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Long, Tall Texans #5
Ethan
Arabella Craig had been eighteen when Ethan Hardeman opened passion's door, then slammed it just as fiercely. His subsequent marriage to another woman left her devastated, and Arabella knew she'd lost the only man she'd ever love.
Now, tragedy brought Ethan back into her life. Ethan. Tall and handsome, divorced and embittered, he ran his family's empire with an iron hand and a big heart...except when it came to her.
Living day to day with him brought back all the passion...and pain. Ethan was so near, yet mentally so far away. But Arabella was determined not to let him escape her again...
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
244 people are currently reading
577 people want to read
About the author
Diana Palmer
1,041 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 68 reviews
October 31, 2018
Oh, Ethan:
You "virgin whispered" the 18 year-old heroine by the swimming hole and then went and banged the OW as a substitute. Your noble intentions were the heroine should remain a virgin and have a career as a concert pianist. So you cruelly sent her away.
You married the OW when she told you she was pregnant. Once married, you found out she wasn't pregnant. You were then impotent for the rest of your four-year marriage, while the OW had affairs right and left.
The story opens with you picking up the heroine from the hospital after she was in a car "wreck" (DP's terms) and hurt her hand. You take her to your ranch and tell her you're to have an engagement of convenience because your ex-wife is paying the ranch a visit.
Why, allow her to visit, Ethan? She's your ex.
*sigh*
The story just gets dumber from there. The H/h have another virgin whispering /second base session that ends in a marriage proposal and the directive for the heroine to buy the most expensive wedding dress she can find in Houston. Heroine and hero's mother leave the next morning on their shopping trip.
OW is jealous and is able to make mischief because the hero falls from his horse and suffers a concussion. Hero didn't have the brain cells to spare and immediately believes his ex wife that the heroine only cares about his money and not him. He calls off the wedding and kicks the heroine out.
Hero's mother is angry. Heroine thinks the hero is going to remarry his ex.
And it takes the OW feeling guilty (what? OWs don't feel guilty) to finally get these crazy kids together. Even after their wedding night the hero is too stupid to tell the heroine he loves her until she brings it up.
Diana Palmer checklist
Hairy Chest - check. But no lingering, luxuriant descriptions. H is barely a bear.
Breast Description - check. But no colors this time, alas. Also lots of bra discussion because heroine's broken hand either meant it stayed on or was taken off depending on if she has help.
Cigarettes - check
Alcohol - no
Town Descriptions - there's a Jacobsville Inn, a Methodist church, a fellowship hall, a motel in town that has various room decors to choose from and offers a full service restaurant.
LOL details - heroine's giant earrings shocked everyone at the breakfast table. She had never worn such sophisticated jewelry. I actually knew a girl whose father wouldn't let her wear dangling earrings because they were immodest. (Why yes, I grew up in the Mid-west in the 1970s)
You "virgin whispered" the 18 year-old heroine by the swimming hole and then went and banged the OW as a substitute. Your noble intentions were the heroine should remain a virgin and have a career as a concert pianist. So you cruelly sent her away.
You married the OW when she told you she was pregnant. Once married, you found out she wasn't pregnant. You were then impotent for the rest of your four-year marriage, while the OW had affairs right and left.
The story opens with you picking up the heroine from the hospital after she was in a car "wreck" (DP's terms) and hurt her hand. You take her to your ranch and tell her you're to have an engagement of convenience because your ex-wife is paying the ranch a visit.
Why, allow her to visit, Ethan? She's your ex.
*sigh*
The story just gets dumber from there. The H/h have another virgin whispering /second base session that ends in a marriage proposal and the directive for the heroine to buy the most expensive wedding dress she can find in Houston. Heroine and hero's mother leave the next morning on their shopping trip.
OW is jealous and is able to make mischief because the hero falls from his horse and suffers a concussion. Hero didn't have the brain cells to spare and immediately believes his ex wife that the heroine only cares about his money and not him. He calls off the wedding and kicks the heroine out.
Hero's mother is angry. Heroine thinks the hero is going to remarry his ex.
And it takes the OW feeling guilty (what? OWs don't feel guilty) to finally get these crazy kids together. Even after their wedding night the hero is too stupid to tell the heroine he loves her until she brings it up.
Diana Palmer checklist
Hairy Chest - check. But no lingering, luxuriant descriptions. H is barely a bear.
Breast Description - check. But no colors this time, alas. Also lots of bra discussion because heroine's broken hand either meant it stayed on or was taken off depending on if she has help.
Cigarettes - check
Alcohol - no
Town Descriptions - there's a Jacobsville Inn, a Methodist church, a fellowship hall, a motel in town that has various room decors to choose from and offers a full service restaurant.
LOL details - heroine's giant earrings shocked everyone at the breakfast table. She had never worn such sophisticated jewelry. I actually knew a girl whose father wouldn't let her wear dangling earrings because they were immodest. (Why yes, I grew up in the Mid-west in the 1970s)
October 24, 2016
I am sorry Ms. Palmer, but Ethan is the biggest (cursing) idiot I have had the displeasure of reading. He loves Arabella; he loves her not. One daisy down for the count.
The H and h had a baby (baby as in innocent, not secret) affair several years ago after which he never called then started squiring around a money grubbing bimbo. All because the H loved the h and didn't want to hurt her. Yeah, right. Methinks we have an undisclosed virgin/whore complex working that the H and the author won't admit to.
The H marries said gold-digger. A rarity in Romancelandia, as we actually have a real gold-digger on our hands who is rewarded with marriage. The confused and tiny h is bullied by her father into a pianist concerto career.
A divorce on the part of the H and a hand-damaging car crash for the h bring them back together. The H asks for help in keeping his ex-wife away. Guess he never heard the word "NO" or you can't stay at my ranch with all your suitcases.
The H and h somehow, someway crawl out of their box of stupid to get engaged only to get disengaged the next day due to one of the dumbest moves/reasons ever by a hero. That's saying something when you weigh in the balance of all the arrogance, misogyny, and out an out stupidity of all the tycoons that bumble through Romancelandia. Upgrade two by four to cast iron skillet, please!
I will say this for Ethan, for what amounts to be a buttoned up (and dumber than dirt) Texas cowboy/rancher, he is quite the sexy talker. Very nice piano bench seduction that still leaves the h virginal.
Turns out the ex-wife who stalked him home is actually in love with another man, and she does a bizarre turnaround. Thestupid happy couple stumble to the altar. In order to disrobe his bride from her wedding gown, the up-to-now celibate H leaves skid marks on the way to the honeymoon whereupon they change into jeans. Huh? Continuity issue here, and the honeymoon room has double beds.
I think Ms. Palmer and I have to part ways. I enjoy a nice alpha, commanding hero as much as the next reader, but he has to have some cerebral activity.
The H and h had a baby (baby as in innocent, not secret) affair several years ago after which he never called then started squiring around a money grubbing bimbo. All because the H loved the h and didn't want to hurt her. Yeah, right. Methinks we have an undisclosed virgin/whore complex working that the H and the author won't admit to.
The H marries said gold-digger. A rarity in Romancelandia, as we actually have a real gold-digger on our hands who is rewarded with marriage. The confused and tiny h is bullied by her father into a pianist concerto career.
A divorce on the part of the H and a hand-damaging car crash for the h bring them back together. The H asks for help in keeping his ex-wife away. Guess he never heard the word "NO" or you can't stay at my ranch with all your suitcases.
The H and h somehow, someway crawl out of their box of stupid to get engaged only to get disengaged the next day due to one of the dumbest moves/reasons ever by a hero. That's saying something when you weigh in the balance of all the arrogance, misogyny, and out an out stupidity of all the tycoons that bumble through Romancelandia. Upgrade two by four to cast iron skillet, please!
I will say this for Ethan, for what amounts to be a buttoned up (and dumber than dirt) Texas cowboy/rancher, he is quite the sexy talker. Very nice piano bench seduction that still leaves the h virginal.
Turns out the ex-wife who stalked him home is actually in love with another man, and she does a bizarre turnaround. The
I think Ms. Palmer and I have to part ways. I enjoy a nice alpha, commanding hero as much as the next reader, but he has to have some cerebral activity.
October 27, 2018
Another DP that charms and exasperates at the same time. Maybe I should just stop cribbing and simply enjoy the things I love about DP that make me come back again and again for more!
Couldn’t Resist It ETA :p - One very annoying thing I’ll still mention. It was the H getting all very bygones-be-bygones-chummy with the ow (his evil ex-wife) towards the end. I quite liked the H till then, but then he fell into the ‘stupidest sucker of the year’ category.
And why do the authors feel they have to redeem the ow and give her a hea. Please send out the memo-We prefer her to remain evil, get a deserving comeuppance and run away with her tail between her legs!
Couldn’t Resist It ETA :p - One very annoying thing I’ll still mention. It was the H getting all very bygones-be-bygones-chummy with the ow (his evil ex-wife) towards the end. I quite liked the H till then, but then he fell into the ‘stupidest sucker of the year’ category.
And why do the authors feel they have to redeem the ow and give her a hea. Please send out the memo-We prefer her to remain evil, get a deserving comeuppance and run away with her tail between her legs!
January 8, 2023
3 ⭐⭐⭐ - OK or decent reads.
==============================
★ *˛ ˚♥* ✰。˚ ˛˚ ♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★
.•°*”˜˜”*°•. ˜”*°• •°*”˜ .•°*”˜˜”*°•.
.•°*”˜Diana Palmer's Marathon, 2023˜”*°•.
.•°*”˜.•°*”˜.•°*”˜ ˜”*°•.˜”*°•.˜”*°•.
★ *˛ ˚♥* ✰。˚˛˚ ♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★
================
Reread: October 2018
=================
This hero wins the trophy as the biggest asshole in Texas. Just what I have to say.
He says hateful things to our heroine and also befriends the ex-wife who cheated and humiliated him publicly.
And he kicks her out twice over the course of the story.
She is the typical stupid, virgin heroine.
==============================
★ *˛ ˚♥* ✰。˚ ˛˚ ♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★
.•°*”˜˜”*°•. ˜”*°• •°*”˜ .•°*”˜˜”*°•.
.•°*”˜Diana Palmer's Marathon, 2023˜”*°•.
.•°*”˜.•°*”˜.•°*”˜ ˜”*°•.˜”*°•.˜”*°•.
★ *˛ ˚♥* ✰。˚˛˚ ♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★
================
Reread: October 2018
=================
This hero wins the trophy as the biggest asshole in Texas. Just what I have to say.
He says hateful things to our heroine and also befriends the ex-wife who cheated and humiliated him publicly.
And he kicks her out twice over the course of the story.
She is the typical stupid, virgin heroine.
“Baby, what a scare you gave me!” he whispered.
Ethan had been her heart four years ago, but he’d married Miriam.
Miriam had hurt him dreadfully. Arabella had tried to warn him, in her own shy way. They’d argued over Miriam and because of it, Ethan had shut Arabella out of his life with cold cruelty.
“You should have listened to me about Miriam,” she said groggily. “We won’t talk about my ex-wife,” he said coldly.
His marriage had hurt her more than anything in her life. It had been unexpected, and she’d almost gone off the deep end when she’d heard.
Whatever he’d felt, he’d started going around with Miriam immediately after that sweet interlude, and within two months he’d married the woman.
She was still waiting for that first intimacy, just as she’d waited most of her adult life for Ethan to love her.
He’d loved Miriam,
Ethan falling under the spell of the green-eyed, redheaded model with her sophisticated beauty.
Arabella had heard Miriam bragging to another model that she had the Hardeman fortune in the palm of her hand and that she was going to trade Ethan her body for a life of luxury.
He hadn’t believed her. He’d accused her of being jealous of Miriam. He’d hurt her with his cold remarks about her age and inexperience and naïveté, then he’d ordered her off the ranch.
“After all, you told me yourself that I’d asked for it, that you’d been thinking about Miriam.”
“Miriam would laugh herself sick if anyone told her you were involved with me,” she said shortly. “I was only eighteen when you married her. She didn’t consider me any kind of competition then, and she was right. I wasn’t, and I’m not.”
“Men are treacherous,” she said without thinking. “I offered you my heart and you threw it in my teeth. I haven’t offered it again, to anyone, and I don’t intend to. I’ve got my music, Ethan. That’s all I need.”
I’ve never been anything but a pawn where men were concerned, and you think my father is trying to run my life?”
She loved him almost desperately, but it was obvious that he had no such feeling for her.
Miriam actually seduced a man at a dinner party we gave for Ethan’s business associates. He walked in on them in his own study.”
“A virgin has her own special appeal,” he replied. “And you are still a virgin, aren’t you?” “Yes,”
He averted his eyes. “Maybe I wanted a taste of you,” he said with a cynical smile before he turned away from her to get his towel. “I’ve never had a virgin.”
“You didn’t take that little interlude seriously, I hope?” he asked abruptly as he held the door open for her.
And he’d smiled, mockingly. “No? It seemed to me that you’d done everything but wear a sign. Or maybe I just read you too well. You wanted me, honey, and I was glad to oblige. But only to a certain point. Virgins are exciting to kiss, but I like an experienced woman under me in bed.”
The next week he’d been seen everywhere with Miriam, and Arabella overheard Miriam telling the other model about her plans for Ethan.
But he’d laughed at her, accused her of being jealous. And then he’d sent her out of his life with a scorching account of her inadequacies.
“We didn’t make love,” she said through her teeth. “You kissed me a few times and made sure I didn’t take it seriously. It was to ‘further my education,’ didn’t you say?”
“I’ve been alone a long time,” he said curtly, and he gave her a mocking smile.
It was a taxi, and getting out of the back seat, all leggy glamour and red lipstick, was Miriam Hardeman.
“I’m flat broke. I hope you don’t mind my staying here, Ethan, because I blew my last dollar on this outfit and I just can’t afford a hotel.”
“Tell her why you won’t get involved with experienced women, Ethan, dear,” Miriam murmured sarcastically.
“You don’t do anything,” Miriam said with a nasty inflection. “Especially in bed!” she lashed out.
This was the one nice thing that had come out of Miriam’s visit. Arabella could indulge her longing for Ethan without giving herself away.
“You saw through her from the beginning.”
“Miriam took a lover two weeks after we were married,” he said quietly. “There was a procession of them until I divorced her. She said that I couldn’t satisfy her in bed.”
“She never could understand why I preferred Miriam to you.”
“I could,” she said with a harsh laugh. “Miriam was everything I wasn’t. Especially sophisticated and experienced.”
“Are you sure you don’t want her back, Ethan? You loved her once.”
“I loved an illusion,” he said.
“I wanted her,” he said absently. “But wanting isn’t enough.”
His mouth settled unexpectedly on hers, covering the word even as she spoke it.
“You want me. You always have and I’ve always known it,” he said roughly.
“Don’t fight me,”
“Oh, God, let me love you,” he ground out.
She was too afraid that he’d been stirred up by his ex-wife and now he needed an outlet. It was…demeaning.
Of all the times for it to happen, and with Arabella, of all people!
“What’s wrong?” he asked roughly. “You want Miriam,” she said through numb lips. “You want her, and I’m substituting, all over again.”
He’d loved Miriam and all she’d wanted was his money.
“No man likes being a walking meal ticket,” he said shortly.
“My God,” he whispered almost reverently. “It’s been so long….” His mouth ground into hers with fierce delight.
She hesitated and he kissed her roughly.
“No.” “Miriam’s here and you’re frustrated because she didn’t want you….”
“I’m whole again, with you.”
It had been because of Arabella that Ethan had never fallen completely under Miriam’s spell. He’d wanted her, but his heart had always belonged to that young woman sitting beside him.
Miriam saw his smug expression and shifted uncomfortably.
Arabella had been watching the byplay with cold misery. Ethan was warming to the older woman, she could feel it.
“What would you call a twenty-two-year-old virgin?” “Sensible,” Coreen replied.
“That I’m not impotent,” he said simply.
“She couldn’t arouse me with all her tricks. It was why I was able to get her to leave. But she wouldn’t give me a divorce. She was sure she could get me back under her spell.
But you married her, she wanted to say. You loved her, and tonight at supper, you were so gentle with her.
Miriam had declared war in the hall and Arabella was afraid that she might not be able to compete. Especially when compared to the more beautiful older woman.
“Obviously that didn’t bother anybody except Miriam,” he said enigmatically, glaring at his mother and Arabella.
...was her father who called, not Miriam. “I should never have divorced Miriam. When the chips were down, she cared and you didn’t. I hope that damned dress you brought is returnable, honey, because I wouldn’t marry you on a bet! Now get out of my room!”
