chicken on the same platter as the still-raw chicken. In this day and age, who the hell does that?! For an intelligent man, he sure pulled a stupid move. It was his own fault he ended up sick in the hospital. Then there were also the jokes Ellie told about redheaded men and their freckles. It was never done in a nice way and it did not really make for showing her in a good light. She was also a reverse snob. No one else in the story seemed concerned that she was the daughter of the carpenter of Keegan's father, or that she was "just a nurse" while everyone else was loaded. She mentioned that so damned much I wanted to reach into the pages of the book and slap her. Nor did I like how she treated Wade. She used him and, I think, in the end, he had fallen in love with her for real. I don't think she even considered that or the fact that his mom and sister truly wanted the two of them to marry.
The ending was pretty whacked and left much to be desired. While it was a HEA, it was a poor one as it just kind of...stopped with a Chinese proverb about, "...revenge was like the eye of a tiger, seeing with narrow vision". Well okay then, so she was supposed to be the tiger that didn't see Keegan for his true self? What kind of sense did that make?
While it was just an okay story, it did not come anywhere close to earning a five-star rating. In fact, I think it didn't even earn a two-star rating. I just didn't like how Ellie treated either of the men in her life. To be honest, she didn't really treat her father all that well either. Just...not a good heroine at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2013
Romance Impossível
Diana Palmer
H.C.P. Sucessos 16
2011
Adoro está estória, mas ainda prefiro o título original, que é algo, numa tradução literal ″Olhos de Tigre″. Faz mas sentido que o título da Harlequin. Sempre imagino Keegan seguindo com olhos de tigre, cada movimento de Eleanor, como se observasse à presa.
O texto é adorável e os personagens são uma delícia de ler.
Antes de qualquer coisa, quero deixar claro que não tenho nada contra os ruivos, há aqueles que são mega interessantes, mas as sardas são extremamente broxantes. Eleanor fala que Keegan é gostoso e coisa e tal, fico imaginando coisas, mas ai ela vêem com as sardas...
É frustrante, pois ela insiste em mencionar as benditas sardas, fico desolada...
Apesar das sardas...
RECOMENDADÍSSIMO!!!
ADORO!!!
Diana Palmer
H.C.P. Sucessos 16
2011
Adoro está estória, mas ainda prefiro o título original, que é algo, numa tradução literal ″Olhos de Tigre″. Faz mas sentido que o título da Harlequin. Sempre imagino Keegan seguindo com olhos de tigre, cada movimento de Eleanor, como se observasse à presa.
O texto é adorável e os personagens são uma delícia de ler.
Antes de qualquer coisa, quero deixar claro que não tenho nada contra os ruivos, há aqueles que são mega interessantes, mas as sardas são extremamente broxantes. Eleanor fala que Keegan é gostoso e coisa e tal, fico imaginando coisas, mas ai ela vêem com as sardas...
É frustrante, pois ela insiste em mencionar as benditas sardas, fico desolada...
Apesar das sardas...
RECOMENDADÍSSIMO!!!
ADORO!!!
April 26, 2021
This hero has sex with a teenager virgin heroine to make his girlfriend jealous (what a prince). the heroine was in love with him and of course is shattered when the day after he's back with his girlfriend. years later she hasn't forgiven him yet, and she is dating another man when the hero, who never got over her and feels guilty for his awful behaviour, tries to win her back. A lot of jealousy, tbs (tracherous body syndrome), revelations (the hero reveals that he could never forget the heroine and left his girlfriend because he was in love with the heroine) and they are back together. This time the heroine was a little less doormat than usual dp heroines. But the hero was a weak and a coward. Anyway, DP is a good writer and this was entertaining.
January 16, 2014
I loved it!
This one's quite enjoyable and the plot is a bit different from usual Diana Palmer book. Because the angst happened before the story starts. I liked it.
Eleanor's a strong lady, for sticking up with her opinion until the end and refuse to 'surrender'. When Diana Palmer's other heroine used to be meek and weak, this one is not. She fight hard and finally, when the time is right, she accept Keegan's apology.
Nice one, definitely my favorite. ;)
This one's quite enjoyable and the plot is a bit different from usual Diana Palmer book. Because the angst happened before the story starts. I liked it.
