FEARLESS

By Diana Palmer
HQN (2008), 315 pages, $24.95 (hardcover)

Warning: Don’t read this book without a box of tissues nearby.
Of course Diana Palmer fans don’t have to be warned.
“Fearless” is another book with ties to Jacobsville, where the rugged hero is set to foil the bad guys but isn’t able to thwart love and the heroine draws the readers’ complete support and sympathy.
Rodrigo was the “loser” in love in “Outsider,” when Sarina and Colby reunited and found their happily-ever-after. What readers didn’t fully realize in that book was how devastated Rodrigo was when his DEA partner, Sarina pursued her bliss with Colby.
Glory is a typical Palmer heroine, a damsel in distress type who has hidden depths and is stronger than she appears. An abusive mother left Glory crippled, but loving – and rich – step siblings came to her rescue. Despite a genetic heart condition, Glory has emerged as a tough assistant district attorney who is forced into hiding when a nasty drug lord she’s prosecuting threatens her life.
She hides at her step-siblings farm in Jacobsville – where Rodrigo is working uncover trying to capture the same drug lord.
So their “courtship” begins cloaked in lies, with neither able to reveal their true identities. Rodrigo decides to marry Glory, but immediately regrets the hasty decision. He treats Glory horribly, and says hurtful things to her that will have you grabbing for those tissues.
Of course, that’s Palmer’s trademark and the appeal of her books: The hero unwittingly hurts the heroine, then feels totally guilty about it and seeks to make amends. In this case, Rodrigo doesn’t know about Glory’s ties to her rich step-family, her successful career or the heart condition that makes her frail. So a few health scares and harsh assumptions puts Rodrigo squarely on that grovel path.


Overall rating: 4 of 5 hearts. Typical Diana Palmer: A bit corny, but delightfully romantic with pages that will make you cry and smile. Misunderstandings are such wonderful setups for groveling and it’s fun to watch Rodrigo stumble and fall – and then find solid ground again.


Hunk appeal: 10. Like all of Palmer’s heroes, Rodrigo is a bit rough at times, treating his heroine less than gallantly and making her, and the readers, shed tears. But like all of Palmer’s heroes, he adequately makes amends, feels suitably guilty and fixes everything in time for the happily-ever-after.

Steamy scene grade: XXXX. A bit moreso than many of her books.

Happily-Ever-After: Good. Perhaps Rodrigo overdoes it a bit, but he had a lot to make up for. He could have cleared up things a bit more satisfactorily verbally, but his actions spoke loudly. A short “epilogue” is a nice touch.

Also this week …

A WHOLE NEW LIGHT

by Sandra Brown (1989, paperback) – 4 of 5. "A Whole New Light," by Sandra Brown is being re-released in paperback. It’s one of the author’s oldies but goodies, a pure romance where love prevails. Cyn, her deceased husband, and Worth were best friends. Two years after her husband's death, Cyn discovers her feelings for Worth are changing. It's like Worth told her, he suddenly saw her in "a whole new light." It takes some time (nearly the entire book) for the couple to accept and deal with their changed relationship. But by the end, they appreciate their love and embark on a sweet happily-ever-after.