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Long, Tall Texans #49
Unbridled
A lone wolf takes on the threat endangering everything he loves in an unforgettable story in the sensational Long, Tall Texans series
Widowed Texas Ranger and single dad John Ruiz hardened his heart years ago. Day after day, he tracks the roughest criminals in the Lone Star State, leaving little room for love. So when John butts heads with the beautiful nurse who’s helping his young son, he’s floored by how quickly the sparks fly.
Ever since her mother’s and brother’s brutal murders, Sunny Marlowe has devoted her life to helping save others. Adorable Tonio Ruiz is just another youngster she’s trying to help—or so she tells herself. Little does she know he’s John’s son. When her life comes under fire, can one mysterious rancher rescue her?
Widowed Texas Ranger and single dad John Ruiz hardened his heart years ago. Day after day, he tracks the roughest criminals in the Lone Star State, leaving little room for love. So when John butts heads with the beautiful nurse who’s helping his young son, he’s floored by how quickly the sparks fly.
Ever since her mother’s and brother’s brutal murders, Sunny Marlowe has devoted her life to helping save others. Adorable Tonio Ruiz is just another youngster she’s trying to help—or so she tells herself. Little does she know he’s John’s son. When her life comes under fire, can one mysterious rancher rescue her?
384 pages, Paperback
First published May 28, 2019
548 people are currently reading
459 people want to read
About the author
Diana Palmer
1,038 books3,098 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Diana Palmer is a pseudonym for author Susan Kyle.
(1)romance author
Susan Eloise Spaeth was born on 11 December 1946 in Cuthbert, Georgia, USA. She was the eldest daughter of Maggie Eloise Cliatt, a nurse and also journalist, and William Olin Spaeth, a college professor. Her mother was part of the women's liberation movement many years before it became fashionable. Her best friends are her mother and her sister, Dannis Spaeth (Cole), who now has two daughters, Amanda Belle Hofstetter and Maggie and lives in Utah. Susan grew up reading Zane Grey and fell in love with cowboys. Susan is a former newspaper reporter, with sixteen years experience on both daily and weekly newspapers. Since 1972, she has been married to James Kyle and have since settled down in Cornelia, Georgia, where she started to write romance novels. Susan and her husband have one son, Blayne Edward, born in 1980.
She began selling romances in 1979 as Diana Palmer. She also used the pseudonyms Diana Blayne and Katy Currie, and her married name: Susan Kyle. Now, she has over 40 million copies of her books in print, which have been translated and published around the world. She is listed in numerous publications, including Contemporary Authors by Gale Research, Inc., Twentieth Century Romance and Historical Writers by St. James Press, The Writers Directory by St. James Press, the International Who's Who of Authors and Writers by Meirose Press, Ltd., and Love's Leading Ladies by Kathryn Falk. Her awards include seven Waldenbooks national sales awards, four B. Dalton national sales awards, two Bookrak national sales awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award for series storytelling from Romantic Times, several Affaire de Coeur awards, and two regional RWA awards.
Inspired by her husband, who quit a blue-collar manufacturing job to return to school and get his diploma in computer programming, Susan herself went back to college as a day student at the age of 45. In 1995, she graduated summa cum laude from Piedmont College, Demorest, GA, with a major in history and a double minor in archaeology and Spanish. She was named to two honor societies (the Torch Club and Alpha Chi), and was named to the National Dean's List. In addition to her writing projects, she is currently working on her master's degree in history at California State University. She hopes to specialize in Native American studies. She is a member of the Native American Rights Fund, the American Museum of Natural History, the National Cattlemen's Association, the Archaeological Institute of Amenca, the Planetary Society, The Georgia Conservancy, the Georgia Sheriff's Association, and numerous conservation and charitable organizations. Her hobbies include gardening, archaeology, anthropology, iguanas, astronomy and music.
In 1998, her husband retired from his own computer business and now pursues skeet shooting medals in local, state, national and international competition. They love riding around and looking at the countryside, watching sci-fi on TV and at the movies, just talking and eating out.
Diana Palmer is a pseudonym for author Susan Kyle.
(1)romance author
Susan Eloise Spaeth was born on 11 December 1946 in Cuthbert, Georgia, USA. She was the eldest daughter of Maggie Eloise Cliatt, a nurse and also journalist, and William Olin Spaeth, a college professor. Her mother was part of the women's liberation movement many years before it became fashionable. Her best friends are her mother and her sister, Dannis Spaeth (Cole), who now has two daughters, Amanda Belle Hofstetter and Maggie and lives in Utah. Susan grew up reading Zane Grey and fell in love with cowboys. Susan is a former newspaper reporter, with sixteen years experience on both daily and weekly newspapers. Since 1972, she has been married to James Kyle and have since settled down in Cornelia, Georgia, where she started to write romance novels. Susan and her husband have one son, Blayne Edward, born in 1980.
She began selling romances in 1979 as Diana Palmer. She also used the pseudonyms Diana Blayne and Katy Currie, and her married name: Susan Kyle. Now, she has over 40 million copies of her books in print, which have been translated and published around the world. She is listed in numerous publications, including Contemporary Authors by Gale Research, Inc., Twentieth Century Romance and Historical Writers by St. James Press, The Writers Directory by St. James Press, the International Who's Who of Authors and Writers by Meirose Press, Ltd., and Love's Leading Ladies by Kathryn Falk. Her awards include seven Waldenbooks national sales awards, four B. Dalton national sales awards, two Bookrak national sales awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award for series storytelling from Romantic Times, several Affaire de Coeur awards, and two regional RWA awards.
Inspired by her husband, who quit a blue-collar manufacturing job to return to school and get his diploma in computer programming, Susan herself went back to college as a day student at the age of 45. In 1995, she graduated summa cum laude from Piedmont College, Demorest, GA, with a major in history and a double minor in archaeology and Spanish. She was named to two honor societies (the Torch Club and Alpha Chi), and was named to the National Dean's List. In addition to her writing projects, she is currently working on her master's degree in history at California State University. She hopes to specialize in Native American studies. She is a member of the Native American Rights Fund, the American Museum of Natural History, the National Cattlemen's Association, the Archaeological Institute of Amenca, the Planetary Society, The Georgia Conservancy, the Georgia Sheriff's Association, and numerous conservation and charitable organizations. Her hobbies include gardening, archaeology, anthropology, iguanas, astronomy and music.
In 1998, her husband retired from his own computer business and now pursues skeet shooting medals in local, state, national and international competition. They love riding around and looking at the countryside, watching sci-fi on TV and at the movies, just talking and eating out.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
July 21, 2018
Audiobook review. 3.5 Stars. This book was one big case of two people with poor communication skills but let me tell you that it didn’t stop me from enjoying it. John and Sunny follow the trademark Diana Palmer formula for the most part but they are a little more modern (outside of the sexual scope of course).
The plot was interesting and there were connections all over the place with previous books. The characters were fleshed out well. The secondary characters used efficiently to keep the story moving at a good pace.
Diana tends to make her female leads a little on the meek side with random spurts of bravery but Sunny was solid throughout most of the book. Then we get to the big misunderstanding and all of the sudden she’s lost her spine. Sigh. It was going so well, too.
The narrators were a decent match but the tone got really low in places that didn’t call for it. The Spanish pronunciations weren’t always correct either. However, the voices did match the characters and the pacing suited me.
