KISS ME, COWBOY is a compilation of two stories previously published: The Ranchers Wedding and Colorado Cowboy. Both appeared as Diana Palmer's contributions to collaborative books by several authors. But in case you missed those two books you are in luck. Diana Palmer is always a joy to read and as a longtime fan of this prolific western romance writer it has been my pleasure to read and review many of her works. Diana Palmer has been creating romance since 1979 and it’s never too late to get on her journey.
First story is The Ranchers Wedding, a vintage Diana Palmer tale if there ever was. Diana Palmer likes to team up a tough cowboy or rancher with a somewhat naive or quiet woman. As always, it is a quest to see just how hard that tough guy really is and how quickly the heroine dominates the relationship. Not that she is pushy, just that she fascinates the big cowboy. In this case, the woman is a writer who escaped notoriety in the big city, along with her widowed father. This is a tragic case of social media taking center stage and condemning an innocent man. The blowback is incredible and has this father and daughter looking for a small town to hide away in until the heat dies down. If it doesn’t, they may be there for a long time. Cassie is just trying to find her place. JL is a wealthy rancher with a distaste for women. Once burnt twice shy. You get the picture, but what JL never expected was how this rather nondescript female would work her way into his life. Totally uninvited but caught this rancher’s eye.
The second story is Colorado Cowboy. It starts out with the aftermath of a horrific scene. One where a woman is thrown down a staircase to her death and witnessed by the daughter. Both Esther and her mother Terry had been living under a cloud of danger once Darrin, Terry’s latest man, moved in. He was controlling and abusive. And in the end, he directed his anger to the woman he thought of as his meal ticket. Esther had no option but to run for her life and the only place she could think to go was Denton. Her mom had spoken of a relative there. It’s made up mostly of ranches and is a small town. With nothing but the clothes on her back, she had to figure out how to support herself until she could speak with an attorney to settle her mother’s will. The most important thing was to maintain a low profile. No doubt that Darrin was going to be looking for her and he had a cadre of mean guys eager to do his bidding. The first person who Esther meets is Bruce, ex-military with scars to show for it. Bruce works as an animal rehabilitator. He lives a rather quiet life, trusting animals more than people. His disability has made him understandably a loner - especially when it came to women. But he sees the inner kindness of this stranger who collapsed at his doorway. Esther just may have found her white knight after all.
New York Times bestselling author Diana Palmer takes reader to Colorado in two novellas where solitary, silent cowboys find their restless hearts tamed by women of uncommon grace and strength . . .
The Rancher’s Wedding When a tough Colorado rancher who’s in the red meets up with a screenwriter-turned-waitress dogged by scandal, they put their talents—and their hearts—together. But will front page news put a damper on the sparks flying between them?
Colorado Cowboy Fleeing her mother’s killer, Esther Marist ends up at a rugged stranger’s cabin. A wildlife rehabilitator with a menagerie that includes an elderly wolf, Matthews isn’t the type to turn any creature away. As Esther heals, she realizes how much danger she’s brought to his door—and how far he’ll go to protect her.
“You just can't do better than a Diana Palmer story to make your heart lighter and smile brighter.” —Fresh Fiction