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The Winter Man: Silent Night Man / Sutton's Way
Silent Night Man
What does Millie Evans want for Christmas? To feel safe . Even though her stalker is dead, he arranged for a hit man to kill her. Now the special government agent Millie has loved from afar for years has vowed to protect her. Tony Danzetta moves the prim librarian into his home and guards her 24/7. Dare she dream of keeping Tony, her own silent night man, by her side forever?
Sutton's Way
Wyoming rancher and single father Quinn Sutton is raising a child he knows isn't his own. All the love left in his guarded heart goes to the boy. But when a beautiful city woman is stranded nearby in a blizzard, he rescues her and brings her to Ricochet Ranch. Amanda Callaway has her own secrets and plans to keep her distance. If only she weren't falling for her unlikely hero…
What does Millie Evans want for Christmas? To feel safe . Even though her stalker is dead, he arranged for a hit man to kill her. Now the special government agent Millie has loved from afar for years has vowed to protect her. Tony Danzetta moves the prim librarian into his home and guards her 24/7. Dare she dream of keeping Tony, her own silent night man, by her side forever?
Sutton's Way
Wyoming rancher and single father Quinn Sutton is raising a child he knows isn't his own. All the love left in his guarded heart goes to the boy. But when a beautiful city woman is stranded nearby in a blizzard, he rescues her and brings her to Ricochet Ranch. Amanda Callaway has her own secrets and plans to keep her distance. If only she weren't falling for her unlikely hero…
332 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
69 people are currently reading
325 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 52 reviews
October 5, 2021
I enjoyed this quite a bit as an audiobook. Deliciously old school romances. I wrote reviews under the individual stories.
March 6, 2011
I know I said no more Diana Palmer. But I got sucked into the virgin hero thing.
Silent Night Man. So so story with lame ass motivations and wild assumptions by an FBI guy. I seriously hope the men in black are a bit more savvy than that. Don't bother unless you are a dyed in the wool DP fan.
Sutton's Way. So surreal. This had great potential. Loved the set up for both characters. There were some really great lines where she was teasing him about being such a prude while she was so wild. Even though of course we all know that she is a virgin too. But suddenly she decided not to tease him any more. It became laughably surreal as they began to chat about their respective virginities together. There is just no way a 34 year old virgin man would be that up front about it. I felt like I was listening to a couple of 16 year olds on a Christian shut in night spouting the "company" line at each other. Plus how many 34 year olds do you know who think rock music is the devil? The end picked up a bit when he thinks she has died in a plane crash.
Seriously no more Diana Palmer for me.
Silent Night Man. So so story with lame ass motivations and wild assumptions by an FBI guy. I seriously hope the men in black are a bit more savvy than that. Don't bother unless you are a dyed in the wool DP fan.
Sutton's Way. So surreal. This had great potential. Loved the set up for both characters. There were some really great lines where she was teasing him about being such a prude while she was so wild. Even though of course we all know that she is a virgin too. But suddenly she decided not to tease him any more. It became laughably surreal as they began to chat about their respective virginities together. There is just no way a 34 year old virgin man would be that up front about it. I felt like I was listening to a couple of 16 year olds on a Christian shut in night spouting the "company" line at each other. Plus how many 34 year olds do you know who think rock music is the devil? The end picked up a bit when he thinks she has died in a plane crash.
Seriously no more Diana Palmer for me.
June 30, 2011
Silent Night Man - (3 stars-I enjoyed it NOT loved it, you know? I've learned to rate by decade!) okay...there were some glaringly obvious mistakes or omissions in this otherwise sweet little book. Because it was a short story, the hero had to quickly get over his jerk-ness and to the loving of the heroine...okay, so he messed up AGAIN after his initial REALLY BAD reaction to her, but given the usually as*hole-ishness of a DP hero, I think I got off pretty easy with this guy.
On a serious note, I appreciated the author's addressing the issue of mental health. So many peeps are walking around in need of help and those of us who befriend them sometimes shrug off their behavior or simply do not or choose not to know. Also, there is the ever depressing state of the foster care system. For every good there is a bad (probably more like a 4:1 ratio).
