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The Greatest Gift
Part of the Mills & Boon 100th Birthday Collection
Mary Crandell had been shattered by the end of her marriage, but for the sake of her children she was determined to put herself back on track… and the arrival of caring, compassionate policeman Matt Clark in her life gave her the strength and inspiration she needed.
Mary Crandell had been shattered by the end of her marriage, but for the sake of her children she was determined to put herself back on track… and the arrival of caring, compassionate policeman Matt Clark in her life gave her the strength and inspiration she needed.
95 pages, Paperback
About the author
Diana Palmer
1,012 books3,132 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 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 30, 2011
I DID NOT LIKE THIS BOOK, but I did some research and the proceeds benefit a worthwhile cause; so, I am changing the rating in the hopes that people will read it to support the cause.
Maybe it was just me...and please remember that the rating is whether or not I liked the book and is not necessarily a reflection of the writing, plot, etc.
I am all for a happy ending, but the "glass half full" message was practically shoved down our throats on this one. I know it's fiction, but I would warn any woman or man who has been down on their luck to avoid reading this book because there was just too much good luck and happy coincidences for me to stomach. Perhaps, it is a reflection of my own experience and hearing the REAL STORIES of women forced to leave with children in tow to save their lives...but this book really just rubbed me the wrong way.
Seriously...I know it sounds weird to complain that there was just too much good going on here, but it just seemed so forced and too many, way too many happy coincidences and such. One bad experience and the skies open up, within hours, to a whole new, better life.
Uh, huh. Maybe this is just another pissy mood review and y'all should just ignore me.
Maybe it was just me...and please remember that the rating is whether or not I liked the book and is not necessarily a reflection of the writing, plot, etc.
I am all for a happy ending, but the "glass half full" message was practically shoved down our throats on this one. I know it's fiction, but I would warn any woman or man who has been down on their luck to avoid reading this book because there was just too much good luck and happy coincidences for me to stomach. Perhaps, it is a reflection of my own experience and hearing the REAL STORIES of women forced to leave with children in tow to save their lives...but this book really just rubbed me the wrong way.
Seriously...I know it sounds weird to complain that there was just too much good going on here, but it just seemed so forced and too many, way too many happy coincidences and such. One bad experience and the skies open up, within hours, to a whole new, better life.
Uh, huh. Maybe this is just another pissy mood review and y'all should just ignore me.
June 18, 2021
This is a nice but sad read. I gave it 3 stars because of the story itself and the main female character. It's a book about overcoming difficulties and it makes you believe that there are good people out there in the world.
January 3, 2023
Mary overcomes a devastating divorce and brings joy not only back into her life and her children's, but so many others. Hitting the bottom of poverty is not easy to come back from, but it can be done. What a great testimony Mary has now.
September 19, 2017
Boring and extremely predictable. I have enjoyed other books by this author but this one is a disappointment
July 27, 2013
The most surprising part about this book was that I didn't know it was a Diana Palmer until I was more than halfway through the story. Then, of course, my entire attitude towards the book changed :3
This book swayed from DP's other books because the heroine wasn't innocent and had three kids. There also wasn't much concentration on the romance and more on the story-telling. That was one thing I didn't like. And there also wasn't your typical Diana Palmer passion. Otherwise, it was a nice one.
Although there is one thing I'm confused about. Was the hero fat or wasn't he? Ever since the one time DP described him as being 'tall and heavy', it's been irking me. But still, he was such an adorable beta hero that I loved him. (Another thing where DP swayed from her norm - the was the complete opposite of an ass.)
This book swayed from DP's other books because the heroine wasn't innocent and had three kids. There also wasn't much concentration on the romance and more on the story-telling. That was one thing I didn't like. And there also wasn't your typical Diana Palmer passion. Otherwise, it was a nice one.
Although there is one thing I'm confused about. Was the hero fat or wasn't he? Ever since the one time DP described him as being 'tall and heavy', it's been irking me. But still, he was such an adorable beta hero that I loved him. (Another thing where DP swayed from her norm - the was the complete opposite of an ass.)
September 8, 2013
Very short and delightful story. :)
After experiencing a nasty divorce, Mary lost everything. House, car, even clothes for her three kids. Now stranded in a homeless shelter, Mary couldn't believe that even though she lost everything, she received so many. Including one nice and handsome police man..
I can't believe this book's Diana Palmer's. i mean, the style of writing is quite different and I didn't even felt the buzz that I usually felt when I read Diana Palmer's book. This book's definitely missing her style.
Even though it's enjoyable, how I wish this book is a little bit longer and it describe so much more than this. I want to know how Mary's ex-husband gets his punishment, I want to know more.
But then again, it is short story. Not exactly my favorite but it's good anyway. :)
After experiencing a nasty divorce, Mary lost everything. House, car, even clothes for her three kids. Now stranded in a homeless shelter, Mary couldn't believe that even though she lost everything, she received so many. Including one nice and handsome police man..
I can't believe this book's Diana Palmer's. i mean, the style of writing is quite different and I didn't even felt the buzz that I usually felt when I read Diana Palmer's book. This book's definitely missing her style.
Even though it's enjoyable, how I wish this book is a little bit longer and it describe so much more than this. I want to know how Mary's ex-husband gets his punishment, I want to know more.
But then again, it is short story. Not exactly my favorite but it's good anyway. :)
June 23, 2017
The story consist of great moral value. Do not waste, there are people outside there starving for what you threw!!!A must read book!!!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews