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Long, Tall Texans #35
Un hombre sin piedad
¿Podrían olvidar las heridas del pasado y dejar que el amor entrara en sus vidas? Boone Sinclair era alto, fuerte y atractivo. El ejecutivo y ranchero texano lo tenía todo, salvo a Keely Welsh. Ella siempre lo había cautivado, pero él siempre la había ignorado porque pensaba que era demasiado experimentado para aquella inocente belleza. Keely llevaba desde los trece años enamorada de Boone, y ahora que tenía diecinueve estaba decidida a convencerlo de que ya no era una niña, sino una mujer dispuesta a conquistar su corazón.
Kindle Edition
Published March 10, 2009
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About the author
Diana Palmer
1,042 books3,099 followersLibrarian 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
November 28, 2017
I was really liking this book, really and then it started to grate on my nerves. Keely was too much of a doormat and Boone too much of a butthole!!! He had no endearing qualities. Nope, it was a bit too much.
December 29, 2025
Heroine has been blessed with drug addict parents who either emotionally abused her (mom) or neglected her/put her harm’s way (dad).
Heroine is 19 and a vet assistant. She is bff’s with hero’s younger sister. She dresses poorly to hide the scars of being mauled by a mountain lion (really) and lives a downtrodden life with her alcoholic, slutty mother.
Hero is 31, a ranch owner and Special Forces veteran who always wears a shirt to his *his* scars. He is cruel the heroine to hide his attraction. He is inexplicably* running around with his snobby ex-fiance(OW).
To round out the intrigue, hero’s younger brother is “dating” the heroine to hide his romance with a married golddigger.
That would be enough to drive the engine of the plot, but DP throws in the return of heroine’s father and his murdering, drug-dealing henchman. Luckily, the heroine is bitten by a rattlesnake and is safely tucked up in the hospital with the guilty-conscience hero at her side when daddy dearest and villain show up. Oh, and mommy dearest is also killed for an HEA.
There is only a paragraph-long sex scene, unusual for DP.
Diana Palmer checklist:
Hairy chest No. Hero keeps his shirt on because of his scars
Breast Description No. Heroine has a good figure. But no description!
Cigarettes No .
Alcohol No. What’s happening?
Town Descriptions We have the name of the funeral home - Lunsford’s, Jacobsville has a suburb - Comanche Wells is an extension of Jacobsville. Police Department *and* a 911 dispatch center. Unfortunately: Hell, we don’t even have a local television broadcasting station in the county.”
Gardenia Scent You smell of lilacs
LOL detail DP recreates deer scene from Tommy Boy “Through the windshield?” He stiffened. “Through my windshield? In my brand-new truck? Aaahhh!”
Cutesy detail Hayes Carson doesn’t cuss like a normal man. He says things like ‘Crackers and Milk!’ and ‘Fish and Chips!’
DP hobbyhorse “Mayan?” She caught her breath. “Their culture had astronomy and the concept of zero and raised beds for planting and irrigation while Europeans were knocking each other over the head with rocks.”
DP is trolling us There’s nothing but political news, and everybody’s sick of that.” That was 2008. Look at the news now. Amen, sister. Amen.
*turns out he’s helping the police catch the drug smuggling of the OW and her father.
Heroine is 19 and a vet assistant. She is bff’s with hero’s younger sister. She dresses poorly to hide the scars of being mauled by a mountain lion (really) and lives a downtrodden life with her alcoholic, slutty mother.
Hero is 31, a ranch owner and Special Forces veteran who always wears a shirt to his *his* scars. He is cruel the heroine to hide his attraction. He is inexplicably* running around with his snobby ex-fiance(OW).
To round out the intrigue, hero’s younger brother is “dating” the heroine to hide his romance with a married golddigger.
That would be enough to drive the engine of the plot, but DP throws in the return of heroine’s father and his murdering, drug-dealing henchman. Luckily, the heroine is bitten by a rattlesnake and is safely tucked up in the hospital with the guilty-conscience hero at her side when daddy dearest and villain show up. Oh, and mommy dearest is also killed for an HEA.
There is only a paragraph-long sex scene, unusual for DP.
Diana Palmer checklist:
Hairy chest No. Hero keeps his shirt on because of his scars
Breast Description No. Heroine has a good figure. But no description!
Cigarettes No .
Alcohol No. What’s happening?
Town Descriptions We have the name of the funeral home - Lunsford’s, Jacobsville has a suburb - Comanche Wells is an extension of Jacobsville. Police Department *and* a 911 dispatch center. Unfortunately: Hell, we don’t even have a local television broadcasting station in the county.”
Gardenia Scent You smell of lilacs
LOL detail DP recreates deer scene from Tommy Boy “Through the windshield?” He stiffened. “Through my windshield? In my brand-new truck? Aaahhh!”
Cutesy detail Hayes Carson doesn’t cuss like a normal man. He says things like ‘Crackers and Milk!’ and ‘Fish and Chips!’
DP hobbyhorse “Mayan?” She caught her breath. “Their culture had astronomy and the concept of zero and raised beds for planting and irrigation while Europeans were knocking each other over the head with rocks.”
DP is trolling us There’s nothing but political news, and everybody’s sick of that.” That was 2008. Look at the news now. Amen, sister. Amen.
*turns out he’s helping the police catch the drug smuggling of the OW and her father.
May 16, 2016
Way too loooooooooong of a torturous path to romance between the martyr heroine and the herobig fat jerk who pretty much tortures her for the entire length of the book, and not even a grovel at the end.
On the other hand, nowhere near Diana Palmer's usual level of gloriously insane writing. She must have written this one sober. Though I kind of missed the WTF-ery I have come to anticipate in her books.
On the other hand, nowhere near Diana Palmer's usual level of gloriously insane writing. She must have written this one sober. Though I kind of missed the WTF-ery I have come to anticipate in her books.
December 20, 2020
A hero named Boone should be nicer, but it's Diana Palmer.
Hero is mean.
Hero says mean things.
Heroine takes it on the chin repeatedly because she's in love, stupid girl, and she's been groomed by some pretty bad parents.
Her mother is an alcoholic floozy that LOVES to humiliate her daughter. Humiliation includes trying to seduce then lying to her daughter's crush that she sleeps around.
Her father is not just negligent but lets her get clawed by a mountain lion then guilts her into giving him money for the guy that slapped her around and
Do I need to say that the h accepts his apology like that. At least the heroine in The Wedding in White left town in disgust.
Hero is mean.
Hero says mean things.
Heroine takes it on the chin repeatedly because she's in love, stupid girl, and she's been groomed by some pretty bad parents.
Her mother is an alcoholic floozy that LOVES to humiliate her daughter. Humiliation includes trying to seduce then lying to her daughter's crush that she sleeps around.
Her father is not just negligent but lets her get clawed by a mountain lion then guilts her into giving him money for the guy that slapped her around and
Do I need to say that the h accepts his apology like that. At least the heroine in The Wedding in White left town in disgust.
February 21, 2019
DP should have had a time restriction to write this one. I felt as MCs were shallow or their angst were not deep. I’m not sure if I can express myself but hope you’ll understand what I mean.
April 10, 2009
Standard Diana Palmer fare. Although I didn't mind the book, liked it to a certain degree, there wasn't really anything unique about it. Her books are generally rather formulaic, but this one seemed like a re-telling of one or more of her other books. I could predict almost everything that was going to happen throughout the story.
Innocent young virgin down on her luck. She's in love with her best friend's older brother. Said older brother is an emotionally cut off rancher who wants nothing to do with her. Older brother believes incorrect things about the innocent young virgin so treats her very badly. Poor girl is heartbroken. Then innocent young virgin is in danger so the cold-hearted older brother reluctantly offers protection. He then realizes all the mean things he thought about her were wrong so he sets about making it up to her. And they lived happily ever after.
That summary sums up any number of Diana Palmer books. I don't mind the type of stories in general...there's something about the intense, angsty emotions that appeals to me, but this one was too similar to other books. It didn't make me hate it. I just felt an lot of deja vu while reading.
For you hardcore DP fans, I think you'll still like this book. It's very typical Diana Palmer.
Innocent young virgin down on her luck. She's in love with her best friend's older brother. Said older brother is an emotionally cut off rancher who wants nothing to do with her. Older brother believes incorrect things about the innocent young virgin so treats her very badly. Poor girl is heartbroken. Then innocent young virgin is in danger so the cold-hearted older brother reluctantly offers protection. He then realizes all the mean things he thought about her were wrong so he sets about making it up to her. And they lived happily ever after.
That summary sums up any number of Diana Palmer books. I don't mind the type of stories in general...there's something about the intense, angsty emotions that appeals to me, but this one was too similar to other books. It didn't make me hate it. I just felt an lot of deja vu while reading.
For you hardcore DP fans, I think you'll still like this book. It's very typical Diana Palmer.
March 26, 2023
This is book 36 in Long, Tall Texans series. I haven't read any of the other books in this series or anything by Diana Palmer before - but this stands well on its own.
I usually do spoiler-free reviews, but it's not possible to examine the issues I had with this book without them. So, this one is full of them.
There were parts of this that I really enjoyed and then... I also struggled with large chunks of it. I love the falling for the best friend's brother trope and age gap - so that aspect really worked for me.
I get that Boone had a variety of reasons for keeping Keely at a distance. Some made sense (she's significantly younger - 19 to his 30) and some were misunderstandings (malicious gossip Boone took as fact), but ultimately he spent 90% of the book being downright cruel to her. Especially since he knew that she had a crush on him.
I read other reviews after I finished and many said this wasn't how Palmer normally writes - so I'd be interested in checking out more of her work to see if I click better with those.
Narration:
I actually found this because I was looking for more books narrated by Graham Halstead. I enjoyed his performance, though I do think he was an odd choice because 80% of this book is from Keely's perspective and most of the regularly speaking characters are female. He did a good job distinguishing all those characters.
I usually do spoiler-free reviews, but it's not possible to examine the issues I had with this book without them. So, this one is full of them.
There were parts of this that I really enjoyed and then... I also struggled with large chunks of it. I love the falling for the best friend's brother trope and age gap - so that aspect really worked for me.
I get that Boone had a variety of reasons for keeping Keely at a distance. Some made sense (she's significantly younger - 19 to his 30) and some were misunderstandings (malicious gossip Boone took as fact), but ultimately he spent 90% of the book being downright cruel to her. Especially since he knew that she had a crush on him.
