Outsider [Mass Market Paperback]

Diana Palmer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2007

Former black ops CIA operative Colby Lane, now retired from his wild years as a mercenary, has found his new calling as assistant chief of security for the mammoth Ritter Oil Corporation. But the past is never far behind. He's soon enmeshed in plans to trap a notorious drug trafficker, and it seems that his ex-wife, Sarina Carrington—whom he so cruelly left after one day of marriage—may be more involved than she's letting on. Not only that, but Sarina has a six-year-old dark-eyed daughter whose father is mysteriously absent—or is he?

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

After losing an arm, Colby Lane can no longer work as a mercenary. His second wife, Maureen, repulsed by his loss of limb, has left, but at least he has quit drinking and is ready to become assistant chief of security in a Houston oil firm. At 17 Sarina Carrington was married to Colby for less than 24 hours: he disappeared after a disastrous wedding night. Unbeknownst to Colby, Sarina was pregnant. Since Colby is Apache and their child has mixed blood, Sarina was kicked out of her rich father's house and ended up living in poverty with her asthmatic daughter, Bernadette. Colby doesn't know that he has a child and is unnerved by Bernadette's finely honed psychic powers, powers not unlike his own. Palmer has taken a wounded protagonist and deftly turned him into a true hero and a genuinely likable human being. Palmer's talent for character development and ability to fuse heartwarming romance with nail-biting suspense shine in Outsider. Shelley Mosley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"A compelling tale . . . [that packs] an emotional wallop." -- Booklist on Renegade

"Diana Palmer does a masterful job of stirring the reader's emotions." -- Lezlie Patterson, Reading Eagle on Lawless

"Diana Palmer is a mesmerizing storyteller who captures the essence of what a romance should be." -- Affaire de Coeur

"Nobody does it better." -- New York Times bestselling author Linda Howard

"Nobody tops Diana Palmer when it comes to delivering pure, undiluted romance. I love her stories." -- New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz

"Palmer knows how to make the sparks fly . . . heartwarming." -- Publishers Weekly on Renegade

"Readers who enjoy stories by authors who know how to pack an emotional wallop, will add Palmer to their list." -- Booklist on Renegade

"The dialogue is charming, the characters likeable and the sex sizzling." -- Publishers Weekly on Once in Paris

"The ever-popular Palmer has penned another sure hit." -- Booklist on Before Sunrise

"This story is a thrill a minute -- one of Palmer's best." -- Rendezvous on Lord of the Desert --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: HQN Books (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373772343
• ISBN-13: 978-0373772346
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #163,777 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars delightful second chance at love romantic suspense thriller, July 5, 2006

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Outsider (MIRA Single Title Hardbacks) (Hardcover)

In Africa on a mission, CIA operative Colby Lane too drunk to establish needed precautions, barely makes it out alive, but loses an arm while escaping. His prosthesis arm is state of the art, but his covert days are over. Needing a new line of work, Colby accepts the position of Chief of Security at Houston branch of Ritter Oil, replacing his friend Phillip Hunter who plans to return to Arizona.

Working on a special project at the Houston office is Colby's ex-wife Sarina Carrington, who normally works at the Tucson branch. They were married for one night of bliss, which resulted in a child Bernadette and years of scorn since he remarried soon after the annulment, but was divorced again. As their feelings reignite, drug lord Manuel Lopez plans to eliminate anyone interfering with his operation starting with Colby; if that means using his daughter Bernadette as an expendable pawn so bit.

OUTSIDER is a delightful second chance at love romantic suspense thriller. The lead couple is an amiable pair that will leave the audience wondering why they were not already together though Diana Palmer provides a plausible rationale. Their daughter is an intelligent delightful child with a special extrasensory gift. The exhilarating story line never slows down once Colby and Sarina meet at Ritter Oil for the first in years and never slows down until the final confrontation with a villain who will kill anyone in his way without blinking.

Harriet Klausner

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Outsider" Another hit for Diana Palmer!, July 4, 2006

By 

L. Mason "LTT Fan" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Outsider (MIRA Single Title Hardbacks) (Hardcover)

I found this story to be intriguing. If you have read any of Diana's books that she wrote introducing us to the Mercenaries you would appreciate this one too. The beginning of the story makes you want to read more about this collage of characters and what makes each and everyone of them tick. What is the story behind Colby, the 7 yr. old girl & Sabrina...as well as Rodrigo and so on.
I am over 40 and this book give me what I want...a story about a mother trying to make something of herself as well as keep care of her daughter to the best of her ability. The sexy hero who learns about Bernadette and goes from not wanting to know or have anything to do with the child to wanting nothing more then to cuddle her and love her.
I know this story will not have let ANYONE down or disappointed Diana's ardent fans. It gives us all what we want....a good old fashion romance with some intrigue thrown in as well as a woman who can handle herself come what may.
Keep up the good work Diana and thank you for the work you have done and the work you still have pouring out of your soul.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Colby Lane: the ultimate hero, July 4, 2006

By 

Romantic_lady "Ronnie" (San Antonio, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Outsider (MIRA Single Title Hardbacks) (Hardcover)

Let's see, where can I begin telling you how much I loved the book? Mmm, let's start from the moment you grab the book and read the first page!! Colby Lane has been one of my favorite heros for so long, I think since Paper Rose! He is not you regular or typicalhero, he is a wounded man with a past buried inside him, but still, this past comes back in the figure of Sarina and a little girl named Bernadette. He is so intrigued by this unique seven year old that he doesn't see the familiar resemblance in her features and starts a bad relationship with her. Later on in the story, you learn the secret between Bernadette and Colby . You don't see just action but the path the Colby takes to save himself from a lonely future that he will have if he doesn't correct some bad decisions. Diana Palmer is a writer that reads inside her fans and knows what they like and are hoping to see in her books. This book was a big reunion with old characters that we loved in other books and we needed to know more about them!! Looking forward for Garon Grier's book coming next July 2007!!