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Protector

(Long, Tall Texans #43)

Diana Palmer

3.88 · Rating details · 1,463 ratings · 136 reviews

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Diana Palmer takes readers back to Jacobsville, Texas, where Hayes Carson is a man on a mission—for justice.

Bobby Carson had been the only family Hayes had left in the world. A long, tall and serious Texan, Hayes has always suspected Minette Raynor had something to do with Bobby's death, that the bright-eyed blonde gave his ...more

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Kindle Edition, 302 pages

Published June 25th 2013 by Harlequin HQN (first published January 1st 2013)

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· 1,463 ratings · 136 reviews

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May 13, 2020 StMargarets rated it liked it

Shelves: 3-star, author-diana-palmer, enemies-to-lovers, library-book

2.5 rounded up stars. It’s not a terrible novel, but the romance was about 30% of the story. The hero is Carson Hayes, the lonely county sheriff who has always hated the heroine because he thinks she’s responsible for his brother’s overdose in high school.

Heroine wasn’t responsible - a fact that was established in a previous DP novel. Heroine is the editor of the Jacobsville newspaper and has a crush on the hero.

So the plot. Do you really want to know?

Simply put, it’s the ongoing saga of the ...more

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Jul 12, 2013 Melanie♥ rated it did not like it

Shelves: palmer-diana, e-book, category, dnf

I am rating this book based on the 50% of it I read before dozing off.

I used to be a big DP fan and still have a full shelf of keeper books by her. I should have stopped reading her books years ago, but I still feel compelled to read the new offerings.
I am SO over the never ending Long Tall Texans series and Jacobsville. It seems that DP just can't move on to anything new.

This book was a total disappointment. I didn't care about either of the characters and it was totally lacking tension, drama, ...more

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May 30, 2013 Heather rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013

Disclosure: I was provided a ebook copy of "Protector" from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW
I have never written a negative review so this is going to be a long one so I can fully explain.

First I would like to say that I feel a little confused by the description of the book which makes the book sound much more exciting than it is. I saw no evidence in the book that Minette is an undercover DEA agent. I read the description after I read the book Disclosure: I was provided a ebook copy of "Protector" from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW
I have never written a negative review so this is going to be a long one so I can fully explain.

First I would like to say that I feel a little confused by the description of the book which makes the book sound much more exciting than it is. I saw no evidence in the book that Minette is an undercover DEA agent. I read the description after I read the book I went back to find where the story says she's undercover and couldn't. Also Hayes never really investigates Minette but instead their storyline is about him getting over blaming her, asking for her forgiveness and falling in love. No one is ever brought to justice for the death of Hayes brother and Hayes accepts that his brother was a drug addict who no one could have saved. And Hayes plays very little if any role in saving Minette's life. Poor guy doesn't event get to be the hero of his own story.

