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Long, Tall Texans #28
Boss Man
"New York Times" bestselling author Diana Palmer continues to deliver with this brand-new story in her Long Tall Texans series that at last tells the story of Blake Kemp. This tough Texan is a man of the law, yet he breaks the rules to avenge the death of a woman he once loved. But will newfound feelings for his assistant Violet replace his need for revenge?
186 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 2005
310 people are currently reading
1070 people want to read
About the author
Diana Palmer
1,039 books3,097 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Diana Palmer is a pseudonym for author Susan Kyle.
(1)romance author
Susan Eloise Spaeth was born on 11 December 1946 in Cuthbert, Georgia, USA. She was the eldest daughter of Maggie Eloise Cliatt, a nurse and also journalist, and William Olin Spaeth, a college professor. Her mother was part of the women's liberation movement many years before it became fashionable. Her best friends are her mother and her sister, Dannis Spaeth (Cole), who now has two daughters, Amanda Belle Hofstetter and Maggie and lives in Utah. Susan grew up reading Zane Grey and fell in love with cowboys. Susan is a former newspaper reporter, with sixteen years experience on both daily and weekly newspapers. Since 1972, she has been married to James Kyle and have since settled down in Cornelia, Georgia, where she started to write romance novels. Susan and her husband have one son, Blayne Edward, born in 1980.
She began selling romances in 1979 as Diana Palmer. She also used the pseudonyms Diana Blayne and Katy Currie, and her married name: Susan Kyle. Now, she has over 40 million copies of her books in print, which have been translated and published around the world. She is listed in numerous publications, including Contemporary Authors by Gale Research, Inc., Twentieth Century Romance and Historical Writers by St. James Press, The Writers Directory by St. James Press, the International Who's Who of Authors and Writers by Meirose Press, Ltd., and Love's Leading Ladies by Kathryn Falk. Her awards include seven Waldenbooks national sales awards, four B. Dalton national sales awards, two Bookrak national sales awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award for series storytelling from Romantic Times, several Affaire de Coeur awards, and two regional RWA awards.
Inspired by her husband, who quit a blue-collar manufacturing job to return to school and get his diploma in computer programming, Susan herself went back to college as a day student at the age of 45. In 1995, she graduated summa cum laude from Piedmont College, Demorest, GA, with a major in history and a double minor in archaeology and Spanish. She was named to two honor societies (the Torch Club and Alpha Chi), and was named to the National Dean's List. In addition to her writing projects, she is currently working on her master's degree in history at California State University. She hopes to specialize in Native American studies. She is a member of the Native American Rights Fund, the American Museum of Natural History, the National Cattlemen's Association, the Archaeological Institute of Amenca, the Planetary Society, The Georgia Conservancy, the Georgia Sheriff's Association, and numerous conservation and charitable organizations. Her hobbies include gardening, archaeology, anthropology, iguanas, astronomy and music.
In 1998, her husband retired from his own computer business and now pursues skeet shooting medals in local, state, national and international competition. They love riding around and looking at the countryside, watching sci-fi on TV and at the movies, just talking and eating out.
Diana Palmer is a pseudonym for author Susan Kyle.
(1)romance author
Susan Eloise Spaeth was born on 11 December 1946 in Cuthbert, Georgia, USA. She was the eldest daughter of Maggie Eloise Cliatt, a nurse and also journalist, and William Olin Spaeth, a college professor. Her mother was part of the women's liberation movement many years before it became fashionable. Her best friends are her mother and her sister, Dannis Spaeth (Cole), who now has two daughters, Amanda Belle Hofstetter and Maggie and lives in Utah. Susan grew up reading Zane Grey and fell in love with cowboys. Susan is a former newspaper reporter, with sixteen years experience on both daily and weekly newspapers. Since 1972, she has been married to James Kyle and have since settled down in Cornelia, Georgia, where she started to write romance novels. Susan and her husband have one son, Blayne Edward, born in 1980.