I read other reviews after I finished and many said this wasn't how Palmer normally writes - so I'd be interested in checking out more of her work to see if I click better with those.
Narration:
I actually found this because I was looking for more books narrated by Graham Halstead. I enjoyed his performance, though I do think he was an odd choice because 80% of this book is from Keely's perspective and most of the regularly speaking characters are female. He did a good job distinguishing all those characters.
December 15, 2020
Keely was totally in love with Boone but since she was only 19 years old, he saw her as too young for him even though he was attracted to her. Keely had a hard life, first her parents got divorced and she lived with her father for a couple of years where she got hurt, both mentally and physically when she was a child. Her mother is a hateful drunk and doesn't like Keely all that much and lets her know it every chance she gets. Keely keeps to herself for the most part aside from her friends Winnie and Clark who are Boone's siblings. She has a few secrets that she's been keeping to herself.
Boone has seen war and when he came back he wasn't the same happy guy that left. He's broody, curt and downright intimidating. But he has secrets too.
When Keely's father and scumbag friend start calling Keely's mother for money, Keely can see some changes in her mother. Her mother is scared and even stops drinking so much and starts getting along with Keely better. But Keely's father isn't stopping and wants his ex to put their house up for sale and give him the money.
Keely tells the law in town what is going on with her father and they start looking for him. Her father has something he's holding over her mother and when she finds out what it is, it changes the way she see's her parents. When Boone finds out that Keely is in danger, it changes something in him and he starts looking out for her more even while she's faking a relationship with his brother. But nothing seems to get by Boone and he see's right through the ruse. Poor Clark is seeing a woman who just wants him for his money and Boone is going out with a woman that everyone can see is dating him for the same reason.
While law enforcement is trying to catch her her father and his cohort, Boone has some secrets he's keeping behind the scenes as well and it messes up any kind of relationship he could have with Keely. The woman he's seeing makes sure that Boone sees Keely in the worst light possible and he ends up believing what she shows him and takes it out on Keely. Of course it's all lies, not true at all but Boone is a hot head and doesn't see reason which causes Keely to get hurt and then Bone feels awful about it.
Keely is put in real danger from her father and the guys he's hanging around but Boone makes sure she's safe. I like that this ends well and there's a happy ending but I really disliked Boone for a while until the truth came to light as to what he was doing and why. I've liked Diana Palmer's books for a long time and this one was just as good as the others that I've read.
Boone has seen war and when he came back he wasn't the same happy guy that left. He's broody, curt and downright intimidating. But he has secrets too.
When Keely's father and scumbag friend start calling Keely's mother for money, Keely can see some changes in her mother. Her mother is scared and even stops drinking so much and starts getting along with Keely better. But Keely's father isn't stopping and wants his ex to put their house up for sale and give him the money.
Keely tells the law in town what is going on with her father and they start looking for him. Her father has something he's holding over her mother and when she finds out what it is, it changes the way she see's her parents. When Boone finds out that Keely is in danger, it changes something in him and he starts looking out for her more even while she's faking a relationship with his brother. But nothing seems to get by Boone and he see's right through the ruse. Poor Clark is seeing a woman who just wants him for his money and Boone is going out with a woman that everyone can see is dating him for the same reason.
While law enforcement is trying to catch her her father and his cohort, Boone has some secrets he's keeping behind the scenes as well and it messes up any kind of relationship he could have with Keely. The woman he's seeing makes sure that Boone sees Keely in the worst light possible and he ends up believing what she shows him and takes it out on Keely. Of course it's all lies, not true at all but Boone is a hot head and doesn't see reason which causes Keely to get hurt and then Bone feels awful about it.
Keely is put in real danger from her father and the guys he's hanging around but Boone makes sure she's safe. I like that this ends well and there's a happy ending but I really disliked Boone for a while until the truth came to light as to what he was doing and why. I've liked Diana Palmer's books for a long time and this one was just as good as the others that I've read.
December 17, 2022
2 stars?
The heroine was a weak doormat.
The hero was acting like an ass for the most part.
The story gets interesting only by the end.
And it is rather pg-13, only with some mild kissing and just one, rather fast and devoid of any juicy details sex scene.
And that was a big bummer.
Had I known that, I would have never started.
Very disappointing.
The heroine was a weak doormat.
The hero was acting like an ass for the most part.
The story gets interesting only by the end.
And it is rather pg-13, only with some mild kissing and just one, rather fast and devoid of any juicy details sex scene.
And that was a big bummer.
Had I known that, I would have never started.
Very disappointing.
March 24, 2022
Reread 3/23/2022- Big shout out to Ivy & Reader in NJ for helping me remember which book had the h getting bitten by a rattlesnake after the H threw her out 🙏🙏 cuz it was driving me crazy. *Own in Rancher/Heart of Stone Anthology.
2.5 🤠 🐍 Stars
If you’re a DP fan, and I told you about this book… you’d think DP 🥇… but it flopped for me for a couple reasons. The biggest being that the H is off page so much that he felt like a secondary character. Heart of Stone is Boone and Keely’s story.
