Dream's End

by Diana Palmer

Eleanor Perrie lands her dream job working as Curry Matheson's personal assistant. But Curry treats her like furniture--until her remarkable transformation. Reissue.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Westerns, Harlequin, Contemporary, Polish Literature, Ebooks

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

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.

Reviews

[♥ WishfulMiss ♥ · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 ~Wish I could bleach my brain ~ Star

I know this is one of Palmer's early works but holy cow was this thing dated! I don't know how it managed to get republished with all the BS this had but it was horrible and the Zero here was disgusting. The heroine is the typical doormat martyr type that proves her worth by letting the Zero abuse, humiliate and mistreat her. I guess being an idiot rewards you with an ass hat like Curry. If you see this book anywhere, don't walk away, RUN like you’re on fire!

Dont’ believe me? Below are just a few of the highlights I walked away with and now wish selective amnesia was a real thing . . .

Ranting and Spoilers ahead...

After we find out that Eleanor aka Norie (to her one and only friend) has devoted her life to be at the beck and call of her boss and (she thought) her friend, Curry, she overhears him talking about her like this . . .

“Norie,” Curry scoffed. “My God, what a name. She looks like an Eleanor; pet names don’t suit her.” “You call her Jadebud,” Jim countered.

“In my good moods, when I want something,” Curry said darkly. “Eleanor’s not much to look at, even though she’s a damned good secretary."

Then this nugget to really show us the burning hot disgust Oops! I mean “passion” this dude has for the heroine . . .

“My God, you wouldn’t bring five dollars on auction, you little chicken! What do you think you’re going to find out there, some man blind enough to want you?”

But what really bothered me was the fact that romance readers would accept the following passages as genuine romance! It blows my mind that the words panic, ,fought, struggling and hurting weren't considered red flags. Because this type of behavior isn't Hero material. It's more like the villian!

The sudden, unexpected contact made her panic, and she fought him, struggling to put distance between them, to escape those arms that felt like steel bands, the crush of his chest hurting her. “Let me go!” she cried wildly. “Make me,” he said in a voice she couldn’t recognize.

Then there is the sweet first kiss scene! *insert HEAVY dose of sarcasm here*

The first time should have had something of tenderness in it, consideration. She’d dreamed of kissing Curry, of being kissed by him, but that brutal assault was more of a nightmare than a dream.

Nothing says budding romance like the guy talking about his special lady to the herione/OW.

A man my age likes to arouse a woman more than he likes to simply kiss her, because it usually ends up in a bed. That’s one reason I never take out a woman who doesn’t already know the score. Until Amanda came along,” he added gruffly. “And by the time I realized how innocent she was, I was hooked.”

More of Curry waxing on about his fiance, while giving some sage advise to Eleanor, the supposed herione (and at this point the OW.)

”I don’t know. I thought what a person was inside was the most important thing, not what he or she looked like on the outside.”

“That’s true, to a certain extent,” he admitted. “But, honey, what’s on the outside is what attracts a man to look for what’s on the inside, didn’t you know?” He smiled mockingly. “A man reacts to the look, smell, taste and touch of a woman, little girl. It’s the way he’s made. The first thing I noticed about Amanda was the silky way her skin felt under my hands.”

🥴🤢🤮

Curry also has anger issues and god forbid Eleanor throw his words back at him! Because this guy does not like to be reminded that he is an ass!

“Do you remember every damned word I’ve ever said to you?”

“I didn’t mean to make you angry.”

“Then shut up, and you won’t,” he said bluntly.

If you thought the mean harsh insults were over, sorry to disappoint. At 76% ...

“You’re still the shriveled up little chicken you were before you shed your disguise, Jadebud,” he growled cruelly. “For your information, I wasn’t trying to get you into my bed. I thought you might benefit from a little experience if you’re going to be tangling with the likes of Jim Black. But from now on, your education can go hang! If you think I’d trade Amanda for a repressed little bundle of piety like you, you’re crazy as hell!”