She began selling romances in 1979 as Diana Palmer. She also used the pseudonyms Diana Blayne and Katy Currie, and her married name: Susan Kyle. Now, she has over 40 million copies of her books in print, which have been translated and published around the world. She is listed in numerous publications, including Contemporary Authors by Gale Research, Inc., Twentieth Century Romance and Historical Writers by St. James Press, The Writers Directory by St. James Press, the International Who's Who of Authors and Writers by Meirose Press, Ltd., and Love's Leading Ladies by Kathryn Falk. Her awards include seven Waldenbooks national sales awards, four B. Dalton national sales awards, two Bookrak national sales awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award for series storytelling from Romantic Times, several Affaire de Coeur awards, and two regional RWA awards.
Inspired by her husband, who quit a blue-collar manufacturing job to return to school and get his diploma in computer programming, Susan herself went back to college as a day student at the age of 45. In 1995, she graduated summa cum laude from Piedmont College, Demorest, GA, with a major in history and a double minor in archaeology and Spanish. She was named to two honor societies (the Torch Club and Alpha Chi), and was named to the National Dean's List. In addition to her writing projects, she is currently working on her master's degree in history at California State University. She hopes to specialize in Native American studies. She is a member of the Native American Rights Fund, the American Museum of Natural History, the National Cattlemen's Association, the Archaeological Institute of Amenca, the Planetary Society, The Georgia Conservancy, the Georgia Sheriff's Association, and numerous conservation and charitable organizations. Her hobbies include gardening, archaeology, anthropology, iguanas, astronomy and music.
In 1998, her husband retired from his own computer business and now pursues skeet shooting medals in local, state, national and international competition. They love riding around and looking at the countryside, watching sci-fi on TV and at the movies, just talking and eating out.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
November 11, 2018
He calls her fat, is reluctant to get involve with her, resents that they got pregnant, pines over another woman, and there is never a love declaration. What a catch.
Also, the h's makeover involves her getting frosted tips for her black hair, which everyone thinks is a big improvement.
Also, the h's makeover involves her getting frosted tips for her black hair, which everyone thinks is a big improvement.
July 30, 2019
Ho-hum romance between grumpy lawyer hero and his “fat” secretary that is padded with events from Cattleman's Pride and Renegade. Even with my goldfish memory, I didn’t need all those recaps.
The “fat” secretary trope that has the heroine lose weight, frost her hair and get her man isn’t any more appealing when DP is writing it. The heroine has rock-bottom self-esteem. The hero doesn’t understand his attraction to the heroine or his own feelings so he says hurtful things.
They only marry because of an unexpected pregnancy and DP does a lackluster job of selling the hero’s love. What’s memorable about this edition in the Jacobsville chronicles are the hero’s two territorial Siamese Cats and how the hero decorates like a little old lady. (Sky blue carpets with dark blue wainscoting and lighter wallpaper above)
Diana Palmer checklist:
Hairy chest Yes
Breast DescriptionFull. She’s fat, remember?
Cigarettes No
Alcohol No – hero is a coffee fiend.
Town Descriptions New storefront that Duke had just opened in Jacobsville to market his organic pork.
Gardenia Scent heroine has the faint scent of roses.
LOL detail It was amazing how a fat, healthy cat could present itself as an emaciated, starving orphan. They were still playing mind tricks on him after four years of co-existence.
Cutesy detail Cops have a food fight at their wedding reception.
DP hobbyhorse No pesticides, no hormones, no antibiotics unless they’re absolutely necessary.”
DP is trolling us “If he ever came across a woman who enjoyed military history, he might be coaxed into rejoining the social scene.”
The “fat” secretary trope that has the heroine lose weight, frost her hair and get her man isn’t any more appealing when DP is writing it. The heroine has rock-bottom self-esteem. The hero doesn’t understand his attraction to the heroine or his own feelings so he says hurtful things.