“I only took you in because I felt sorry for you,” he said, giving her a cold appraisal with silver eyes. “I wanted you like hell, but marriage is too high a price to pay for a mercenary virgin with eyes like cash registers. It’s all too plain now that I was right, that all you were interested in was financial security for you, and probably for your damned father!”
Her temper flared at the smug expression on the older woman’s face.
“Congratulations,” she flashed at Miriam. “You’ve got what you wanted. I hope your conscience lets you enjoy it—if you have one.” Miriam shifted uncomfortably. “I told you he’s mine,” she said defensively.
If he loved you, he’d never have believed you could ignore him when he was hurt.”
She laughed bitterly. “I should be used to it. I did it four years ago, and look how happy you made him.”
Probably the excuse of keeping Miriam at bay had been fictitious—like his so-called impotence.
“Love and trust are two sides of one coin, Ethan. If you can believe Arabella capable of such a cold-blooded act, then I’d suggest that you forget marriage and put Miriam’s ring back through your nose. God knows, right now I think the two of you deserve each other.”
Anyway, Miriam had been different lately, very caring and warm, and he’d actually enjoyed her company.
Miriam had been so different lately that he’d been sure she’d changed, that she wasn’t the same self-seeking woman she had been.
That was what Arabella saw when she stopped in the open door. A kiss that wasn’t sexual and held such exquisite tenderness that it made her feel like a voyeur.
“Ethan,” she said patiently, “she was in love with you four years ago. Desperately in love. She thought Miriam just wanted what you had, not you. She was trying to protect you, but you accused her of interfering and God knows what else. She ran then, too, and kept running.
July 9, 2021
Miranda. Miranda. Miranda. mirandamirandamirandamiranda.
If I could count all the times this damned Miranda is named in this damned book...
This book is about the ow. That is actually the best character in this book.
The stupid dumb hero made out with the heroine when she was an infatuated teenager, then since she was a talented pianist and her father wanted to exploit her, he left her and went with Miranda, a beautiful model and a gold-digger who only wanted his money.
The hero married her because she told him she was pregnant. Of course she wasn't.
The stupid dumb H never recovered by his groping of the heroine and when he had sex with ow he always called her the heroine's name (WTF????)
So eventually he became impotent (Hurra!!!!) and the ow went with many other men (Yes! That's it)
They divorced and the heroine had an accident.
The hero takes her to his ranch to heal.
He wants to marry her.
She's still in love with him.
She thinks he's still in love with his wife.
Enter ow-ex wife.
She goes to the ranch and tries to get H back (WTF???????)
Misunderstanding and hero top moment of utter stupidity.
All is well in the end.
I don't even know where to begin.
Never heard a more stupid and dumb and brainless hero and a weakest and without dignity heroine.
Send him to hell, please.
He only wants her because she's homely, and she wants to stay home & have children.
He married another woman and sent the heroine away when she tried to tell him she heard the ow say to her friends that she was going to marry a big bank account.
He believes the ow lies and sends the heroine away another time
He deserves to be with the bitchy ow for all his life.
I loved the ow, she cuckolded him for years. You go girl. He deserved it!
The heroine was tstl. After the hero's bad treatment of her she should have run as fast as she could.
In real life most men are better than this poor excuse of a man.
If I could count all the times this damned Miranda is named in this damned book...
This book is about the ow. That is actually the best character in this book.
The stupid dumb hero made out with the heroine when she was an infatuated teenager, then since she was a talented pianist and her father wanted to exploit her, he left her and went with Miranda, a beautiful model and a gold-digger who only wanted his money.
The hero married her because she told him she was pregnant. Of course she wasn't.
The stupid dumb H never recovered by his groping of the heroine and when he had sex with ow he always called her the heroine's name (WTF????)
So eventually he became impotent (Hurra!!!!) and the ow went with many other men (Yes! That's it)
They divorced and the heroine had an accident.
The hero takes her to his ranch to heal.
He wants to marry her.
She's still in love with him.
She thinks he's still in love with his wife.
Enter ow-ex wife.
She goes to the ranch and tries to get H back (WTF???????)
Misunderstanding and hero top moment of utter stupidity.
All is well in the end.
I don't even know where to begin.
Never heard a more stupid and dumb and brainless hero and a weakest and without dignity heroine.
Send him to hell, please.
He only wants her because she's homely, and she wants to stay home & have children.
He married another woman and sent the heroine away when she tried to tell him she heard the ow say to her friends that she was going to marry a big bank account.
He believes the ow lies and sends the heroine away another time
He deserves to be with the bitchy ow for all his life.
I loved the ow, she cuckolded him for years. You go girl. He deserved it!
The heroine was tstl. After the hero's bad treatment of her she should have run as fast as she could.
In real life most men are better than this poor excuse of a man.
May 16, 2017
Llevo desde el fin de semana a base de películas de Hallmark e historias de Diana Palmer. Apuesto a que si me pinchan me sale purpurina 🌈💕
Pero no puedo negar que estoy disfrutando de mi etapa ultra rosa ocasional (no confundir con la etapa rosa a secas que de esas tengo un montón, de hecho yo diría que es la etapa predominante)
Pero no puedo negar que estoy disfrutando de mi etapa ultra rosa ocasional (no confundir con la etapa rosa a secas que de esas tengo un montón, de hecho yo diría que es la etapa predominante)
November 29, 2015
Arabella is best friends with Ethan's sister, for as long as Arabella can remember she's been in love with Ethan. When she was 18 something happened between them but Ethan backed off before things got too carried away, he then immediately married the beautiful Miriam. That was 4 years ago a lot has happened during that time, she has become a well known concert pianist. While Ethan's marriage had ended in a bitter divorce. Arabella's life wasn't any happier she's dominated and ruled over by her obnoxious father. Then she's badly injured in a car accident and her father requests that Ethan look after her at his ranch till she recovers.
This story just didn't work for me in any way at all. I like my heroes to be alpha or at least beta, but Ethan was a weak wimp. Not once is he ever open and honest with Arabella he assumes she should be able to get how he feels about her with his cryptic remarks and hints. It's no wonder that throughout almost the whole story she constantly throws Miriam in his face. The sub plot with Arabella's father was another irritant, that was glossed over in a couple paragraphs. This is one of those stories that's really annoying, at the heart of it was Ethan's inability to be honest with everyone including himself, plus he allowed the vicious Miriam to run riot over him. He didn't seem to respect himself but then got annoyed with Arabella when she didn't respect or believe a word he said, I didn't blame her. He wasn't always very nice to Arabella either. I was hoping she'd come to her senses and give him the heave ho.
This story just didn't work for me in any way at all. I like my heroes to be alpha or at least beta, but Ethan was a weak wimp. Not once is he ever open and honest with Arabella he assumes she should be able to get how he feels about her with his cryptic remarks and hints. It's no wonder that throughout almost the whole story she constantly throws Miriam in his face. The sub plot with Arabella's father was another irritant, that was glossed over in a couple paragraphs. This is one of those stories that's really annoying, at the heart of it was Ethan's inability to be honest with everyone including himself, plus he allowed the vicious Miriam to run riot over him. He didn't seem to respect himself but then got annoyed with Arabella when she didn't respect or believe a word he said, I didn't blame her. He wasn't always very nice to Arabella either. I was hoping she'd come to her senses and give him the heave ho.
April 9, 2020
Y aquí tenemos al ganador del premio OSCAR al más Idiota de todos los tiempos Ethan, en serio no puedo creer lo tonto que puede ser, deja escapar al amor de su vida según él por el bien de ella y se casa con una BRUJA PROMISCUA y encima al volver a encontrarse con su amor la mide con el mismo talle de su antigua bruja. No puedo creer que Arabella sea tan tonta y no darle su merecido a este cretino. Y así comprobamos que el amor es extremadamente CIEGO, por lo menos se merecía sufrir un móntonnnnnn....
October 31, 2018
My tolerance level for DP's books is custom set to a very high level knowing what her books are like. It wasn't high enough for this one. The book was a contradictory mess that made little sense when you try and piece the story together. Both the hero and heroine, acted like two year olds as they seemed to lack all common sense, the reasoning for their actions completely immature. If this had been a new author, I'd have DNF'd but I stuck with it hoping for better. Just dreadful.