I’ve read Palmer books for years and I have come to know what to expect. I’ve not been surprised by anything to be honest but I also know I can rely on her when I’m in a particular mood. This was a good match for the mood.
The plot was interesting and there were connections all over the place with previous books. The characters were fleshed out well. The secondary characters used efficiently to keep the story moving at a good pace.
Diana tends to make her female leads a little on the meek side with random spurts of bravery but Sunny was solid throughout most of the book. Then we get to the big misunderstanding and all of the sudden she’s lost her spine. Sigh. It was going so well, too.
The narrators were a decent match but the tone got really low in places that didn’t call for it. The Spanish pronunciations weren’t always correct either. However, the voices did match the characters and the pacing suited me.
I’ve read Palmer books for years and I have come to know what to expect. I’ve not been surprised by anything to be honest but I also know I can rely on her when I’m in a particular mood. This was a good match for the mood.
January 19, 2021
The romance between the Texas Ranger hero and the pediatric nurse heroine was solid, but the story was weighed down by the crime(s) hero was trying to solve and the frequent interruptions from all of DP’s previous cop/mercenary characters. Honestly, there were more cameos than an episode of Love Boat. (Sorry, boomer reference)
The story takes place in San Antonio – not unusual for DP – what’s new is that the hero commutes daily from Comanche Wells! (Is there a new interstate that reduces the commute to under a half hour? Or did she move Jacobsville? Hmmmm) Hero's 12 year-old son also commutes to an “alternative” school in San Antonio after he hit a Jacobsville teacher and was expelled.
Yup. The little cherub has been running wild since his beloved mother died and his tool of a father spends all of his time working. His father does not need to work since he is the heir to a fortune that includes Brazilian cattle ranches, etc. . . No one knows he’s independently wealthy – not even his child.
Dear old dad dated a woman from work and that’s what made his son lash out. So now dad is resentful he can’t date – even though he’s convinced he will never love again.
Enter virgin heroine who is physically and emotionally scarred from the horrific murders of her family. A gang (that the hero is investigating) was responsible. Heroine has to walk home from the hospital to her apartment through their gang territory, but she is poor and can only afford taxis at night. (Yes, she is an RN and she can barely afford clothes.)
The H/h meet when the hero asks her to dance at the hospital Christmas dance. Heroine refuses because she doesn’t want a pity dance from such a handsome man. Hero thinks she’s racist against Latinos. The other nurses clear it up for the hero and explain about heroine’s low self-esteem and Christian ways.
The heroine meets the hero’s son when he has an encounter with a gang member outside of his alternative school. Heroine rescues him and they bond over hot chocolate in the hospital cafeteria.
Hero’s son keeps showing up to have a snack with the heroine in the cafeteria. Heroine thinks the father is a busy businessman and feels sorry for the son.
Meanwhile hero is putting the moves on the heroine - they eat out together and talk about movies they like, etc . . .
All these misunderstandings are fun to read, since the reader is waiting for that proverbial penny to drop.
Suffice it to say – the big reveal takes place
Eventually, it all works out and the H/h plus son combine to make a big happy family. Son forgives his father’s neglect and lies for an HEA. How you feel about bad parenting/stereotypes about gangs/and revisiting DP’s other characters will determine your enjoyment of the story.
Diana Palmer checklist:
Hairy chest yes
Breast Description small - and one is scarred from gang shootout
Cigarettes/gaming H’s son games and swears online
Alcohol no
Town Descriptions Barbara’s café, bandstand for dancing, H’s son was kicked out of Jacobsville Middle School
Gardenia Scent Wild flowers!
LOL detail Listing of all the great dancers of the tango in Jacobsville. By coincidence, they are all previous characters from other books.
Cutesy detail secretary/boss banter, banter between all the cops about losing their temper at work with “hilarious” results.
DP hobbyhorse organic farming/beef production, religion is best for what ails you (poverty, drugs, abuse, grief), sci-fi and cartoon movies are the only things worth watching.
DP is trolling us
“Wow. We hear all sorts of rumors about people in Jacobsville,” she added. “Is it true that your police chief used to be a government assassin?”
“It is,” he said, eyes dancing. “We have a whole complement of ex-black ops and military people, as well as retired mercs."
The story takes place in San Antonio – not unusual for DP – what’s new is that the hero commutes daily from Comanche Wells! (Is there a new interstate that reduces the commute to under a half hour? Or did she move Jacobsville? Hmmmm) Hero's 12 year-old son also commutes to an “alternative” school in San Antonio after he hit a Jacobsville teacher and was expelled.
Yup. The little cherub has been running wild since his beloved mother died and his tool of a father spends all of his time working. His father does not need to work since he is the heir to a fortune that includes Brazilian cattle ranches, etc. . . No one knows he’s independently wealthy – not even his child.
Dear old dad dated a woman from work and that’s what made his son lash out. So now dad is resentful he can’t date – even though he’s convinced he will never love again.
Enter virgin heroine who is physically and emotionally scarred from the horrific murders of her family. A gang (that the hero is investigating) was responsible. Heroine has to walk home from the hospital to her apartment through their gang territory, but she is poor and can only afford taxis at night. (Yes, she is an RN and she can barely afford clothes.)
The H/h meet when the hero asks her to dance at the hospital Christmas dance. Heroine refuses because she doesn’t want a pity dance from such a handsome man. Hero thinks she’s racist against Latinos. The other nurses clear it up for the hero and explain about heroine’s low self-esteem and Christian ways.
The heroine meets the hero’s son when he has an encounter with a gang member outside of his alternative school. Heroine rescues him and they bond over hot chocolate in the hospital cafeteria.
Hero’s son keeps showing up to have a snack with the heroine in the cafeteria. Heroine thinks the father is a busy businessman and feels sorry for the son.
Meanwhile hero is putting the moves on the heroine - they eat out together and talk about movies they like, etc . . .
All these misunderstandings are fun to read, since the reader is waiting for that proverbial penny to drop.
Suffice it to say – the big reveal takes place
Eventually, it all works out and the H/h plus son combine to make a big happy family. Son forgives his father’s neglect and lies for an HEA. How you feel about bad parenting/stereotypes about gangs/and revisiting DP’s other characters will determine your enjoyment of the story.
Diana Palmer checklist:
Hairy chest yes
Breast Description small - and one is scarred from gang shootout
Cigarettes/gaming H’s son games and swears online
Alcohol no
Town Descriptions Barbara’s café, bandstand for dancing, H’s son was kicked out of Jacobsville Middle School
Gardenia Scent Wild flowers!
LOL detail Listing of all the great dancers of the tango in Jacobsville. By coincidence, they are all previous characters from other books.
Cutesy detail secretary/boss banter, banter between all the cops about losing their temper at work with “hilarious” results.
DP hobbyhorse organic farming/beef production, religion is best for what ails you (poverty, drugs, abuse, grief), sci-fi and cartoon movies are the only things worth watching.
DP is trolling us
“Wow. We hear all sorts of rumors about people in Jacobsville,” she added. “Is it true that your police chief used to be a government assassin?”
“It is,” he said, eyes dancing. “We have a whole complement of ex-black ops and military people, as well as retired mercs."
November 16, 2025
I know its strange to say about a story based on a Texas Ranger trying to take down a gang...But, Unbridled is one of those feel good, touching romances about not just 2 people finding love but 3...John, Sunny and Tonio, John's son, all find the one thing to fill the hole in their lives and it was a wonderful read watching it play out.