They only marry because of an unexpected pregnancy and DP does a lackluster job of selling the hero’s love. What’s memorable about this edition in the Jacobsville chronicles are the hero’s two territorial Siamese Cats and how the hero decorates like a little old lady. (Sky blue carpets with dark blue wainscoting and lighter wallpaper above)
Diana Palmer checklist:
Hairy chest Yes
Breast DescriptionFull. She’s fat, remember?
Cigarettes No
Alcohol No – hero is a coffee fiend.
Town Descriptions New storefront that Duke had just opened in Jacobsville to market his organic pork.
Gardenia Scent heroine has the faint scent of roses.
LOL detail It was amazing how a fat, healthy cat could present itself as an emaciated, starving orphan. They were still playing mind tricks on him after four years of co-existence.
Cutesy detail Cops have a food fight at their wedding reception.
DP hobbyhorse No pesticides, no hormones, no antibiotics unless they’re absolutely necessary.”
DP is trolling us “If he ever came across a woman who enjoyed military history, he might be coaxed into rejoining the social scene.”
March 12, 2018
The hero fell into temptation because he was horny. He was celibate for a long time and I think any woman would do.
Our heroine is an idiot with no backbone.
Heroine TSTL.
Hero was not redeemed and would need more grovel.
He was always comparing our heroine to his late fiancee.
Heroine is second best.
Our heroine is an idiot with no backbone.
Heroine TSTL.
Hero was not redeemed and would need more grovel.
He was always comparing our heroine to his late fiancee.
Heroine is second best.
But nothing made up for the fact that Blake Kemp thought Violet was fat.
“He thinks I’m fat,” Violet said miserably.
Every single time he walked in, he glared at Violet as if she were responsible for the seven deadly sins.
He’d lost the woman he loved years ago and had never had any inclination to risk his heart again.
His fiancée had died. He was through with love. So Violet had to go.
Her father hadn’t really loved her mother, and it showed to everybody except Mrs. Hardy.
“Delene Crane works with him,” she replied, curious. “She’s a woman.” “He’s known Delene since they were in college together,” he told her. “He doesn’t think of her as a woman.”
Violet made him think of open fireplaces in winter, of warm lamplight in the darkness. Her absence had only served to make him realize how alone he was.
He and Cag Hart had served in the same mechanized division. Few people knew that, because he and Cag didn’t talk much about the missions they’d shared. It forged bonds that noncombatants could not understand.
Involuntarily, his mind went back eight years, to the only woman he’d really ever loved. Shannon Culbertson had been eighteen the year they started dating. It had been love at first sight for both of them.
“Anyway, Julie attacked Libby and Jordan didn’t stand up for her. Jordan made some nasty remarks to Libby.” He shrugged. “I’m not working for any man who bad-mouths my sister.”
How could a living woman compete with a perfect memory?
You don’t keep secrets in a town like Jacobsville. We’re all one big family. We know all about each other.”
Curt was a fine young man with a promising future. And Violet was going to date him.
He knew it was a bad idea, encouraging her. At some point he was going to have to back away from her. He didn’t want commitment.
He hadn’t analyzed his feelings for Violet. He wasn’t going to. Not yet. But she kindled fires in his blood that he hadn’t felt since Shannon Culbertson’s death.
“I make up in intelligence for what I lack in looks,” she murmured.
Too many years of abstinence had left him powerless with Violet’s mouth promising heaven.
Years of abstinence took control of his will. His hands...
He watched her face the whole time, watched fear and pain slowly give way to sharp pleasure.
“I’ve never done this…in broad daylight. And I’ve never watched, Violet,”
She felt him, still inside her, still pulsing softly.
“I didn’t have the presence of mind to think about protection, either.”
“I haven’t had a woman for over two years,” he said bluntly. “I’m sorry. I lost control the minute I started kissing you.”
She’d just had sex with her former boss and he wasn’t a marrying man.
“You’re in love with me. I’ve always known it. There isn’t any other reason that would make you give yourself to a man without marriage.”
