Dangerous by Diana Palmer ~Review and Contest

DANGEROUS
Long, Tall Texans
Hardcover
HQN Books
ISBN-10: 0373774591
ISBN-13: 978-0373774593 Buy link
 
Tall, lean and headstrong, FBI agent Kilraven lives by his own rules. And one of those rules includes keeping his hands off Jacobsville’s resident sweetheart, Winnie Sinclair, no matter the temptation. Shy and innocent, Winnie couldn’t handle a man like him—a merciless man with a haunted past. And this small town may hold not only the woman he fights to resist, but the answers to a cold case that is very personal to Kilraven....

Winnie has had her own share of sorrow and senses Kilraven’s pain. Even though she tries to deny it, the gentle 911 operator feels a connection with the darkly handsome agent. When he makes the disturbing discovery that her family’s unsavory past might have a bearing on his case, Winnie is determined to help him crack it...and the ice around his heart.

As they combine forces in a dangerous investigation, the stakes rise ever higher. Winnie’s life is on the line, and she’ll need Kilraven more than ever. But if they are to have a future together, her ruthless Texan will need to confront his past and risk it all for their love.

My Thoughts:

Kilraven, a CIA agent working undercover in Jacobsville, Texas, has had an extremely rough hand dealt to him. Facing, or should we say not facing, the deaths of his wife and three year old daughter he is bent on revenge and justice. The killer is still at large and it seems that these two senseless deaths are linked to several other murders that have taken place over the last few years. Opening his cold case, two officers are attacked, and there is a small break in the case.

Kilraven needs Winnie's, a local 9-1-1 dispatcher, help to interrogate a Senator's wife. He is well aware of young Winnie's feelings for him and her innocence, but he doesn't care who he uses or the depths that he must go in order to find the person responsible for his family's murders.

 I have to admit that I am struggling with this "review". I am always pleased to be considered to read and review new releases, whether it be a well known author or a new comer to the scene, but Dangerous is the first one that I really wish I had passed on to the next willing reviewer. In excepting the offer I have an obligation to both my followers and the author to give an honest review, which includes my feelings on the book. With that in mind, please remember that these are my thoughts and opinions and you should by no means let them cloud your reading expectations of this well known author and her current new release.

Dangerous fell flat for me. I had a lot of hang ups while trying to read this book. It has been many years since I have read a book by Diana Palmer, so many in fact that I can not remember the names of the books that I read. I know she has a huge following, but after finishing Dangerous I have to wonder why.

The relationship between Kilraven and Winnie made me feel like I was back in high school. The boys will say anything to get into the girls pants. Yes, Winnie is suppose to be innocent, but at 22 years old you would think that she would have some inclination as to what a boy, or in this case a man, would say or do to girl/woman who he wants to get into bed, yet have no strings attached. I am fine with the fact that Kilraven wants to marry Winnie to gain information for his murder investigation and want an annulment as soon as the investigation is over, it does make for good story line and provides a way for the hero and heroine to get together. But in the same sentence he also suggests that they take liberties and indulge themselves and actually share the marital bed and get a divorce instead of an annulment just seemed a  little callous and again I was transported back to high school.

The constant repetition of thoughts, comments, etc really had me pulling my hair out.  For example, and this one is just a minor one:

"...Her face was flaming, and not only from the intimate position. She hadn't dreamed that men would say such blatant things to women! 'Im not on the pill!'

That stopped him dead. His mind wasn't working. It was enslaved to the throbbing hunger in his lower extremities. he didn't have anything, either. He didn't carry prophylactics because he never slept with women. She could get pregnant. Just for an instant, he thought about a baby in her arms and his whole soul felt grief like a lance. No! Never again!

...'It amazes me,' he said.
'What?' she asked.
'How very innocent you are,' he remarked quietly, staring straight into her dark eyes.
She colored prettily. 'I'm getting less innocent by the day' she said tautly.
He grinned. 'Didn't know men said such blatant things to women?'"

Like I said, this example is very mild but it occurs throughout the book. One person is thinking something or saying something and in comes another person with the same comment or voicing the thoughts of the other. Palmer also has the annoying habit of explaining everything and leaving nothing to your imagination. I could have gone with out several scenes while Winnie was at work or the couples walks to the car. Let me add here that I read not the finished product but the "Advanced Uncorrected Proof."  I really hope that the finished product has eliminated the problem (in my opinion) areas.


While I was struggling in the beginning, wanting to put the book down and move on to the next, I decided I would surf the net and try to find another review of Dangerous. My initial search found only one giveaway and one review in blog land. I recently did another one and found another review. One is pretty negative and the other pretty positive. So here are the links to the reviews:

Positive Review

Negative Review

The overall story line was descent and if I could have just gotten past my own hang ups with the repetition and "telling" of the story I think I would have enjoyed Dangerous more.

My rating: 3 stars

Now for the contest

Thanks to the publisher I have two books to giveaway. 

All you have to do to be entered is leave a comment. 

Contest is open until May 31

Opened to United States and Canada only.

I will post the winners June 1