Must end on a happy note...there is a HEA although, I don't know, he was a little heavy handed before he got down to the grovelling IMHO.
Sutton's Way - (2 stars-It was just okay.) It started off good went to silly then just went waaay into the realm of the ridiculous. To me. Others have enjoyed far more than I. Even considering the time, I just wasn't buying it, didn't care if they ended up together, and prayed vehemently that there was no Epilogue.
On a serious note, I appreciated the author's addressing the issue of mental health. So many peeps are walking around in need of help and those of us who befriend them sometimes shrug off their behavior or simply do not or choose not to know. Also, there is the ever depressing state of the foster care system. For every good there is a bad (probably more like a 4:1 ratio).
Must end on a happy note...there is a HEA although, I don't know, he was a little heavy handed before he got down to the grovelling IMHO.
Sutton's Way - (2 stars-It was just okay.) It started off good went to silly then just went waaay into the realm of the ridiculous. To me. Others have enjoyed far more than I. Even considering the time, I just wasn't buying it, didn't care if they ended up together, and prayed vehemently that there was no Epilogue.
July 10, 2019
This is a author I’ve seen around forever. It didn’t work for me at all. Pass!
January 13, 2016
Silent Night Man 2.75 stars
After read Iron Cowboy (Long, Tall Texans)(Long, Tall Texans #33), I always though Tony was so sweet to look after Sara. However, in this book, he was so cold and cruel that I couldn't believe this was the same Tony! And I didn't get the feeling H and h fell in love with each other, more felt like, ok, you want kids and I want you, but you wouldn't give in until marriage, so let's get married.
Sutton's Way
DNF, because I could foretell what's going to break their relationship.
After read Iron Cowboy (Long, Tall Texans)(Long, Tall Texans #33), I always though Tony was so sweet to look after Sara. However, in this book, he was so cold and cruel that I couldn't believe this was the same Tony! And I didn't get the feeling H and h fell in love with each other, more felt like, ok, you want kids and I want you, but you wouldn't give in until marriage, so let's get married.
Sutton's Way
DNF, because I could foretell what's going to break their relationship.
November 3, 2019
These are cute stories for a cold night.
August 21, 2018
I would have put a complete five stars, but Silent Night Man gave me pause. It's a good story, don't get me wrong, but I felt it could have been longer and more examined, especially since it gave a flowing start but then ended up kind of choppy. Though Diana Palmer's romances are sometimes fast, two days did seem to be a bit unreal. Again, I wish that it had been a tad longer. Sutton's Way was the redeeming factor of the collection. I loved Quinn Sutton! So sweet and yet I thought him to be entirely sexy! His relationship with Amanda was so tender and flaming at the same time. I loved the progression and yet Amanda, through a tragedy at a concert (she's a lead singer of a rock band) she decided to disappear and recover by using a different name. I won't tell you spoilers, but I will say that Sutton and Amanda have a beautiful relationship and the hospital scene towards the end is awesome and hilarious!
January 10, 2019
Well here I go again! Every time I read a book by Diana Palmer, I swear ; no more! But guess I am just a dyed in the wool fan! I have always lived her books and I go back and read her earlier ones all the time. These two books were ok; not as bad as some I have read lately. (Especially the ones that are an exact repeat ( except for the names) of some of her earlier books) I really thought I was going to love Sutton’s Way and Silent Night Man. Silent Night Man was way too short to really establish the story! And Sutton’s Way was too High schoolish ( what 30 something year old man talks about being a virgin?).
September 10, 2024
I tried so hard to like this book, I believe it’s got a good story line but I have had the hardest time getting past the generational (70/80s ideas vs today) differences when it comes to abuse and mental health. Specifically, mental health and how they depicted the information about the MMC’s mother and his fears that he too could be sick. I think a lot of it is just because of the age of the book but it’s really difficult to swallow with the amount of inaccurate regarding specific diagnosis that people struggle with every day.
