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Diamond Spur
Kate Whitman has loved Texas rancher and avowed bachelor Jason Donovan since she was a teen. Now 20, she is determined to have a career in fashion design. Just when she decides to pursue her career, Jason makes it clear that he's suddenly interested. But does becoming Jason's woman mean choosing between the man she loves and everything the world has to offer?
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
418 people are currently reading
802 people want to read
About the author
Susan Kyle
23 books101 followersSusan Kyle writes under the pseudonyms Diana Blayne, Katy Currie and Diana Palmer.
Susan Spaeth Kyle was born in 1946 in Randolph County, Georgia. She attended school in Atlanta and graduated in 1964 from Chamblee High School in Chamblee, Georgia.
In 1991, at the age of 44, she went back to college and graduated summa cum laude. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history, with minors in anthropology and Spanish, from Piedmont College in Demorest, Georgia. She has two years work on her master’s degree. She belongs to the honor society, Alpha Chi.
She has been married since 1972 to James Kyle. They have a son, Blayne Edward and two grandchildren.
Her hobbies are blues piano, classical guitar, researching the Tudor period of Great Britain. She enjoys reading science journals and anything pertaining to the field of theoretical physics. She is also an astronomy buff, and she owns a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. But her main hobby and obsession is online gaming. She plays World of Warcraft daily on the pc. She also plays Oblivion: Elder Scrolls 4 and Halo: 3 on Xbox Live on her Xbox 360. She and husband James are both players, along with her sister, Dannis, and niece, Maggie, and at least one of her readers.
Susan lives in Habersham County, Georgia, with husband James and a houseful of assorted animals.
Susan Spaeth Kyle was born in 1946 in Randolph County, Georgia. She attended school in Atlanta and graduated in 1964 from Chamblee High School in Chamblee, Georgia.
In 1991, at the age of 44, she went back to college and graduated summa cum laude. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history, with minors in anthropology and Spanish, from Piedmont College in Demorest, Georgia. She has two years work on her master’s degree. She belongs to the honor society, Alpha Chi.
She has been married since 1972 to James Kyle. They have a son, Blayne Edward and two grandchildren.
Her hobbies are blues piano, classical guitar, researching the Tudor period of Great Britain. She enjoys reading science journals and anything pertaining to the field of theoretical physics. She is also an astronomy buff, and she owns a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. But her main hobby and obsession is online gaming. She plays World of Warcraft daily on the pc. She also plays Oblivion: Elder Scrolls 4 and Halo: 3 on Xbox Live on her Xbox 360. She and husband James are both players, along with her sister, Dannis, and niece, Maggie, and at least one of her readers.
Susan lives in Habersham County, Georgia, with husband James and a houseful of assorted animals.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
March 19, 2016
Our hero Jason is the owner of large ranch that is on the verge of bankruptcy. Our heroine Kate is his only friend a young woman who dreams of becoming a famous fashion designer. Jason and Kate can’t fight their feelings and one night they have sex and she gets pregnant. At the same time Kate’s designs become super popular and she gets a contract with a New York firm.
They get married not because of the baby but because they are in love with each other but of course they have no idea about each other’s feelings. Kate thinks he married her for the baby and Jason thinks Kate’s only love is her career. Still their marriage is a success that is until Kate, despite Jason’s objection, goes to New York for a fashion show and has a miscarriage…
I loved Jason and Kate. The chemistry between them is sizzling and the angst level is very high! I loved the drama, their doubts, their fights, their insecurities, everything. I was sucked into the characters and the drama and I couldn’t put this down!
They get married not because of the baby but because they are in love with each other but of course they have no idea about each other’s feelings. Kate thinks he married her for the baby and Jason thinks Kate’s only love is her career. Still their marriage is a success that is until Kate, despite Jason’s objection, goes to New York for a fashion show and has a miscarriage…
I loved Jason and Kate. The chemistry between them is sizzling and the angst level is very high! I loved the drama, their doubts, their fights, their insecurities, everything. I was sucked into the characters and the drama and I couldn’t put this down!
October 10, 2016
I will give this book 3.75 stars even though it exasperated me no end with its blatant sexism throughout. What redeemed it was its ability to hold on to my interest till the very end even with that length (of 25 chapters!)
Many times it felt like the same-old-same-old DP but then suddenly it would put forth something different and refreshing and pull you right back in.
Coming to the irritants (and spoilers)…..
There were times when I thought that the sexist bullying of the h by the H, her mother, (even the author!) and then her own doubts regarding her career were overwhelming the basic narrative.
Unfortunately, a lot of hard work went with those things, and she began to realize that a career was going to rob her of any kind of normal lifestyle. She got up early and went to bed late . . .
Really? She gets this fantastic break which people (even fictional ones) can only dream of and she is having these silly thoughts. But it was heartening how things do turn out at the end.
And in spite of giving us a blazing hot sexual attraction and sex that the h/H end up having, DP does the usual spoilsport turnabout by putting in words like guilt, shame and conscience.
She felt guilty and shamed and vaguely sick at what she'd done.
And then mother piles on with this mind-numbing moralizing, which was so hypocritical because she is actually feeling quite smugly satisfied at the turn of events because now the rich rancher would have to marry her little girl!
I'm ashamed of both of you. Sex isn't a toy, or an amusement. It's for making babies and keeping a marriage happy *eyeroll*
The complete lack of communication or the crossed wire talk was frustrating as these two were actually good friends who really cared about each other and understood each other so well, so why can’t they be more perceptive or even be more tolerant of each other’s pov?
She is a budding designer (of casual clothes, yes!) but can she be so oblivious of high fashion in general? Twice she makes faux pas when she wears inappropriate and tacky black sequined things to upper class dos. But then towards the end I could almost understand this anomaly.
And lastly, any woman getting constant cramps and bleeding during her pregnancy (a pregnancy that she wants) should have been more concerned and careful, and been honest with her doctor rather than downplaying her symptoms.
February 18, 2017
What a lovely, lovely read.
Ive said it before- I'm a huge DP fan. This had all the classic elements which you read in most of her books- but when it all came together- it added up to make a really great book.
A full length novel and love story of Jason and Katherine. As the story progresses,we see both of them maturing, and my initial perception of the characters changed by the end.
Let me get the negatives, or at least the annoying bits out first
-The hero was a chauvinistic misogynist (at the first 1/2 of the book). He hated the heroine having a career or working, thought women are meant for sitting home and reproducing, despised his brother's art career and was very judgmental about everything people did
-There are huge bits about him trying to make her "fit for society" and heroine embarrassing herself- and in the end training to be better to throw dinner parties. Granted by the end the hero changes his mind but I'd have loved a showdown.
-
That being said
-The characters improved. The hero got over his prejudices and started becoming a tolerable human by the end. He actually changed everything I mentioned I disliked. He even reconciles with his past
-The heroine grew a huge backbone. From the naive innocent we see in the start to a strong woman who saves her family and legacy, she takes everything thrown at her at a stride.
-We see everyone maturing
-No negative characters
-Double V card, deliberate breeding, baby and HEA
-The passion and love the main couple have for each other is never doubtful and the hero doesn't fights his feelings as much as they usually do
-Heavy angst
I really enjoyed this, engorged breasts and all.
Safe
4.25/5
Ive said it before- I'm a huge DP fan. This had all the classic elements which you read in most of her books- but when it all came together- it added up to make a really great book.
A full length novel and love story of Jason and Katherine. As the story progresses,we see both of them maturing, and my initial perception of the characters changed by the end.
Let me get the negatives, or at least the annoying bits out first
-The hero was a chauvinistic misogynist (at the first 1/2 of the book). He hated the heroine having a career or working, thought women are meant for sitting home and reproducing, despised his brother's art career and was very judgmental about everything people did
-There are huge bits about him trying to make her "fit for society" and heroine embarrassing herself- and in the end training to be better to throw dinner parties. Granted by the end the hero changes his mind but I'd have loved a showdown.
-
That being said
-The characters improved. The hero got over his prejudices and started becoming a tolerable human by the end. He actually changed everything I mentioned I disliked. He even reconciles with his past
-The heroine grew a huge backbone. From the naive innocent we see in the start to a strong woman who saves her family and legacy, she takes everything thrown at her at a stride.
-We see everyone maturing
-No negative characters
-Double V card, deliberate breeding, baby and HEA
-The passion and love the main couple have for each other is never doubtful and the hero doesn't fights his feelings as much as they usually do
-Heavy angst
I really enjoyed this, engorged breasts and all.
Safe
4.25/5
July 17, 2021
What a book.
Yes, there’s the usual younger heroine in love with older hero, misunderstandings, hero who doesn’t do commitment, then he’s afraid to love, then he falls in love with the heroine. With cruel behavior to her and all the happy party.
But there’s so much more.
There is a terrific insight on the H/h personality, a focus on their thoughts, their fears, hopes and their past experiences, the painful rejections, the parents issues, all is beautifully explained. There’s so much angst and so many misunderstandings. The characters are in love from the start, but because of their fears they almost lose themselves and their love. Why 4 and not 5? Because I hoped that the hero had explained better his feelings and his behavior to the heroine. We know he was in love with her long before their marriage because there is his POV with his inner thoughts, but the heroine gets only a curt I love you in the end, while she confesses her attitude and her feelings very well. This took a bit of my enjoyment.
But I recommend it very much.
Some things I noticed in many DP books:
- if they make love before marriage, it’s not in bed but in a couch, on the carpet, etc.