I received this ARC copy of Unbridled from HARLEQUIN - Romance (U.S. & Canada) - HQN Books. This is my honest and voluntary review. Unbridled is set for publication June 26, 2018.
I received this ARC copy of Unbridled from HARLEQUIN - Romance (U.S. & Canada) - HQN Books. This is my honest and voluntary review. Unbridled is set for publication June 26, 2018.
June 27, 2018
Another gem by Diana Palmer. Heroine was your typical Diana Palmer heroine which means she was sweet, innocent and loving. Loved the angst, the passion and the super romantic HEA! I especially loved hero’s crazy jealousy and possessiveness.
July 1, 2018
More of the same.
Our heroine is a virgin, alone in the world, poor and not beautiful. I found it odd that she was so poor because I always thought the nurses had a good salary.
The only plausible explanation would be that she had debts, but that is not clear.
Our hero is the typical male of the author, he is handsome and of Latin origin. He neglects his son and is totally focused on work. But our hero does not see what's going on under his nose in his own house.
He and his son do not communicate and the boy suffers because of it.
The story of this book is very similar to the others in this series. Nothing new or different.
An ok story that will please the author's fans.
PS: I highlighted the characters from the previous books in the series that have a small participation or are mentioned in the story. Whoever follows the series from the beginning will find it interesting. I particularly like it when characters loved by readers appear.
Our heroine is a virgin, alone in the world, poor and not beautiful. I found it odd that she was so poor because I always thought the nurses had a good salary.
The only plausible explanation would be that she had debts, but that is not clear.
Our hero is the typical male of the author, he is handsome and of Latin origin. He neglects his son and is totally focused on work. But our hero does not see what's going on under his nose in his own house.
He and his son do not communicate and the boy suffers because of it.
The story of this book is very similar to the others in this series. Nothing new or different.
An ok story that will please the author's fans.
PS: I highlighted the characters from the previous books in the series that have a small participation or are mentioned in the story. Whoever follows the series from the beginning will find it interesting. I particularly like it when characters loved by readers appear.
But it was the same as always. She was alone, because she was too shy to push herself into one of the many small groups and engage in conversation. She lived alone, stayed alone, was resigned to being alone for the rest of her life.
Her hair was her one good quality. It was straight and pretty when she left it long, and it fell to her waist in back.
Her father had taught her all the exotic Latin dances
He was gorgeous! Tall, olive-complexioned, elegant, with powerful long legs and a face that would have graced a magazine cover. He had a very masculine face, with a chiseled, sensuous mouth. Black eyes danced under a rakishly tilted cream-colored Stetson,
She’d never been so close to a man in her adult life, and it shocked her, how much she liked it.
Marcus Carrera might have been a mobster at one time, but he was a man with a huge heart.
Sunny had only dated once in high school, and the date had been a disaster. She still shivered with misery, thinking about what had happened.
He wondered what it was about her that made him feel hungry. She wasn’t beautiful. She was small breasted and tall, almost elegant. But that hair, that gorgeous, beautiful, sexy hair, made her far more attractive than she realized.
I understand that Senior FBI Agent Jon Blackhawk taught the crime unit guys some brand-new words when he saw the victim.”
“And here we are again, Ruiz,” Alice Mayfield Jones Fowler teased. “We were just together last week on another homicide. We really have to stop meeting like this. My husband thinks I have a secret yen for you.”
John had loved little Maria, his wife. But it had never been the sort of passionate love they showed in movies. It had been more a relationship between good friends.
He liked that. She wasn’t beautiful, but he thought she was pretty, with her long blond hair and big brown eyes and sweet smile.
Cal Hollister was a good man, with a kind heart.
“Well, I’d better send my psychologist home. She gets paid by the hour.” He shivered. “Keeps snakes.” Hollister’s eyes widened. “Emma Cain.”
Merrie York. She takes the shift when you’re off, doesn’t she?”
“I know her brother, Stuart,” he said. “We have a mutual friend, Hayes Carson, who’s sheriff down in Jacobs County.”
“Former enforcer,” John replied. “He’s the son of Dane Lassiter, who heads a well-known Houston detective agency. From what we hear, the son is actually a fed working several undercover cases with international perpetrators.”
“She said that people came into your life because you needed them to. Some people make you happy. Some make you sad. But there’s always a reason. There are no coincidences.”
Sgt. Colter Banks. He had an office in the basement of Rangers HQ in San Antonio. If anybody could connect something, it would be Banks.
“I’d forgotten all about that. Sheriff Hayes Carson in Jacobsville was shot. An attempt was made on one of the Kirk boys in Wyoming, the one who’d been a Border Patrol agent. Both attempts were made by the same man, the one who’d pinched the shirt and watch from the murdered assistant DA, because he didn’t want them to remember that he’d been wearing the DA’s shirt!”
“He made an attempt on Carlie Blair in Jacobsville as well, didn’t he?” Banks asked.
...you mention it to Cobb, the senior DEA agent in Houston, he starts foaming at the mouth,” John chuckled.
“I know Grier. He was a Texas Ranger some years back.”
“Good man, Garon.”
“It’s something of a contest down in Jacobsville,” he mused. “We have three couples who fight it out on the dance floor. The Griers, the Caldwells, and the Kantors. They’re all accomplished, but the rumor is that Stanton Rourke Kantor and his wife are the true champions.
“My best friend on the ward is Merrie York. Her brother has a ranch in Jacobsville. She knows all the news.”
“Rick Marquez. He’s a lieutenant of detectives. An old friend,” he added with a smile.
“He’s married to one of the most beautiful women in the country. Tippy Moore, she used to be known as when she modeled.”
In fact, Copper Coltrain raised the devil and insisted that the hospital had to have priority. Which it should.” He paused and started smiling.
Cash’s cousin is the state attorney general. If we get any threats to shut down the investigation, he’ll call Simon Hart and we won’t have any more roadblocks. It seems Cash is also related to a US senator.” “Calhoun Ballenger.” Hayes nodded.
“It helps when we get stonewalled. The other US senator from Texas, Fowler, is the father of Cy Parks’s foreman, Harley. He’s married to Alice,”
“Colby Lane?” John asked with an amused smile. “Yes. You know him?”
“She’s Jason Pendleton’s stepsister and she’s married to DEA agent Rodrigo Ramirez.” “Glory Ramirez,” Hollister replied, smiling. “She was a crackerjack assistant DA here. I hated to see her relocate to Jacobsville.”
“So Kilraven finally married again, to Winnie Sinclair. Her brother—” “Owns one of the biggest ranches in Jacobs County,” John interrupted.
“Yes, Boone Sinclair,” Rick agreed. “He and his wife, Keely, eat at Mom’s restaurant.”
Blake Kemp, the district attorney, gave John a curious look. “Do you need to talk to me?” “No, I need to talk to Glory,”
“Yes, so Mommy doesn’t have to cook after a long day,” DEA senior agent Rodrigo Ramirez chuckled. He bent to kiss his wife.
“I haven’t had a woman since my wife died. Three years...” His mouth was invasive then, passionate and demanding. “Stop me!”
He was working too hard, putting in too much overtime. He was neglecting his son.