June 22, 2017
Although it was "just a romance", it was a fast read with believable characters. There were two actual stories. The first one had a good subject of dealing with stalkers and how evil they can be. The second one was good for the setting in the mountains of Wyoming in the winter. There were also two people who had been badly hurt emotionally and how that was resolved.
October 24, 2017
I didn’t realize this was a Romance Novel or I might not have read it. Surprisingly I enjoyed it. One a detective story and the other a modern western/rescue story. I even shed a tear or two, but that not a surprise to those who know me.
October 29, 2017
2.5 stars.
December 29, 2017
Amanda is my favorite DP heroine to date!!! This is the first 5 stars I’ve ever given to a DP book.
March 2, 2018
Very good! Highly Recommend.
January 21, 2020
Did not like first story, second story wasn't bad just not great. Np.
Read
June 15, 2021DNF
December 8, 2023
Horrible!!!
December 27, 2023
Didn’t hold my interest long enough to finish it.
May 16, 2024
The first book was not good. The second story held my interest more but it was also a bit cringy.
September 23, 2025
Second story was better
December 23, 2015
So I was listening to this book during the same time that I was reading His for Christmas... and let me tell you that they were as different as night and day. From erotic romance to cowboys and virgins.
This is my first read from Diana Palmer, though I know she has lots of books out, mainly in the western romance genre. I am not too sure about her heroes - I hope they aren't all like the two in these short stories because they were huge buttheads!
In Silent Night Man, Tony is a government agent coming home to bury a friend. At the funeral home he runs into Millie, and he treats her horribly. They have a hot and cold attraction for most of the story... but during the cold parts, Tony is freezing. I really didn't care for him as a hero. I didn't think there was any excuse for the way he treated Millie, particularly once he learned things were exactly as he believed. Millie was the virginal librarian, meek and soft spoken. Her character was likable, for all that we have not much in common. I sympathized for her history and her treatment at the hands/words of Tony. I really wanted to just kick his ass for her.
Silent Night Man is a quick romantic suspense. It wasn't very Christmasy, just some references to the holiday at the end.
In Sutton's Way, both of our main characters are extremely inexperienced virgins. This is a novel concept given that Quinn Sutton is 34 years old and raising a son. But Quinn did not act like a 34 y/o - he was more like a mean old man. He hated women and threw insults at our heroine left and right - he called her a tramp and a hussy for no other reason than her being female. He was even worse than Tony was in Silent Night Man! Amanda Callaway is a country/rock star who has moved into the cabin neighboring the Sutton ranch to regroup after a recent tragedy. She was old fashioned and totally in the dark when it came to intimacy.
I didn't buy into the romance so much in this story just because Quinn was so mean. But I did get a lot of laughs about him explaining sex to Amanda. He would say things like "that hardening [of her nipples] is because you are aroused, you want me, but don't worry it will go away" [or words to that effect]. Everything he knows about sex, he learned from books and he takes a very clinical and old fashioned approach to the whole thing.
The one thing that saved this story for me was some suspense at the end that was really good. This story was not all that Christmasy either. So neither of these shorties added much to my Christmas spirit.
3 stars / 2 flames.
This is my first read from Diana Palmer, though I know she has lots of books out, mainly in the western romance genre. I am not too sure about her heroes - I hope they aren't all like the two in these short stories because they were huge buttheads!
In Silent Night Man, Tony is a government agent coming home to bury a friend. At the funeral home he runs into Millie, and he treats her horribly. They have a hot and cold attraction for most of the story... but during the cold parts, Tony is freezing. I really didn't care for him as a hero. I didn't think there was any excuse for the way he treated Millie, particularly once he learned things were exactly as he believed. Millie was the virginal librarian, meek and soft spoken. Her character was likable, for all that we have not much in common. I sympathized for her history and her treatment at the hands/words of Tony. I really wanted to just kick his ass for her.
Silent Night Man is a quick romantic suspense. It wasn't very Christmasy, just some references to the holiday at the end.