Boone Sinclair is 30 rich, handsome, and ex-special forces. He’s the oldest and in charge of his two younger adult siblings Clark & Winnie. He’s won medals, had lunch with the president at the White House, taken a cruise with a world- famous author, and almost married a European princess. He’s also a grade A jerkasaurus.
Keely Welsh is 19 (almost 20) plain, poor, and lives with her alcoholic mom. Her drug dealer father dumped her with the mom a few years earlier. She was attacked by a mountain lion trying to save a boy and has scars that are so disgusting grown men are repulsed and teenager's vomit. She makes minimum wage working as a vet assistant and has been in love with Boone since she was 13, but he acts like she doesn’t exist. She’s also the GOAT of all doormats.
My main complaint was that there’re too many subplots going on. The couple is rarely together, and it felt like the purpose of this book was to visit future H’s. We have Winnie pining after Kilraven (Dangerous); Hays’s dead brother (Protector); Bently grumping around (Tough to Tame), and Clark chasing after gold-digger Nellie. There’re also two sets of bad guys… it was a lot and left very little page time for the couple.
Bottom Line- I found this one pretty tame (no booze, no hairy chest, 1 paragraph of sexytime w/ no making out) and a snoozefest. There were several side-plots that just fizzled out. And, I thought her scars were overplayed. There was no reason for scars from protecting someone being shameful and her whole “I knew I’d never get married and have... have children...” was OTT even by soapy standards. It was too much.
2.5 🤠 🐍 Stars
If you’re a DP fan, and I told you about this book… you’d think DP 🥇… but it flopped for me for a couple reasons. The biggest being that the H is off page so much that he felt like a secondary character. Heart of Stone is Boone and Keely’s story.
Boone Sinclair is 30 rich, handsome, and ex-special forces. He’s the oldest and in charge of his two younger adult siblings Clark & Winnie. He’s won medals, had lunch with the president at the White House, taken a cruise with a world- famous author, and almost married a European princess. He’s also a grade A jerkasaurus.
Keely Welsh is 19 (almost 20) plain, poor, and lives with her alcoholic mom. Her drug dealer father dumped her with the mom a few years earlier. She was attacked by a mountain lion trying to save a boy and has scars that are so disgusting grown men are repulsed and teenager's vomit. She makes minimum wage working as a vet assistant and has been in love with Boone since she was 13, but he acts like she doesn’t exist. She’s also the GOAT of all doormats.
My main complaint was that there’re too many subplots going on. The couple is rarely together, and it felt like the purpose of this book was to visit future H’s. We have Winnie pining after Kilraven (Dangerous); Hays’s dead brother (Protector); Bently grumping around (Tough to Tame), and Clark chasing after gold-digger Nellie. There’re also two sets of bad guys… it was a lot and left very little page time for the couple.
Bottom Line- I found this one pretty tame (no booze, no hairy chest, 1 paragraph of sexytime w/ no making out) and a snoozefest. There were several side-plots that just fizzled out. And, I thought her scars were overplayed. There was no reason for scars from protecting someone being shameful and her whole “I knew I’d never get married and have... have children...” was OTT even by soapy standards. It was too much.
June 29, 2021
My title: When the heroine needs a miracle.
And not only because the hero doesn't give a damn.
But because she's a walking accident.
She was mauled and horribly scarred by a mountain lion when she was 13.
She's bitten by a rattlesnake and almost dies when she's walking home.
And she's only 19...
Texas in a dangerous place.
Her mother was an alcholist, her father a criminal who wanted to give her to a creep pedophile involved in drugs dealing.
What else?
Only 2 stars here.
Because enough is enough.
Because the hero was really nasty. Ok, he didn't want to encourage her crush. But my. He didn't even say hello. He ignored her existence. This is bad manners. He was rude and coarse. A real boor. I wonder what she saw in him.
And it's never explained when and why he falls in love with her, and why he behaved like that (as if there's a reason)
And I didn't care for the criminal plot.
I didn't feel passion or love between the H and the h.
Actually I didn't enjoy this book very much.
And not only because the hero doesn't give a damn.
But because she's a walking accident.
She was mauled and horribly scarred by a mountain lion when she was 13.
She's bitten by a rattlesnake and almost dies when she's walking home.
And she's only 19...
Texas in a dangerous place.
Her mother was an alcholist, her father a criminal who wanted to give her to a creep pedophile involved in drugs dealing.
What else?
Only 2 stars here.
Because enough is enough.
Because the hero was really nasty. Ok, he didn't want to encourage her crush. But my. He didn't even say hello. He ignored her existence. This is bad manners. He was rude and coarse. A real boor. I wonder what she saw in him.
And it's never explained when and why he falls in love with her, and why he behaved like that (as if there's a reason)
And I didn't care for the criminal plot.
I didn't feel passion or love between the H and the h.
Actually I didn't enjoy this book very much.
January 22, 2015
Keely Walsh's father was heavily into drug trafficking and her mother was a drunk. When she was a teenager, Keely risked her life by jumping into a pit to save a young boy from a mountain lion attack. The attack left her shoulder scarred and her arm much weaker than it should have been.
Boone Sinclair used to be in Special Operations. Before he returned to ranching, he saw and did things that would make your hair curl. Some of those assignments left him damaged, too, both physically and mentally.