She heard him drive away. And then the guilt began to grow. Once passion grew cold, reality set in. He’d mentioned a future together. But he hadn’t mentioned marriage. Not once.
“Just as well, under the circumstances,” she bit off, flushed and hurt. “You weren’t serious anyway.” “No, I wasn’t,” he lied, wounded and hitting back. “I got what I wanted from you,” he said with a sarcastic smile.
“Nice, but not worth giving up my freedom for. Maybe Hollister’s more your type.” She forced a smile. “Maybe he is,” she said in a haughty tone.
January 20, 2021
Definitely nothing was unbridled, neither the passion nor the action.
June 30, 2018
I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID IT AGAIN!!
Every time I buy a DP book,I swear never again. Yet hope springs eternal, and I bought yet another disappointing book. As usual,the hero is older and devastatingly sensual, while the heroine is a young plain virgin who is 'damaged'. New to the storyline is the use of cell phones, the hero is a widower with a young son, and the antagonists are members of a street gang. Recommended ONLY to devoted fans of DP, those who may enjoy a reunion with characters from previous books and a lengthy retelling of their stories. Save your money and borrow this book from the library!
Every time I buy a DP book,I swear never again. Yet hope springs eternal, and I bought yet another disappointing book. As usual,the hero is older and devastatingly sensual, while the heroine is a young plain virgin who is 'damaged'. New to the storyline is the use of cell phones, the hero is a widower with a young son, and the antagonists are members of a street gang. Recommended ONLY to devoted fans of DP, those who may enjoy a reunion with characters from previous books and a lengthy retelling of their stories. Save your money and borrow this book from the library!
July 14, 2018
Not as crazy as some of her books but not as good as others of hers. I would have been pissed if I spent $$ on this.
I feel like the blurb doesn't even match.
"So when John butts heads with the beautiful nurse who’s helping his young son, he’s floored by how quickly the sparks fly."
Hero never even knew the heroine and his son knew each other until the book was almost over.
I feel like the blurb doesn't even match.
"So when John butts heads with the beautiful nurse who’s helping his young son, he’s floored by how quickly the sparks fly."
Hero never even knew the heroine and his son knew each other until the book was almost over.
June 30, 2018
"Unbridled" is the story of Sunny and John.
Another addition to DP's Long, Tall, Texans series with
-A brooding Latin, widower ranger with a young son Tonio
-An innocent, kind, traumatized by the past pediatric nurse
-Some gang wars and threats
-Friendships, love, and sweet courtship
-Some evil people drama and facing a difficult past
-Lies by omission
-Mild angst
-HEA
If you've been a long standing fan of this series like me, this will give you exactly what you expected with new age lingo, but still containing hairy chests, innocent virgins and a lot of pure love.
Safe
4/5
p.s. the cover is a bit misleading- as though its mentioned H has a farm and cattle, by profession, he is a policeman
August 11, 2022
So this book was 3 stars for me. The Hero is just an awful f*cking father....like my heart hurt for his kid. I can see him totally alienating him when the baby comes. He even made a comment about how he wont work as much now that he has a wife and a baby on the way...WHAT ABOUT HIS 11 YEAR OLD SON!!!!! Good thing the herione loves him (son) or the dad would totally ship him off to military school because he just does not give a f*ck about him
March 8, 2019
This is loosely a "western" set in San Antonio, Texas. Of course the main character is a Ranger who lives and works a cattle ranch. He falls in loves with a long haired young blonde...well you get the idea. (Fyi: the Ranger isn't Chuck Norris;). For the most part I was frustrated: the author was very repetitious in her phrasing, and overly long winded, it was too typical, the characters were too oblivious, and the ending was expected. However, sometimes it's nice when things go perfectly, but I was too much of a cynic by the last 100 pages to really feel overly excited and happy.
July 23, 2018
First, Congratulation Diana Palmer for your 200th book.
Last, It is the end . I am not going to read any books for this author. This book was super boring.
Last, It is the end . I am not going to read any books for this author. This book was super boring.
April 25, 2018
In recent years I have moved away from Diana Palmer books. Until 2 years ago they were my go to and I had read pretty much everything she had released. Reading this book - I cant remember why I stopped reading her. Her books always bring out a range of emotions in me and I often find myself crying part way through and happy again by the end. I look forward to reading the books I have missed in the last 2 years and she will definitely be my go to author when I want a good cry.
July 14, 2018
Took me a minute to get into this one. Once I did I didnt want to put it down. Classic Diana Palmer. Loved it.
June 21, 2019
Even if I don’t like it, I have come to accept now that unlike older Diana Palmer books where the romance would be front and center and everything else would be secondary to the romance, that the newer Diana Palmer books will have the romance be the secondary plot compared to everything else. And if I go in knowing that will be the case, then it will make for a more enjoyable and less disappointing reading experience.
With this book in particular, I really enjoyed the plot line of this book even if the romance between Ruiz and Sunny was at the forefront. It was more suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat with certain puzzle pieces coming into play until it became an entire picture on display. I think what really kept my interest was how they were going to get get the villain, Rado at the end. He provided a legitimate threat to both Tonio and Sunny throughout the story, and it made me want to get his comeuppance in the end. He was a bad boy. It kept me on my toes for sure.
I also really liked the amount of people that where working together in order to bring Rado down. What was even more great about that was the fact that all the agencies that were working together where people that we have come to know and love over the LTT series. There was some great appearances in this story and I enjoyed revisiting some of them and getting updates about them and their spouses and their children. There were lot of children that have been born to these couples and makes me wonder if any of them will have books in the future.
I will say though that even though I remembered the characters and the couples of who was with who, I failed to remember some of their plots in their stories and what brought them together. I do remember that a lot of the stories I wasn’t to fond of because the suspense/danger plot kind of took over with the romance taking a back seat, which I really didn’t care for, like I stated above, so their stories aren’t as fresh in my mind and I kind of thought to myself what what happened in such such’s story and how did it relate to this story. That took me pause for a minute, and it was a little bit annoying even if I did enjoy seeing some familiar characters again. I tend to remember more of the stories where the romance was the focus of the plot compared to the other way around because I know for a lot of them I skimmed and was a little bored with it in a way that I wasn’t bored with this one.
As for the romance between Ruiz and Sunny. It was okay not great. Like the newer Diana Palmer books as I stated their romance took a backseat to everything else. They didn’t spend a lot of time together. There wasn’t a lot of angst until the near end. There was no real tension or build up between them. There wasn’t a lot of getting to know each other scenes either. They had a couple dates. There were a few heated make out scenes and one love scene, but have liked a lot more than I got like Palmer’s older books. There wasn’t much head butting between them until the end before rushing to their happily ever after. I just needed to see them more as a couple.
I enjoyed more the relationship between Tonio and Sunny than Sunny and Ruiz. They had this cute friendship that was built on caring and affection. They just had some really cute scenes in the book together, and I loved seeing their bond grow and the love that was developing between them. They were just really sweet together.
I’m sure if I liked it or not that it took so long for Sunny to find out that Tonio and Ruiz were actually father and son. On the one hand, it kept my interest because it made me wonder how long this information was going to be kept from Sunny and how and when she would find out about it, which added more of the conflict between Ruiz and Sunny because of not knowing this information. But on the other hand, I did find it kind of ridiculous that it took that long for Sunny to find out about father and son. It was like someone tell her already and stop adding to all this unnecessary drama. If she had knew and Tonio knew it was Sunny that Ruiz was interested in it would have cut out all that stress and problems that prevented Sunny and Ruiz to be an actual couple. I get that was the point and was what kept they apart and not have a smooth sailing relationship, but at the same time it felt really unrealistic that she wouldn’t have found out sooner. I liked it, but I didn’t like it if that makes sense.
Overall I enjoyed this one a lot more that other newer Diana Palmer books. Not because the romance was fantastic, or that it reminded me of her old flair that had drew me to her for years upon years, but it was the fact that the storyline was pretty good and didn’t seem to drag on and on and bore me to know end with the drug lords, or whatever plot line would be for whatever book I was reading at the time. This story line was actually interesting and intriguing as they tried to bring down the bad guy Rado. There was a lot of suspense. There was mystery. There were a lot of little pieces that came together that totally made sense to make a complete picture of what was going on. It drew me in, and I was interested to see how all this would play out. I didn’t skim at all in this book, which I have been guilty of doing in some of Diana Palmer’s other newer releases. I also loved the relationship between Tonio and Sunny, which I thought was very sweet and adorable. I loved seeing old favorites coming back and either making an appearance or were mentioned with updates of what they have been up to since the last time we seen them. Didn’t care romance so much because it did take such a backseat to the main plot line that I didn’t see them as much as a couple as I would have liked, therefore it was hard to enjoy the romance because they weren’t together too much. It hard to see them fall in love. It was more stated than felt in my opinion. It was too quick and very unrealistic I think. Tonio and Sunny spent more time together than Ruiz and Sunny did, and for a romance that doesn’t work for me, but I still enjoyed the story regardless of not being a fan of the romance.
I can’t wait for Cal’s story sometime in the future, and I’m also curious to see Clancey and Colter Banks story, which I will get next year when it’s released in paperback.
With this book in particular, I really enjoyed the plot line of this book even if the romance between Ruiz and Sunny was at the forefront. It was more suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat with certain puzzle pieces coming into play until it became an entire picture on display. I think what really kept my interest was how they were going to get get the villain, Rado at the end. He provided a legitimate threat to both Tonio and Sunny throughout the story, and it made me want to get his comeuppance in the end. He was a bad boy. It kept me on my toes for sure.
I also really liked the amount of people that where working together in order to bring Rado down. What was even more great about that was the fact that all the agencies that were working together where people that we have come to know and love over the LTT series. There was some great appearances in this story and I enjoyed revisiting some of them and getting updates about them and their spouses and their children. There were lot of children that have been born to these couples and makes me wonder if any of them will have books in the future.
I will say though that even though I remembered the characters and the couples of who was with who, I failed to remember some of their plots in their stories and what brought them together. I do remember that a lot of the stories I wasn’t to fond of because the suspense/danger plot kind of took over with the romance taking a back seat, which I really didn’t care for, like I stated above, so their stories aren’t as fresh in my mind and I kind of thought to myself what what happened in such such’s story and how did it relate to this story. That took me pause for a minute, and it was a little bit annoying even if I did enjoy seeing some familiar characters again. I tend to remember more of the stories where the romance was the focus of the plot compared to the other way around because I know for a lot of them I skimmed and was a little bored with it in a way that I wasn’t bored with this one.
As for the romance between Ruiz and Sunny. It was okay not great. Like the newer Diana Palmer books as I stated their romance took a backseat to everything else. They didn’t spend a lot of time together. There wasn’t a lot of angst until the near end. There was no real tension or build up between them. There wasn’t a lot of getting to know each other scenes either. They had a couple dates. There were a few heated make out scenes and one love scene, but have liked a lot more than I got like Palmer’s older books. There wasn’t much head butting between them until the end before rushing to their happily ever after. I just needed to see them more as a couple.
I enjoyed more the relationship between Tonio and Sunny than Sunny and Ruiz. They had this cute friendship that was built on caring and affection. They just had some really cute scenes in the book together, and I loved seeing their bond grow and the love that was developing between them. They were just really sweet together.
I’m sure if I liked it or not that it took so long for Sunny to find out that Tonio and Ruiz were actually father and son. On the one hand, it kept my interest because it made me wonder how long this information was going to be kept from Sunny and how and when she would find out about it, which added more of the conflict between Ruiz and Sunny because of not knowing this information. But on the other hand, I did find it kind of ridiculous that it took that long for Sunny to find out about father and son. It was like someone tell her already and stop adding to all this unnecessary drama. If she had knew and Tonio knew it was Sunny that Ruiz was interested in it would have cut out all that stress and problems that prevented Sunny and Ruiz to be an actual couple. I get that was the point and was what kept they apart and not have a smooth sailing relationship, but at the same time it felt really unrealistic that she wouldn’t have found out sooner. I liked it, but I didn’t like it if that makes sense.
Overall I enjoyed this one a lot more that other newer Diana Palmer books. Not because the romance was fantastic, or that it reminded me of her old flair that had drew me to her for years upon years, but it was the fact that the storyline was pretty good and didn’t seem to drag on and on and bore me to know end with the drug lords, or whatever plot line would be for whatever book I was reading at the time. This story line was actually interesting and intriguing as they tried to bring down the bad guy Rado. There was a lot of suspense. There was mystery. There were a lot of little pieces that came together that totally made sense to make a complete picture of what was going on. It drew me in, and I was interested to see how all this would play out. I didn’t skim at all in this book, which I have been guilty of doing in some of Diana Palmer’s other newer releases. I also loved the relationship between Tonio and Sunny, which I thought was very sweet and adorable. I loved seeing old favorites coming back and either making an appearance or were mentioned with updates of what they have been up to since the last time we seen them. Didn’t care romance so much because it did take such a backseat to the main plot line that I didn’t see them as much as a couple as I would have liked, therefore it was hard to enjoy the romance because they weren’t together too much. It hard to see them fall in love. It was more stated than felt in my opinion. It was too quick and very unrealistic I think. Tonio and Sunny spent more time together than Ruiz and Sunny did, and for a romance that doesn’t work for me, but I still enjoyed the story regardless of not being a fan of the romance.
I can’t wait for Cal’s story sometime in the future, and I’m also curious to see Clancey and Colter Banks story, which I will get next year when it’s released in paperback.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this book. I have been reading Diana Palmer books since the 80's and I have always liked them. I really liked this book because it had a lot of characters in it I have read for a long time and it is nice to catch up with some of the Long Tall Texan characters! This is the 46th book in this series.
John Ruiz is a Texas Ranger who lost his wife and is left to raise their son by himself. Tonio Ruiz is his son, a young boy who has had a hard time dealing with his Mother's death, because everything was so good for him and his Dad when she was with them, however now his life has been a series of problems at home and at school as well. His father is never there for him, he is always working and he is called whenever there is an emergency as he is not married. The only time they are together is once in a while at the dinner table, and usually they wind up fighting. Tonio, left to his own devices almost got involved in a gang, and his father does not know his best friend is a gang member.
Sunny Marlowe is a wonderful nurse, and everyone loves her. She is completely alone and at 23 has only gone on one date. Most people do not realize that she is always feeling sad, missing her mother and brother who were murdered right in front of her when they moved into a new apartment. She never walks alone at night to her apartment because she does not want to be targeted by any gang members. The people who moved out of her apartment were having trouble with the local gang and were targeted to be killed. The gang members who were told to do the job did not even know the targets had moved. Sunny works hard t be the best nurse to make her feel good about helping others when she could not even help her mom or brother.