He’d never been with a woman who was so violently in love with him. He felt cosseted, valued, possessed.
That hadn’t happened even with Shannon, when he was much younger. Violet lit fires in his body.
“I know you already know it,” she said softly. “But I love you.”
He’d taken advantage of what she felt for him, lost control and put her at risk. Now he had to stand by and wait to find out if she became pregnant, knowing that if she did, he’d be forced to marry her to save her reputation. It wasn’t the best night of his life, despite the lingering pleasure that reminded him of the afternoon.
“He said that he’d never have a child.”
She was pregnant when she died. It was his child. He hadn’t known about it, although he would have married her sooner if he had.
He lost not only his fiancée, but his child as well. He said that just the thought of a child gave him nightmares now, brought it all back to haunt him.”
She might mistake his invitation for something romantic, but that wasn’t the case at all. He felt guilty for what he’d let happen at his house. Violet could be pregnant. He didn’t dare keep his distance until he knew for sure. The woman hadn’t a clue about relationships, and she’d be in a hell of a fix if she really had become pregnant.
He wasn’t ready for marriage and a family. He might never be. Certainly, Violet was hardly the sort of woman he envisioned marrying.
He’d seduced her, out of loneliness and aching hunger.
“You want to sleep with me, with no ties, isn’t that the truth?”
She wanted happily ever after. All he wanted was relief from the nagging physical hunger that was taking him over.
He hated the whole idea of giving up his freedom. He hated the idea of a child in his life. He wasn’t family man material.
Sometimes, a sacrifice was called for. That was what he told himself when he drew Violet into his arms and bent to kiss her with forced enthusiasm.
He was genuinely out of control. His body impaled hers with quick, deft movements that should have been uncomfortable. But she was hungry for him, too. She opened her legs with a shaken little sigh and arched her hips to encourage him.
She was still tingling, but he hadn’t given her enough time. She felt sad; cheated. She didn’t want to say anything. At least he needed her, if nothing more.
He’d never felt such a primitive urge to possess a woman, not even Shannon.
she pulled into her driveway and remembered that he hadn’t said one word about seeing her again during the weekend.
He didn’t call, either.
There’s no way Violet would agree to a termination, so marriage is the only possible resolution.”
He was only marrying her for appearances. He felt trapped. He didn’t want Violet in any way at all, except perhaps physically. It was a harsh blow.
He’d never thought about children, except once, long ago, with Shannon.
July 7, 2009
Good book but it comes with a red level shovel alert. I don't know what happened to Blake. He was a nice guy before he got his own book. And then he metamorphosized into a big, huge jerk. If I was Violet, I would have told him to take a long walk off a short pier. Luckily I am not, so we get the happy ending. I wish that DP didn't feel it was necessary to make Violet lose weight. It would be nice to have a cuddly heroine in Jacobsville. Loved the Siamese cats.
January 16, 2019
“She’d been sure that Blake would at least phone her. But he didn’t.
She felt oddly used by Sunday evening. He’d needed her Friday night. It had been sweet, but completely physical on his side. She could feel that he had no strong emotional bond with her. It was physical, and that wasn’t going to last. She wondered why he’d asked her to be engaged to him. He couldn’t know she was pregnant.”
He knew.
She loved him, he loved “being loved by her”. He was not as cruel as the other DP heroes but manipulative jerk and didn’t love h. Where is my romance?
2 stars for two Siamese cats of H who had bitten him. ;)
She felt oddly used by Sunday evening. He’d needed her Friday night. It had been sweet, but completely physical on his side. She could feel that he had no strong emotional bond with her. It was physical, and that wasn’t going to last. She wondered why he’d asked her to be engaged to him. He couldn’t know she was pregnant.”
He knew.
She loved him, he loved “being loved by her”. He was not as cruel as the other DP heroes but manipulative jerk and didn’t love h. Where is my romance?
2 stars for two Siamese cats of H who had bitten him. ;)
June 26, 2020
Awww, reading the classic DP rambling and info-dump start made me nostalgic...it has been ages since I touched base with Jacobsville/DP-land.