-when the heroine gets liberated (what does it mean I don’t know) she cuts her hair short.
-the hero smokes, the heroine doesn’t.
- the hero can be cruel and mean to the heroine, the heroine is never cruel even if she would have her reasons.
I think that, while many readers thinks that dp is a heroine hater, she hates her heroes much more. They will all die young with all those cigarettes, alcohol, and beef. That’s her revenge ;-)
Yes, there’s the usual younger heroine in love with older hero, misunderstandings, hero who doesn’t do commitment, then he’s afraid to love, then he falls in love with the heroine. With cruel behavior to her and all the happy party.
But there’s so much more.
There is a terrific insight on the H/h personality, a focus on their thoughts, their fears, hopes and their past experiences, the painful rejections, the parents issues, all is beautifully explained. There’s so much angst and so many misunderstandings. The characters are in love from the start, but because of their fears they almost lose themselves and their love. Why 4 and not 5? Because I hoped that the hero had explained better his feelings and his behavior to the heroine. We know he was in love with her long before their marriage because there is his POV with his inner thoughts, but the heroine gets only a curt I love you in the end, while she confesses her attitude and her feelings very well. This took a bit of my enjoyment.
But I recommend it very much.
Some things I noticed in many DP books:
- if they make love before marriage, it’s not in bed but in a couch, on the carpet, etc.
-when the heroine gets liberated (what does it mean I don’t know) she cuts her hair short.
-the hero smokes, the heroine doesn’t.
- the hero can be cruel and mean to the heroine, the heroine is never cruel even if she would have her reasons.
I think that, while many readers thinks that dp is a heroine hater, she hates her heroes much more. They will all die young with all those cigarettes, alcohol, and beef. That’s her revenge ;-)
August 5, 2020
It's way too long and even the angst have not prevented me from skipping the pages.
April 14, 2021
I stayed up really late two nights in a row to read this one. It's 3 am and I have class tomorrow but I gotta write my review. Luckily, I wrote my thoughts down in an email to myself while I was reading because GR currently reading updates stopped working.
So, last fall (2o2o) I had read my first Diana Palmer, this author's famous pseudonym, novel "Lawless" and loved it. I was thinking about that book and how I really wanted to read another book by her.
This one definitely reminded me of that one, with the ranch, age gap, the girl in love with the sometimes cruel hero since before the book began, the accidental pregnancy, arranged marriage of convenience, etc. I think I liked "Lawless" slightly better than this one, however.
Kate Whittman's been in love with her best friend, Jason Donovan, who owns a successful ranch called Diamond Spur. However, he doesn't really seem to see her as a woman since she's twenty to his thirty. He starts realizing his attraction to her, but also got badly burned in the past by another woman (who even aborted his baby)(I hate this trope though!!) and is scared of getting hurt by another woman and scared of commitment. And probably some other reasons too. Jason also strongly disapproves of Kate's desire to become a famous fashion designer. Our hero is also a little misogynistic too and has old, traditional values like you should marry a virgin and that you shouldn't have sex with everyone/it's a good idea to wait till marriage.
The first 5 pages were a little hard for me to get into. I think one reason for that was because Susan Kyle's style is so different from all the other books I've been reading lately. The writing here was just of higher literary quality if you know what I mean. However, I did feel like the author mentioned how lean Jason's hands and fingers were too many times. I got it the first time.
I was going to be mad if this book ended with her giving up her career to be married to him, partially because that sends the wrong message to female readers. I wanted her to be able to have both, Jason, children, and a successful career like many women nowadays.
Part of this book was 5 stars for me! However, all the misunderstandings and lack of communication were super frustrating for me (this book could have ended at page 279, a hundred pages earlier if not for all of that) that this book lost a star. Moreover, the author did a great job of writing a deeply flawed hero that we could still root for and one that Kate could still love despite everything. Jason was so human, as he finally realized himself at the end. Jason and Kate were such realistic characters, especially Jason.
I really like how this author, unlike so many authors I've read lately, really described the kissing. I've never been into guys with chest hair, but this book made it sound sexy!! The sex scenes at the beginning were also really good and intense. The few ones towards the end of the novel were really short and disappointing. I feel as though the author used up her good ones or was too lazy to write it before or thought to herself, well I gave my readers one great one, which was their first time, so I can slack off now.
Now my review is going to get messy because I need to go to bed. These are my thoughts during reading it: **Warnings--spoilers abound!**
Oh no, not the big misunderstanding 😭😭😭
basically, the hero had been against marriage, so right after they have sex for the first time and he's going to ask her to marry him, she anticipated he would say something derogatory about marriage so she tells him that
"marriage is for women without any ambitions" when she would have loved to marry him!
Honestly, 1 of my ambitions is to be married!!
p. 164--omg, he's being so mean to her bc he's hurting inside! I'm worried she's going to have a miscarriage right now when he's talking to her
also scared she'll give up her career to be w him, why can't he accept her having a career? she needs a job esp if she is single, and what she was doing before didn't pay enough and wasn't satisfying!
I'm going to be mad if this book ends with her sacrificing her career---why can't she have both?
I hate how she keeps lying to him about her feelings, saying she doesn't love him when right before they had sex for the first time, she told him that she loved him
I know she's doing this to protect herself, but it's still annoying
Jeez, Roberta, the nice reporter, was scoping out Jason on his wedding day??! wtf! why would u betray ur friend like that
it's not admirable but it's one thing to sleep w a married man whose wife u don't know but when the wife is ur friend?!!
I think it's funny that whenever he got an erection the author wrote "the changed contours of his powerful body" LOL
ugh, he gets over his hate for Kate's job, but still can't "bend his pride enough to take help from a woman"? (322) ugh, save me from misogynistic men
*********************
I am hesitating on shelving this as contemporary because it is but it doesn't feel like one. I consider contemporary to be more the 2000s and onwards. But it's not exactly historical either, though maybe in 50 years it will be. (I wonder how that works.)
Anyway, I definitely will be picking up more Diana Palmer novels! I think she's got a new fan.
So, last fall (2o2o) I had read my first Diana Palmer, this author's famous pseudonym, novel "Lawless" and loved it. I was thinking about that book and how I really wanted to read another book by her.
This one definitely reminded me of that one, with the ranch, age gap, the girl in love with the sometimes cruel hero since before the book began, the accidental pregnancy, arranged marriage of convenience, etc. I think I liked "Lawless" slightly better than this one, however.
Kate Whittman's been in love with her best friend, Jason Donovan, who owns a successful ranch called Diamond Spur. However, he doesn't really seem to see her as a woman since she's twenty to his thirty. He starts realizing his attraction to her, but also got badly burned in the past by another woman (who even aborted his baby)(I hate this trope though!!) and is scared of getting hurt by another woman and scared of commitment. And probably some other reasons too. Jason also strongly disapproves of Kate's desire to become a famous fashion designer. Our hero is also a little misogynistic too and has old, traditional values like you should marry a virgin and that you shouldn't have sex with everyone/it's a good idea to wait till marriage.
The first 5 pages were a little hard for me to get into. I think one reason for that was because Susan Kyle's style is so different from all the other books I've been reading lately. The writing here was just of higher literary quality if you know what I mean. However, I did feel like the author mentioned how lean Jason's hands and fingers were too many times. I got it the first time.
I was going to be mad if this book ended with her giving up her career to be married to him, partially because that sends the wrong message to female readers. I wanted her to be able to have both, Jason, children, and a successful career like many women nowadays.
Part of this book was 5 stars for me! However, all the misunderstandings and lack of communication were super frustrating for me (this book could have ended at page 279, a hundred pages earlier if not for all of that) that this book lost a star. Moreover, the author did a great job of writing a deeply flawed hero that we could still root for and one that Kate could still love despite everything. Jason was so human, as he finally realized himself at the end. Jason and Kate were such realistic characters, especially Jason.
I really like how this author, unlike so many authors I've read lately, really described the kissing. I've never been into guys with chest hair, but this book made it sound sexy!! The sex scenes at the beginning were also really good and intense. The few ones towards the end of the novel were really short and disappointing. I feel as though the author used up her good ones or was too lazy to write it before or thought to herself, well I gave my readers one great one, which was their first time, so I can slack off now.
Now my review is going to get messy because I need to go to bed. These are my thoughts during reading it: **Warnings--spoilers abound!**
Oh no, not the big misunderstanding 😭😭😭
basically, the hero had been against marriage, so right after they have sex for the first time and he's going to ask her to marry him, she anticipated he would say something derogatory about marriage so she tells him that
"marriage is for women without any ambitions" when she would have loved to marry him!
Honestly, 1 of my ambitions is to be married!!
p. 164--omg, he's being so mean to her bc he's hurting inside! I'm worried she's going to have a miscarriage right now when he's talking to her
also scared she'll give up her career to be w him, why can't he accept her having a career? she needs a job esp if she is single, and what she was doing before didn't pay enough and wasn't satisfying!
I'm going to be mad if this book ends with her sacrificing her career---why can't she have both?
I hate how she keeps lying to him about her feelings, saying she doesn't love him when right before they had sex for the first time, she told him that she loved him
I know she's doing this to protect herself, but it's still annoying
Jeez, Roberta, the nice reporter, was scoping out Jason on his wedding day??! wtf! why would u betray ur friend like that
it's not admirable but it's one thing to sleep w a married man whose wife u don't know but when the wife is ur friend?!!