But I left the worst for last. @ 89%, when Curry finally breaks it off with his fiance (and NOT because he suddenly realized he loved Eleanor. Nope it was because he found the fiance in bed with OM) Curry comes to the little chicken he knows will be waiting for him. And he doesnt even have to be nice about it!

“Eleanor…” He hesitated, and she felt his other hand come up to tilt her face up to his. “I need you… just for a few minutes…”

She read the hunger in his voice, the ache for what he’d lost, the grief… “Take what you need, Curry,” she said quietly, her body yielding to his in an unspoken invitation.

⬆️ Yup, this actaually happens!! ⬇️

He said it so simply. She doesn’t love me. And the pain was in every syllable, in his eyes, his voice, the hardness of his face.

She dropped her own eyes. “I’m sorry.”

He drew a deep breath. “So am I. Don’t you want to try and console me, little girl?” he asked. “We could console each other. A night in my bed might make your path a little easier, too. I’d make damned sure you didn’t have any regrets.”

What follows is a near death experience for Eleanor that works a miracle on Curry because suddenly he realizes he is now in love with her. All his douche bag behavior is forgotten because this handsome rich guy is decent enough to fall in love with a repressed little virgin nobody and theres a marriage proposal and yada yada. The end!

Would I recommend? I can’t believe this author was one of the first I ever read! Granted this one is really early book of hers but holy cow was it bad. So BAD! Wouldn’t recommend this to anyone. I’m embarrassed to have read it and it’s been immediately deleted from my library (-_-)

SAFETY INFO:
Ages :Eleanor is 20 going on 21 (virgin) and Curry is 32.

Cheating : Yes! The Zero in the story is ENGAGED to OW when he tries to bully the poor repressed virgin into bed. Seriously I hated this guy!

OM/OW drama : Zero pursues both the h and OW for the majority of the book.

Separation : A separation of a few weeks. No mention of OP for either MC.

Push/Pull : So much it gave me whiplash. I really wanted to tell Eleanor to run and never look back. Curry was a real POS and the secondary characters weren’t much better. With “friends” like Eleanor’s who needs enemies!!!

Main Pursuer of relationship : Curry. The cynical psycho was more convincing as a villain rather than the supposed “hero” he was meant to be.

Possible Triggers : Age difference of 14 years, virgin herione, verbal abuse (H against the h), Physical abuse (H against the h), dubious consent, sexist MC, dated romance, cheating.

HEA/HFN : Ends on a HEA and marriage proposal but it was not worth it or believable!

[Vintage · Rating 3 out of 5]

Diana Palmer pushes the envelope on failure to communicate to a ridiculous point even within a romance.

Typical DP hero that is not just dismissive but downright cruel to the heroine about her mousy looks. She, in turn, does the typical Hollywood mini-makeover by merely taking off her glasses and shaking out her hair. Cliched yes, but kind of cute when it stops him in his tracks especially when he realizes that she overheard him say no man would ever want her. He's such a butthead even the OW defends her.

H is engaged to redheaded model but can't take his hands off the secretary h. Alternating hubba-hubba with utter cruelty, the H loses major points. Yes, tiny h succumbs at almost every point, but she does move out and makes him work for it all a little more than most.

DP totally lost me in the incredibly forced misunderstanding of who's marrying who and who's in lust/love with who (whom?).

A 4 star DP heroine with a 2 star jackass.