February 6, 2013
Ok, just not my thing. First of all, the heroine was an idiot. The dude says a bajillion times that he does not love her, does not want to get married, does not want to have children. She knows why. They've talked about it. Yet she is shocked and crushed when she overhears him saying the same to someone else?? How is that logical? She just annoyed me with her doormat-ness and chasing so, so hard after a dude who could not have been more explicit that he did not want to be caught.
He was just a douche, and an inconsistent one at that. One minute he is telling her she is fat and he can't stand her, the next he wants to bone her? Like, overnight? And then we are supposed to pretend that he has always been barely restraining his lust for her? At one point he mentions buying her an engagement ring, but when they have one of many Talks about how he doesn't want to get married, he is shocked that she wants that from him. Dude. She is a completely naive, sheltered, romantic-to-the-point-of-being-delusional VIRGIN. Everything she does and says is with giant hearts in her eyes. How did you not see this coming?
It was just too quaint and cutesy and old fashioned for me. I think this is just not my genre. I love me a chubby heroine, and an insecure one too, but this was not for me.
He was just a douche, and an inconsistent one at that. One minute he is telling her she is fat and he can't stand her, the next he wants to bone her? Like, overnight? And then we are supposed to pretend that he has always been barely restraining his lust for her? At one point he mentions buying her an engagement ring, but when they have one of many Talks about how he doesn't want to get married, he is shocked that she wants that from him. Dude. She is a completely naive, sheltered, romantic-to-the-point-of-being-delusional VIRGIN. Everything she does and says is with giant hearts in her eyes. How did you not see this coming?
It was just too quaint and cutesy and old fashioned for me. I think this is just not my genre. I love me a chubby heroine, and an insecure one too, but this was not for me.
June 29, 2021
This one was weird.
The hero lost his fiancée 8 years before because she drank a spiked drink and died for a heart condition. She was also pregnant. So sad.
He never recovered and swore he would never marry.
Meh.
Years heals every wounds. He’s young and good looking. I don’t believe it for a second.
The heroine works for him and he starts feeling something.
He’s disturbed, annoyed.
He makes ugly remarks on her looks, saying she’s fat.
I hated him at this point.
I hate body shaming. He’s an adult, a lawyer. He should behave better that this.
Stupid ass.
The heroine is a sweet little thang, who only wants to nurture him, and is hopelessly in love with him.
He makes her fly away.
Then he wants her back and he invites her to his house, for lunch.
They have wonderful hot sex, no protection though.
He’s scared and annoyed that she could be pregnant.
Because he doesn’t want a family.
Of course she’s pregnant.
He offers marriage, but he doesn’t love her, and he would prefer not to marry, but since he’s not so bad he will marry her and take care of their child.
She hears him telling just these words and tells him to think about what he wants, because he doesn’t want a martyr.
He’s happy in the end.
But.
He’s not cruel, except once when he tells her she’s fat.
He’s not bad because he wants to do the right thing.
He tries hard to make the best of the situation since he did not want to marry and he did not love her.
He also loves cats. And has two Siamese.
But he doesn’t love her in the end.
It looks like they are great in bed and are good together but where are the sparks?
Where are butterflies and stars in his eyes?
Where is his declaration of love?
Because there is not. No love words from his mouth.
It’s oh so quiet.
And I feel like something has been stolen from me.
My HEA.
Ps: cats and her mother are my favorite characters.
The hero lost his fiancée 8 years before because she drank a spiked drink and died for a heart condition. She was also pregnant. So sad.
He never recovered and swore he would never marry.
Meh.
Years heals every wounds. He’s young and good looking. I don’t believe it for a second.
The heroine works for him and he starts feeling something.
He’s disturbed, annoyed.
He makes ugly remarks on her looks, saying she’s fat.
I hated him at this point.
I hate body shaming. He’s an adult, a lawyer. He should behave better that this.