Eleanor's a strong lady, for sticking up with her opinion until the end and refuse to 'surrender'. When Diana Palmer's other heroine used to be meek and weak, this one is not. She fight hard and finally, when the time is right, she accept Keegan's apology.
Nice one, definitely my favorite. ;)
May 3, 2015
h is not likable at all. There is nothing to like with heroines wallowing in inferior feelings due to their social standings and feel ashamed of their father`s honorable hard work, which they should be proud.
December 1, 2016
I found it very hard to believe that a happily ever after is possible for Keegan and Eleanor. He is a royal jerk and she is a shrinking violet who seems to be begging to have her heart stomped on. I feel like Eleanor and Wade would have been a better couple.
October 20, 2011
I have no idea why I liked this book so much, but I did. Blame it on the sheer quantity of DP I'm reading.
February 24, 2021
Uno más que se agrega a la lista de los que necesitan el gran perdón de la protagonista por sus acciones crueles con ella en el pasado y pues le costó muchísimo lograrlo....
July 1, 2024
I generally enjoy Diana Palmer's stuff but I accurately suspected going in that this one would be the kind of romance that made me hate romances back in the day. Or at least that was true for a while. The heroine hates the Hero because she’d grown up crushing on him, then when she is eighteen and he was twenty-four (or thereabouts), he seduced her and took her virginity just to get back at the girl he was dating. The experience of losing her virginity was physically painful, but more importantly he both betrayed and used her, then told her what he'd done right after doing it, and she hated him. I can buy a romance under these conditions, but only if the guy does some good groveling first. Alas, Palmer heroes are prone to being jerks but rarely give good grovel. This yahoo keeps telling the heroine she needs to get over it and whining that she doesn’t understand him, while not really offering any sort of explanation that changes her understanding of the situation.
Worse, instead of explaining, he keeps trying to seduce him again. The jackass forces himself on her while she’s begging, “Don’t! Please don’t do this to me!” and replies, “Why are you so afraid of it? ... You’re a woman now, not a child. Four years older, wiser, experienced yourself. This is just an interlude. Share a little pleasure with me. Let me bring back the memories.”
“They were terrible memories,” she reminded him… “You hurt me.”
“I know, baby,” he said softly, and his eyes for an instant were haunted. He bent and brushed his mouth gently over her forehead. “Once, but never again, never. Lie still, baby, and let me touch you.”
Jackass. For most of the book, all he recognizes as hurtful about the situation was her physical pain as he took her virginity. No recognition whatsoever of the fact he betrayed her. No consideration of the idea that she might not take sex as casually as he does, might have the right to her own perspective or feelings about what happened. No thought to what she wants. Everytime he makes the moves, I wanted her to be punching him out, not cooperating!
As a Palmer fan, I am well aware that her heroines tend stupid and passive and too forgiving toward the hero. But most of her stupid heroines are reasonably consistent; this one is of the "I hate you, I hate you, ooooo, your lovemaking feels so good, I hate you" type. Usually I can’t stand that sort of heroine, but this one is a bit unusual in the fact that both she and the reader know she’s actually still in love with the guy. Initially she phrases it to herself as “still vulnerable to him,” but you can tell that she knows in her heart that she’s still in love, she just doesn’t want to be, and she admits this to herself about halfway through. Those feelings are understandable to me – I’ve still liked people who betrayed me myself.
But I do not forget people like that are dangerous. And if their betrayal was in any way sexual, then I would not be able to sexually respond to them without inhibition the way this heroine does. An abuser might be able to get my body to respond, sure, but my mind would be churning with fears and I wouldn’t be able to relax and enjoy it At All, and certainly not when he'd made no effort whatsoever to recognize the pain he'd caused and to apologize for it. I find it hard to relate to a woman who responds this way. Granted, I was never prone to the sort of crush Diana Palmer heroines are prone to – if I don’t think the guy is interested, I lose interest – but I’ve known my fair share of women who do fall in love like that, and while they were always weak to the guy they’d crushed after he'd betrayed them, and many of them took the guy back when I wouldn’t, they didn’t let him get close enough to use their body against them until they were convinced he was sorry.
Granted, in the real world the guy was lying to my friends about being sorry half the time, but this character doesn’t even bother to pretend grovel! He just keeps telling the heroine she wants him and physically forcing himself on her, just adding to her confusion, all the time whining she didn’t and doesn’t listen to him. If he’d explained himself in the first place, instead of being a brute, the reader knows she would have forgiven him straight off, just as she does when he finally does explain how he felt about things.