March 25, 2017
I'm not sure how I wound up with this one. I meant to read Evan. But there are so many damn LTT it's hard to keep track.
Big question I have here. How many times does DP use a car crash as a plot device? I swear there's been a car accident in each of the last 4 books of hers I've read. This one features TWO! One that injured the h and another that took place years previously and killed her mother.
Both Arabella and Ethan were irritating. Arabella wasn't quite TSTL but she sure came close.
This one featured little in the way of a history lesson or organic beef lecture. Instead the reader gets some information on classical music. And I never really did like Clementi.
Big question I have here. How many times does DP use a car crash as a plot device? I swear there's been a car accident in each of the last 4 books of hers I've read. This one features TWO! One that injured the h and another that took place years previously and killed her mother.
Both Arabella and Ethan were irritating. Arabella wasn't quite TSTL but she sure came close.
This one featured little in the way of a history lesson or organic beef lecture. Instead the reader gets some information on classical music. And I never really did like Clementi.
June 7, 2020
¿Cómo les explico?
Este libro tiene sus cosas buenas y malas, las malas un poco más marcadas...
Algo que rescato de esta historia es el carácter que tenía la protagonista. A pesar de que Arabella podía ser algo estresante también llegó a ser fuerte, no se dejó afectar por ciertos comentarios y se mantuvo con la frente en alto. O sea sí, por dentro se estaba pudriendo pero al menos dejó ver una imagen empoderada de su persona y no una débil que pudieran manejar a cualquier antojo.
Miren, de Ethan no tengo comentarios, las pequeñas cosas rescatables de su personaje se van al olvido cada vez que habla, literal siempre arruinaba todo justo después de arreglar un problema, llegó un momento donde dije sisi ya cállate.
Me gustó el cameo de Shelby y Justin, a veces me encantaría ver a toooodos en una misma escena pero pues no es posible... supongo.
2.25⭐️
Este libro tiene sus cosas buenas y malas, las malas un poco más marcadas...
Algo que rescato de esta historia es el carácter que tenía la protagonista. A pesar de que Arabella podía ser algo estresante también llegó a ser fuerte, no se dejó afectar por ciertos comentarios y se mantuvo con la frente en alto. O sea sí, por dentro se estaba pudriendo pero al menos dejó ver una imagen empoderada de su persona y no una débil que pudieran manejar a cualquier antojo.
Miren, de Ethan no tengo comentarios, las pequeñas cosas rescatables de su personaje se van al olvido cada vez que habla, literal siempre arruinaba todo justo después de arreglar un problema, llegó un momento donde dije sisi ya cállate.
Me gustó el cameo de Shelby y Justin, a veces me encantaría ver a toooodos en una misma escena pero pues no es posible... supongo.
2.25⭐️
March 5, 2017
STUPID HERO. Nuff said.
February 7, 2017
Una cosa es ser inocente y otra muy distinta es ser una pusilánime total, que es lo que es Arabella, la prota de este libro. Me pareció totalmente exasperante.
January 25, 2022
Oh Ethan, Ethan, Ethan. You. Are. A. Muppet!
Not only did you break your girls heart you did it twice and roped another woman into your dumbassed schemes.
We start with the h in a career ending car crash and the H is called in to look after her. Turns out these 2 have some history. She’s well liked at his ranch and friends with his sister and SIL and they had a bit of a thing for each other when when was 18 and he in his early 20’s.
It seems like h’s daddy dearest interfere ls so after having some heavy petting with the h the H runs her off and marries an other woman he shagged when she says she’s preggers.
Now this here is where the story starts to unravel for me. At one point the H is admitting he’s had a thing for the h since she was 16 but he also admits to wanting and fancying the OW at some point certainly enough to got to bed with her. But at the same time he tells us the OW was a substitute for the h and once he married her and found out she was a goldigger (which the h has already told him) then he is impotent until the h comes back on the scene.
Now onto the OW. Her story and the H’s don’t match and although she’s displays some terrible behaviour I think that she’s actually justified with some of her poor behaviour on this occasion. So if we are to be believed she was marrying him for money but she states that if not for the h the H would have loved her as he was attracted but she KNEW the h was using her as a sub for the h as apparently he used her name when making out with her. This OW has a right to be pi$$ed.
She then is mean to the H and sleeps with other men but she says she did this because of the way the H treated her. I actually believe she’s telling the truth here.
This does not excuse her poor behaviour on her return and she is not kind to the h or the H (it’s totally not really the h’s fault all the blame here lies firmly in the H’s lap) his mum had it spot on when she tore him a new one for not trusting the h and proving he loved her for believing the pack of lies the OW told. Plus the way he just rolled over and forgave/enabled her after just made me want to vomit and I already feel I’ll because I have covid!
The poor h deserved better treatment from him I’m also glad she repaired her relationship with her dad his behaviour was poor but it was not explained in enough detail for me to hate on him and his grovel satisfied me.
The H’s declaration and grovel were poor I had to refrain from launching my iPad as I need it for the next 5 days minimum while I isolate. I can’t even be completely mad that the OW got her own happy ending as she had had a horrible time of it and the H was not an angel himself. In fact if the h comes to her senses and kicks him to the curb and finds herself a non smoking non mommas boy these 2 could probably make a go of it 2nd time round they deserve each other for the way they used each other.
Be happy that the h is happy she’s got her man. Eww also she has to use the same room they did gross
Not only did you break your girls heart you did it twice and roped another woman into your dumbassed schemes.
We start with the h in a career ending car crash and the H is called in to look after her. Turns out these 2 have some history. She’s well liked at his ranch and friends with his sister and SIL and they had a bit of a thing for each other when when was 18 and he in his early 20’s.
It seems like h’s daddy dearest interfere ls so after having some heavy petting with the h the H runs her off and marries an other woman he shagged when she says she’s preggers.
Now this here is where the story starts to unravel for me. At one point the H is admitting he’s had a thing for the h since she was 16 but he also admits to wanting and fancying the OW at some point certainly enough to got to bed with her. But at the same time he tells us the OW was a substitute for the h and once he married her and found out she was a goldigger (which the h has already told him) then he is impotent until the h comes back on the scene.
Now onto the OW. Her story and the H’s don’t match and although she’s displays some terrible behaviour I think that she’s actually justified with some of her poor behaviour on this occasion. So if we are to be believed she was marrying him for money but she states that if not for the h the H would have loved her as he was attracted but she KNEW the h was using her as a sub for the h as apparently he used her name when making out with her. This OW has a right to be pi$$ed.
She then is mean to the H and sleeps with other men but she says she did this because of the way the H treated her. I actually believe she’s telling the truth here.
This does not excuse her poor behaviour on her return and she is not kind to the h or the H (it’s totally not really the h’s fault all the blame here lies firmly in the H’s lap) his mum had it spot on when she tore him a new one for not trusting the h and proving he loved her for believing the pack of lies the OW told. Plus the way he just rolled over and forgave/enabled her after just made me want to vomit and I already feel I’ll because I have covid!
The poor h deserved better treatment from him I’m also glad she repaired her relationship with her dad his behaviour was poor but it was not explained in enough detail for me to hate on him and his grovel satisfied me.
The H’s declaration and grovel were poor I had to refrain from launching my iPad as I need it for the next 5 days minimum while I isolate. I can’t even be completely mad that the OW got her own happy ending as she had had a horrible time of it and the H was not an angel himself. In fact if the h comes to her senses and kicks him to the curb and finds herself a non smoking non mommas boy these 2 could probably make a go of it 2nd time round they deserve each other for the way they used each other.
Be happy that the h is happy she’s got her man. Eww also she has to use the same room they did gross
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2020
3.5 Soapy-Smut Stars
Went way back to book #5 for this one; it isn’t my favorite, but I love me some DP and will always round up. I haven’t read the early books in many years, so I had forgotten much of the plot. DP hadn’t completely found her groove yet; other than speaking four languages, Ethan is pretty normal. If anything, he was a bit insecure for her typical H’s, and there isn’t any OTT plot to deal with.
Although, Arabella was a virgin; she wasn’t a complete doormat. She stood up for herself... some. I wish she would have made him grovel a bit at the end though. Overall, not a bad read; I just like my soapy-smut to be ridiculously OTT, and it’s pretty low key compared to her later stuff…and a tad preachy. *I did enjoy the scene where Ethan’s mom loans Arabella a negligee, and encourages her to go to Ethan’s room to warn off Miriam.- LMAO - Bottom line, if you enjoy DP, you'll like it. If you're looking for something serious...pass.