I think it's funny that whenever he got an erection the author wrote "the changed contours of his powerful body" LOL
ugh, he gets over his hate for Kate's job, but still can't "bend his pride enough to take help from a woman"? (322) ugh, save me from misogynistic men
*********************
I am hesitating on shelving this as contemporary because it is but it doesn't feel like one. I consider contemporary to be more the 2000s and onwards. But it's not exactly historical either, though maybe in 50 years it will be. (I wonder how that works.)
Anyway, I definitely will be picking up more Diana Palmer novels! I think she's got a new fan.
March 28, 2008
I read this sometime in 2003 or 2004 and didn't like it. At all. It starts off fine, Jason is the owner of large working cattle ranch. The author includes information of how wealthy the ranch is, etc. Jason has an ugly temper and "only" one person, Kate, can talk reason into him when he's gone off on a tantrum.
Kate is from a very poor family; just Kate and her mother. She dreams of being a fashion designer, but is working at a sewing plant. She is often called to Jason's ranch to calm him down when he's in a rage.
Jason is quite a bit older than Kate and they are attracted to each other, but he DOES look down on her because of her social class. Kate's mother, knowing of Jason's horrible temper, pushes them together every chance she can. She wants her daughter married into a wealthy family, regardless of the outcome.
About the same time that Kate's private fashion designs get noticed by a New York designer she and Jason have sex and she gets pregnant. He is horrible toward her. After the sex and worse after she tells him she is pregnant. Horrible. He's mean, cruel, nasty...
He tells her he will marry her because of the baby, but he forbids her to follow her dream in fashion design. She goes to New York to her showing against his "rules" and has a miscarriage. He refuses to come to the hospital to see or get her. On the last day she was to be in the hospital he shows up and very gruffly loads her in the car and barely speaks. Thank God, because anytime he does it's to berate and chastise her.
On top of all this, the author eludes to the wealth of Jason and his ranch. Then as the story develops he can't even pay his mortgage--a month away from foreclosure? What? He has all this registered cattle, land realtors are trying to buy and he is refusing to sell, goes off to Australia (of all places) to spend a month learning about Australian cattle...
He has fancy dinner parties at his ranch. One of the dinner parties Kate thought she was invited and overdresses. He lets her know she was not invited and treats her horribly, making jabs about her appearance in front of others. He was an unredeemable character.
It seemed that the author started writing this one way (rich, cattle man) then shifted to poor, cattle man.
Awful
Kate is from a very poor family; just Kate and her mother. She dreams of being a fashion designer, but is working at a sewing plant. She is often called to Jason's ranch to calm him down when he's in a rage.
Jason is quite a bit older than Kate and they are attracted to each other, but he DOES look down on her because of her social class. Kate's mother, knowing of Jason's horrible temper, pushes them together every chance she can. She wants her daughter married into a wealthy family, regardless of the outcome.
About the same time that Kate's private fashion designs get noticed by a New York designer she and Jason have sex and she gets pregnant. He is horrible toward her. After the sex and worse after she tells him she is pregnant. Horrible. He's mean, cruel, nasty...
He tells her he will marry her because of the baby, but he forbids her to follow her dream in fashion design. She goes to New York to her showing against his "rules" and has a miscarriage. He refuses to come to the hospital to see or get her. On the last day she was to be in the hospital he shows up and very gruffly loads her in the car and barely speaks. Thank God, because anytime he does it's to berate and chastise her.
On top of all this, the author eludes to the wealth of Jason and his ranch. Then as the story develops he can't even pay his mortgage--a month away from foreclosure? What? He has all this registered cattle, land realtors are trying to buy and he is refusing to sell, goes off to Australia (of all places) to spend a month learning about Australian cattle...
He has fancy dinner parties at his ranch. One of the dinner parties Kate thought she was invited and overdresses. He lets her know she was not invited and treats her horribly, making jabs about her appearance in front of others. He was an unredeemable character.
It seemed that the author started writing this one way (rich, cattle man) then shifted to poor, cattle man.
Awful
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2020
3.5 stars
July 21, 2021
Torturous. This is a long long book and the characters had to have more mettle to carry it through. In a gist, the H was your usual DP, sexist and overbearing but not in an attractive way. The h was young and clingy.
I drew the line when this one time the H comes to visit the h at her house. Her mother having raised her as a good girl then makes up an excuse and leaves to give them privacy. Of course, they make out, and there’s a pregnancy. The mother now offhand jokes that she shouldn’t have left them alone with a couch that day... cringe. Was this good mother now desperately trying for her daughter to fall in sin with this good looking man who had loads of money. ???
The h is the nice DP girl who can get her word through with the H while every one else is scared of his temper tantrums. The H is jaded and hates his mother who left him and then his wife who chose a career. And so he also hates anyone who gets too close to him and I agree with that. The h was rather clingy.
There’s much going on in the book with the h’s journey of becoming a fashion designer. Eventually there’s a marriage and then a mishap and things get better for them.
A long book, undeserving of my time with mc’s that I couldn’t care for.
I drew the line when this one time the H comes to visit the h at her house. Her mother having raised her as a good girl then makes up an excuse and leaves to give them privacy. Of course, they make out, and there’s a pregnancy. The mother now offhand jokes that she shouldn’t have left them alone with a couch that day... cringe. Was this good mother now desperately trying for her daughter to fall in sin with this good looking man who had loads of money. ???
The h is the nice DP girl who can get her word through with the H while every one else is scared of his temper tantrums. The H is jaded and hates his mother who left him and then his wife who chose a career. And so he also hates anyone who gets too close to him and I agree with that. The h was rather clingy.
There’s much going on in the book with the h’s journey of becoming a fashion designer. Eventually there’s a marriage and then a mishap and things get better for them.
A long book, undeserving of my time with mc’s that I couldn’t care for.
August 4, 2013
No matter how hard I've tried, I still find this book a little bit annoying.
Kate's been in love with Jason since forever. But Jason always reluctant to start something. But now when she's older, she wants to take their relationship a bit higher. Jason seems to agree with her. At first. Jason, who's been hurt once, didn't want to have a commitment. But what will happen when things got worse and shatter all over the place?
It was like reading some book who written with too much effort. It's like the plot's actually ended at some point but Diana Palmer pushed it more and more. I did like the storyline but apparently it ended up strange and tiring.
Jason's in love with Kate but didn't want to have commitment, Jason's jealous when Kate planned to go out with someone else, Jason did this, did that, typical jerk semi-alpha kind of guy, it was sweet really but when it become too much, it's just plain annoying.
Even though I enjoyed reading it, but I'm overwhelmed. In a bad way. Could've been better, Diana Palmer. Could've been better. :)
Kate's been in love with Jason since forever. But Jason always reluctant to start something. But now when she's older, she wants to take their relationship a bit higher. Jason seems to agree with her. At first. Jason, who's been hurt once, didn't want to have a commitment. But what will happen when things got worse and shatter all over the place?
It was like reading some book who written with too much effort. It's like the plot's actually ended at some point but Diana Palmer pushed it more and more. I did like the storyline but apparently it ended up strange and tiring.
Jason's in love with Kate but didn't want to have commitment, Jason's jealous when Kate planned to go out with someone else, Jason did this, did that, typical jerk semi-alpha kind of guy, it was sweet really but when it become too much, it's just plain annoying.
Even though I enjoyed reading it, but I'm overwhelmed. In a bad way. Could've been better, Diana Palmer. Could've been better. :)
February 9, 2018
I couldn't even finish this one. The mental, emotional, verbal abuse, and humiliation was too much for me to read. Not a single redemptive quality to this jerk. Good thing I only paid a dollar for it at my local thrift store.
July 17, 2018
Pro tip- read the back and avoid romance books if the main guy has you brother's name. I couldn't feel the heat or imagine stuff when it was Jason.
March 12, 2023
Quite hard to get into the story... First chapter was super long with endless descriptions of rural Texas.
Then we get to meet Kate and Jason. He has a terrible temper apparently and Kate is the only one who can soothe him 🙄
He is 30 and had been "best friend" with her for 3 years, he is 10 years her senior.
So this mean tempered man was terrorizing his staff and a teenage girl was being called to his ranch to calm him down... How sweet!
Anyway, they start to lust for each other and Jason doesn't like it because women are evil and he wants his freedom so he drives her away. He is mean to Kate who finally has enough.
But of course he can't stay away and the sex happens, with consequences so now he will marry Kate.
And as if we didn't have to deal with a lot of push & pull already, the author takes it to the extreme after their wedding. Unnecessary angst and misunderstanding to drag the story...
I skipped till the end to read their happy ending because I couldn't take it anymore...
Too much angst can ruin a good story 😔
Then we get to meet Kate and Jason. He has a terrible temper apparently and Kate is the only one who can soothe him 🙄
He is 30 and had been "best friend" with her for 3 years, he is 10 years her senior.
So this mean tempered man was terrorizing his staff and a teenage girl was being called to his ranch to calm him down... How sweet!
Anyway, they start to lust for each other and Jason doesn't like it because women are evil and he wants his freedom so he drives her away. He is mean to Kate who finally has enough.
But of course he can't stay away and the sex happens, with consequences so now he will marry Kate.
And as if we didn't have to deal with a lot of push & pull already, the author takes it to the extreme after their wedding. Unnecessary angst and misunderstanding to drag the story...
I skipped till the end to read their happy ending because I couldn't take it anymore...
Too much angst can ruin a good story 😔
June 11, 2015
Another lovely romance.
Diana Palmer has such a sweet and lovely way to tell a romance story that is just fairytale romantic, and this no exception to that magic.
The air between Jason and Kate just crackles with suppressed passion, but both ignore it for their own reasons. That passion keeps building until they finally give in and things go wrong. Due to their fears and white lies told by both, things keep getting worse between them until it will take a miracle to fix it.
I love how her books have people go to a painful low point only to realize being honest with themselves and others will set things right. The honest and painful feelings they experience can be downright hard to read about without some tears.
Diana Palmer has such a sweet and lovely way to tell a romance story that is just fairytale romantic, and this no exception to that magic.
The air between Jason and Kate just crackles with suppressed passion, but both ignore it for their own reasons. That passion keeps building until they finally give in and things go wrong. Due to their fears and white lies told by both, things keep getting worse between them until it will take a miracle to fix it.
I love how her books have people go to a painful low point only to realize being honest with themselves and others will set things right. The honest and painful feelings they experience can be downright hard to read about without some tears.
Read
November 20, 2016Dated and with a writing style I didn't enjoy. DNF pile it goes.
December 26, 2017
Lovely
A typical Diana Palmer story. A taciturn male in love with a sweet girl. Lots of romance and misunderstanding that turns out in the end. Good book
A typical Diana Palmer story. A taciturn male in love with a sweet girl. Lots of romance and misunderstanding that turns out in the end. Good book
April 27, 2018
long and drawn out - talk about not characters not communicating -
usually enjoy Diana's book - not this one
usually enjoy Diana's book - not this one
May 1, 2019
Once again Diana Palmer has tried to hide a mediocre story line with sex, sex and more sex. Honey, you can tell a fair to middling story. Have confidence in yourself. Bring it to reality.
August 5, 2019
Sometimes I wanna slap Jason but in the end I cried for him and Mama Donovan.
July 1, 2024
This was pretty good but not without flaws. Are we really supposed to believe that at age 20 the h is on the way to being a top designer almost overnight? Another phenomenon! This gets on my nerves a bit. (Recently I read a book where the H was a CEO by the same age!) COME ON!!!! I wish authors would stop insulting their readers' intelligence!
And the H in this book could have used some therapy as he had a LOT of issues! And he could be pretty childish, too. usually, it's the h who goes off the rails, gets emotional, says a lot of dumb things to the H she regrets, etc., but in this case, it was the H who gets silly. The way he carried on at times, if he was a woman you'd think he had PMS, or if he were older that he was going through male menopause! The h showed a lot of patience with him when he could have used a good punch!
This h goes through a lot, and is willing to compromise, and give the H space, even let him go, believing the difference in their backgrounds would make her the wrong wife for him. She does a lot for him, but it takes a while for him to fully appreciate that.
The book has some tear-jerker moments, and I doubt anyone can read the part where the H goes to see his mother without reaching for the tissue box.
It's a good story, despite its faults.
And the H in this book could have used some therapy as he had a LOT of issues! And he could be pretty childish, too. usually, it's the h who goes off the rails, gets emotional, says a lot of dumb things to the H she regrets, etc., but in this case, it was the H who gets silly. The way he carried on at times, if he was a woman you'd think he had PMS, or if he were older that he was going through male menopause! The h showed a lot of patience with him when he could have used a good punch!
This h goes through a lot, and is willing to compromise, and give the H space, even let him go, believing the difference in their backgrounds would make her the wrong wife for him. She does a lot for him, but it takes a while for him to fully appreciate that.
The book has some tear-jerker moments, and I doubt anyone can read the part where the H goes to see his mother without reaching for the tissue box.
It's a good story, despite its faults.
July 10, 2024
4 1/2 stars. The authors are good storytellers.The H's views about women (they use sex to control), love (it makes you weak) and humans (they should be perfect) are his alcoholic father's words to him. They were reinforced by the desertion of his mother and the woman he proposed to who left him for a Hollywood contract. The only one who is not afraid of him and seems to be able to reach him, is his former foreman's daughter, the h. With an age gap, the H has just begun to see the h as a woman. While the h's career as a designer is taking off and lifting the h and her mother out of poverty, the H sees her career as a threat to his importance to her. His hurt and fear of losing her results in some mean, cutting remarks to her e.g. about her ability to fit in with his social status as a wealthy rancher. The h is beyond patient is putting up with his snarkiness while he works through the painful process of tearing down the emotional walls he has built to protect himself.
October 29, 2021
Kate is the one the whole ranch calls on when there is an injury, illness or temper on the illusive Jason. Known for his temper and moods, the only one he really responds to in a pinch - is Kate. She is longing to be more than a friend and that is proving impossible.
Jason is much older than Kate that he is concerned if he starts something with her, it will actually take something from her future. In the meantime they are somewhat friends. Ranching as a priority, when the relationship heads south - can they choose each other?
