Customer Reviews

Fearless

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(24)

 

 

** THIS REVIEW IS LONG AND CONTAINS LOTS OF SPOILERS**

I have been a Diana Palmer fan since way back in the 80s when Silhouette Romance and Silhouette Desire first started publishing her work. I have loved her Soldier of Fortune books and I even liked the way recurring Jacobsville characters appear in the subsequent books. I have seen her books getting tired and repetitive especially since the midpoint of the Long Tall Texans series and their identical storylines but this is the worst yet.

Thank God for the library because if I had paid my hard earned money then I would be really mad about this whole experience. My eyes actually hurt from rolling so much.

Also, I know this review is really long but this book was such a stinker and I wanted to explain why I labelled it as such.

THE STORY:

Glory is an Assistant DA from San Antonio who wears a wiretap and catches a major drug dealer discussing a murder among other crimes. She is the only witness (and the tape cannot be authenticated without her) so he puts a hit on her. She needs a place to hide out so she goes to her stepbrother's farm in Jacobsville where she meets Rodrigo, the new manager.

Rodrigo is actually a DEA agent who is working undercover to flush out a major drug dealer who coincidentally is the same guy after Glory. Neither one knows what the other one is actually doing at the farm and Glory actually thinks that he may be in with the drug smugglers.

THE GOOD:

The only thing that I liked about this book was that the heroine, Glory, was gutsy and she was not a whiny clingy person who needed a man to rescue her. She was small and at a disadvantage due to a disability but she was smart and resourceful.

This makes it even worse that she was Rodrigo's doormat for so much of the book.

THE PROBLEMS:

There are actually several sub-plots dealing with other police officers and the drug dealers and there are actually too many characters to keep up with. I found myself having to go back several times each time a name was mentioned to see what relation the character had to the story. Also, there were too many recurring characters and obvious new story set-ups. I kept thinking enough already.

This was billed as romantic suspense but there was no suspense. The storyline was slightly plausible except for all of the coincidences. However, I knew who the bad guys were from the second they were mentioned. There was no element of surprise. Also one of the bad people (I won't ruin that part of the plot) actually came off as inept and ridiculous. Even though I knew what was going to happen, when that person did show their true colors, all I did was again roll my eyes.

This book appeared as though Diana did not do notes about the characters and forgot what she said about them from page to page. On the first page we meet Glory and she is described as very attractive even though she never wears makeup (because she did not need it). She was described as wearing very high sexy heels. Throughout the rest of the book, a big deal was made of her need for a cane and her pronounced limp. It is unlikely that she would have been wearing sexy high heels.

Also, the hero continually complained about her to other people by calling her plain and unattractive. He found nothing to like about her besides the fact that she put out twice I guess.

On the fourth page, Diana lays out Glory's entire history which includes child abuse and attempted rape. Glory is fearful of getting close to a man because of her past and for the first few chapters, this is made very clear. She has a brief bout of trembling whenever he come near but then BANG- with no lead up or romance or prior kisses or even anything approaching chemistry, they are in bed together. Diana did not even start it like her other books- with the hero putting some lame seduction moves on the shy virgin. Just WHAM BAM. The second time was even more ridiculous. Diana attempted to throw in a tired seduction scene from one of her older books but it came across as hurried as though it was thrown in as an afterthought. Glory sure forgot she was afraid of men after that & that was the end of her fearfulness.

Also, almost every other major character in the book was male and she was quite happy to go off with them & be alone with them in questionable circumstances.

Glory was supposed to be hiding out in Jacobsville (more on this town later) and no one is supposed to know- not the DEA and not local law enforcement. Yet, her law enforcement contact in San Antonio blabs all of her details to his mother whose presence in the book serves no purpose- NADA.