Went way back to book #5 for this one; it isn’t my favorite, but I love me some DP and will always round up. I haven’t read the early books in many years, so I had forgotten much of the plot. DP hadn’t completely found her groove yet; other than speaking four languages, Ethan is pretty normal. If anything, he was a bit insecure for her typical H’s, and there isn’t any OTT plot to deal with.
Although, Arabella was a virgin; she wasn’t a complete doormat. She stood up for herself... some. I wish she would have made him grovel a bit at the end though. Overall, not a bad read; I just like my soapy-smut to be ridiculously OTT, and it’s pretty low key compared to her later stuff…and a tad preachy. *I did enjoy the scene where Ethan’s mom loans Arabella a negligee, and encourages her to go to Ethan’s room to warn off Miriam.- LMAO - Bottom line, if you enjoy DP, you'll like it. If you're looking for something serious...pass.
December 13, 2018
Loved this book love all of Diana palmer books Ethan is a sexy alpha male yummy and Arabella where made for each other his first wife nope could not stand her can't wait to read more books by Diana palmer
July 17, 2021
Me encantan estos libros y mas aun cuando aparecen los personajes de libros anteriores 😭❤️
April 21, 2020
بطل غبي وبطله ساذجة كان لازم تخلي يعتذرلها ويستسمحها وتعذبة يله ترجعله حتى احبج مكاللها
January 17, 2015
No se porque siempre leo los libros de Diana Palmer una y otra y otra vez, siendo que siempre termino odiandolos. Cada vez que termino de leer uno, tengo ganas de golpear algo y lanzar mi e-reader contra la pared.
Se que estos libros son antiguos, este en particular fue escrito en 1990. Cuando los leo trato de entender que los tiempos eran diferentes a los de ahora, pero en la realidad retratada en los libros de Palmer, no puedo evitar preguntarme. ¿Eran tan diferentes? Siento que el problema principal de sus libros es que se demuestra su edad. Si ella hubiera sido una veintiañera en los ochenta, treintañera en los noventa y así sucesivamente sus libros quizá no serían tan repetitivos.
Se que muchas personas piensan que es como una idola de este tipo de romances, pero para mi todos sus libros son iguales. Es el mismo problema con Nicholas Sparks, solo cambia un poco la trama, el nombre de los personajes principales y ya tienes un libro de Diana Palmer.
El problema que tuve al leer este libro, pricipalmente es la trama. Para mi la trama es debil, por lo tanto el dialogo entre la heroína y el heroe del libro se hace repetitivo pasado el segundo capitulo.
Sus problemas (el de los personajes principales) eran el mismo.
Arabella no confiaba en que Ethan la amara. Ethan la amaba pero estaba inseguro gracias a Miriam, (quien como toda mala mujer de Palmer es una arpía, come hombres, superficial, caza fortunas, etc).
Ethan le propone alejar a Miriam, fingiendo que son novios y al final terminan juntos porque resuelven un problema que para ser sinceras, se hubiera resuelto en el primer capitulo con Ethan diciendole a Arabella que siempre la había amado y todo lo que sucedio con Miriam pero obvio que así no habria historia.
Segundo, los personajes principales. Soy una persona que disfruta de una heroína inocente, pero Arabella es aburrida. Inocente, pero aburrida. Su desconfianza consigo misma me hizo sentir algo irritada. Habían momentos que me daban ganas de sacudirla por los brazos y decirle, abre los ojos es tan obvio!!
Ethan, por su parte es el tipico macho alfa de Palmer, orgulloso, 'frio' pero vulnerable. Al igual que Arabella aburrido, así de simple. Intente que me gustara, pero no ocurrió. Al igual que todo heroe de Palmer es un idiota que no duda en herir con palabras cuando se siente amenazado. Diana por todos lados intento decir que no era machista, pero...¿Disculpa? Lo es.
Los personajes secundarios:
Miriam, como ya he dicho es la tipica arpia, caza fortuna que engaño al inocente, vulnerable y pobre Heroe ha casarse con ella (buuu juuu llorame un rio), lo engañó como quiere porque él no se acostaba con ella. Lo trataba peor que a un perro pero al final, todo se olvida porque se conocen de verdad y yadda yadda. En pocas palabras una resolución obvia y aburrida.
El papá de Arabella, supuestamente es un hombre como toda mamá de niños famosos en hollywood, explotaba a Arabella por su talento y era super controlador y yadda yadda, ¿que pasa al final? No era tan malo, se disculpa con Arabella, (quien olvida toooodoooo lo que el la a hecho vivir) y son felices por siempre. EN pocas palabras, A B U R R I D O.
La mamá de Ethan es como todas las mamás de Diana Palmer, conservadora, cariñosa, que odia a las malas, malas, MAAALAAAS mujeres que atrapan a sus queridos hijos y adoran a la personaje principal porque son el epitome de la virtud. Aunque la señora haya sido aburrida (como todos), tenía más encanto.
Creo que quedo más que claro porque le puse una estrella. LOL y como no me quiero a mi misma, leere el siguiente libro en esta laaaarga saga :)
Se que estos libros son antiguos, este en particular fue escrito en 1990. Cuando los leo trato de entender que los tiempos eran diferentes a los de ahora, pero en la realidad retratada en los libros de Palmer, no puedo evitar preguntarme. ¿Eran tan diferentes? Siento que el problema principal de sus libros es que se demuestra su edad. Si ella hubiera sido una veintiañera en los ochenta, treintañera en los noventa y así sucesivamente sus libros quizá no serían tan repetitivos.
Se que muchas personas piensan que es como una idola de este tipo de romances, pero para mi todos sus libros son iguales. Es el mismo problema con Nicholas Sparks, solo cambia un poco la trama, el nombre de los personajes principales y ya tienes un libro de Diana Palmer.
El problema que tuve al leer este libro, pricipalmente es la trama. Para mi la trama es debil, por lo tanto el dialogo entre la heroína y el heroe del libro se hace repetitivo pasado el segundo capitulo.
Sus problemas (el de los personajes principales) eran el mismo.
Arabella no confiaba en que Ethan la amara. Ethan la amaba pero estaba inseguro gracias a Miriam, (quien como toda mala mujer de Palmer es una arpía, come hombres, superficial, caza fortunas, etc).
Ethan le propone alejar a Miriam, fingiendo que son novios y al final terminan juntos porque resuelven un problema que para ser sinceras, se hubiera resuelto en el primer capitulo con Ethan diciendole a Arabella que siempre la había amado y todo lo que sucedio con Miriam pero obvio que así no habria historia.
Segundo, los personajes principales. Soy una persona que disfruta de una heroína inocente, pero Arabella es aburrida. Inocente, pero aburrida. Su desconfianza consigo misma me hizo sentir algo irritada. Habían momentos que me daban ganas de sacudirla por los brazos y decirle, abre los ojos es tan obvio!!
Ethan, por su parte es el tipico macho alfa de Palmer, orgulloso, 'frio' pero vulnerable. Al igual que Arabella aburrido, así de simple. Intente que me gustara, pero no ocurrió. Al igual que todo heroe de Palmer es un idiota que no duda en herir con palabras cuando se siente amenazado. Diana por todos lados intento decir que no era machista, pero...¿Disculpa? Lo es.
Los personajes secundarios:
Miriam, como ya he dicho es la tipica arpia, caza fortuna que engaño al inocente, vulnerable y pobre Heroe ha casarse con ella (buuu juuu llorame un rio), lo engañó como quiere porque él no se acostaba con ella. Lo trataba peor que a un perro pero al final, todo se olvida porque se conocen de verdad y yadda yadda. En pocas palabras una resolución obvia y aburrida.
El papá de Arabella, supuestamente es un hombre como toda mamá de niños famosos en hollywood, explotaba a Arabella por su talento y era super controlador y yadda yadda, ¿que pasa al final? No era tan malo, se disculpa con Arabella, (quien olvida toooodoooo lo que el la a hecho vivir) y son felices por siempre. EN pocas palabras, A B U R R I D O.
La mamá de Ethan es como todas las mamás de Diana Palmer, conservadora, cariñosa, que odia a las malas, malas, MAAALAAAS mujeres que atrapan a sus queridos hijos y adoran a la personaje principal porque son el epitome de la virtud. Aunque la señora haya sido aburrida (como todos), tenía más encanto.