"Protector" returns readers to the small but ever exciting town of Jacobsville, Texas for the latest installment in Diana Palmer's long running Long Tall Texan series.
Sheriff Hayes Carson has been a bit player in the series over the last few books, often bringing comic relief to tense situations. As a longtime fan of the series I was happy to see Hayes have his turn as the hero of the story!
It's well-known to everyone in Jacobsville (and readers of the series) of Hayes's tragic loss of his brother due to a drug overdose. A death that he has long laid at the feet of Jacobsville resident Minette Raynor.
Minette has no idea why her long-time crush would blame her. She's a straight arrow who cares for her orphaned step-siblings while working as a reporter for a weekly paper. When Hayes is shot, Minette brings him into her home to recover. Hayes is quickly absorbed into the family and enjoys the attention from Minette, her young wards and her great-aunt Sarah.
As Hayes lets go of his grudge he struggles with whether or not to share a secret from Minette's past that could destroy her future. When the secret is revealed both Hayes and Minette find themselves kidnapped by a drug lord and held hostage in a Mexican border town.
Minette is one of Palmer's more modern (and stronger) heroines compared to her past few books. Unlike previous DP heroines, Minette has an education, a job, her own money, and no physical illness or impairment.
And Hayes God Bless him isn't borderline verbal abusive to the heroine (as some of DP's past alpha male heroes have been.)
Unfortunately that's where the positives of both main characters end. While both Hayes and Minette are both likeable enough they were one dimensional. The hero wasn't much of a hero. And the ending was a little absurd. I felt so much of the book was focused on summarizing story lines from past LTT characters (which seemed to be half the town), introducing new characters and setting up their future books, and just preaching about how in DP's day the country wasn't such a bad place that she forgot to actually develop a 3-D hero and heroine.
Minette's characteristics as a strong self-reliant heroine comes at the expense of allowing Hayes to shine as a hero. I think Mrs. Palmer was trying to give Hayes "feet of clay" (one of her favorite expressions) by having him make mistakes and not always save the day; but in doing so he came off as incompetent. More Barney Fife than Andy Griffith. There was a scene that was so unbelievable I imagine in real life a sheriff would be fired for the mistake. In Jacobsville you can apparently get a job with the Sheriff's Dept. without undergoing a background check, verification of references, having your address verified or being fingerprinted. In previous titles in the series (and this one too) the joke is that the sheriff uses phrases like crackers and milk and doesn't curse. Except he does use a couple of curse words repeatedly in Protector.
The dialogue between the characters isn't much fun and is very superficial. I skimmed through much of the dialogue. The characters spend a great deal of the book complaining about the state of the country.
Also hard to swallow was the pages and pages dedicated the the church-going drug lord with a heart of gold who provides health insurance for his drug mules. There's a lot of talk about how due to circumstance and birth, some people have no choice but to sell drugs and turn to a life of crime.
Despite Hayes and Minette being kidnapped there's no real sense of danger or urgency in the plot. And not a lot of romance beyond some groping make-out scenes. Generally in DP books it's more about the journey than the ending. This journey was a jumble of past and future characters that left little room for the "main" hero and heroine.
The real kicker-the guy who saves the day (along with the heroine) isn't Hayes but he has the same last name as Hayes. Talk about confusing.
The wrap up becomes a little more lighthearted and that's where Minette and Hayes have some fun and it feels more like a DP novel. Of course the last several pages are also dedicated to further flushing out the "other Carson's" character and preparing readers for his story.
I can't recommend "Protector" as a book that's worth your time and money. If you're a longtime fan of the series, then it's possibly worth a read, if only to meet new characters including Dane and Tess Lassiter's adult son Lassiter, Rourke (KC Kantor's rumored son) and Carson, who'll likely be the hero of the next LTT book. If you're new to DP's books, I'd recommend starting with earlier LTT titles. There are many many good ones!
Despite this being the second book in a row by DP that I'm unable to recommend, I still keep hoping to see DP reclaim her title as the queen of romance. ...more

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Dec 26, 2017 Chitra *CJ* rated it it was amazing

Shelves: diabetic-coma, mystery-thriller, v-card, shitz-and-giggles, crazy-jealousy, drama-llama, safety-first, seduced-by-the-sex, animal-love

“Protector” is the story of Hayes and Minette.
When Sheriff Hayes is shot for the third time, this time at his home- he finds sanctuary for his recovery in the home of Minette, a journalist whom he considers his enemy and blames her for his brother’s death.
Soon he falls for her family and her innocent nature, while old secrets are revealed and an enemy threatens both their safety..
I adored this book. It was modern enough to be written in 2013, yet had the old school Diana Palmer feel with throwb ...more

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Aug 07, 2013 Rebekah rated it did not like it

Shelves: gave-up

The good news is, if this book can get published, there's hope for your book you've been writing, which I'm confident is a zillion times better written, more compelling, interesting, etc!

The bad news is, they published THIS one, so yours didn't get published, for which I am sorry.

I guess Diana Palmer is like a legacy with a long history of successes, so at this point she can just crank out whatever drivel she wants and they'll print it but jeez. A paragraph ended with "Everyone laughed," and tha ...more

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Jul 25, 2013 Shay rated it did not like it

Shelves: please-hire-a-developmental-editor, the-shit-list, on-my-kindle, thank-god-it-s-digital

After reading most of the books in the LTT series, I was expecting fireworks between Minette and Hayes Carson. Instead I got a boring novel with tons of backstory, info-dumps, rehashing, tangents, and former LTT characters parading through scene after scene in an effort to turn a 100 page book into a 300 page one.

Yeah, I want my nine bucks back.

A quarter of the way through, I began to wonder if I was reading a romance novel or a mundane recounting of Carson's convalescence. A hundred pages in, After reading most of the books in the LTT series, I was expecting fireworks between Minette and Hayes Carson. Instead I got a boring novel with tons of backstory, info-dumps, rehashing, tangents, and former LTT characters parading through scene after scene in an effort to turn a 100 page book into a 300 page one.