Sunny goes into the cafeteria when she goes to work and she befriends Tonio Ruiz, he is a wonderful boy, who has had to go to school and then be driven home every day by his aunt, as his father John is always working. Sunny is unaware that the Texas Ranger that comes in quite often to check on the criminals brought to the hospital, or the victims is Tonio's Dad.
John and Sunny get into it over a patient, and he does not even realize how much she is protecting his son, until a man he hires tells him of Sunny helping him out when a gang member starts harassing him.
Sunny and John start going out as friends and somehow this casual dating leads to so much more and for once in both their lives they start feeling better and talk about how their pasts have been affecting their everyday life. Is there hope for them in the future? Then there is the problem that Sunny knows his son and talks about Tonio all the time, but she doesn't realize Tonio and John are father and son.
There is a great plot, a lot of emotional angst and a great story that only Diana knows how to write and she brings the plot to a point that had me dying to know how everything was going to turn out. I loved how it ended and I know anyone who reads her series, will love the conclusion as well! If you are new to this author you will love the great way she describes all of her characters, and the dialog is great as well!
I gave this book 5 Stars and can't wait for her next book. I have all of her books and we are talking over 150 books! This author has always been one of my top 5 authors! I would like to thank NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book!
John Ruiz is a Texas Ranger who lost his wife and is left to raise their son by himself. Tonio Ruiz is his son, a young boy who has had a hard time dealing with his Mother's death, because everything was so good for him and his Dad when she was with them, however now his life has been a series of problems at home and at school as well. His father is never there for him, he is always working and he is called whenever there is an emergency as he is not married. The only time they are together is once in a while at the dinner table, and usually they wind up fighting. Tonio, left to his own devices almost got involved in a gang, and his father does not know his best friend is a gang member.
Sunny Marlowe is a wonderful nurse, and everyone loves her. She is completely alone and at 23 has only gone on one date. Most people do not realize that she is always feeling sad, missing her mother and brother who were murdered right in front of her when they moved into a new apartment. She never walks alone at night to her apartment because she does not want to be targeted by any gang members. The people who moved out of her apartment were having trouble with the local gang and were targeted to be killed. The gang members who were told to do the job did not even know the targets had moved. Sunny works hard t be the best nurse to make her feel good about helping others when she could not even help her mom or brother.
Sunny goes into the cafeteria when she goes to work and she befriends Tonio Ruiz, he is a wonderful boy, who has had to go to school and then be driven home every day by his aunt, as his father John is always working. Sunny is unaware that the Texas Ranger that comes in quite often to check on the criminals brought to the hospital, or the victims is Tonio's Dad.
John and Sunny get into it over a patient, and he does not even realize how much she is protecting his son, until a man he hires tells him of Sunny helping him out when a gang member starts harassing him.
Sunny and John start going out as friends and somehow this casual dating leads to so much more and for once in both their lives they start feeling better and talk about how their pasts have been affecting their everyday life. Is there hope for them in the future? Then there is the problem that Sunny knows his son and talks about Tonio all the time, but she doesn't realize Tonio and John are father and son.
There is a great plot, a lot of emotional angst and a great story that only Diana knows how to write and she brings the plot to a point that had me dying to know how everything was going to turn out. I loved how it ended and I know anyone who reads her series, will love the conclusion as well! If you are new to this author you will love the great way she describes all of her characters, and the dialog is great as well!
I gave this book 5 Stars and can't wait for her next book. I have all of her books and we are talking over 150 books! This author has always been one of my top 5 authors! I would like to thank NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book!
April 28, 2018
Unbridled packs quite a punch. From dangerous realism that haunts to heartbreaking romance that heals, Diana Palmer crafts a courageous story of slow moving justice and long awaited romance. Sunny and John know heartache coupled with tragedy. For Sunny, it follows her every waking moment, reminding her not to trust and crushing her ability to hope. For John it drives a wedge between him and his teenage son and forces him to clean up the streets, even as he closes off his heart. When John's job starts to hit too close to home and endanger the people he loves, is when the lone wolf bears his teeth. Now he will stop at nothing to protect the son that he loves and the women he can't forget. Non-stop action is the backdrop for an emotional stunner that is as raw as it unforgettable. Classic Diana Palmer.
June 24, 2018
When I first discovered Diana Palmer, I devoured her Long, Tall Texas series, but it has been a while since I visited that world. I had the opportunity to do so in Unbridled, Long, Tall Texans #49. In it, we get the story of a single dad and the woman trying to help his son.
John Ruiz knows loss. He is now a widowed single father to his son, Tonio and a Texas Ranger. Life has not been easy for him or his son. He loves his son, but his job is very demanding. Feeling adrift, Tonio begins to get involved with a gang.
Sunny Marlowe has had a rough and sad life. After the death of loves ones, she is lonely, sad and working hard to survive. Even so, she is caring and very helpful. She wants to help Tonio in any way she can. When she meets John, there are sparks, even as they take things slowly.
John Ruiz was all kinds of sexy, protective and possessive, while Sunny was sweet, innocent and caring. Unbridled was a quick read that was sexy and had a bit of suspense!
Happy reading!
John Ruiz knows loss. He is now a widowed single father to his son, Tonio and a Texas Ranger. Life has not been easy for him or his son. He loves his son, but his job is very demanding. Feeling adrift, Tonio begins to get involved with a gang.
Sunny Marlowe has had a rough and sad life. After the death of loves ones, she is lonely, sad and working hard to survive. Even so, she is caring and very helpful. She wants to help Tonio in any way she can. When she meets John, there are sparks, even as they take things slowly.
John Ruiz was all kinds of sexy, protective and possessive, while Sunny was sweet, innocent and caring. Unbridled was a quick read that was sexy and had a bit of suspense!
Happy reading!
June 13, 2022
I did not really like this book. The two main characters deserve each other. John, the widowed Texas Ranger was very self absorbed and did not pay nearly enough attention to his 11 year old son. He was also a jealous hot head. I did not related to Sunny at all. There were a lot of characters dropping in from prior books with and updates on people and plots from books I have not read. In addition, not telling people things is my least favorite plot device.
April 19, 2018
Diane Palmer knows how to give her readers a kick in the behind letting them eventually everything will be ok. Unbridled was a sentimental romance between a sexy Texas Ranger John Ruiz and Sunny Marlow. I fell in love with John due to the fact I hardly see many Hispanic male characters and being Hispanic mu self I was imminently drawn to him and not just for his sexy smirk but because he truly was written like a true Hispanic man. Sunny was adorable and I felt for her and wanted to embrace her and let her know life goes on and she deserved to be happy. Diana Palmer captivated me from the very first page and I couldn't wait to see what the end was going to hold.
June 17, 2018
I don’t handle sad stories well, So I spent a good portion of the backstory cringing, but once the story got going I was all in. Enjoyed the resolution a lot and am a sucker for this kind of ending. (Don’t want to post spoilers so i’ll Leave it at that.) Highly recommend.
November 30, 2020
I liked this book. It had some great characters in it and the story line was scary and romantic. A gang war and romance what more could you want. Well maybe a cowboy slash Ranger and a nurse who has lost everyone she cares about.
December 25, 2023
LOTS of other characters here from previous books.
