Customer Reviews

Coltrain's Proposal (Make-Believe Marriage) (Silhouette Romance, No 1103)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book was my introduction to Diana Palmer and therefore is why I am enthralled with her. This book is witty, sassy and entertaining.

Jebediah Coltrain is brash, tempermental and charming even with his icy demeanor and I loved his biting remarks. Louise Blakely, though shy and reserved does not hide behind that "Im a twit because I am female" mask that so many writers today display in their female heroines. Together they make an combination that readers can identify with.

Lou is emotionalyy scarred and hides her feelings behind a polite reserve that is so indusive of many charateristics of woman today. She is in love with a man who would rather spit on her then bother to say hello. And yet through this noticable vunerability you can still see a woman who will not back down, will not give up. This is a modern day woman and one that I am proud to say that I can personally relate to.

Coltrain is tough, sarcastic and thouroughly charming. His biting remarks and hidden desires kept me on the edge of my seat. This is a man who does not hide his temper, who dominates most characters in the book becasue of this formidable temper but has a charming and sweet side that he is does not mind showing. He doesnt mind admitting that Lou bothers him and like any typical man shows her only the sharp edge of his tongue and the cruel nature of his arrogance when she withdraws. What is unique about Coltrain is that once he realizes that Lou is hiding her hurt he realizes that he was wrong and even admits it and that in a man is a rare commodity.

I like that Lou stands up for herself despite past abuse and Coltrain learns that sometimes being gentle is what a woman needs but that doesnt make her weak.

The one thing I would chang in this book is that I feel the end is slightly rushed. I would have liked DP to draw it out. To make Lou realize that not only is she strong as a person but as a woman. I would liked to see her stand up to Jane Parker, who I really did not care for in either this book or That Burke Man, Dana and Nickie. I would have liked her to very to tell them all that Coltrain was her man and they needed to get out in that oh so dignified manner of hers.

I also I would love a sequel to this book to see Cltrain and Lou handle a problem in their marriage that would reintroduce both characters once more and allow us once again to see 2 characters who know how to make a believable story.

Being in the medical field myself, i often find books set there excrutiating. This one was great--while we saw clearly the devotion of the characters to their job, they had lives away from medicine, and managed to battle their way through myriad misunderstandings before reaching true love. While the ending seemed a wee bit abrupt to me, it doesn't detract much from the book, it's really a 4.5 but i put it up to a 5 'cos of the secondary characters which are wonderful.

I love Diana Palmer. This book was great because I got to read about the dr's after reading many of her other books. Great author great book

WHAT??? Did I read the same book as everyone else?! The people who gave this book 4-5 stars must not have read many of DP's books (or romance books of any kind). I have read at least 15 of DPs books and I'm not covinced that she wrote this one at all! One day lou hates her, insults her, is disgusted by her and in 1 page's time he marries her. There was ZERO romantic development which is what DP is typically masterful at! I felt the characters had no kind of connection with each other at any time in the book including after they married and fell in love. They basically go from hating each other to pregnancy to The End. ZERO development of the relationship so the marriage seemed beyond ridiculous. I LOVE DP and thouroghly enjoy every page she writes. I have a difficult time believing that she wrote this book! Without question this is the worst I have read! Sorry DP!

I read this book years ago and remembered the story when I found it again. It is one of my favorite stories of Diana Palmers. I liked the characters of Lou and Coltrain.

I recently read this book, having read several Diana Palmer books before this. Fair enough, for once we do not have the middle-aged, hairy, chain-smoking cowboy/cop/mercenary and the barely legal shy, trembling virgin, but this book is abysmal in other ways.

We have the male protagonist, who despises the heroine for something her father did to him in the past. He treats her horrendously, insults her, and is overheard to say how much she disgusts him. He finds her revolting and repulsive. She finally accepts facts and hands in her resignation. And, lo and behold, from one day to the next, he sees the light. Suddenly she is no longer disgusting, suddenly she is desirable. He kisses her repeatedly and, in good old Diana Palmer fashion, she submits against her better knowledge; she cannot help herself. As I said in the title - character development in both protagonists? Zero. On his part, we have from disgust to desire in two sentences without rhyme or reason. On her part, we have the classical doormat who makes a half-hearted attempt at being an actual personality, but very soon submits again.

Sorry, Ms Palmer, this was one of the worst pieces of writing I've ever had the misfortune to read.