Yeah, I want my nine bucks back.

A quarter of the way through, I began to wonder if I was reading a romance novel or a mundane recounting of Carson's convalescence. A hundred pages in, and I was still waiting for a kiss. Heck, I would've cheered a near miss by that point. And don't get me started on the saintly drug lord. (Seriously???)

"Protector" was devoid of all the hallmarks of a good romance: angst, high emotion and sizzling passion. The protagonists lacked even a smidgen inner conflict, which is most unfortunate because it's this element that made the author's older stories great.

If Ms. Palmer had invested the same amount of time developing the romance between Carson and Minette as she did setting up sequels for Mr. Unoriginal Moniker, Lassiter Redux, Oops-I-Have-A-Son, Desperately-Seeking-Dowdy-Virgin and the sheriff's coffee-fetcher, we may have had a decent book to read.

I tacked on an extra star because the author's cheesy sense of humor was alive and well and that made the story slightly entertaining. But then I took it back because the book's description was so incredibly off the mark that it left me speechless.

Minette can't get Hayes off her mind, or off her back. His investigation of her is a nuisance, but as an undercover DEA agent, that's the least of her worries.

Minette is a journalist who owns a newspaper. Say it with me, J-O-U-R-N-A-L-I-S-T.

Journalist noun
"A person who writes for newspapers or magazines or prepares news to be broadcast on radio or television." (Oxford Dictionary)

That is a far cry from undercover DEA agent but, hey, I can see how they got it confused.

If there are any potential readers lingering out there, I beg you to forego this novel. You'll save yourself the hassle of having to return it for a refund. ...more

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Dec 25, 2018 Leigh rated it it was ok

Shelves: single-parent, virgin-heroine, romantic-suspense, western, audiobook, contemporary-romance

Audiobook + story review

The narrator was just okay. He had a nice deep voice with a good southern drawl, but his variations sometimes was hard to distinguish especially the heroine's voice. Hers didn't see to be unique or standout unlike some of the other characters.

Storywise, this was not my favorite Diana Palmer read. I notice her latest books tend to lean less towards romance and more towards external plot which sometimes is a good thing when I'm interested in the non-romance plot. When liste ...more

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May 27, 2013 Caitlin Wyatt rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2013, kindle, summer-2013, favorite-books, netgalley

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 07, 2013 XxTainaxX Curvy and Nerdy rated it it was ok

The description has absolutely nothing to do with the book. Minnette is not a DEA agent and Hayes is not investigating her. It is extremely annoying for that fact alone but add to that a plot that feels overdone and recycled and you have a pretty disappointing combination. I was waiting for a kick butt heroine. I'm still waiting. Diana Palmer has been an auto-read author me for a very long time but it may be time to re-evaluate that. I'm sad to say this one missed the mark by a longshot starting ...more

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Aug 19, 2013 Angela Fristoe rated it it was ok

Shelves: romance

I really wanted to like this one. I am a huge Diana Palmer fan, but lately I just can't seem to find one I like. The characters are 2 dimensional, and their interactions with each other were just the typical trip down memory lane to recap the current lives of former characters, to discuss some random topic, or to go in circles around the same old mystery. The good thing about this one was that they didn't constantly have silly arguments about how he thinks she's loose while she pines for him.

I k ...more

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Sep 30, 2014 Vannessa Anderson rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: thrillers-mysteries-crime

Hayes Carson is a lawman in Jacobsville, Texas. When his brother died from a drug overdose, Hayes blamed Minette Raynor who, consequently, abhors drugs. Hayes was shot by an unknown assailant and could not live alone during his recovery so Minette Raynor brings Hayes to her home to recover. They are attractive to one another but Minette won’t act on her attraction because of the way she believes he feels about her and Hayes won’t act on his attraction for Minette because he believes she was invo ...more

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Apr 24, 2014 Sheila rated it really liked it

While part of a series, this can be read as a standalone. Minette has always loved Hayes but he has always hated her and she did not know why. When he is shot she takes him in to recover. I liked these two characters. Minette is on the older side for an ingénue but Hayes is older than her. Hayes is also not like Diana Palmer's usual male characters. He is not taciturn but lets us know his feelings. Minette is stronger than she believes. She has many surprises in her future but I got my HEA.