Creo que quedo más que claro porque le puse una estrella. LOL y como no me quiero a mi misma, leere el siguiente libro en esta laaaarga saga :)
January 24, 2022
This is barely scraping a 3 star….See Stmargarets and Vintage’s reviews. I do believe their 2 star reviews are spot on.
This is my cheers and mainly jeers review. There are SPOILERS. So if you don’t want to know anything about the book you probably won’t want to read this. The spoilers in this review are revealed at different times in the book. I am not keeping to a timeline here.
Jeer 1:
The hero is so ott in love with the 18 year old heroine that he engages her in some very heavy petting that could have lead to her de-virgination. She makes a little bit of a gasp, which brings him to his senses, so he dives into the water to calm his libido down. When he gets out of the water, in true DP fashion, he pushes the h away with insults that will stay with her the rest of her life.
Jeer 2: The hero decides to work out his sexual frustration on/in a model/actress who his filming on his property. He wanted her and she was more than willing. He then squires her about under the h’s nose. The h leaves with her controlling father to pursue a career as a pianist. The H marries the ow after she says she is pregnant. (She isn’t) Of course, this is all good, because the H was giving the h Arabella her freedom to pursue her career, even though he knew her father made Macaulay Culkin’s dad look like the poster child for good parenting. The H is so self sacrificing! It is nice that he was willing to “take one” for the team.
Jeer 3: The H, Ethan, is told by the h that she overheard the ow talking about snagging him so she could have a meal ticket. Now, the H and everyone who knows the h, knows that she is pure, good, and everything that is right with the world. So instead of believing her, he disregards her warning, insults her and carries on with the ow.
Jeer 4: the ow starts running around on her husband at the start of their marriage. She makes disparaging remarks about the H and his bedroom prowess (or lack there of) in front of anyone who will listen, even his mom!! But this leads us to Cheer 1…
Cheer 1: otherwise known as karma, or getting your just deserts(I always thought this was spelled with 2 s’s but not so for this phrase; I love learning new things.) You see our H really really loved the h, and now that he knows that the ow is not pregnant he is no longer able to wiggle his waggle. Even before that, he would shout out the h’s name when he was with the ow.
Cheer 1.5: As a result of cheer 1, the H’s ego takes a huge hit and he thinks he has broken his rod permanently
Jeer 5: The ow basically leaves the H after 6 months of marriage. However, it takes them 4 years to divorce, because she “don’t want to!”
Jeer 6: Without too much detail, the h ends up recuperating at the H’s ranch (her best friend is married to his brother, and the H’s mom adores her). The H has been divorced 3 months and the ow is planning a visit to reconnect with the H. He assures the h he doesn’t want that and asks her to pose as his lover/fiancé’ The ow is not welcomed in his home! The ow shows up in a taxi with 6 suitcases. He WELCOMES HER TO HIS HOME!!! Now if he had been serious, he would have sent her packing and paid for her to have a hotel…he is rich. Why would you allow your viper of an ex to live in your house. No one likes her. You do not owe her anything. How is he so rich? It wasn’t due to smarts that is for sure.
JEER 7: The H makes the moves on the h. Yet never affirms/confirms that he loves her. He thinks she may not love him(WTH?) Seriously, I am pretty sure our h is one of those “wears her feelings on her sleeve” type of gal.
Cheer 2; He proposes to the h. Things are looking really good. He wants the whole white wedding regalia. (Why is the ow still here???)
Jeer 8-10:Within 48 hours or less the H breaks off the engagement with the h. She is all dressed up and is obviously money hungry.(because, you know, women never dress up 🙄 ) When she went with his mom to get a wedding dress(at his urging) he had an accident. The ow “called” the h before she left for shopping, but she ignored the plea from the ow. Or at least this is what the ow told the H. You know the same ow that told the H she was pregnant, wouldn’t give him a divorce, emasculated him at every turn etc…But NO! She is now changed because she sat by him all day while he was concussed. she also had a heart to heart with the H that morning about being knocked up by her current boyfriend but she doesn’t think he would want the baby so she left to come and get the H to marry her again. Oh hell yeah, quite the paragon!!!!
Cheer 3: this just goes to show that not all future mother in laws think their sons are the cat’s meow. She basically tells her son he is stupid and doesn’t deserve the h’s love. The h has always been good, while the ow has been manipulative and devious.
Jeer 11: The ow goes to the H the next morning and tells him she lied. (Aren’t you suppose to be the unrelenting ow? evil ow’s need to stay evil.) Instead we get a sentence about the ow’s sad story of woe and why she is so cruel to the male race. (Look I am not trying to discount being sexually abused as a child, BUT I also do not think it should be used as a toss away comment to garner sympathy for a character whose job was to cause havoc)She is very sorry for all the problems she caused…she kisses him…the h sees this on the way to the H’s room to tell him she is leaving.
Cheer 4: The h leaves the hero. Yep, and honey you should stay away. Fair warning though, you best get out of Jacobsville, because one thing I have learned about Jacobsville is that it is full of cruel angry men. So go tart yourself up in Houston and rid yourself of that pesky virginity.
Jeer 12: H feels bad. He thinks he has lost the h forever. He is pretty sure she will never take him back so instead of going after her like a man in love would, He chooses to play happy exes with the ow, while she waits for her happy ending to arrive(her boyfriend wants her and the baby, plus he is rich) He does such a good job at being friends with his ex that his family believes that he is going to remarry the ex as well.
Jeer 13: h contacts her controlling, money manager father who couldn’t even bother to see how she was recuperating from her accident. Get this: the daddy has a hard luck story just like the ow did, so now we as a reader are supposed to forgive him as well! Um, no…NEXT
Jeer 14: H finally comes to the h and she willingly goes back with him to the ranch even though she still thinks he loves the ow. The H doesn’t think the h loves him but hopes she will at some point. AGAIN…are you two characters in the same book I am reading? It is obvious you each love each other!
Jeer 15: The ow goes to leave with her new man, and the H is just so happy that they are now friends.
Really? You are friends? Are you and the h going to send her christmas cards? Get together for family vacations? I realize this friends with your exes is all the rage on tik tok, but usually it is because there are kids involved.
Jeer 16: It takes their wedding night and the last couple of pages before these 2 to finally confirmed what we already knew…they love each other! Oh, and the H is very happy his waggle wiggles as is the h….pretty sure she is pregnant already!
Cheer 5: These two will be together forever, because they really cannot function otherwise. Quite honestly it is probably best they do not mingle much with others in case stupidity is catching.
And now that I have purged myself of this book, I realize that this is a 2 star. I will need to readjust!
This is my cheers and mainly jeers review. There are SPOILERS. So if you don’t want to know anything about the book you probably won’t want to read this. The spoilers in this review are revealed at different times in the book. I am not keeping to a timeline here.
Jeer 1:
The hero is so ott in love with the 18 year old heroine that he engages her in some very heavy petting that could have lead to her de-virgination. She makes a little bit of a gasp, which brings him to his senses, so he dives into the water to calm his libido down. When he gets out of the water, in true DP fashion, he pushes the h away with insults that will stay with her the rest of her life.
Jeer 2: The hero decides to work out his sexual frustration on/in a model/actress who his filming on his property. He wanted her and she was more than willing. He then squires her about under the h’s nose. The h leaves with her controlling father to pursue a career as a pianist. The H marries the ow after she says she is pregnant. (She isn’t) Of course, this is all good, because the H was giving the h Arabella her freedom to pursue her career, even though he knew her father made Macaulay Culkin’s dad look like the poster child for good parenting. The H is so self sacrificing! It is nice that he was willing to “take one” for the team.
Jeer 3: The H, Ethan, is told by the h that she overheard the ow talking about snagging him so she could have a meal ticket. Now, the H and everyone who knows the h, knows that she is pure, good, and everything that is right with the world. So instead of believing her, he disregards her warning, insults her and carries on with the ow.
Jeer 4: the ow starts running around on her husband at the start of their marriage. She makes disparaging remarks about the H and his bedroom prowess (or lack there of) in front of anyone who will listen, even his mom!! But this leads us to Cheer 1…
Cheer 1: otherwise known as karma, or getting your just deserts(I always thought this was spelled with 2 s’s but not so for this phrase; I love learning new things.) You see our H really really loved the h, and now that he knows that the ow is not pregnant he is no longer able to wiggle his waggle. Even before that, he would shout out the h’s name when he was with the ow.
