Rating: 
Summary: Not worth Hardcover Price!!
Review: Let me start by saying that I am a devoted Diana Palmer fan, and truly enjoyed most of her older titles with the arrogant alpha hero, and the young vulnerable heroine. Diana seemed to make it work somehow. Now, it's just stale. "Desperado" is the long awaited story of Cord Romero. That's where the suspense ends. The storyline involved Cord and his Foster Sister Maggie, who worked with the Lassiter Agency (from previous books) to bring down a Child Labor Ring. Maggie had a secret from her past that tied in well with Child Exploitation, but the writing style prevented it from bringing the story to have the impact that it should have. The sex scenes in recent books, are all the same. It's more like sex education, and quite frankly, I feel that all of the romantic scenes in this book were cheesy. Also, too much details are given about things that are not important, leaving the reader feeling like they are reading from an encyclopedia and not a romance novel. Being critical of an author, who in the past, was a must buy for me is not easy, but it is dissapointing. Each new book is so similar to the last, you feel as if you are reading the same book with different names. Let's face it, The old Heroine and Hero are not blood related, but are still somehow almost brother and sister, she's never had sex, he's starts off as a alpha male but he's doesn't know how to be tender and when he does, it's hoaky, he's gonna call her "little one" she's gonna get hurt somehow, and there is going to be some mention of Science Fiction or National Geographic. Palmer fans are starting to wonder if past books are being copied with new covers. I gave this book 2 stars because it was a good storyline idea, but I couldn't get past the outdated and similar to other books writing style that continues to occur with new Palmer books. Sadly, my new Motto is, "Read one Palmer book, and you've read them all."
Rating: 
Summary: Great Read!!!
Review: Like all Diana Palmer books this is a must have for the loyal fan. She writes great books, and I can't wait for the next installment of books.
Rating: 
Summary: Won't be reading this one again...
Review: Maggie Barton rushed home from Morocco after she discovered that her foster brother, Cord Romero, had been injured in a bomb explosion. Three days later, after enduring numerous airport delays and lack of sleep, she arrives to find that Cord doesn't want to see her or have anything to do with her. Dejected because she had turned down her job to rush to Cord's side, she needs to find a temporary job until she can leave Texas - and Cord - far behind her. But Cord's in the middle of a dangerous job, and her new job puts her in harm's way, too. Cord is going to have to protect her...
Cord Romero didn't really know what to do with Maggie. He found her incredibly attractive, even though she wanted little to do with men because of a childhood trauma he knew nothing about. He's on the trail of a dangerous child pornography ring, but before he knows it Maggie has involved herself and he's going to need to keep her very close to keep an eye on her. He doesn't count on falling in love with her - and wanting to keep her by his side, forever.
Okay, this is only the third Diana Palmer book I have read, but already they are starting to run together and sound awfully similar. The plot seems to be: white younger woman who isn't drop-dead gorgeous is completely inexperienced when it comes to sex and men; dark, handsome, and dangerous man with issues falls in love with heroine after treating her cruelly. This book was the same. Cord treated Maggie like a jerk, but she still loved him despite his cruelty towards her. Maggie was totally naive about just about everything, especially men. She had the emotional maturity of about a 10 year old girl. I didn't really care for either the hero or the heroine. Reading this book once was enough - I won't be picking it up again.
Rating: 
Summary: fast-paced romantic suspense
Review: Mercenary Cord Romero returns to his Texas ranch to recuperate from a near death experience caused when his enemy Raoul Gruber tried to kill him with a bomb. Waiting for him at his spread is his estranged foster sister, Maggie Barton, who left a job in Morocco to be near Cord, whom she loves unrequitedly.Cord knows he must destroy his foe so he joins Lassiter Detective Agency where Maggie works to have an opportunity to get closer to Raoul. However, Raoul remains elusive with powerful protection as befitting the head of an international corporation that actually serves as a front for a child labor ring. When Raoul learns who Maggie is, he decides she is the perfect pawn to get at Cord even as the duo tries to lure their adversary into a trap. The story line is loaded with action and non stop suspense as the "duel" between the hero and the villain play out in three countries. Maggie and Cord struggle to overcome their troubled childhoods in order to form a permanent relationship, but the male protagonist is too macho and cavalier when it comes to the heroine. Still fans of fast-paced romantic suspense thrillers will enjoy the rapidly moving DESPERADO. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: DP does it again...
Review: No one beats Diana Palmer for sensual anticipation; this most recent story is no exception. Maggie introduced in "Lord of the Desert", hops a plane back to the states to be with Cord, who is recuperating from an eye injury sustained while disarming an explosive device. Cord lashes out at Maggie, who is heartbroken over his hostility, and what she gave up overseas to return to Cord's side. The pace picks up from this point on; the sexual tension flying like sparks between Cord and Maggie. Enter the Lassiter Detective Agency, and the mission to bring down Gruber and his international bad boys is off and running.
Cord and Maggie struggle throughout with their tormented pasts, especially Maggie, who has been through more than any woman should ever have to face. Can any man ever convince Maggie to trust again?
This book is what we have come to love and expect from DP. The hero is DP's usual arrogant alpha male, the heroine vulnerable, but they get beyond their usual bickering and on to the main story line rather quickly. Plus we get to find out what characters from past books are up to, and leave us wondering whom the next Soldier of Fortune book will be about. Makes for a light enjoyable read in-between the heavy-duty stuff.
Rating:
Summary: First I would like to say...
Review: That I am a long time lover of Diana Palmer, have all of her books and have enjoyed reading her stories up until the past few years when her plots seem to be recycled from other books she has already written. I have to agree with some of the reviewers below that the same old Virginal,sexually ignorant, Bad sex experience, dowdy dressed 21-28 year old woman with hang ups has gown tiresome and lame. I was hoping against hope that Diana would not write Cord and Maggie as the same vapid, stale characters as in previous books but was disappointed that they turned out that way. Eight year old Maggie and Sixteen year old Cord were raised together as foster siblings by a woman called Amy. Eighteen years have passed and both had married on the rebound and lost their spouses to suicide and a drunk driving accident. Guilt and secrets are major factors in the relationship between Maggie and Cord and it puts them at odds with each other along with an intense attraction both feel for one other, but will not admit. I thought the premise of the story about child slavery was a subject that really needed to be addressed and Diana did that well, but the hokey actions of the lead characters ruined it for me. The sex scenes were not sensual at all and read more like a sex education manual for beginners. Another thing that bothered me is that Cord is portrayed as a very sexy, good looking man that could have anyone he wanted, yet doesn't date much at all. I found this a bit far fetched as I did Maggie's ignorance about sex. I would love to see Diana go back to her roots and write as she did as Diana Blayne (candelight ectasy) or Susan Kyle. Her romances were gripping and had a grown up quality to them that I loved. I have to say that after twenty years of reading her books, Diana is not a must race out and buy for me anymore as in the past. I gave Desperado a three star because I did feel that Diana did a good job bringing child slavery to the readers attention.
Rating: 
Summary: Close to the worst book I have ever read
Review: The plot and characters are the same as Texas Rangers (another bad book). Too much happens before the book begins. The characters are totally predictable. Maggie giving the money she inherited from her ex-husband to his first 2 battered wives--give me a break!
Rating:
Summary: exciting romantic suspense thriller
Review: They were foster siblings with Maggie Barton loving Cord Romero since she first met him eighteen years ago when she was eight and he was a teen. However, he marries Patricia and eventually she weds Bart. Both widows, Maggie learns that Cord was severely injured from a bomb blast meant to kill him. She gives up everything and races to his ranch just outside Houston to nurture her only true love back to health, but he rejects her offer, misunderstanding that she came from Morocco not Texas. When he learns the extent of her sacrifice, Cord apologizes. Maggie accepts a temporary job at the Lassiter Detective Agency who are working with the government to stop an abusive child ring that makes Dickens look like kindergarten. Her new job keeps Maggie in close contact with Cord as his recent near fatal disaster is tied in with what Lassiter is doing. As Cord and Maggie acknowledge their adult love for one another, the current case hits home too closely as a reminder of the shame she still feels and hides about her pre foster childhood that if not revealed to her beloved could end their relationship. Fans of romantic suspense thrillers focused on a real social problem will want to read DESPERADO, an action-packed tale that never slows down except when Cord and Maggie grab hold of one another. Considering the sub-genre of the novel, surprisingly that romantic subplot seems hollow when compared to the significance of the child slavery ring. Still, readers will root for the good guys to win over the evil corporate empire and with one another in Diana Palmer's latest novel. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Poor dialog characterizes this book - a chore to finish
Review: this is one or Palmer's best. If you are a fan "little one's" you will read this book with the hope and love that she often pulls from her readers. I cryed in parts and enjoyed the ride. See, a person who owns almost all Palmers works should know, she is great.
Rating:
Summary: if you love romance
Review: this is one or Palmer's best. If you are a fan "little one's" you will read this book with the hope and love that she often pulls from her readers. I cryed in parts and enjoyed the ride. See, a person who owns almost all Palmers works should know, she is great.
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