These two people are thrust together repeatedly in an improbable love. Boone can't believe Keely is as innocent as she seems and Keely can't seem to penetrate the tough outer shell in which Boone encases his feelings. Love doesn't stand a chance against such impenetrable odds. Or does it?
Boone Sinclair used to be in Special Operations. Before he returned to ranching, he saw and did things that would make your hair curl. Some of those assignments left him damaged, too, both physically and mentally.
These two people are thrust together repeatedly in an improbable love. Boone can't believe Keely is as innocent as she seems and Keely can't seem to penetrate the tough outer shell in which Boone encases his feelings. Love doesn't stand a chance against such impenetrable odds. Or does it?
January 31, 2018
I felt like this was a solid three star story. I liked the story and had a surprise that I didn’t see coming. I enjoyed the main character Keely but some of the other characters felt under developed and the ending felt rushed. I felt like the relationship part was wrapped up in two pages at the end and I didn’t like that. If you’re looking for a book that’s quick and easy to read this is it. It has the romance and family issues that make for a good story.
January 30, 2021
This is one of those Palmer h's whose life is ridiculously dramatic, and her pained, quiet acceptance of it enrages the H, egging him on to higher and higher levels of cruelty.
May 17, 2013
Well, it's good. :)
Keely's miserable. Boone, her forever-crush man hate her. It shows blatantly by his cold demeanor toward her and he keeps acting like Keely didn't exist. Besides, even if Boone does like her, she couldn't say yes. Because she has some secrets. Secrets that she's not willing to share to anyone, especially Boone..
Very typical of Diana Palmer. Again, cold Alpha Male kind of Hero, way-too-young heroine, misunderstanding and secret past. Still, I'll never get enough of this theme! I just love it so much it hurts so good. :)))
Boone's weird, to me. Why? Because he never show any interest to Keely and suddenly when Keely go on a date with Clark, his younger brother, BOOOM! He's jealous and do things what jealous Alpha-Male did. I was like, whaaaaa?
That's why this book is a little bit off for me.
But, I do love the angsty. Again, me likey. Too short, lack of description of feelings and Diana Palmer 's just love to rush every moment.
Good enough to read and worth your time. :)
Keely's miserable. Boone, her forever-crush man hate her. It shows blatantly by his cold demeanor toward her and he keeps acting like Keely didn't exist. Besides, even if Boone does like her, she couldn't say yes. Because she has some secrets. Secrets that she's not willing to share to anyone, especially Boone..
Very typical of Diana Palmer. Again, cold Alpha Male kind of Hero, way-too-young heroine, misunderstanding and secret past. Still, I'll never get enough of this theme! I just love it so much it hurts so good. :)))
Boone's weird, to me. Why? Because he never show any interest to Keely and suddenly when Keely go on a date with Clark, his younger brother, BOOOM! He's jealous and do things what jealous Alpha-Male did. I was like, whaaaaa?
That's why this book is a little bit off for me.
But, I do love the angsty. Again, me likey. Too short, lack of description of feelings and Diana Palmer 's just love to rush every moment.
Good enough to read and worth your time. :)
February 28, 2014
This is Keely and Boone's story. Not the best story in the series but fast, sweet read!
February 23, 2021
Ay con el tonto de Boone, ya me lo estaba creyendo de verdad, aunque se puede ver que es un tremendo celoso...
March 23, 2019
Nos demuestra como las heridas del pasado pueden ser una carga y salvarnos al mismo tiempo
April 23, 2018
Barely two stars. Just not my cuppa. So much lameness.
March 18, 2013
Keely Welsh – best of friends with Winona and Clark – rich sicions of a big time ranch, but ignored by their older brother Boone. Her father is an alcoholic/drug dealer, but for a few years ran an animal park (with money he took from his wife) with 12 year old Keely’s help – until a boy fell into the lion enclosure, and Keely jumped in to rescue him (while her father watched), and she still sports the scars of the lion’s bite to her shoulder, that wasn’t quite treated well and is still a weakness to her. Before her father lost the court case, and lost the park, his ‘friend’ was released from jail, and started to rape Keely – until he saw her scars, then he left her alone in disgust. Then dad dumped her on mom’s doorstep, and mom didn’t want her around… mom is an alcoholic, running too quickly through her inheritance, sleeps around – and verbally abuses Keely. Keely, at 19, works as the vet’ assistant, barely making much of a salary…
Boone Sinclair – ex special ops; left the force a year ago to run the ranch, came back a changed man – angrier, quieter, with a temper, rarely laughing. His fiancé dumped him when she saw him in the hospital, not wanting to deal with his wounds… but 2 years later, she called – and he is seeing her . hmmmm.
Keely’s mom is getting calls from dad that he wants money… and when mom says she doesn’t have any, he threatens her and tells her to sell the house… the sheriff tells Keely that her father is wanted for bad things (drug running and murder), and to tell him if dad tries to contact her…at first Boone ignores her… then she is visiting his sister, as he is going out with exfiance, and she notices his beloved dog is bloated, and believes the dog’s stomach is turned – but Boone discounts her knowledge, and his exfiance accuses her of liking Boone and trying to get his attention… he goes out, and she and sister take him to the vet… and she is right, the dog would have died if the vet did not perform surgey…. He is not gracious to her, but when he goes to her to apologise, her drunk mother intercepts him, makes a pass at him, and when he turns her down, tells him her daughter is sleeping with the vet… then Boone’s brother wants her to pretend to date him so that he can date a woman his brother does not approve of… which pisses off Boone more… but when he ‘catches’ her at the library, when she is supposed to on a date with brother, he gets the truth… He starts to watch over her, kisses her, and appreciates her untutored passion…
Boone’s exfiance’s PI firm doctors pictures of his brother having sex with Keely… he confronts Keely, who starts to show him her shoulder as proof that the picture is not her, but in a temper thinks she is trying to seduce him and scathingly tells her to get off his property… She takes on down the road, in the heat… expecting his sister to be on her way home and will see her… she sits down to rest after a bit, and is bitten by a rattle snake… she manages to tie off above her arm, and passes out… and sister finds her and gets her to the hospital in just a nick of time… and when Boone sees her shoulder, he realizes how badly he messed up – accusing her, banning her from his house not considering she didn’t have a way home… and is filled with remorse… her mom is killed by dad’s partner – dad contacts her, she works with sheriff and Boone to set a trap for him… they are both captured…
And Boone proposes – takes her to his house to recover, explains that he was only seeing his exfiance as a favor to the sheriff to be inside man to try and catch her and father in their part of the drug running going on, and proposes to her… and when she is better, seduces her (though they are months away from a wedding), but then takes her to a justice of the peace the next day to make an honest woman of her… ahhh
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2017
Boone the ? and Keeley the perseverant.
The audio reader, Graham Halstead was great.
This wasn't my fave book by DP, but I can't fault Boone, because he had his reasons and well... they were good ones. But for 3/4 of the book you have no inkling of that.
Keely is good friends with Boons's little sister since she was a young teenager (she's now about to turn 20) and so has been a common sight at the ranch. He is almost scrupulous at ignoring Keely's existence and Keely is sure he hates her while she is crushing on him big time. But she's not your average teenager and the story has a definite Cinderella feel at the start. She lives with her deadbeat drunk of a mother where her deadbeat drunk of a dad dropped her off when she was 15 or so. She works minimum wage at the local Vet and basically supports her mother. Her homelife does improve but then her dad and his creepy friend start putting pressure on Keely and her mother for money. They are on the run from a drug gang.
Meanwhile Boone is seeing the woman who dumped him years ago after he returned from war. There's a lot going on in this one and it is all connected in ways that start to come clear in the second half.
There's the usual push and pull from the H and the BIG misunderstanding from someone else's lies that leads to the h being in danger.
I have to say that Boone was nicely remorseful though and the last quarter of the story was romantic. Boone changes from the cold heartless man to a possessive sweety pie.
So overall I quite enjoyed it. I think I would have liked a little more interaction between Boone and Keely in the first half though.
I found this a safe read
The audio reader, Graham Halstead was great.
This wasn't my fave book by DP, but I can't fault Boone, because he had his reasons and well... they were good ones. But for 3/4 of the book you have no inkling of that.
Keely is good friends with Boons's little sister since she was a young teenager (she's now about to turn 20) and so has been a common sight at the ranch. He is almost scrupulous at ignoring Keely's existence and Keely is sure he hates her while she is crushing on him big time. But she's not your average teenager and the story has a definite Cinderella feel at the start. She lives with her deadbeat drunk of a mother where her deadbeat drunk of a dad dropped her off when she was 15 or so. She works minimum wage at the local Vet and basically supports her mother. Her homelife does improve but then her dad and his creepy friend start putting pressure on Keely and her mother for money. They are on the run from a drug gang.
Meanwhile Boone is seeing the woman who dumped him years ago after he returned from war. There's a lot going on in this one and it is all connected in ways that start to come clear in the second half.
There's the usual push and pull from the H and the BIG misunderstanding from someone else's lies that leads to the h being in danger.
I have to say that Boone was nicely remorseful though and the last quarter of the story was romantic. Boone changes from the cold heartless man to a possessive sweety pie.
So overall I quite enjoyed it. I think I would have liked a little more interaction between Boone and Keely in the first half though.
I found this a safe read
April 28, 2013
After reading through another in the “Long Tall Texans” romance series, I can’t tell if I should be angry at Diana Palmer for writing such a bad novel or angry at myself for wasting an hour reading it.
Plain Keely Walsh is in love with her friend Clark’s brother, Boone Sinclair, a handsome rancher. As the book begins, Keely is 19 and Boone is 30. As the parent of a 17-year-old, I would drop-kick a 30-year-old man who came sniffing around my daughter. Are there really no other women closer to his age that he can date? Keely is a veterinary technician and she earns Boone’s gratitude when she realizes that his beloved dog is suffering from bloat. And while Boone might actually like Keely, he instead insults and demeans her. And Clark uses Keely as a decoy when trying to date a gold-digging slut named Nellie.
Keely’s story is a Cinderella story of sorts: her mother is a crude, obnoxious alcoholic who is hiding a deep, dark secret from her daughter; her father is heavily in debt to a drug dealer who now wants to collect, but Keely and her mother have no money, her mother having spent or sold it all. A snake bite, of all things, sends Keely to Boone’s home for recuperation. Keely’s only friends are Boone’s siblings, Clark and Winnie. What angered me so much is that when Boone proves himself a noble man, he admits that he’d underestimated Keely. He owns up to insulting her after having been given bad information about her from her alcoholic mother (which then leads to the question of why you would take anything an alcoholic says seriously), but he never apologizes. At no time does he say, “Keely, I messed up. I am really sorry for how I treated you. Please forgive me.” Is that really so hard to do?
A young woman in her early 20s might not always stand up for herself. But Keely’s attitude beggars belief: she allows everyone from her mother to Boone to Clark to her boss to insult her and walk all over her. What kind of man would be attracted to that? Is there something wrong with being smart, beautiful, and a hard worker and still crave the love and affection that comes with a committed relationship?
Plain Keely Walsh is in love with her friend Clark’s brother, Boone Sinclair, a handsome rancher. As the book begins, Keely is 19 and Boone is 30. As the parent of a 17-year-old, I would drop-kick a 30-year-old man who came sniffing around my daughter. Are there really no other women closer to his age that he can date? Keely is a veterinary technician and she earns Boone’s gratitude when she realizes that his beloved dog is suffering from bloat. And while Boone might actually like Keely, he instead insults and demeans her. And Clark uses Keely as a decoy when trying to date a gold-digging slut named Nellie.
Keely’s story is a Cinderella story of sorts: her mother is a crude, obnoxious alcoholic who is hiding a deep, dark secret from her daughter; her father is heavily in debt to a drug dealer who now wants to collect, but Keely and her mother have no money, her mother having spent or sold it all. A snake bite, of all things, sends Keely to Boone’s home for recuperation. Keely’s only friends are Boone’s siblings, Clark and Winnie. What angered me so much is that when Boone proves himself a noble man, he admits that he’d underestimated Keely. He owns up to insulting her after having been given bad information about her from her alcoholic mother (which then leads to the question of why you would take anything an alcoholic says seriously), but he never apologizes. At no time does he say, “Keely, I messed up. I am really sorry for how I treated you. Please forgive me.” Is that really so hard to do?
A young woman in her early 20s might not always stand up for herself. But Keely’s attitude beggars belief: she allows everyone from her mother to Boone to Clark to her boss to insult her and walk all over her. What kind of man would be attracted to that? Is there something wrong with being smart, beautiful, and a hard worker and still crave the love and affection that comes with a committed relationship?
September 13, 2021
READ: JULY 2013
READ: DECEMBER 2014
Since Dec. 18 was a holiday here in Doha, I decided to re-read since I haven't decided what to read yet. And I chose to re-read Diana Palmer's books.
Heart Of Stone is about Boone and Keely's story. It's a part of the Jacobsville, Texas series. Boone Sinclair has always been fascinated and drawn to his little sister's best friend, Keely Welsh. And he didn't like it. Especially after her mother tried to seduce him and told him bad things about Keely, so he treated her coldly and kept acting like she didn't exist to mask his growing feelings for her. Plus, the age difference is something that bothers him and that he's been burned in love before.
Keely can't remember when she hasn't loved her best friend's older brother, Boone. But she didn't understand why he seemed to hate her when she didn't do anything wrong. And now that her life's in danger, she was surprised to know that Boone stepped up to protect her when he did nothing but hurt her and mistreated her. Maybe it's the time to make Boone realize that she's no longer a little girl but a woman who loves him.
Honestly, reading this book was bad for my heart. I mean, it's really sad to watch the hero mistreated the heroine, verbally abusing her. It's actually a big NO-NO for me. Still, I kept coming back. I kept reading about them. I really can't get enough of them - especially Diana Palmer's books.
Heart Of Stone was really maddening and enthralling at the same time that I couldn't even put it down even though I've read it before. No matter how unbelievable the plot was, how abusive and asshole the hero was, I can't stop. I guess I'm really a sucker for those. Diana Palmer definitely knows how to keep the reader interested.
READ: DECEMBER 2014
Since Dec. 18 was a holiday here in Doha, I decided to re-read since I haven't decided what to read yet. And I chose to re-read Diana Palmer's books.
Heart Of Stone is about Boone and Keely's story. It's a part of the Jacobsville, Texas series. Boone Sinclair has always been fascinated and drawn to his little sister's best friend, Keely Welsh. And he didn't like it. Especially after her mother tried to seduce him and told him bad things about Keely, so he treated her coldly and kept acting like she didn't exist to mask his growing feelings for her. Plus, the age difference is something that bothers him and that he's been burned in love before.
Keely can't remember when she hasn't loved her best friend's older brother, Boone. But she didn't understand why he seemed to hate her when she didn't do anything wrong. And now that her life's in danger, she was surprised to know that Boone stepped up to protect her when he did nothing but hurt her and mistreated her. Maybe it's the time to make Boone realize that she's no longer a little girl but a woman who loves him.
Honestly, reading this book was bad for my heart. I mean, it's really sad to watch the hero mistreated the heroine, verbally abusing her. It's actually a big NO-NO for me. Still, I kept coming back. I kept reading about them. I really can't get enough of them - especially Diana Palmer's books.