[Vedrana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book 📚☺️

[Lu Bielefeld · Rating 3 out of 5]

O herói mais parece um adolescente com tesão que está recém descobrindo o sexo. Ele tem uma noiva que é uma linda modelo e que ela não está transando com ele porque ela descobriu que ele descarta as mulheres assim que transa com elas. A noiva dele está se guardando para o casamento e deixando ele cheio de tesão.
Ele acaba dando uns "pegas" na nossa heroína e sendo um verdadeiro cafajeste com ela. Sempre a humilhando e fazendo ela se sentir usada por ele.
Como sempre acontece nos livros da autora, nosso herói é sempre feito de bobo por uma loira gostosona! Qualquer mulher bonita os fazem perder a cabeça.
Os personagens secundários são todos ótimos e proporcionam cenas ótimas para a história.
Este herói vai para o topo da minha lista dos mais odiosos.
------
The hero looks more like a teenager with a hard-on that are newly discovering sex. He has a fiancée who is a beautiful model and that she is not having sex with him because she discovered that he discards women once had sex with them. His fiancée is saving herself for marriage and leaving him full of lust.
He ends up making out on our heroine and being a real jerk with her. Keep humiliating her and making her feel used by him.
As always happens in the books by the author, our hero is always made a fool of by a blonde hottie! Any beautiful woman makes them lose their heads.
The secondary characters are all great and provide great scenes to the story.
This hero goes to the top of my list of the most hateful.

==>Highlights<==

“Eleanor’s not much to look at, even though she’s a damned good secretary. I flatter her a little now and then. It doesn’t hurt and,” he added with a heartless smile, “it helps keep her efficiency up.”

“Where else does she have to go? No man will ever want her, that’s for damned sure, and I pay good wages. What else does the little spinster need?”

“My God, you wouldn’t bring five dollars on auction, you little chicken! What do you think you’re going to find out there, some man blind enough to want you?”

"his head lowered and she felt the crush of a man’s lips against her mouth for the first time in her young life. She stiffened..."

"He was kissing her with a violent passion, his tongue running along the edge of her trembling mouth, his teeth nipping sensuously at her lower lip as his hands slid down her back to her hips and arched her against him."

“Please don’t make it any harder for me. I don’t want to be used, like a toy to amuse you when Amanda’s not around. I don’t want to be flirted with. I’m your secretary and you’re my boss, and if it’s going to be any other way than that, then please let me go now. I can’t bear being played with,”

“Please don’t use me to keep your mind off her,” she whispered. His jaw clenched, his nostrils flared. “Is that what you think?” “It’s what I know. I…I couldn’t help overhearing.”

"The first thing I noticed about Amanda was the silky way her skin felt under my hands.”

“I’m going to make you want it this time,” he whispered huskily. “I’m going to make you ache for it.”

“Little innocent, don’t ever let a man touch you like that again unless you’re willing to accept the consequences. It’s too arousing.”

"she reminded him quietly, feeling the hurt as she suddenly remembered that flashy diamond Curry had given his new fiancée. Fiancée!"

"Curry was engaged to Amanda, for heaven’s sake!"

“It’s not fair, Curry,” she said. Her hands fluttered as she clasped them behind her, drinking in the cool breeze that blew off the bubbling water below the bank. “Not to Amanda, not to me. You’re engaged.”

"I won’t be owned, Eleanor. I’m as susceptible to a soft young body as the next man, but there’s a limit to the price I’ll pay for it.” “Aren’t you buying Amanda’s?” she asked"

“Do you think I’d use the back stairs to your bedroom while she spent the better part of her life in Houston, Curry? Is that what you had in mind for me?”

"If you think I’d trade Amanda for a repressed little bundle of piety like you, you’re crazy as hell!” She went white in the face."

“You’re free to go whenever you damned well please, Eleanor,” he added curtly. “Making love to you every day is too damned high a price to pay to keep you at your desk.”

“Don’t be here when I get back,” he told her in a voice so cold it seemed to choke him. “Get your bags packed today, and get out! I never want to set eyes on you again, do you hear?”
“Good riddance,” he murmured.

[Yesmina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gather your daggers, swords, pitchforks and even crosses to kill the MMC in the most horrendous way! Maybe that way he would feel how wounded the FMC is!

Look at the author's blurb "Eleanor Perrie lands her dream job working as Curry Matheson's personal assistant. But Curry treats her like furniture--until her remarkable transformation"
Like a furniture!!! what a weird comparison but it's true the MMC never held an iota of attention for her before (of course taking off her glasses and letting her hair down)
But they had a good witty relationship built on mutual respect and dare I say: mutual admiration.

Once she became "sexy" he showed his true colors: slut shaming her (and she's a virgin) comparing kissing her to kissing a rock (may the hardest rock fall on your thick head) and saying that making love to her is not worth it all while molesting her every second he basically sees her.

Good/weird point though: he waited for marriage to have sex with her and the book ends on that note.

Checking the box of a book starting with the letter "D" in my 2025 Bingo Challenge.

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[Chantal ❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one book that you read once and you never forget the story. However I have admit that I have read and reread this book at least 15 times. It's my go to book when I have had so many disappointing Heros. In this sorry the hero acts like the biggest jerk ever and treats the heroine with very little respect however you can tell he cares about her. I loved it when she overheard the hero talking about her behind her back about keeping up her efficiency...my heart was breaking for her but I loved how that strengthen her resolve to leave his sorry ass. Awesome girl you grew a spine love love love it! He tries everything short of sleeping with her to keep her where she was but with him getting married to the cheep slut of a model fiancé! Agh guys suck sometimes and are so clueless. Anyways big misunderstanding later they kiss and make up and omg I wished we could have gotten the hot sex scene in this one!!! It would have been epic! However this book was a gem and the total package in that it had lots of love and passion but sadly no sex! Oh well love me My Diana Palmer!!! A must for fans.

[Danielle The Book Huntress · Rating 4 out of 5]

Curry isn't quite a Hero I Can't Stand. But he's close. He was very mean to Eleanor in some of the things he said. He was afraid to let her get close and was hurtful to her. He didn't value her the way he should have, even though she enriched his life tremendously. That's why I was glad that Eleanor did leave him and he had to earn her love. Curry came to the realization of what he had let slip away from him. I guess that's why I liked the book a lot despite Curry being jerky. The one thing I wish was that Ms. Palmer had given Eleanor a male suitor that could have really given Curry a run for his money. It was pretty obvious that her friend wasn't going to stand up very well against Curry. That's one of the reasons I love Lawless. Cash Grier was a more than worthy rival for Crissy's affections.

[Jess the Romanceaholic · Rating 3 out of 5]

What can I say? Very typical Diana Palmer -- a$$hole male who doesn't want to fall in love and so falls back on being spiteful and cruel to the heroine. Virgin heroine who puts up with his crap because she loves he so much. Many tears ensue.

Tons of UST though -- way more than in some of her books. No actual smexin though.. *shrugs* The UST was so smokin' though that you almost don't notice lol

I fully wanted to b***hslap Curry many, many times. The man was bipolar. Please, someone feed him some Lithium or something so he'll quit going from semi-nice guy to WTF jackhole. Ug.

3 Stars (and it's only that high because I liked the heroine)

[*CJ* · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Dream's End" is the story of Eleanor and Curry.
Basically an ugly duckling turned swan story told by DP, the story talks about our frumpy heroine who is ignored by her playboy boss- who takes her for granted even though she silently loves him. When she comes to know what he actually thinks of her, she has a makeover..and boom..its attraction.
Loads of mean words, boob rubbing on hairy chests, jealousy, plantain green heroines and really dramatic exits fill this book of Classic DP formula.
Average read.
Safe with all the major exceptions
2.5/5

[Janie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a bit down lately and this is exactly what I needed. Leave it to DP to make me feel better!

[Mtve41 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this was written back in 79. I’d say it was legal back then to openly downright harass someone and say the meanest possible things to their face. I’m a new DP reader and I love her love for tall, alpha cruel H and soft country-girl h’s who don’t talk back. The stuff of dreams. But this book was borderline workplace abuse.

That said I didn’t exactly hate the H. Beats me. He said the cruelest things to the h, personal jibes like how ugly you are and the works. I disliked that the h kept receiving them on a silver platter. She had to have some rectitude and should’ve taken off right away. Instead she plays the martyr on the pretext of loving the H and worked her 2 weeks notice.

Wasn’t a long story and most of the book, the H is just saying rude hateful things to the h, while she’s wiping her tears and gearing herself up for their next encounter of abuse.

Well not the best I’ve read from DP. I still give it enough stars because it still got me all fuzzy! Also the OW was kind of nice in this book!

[Aayesha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure whether to give this one a 3-star or a 4-star rating. So I'm settling for a 3.5. 

I loved this book. It was so sweet and wonderful, exactly what you expect from a Diana Palmer book. God, how I love her. (I know, I know, that must be the hundredth time I've said it. But I don't care. I'ma say it a hundred more times too.) The only thing I disliked about it was how cruel the hero was. I'm all for mean, asshole heroes, but this one took the cake - he takes cruelty to a whole new level. If I was the heroine, I'd never have been able to forgive I'm for all the things he said to her. I also didn't like how he only starts noticing her after she takes her hair down and takes off her spectacles. I find that kind of hard to believe. Beauty, no matter how well concealed, can never be hidden. So it just shows how blind (and dense) the hero really was. These two things were my only objections.

The heroine was really a sweetheart, so completely  innocent, giving and kind. Thei bickering was soadorable.I love the way Palmer writes quirky banter; it's so witty and hilarious. I love the way the playfulness of DP's heroes comes out when they're interacting with the heroines and how it changes them into tender, caring and laughing men. That is one of the things I love about Diana Palmer, the heroines are young and innocent and the heroes older and world-weary; the heroines bring out the childish sides to these cynical, mature men who have forgotten, perhaps have never even known, love.

I already stated my objections to the hero above. I loved him but. Okay Aayesha, calm down. Deep breath. I will not mention his name. I will not. *more deep breaths, tries to muffle laughter* I don't know what you were thinking, Diana, I really don't.
Anyway *ahem* So I did love him. He was a total asshole who knew how to grovel. I loved how he was insanely jealous of Jim, I loved how he pined away for her love, and most of all I loved loved loved the ending. It was so very sweet *sniffle* 

The side characters were also cute; I lived Jim's and Elaine's story very much as well. (I would have loved it more if they'd have had a novel of their own, but I'm not complaining.) The plot was, again, sweet and angsty, the writing potent, rich and emotional and the story amazing. It was a great read.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

When introverted secretary Eleanor Perrie realizes that her boss Curry Matherson, will marry his girlfriend, her world falls apart. For three years she has loved the brutal man, but he has only seen her as his secretary who jumps at his beck and call. When she finally lets her hair down and Curry notices her,it is not the reaction she had hoped for, he wants her but doesn't want a commitment to her and her rejection has him spinning on his heels and reacting like an ass.

Of ccourse it is Diana Palmer book so there is the cruel alpha male, there were moments when he was just down right mean. It was good, but he was a bit much at times.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why the hell do I keep reading Diana Palmer? I'm not against May/December romance but it has to be done well. Palmer's never is. The man is almost always an a-hole for nearly the entire story and the woman is portrayed as so young and naive as to be totally unrelatable. Not to mention a simpering delicate flower who runs off scared the first time she's kissed. And lets not go into the fact that she's 20 years old and doesn't even have any idea what kissing might entail. TV in 1979 was not THAT puritanical.

What's that, 1979 you say? Yep despite the modern cover this story is copywrite 1979. Lets just say that it hasn't aged well.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Curry Matherson never really looked twice at his mousey, plain secretary, their's was a very amiable professional relationship. Eleanor Perrie endured a very strict upbringing where women never attracted attention to themselves. Falling in love with Curry, Eleanor knew she would never be in his league, until she took off the horrible eyeglasses, pulled the pins out of her hair and wore outfits that proved she had a figure. Suddenly Curry seems always annoyed with her and he says the most hurtful things. I loved reading about these two and enjoyed their struggle for their HEA.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a new book to me; I'm glad I discovered it. I fully expected to fall asleep right away; instead I was caught up in the story. Vintage DP - innocent heroine, arrogant hero, of course, but without the preachiness of recent years. No mercenaries, no tangled mystery, no constant repetitions - just a great love story. Now I remember how I got hooked years ago...

[Julz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up because I like Palmer's mean alphas.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet, romantic, cheesy read. Loved the angst! I'm a sucker for unrequited love stories!

[Booka · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tym razem skusiłam się na serię "Gwiazdy Romansu" i wybrałam książkę równie znanej Autorki romansów Diany Palmer. Nigdy wcześniej nie miałam okazji czytać czegokolwiek, co wyszło spod pióra Pani Palmer, tym bardziej byłam ciekawa czy lektura przypadnie mi do gustu.

W książce poznajemy Eleanor Perrie i Curry'ego Methersona. Młodziutka Eleanor od trzech lat pracuje na ranczu w charakterze asystentki. Jest sumienną i nieocenioną pracownicą swojego szefa Methersona. Sama nie wie kiedy uległa urokowi przystojnego, starszego od siebie szefa. I choć zdumiewa ją ten fakt - sama przed sobą musi przyznać, że się zakochała. Jednak czym ona - szara myszka na co dzień - miałaby zaimponować Curry'emu, który gustuje w pięknych kobietach o urodzie i figurze modelki? Pewnego dnia, Eleanor przyjmuje zaproszenie na kolację od swojego przyjaciela Jima Blacka - rywalizującego z Methersonem właściciela rancza. Pech chce, że w tym samym lokalu pojawia się Curry Metherson ze swoją aktualną partnerką - Amandą. Eleonor wyszykowała się na spotkanie z Jimem nie do poznania. Sam szef nie rozpoznaje swojej podwładnej. Niefortunnie Curry wypowiada się w paru ostrych, niemal uwłaczających godności Eleonor zdaniach o niej samej... Następnego dnia Eleonor decyduje się rzucić pracę i przejść do Jima Blacka. Wściekły Curry postanawia zrobić wszystko aby odzyskać swoją asystentkę...
Czy uda mu się pozyskać utracone zaufanie Eleanor?

Przyznam, że wybierając ten tytuł nie miałam większych oczekiwań i raczej podchodziłam do tej historii sceptycznie. Zwłaszcza, że kilka pierwszych stron było dość chaotyczne i ciężko mi było wejść w tą historię. Jakież było moje zdumienie, kiedy z czasem okazało się, że książka 9przynajmniej do połowy0 "sama się czyta". Dlaczego tylko do połowy? Bo w pewnym momencie zaczynało mnie denerwować zaślepienie zakochanej Eleanor, do tego stopnia, że na kilka rozdziałów przed końcem tej opowieści miałam ochotę "potrząsnąć tą kobietą". O antypatycznym bohaterze nie wspomnę, kto chce może się przekonać jaki to dupek...

Niezły romans, który ogólnie całkiem dobrze się czyta. Trochę napisany w stylu slow burn, w pewnym momencie nawet mamy odrobinę motywu enemies to lovers. Historia ciekawa, nieco irytująca naiwność niedoświadczonej Eleanor może kłuć w oczy. Fabula może się spodobać, zwłaszcza miłośniczkom romansów z akcją osadzoną na ranczu.

Opinia opublikowana na moim blogu:
https://literackiepodrozebooki.blogsp...

[JillyB · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like modern heroines with pc heroes...you won’t like this!

I loved it! It had that old time angst I was looking for....Is it dated? Hell yeah! I mean this is way past it’s expiration date, but instead of being mayonnaise it was more like a vintage wine! This is my 4th DP book in the last 36 hours, where it didn’t feel like I was drinking a warm beer.