In Sutton's Way, both of our main characters are extremely inexperienced virgins. This is a novel concept given that Quinn Sutton is 34 years old and raising a son. But Quinn did not act like a 34 y/o - he was more like a mean old man. He hated women and threw insults at our heroine left and right - he called her a tramp and a hussy for no other reason than her being female. He was even worse than Tony was in Silent Night Man! Amanda Callaway is a country/rock star who has moved into the cabin neighboring the Sutton ranch to regroup after a recent tragedy. She was old fashioned and totally in the dark when it came to intimacy.
I didn't buy into the romance so much in this story just because Quinn was so mean. But I did get a lot of laughs about him explaining sex to Amanda. He would say things like "that hardening [of her nipples] is because you are aroused, you want me, but don't worry it will go away" [or words to that effect]. Everything he knows about sex, he learned from books and he takes a very clinical and old fashioned approach to the whole thing.
The one thing that saved this story for me was some suspense at the end that was really good. This story was not all that Christmasy either. So neither of these shorties added much to my Christmas spirit.
3 stars / 2 flames.
August 31, 2016
The book consisted of two short stories: Slight Night Man and Sutton’s Way. While both of the stories were okay, neither of them was great. I’m all for the virtuous man and saving it until you are married , but these stories kind of took it to a new level.
In the first story, Slight Night Man, I felt like the relationship between Millie Evans and Tony Danzetta progressed crazy quick. First Tony hates her, telling himself that she not the type of woman he would be interested in, and then he is crawling on top of her. Of course she is going to be mad! Where is the getting to know you crap that comes before that. It reminds me of those stories that people tell you, then they tack on “then I found $100 dollars.” It just came out of nowhere. Silent Night Man could have been a much better story if the ending wasn't clipped.
The second story wasn’t much better. Quinn Sutton hates woman until he magically meets Amanda Callaway. He is nasty to her for no apparent reason, but he still has a physical attraction for her. He barks commands at her and expects her to follow. At one point, Amanda said she only wanted one pancake for breakfast and Sutton told the cook that she would be eating three with a side of sausage. Maybe she really just wants one pancake. Women can make up their own mind. This story just rubbed me the wrong way. Once again, the relationship in this story came together way too quickly. It was like flipping a light switch.
In the first story, Slight Night Man, I felt like the relationship between Millie Evans and Tony Danzetta progressed crazy quick. First Tony hates her, telling himself that she not the type of woman he would be interested in, and then he is crawling on top of her. Of course she is going to be mad! Where is the getting to know you crap that comes before that. It reminds me of those stories that people tell you, then they tack on “then I found $100 dollars.” It just came out of nowhere. Silent Night Man could have been a much better story if the ending wasn't clipped.
The second story wasn’t much better. Quinn Sutton hates woman until he magically meets Amanda Callaway. He is nasty to her for no apparent reason, but he still has a physical attraction for her. He barks commands at her and expects her to follow. At one point, Amanda said she only wanted one pancake for breakfast and Sutton told the cook that she would be eating three with a side of sausage. Maybe she really just wants one pancake. Women can make up their own mind. This story just rubbed me the wrong way. Once again, the relationship in this story came together way too quickly. It was like flipping a light switch.
April 8, 2011
This book from the author of Diana Palmer. The Winter Man containes two books in one.The first book is called "Silent Night Man" Millie Evans had a stalker that died because she wouldn't go out with him. Instead the stalker took a bad turn and killed himself. One of the stalker friend is a former police, Tony Danzetta. Tony thought that Millie was the reason for Josh, the stalker, to kill himself. Millie went to Josh's furneral even though he hitted her when he was drunk. The climax of this book is when someone tried to kill Millie with an email bomb. The second book is called "Sutton's Way". Now in this book Quinn Sutton is a women hater. He never liked women even though he has a son that isn't his own blood. He loves his son, Elliot, a lot. A blizzard occured and Amanda Callaway had to be resuced by Quinn. Amanda Callaway is a rock star singer and Quinn hates people with fame. When she told him what her job is; he hurts her in anyway he can. Diana Palmer's writing is usually about romance. She writes how women and men feels toward each other and I think that's unique. As I said this book is about romance, so if you like romance... this is the best book for you. There wasn't anything that I hated in these two books. I give it a thumbs up.