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Jul 21, 2014 Missy rated it really liked it

A wonderful read....another great book by Diana Palmer. Just love how she weaves them falling in love with the suspense & danger they face. The touches of humor she uses adds to the different characters making them more human & likeable. The continuing drama in Jacobsville keeps unfolding book after book so you get to know everyone, just like in a small town. She makes memorable characters that you just can't forgot along with a sweet charming love story. ...more

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Dec 29, 2013 amanda s. rated it liked it

Shelves: author-diana-palmer, cowboy-hero

Well, I was expecting some mean hero and cry-baby heroine, but overall I liked it.

Hayes isn't exactly like Diana Palmer usual character, he's sweet and polite. I kind of crave for mean hero and angst storyline and I don't think this book deliver both.

But it's good, I enjoyed it. Too bad it isn't really Diana Palmer style.

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Aug 13, 2016 Heather rated it liked it

Good read, getting tired of this story line.

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May 25, 2013 Rhonda rated it really liked it

4 STARS

It has been awhile since I have read a story about Jacobsville, Texas. A lot of tough guys live and work there. The description of the book is misleading for me. Or maybe it went over my head and I missed that part. It has happened to me before. There are a few love scenes towards the end of the book. Lots of drama and some action. Some interesting characters. Some good, some bad and some really bad guys. And one big iguana.

Sheriff is home on his ranch when he is shot. He never saw th ...more

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Jun 17, 2013 Rita rated it liked it

Protector is the latest Long, Tall Texans book by Diana Palmer. I have read many of the books in the series and was looking forward to Sheriff Hayes Carson’s story with Minette. Minette has had a crush on Hayes for quite some time, but Hayes has hated Minette ever since his brother died of a drug overdose because he blamed her for giving his brother the drugs that killed him. Of course, everyone in Jacobsville knows that Minette had nothing to do with his overdose, and deep down, Hayes knows tha Protector is the latest Long, Tall Texans book by Diana Palmer. I have read many of the books in the series and was looking forward to Sheriff Hayes Carson’s story with Minette. Minette has had a crush on Hayes for quite some time, but Hayes has hated Minette ever since his brother died of a drug overdose because he blamed her for giving his brother the drugs that killed him. Of course, everyone in Jacobsville knows that Minette had nothing to do with his overdose, and deep down, Hayes knows that too.

When Hayes is shot, there is no one available to help take care of him. All of the women in town are afraid to enter his house because of his pet iguana, and he has no relatives except for a distant cousin; so, Minette offers to let Hayes stay with her and he accepts.
As others have said, the description of the book is definitely misleading. Very little time is spent discussing his brother’s death, and Hayes doesn’t investigate Minette. I also did not see any mention of Minette being an undercover agent. Most of the book involves Hayes’s shooting and Minette’s life being in danger because of who her father is.

I thought I would like this book more than I did, but I just couldn’t really get into it. A lot of the dialogue was repetitive, and there isn’t as much romance between Hayes and Minette as I would’ve liked. Also, there didn’t seem to be much turmoil when there should have been because of the situations the characters were put in. I would’ve thought that there would have been more intense feelings between Hayes and Minette because of him blaming her for his brother’s death. And, Minette didn’t seem to be all that shocked about her father either. It seemed like things happened, were resolved, and the main characters got over them fairly quickly. No hard feelings. No stress. No trauma. No nothing. Protector isn't a bad book, but it isn’t a great book either. I guess it was just sort of bland.

*I received my copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
...more

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Jul 18, 2013 Sue rated it did not like it

Shelves: cr

Palmer frequently uses her books to also make political/social commentary. In her previous books this has not been a huge problem because the romance overrides this. In this book of hers much more of it was spent as a social and political commentary and she spends a significant amount of time acting paranoid about security and people watching everything that everyone is doing. I thought this book was paranoia filled, with a huge dose of disrespect for the legal principles of the country. I finis ...more

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Sep 26, 2013 Tammy Santiago rated it it was ok

Diana Diana Diana what has happened to you darlin.your books used to be some great reads.you could read the books and feel the chemistry between the h/h and when a scene required a personal time between them you could feel sexual tension just by reading it.now the books are filled with words that allow you no chance to connect with characters.I know people will read this review and Say something catty like quit reading her books if you dislike them so much.but the thing is when you have devoted ...more