SPOILERS AHEAD....
Hero- 34/35...Seasoned attractive rancher who isn’t looking for love(they never are) would like sex, kids, and companionship, but nothing to get his heart in a twist...he cruelly insults our heroine about her looks and deflects his real feelings about her with his cruelty, gets engaged to a sexy red haired model , who is with him at a restaurant one night as he insults the heroine to her date(she was hiding behind her menu, and wasn’t looking her dowdy self, so hero had no idea) Upon hearing the insults the heroine takes action...

Heroine-20/21 year old innocent who has been working for hero for the past 3 years...she grew up in a puritanical household where conservative dress and look was insisted upon. To help a friend out, she gets all dolled up and is now a Cinderella! She lives in the hero’s house and is available at all hours of the day or night to do secretarial duties, for all intents and purposes it’s like they are married, but of course our hero doesn’t see the attraction because of her dowdiness(again, I’m not going to fault the hero for not feeling an attraction but of course I’m going to fault him for all the jerky ways he acted)The heroine has loved the hero for years but after hearing his less than stellar comments about her she decides to give him 2 weeks notice(otherwise known as 2 weeks for him to fall madly, deeply in love with her...the love that was there all along)he is extremely jealous of the heroine’s innocent relationship with the om and proceeds to insult her over and over again...Bravo to the heroine she does walk away and she does say a few things herself!

OW- Gorgeous, gold digger who becomes engaged to hero for the money and promise of sex...she is not interested in becoming a ranchers wife or even having children anytime soon, she isn’t looking for love nor is the hero, but he is looking for commitment...kudos to OW for sticking up for the heroine (although her later attempts at seduction may have been due to heroine’s makeover)

OM-he is the heroine’s good friend...he is responsible for her transformation happening when he asks her to go out with him to make his real object of affection take notice of him...it works ...however the hero is under the impression that the heroine loves the om...lots of misunderstandings occur because of this

HEA-After a little accident with a horse, the heroine and hero, both thinking they each love another,communicate with each other and realize the love they have is for EACH other...she will make the hero a good wife...I can see them running the ranch together, and of course populate it with lots of children!

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like many other readers here on GR, when I find a writer I like, I try to read all their books.
So as I stroll thru library & book store bookshelves & book sales tables it's always a lovely surprise when I come across a book that I haven't already read. (usually it's an older one)
Publishers have begun re-publishing older works w/newer covers by more of their established/popular writers. (which can sometimes be confusing for me as I may have already read the older cover design one years before & can't recall when looking at the new cover)
This is the case w/this book. It was one of her older HQ/Silhouette books republished.
It's definitely dated despite the new cover pic. And unfortunately given our current society (ie. #MeToo Movement) it could be considered offensive.
But it's still has all the Palmer hallmarks but wasn't one of my fave's.
It does make you think about how current popular writers like Hoover, Bybee, Brown, Carr, Jenkins, etc. will be viewed 30yrs from now.

[K B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A playboy reformation

I purchased a copy of the mildly steamy
Dream's End in KU by Diana Palmer and this review was given freely. I am pretty sure I read this recently. The domineering rancher Curry's plans change after his secretary Eleanor's make over has him seeing her for the first time. Contains the negative undertones of infidelity and Curry's frequent verbal cruelty to mask his jealousy.

[Shannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yikes. Chauvinistic male who only cares about the girl after she puts on some makeup and new clothes. Tries to force her multiple times and is always losing his temper on her. So many times he went from hot to cold, it was like he was bipolar.

[Yessenia Andaverde · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful story for the epoch it was written on. I liked that the h made the H suffer.

Also, what the heck with the H? He was almost demanding the h's devotion and acceptance while he was engaged! Good for the h for standing her ground.

[Diana McVicker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book by Diana Palmer.

[Rogetwhi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars!!!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

New to me

I thought I had read all of Diana Palmer's books but I missed this one as with all of Diana Palmer's books I can read them over and over.

[Tammy Casteel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love

This is the second time I have read this book. I liked more this time through. I have read almost all of her books.

[JOYCE CHAMBERS · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good but,

Felt rushed and incomplete it led up to a big ang then fizzled in a few pages. I was disappoined