The book is full of these sorts of scenes:
“Can’t you see how hard this is for me?” he asked quietly. “I know how badly I hurt you, what I did to your pride.”
“And what are you trying to do now, make it up to me with a little light lovemaking between women?” she accused angrily. “No thanks! You caught me off guard today; some old memories got in my way and I lost my head. But that won’t happen twice, Keegan Taber. I’d rather throw myself at a shark than at you.”
He forced himself to smile, as if it didn’t matter. “Would you? The shark might take off a leg. The worst I could take is something you once gave me.”
“Something I can never give again, thanks to you,” she returned. Her dark eyes flashed as she dragged them away. “Dad likes you, so feel free to visit him whenever you like. But I’m not at home to you anymore.”
“Suppose… I didn’t rush you.” He sounded oddly hesitant, even hopeful.
The author it telling me that he's hesitant and hopeful, but so far as I'm concerned he sounds like an arrogant twit! Everything he says there is about “me, me, me.” He shrugs off what he did to her and even considers the idea that if he raped her now, it’d be no big deal because she gave it to him once! Even when I was thirteen I could see through this kind of thing and couldn’t understand the appeal of these yahoos. I still don’t really understand why women find this sort of thing romantic, yet I also know a lot of guys pull this sort of thing in real life and women fall for it. I suppose part of the appeal of bad romances, for me, is trying to figure out why. But mostly I want the hero to recognize what a jackass he’s being and seriously repent – seriously turn from his wicked ways, if you will, and seriously recognize that he has deliberately done serious harm to someone.
I rarely get it.
“She looked up, and all the years fell away; it was painful for her, so painful to feel that way about him [i.e., to love him] and know that he didn’t share it, that he had nothing to give her.”
See, now that feeling I get, and can share – but me, I would feel that misery most keenly when he’s kissing and caressing me, and it would entirely inhibit me. Women in romances seem to have sex drives that are utterly disconnected from their brains. Now I think on it, maybe that’s the appeal of them – since most women struggle with inhibited sex drives, since most women struggle to respond to a man who has hurt them (or to any man if they've been hurt badly enough), romances offer the possibility of being sexually free in a way few women are.
To some extent the book was redeemed for me in the fact that the Other Man turns out to be a good guy. In fact I'd kind of like to write my version of the starting story, only my heroine would end up with the nice guy Other Man. I would have her respond to the jackass hero the way I think a real woman would; her fast heartbeat would be from fear he's going to hurt her again, not lust.
I suppose another reason that romantic fantasies work is that the heroines are not nearly so easily hurt or traumatized as women are in real life. This woman kind of acts as if all that really was hurt was her pride, while the fact that he betrayed her sexually doesn’t seem to bother her at all, at least in her instinctive responses. If real women's bodies worked that way there'd be a lot more women achieving sexual pleasure.
Worse, instead of explaining, he keeps trying to seduce him again. The jackass forces himself on her while she’s begging, “Don’t! Please don’t do this to me!” and replies, “Why are you so afraid of it? ... You’re a woman now, not a child. Four years older, wiser, experienced yourself. This is just an interlude. Share a little pleasure with me. Let me bring back the memories.”
“They were terrible memories,” she reminded him… “You hurt me.”
“I know, baby,” he said softly, and his eyes for an instant were haunted. He bent and brushed his mouth gently over her forehead. “Once, but never again, never. Lie still, baby, and let me touch you.”
Jackass. For most of the book, all he recognizes as hurtful about the situation was her physical pain as he took her virginity. No recognition whatsoever of the fact he betrayed her. No consideration of the idea that she might not take sex as casually as he does, might have the right to her own perspective or feelings about what happened. No thought to what she wants. Everytime he makes the moves, I wanted her to be punching him out, not cooperating!
As a Palmer fan, I am well aware that her heroines tend stupid and passive and too forgiving toward the hero. But most of her stupid heroines are reasonably consistent; this one is of the "I hate you, I hate you, ooooo, your lovemaking feels so good, I hate you" type. Usually I can’t stand that sort of heroine, but this one is a bit unusual in the fact that both she and the reader know she’s actually still in love with the guy. Initially she phrases it to herself as “still vulnerable to him,” but you can tell that she knows in her heart that she’s still in love, she just doesn’t want to be, and she admits this to herself about halfway through. Those feelings are understandable to me – I’ve still liked people who betrayed me myself.