Heart Of Stone was really maddening and enthralling at the same time that I couldn't even put it down even though I've read it before. No matter how unbelievable the plot was, how abusive and asshole the hero was, I can't stop. I guess I'm really a sucker for those. Diana Palmer definitely knows how to keep the reader interested.
May 8, 2015
Keely Welsh is best friends with Winnie Sinclair and has been for a while. Winnie is Boone Sinclair's little sister and for some reason Boone likes to pretend Keely doesn't exist. He acknowledges her presence well enough but for all intent and purposes she may as well be a piece of furniture!
They both seem fine with keeping their relationship as distant as possible, until Keely starts doing things that Boone can no longer ignore. Saving his dog and dating his brother?!
Boone can ignore a lot of things but dating his little brother isn't one of them. But when Boone figures out the dating is all for show and to hide Clark's real plans, Boone's possessive side starts coming out to play.
There's just something about Keely Boone can't seem to stay away from and he doesn't think he wants to.
Keely and Boone's relationship starts looking up when a jealous ex of Boone's gets involved and pushes things to a breaking point.
All the while Keely's father and nasty business associate show up in town to make Keely's life more miserable than it already is.
I really liked Heart of Stone. Keely's life has been pretty awful until she and Boone start becoming more than just acquaintances.
I thought Boone was a jerk in the beginning of the book, but then you find out why he's always been so cold to Keely and...sad to say it actually makes a little sense.
Boone and Keely's story, although moved fast, made sense. Nothing felt forced and OOC. It was sweet and adorable.
They both seem fine with keeping their relationship as distant as possible, until Keely starts doing things that Boone can no longer ignore. Saving his dog and dating his brother?!
Boone can ignore a lot of things but dating his little brother isn't one of them. But when Boone figures out the dating is all for show and to hide Clark's real plans, Boone's possessive side starts coming out to play.
There's just something about Keely Boone can't seem to stay away from and he doesn't think he wants to.
Keely and Boone's relationship starts looking up when a jealous ex of Boone's gets involved and pushes things to a breaking point.
All the while Keely's father and nasty business associate show up in town to make Keely's life more miserable than it already is.
I really liked Heart of Stone. Keely's life has been pretty awful until she and Boone start becoming more than just acquaintances.
I thought Boone was a jerk in the beginning of the book, but then you find out why he's always been so cold to Keely and...sad to say it actually makes a little sense.
Boone and Keely's story, although moved fast, made sense. Nothing felt forced and OOC. It was sweet and adorable.
January 7, 2016
Saddle up cowboy because your in for the ride of a life time. Keeley is poor girl who works for a living. At least that is what Boone thinks. Add to that his brother Clark is going out with a gold digger girlfriend, and you've got problems. But as Boone learns you can't control every aspect of your life just because you are afraid to get hurt. Unlike Keeley's alcoholic mother and criminal father, she is the most stable of her family. Until her father starts making threats to get money. Then everything goes haywire, and people who you thought you knew turn out to be totally different. Find out what is in store for Kelley, Boone, his sister Winnie, and his brother Clark in Heart of Stone.
July 31, 2015
Ricchissimo, volitivo e sicuro di sé, Boone Sinclair ha tutto ciò che un uomo può desiderare, tranne Keely Welsh.
L'incantevole bellezza di lei lo ha sempre tentato ed è stato difficile resistere al suo fascino innocente.
Ma Boone era troppo esperto, il rapporto troppo impari per avere un futuro.
Quando però Keely si trova nei guai, lui le offre aiuto e protezione, accogliendola come ospite nella sua vasta proprietà.
Adesso che vivono sotto lo stesso tetto, tocca a Keely convincerlo che non è più una ragazzina alle prime armi, ma una donna conscia del proprio potere di seduzione. E decisa a usarlo con lui.
L'incantevole bellezza di lei lo ha sempre tentato ed è stato difficile resistere al suo fascino innocente.
Ma Boone era troppo esperto, il rapporto troppo impari per avere un futuro.
Quando però Keely si trova nei guai, lui le offre aiuto e protezione, accogliendola come ospite nella sua vasta proprietà.
Adesso che vivono sotto lo stesso tetto, tocca a Keely convincerlo che non è più una ragazzina alle prime armi, ma una donna conscia del proprio potere di seduzione. E decisa a usarlo con lui.
January 27, 2019
Many said that the h was a door mat, perhaps. Or maybe she was trying so hard to be loved that she was afraid to be real. The H was over the top alpha and hard to deal with. I realize that this story was about a lot of angst and I enjoy that...up to a point. This poor h should not have been able to get out of bed in the morning since it seemed like almost everyone used her, ridiculed her, threatened her, ignored her, belittled her ....but she still had a positive, sunny disposition!?
Read
July 27, 2011I liked this one more than some of her other more recent books but they all seem a bit too similar to me. I think the charachter interaction and frame of action is much more better constructed here than in other books, however I still have issues with the age of Keely and some of the circumstances that surround the charachters in their background.
September 2, 2023
Reread. H was rude and easily believed all the lies he heard about h, even though she was his sister's best friend. h was brave in many ways, especially her past accident. But she was too tame and too easy to be used by people around her, including her mother and friend.
September 30, 2008
a definite light read, read on a day after dental work holding ice to my face :):)
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