The plot too drawn out for me, therefore boredom set in.
DP is hit & miss author for me. Too many misses in general for me .. but she must be happy about her many loyal readers.
The plot too drawn out for me, therefore boredom set in.
DP is hit & miss author for me. Too many misses in general for me .. but she must be happy about her many loyal readers.
July 2, 2018
From net galley. Had ties to the other series with cross over characters. A lonely nurse finds love with a widowed Texas ranger who has problems at home and gang problems at work. Another well written book in this series in classic Diana Palmer style. Enjoy
July 4, 2018
I posted a review on Amazon that for some reason didn't show up on goodreads . To sum it up it's about plain Jane dumb dora heroine who is a registered pediatric nurse. She has been living for years in an apartment her mother and brother were murdered in by a local gang. Hey the rent is cheap. She has to pass the gang that shot her family to death every day and the lock on her bedroom window doesnt work but again cheap rent.
The drop dead gorgeous hero is a clueless . He works non stop so he doesn't spend any time with his 11 year old motherless juvenile delinquent and can't figure out why he is having a problem with him. He is a Texas ranger on a mission to cleanup gangs in San Antonio since they are murdering people and running drugs. Now I don't mean to be critical but he doesn't even know until practically the last chapter that the h and his son are bff. He is not even aware they know each other. Nor is he aware his son's only other friend is a gang member. Great parenting Sherlock Holmes. Add a star if gang violence and adults that need the 11 year old JD in the story to keep them together is your hot button. Not for me.
The drop dead gorgeous hero is a clueless . He works non stop so he doesn't spend any time with his 11 year old motherless juvenile delinquent and can't figure out why he is having a problem with him. He is a Texas ranger on a mission to cleanup gangs in San Antonio since they are murdering people and running drugs. Now I don't mean to be critical but he doesn't even know until practically the last chapter that the h and his son are bff. He is not even aware they know each other. Nor is he aware his son's only other friend is a gang member. Great parenting Sherlock Holmes. Add a star if gang violence and adults that need the 11 year old JD in the story to keep them together is your hot button. Not for me.
June 28, 2018
Very disappointed, story was a HUGE hodgepodge and for the first time ever, I didn’t care about either of the main characters. I’m a huge fan, this was a long, weak story. I gave it 2 stars because I just could not give Diana Palmer one star.
July 2, 2018
3,5 stars, good but the Hero's far too nice to my liking. Ahaha, I guess it's because I'm so used to read DP's a$$hole Hero, I keep expecting them. But overall, the story's pretty solid and man, Tonio's far more mature than kids his age! Can't wait to read more!
September 8, 2018
Unbridled is the 45th novel in Diana Palmer's Long, Tall Texans series, and if you're new to the series, let me suggest that this is not the place to start. Don't get me wrong, I've been a fan of Ms. Palmer's since I first read one of her books back in the mid-1980s, and her story lines rarely change--the heroine is always a shy, poor, pretty virgin, alone in the world, and they always have some secret shame that prevents them from from ever pursuing the hero, who is always at least a decade older than she--tall, dark and often Latino, with a heavy pelt of chest hair. He's also harsh, judgmental, possessive, jealous, quick to fly off the handle and think the worst of her, and he's usually a rancher, former military, former mercenary or in law enforcement in some way. All of the above are true of this novel as well, and because I thought I knew what to expect from this novel, I was delighted that there was a surprise character I didn't expect, Tonio, as well as a surprise issue brought to the forefront of this novel, and those are the reasons this novel earned a 3-star rating from this reader.
First, let's start with the main character, Suna (Sunny) Wesley, a caring and kind, blonde-haired nurse in a children's hospital in San Antonio, and she meets all the criteria mentioned in the preceding paragraph. She lost her mother and brother to random gang violence when she was just 17 years old, and she's now all alone in the world, she thinks she's plain rather than pretty, and she's harboring a secret that she believes will make her incapable of ever having a relationship with a man. You'll have to read the novel to find out what that reason is.
Next is the hero, John Ruiz, a dedicated police officer who is trying to bring an evil, murderous, violent gang leader, Rado, to justice, but the villain is slippery and has managed to elude law enforcement for some time, primarily because he leaves almost nothing in the way evidence, his gang members always give him fake alibis, and those he's harmed end up dead, striking fear into anyone who'd dare to either cross him or testify against him. John Ruiz is a widower, working long hours, which leaves his 11-year-old son, Tonio, in the care of a housekeeper. John's lack of time for his son causes his son to act out in school, get expelled, and then be relocated from his home in Jacobsville to an alternative school in San Antonio, where Rado and his gang members try to recruit him. The only friend he makes in this school is David, who is a member of the gang, a fact he most certainly doesn't reveal to his father, but when Sunny sees Tonio being hassled on the street by Rado, who has hassled her before, she comes to Tonio's aid, is threatened by Rado, but she soon becomes both Tonio's friend, confidante and protector, one more person he never mentions to his father. When John Ruiz first sees shy, wallflower Sunny at a hospital function, he is instantly attracted, but because of her nature, when she backs away, he wrongly assumes it's because he's Latino, and the two get off to a rocky start.
So, that's the central story in this romance, and while drug issues, law enforcement, and violence do usually crop up in her novels, the addition of gang violence is one I don't recall Ms. Palmer previously addressing. The big plus for me in this story was Tonio, the first time I recall Ms. Palmer making a child the central character around which her novel is written. He was a sweet, troubled yet goodhearted young boy and it was impossible not to fall in love with him.
However, as the story continues, the setting expands between John's police work in San Antonio and his wealthy, land-grant ranch in Jacobsville, Texas, where most of the other novels in Ms. Palmer's Long, Tall Texans series is set. Unfortunately, the plot loses momentum because for some reason I cannot fathom, Ms Palmer introduced so many secondary and tertiary characters who appeared in the previous 44 novels in this series, and the inter-relationships between them--I lost count at 35 of them, left this reader trying to recall who was who, what their part in this story was, why more than a few of them even merited mention, and if it boggled my mind, I can't imagine how a reader new to this series could begin to understand or keep track of the litany of names, branches of law enforcement, former mercenaries, former military, and their wives and children, let alone understand the complicated cases which were the core of her many previous novels.
While I enjoyed the central characters in this novel, the introduction of Tonio, and the fact that Ms. Palmer tackled the subject of gang violence, I think this would have been a far better novel had she self-edited and not included what seemed like half the law enforcement community in the state of Texas. Her depiction of Tonio, and his friendship with Sunny, did, in my opinion, save this novel.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
First, let's start with the main character, Suna (Sunny) Wesley, a caring and kind, blonde-haired nurse in a children's hospital in San Antonio, and she meets all the criteria mentioned in the preceding paragraph. She lost her mother and brother to random gang violence when she was just 17 years old, and she's now all alone in the world, she thinks she's plain rather than pretty, and she's harboring a secret that she believes will make her incapable of ever having a relationship with a man. You'll have to read the novel to find out what that reason is.