Stupid ass.
The heroine is a sweet little thang, who only wants to nurture him, and is hopelessly in love with him.
He makes her fly away.
Then he wants her back and he invites her to his house, for lunch.
They have wonderful hot sex, no protection though.
He’s scared and annoyed that she could be pregnant.
Because he doesn’t want a family.
Of course she’s pregnant.
He offers marriage, but he doesn’t love her, and he would prefer not to marry, but since he’s not so bad he will marry her and take care of their child.
She hears him telling just these words and tells him to think about what he wants, because he doesn’t want a martyr.
He’s happy in the end.
But.
He’s not cruel, except once when he tells her she’s fat.
He’s not bad because he wants to do the right thing.
He tries hard to make the best of the situation since he did not want to marry and he did not love her.
He also loves cats. And has two Siamese.
But he doesn’t love her in the end.
It looks like they are great in bed and are good together but where are the sparks?
Where are butterflies and stars in his eyes?
Where is his declaration of love?
Because there is not. No love words from his mouth.
It’s oh so quiet.
And I feel like something has been stolen from me.
My HEA.
Ps: cats and her mother are my favorite characters.
January 6, 2010
Typical Diana Palmer. This was a story I was looking forward to for the longest time. I loved the dynamics between Blake and Violet in earlier books.
It's awhile since I read this book but the one thing I recall with absolute clarity is that Blake never once told Violet he loved her in the book and that made it a wall-banger for me. Most of DP's hero's are jerks but can at least partly redeem themselves by groveling but not saying "I love you" made it a low rating for me.
It's awhile since I read this book but the one thing I recall with absolute clarity is that Blake never once told Violet he loved her in the book and that made it a wall-banger for me. Most of DP's hero's are jerks but can at least partly redeem themselves by groveling but not saying "I love you" made it a low rating for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2009
I was so looking forward to Blake's story and I was so ticked that Blake was a jerk!
1) Hero: Definitely Jerk of the year
2) Read entire book: No. I'd read bits and pieces about him in other books and I so wanted him to be one of the good jerks but he wasn't
3) Intriguing: Uh..NO
4) Do I still have the book or did I give it away to the goodwill: Uh Yeah! Throw away a Palmer book? Absolutely not!!!!! Never!!!
5) Did she jump the shark on this one: God no! I love Diana Palmer and this was just another Diana Palmer book. I knew the chances of hating the hero was like 80% were when I brought it.
6) Recommend: Only to Diana Palmer fans and readers who like the pathetically asshole alpha male.
7) Why say I like it: I didn't say I liked it -- I said it was OKAY
1) Hero: Definitely Jerk of the year
2) Read entire book: No. I'd read bits and pieces about him in other books and I so wanted him to be one of the good jerks but he wasn't
3) Intriguing: Uh..NO
4) Do I still have the book or did I give it away to the goodwill: Uh Yeah! Throw away a Palmer book? Absolutely not!!!!! Never!!!
5) Did she jump the shark on this one: God no! I love Diana Palmer and this was just another Diana Palmer book. I knew the chances of hating the hero was like 80% were when I brought it.
6) Recommend: Only to Diana Palmer fans and readers who like the pathetically asshole alpha male.
7) Why say I like it: I didn't say I liked it -- I said it was OKAY
September 26, 2010
Typical DP and this guy seriously got on my nerves! He wasn't nearly as physically abusive as some of her heroes are, but the mental abuse (pining after his dead fiancee who had been pregnant at the time of the drugging which led to her accidental death) of yo-yoing between wanting to be with Violet or not gave me a headache.
Oh, I think you should read the first 30 or so books before this one so things make more sense.
Oh, I think you should read the first 30 or so books before this one so things make more sense.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2016
I think H's confirmed bachelor status just became habit - he went down kicking and screaming - as h pulled away, he certainly changed his mind/ways. 2.5 stars.
