Limecello’s review of Diamond in the Rough by Diana Palmer
Contemporary romance released by Harlequin Romance on 14 Apr 09
I think that everyone (and I mean everyone) knows that I read/like Diana Palmer’s books. At this point, even I can’t particularly figure out why. They’re so… off the wall, really. Yet there is something about Ms. Palmer’s writing that keeps me – and a number of other readers coming back for more. (Much like crack. This is book crack.) Nevertheless, I enjoyed Diamond in the Rough much more than the previous few novels by Ms. Palmer, and I’m very much looking forward to her next book, Heartless.
As usual, there is a major age difference between the hero and heroine – here, twelve years. And I actually felt pretty good about that, considering for the first four or so chapters I thought the difference might be around 17 years. Still, everything could and would have been the same if there had been only one year, or one month between Sassy and John. I felt that the age conflict was more filler/boilerplate.
I’ve heard someone say if you’ve read one Diana Palmer book, you’ve read them all. And sadly, that seems to be the truth for all the books she’s written in the past five or six years. I’ll give you the formula. Young heroine, who is not so much repressed and innocent (though both), as really ignorant. Toss in poverty, and a random tragic past.
Abused by mother/father/grandfather or grandmother/aunt, poverty stricken, and small breasted. But they’re high! She’s really smart, but not well educated. She: a. can’t afford more school or b. is too unworldly to think much of higher education – at least for herself. Now the hero, he’s generally rich. However, he’s been burned by love before, and had become a misogynist. He also thinks it is wrong that he’s so hot for a girl who is so much younger than him, but can’t help his burning lust. It’s even better/more tragic when she’s pseudo family.
Yet in every book, there’s something about the writing, situation, characters, and emotions that makes it enjoyable. Here, Sassy wasn’t a complete doormat. While she fell into a number of the characteristics I listed, she’s still quite spunky and has a lot of optimism. I liked Sassy’s positive outlook, and the fact that she didn’t brood or angst. That would’ve been overkill. Her name fits her personality as well-christened Cassandry, Sassy seems more in line with everything about her. Sassy’s a bit of a throwback, but a heroine you hope finds good things. The hero, John Taggert Callister is more a foil for Sassy. While he’s a good person and a nice man, Sassy steals the show.
John Callister introduces himself as John Taggert, in order to give himself some anonymity in the town he just moved to. John is a hero who is ready to settle down, and does what he thinks is right. It’s nice to read about a hero who is still gallant and considers the welfare of others before his own. I liked his personality, and the fact that we had a few glimpses into John’s inner thoughts.
While I did notice a few minor discrepancies with facts (secondary characters with their ages changed etc), I thought the book was well written. The relationship between John and Sassy is entertaining, and their interaction is quite amusing. Just once, I’d like something more to develop from the minor love triangles Ms. Palmer so loves writing in. However, the secondary characters are all very enjoyable, and I wouldn’t mind reading more about any one of them. The story was overall quite believable, with nothing too outrageous and it was a nice, indulgent read.
I recommend this book to any Diana Palmer fan, but especially to the readers who have wanted to read a book by Ms. Palmer but have not yet done so.
Grade: B-
Summary:
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Sassy Peale is desperate to help her family, but her meager salary doesn’t stretch far. Then she meets John Callister, and she thinks her new friend is an honest-to-God cowboy—rugged and trustworthy.
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But John isn’t a ranch hand, he’s a millionaire from one of Montana’s most powerful families! And when Sassy finds out who he really is, she’s certain the arrogant millionaire is just playing with her. John has to convince Sassy that he’s the man she first thought he was—a diamond in the rough.
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Read an excerpt here.
Diana Palmer is one of my favorite authors! And like you, I don’t know why I do when her books are all so formulaic (is that a word?? lol)…but anyhow, I have almost all of DP’s books except for the ones that are hard to find. Thanks for reviewing this book. You reminded me that this book is out!
Tabitha, Yay! Glad to see more people in the DP camp 😀 And yes, formulaic is the perfect word. Those hard to find ones are impossible – and if you can find them, wildly expensive! I wish they’d be reprinted.
🙂 I hope you enjoy Diamond in the Rough – and looking over it… strange things happened to my review. Ah well.
Hmm, I’m slow…what do you mean when you say strange things happened to your review?
Tabitha- Oops! Not you! I’m sick and out of it.
That was meant to be a general comment/observation. What I see now is [very?] different from what I remember submitting. Or maybe not again. Whatever. Chalk it up to being delirious. But! Do come back and let me know what you thought about this book! We can dish and discuss DP 😀
I’m a tad behind on DP new releases. I just started this morning on Heart of Stone. So far, I recognize the formulaic plotline at the beginning where hero hates on heroine because of supposed stories he’s been told about her and heroine takes what he dish because she has a “secret” crush on hero and then there’s the secret she’s withholding about her past…it’s all good though! 😀
Oh eek, Tabitha – you’ll have to let me know what you think of Heart of Stone if you check the archives, I gave it a “D” :X Really not my favorite – this one is much better!
I finished Heart of Stone and Diamond in the Rough this weekend. Heart of Stone had the same torturous storyline for the hero and heroine that I’ve come to expect so the reading was average. Diamond in the Rough deviated a bit from her formula wherein the heroine didn’t have to suffer much before they got together. It was a really quick read and I enjoyed the light-hearted bantering between the two.
Tabitha – Thanks for coming back to let me know! Gold star to you 🙂 I wanted to let you know that made me very happy.
So – I felt the same way about Heart of Stone and Diamond in the Rough 😛 I think you’re nicer about it though, than I am in the way you said it. And wasn’t Sassy cute/fun? I liked the dialogue too. I have high hopes for Heartless. Hopefully I didn’t just jinx myself.
Hello again! Yes, I really like Sassy — she’s a fighter character which I love because she so differed from the previous heroines we have seen who were more fragile.
I’m really horrible with explaining so not sure if that makes sense — and this is why I sound nicer in my opinions of the books because I’m horrible at writing out my thoughts. Lol.
Oh! Thank you for telling me about Heartless…I hadn’t even realized that she has an upcoming new release. I just went by DP’s website and read the summary of the book — it sounds familiar, lol!! *cross fingers*
Tabitha, not true! I’m sure you’re just nicer 😉 I may have to re-read the story before it… or not – I might enjoy it more that way 😛 But I am excited about Heartless.
Sorry, I don’t have my book list on me so I can’t recall which book is before Heartless — whose story was it on?
Tabitha – Err… it was the yellow cover… yes, Fearless. Internet searches FTW! I reviewed it – it’s Gloryann and… Garon, is it? :X
I have only read Fearless by Palmer and give it a resounding F for structure, plot, dialogue, characters, completely unbelievable situations (DEA agent who’s the best merc in the whole world who didn’t do a background check on the PEOPLE LIVING IN HIS HOUSE and who is undercover using his real name?), and total disbelief in the HEA (I wanted to shoot her. And then him.)
Phyllis – uh oh! I haven’t read Fearless yet… I will – but… I’ve been hearing awful things about it :X
…Haha -is it bad of me to admit I’m curious now based on your comment? Was this by chance the first Diana Palmer book you’ve read, or not?