Diana Palmer
Heartbreaker (2006)
Author: Diana Palmer
Genre: Contemporary Romance (Silhouette Desire)
Plot Summary:
Tellie Maddox had just finished her degree in history and was returning to Jacobsville for the summer to work on a feedlot until she returned to finish her master’s work so she could teach history at college. She would be returning to her surrogate family Marge and her two daughters, and J.B. JB. Had taken her in after Tellie lost her Grandparents and she had been attacked at the foster home she was living. She was instantly enamored with him and shadowed his every move for years until she went to college. J.B. was a cattle rancher. He was a solitary man that had no time for committed relationships. He ran wildly with beautiful women ranging from film stars to models never any one for very long. Tellie had been in love with for ages and knew that her average looks and independent nature was never going to appeal to J.B. so she resigned herself to a life of heartbreak. However she never thought that J.B. would deliberately her until he missed her graduation. This was bad enough for Tellie, but to later find out that he lied about being there was it for Tellie. She was just passing time in Jacobsville waiting for the new semester when a man named Grange, who was new in town and unknown to most of the residence, asked her out for lunch. Grange was asking Tellie a lot of questions regarding J.B. As it turns out J.B. had once been engaged to a girl of whom his father did not approve. After J.B. ran off with her his father tracked them down and convinced the girl to break things off with J.B. or he would turn her little brother in to the police for gang activity. After she broke things off she killed herself. Grange was this woman’s brother and was in town to confront J.B. and his father. J.B.s father was dead however and J.B. had known nothing of his father’s actions until after his death. During this lunch J.B. came into the diner and confronted Grange as to why he was there and with Tellie. Knowing it would infuriate J.B. Tellie made plans to see Grange again which turned into them hanging out together quite regularly. J.B. did everything he could think of to stop them. Culminating in him bringing over his newest trophy girlfriend to Marge’s house to flaunt in front of J.B. Tellie exploded and verbally attacked the woman when she mistook Tellie for the maid. J.B. then took her aside and explained to Tellie that she and he will never be together because she was inexperienced and that he could do whatever he wanted with her because she would always be his. After this Tellie decided not to speak to J.B anymore until Marge had a heart attack. She drove to his house as Marge was being taken to the hospital and burst in on J.B. and his girlfriend half naked on the couch. J.B exploded and told her she was hopeless and needed to quit following him around and chasing him, and finished by calling her ugly. In an emotional state Tellie got into her car and wrecked on her way to the hospital. Grange found her and took her to the hospital himself. J.B. felt awful when he saw Tellie come in on the stretcher. He spoke to her, but something was off about her. She had amnesia. Tellie though she was a senior in high school and getting ready for college. The doctor though it best if she was taken somewhere where, until she regained her memory, that would not jar the memories back as that could have detrimental effects. SPOILER: So J.B. decided to take care of her at his house as he was feeling guilty for yelling at her and being one of the reasons for her driving erratically and wrecking. All was going along fine until J.B. during a late night chat began to kiss Tellie and touch her in a way she did not understand. He was having trouble figuring out what was happening between them as well. While he was gone for a few days on a business trip J.B.’s old girlfriend showed up at the house and accosted Tellie by yelling at her and telling her that she needed to get better and get out of J.B.’s hair. This traumatic shock of his girlfriend’s tirade brought all of the memories she had forgotten back and she immediately decided to get out of his house and the town. She decided to go back to school early and teach adult education classes and start on her degree. J.B. tried to see her before she left, but Marge would not allow him. He was terribly sorry and madly in love with her. Tellie meanwhile was at school and doing fine when in walks J.B. with a gift, an engagement ring. Tellie immediately said yes and J.B. informed her they were to be married that weekend. He took her back to his hotel room that night and for the first time made love to Tellie. She was amazed at the sensations she was feeling and knew that everything was going to be perfect. Two weeks after the marriage she became pregnant and was looking forward to many more children to come.
Geographical Setting: Texas
Time Period: Contemporary
Series: Silhouette Desire book 1748
Appeal Characteristics:
Heartbreaker is a very medium pace read due to a good balance of descriptive narrative as well as quick dialogue. The series is listed at allaboutromance.com as “hot” on their sensuality guide, but this title seems more moderate in its depiction of love making. It does have explicit sensuality and both the hero and heroine’s physical feelings are both described. The book promotes moral values in that Tellie is waiting for love until she exposes herself to physical intimacy and J.B. is vilified at times for his womanizing and general disregard for the woman he dates. The book looks to engage the reader emotionally through the deep character development of J.B. in regards to his past and why he is unable or unwilling to let himself get close to a woman, and in the rich descriptions of Tellie’s emotional roller coaster ride in regards to J.B. The book is short and the setting is well described, but done in quick shots, so as not to bog down the reader in unnecessary information allowing the reader to escape into another place and into the shoes of the lead character while throwing in modern day issues, such as the Iraq conflict, to make readers feel this is in contemporary times. Heartbreaker was a very fun and predictable read. The story took just enough twists to make it interesting and the stereotypical alpha male rancher and the independent educated woman who still needs a man’s love was very much a fantasy element.
Read-alikes: Readers who enjoyed Palmer’s Heartbreaker , the emotional torment of the characters, according to allaboutromance.com and the somewhat less than “hot” and slightly more than “warm” sensuality may want to try another of Palmer’s books, such as Lawman. This is another story where the man initially insists he is not interested in the woman and after much emotional terrorizing on both sides they get together. Another contemporary western setting romance in the Silhouette Desire series is Brenda Jackson’s Seduction Westmoreland Style. According to amazon.com reviewers this title is “steamy” which may be good if one is looking for more “hot” than “warm” sensuality. This story is more of a woman going to get her man, but it shares the reluctance of the man and back and forth antics between the man and woman, both similar to Heartbreaker. One more that readers of Western settings would enjoy is Satisfying Lonergan's Honor, by Maureen Child. Set on a ranch this is a story of old lost loves coming together. This title according to the review at romantictimes.com contains rich characterization of the lead characters which seems similar to Heartbreaker. Seven Year Seduction, by Heidi Betts is a contemporary romance working with unrequited love, reconciliation, and love-hate relationships shared with Heartbreaker. It is what readers describe as “fluffy,” fun, and enjoyable story where a woman who has sworn never to be in contact with her lost love is thrown into an unavoidable situation and can’t believe that there may still be a chance for love. One book for those seeking something more sensual that is fun and enjoyable, but wrought with tension in the relationship, similar to Heartbreaker, should check out Shaken and Stirred by Kathleen O'Reilly. A girl falls for her new housemate and the relationship is wrought with tension. The characters are well flushed out according to allaboutromance.com, however readers should be aware t his title is very explicit.
Red Flags: Explicit sexual situations, Very mild sexual aggression.
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