August 11, 2016
2.5 Stars (Note this review is for the older paper back single story book called Christmas Cowboy, part of the Hart Brothers 01 series - which is no longer available. This story is about Corrigan Hart. Some of the Hart legacy books have been republished as part of the Long Tall Texans series.)
I would have rated this book 2 stars if not for my love of cowboys and Western settings and if not for this author being a staple in the Western romance genre.
This story had some unique characters and potential plot ideas, but in the end sadly comes across as a ridiculously outdated 1940's "contemporary" Harleguin romance due to writing riddled with clichéd phrases, and a ridiculous and unrealistic plot involving the celibacy of the hero and heroine for EIGHT LONG YEARS after their dating breakup!
This extended and unplanned mutual celibacy was especially ridiculous given the modern setting; their brief dating and abrupt break up; and a 28 to 36 year old male hero who was otherwise healthy, handsome, wealthy, and previously sexually active.
Recommend trying other works from this author as this is likely not one of her best.
I would have rated this book 2 stars if not for my love of cowboys and Western settings and if not for this author being a staple in the Western romance genre.
This story had some unique characters and potential plot ideas, but in the end sadly comes across as a ridiculously outdated 1940's "contemporary" Harleguin romance due to writing riddled with clichéd phrases, and a ridiculous and unrealistic plot involving the celibacy of the hero and heroine for EIGHT LONG YEARS after their dating breakup!
This extended and unplanned mutual celibacy was especially ridiculous given the modern setting; their brief dating and abrupt break up; and a 28 to 36 year old male hero who was otherwise healthy, handsome, wealthy, and previously sexually active.
Recommend trying other works from this author as this is likely not one of her best.
December 17, 2016
I have to stay that I loved both stories, but I have a special place in my heart for Tony in Silent Night Man. While he's dangerous and very adept at what he does, he can't seem to get over his anger at Millie and what he thinks she's done to his friend. When he realizes that she is the victim, not the other way around the way his friend had mentioned, he vows to protect Millie.
In Sutton's Way, Quinn Sutton lives in isolation with his son and that's exactly how he likes it. When beautiful Amanda interrupts his life by staying at the cabin a few hundred yards from his home, he tries to stay away from her but realizes that he can't. A secret threatens to tear them apart but the ending is perfect.
In Sutton's Way, Quinn Sutton lives in isolation with his son and that's exactly how he likes it. When beautiful Amanda interrupts his life by staying at the cabin a few hundred yards from his home, he tries to stay away from her but realizes that he can't. A secret threatens to tear them apart but the ending is perfect.
February 6, 2010
This book contains two romance stories. I liked both stories. "Silent Night Man" has the girl in love since childhood with a guy who doesn't really 'see' her until he has to protect her from a contract hit that one of his best friends has put out on her. "Sutton's Way" has a young woman who seeks a break from a incident and gets involved with a rancher (woman-hater) and his son. The ending is kind of dramatic and the author's description of the rescue is compelling.
January 20, 2022
Wasn't sure whether or not to give this a listen, based on the reviews. But I'm glad I did. I really enjoyed the slow burn of 'Sutton's Way', even though the outdated virgin emphasis was a bit much at times. Glad I gritted through the first story... I just couldn't get into the Millie/Tony story (and kept thinking of Tony Danza) every time I heard his name. Marguerite Gavin was a superb narrator, as always.
October 4, 2009
Two stories in one book -- Silent Night Man brings us the "short" story of Tony Danzetta. The other story is a reissue of Sutton's Way.
The only thing that would have made this book better would have been 2 new original stories.
The only thing that would have made this book better would have been 2 new original stories.
January 4, 2010
Very typical plot line with female who needs protecting and the perfect man to protect her, both with horrible family backgrounds. Similiar plot to most of her books but I keep reading them and enjoying them.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews