Diana Palmer has long been one of my favourite authors. You know exactly what to expect from Palmer. Unfortunately, her latest releases, and sadly this one is no exception, read like a book out of time. There's nothing about the language or characters that reads as contemporary to 2023. I think her editors should suggest setting her books in the 1980s or '90s to help with the more old fashioned attitudes. Otherwise it reads as much younger that the characters actually are. Because of this none of the angst lands enough, and the subplot reads somewhat disjointedly. There were also some parts of weird repetition or reminders of plots points or conversations that occurred just pages earlier. It felt a little juvenile, and not what I expect from Ms Palmer. Generally, I am disappointed, but will still re-read or seek out other releases.

Another great book in the series. I liked seeing the two different Tanners, the before and now. I love seeing a character grow. Stasia is such a sweet woman. It was great seeing Cole and Heather again and meeting all their children. I look forward to reading John and Odalie’s books when they are written. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Diana Palmer brings us the story of Stasie and her father. Everyone knows that she has eyes for their neighbor's oldest son Tanner. Yet, Tanner is not satisfied with being on the family farm and takes advantage of his family's wealth jet-setting around the world with the latest arm candy. When tragedy strikes her' family, it brings Tanner back home and back into her life. Tanner resents her and her father for forcing him into his present situation and when tragedy strikes a second time, it breaks that bond even more. Five years later, Tanner's job brings this family back together and shows that love and family will ultimately prevail.

Diana Palmer brings us a story of love, tragedy, chances, and family. You get to feel all of the emotions their story brings out with each page. As you follow them along this journey, you get to see the rollercoaster they take you on. I like how you get to follow their journey and see how they change throughout the years and how the events in their lives affect them and how that translates to how they react to what happens to them throughout the book. I look forward to reading more from this author.

I have read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I would like to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, HQN for this privilege.

I want to just share that I LOVED the authors dedication in this book. It was sad but also very poignant and I cried a few tears because its the best book dedication I have ever read before.

This book was absolutely fabulous. I am a reader of Diana Palmer since I was a teenager. I LOVED her earlier books and her later books I have NOT always loved but this book included a lot of characters that I have read over the years and I loved seeing that they were together and happy. If you have read Heather's Song from way back when, then you know the Everett family, Heather and Cole. They had three kids, a daughter, and two sons, John and Tanner.

The Everett's have a neighbor named Stasie who at age 15 falls in love with Tanner who is 6 years older than her. She embaresses him through the years with her adulation and he avoids her at all costs. Meanwhile John who is closer to her age falls into love with Stasie and would do anything for her. When Stasie's father dies he is leaving her with no family and no money and so he makes Tanner and her marry.

A portion of the book takes place before her father dies and then the aftermath and marriage and what leads to Tanner and Stasie's marriage and the aftermath that tears a family apart and sends Tanner out into the world as a mercenary. Then the story picks up five years later and we get to know a more adult Stasie and see her as she has followed her dreams. We also get to meet a more mature Tanner who has never forgotten her. Has she moved on? Can she let him into her heart and forgive? Can his family forgive him? And what's happened with John?

The author did a fabulous job with this book. The hardest part to read in this book is the marriage. Tanner is a character you will hate. He treats her horrendously and there is a side character who is his mistress that he spends weeks if not months with while he is married. Tanner is extremely immature and everyone claims he is spoiled, but what he really is, is lost. He has no dreams and he loves no one, not even himself. When his family throws him out, he deserves that and it forces him to grow up and find his place in the world and five years later we get to know a much better man and thats when the book gets wonderful. He starts to chase Stasie and I loved that she makes him work for her forgiveness and her heart. She really helps him move on and his family as well. I loved that part of the book so much.

This was a wonderful story and it was more like her earlier books which I loved. I felt it was a very romantic story though there is definitely other woman drama as well as a love triangle with Stasie, John and Tanner. There is also a lot of suspense when Tanner becomes a merc which also kept me at the edge of my seat.

The Loner had a typical Diana Palmer start, with the heroine helplessly in love with the hero. Stasia, is young, but does at times stand up for herself. Tanner is a spoiled jerk. There is not much of their actual love story, it just seems that they suddenly realize they are in love. There is a lot of background in this story setting up the siblings story, with a l lot more love reference there. There were parts of the plot that were very repetitive and dialogue repeated itself. Overall it was an okay book.

The "hero" of the story was too harsh with the heroine, so I did not totally believe the total 180 character flipped that happened later. Only for die hard Diana Palmer fans.