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Jun 07, 2014 Cindy rated it really liked it

Minette has cared for Hayes Carson since high school, but he's known a secret about her father, who is unknown to Minette, that causes him to resent her. She's got great character and cares for her two step-siblings, as well as her great-aunt, and Hayes eventually looks past her heritage to realize how remarkable she is and how suited to his life. They do wind up kidnapped but escape to have a HEA. There is also the entry into the Palmer character list of Dane Lassiter's son, who appears to be a ...more

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Aug 07, 2013 Luvs2dance rated it it was ok

Long after I expected the book to end, it just keep going on. And on. And on. Any intrigue was so transparent it was nonexistent, and there was about as much subtlety as a sledgehammer because the author did not credit her readers with any intelligence, and spelled EVERYTHING out for us. The plot could've been better, but as it is, was completely implausible. Apparently, even moderately successful criminals are completely unintelligent and naive and accept the word of any Tom, Dick and Harry off ...more

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Jan 25, 2014 Alicia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2014-books-i-ve-read

I love all of the Diana Palmer books that I have read and this is no exception. One of the few authors that I actually laugh out loud while I'm reading. The sheriff, Hayes Carson, is shot while he was in his own living room. Since it will take him awhile to recover the use of his arm, the doctor refuses to release him from the hospital unless he has someone to help him out. A little difficult for someone that lives alone except for Andy, his lizard. The only one in the small town of Jacobsville ...more

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Mar 07, 2014 Katie rated it really liked it

The book starts with a nice story line and then bam you have action already. It was a nice surprise to have it so soon in the story. It was a sweet thing for Minette to take him home. As he is in her home they start to know each other and realize they both have made unfair assumptions and start a solid friendship. I love the little details she uses about the cartoon movies, and his pet lizard, it is very funny. As the story perceeds it turns into something you may not have predicted. I don't wan ...more

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Oct 31, 2013 Joanne rated it really liked it

Carson Hayes knew a secret about Minette Raynor but gave his promise not to tell. Minette takes Carson into her house when he is shot to recuperate and learns that she is in danger also. Her danger is from a ruthless drug lord who finds that she is related to a very powerful rival and plans to kidnap her. In the end both Hayes and Minette end up in the drug lords evil hands and both our government and her relative join forces to save them.

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Apr 09, 2014 Angela rated it really liked it

Wasn't what I was expecting but that turned out to be a good thing. The characters aren't the cookie cutter variety and had some depth to them, the scenario's were realistic without being boring, and the plot worked really well. Would recommend this book to others.

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Aug 20, 2019 Linda Freeman rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: alpha-hero, love-found

Okay, truthfully, this is not one of Ms Palmer's best novels, but it is still enjoyable. Her writing style and her ability to tell a story remain awesome what is lacking is a strong story line.

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Jul 14, 2014 Dixie Thompson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Great read

Great read

fast moving great story line. as always you can't go wrong with Diana Palmer. love her characters and their morals.

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Aug 27, 2014 Valerie rated it it was amazing

I just love her books. She has strong characters who can be quite humorous, that have to deal with drug kingpins and trying not to get assassinated, kidnapped, misconceptions and falling in love.

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Dec 04, 2013 Danielle rated it liked it

Shelves: read-in-2013, read-in-december-2013

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I have to say that I'm missing the vintage Diana Palmer of yesterday compared to her recent releases. Now, I'm saying that her current releases are bad and aren't worth a read, but I'm saying that I prefer her earlier releases and connected more with them. The big reason behind this is the older release tended to build more on the character development and relationship building while the newer ones seem more plot/action driven, which isn't a bad thing like I said, but it's different from her old ...more

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Mar 14, 2018 Amanda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: romance, diana-palmer

Okay, first off, don't go by what the description says. I'm pretty sure that is for another one of her books, so don't go flying off thinking that Minette is an undercover DEA agent because she isn't. She is a single woman, who runs a ranch while she takes care of her stepbrother and stepsister.

Got that...Good.

Now, Hayes and Minette's relationship is one that is complex and yet it's one that I can get behind, as Hayes' brother died from an OD and he blames Minette, as her father, who she doesn't ...more

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About Diana Palmer

Diana Palmer

2,558 followers

Librarian 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 libera Librarian 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. ...more