Next is the hero, John Ruiz, a dedicated police officer who is trying to bring an evil, murderous, violent gang leader, Rado, to justice, but the villain is slippery and has managed to elude law enforcement for some time, primarily because he leaves almost nothing in the way evidence, his gang members always give him fake alibis, and those he's harmed end up dead, striking fear into anyone who'd dare to either cross him or testify against him. John Ruiz is a widower, working long hours, which leaves his 11-year-old son, Tonio, in the care of a housekeeper. John's lack of time for his son causes his son to act out in school, get expelled, and then be relocated from his home in Jacobsville to an alternative school in San Antonio, where Rado and his gang members try to recruit him. The only friend he makes in this school is David, who is a member of the gang, a fact he most certainly doesn't reveal to his father, but when Sunny sees Tonio being hassled on the street by Rado, who has hassled her before, she comes to Tonio's aid, is threatened by Rado, but she soon becomes both Tonio's friend, confidante and protector, one more person he never mentions to his father. When John Ruiz first sees shy, wallflower Sunny at a hospital function, he is instantly attracted, but because of her nature, when she backs away, he wrongly assumes it's because he's Latino, and the two get off to a rocky start.
So, that's the central story in this romance, and while drug issues, law enforcement, and violence do usually crop up in her novels, the addition of gang violence is one I don't recall Ms. Palmer previously addressing. The big plus for me in this story was Tonio, the first time I recall Ms. Palmer making a child the central character around which her novel is written. He was a sweet, troubled yet goodhearted young boy and it was impossible not to fall in love with him.
However, as the story continues, the setting expands between John's police work in San Antonio and his wealthy, land-grant ranch in Jacobsville, Texas, where most of the other novels in Ms. Palmer's Long, Tall Texans series is set. Unfortunately, the plot loses momentum because for some reason I cannot fathom, Ms Palmer introduced so many secondary and tertiary characters who appeared in the previous 44 novels in this series, and the inter-relationships between them--I lost count at 35 of them, left this reader trying to recall who was who, what their part in this story was, why more than a few of them even merited mention, and if it boggled my mind, I can't imagine how a reader new to this series could begin to understand or keep track of the litany of names, branches of law enforcement, former mercenaries, former military, and their wives and children, let alone understand the complicated cases which were the core of her many previous novels.
While I enjoyed the central characters in this novel, the introduction of Tonio, and the fact that Ms. Palmer tackled the subject of gang violence, I think this would have been a far better novel had she self-edited and not included what seemed like half the law enforcement community in the state of Texas. Her depiction of Tonio, and his friendship with Sunny, did, in my opinion, save this novel.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
June 15, 2018
Review written: June 15, 2018
Star Rating: ★★★☆☆
Heat Rating: ☀☀☼☼☼
An Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book was received free via Netgalley for an honest review.
Palmer's Long, Tall Texans series has spanned more books than I can count and it is still going strong, still mentioning and including characters from books written years ago. Kudos!
Unbridled is the latest installment, a book about a Texas Ranger and a nurse who find themselves caught up in a gang war and in love with each other despite the obstacles. It is a bit disjointed, with the secrets needed to keep the plot running also preventing the cohesion I would have preferred. It's also not a mystery. We know the villain from the outset.
Against the backdrop of cold case murders and new murders, Ruiz (John Ruiz) and Sunny strike up an unlikely romance. Sunny's family was killed by the villain, but they are not the focus of the suspense part of this. Sunny is a typical Palmer heroine: naive, virginal, soft with a hidden backbone. Ruiz is rich as Croesus, a widower, and married to his job which causes problems with his son, Tonio.
Tonio is the glue that holds the entire book together: everything swirls around him and he is integral to the events. It's a shame then that as a character, Tonio isn't very realistic to me. It's also a case of way too much telling and not enough showing as to how Tonio feels. This is an unfortunate recent development in Palmer's style.
The ending of Unbridled is particularly abrupt, as if Palmer suddenly ran into a hard word count limit and voila, it's over. I liked the book well enough, but it didn't wow me or capture me and make me keep reading.
This review is ©June 2018 by Monique N. and has been posted to Netgalley.
Star Rating: ★★★☆☆
Heat Rating: ☀☀☼☼☼
An Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book was received free via Netgalley for an honest review.
Palmer's Long, Tall Texans series has spanned more books than I can count and it is still going strong, still mentioning and including characters from books written years ago. Kudos!
Unbridled is the latest installment, a book about a Texas Ranger and a nurse who find themselves caught up in a gang war and in love with each other despite the obstacles. It is a bit disjointed, with the secrets needed to keep the plot running also preventing the cohesion I would have preferred. It's also not a mystery. We know the villain from the outset.
Against the backdrop of cold case murders and new murders, Ruiz (John Ruiz) and Sunny strike up an unlikely romance. Sunny's family was killed by the villain, but they are not the focus of the suspense part of this. Sunny is a typical Palmer heroine: naive, virginal, soft with a hidden backbone. Ruiz is rich as Croesus, a widower, and married to his job which causes problems with his son, Tonio.
Tonio is the glue that holds the entire book together: everything swirls around him and he is integral to the events. It's a shame then that as a character, Tonio isn't very realistic to me. It's also a case of way too much telling and not enough showing as to how Tonio feels. This is an unfortunate recent development in Palmer's style.
The ending of Unbridled is particularly abrupt, as if Palmer suddenly ran into a hard word count limit and voila, it's over. I liked the book well enough, but it didn't wow me or capture me and make me keep reading.
This review is ©June 2018 by Monique N. and has been posted to Netgalley.
July 21, 2018
Sunny is your typical Diana Palmer female character. She is innocent and sweet with a heart as big as Texas. She is no stranger to tragedy in her young life either. She is a nurse who works in a pediatric hospital along with Merrie York from "Winter Roses". Sunny also has low self esteem and scars.
John Ruiz is a Texas Ranger who is not quite what he seems. He has a son, Tonio who is 11 and has already run away from home once. John works long hours since his wife died 3 years ago and he is lonely. He is a tough and can get so caught up in work that his relationship with his son suffers. He is in the middle of a gang war and he enlists the help of some familiar faces from past novels. He lashes out and says things he doesn't mean like most of the men in Ms. Palmer's books.
He and Suny are keeping secrets from each other and so is his son Tonio. Things come to a head and misunderstandings abound until it's all straighten out in typical fashion in Ms. Palmer's books.
I know other people have complained about her being near the poverty line and that nurses make a decent salary but Suny is only 23 and we don't know if she has student loans to pay off.
This book was a bit more modern than some but I can see why people would say that about her not making a lot of money. But that aside it was a good story and I read the whole thing in one sitting.
I was wondering if Merrie York will get her own story and I was glad to know more about the priest from Colby and Sarina Lane's story.
John Ruiz is a Texas Ranger who is not quite what he seems. He has a son, Tonio who is 11 and has already run away from home once. John works long hours since his wife died 3 years ago and he is lonely. He is a tough and can get so caught up in work that his relationship with his son suffers. He is in the middle of a gang war and he enlists the help of some familiar faces from past novels. He lashes out and says things he doesn't mean like most of the men in Ms. Palmer's books.
He and Suny are keeping secrets from each other and so is his son Tonio. Things come to a head and misunderstandings abound until it's all straighten out in typical fashion in Ms. Palmer's books.
I know other people have complained about her being near the poverty line and that nurses make a decent salary but Suny is only 23 and we don't know if she has student loans to pay off.
This book was a bit more modern than some but I can see why people would say that about her not making a lot of money. But that aside it was a good story and I read the whole thing in one sitting.
I was wondering if Merrie York will get her own story and I was glad to know more about the priest from Colby and Sarina Lane's story.
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