The hero had no redeeming qualities. He was not nice to Glory at all and actually treated her quite badly. Diana often has her heroes treat the women they supposedly love shabbily but this was pretty bad. He even came to see her in the hospital and yelled at her and acted like scum. I really started hoping for her to hook up with one of the other guys in the book and I even skipped to the end hoping that she had ended up with one of the other guys.

Rodrigo never smiled. He openly whined about his lost love. He repeatedly talked about Glory behind her back. He was embarrassed by her when he though she was uneducated even though she was well spoken and well read and there was never any indication that she did not have social graces. He openly called her a cripple. He clearly thought her good enough to sleep with but not good enough to have around his friends.

There was no chemistry between the two main characters.

The other woman who Rodrigo was in love with was now married to someone else but she was in this book way too often without her husband. Her presence was unnecessary in every scene that she was in.

And now as for Jacobsville: How many mercenaries, let alone reformed mercenaries can there really be in the world and how come so many of them land in Jacobsville, "the land of the sighing, lip biting naive virgin who trembles at the sight of a man"? I am so sick of this tired old plot device. Diana needs to come up with something new. And, how come every single ex-mercenary- even if they are working for the government now- is rich as Midas? And how come in Diana's books, even regular citizens like the heroines can hook up with a mercenary team like they were in the yellow pages or something?

And, Rodrigo's past is somewhat sketchy- mercenary turned DEA agent with numerous hits out on him in numerous countries around the world due to his DEA successes. I understand why Rodrigo is dedicated to helping the DEA bring down drug dealers. However, why was he a mercenary? He grew up wealthy and there is no mention of his being in the military and no explanation is ever given in the book about why he started out as a mercenary. Also, if he is so widely known around the globe, then why do none of the drug lords come to the US for him. And, he makes a big deal about still working undercover. It is like the US is base where he cannot get tagged out. The book made a big deal about this in several places and it still does not make any sense.

I could go on about all of the inconsistencies, the implausible plot devices and the other things that made this book a complete mess. All I can really say is that Diana Palmer better freshen up her material because she has already lost my book buying dollars and I may not even check her out from the library again. If you decide to read this book, get it from the library or wait for the paperback (at the discount store) to get it cheaper.

Clearly, publishers consider Diana as literary gold but I hope she and they will consider us the readers and give us something better the next time around.

I thought this book would be an improvement since Rodrigo seemed to be a nice guy in her other book. NOT! He is AN obnoxious, mean jerk like the author's other male characters, leaving one to wonder why in the world the female character would want a life with him. Palmer's books are all the same--mealy mouthed plain female character with small boobs whom the bitter male character demeans to no end. He wants her sexually but has no respect for her. And there is always some nice, good looking guy who wants her and would treat her like a princess but she does not want him. I have to wonder if the author thinks that mean and vindictive is a sexy trait in a man, I don't know. I am afraid her next "hero" may be a serial killer.

In the end I was hoping Rodrigo would meet his demise but he didn't. Too bad. This is the last Palmer book that I will read.

Another thing--in the form of a request to Amazon: PLEASE GIVE US A MINUS BUTTON TO USE FOR A BOOK LIKE THIS!

ARE you as sick as I am of the same old "lame plots?"
DISABLED HEROINE AND ABUSIVE HERO~??? this is THE WORST DIANA PALMER BOOK EVER~ first of all too many side plots....confusing~

this CONTAINS * plot spoilers** so keep this in mind~

Glory the heroine is NOT just disabled she is very very ill~ bad hip and BAD heart~ she is also a DA~ her one rewarding character is she has a bit more "feist" than most of "Diana's Doormats"~ and is the only witness to a KILLERS confession... so she has to go undercover~ with endless plots to kill her~ ADD the hero ...Rodrigo~ undercover of course and HE/SHE are clueless who the other 'really is'~....like this could really occur? nah~
Rodrigo is attracted enough to Glory to get her pregnant after having mindboggling sex TWICE but is always complaining how "plain" and uneducated she is~like this stopped him from sex twice with her? NO~
HERO IS MEAN SPIRITED AND SERVES DIVORCE PAPERS TO HER WHEN SHE IS IN THE HOSPITAL HAVING A MISCARRIAGE AND A HEARTATTACK? ...LIKE THIS IS ANY ONES IDEAL HERO~??
DIANA what were you thinking??????