Cheer 1.5: As a result of cheer 1, the H’s ego takes a huge hit and he thinks he has broken his rod permanently
Jeer 5: The ow basically leaves the H after 6 months of marriage. However, it takes them 4 years to divorce, because she “don’t want to!”
Jeer 6: Without too much detail, the h ends up recuperating at the H’s ranch (her best friend is married to his brother, and the H’s mom adores her). The H has been divorced 3 months and the ow is planning a visit to reconnect with the H. He assures the h he doesn’t want that and asks her to pose as his lover/fiancé’ The ow is not welcomed in his home! The ow shows up in a taxi with 6 suitcases. He WELCOMES HER TO HIS HOME!!! Now if he had been serious, he would have sent her packing and paid for her to have a hotel…he is rich. Why would you allow your viper of an ex to live in your house. No one likes her. You do not owe her anything. How is he so rich? It wasn’t due to smarts that is for sure.
JEER 7: The H makes the moves on the h. Yet never affirms/confirms that he loves her. He thinks she may not love him(WTH?) Seriously, I am pretty sure our h is one of those “wears her feelings on her sleeve” type of gal.
Cheer 2; He proposes to the h. Things are looking really good. He wants the whole white wedding regalia. (Why is the ow still here???)
Jeer 8-10:Within 48 hours or less the H breaks off the engagement with the h. She is all dressed up and is obviously money hungry.(because, you know, women never dress up 🙄 ) When she went with his mom to get a wedding dress(at his urging) he had an accident. The ow “called” the h before she left for shopping, but she ignored the plea from the ow. Or at least this is what the ow told the H. You know the same ow that told the H she was pregnant, wouldn’t give him a divorce, emasculated him at every turn etc…But NO! She is now changed because she sat by him all day while he was concussed. she also had a heart to heart with the H that morning about being knocked up by her current boyfriend but she doesn’t think he would want the baby so she left to come and get the H to marry her again. Oh hell yeah, quite the paragon!!!!
Cheer 3: this just goes to show that not all future mother in laws think their sons are the cat’s meow. She basically tells her son he is stupid and doesn’t deserve the h’s love. The h has always been good, while the ow has been manipulative and devious.
Jeer 11: The ow goes to the H the next morning and tells him she lied. (Aren’t you suppose to be the unrelenting ow? evil ow’s need to stay evil.) Instead we get a sentence about the ow’s sad story of woe and why she is so cruel to the male race. (Look I am not trying to discount being sexually abused as a child, BUT I also do not think it should be used as a toss away comment to garner sympathy for a character whose job was to cause havoc)She is very sorry for all the problems she caused…she kisses him…the h sees this on the way to the H’s room to tell him she is leaving.
Cheer 4: The h leaves the hero. Yep, and honey you should stay away. Fair warning though, you best get out of Jacobsville, because one thing I have learned about Jacobsville is that it is full of cruel angry men. So go tart yourself up in Houston and rid yourself of that pesky virginity.
Jeer 12: H feels bad. He thinks he has lost the h forever. He is pretty sure she will never take him back so instead of going after her like a man in love would, He chooses to play happy exes with the ow, while she waits for her happy ending to arrive(her boyfriend wants her and the baby, plus he is rich) He does such a good job at being friends with his ex that his family believes that he is going to remarry the ex as well.
Jeer 13: h contacts her controlling, money manager father who couldn’t even bother to see how she was recuperating from her accident. Get this: the daddy has a hard luck story just like the ow did, so now we as a reader are supposed to forgive him as well! Um, no…NEXT
Jeer 14: H finally comes to the h and she willingly goes back with him to the ranch even though she still thinks he loves the ow. The H doesn’t think the h loves him but hopes she will at some point. AGAIN…are you two characters in the same book I am reading? It is obvious you each love each other!
Jeer 15: The ow goes to leave with her new man, and the H is just so happy that they are now friends.
Really? You are friends? Are you and the h going to send her christmas cards? Get together for family vacations? I realize this friends with your exes is all the rage on tik tok, but usually it is because there are kids involved.
Jeer 16: It takes their wedding night and the last couple of pages before these 2 to finally confirmed what we already knew…they love each other! Oh, and the H is very happy his waggle wiggles as is the h….pretty sure she is pregnant already!
Cheer 5: These two will be together forever, because they really cannot function otherwise. Quite honestly it is probably best they do not mingle much with others in case stupidity is catching.
And now that I have purged myself of this book, I realize that this is a 2 star. I will need to readjust!
February 20, 2019
2 stars
Arabella has to be the stupidest heroine I've ever read. She was an amazing musician but a dumb girl, I swear. She wasn't the brightess cookie on the jar and Ethan wasn't so far behind.
So this was the typical 'I'll seduce you because I want you and then I'll throw you away so I can marry a more mature, beautiful woman. You can stay a virgin because even if I want you, I don't see myself marrying an eighteen year old virgin who's being controlled by her father.' Obviously Ethan's plan backfires, he —finally— gets a divorce and comes back to Javobsville a sour, angry man who doesn't trust women anymore.
Buu, you poor thing.
And even when he makes an effort to demostrate his feelings to Arabella, she's too busy thinking that he only wants his ex-wife, that he's just using her. I swear she sounded like a broken record. He could say he liked the color blue and she said something stupid like 'you like color blue because it reminds you of her'.
GIRL, SERIOUSLY??
But well Ethan didn't do things right most of the time, either. I mean, Miriam is your ex-wife whom you hate very much. Why would you allow her to visit and stay in your house?
This was a clusterfuck of a book, full of misunderstandings. My head hurts right now and I want to kill something.
Arabella has to be the stupidest heroine I've ever read. She was an amazing musician but a dumb girl, I swear. She wasn't the brightess cookie on the jar and Ethan wasn't so far behind.
So this was the typical 'I'll seduce you because I want you and then I'll throw you away so I can marry a more mature, beautiful woman. You can stay a virgin because even if I want you, I don't see myself marrying an eighteen year old virgin who's being controlled by her father.' Obviously Ethan's plan backfires, he —finally— gets a divorce and comes back to Javobsville a sour, angry man who doesn't trust women anymore.
Buu, you poor thing.
And even when he makes an effort to demostrate his feelings to Arabella, she's too busy thinking that he only wants his ex-wife, that he's just using her. I swear she sounded like a broken record. He could say he liked the color blue and she said something stupid like 'you like color blue because it reminds you of her'.
GIRL, SERIOUSLY??
But well Ethan didn't do things right most of the time, either. I mean, Miriam is your ex-wife whom you hate very much. Why would you allow her to visit and stay in your house?
This was a clusterfuck of a book, full of misunderstandings. My head hurts right now and I want to kill something.
October 27, 2022
1,5 ✨
Again, things happening too fast but slowly at the same time and the worst end ever.
Again, things happening too fast but slowly at the same time and the worst end ever.
December 18, 2022
Ethan and Ara(Bella)
I absolutely hated it. The MMC seduced the FMC 4 years previously and almost had sex but then he stopped and told her he was just playing with her. Then he almost immediately slept with OW and she said he got her pregnant so they married. She wasn't and started cheating on him, so he became impotent (he slept with the OW imaging she was the FMC and became impotent after the OW told him he was saying FMC name when they had sex). They divorce and Then FMC is back and now he wants her but uses her to try and keep cheating OW away and they get engaged. He had an accident and believes OW that FMC did something she didn't and the stupid MFer believes the CHEATING ex-wife over the woman he has known almost his whole life and never once did something wrong to him.
I hate this one so so so much. MMC told FMC that he wanted her more than any other woman that day but then he could immediately go to the OW and have sex with her apparently not use protection. This guy is for sure going to cheat on her because it's just "wanting" it doesn't mean anything. Sure that happens IRL but in books I DO NOT WANT IT.
I had high hopes in the beginning of book that he never slept with the OW and only married her so FMC would leave and not be tied down by him, but those hopes crashed and burned Mid book. I don't care if FMC believes it happened to further the story as long as it didn't actually happen. NP.