July 18, 2011
God, I really wanted to like this book. I like heroines who aren't physically perfect and taciturn heroes. This one, though...it just wasn't that good.
Blake is an a-hole, to be blunt. If any man ever insinuated that I was fat, I'd read him the riot act and probably pour something on his head. But not Violet. She was hurt for all of five seconds and then accepts any iota of "affection" Blake tosses her way. And the whole "Oh my God, I lost control and didn't use any protection" thing grates on my nerves. Any man, especially one as opposed to children as Blake was, would have the sense to use a condom.
I understand that this book is one in a series, but I also really dislike how DP feels the need to specify every single character not integral to the main storyline by first and last name and occupation. It's not a natural way for anyone to speak and makes the dialogue stilted.
A cute story, but if you're not a fan of Diana Palmer's, don't pick this one up.
Blake is an a-hole, to be blunt. If any man ever insinuated that I was fat, I'd read him the riot act and probably pour something on his head. But not Violet. She was hurt for all of five seconds and then accepts any iota of "affection" Blake tosses her way. And the whole "Oh my God, I lost control and didn't use any protection" thing grates on my nerves. Any man, especially one as opposed to children as Blake was, would have the sense to use a condom.
I understand that this book is one in a series, but I also really dislike how DP feels the need to specify every single character not integral to the main storyline by first and last name and occupation. It's not a natural way for anyone to speak and makes the dialogue stilted.
A cute story, but if you're not a fan of Diana Palmer's, don't pick this one up.
February 25, 2015
Diana Palmer is an amazing writer. I love her work. I read any book for her because it I just simple hot sexy wonderful work. This book is so great that I have read it over 6 times. I found the last scene in the book so funny the way the cops gather around and start reading and the boss man starts with the law. I love how he was into Violet and how he treated her and about the baby. The best parts for me are the fights. I know some may say the sensuality and romance are the best in any book but for me now. I prefer the heat and passion of the fights between them. I adore when they argue or have these sweet small fights that just erupts with hotness. If you have never read her work start reading and keep reading. I do wish she would write a BBW book.
June 2, 2011
I know, I know. Another typical Diana Palmer, but it wasn't! I loved the "plus-sized" heroine. I loved her insecurities, and I loved how she fought back. I read this book in one day and I haven't been able to do that in a while. I guess I'm just a sucker for "you don't know what you've got until it's gone" type of romances. And this book gave me just that. The only disappointment for me was finding out that Duke Wright doesn't appear to have his story told yet...
March 28, 2018
After my last read, I thought the least the DP book will do is rile me up with a douchey hero. Trust me to pick a book with a low key douchey hero and a whole lot of boring. That equates to me skimming through the bits where the whole of Jacobsville are paraded through the book, some talk of murder, drug lords and kidnapping. Trust me, they were obvious fillers and not remotely adding to the book or the meh romance.
March 22, 2020
Blake me había caído bien en la historia de Jordan, pero aquí me decepcionó, no solo por ofrecerle algo vergonzoso a Violet y no lo que se merece, y por pensar en hacer esa abominación eso fue simplemente horrible...
January 10, 2018
En verdad que odié a Blake por esa actitud. Hasta el final jugó con la prota.
April 29, 2018
My, oh my! How our views on men have changed. By today’s standards, these domineering men would be the villains rather than the heroes. It was an interesting story but the characters were not endearing or engrossing. They felt like cookie cutters, with no special character qualities.
August 17, 2019
Nice ending but not worth having to get thru the first 3/4 of the book!
I only read this author occasionally .. this is
the only one I have read that involves the whole town of Jacobsville! I suspect that if you follow the Long Tall Texans series you will appreciate this story more.
I only read this author occasionally .. this is
the only one I have read that involves the whole town of Jacobsville! I suspect that if you follow the Long Tall Texans series you will appreciate this story more.
October 22, 2019
Rubbish! But I would be interested in Duke Wright’s Story! Is he ever getting a book?
March 15, 2009
After reading several DP's books I come into this conclusion:
1. most of the male protagonists are jerks!
2. all of the girls are either virgins or inexperienced. And the guys are experienced. The girls usually wait for the one while it seems to be okay for the guys to sleep here and there.
3. most likely the guys will do something horrible like insulting the heroines, judging them unworthy, cheap and so on. Yet the heroines forgive them anyway. GAH!
I wonder what the message Palmer is trying to convey. That it's okay to let guys do and think the worst of us girls? Or perhaps some women are really into jerks? I don't get it.
What I know is that I won't too eagerly search for other DP's books. Sure, if there are some around I'll probably read 'em, but I'll prioritize other writers who don't seem to have quite high opinions concerning jerks.
One interesting note, before this one I read The Case of Missing Secretary that she's written about a decade before. And the plot is well, pretty much similar.
1. most of the male protagonists are jerks!
2. all of the girls are either virgins or inexperienced. And the guys are experienced. The girls usually wait for the one while it seems to be okay for the guys to sleep here and there.
3. most likely the guys will do something horrible like insulting the heroines, judging them unworthy, cheap and so on. Yet the heroines forgive them anyway. GAH!
I wonder what the message Palmer is trying to convey. That it's okay to let guys do and think the worst of us girls? Or perhaps some women are really into jerks? I don't get it.
What I know is that I won't too eagerly search for other DP's books. Sure, if there are some around I'll probably read 'em, but I'll prioritize other writers who don't seem to have quite high opinions concerning jerks.
One interesting note, before this one I read The Case of Missing Secretary that she's written about a decade before. And the plot is well, pretty much similar.
September 13, 2021
This was a fairly typical Diana Palmer book where the heroine was secretly in love with the hero.
I loved Violet. She's strong, loyal, and amazing. She just loved Blake too much to notice that Blake didn't really want to marry her. It's a good thing that she learned about it. I felt sorry for her. As for Blake, he's actually a good guy. He didn't want to get married, not since his ex and unborn child died. But what he did to Violet was just damn irritating.
I just hoped Violet didn't forgive him that easily. She should have let him grovel. Another thing I didn't like was Blake never mentioned that he loves Violet. Even once. No, "I love you." Nada!
They just got married—end of the story.
I loved Violet. She's strong, loyal, and amazing. She just loved Blake too much to notice that Blake didn't really want to marry her. It's a good thing that she learned about it. I felt sorry for her. As for Blake, he's actually a good guy. He didn't want to get married, not since his ex and unborn child died. But what he did to Violet was just damn irritating.
I just hoped Violet didn't forgive him that easily. She should have let him grovel. Another thing I didn't like was Blake never mentioned that he loves Violet. Even once. No, "I love you." Nada!
They just got married—end of the story.
March 22, 2017
So awkward & weird like a lifetime movie.. She totally told this story before and has again she told a very similar story in Justin's book with the lawyer and secretary. I love it each time she does it though let's be honest. Plus she rarely makes characters curvy. I liked that too see she can change!
August 15, 2012
waste of time. I kept waiting for the climax of the story. Either for Blake to find resolution or violet to finally get pissed off enough and tell Blake to go to hell. not a very well written book, I doubt I'll ever read a DP book again.I like actual romance in my romance books.
June 14, 2013
4.5 stars! I really liked this one...it had a different flow from her usual books. For one, there wasn't much angst. But also, I felt like something was missing, which is why I gave it a 4.5 instead of a 5;)
Overall, it's a keeper for me!
Overall, it's a keeper for me!
May 15, 2011
This was a reread for me, and I had to bump the rating from 4* to 3*.. Kind of bland compared to DP's best work:-)
January 8, 2013
The heroine is a doormat. He was a jerk and I like alpha jerks but he was awful to her and she just kept taking it. This book would have been so much better with a few grovelling scenes.
January 22, 2014
Sweet, romantic and enjoyable.
October 23, 2014
One of my favorites by Diana Palmer! I loved them all but this one I have read several times!
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