when he served the divorce papers to the deathly ill heroine ...I wanted you to KILL HIM OFF~ AND I wanted to do it "for" you~ ! disgusting~
THIS IS THE MEANEST AND NASTIEST hero I have read about in all of her books~ I WOULD GIVE THIS ONE A "ZERO" ONLY the lowest score allowed is a one~ SIMPLY BAD~ READ THE DUSTJACKET AT WALMART and that is the BEST part of this sorry book~

WORST PALMER BOOK EVER~ ! SUGGESTION: READ HER OLDER TITLES AND HAVE FOND MEMORIES OF A GOOD LIKELABLE DIANA PALMER "HERO" BECAUSE this one has NONE~
save $25.00 OR used amazon price today of $15.00 and PUT GAS IN YOUR CAR~ you will be happier~

I used to love Ms. Palmer's novels but they are getting worse and worse and I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever read another! If you are an extremely educated person with handfuls of college degrees you may love this book, as for the rest of us, I was deeply offended that the macho jerk had no use for Glory when he thought she was an uneducated nobody! Honestly, Ms. Palmer doesn't realize people without college degrees still have feelings and are capable of carrying on conversations about poetry and surprise, surprise, can even be fluent in foreign languages. I was so disgusted how Ms.Palmer kept putting down the working class people and insinuated that only the most educated were capable of having a real chance of happiness with the hot FBI agents and mercenaries of the world. This is so laughable and in my opinion it is pure junk that should have never been published. The reader of a novel should go away feeling better about themselves or at least enjoy a well deserved escape from reality at times, not feeling worthless and think that there hopes of romance are now all but noexistant because they never finished college.

In San Antonio anyone looking at pint sized Gloryanne Barnes would not connect her to being a tough district attorney, but she is. Besides being small, Glory is handicapped by a bad hip, broken twice as a child by her volatile mother Beverly who got off the child abuse hook due to her affair with wealthy Myron Pendleton; his lawyers persuaded the jury that Gloryanne's father harmed her and he went to jail in spite of his daughter's crying testimony otherwise.

When drug czar Fuentes is sent to jail by her testimony, he arranges for a hit to silence the only witness. His assassin almost succeeds, but the bullet misses her ear by a fraction. To keep her safe, Glory is exiled to work undercover at a small organic farm as a canner. Manager Rodrigo Ramirez wonders why she is working here when she cannot get around; she also ponders about her employer who seems to be out of place on the farm. Attracted to one another although neither will admit it, as danger mounts, they need to trust one another; something neither is used to doing.

FEARLESS is a fascinating romantic suspense starring a likable heroine and a reticent hunk willing to risk his life keeping her safe. The story line starts a bit slow as Diana Palmer introduces Glory's inglorious past to the audience, but once it accelerates the story lien never brakes until the final denouement that the heroine is no longer on the market. Fans will enjoy this solid Texas thriller.

Harriet Klausner

I am a big Diana Palmer fan but I did not like this book at all. I was so disappointed. It's my least favorite Diana Palmer book ever. Glory is a sympathetic character but I kept hoping she would end up with Rick or Kilraven since Rodrigo was such a jerk. Rodrigo was very mean to Glory - in unforgivable ways. The first time he sleeps with her, he is wishing she was another woman. (His true love who has married another man) He thinks Glory is stupid even though she always has a witty response for him. His meaness didn't even make sense at times. Rodrigo is so unlikable that Glory should have held out for a better match. What was HQN even thinking about to publish this garbage. Did anyone even proofread it?

This was seriously one of the worst books I have ever read! The hero was so mean to the heroine that it was disgraceful. He badmouthed her behind her back to everyone (calling her plain, uneducated, unsophisticated, a country hick, a cripple).
He never took the time to get to know her but she still put out for him twice and ended up pregnant for him. But when he finds out she's really a beautiful, smart, wealthy, assistant DA the story changes and all of a sudden he was in love with her all along. He was cruel to her through 90% of the story and the last ten percent he was declaring undying love for her (conveniently after he found out she was in his "social class").

It was a horrible horrible book. I recommend not coming within ten feet of it. I will not pick up another diana palmer book again, that's how bad it was!

I'm having trouble figuring out Rodrigo's family tree. Throughout the entire book we're constantly badgered w/ the fact that Rodrigo Ramirez's father was Dutch royalty and his mother was Spanish aristocracy. Why, then, isn't his family name Vandewaard or Van Schoonhoven or Gaanesvoort or something similar instead of a Latin surname? Plus his swarthy dark looks would follow suit if he were of South American heritage...but he's not. The Spaniards are European and are just as fair-skinned and -haired as any other European. The dark Latin looks came about when the Spaniards interbred w/ South American Indians hundreds of years ago. Any anthropological research that went into this book is painfully, obviously nonexistent. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. The characters are so shallow it's painful. As pointed out by another reviewer, this guy can't make up his mind about her - one day he's jumping her bones and calling her beloved names and the next day he's complaining that she's lower class than he (although why he would consider her uneducated when they discussed literature and poetry she reads - in the Spanish language no less! - is baffling).

This was my first excursion into Diana Palmer's work - and the last.

I'm very disappointed with this book, and have been with Ms. Palmer for the last several books. All of her heroines are weak, emotionally and physically. All of her heros are abusive verbally. And ALL of her heroines are virgins, uptight and repressed. Back in the 80s, that might have been acceptable but this is a new century and new day. I prefer women who are fighters, who can stand up for themselve, take charge. Not someone looking for a "savior". Ugh. I probably won't be looking for any new DP books. So sad how a great writer gets stuck in a creative rut. This book in particular is very offensive to me. Rodrigo didn't respect Glory because he perceived her to be uneducated and plain. Granted having a degree is a good thing but just because you do not does not mean you can not converse intelligently. Secondly, he went out of his way to offend her to the point of pushin her to jump, denigrating her to the woman he supposed love and not caring that a madman is still after her. He serves her divorce papers in the hospital. I don't get how anybody would want to be with someone like him. He wasn't likeable at all. Another major issue I have is when Glory meet the "other woman" and blabbed her medical history with a "oh please don't tell him". Who does that? The plot and interactions makes little sense.

Although Diane Palmer has an engaging writing style, and Gloryanne was sort of an interesting character, I found this story quite unbelievable and often unpleasant.

Rodrigo and Gloryanne are both class snobs and have trouble getting over the idea of class differences - despite huge amounts of time spent together they never seem to know anything about the other except that they are attracted. Rodrigo is attracted despite telling everyone that Gloryanne is stupid, plain, and totally UNattractive which does not make a lot of sense.

The Rodrigo character flip flops back and forth between being strong, kind, and supportive, and being childish, petulant, and abusive. This story might have been able to sustain one outbreak like that blaming it on his being conflicted but not over and over again. Also, his verbal attacks went way too far. For example, after the separation, Gloryanne decides to go to his house and tell him she's pregnant, before Gloryanne has a chance to say a word he accuses her of being after his money and produces a girlfriend and tells Gloryanne how great in bed the girlfriend is.

Not to mention filing divorce papers on her in the hospital as mentioned in other reviews.

Not until Rodrigo sees Gloryanne dressed up in court with a new haircut and realizes she is educated and has money does he decide he really cares about her and wants to start over. And she of course is ready to go with him no matter how he treats her.

I won't be picking up any more Diana Palmer novels any time soon.