** Also how the F does he just let the cheating ex-wife stay in his house and like a little puppy pay for her cab??? He's absolutely PATHETIC
I absolutely hated it. The MMC seduced the FMC 4 years previously and almost had sex but then he stopped and told her he was just playing with her. Then he almost immediately slept with OW and she said he got her pregnant so they married. She wasn't and started cheating on him, so he became impotent (he slept with the OW imaging she was the FMC and became impotent after the OW told him he was saying FMC name when they had sex). They divorce and Then FMC is back and now he wants her but uses her to try and keep cheating OW away and they get engaged. He had an accident and believes OW that FMC did something she didn't and the stupid MFer believes the CHEATING ex-wife over the woman he has known almost his whole life and never once did something wrong to him.
I hate this one so so so much. MMC told FMC that he wanted her more than any other woman that day but then he could immediately go to the OW and have sex with her apparently not use protection. This guy is for sure going to cheat on her because it's just "wanting" it doesn't mean anything. Sure that happens IRL but in books I DO NOT WANT IT.
I had high hopes in the beginning of book that he never slept with the OW and only married her so FMC would leave and not be tied down by him, but those hopes crashed and burned Mid book. I don't care if FMC believes it happened to further the story as long as it didn't actually happen. NP.
** Also how the F does he just let the cheating ex-wife stay in his house and like a little puppy pay for her cab??? He's absolutely PATHETIC
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2015
Esta es una historia similar a todas las de Diana Palmer... y claro, si hablamos de esta serie de libros en particular. Arabella está OBSESIONADA con Miriam, de verdad, es estresante de leer que se la pasa lamentandose y cuánta cosa más.
Ethan, como los demás machos de DP, es arrogante, dice cosas hirientes pero aún así, lo terminamos amando justo como la boba de la protagonista.
Arabella es virgen (que raro) pero un poco más vieja que las demás protas de los demás libros (4 años sigue siendo muy joven) y Ethan la ama pero no lo puede aceptar, etc,etc. Hay secretos y otras cosas que el lector deberá descubrir por si mismo.
Si eres un fan de DP y de esta serie de libros, entonces este libro te va a gustar.
Ethan, como los demás machos de DP, es arrogante, dice cosas hirientes pero aún así, lo terminamos amando justo como la boba de la protagonista.
Arabella es virgen (que raro) pero un poco más vieja que las demás protas de los demás libros (4 años sigue siendo muy joven) y Ethan la ama pero no lo puede aceptar, etc,etc. Hay secretos y otras cosas que el lector deberá descubrir por si mismo.
Si eres un fan de DP y de esta serie de libros, entonces este libro te va a gustar.
April 25, 2025
Lettura Amatoriale
Ethan Hardeman Arabella Craig
Lei Pianista Concertista – Lui Proprietario di Ranch, conoscente dei Ballenger, Shelby e Justin appariranno alla fine del libro, Calhoun ed Abby vengono solo menzionati.
Ethan Hardeman Arabella Craig
Lei Pianista Concertista – Lui Proprietario di Ranch, conoscente dei Ballenger, Shelby e Justin appariranno alla fine del libro, Calhoun ed Abby vengono solo menzionati.
August 13, 2017
I hated the h so much that I only skimmed through the book just to get this off my to-read list! She is a dumb twit & she kept throwing mariam (OW) onto Ethan in almost all their scenes. She is blind as a bat and irritated the hell out of me with her statements about OW and H!!
October 25, 2012
2.5 stars
May 20, 2018
Estos hombres de los 80s me cuentan mucho, debe ser que me he vuelto muy moderna. Además fijo todos murieron de cáncer de pulmón.
July 3, 2023
Ethan is a strange man who ruins lives. The poor h spends the majority of the book in complete confusion at his behavior, and so did I.
When our h is 18 he part-way seduces her at the watering hole, before turning on her, being really mean and telling her she's 100% not his kind of woman and he enjoys his freedom too much to get trapped. He then immediately runs off and starts hooking up with a model. The h tries to warn him the model openly admitted she's using him for his money, he yells at her, calls her a jealous liar, tells her to get out of his life and never come back - basically throwing rocks at her to make her go away. He then marries the model within two weeks of having met her. Their marriage is a total failure and he spends 4 years being impotent and despised (good as far as I'm concerned)
Later in the book we are supposed to believe these are the actions of a man who was madly in love with our h the whole time, a man who let her be free because he cared so much about her having a life, a man who married the model as a substitute for the h because.... why?
He could have just married the woman who loved him and whom he loved and supported her career since he's mega rich. But no, for some inexplicable reason he had to yell and scream at her and drive her away and call her names and break her heart... for NO REASON. Then spend the whole book playing push and pull with her, chasing her off, pulling her back in, and generally acting like a complete lunatic. He also treats her badly, accuses her of lying AGAIN and never once days sorry.
Ethan was a bit too erratic, mean spirited and selfish for me to ever like. He ruined the models life because he married her as a substitute then refused to love her, and he ruined the h's life by chasing her away. Boo Ethan, boo!
When our h is 18 he part-way seduces her at the watering hole, before turning on her, being really mean and telling her she's 100% not his kind of woman and he enjoys his freedom too much to get trapped. He then immediately runs off and starts hooking up with a model. The h tries to warn him the model openly admitted she's using him for his money, he yells at her, calls her a jealous liar, tells her to get out of his life and never come back - basically throwing rocks at her to make her go away. He then marries the model within two weeks of having met her. Their marriage is a total failure and he spends 4 years being impotent and despised (good as far as I'm concerned)
Later in the book we are supposed to believe these are the actions of a man who was madly in love with our h the whole time, a man who let her be free because he cared so much about her having a life, a man who married the model as a substitute for the h because.... why?
He could have just married the woman who loved him and whom he loved and supported her career since he's mega rich. But no, for some inexplicable reason he had to yell and scream at her and drive her away and call her names and break her heart... for NO REASON. Then spend the whole book playing push and pull with her, chasing her off, pulling her back in, and generally acting like a complete lunatic. He also treats her badly, accuses her of lying AGAIN and never once days sorry.
Ethan was a bit too erratic, mean spirited and selfish for me to ever like. He ruined the models life because he married her as a substitute then refused to love her, and he ruined the h's life by chasing her away. Boo Ethan, boo!
March 13, 2025
Diana Palmer never misses out on winning the Gloriously Bad Hall of Fame Prize for writing romance and her 1990 offering Ethan is no exception. At this point, I only pick her books when I am in the mood for a rage-reading and a big ranty review. Honestly though, I can't even bring myself to write too much here because this book was so blah. If you are unfamiliar with DP's extensive oeuvre, her blueprint is 99.99999% the following:
-a cranky hero who is disgustingly rude and cruel to the woman he supposedly loves but all doe-eyed and fawning over the vicious, skanky OW who is obviously more his type and who he will always remain subservient to, no matter how much she cuckolds and humiliates him, again, and again, and again, and again, and....
-a wide-eyed idiot virgin heroine who worships the ground the hero walks on and has a huge inferiority complex towards the OW as well as she should because she will always, always be the second-best choice for the hero, despite all his protestations
-a slutty, lying, manipulating, Mean-Girl, hard-boiled, vicious, abusive, potentially homicidal OW who walks away the big winner at the end, usually with a happy marriage to a better partner and/or by the author magically turning her in the last chapter into a Nice Misunderstood Girl who deserves her rainbow and unicorn happily-ever-after ending
Ethan follows that blueprint to a tee. The only difference being the characters' names and occupations, in this case a rancher (hero), a concert pianist (heroine), and a fashion model (OW).
Happy Rage-Reading!
-a cranky hero who is disgustingly rude and cruel to the woman he supposedly loves but all doe-eyed and fawning over the vicious, skanky OW who is obviously more his type and who he will always remain subservient to, no matter how much she cuckolds and humiliates him, again, and again, and again, and again, and....
-a wide-eyed idiot virgin heroine who worships the ground the hero walks on and has a huge inferiority complex towards the OW as well as she should because she will always, always be the second-best choice for the hero, despite all his protestations
-a slutty, lying, manipulating, Mean-Girl, hard-boiled, vicious, abusive, potentially homicidal OW who walks away the big winner at the end, usually with a happy marriage to a better partner and/or by the author magically turning her in the last chapter into a Nice Misunderstood Girl who deserves her rainbow and unicorn happily-ever-after ending
Ethan follows that blueprint to a tee. The only difference being the characters' names and occupations, in this case a rancher (hero), a concert pianist (heroine), and a fashion model (OW).
Happy Rage-Reading!
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