I love this author's book and was thrilled to be able to read this one. Old fashioned in style, the story reads as romance with a dashing hero and young maiden. Has a terrific set pace, and the read does not disappoint. I had trouble putting it down!
Jason is much older than Kate that he is concerned if he starts something with her, it will actually take something from her future. In the meantime they are somewhat friends. Ranching as a priority, when the relationship heads south - can they choose each other?
I love this author's book and was thrilled to be able to read this one. Old fashioned in style, the story reads as romance with a dashing hero and young maiden. Has a terrific set pace, and the read does not disappoint. I had trouble putting it down!
May 23, 2020
Second Diana Palmer’s book and I just cannot with her heroes. I understand this is in the 80s but I read some books with the same setting and the heroes aren’t this sexist. Jason never redeemed himself. Don’t get me wrong, I love a traditional hero but not this kind. Jason is exasperating and always used the same excuse to justify his actions. Kate is nice and I loved how she stood up for herself... sometimes. The reason for the 4-star rating was Kate alone and the other characters. 0 ratings for Jason.
I wanted to read more DP in the future but I’m going to take a break from her books now.
I wanted to read more DP in the future but I’m going to take a break from her books now.
September 6, 2025
4 stars
I purchased a copy of Diamond Spur by Diana Palmer in Kindle Unlimited, and this review was given freely.
There is a lot of emotional conflict in this friends to more romance, where the abrasive and taciturn wealthy rancher Jason Donovan has a hard time resisting and accepting his feelings for his financially struggling twenty-year-old neighbor, the budding clothing designer Kate.
This steamy romance features two couples and packs a lot of love, loss, and heartache into what appears to be two years.
18+ for intimate scenes.
I purchased a copy of Diamond Spur by Diana Palmer in Kindle Unlimited, and this review was given freely.
There is a lot of emotional conflict in this friends to more romance, where the abrasive and taciturn wealthy rancher Jason Donovan has a hard time resisting and accepting his feelings for his financially struggling twenty-year-old neighbor, the budding clothing designer Kate.
This steamy romance features two couples and packs a lot of love, loss, and heartache into what appears to be two years.
18+ for intimate scenes.
September 8, 2017
I finished this book because although the hero was to the extreme a-hole category, the main characters were well fleshed out and I wanted to see how it ended.
I think some of the low reviews have more to do with the fact that this romance didn't age well (1988), and hero is a chain-smoking Neanderthal. But the writing seems good enough to give the author a chance -
Perhaps in more recent released
Books.
I think some of the low reviews have more to do with the fact that this romance didn't age well (1988), and hero is a chain-smoking Neanderthal. But the writing seems good enough to give the author a chance -
Perhaps in more recent released
Books.
November 15, 2018
An older read which was OK. Older guy (mid 30's) and younger woman (just 20). They loved each other but she was open and caring and he was closed motionally, scarred from his mother leaving their alcoholic father and leaving behind both he and his brother. Of course their were mitigating circumstances which weren't reveiled till the end of the book. OK read. This was a 1980's book. The male lead was smoking in about every scene he was in.
June 11, 2022
Hun er FOR forudsigelig. Han er egoist, mandsshauvenist, tåbelig og jaloux. Men hvad gør det? De kæmper for kærligheden og når enden er god, er alting godt. I denne roman har Palmer fundet balancen mellem kærlighed, spænding og personligheder. Jeg ser gennem fingrene med det faktum at begge hovedpersoner er lidt håbløse og ret irriterende, for begge elsker, men kan ikke finde ud af hvordan de får det sagt. Hyggelig og underholdende
July 22, 2023
I have been reading novels by Diana Palmer (aka Susan Kyle) for many years now; she is my "go-to" author when I'm not sure what I want to read. Diamond Spur is one of her earlier books which is a little dated now. For example, smoking is one of the main character's habits, and he smokes a lot. The plot, however, is timeless because it deals with two young people who are in love with each other; but, because of past experiences, they are not confident in sharing their feelings. After lots of misunderstandings, they finally come to a comfortable point in their relationship.
January 17, 2022
If you like wishy washy main characters who are emotionally manuplative then this is the book for you! If you find the thought of characters like that repulsive then you should read another book. This is the longest single story romance I have read and at least half of it could have been cut and possibly improved the book.
July 8, 2023
Oh child...
What a great love story. Keeps your attention from first word to last. This novel brings home front and center the old saying that you always hurt the ones you love. Our loved ones hurt the worst but thank God love us the best! Love is the best four letter word in the English language.
What a great love story. Keeps your attention from first word to last. This novel brings home front and center the old saying that you always hurt the ones you love. Our loved ones hurt the worst but thank God love us the best! Love is the best four letter word in the English language.
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