But I do not forget people like that are dangerous. And if their betrayal was in any way sexual, then I would not be able to sexually respond to them without inhibition the way this heroine does. An abuser might be able to get my body to respond, sure, but my mind would be churning with fears and I wouldn’t be able to relax and enjoy it At All, and certainly not when he'd made no effort whatsoever to recognize the pain he'd caused and to apologize for it. I find it hard to relate to a woman who responds this way. Granted, I was never prone to the sort of crush Diana Palmer heroines are prone to – if I don’t think the guy is interested, I lose interest – but I’ve known my fair share of women who do fall in love like that, and while they were always weak to the guy they’d crushed after he'd betrayed them, and many of them took the guy back when I wouldn’t, they didn’t let him get close enough to use their body against them until they were convinced he was sorry.
Granted, in the real world the guy was lying to my friends about being sorry half the time, but this character doesn’t even bother to pretend grovel! He just keeps telling the heroine she wants him and physically forcing himself on her, just adding to her confusion, all the time whining she didn’t and doesn’t listen to him. If he’d explained himself in the first place, instead of being a brute, the reader knows she would have forgiven him straight off, just as she does when he finally does explain how he felt about things.
The book is full of these sorts of scenes:
“Can’t you see how hard this is for me?” he asked quietly. “I know how badly I hurt you, what I did to your pride.”
“And what are you trying to do now, make it up to me with a little light lovemaking between women?” she accused angrily. “No thanks! You caught me off guard today; some old memories got in my way and I lost my head. But that won’t happen twice, Keegan Taber. I’d rather throw myself at a shark than at you.”
He forced himself to smile, as if it didn’t matter. “Would you? The shark might take off a leg. The worst I could take is something you once gave me.”
“Something I can never give again, thanks to you,” she returned. Her dark eyes flashed as she dragged them away. “Dad likes you, so feel free to visit him whenever you like. But I’m not at home to you anymore.”
“Suppose… I didn’t rush you.” He sounded oddly hesitant, even hopeful.
The author it telling me that he's hesitant and hopeful, but so far as I'm concerned he sounds like an arrogant twit! Everything he says there is about “me, me, me.” He shrugs off what he did to her and even considers the idea that if he raped her now, it’d be no big deal because she gave it to him once! Even when I was thirteen I could see through this kind of thing and couldn’t understand the appeal of these yahoos. I still don’t really understand why women find this sort of thing romantic, yet I also know a lot of guys pull this sort of thing in real life and women fall for it. I suppose part of the appeal of bad romances, for me, is trying to figure out why. But mostly I want the hero to recognize what a jackass he’s being and seriously repent – seriously turn from his wicked ways, if you will, and seriously recognize that he has deliberately done serious harm to someone.
I rarely get it.
“She looked up, and all the years fell away; it was painful for her, so painful to feel that way about him [i.e., to love him] and know that he didn’t share it, that he had nothing to give her.”
See, now that feeling I get, and can share – but me, I would feel that misery most keenly when he’s kissing and caressing me, and it would entirely inhibit me. Women in romances seem to have sex drives that are utterly disconnected from their brains. Now I think on it, maybe that’s the appeal of them – since most women struggle with inhibited sex drives, since most women struggle to respond to a man who has hurt them (or to any man if they've been hurt badly enough), romances offer the possibility of being sexually free in a way few women are.
To some extent the book was redeemed for me in the fact that the Other Man turns out to be a good guy. In fact I'd kind of like to write my version of the starting story, only my heroine would end up with the nice guy Other Man. I would have her respond to the jackass hero the way I think a real woman would; her fast heartbeat would be from fear he's going to hurt her again, not lust.
I suppose another reason that romantic fantasies work is that the heroines are not nearly so easily hurt or traumatized as women are in real life. This woman kind of acts as if all that really was hurt was her pride, while the fact that he betrayed her sexually doesn’t seem to bother her at all, at least in her instinctive responses. If real women's bodies worked that way there'd be a lot more women achieving sexual pleasure.
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