This is a good book. Diana Palmer has done it again, written a book you can’t put down. This book has two stories. Both stories has heartache, death and love. Both stories have happy ending with the characters falling in love.

It's been a while since I read any of the Jacobsville books. So long that the only name I recognized was Police chief Cash Grier, who was only mentioned at the end of the first book. So we have two books here, both second chances, which is my favorite trope. The first one, Rancher's Law, is about Cal Hollister, ex-mercenary, with PTSD, who temporarily moves to Jacosbville, across the street from young Amelia Grayson and her grandfather, also ex-military. Most of their story is told in flash backs, but it got a bit tedious at times. They befriend him and Amelia has a crush, but is constantly reminded by her grandfather that he is too old and sophisticated for her. Cal also is drawn to Amelia, but she his too innocent for him. So they all become friends, while Cal dates a socialite that he can barely tolerate. Amelia is working on her degree in chemistry. But when her grandfather dies suddenly, everything comes crashing down on her, at the same time that Cal is leaving Jacobsville. Two rotten women, conspire against them, until 6 years later, they learn the truth and get their second chance.

The second book, "Guy", is about Guy Fenton, who used to fly, but now works as a cow hand. He is haunted by his ex fiancee's death. She was killed in a plane accident when he was the pilot. Candace Marshall is a freelance publicist, who comes to Jacobsville to get information on doing an article about feedlots. Candace is the survivor of a mass shooting, which not only cost her her father but left her with only one lung. While assigned to take her to a few different ranches, he notices that she does not look well and finally diagnoses her with asthma, but it takes her almost dying to trust and believe him. I actually liked this story better than the main one.

I was gifted with an Advanced Reader's Copy from NetGalley.com. This is my honest, voluntary and unbiased review.

This was a heartbreaking, and then uplifting, read. A great western romance for a fall afternoon read.

Rancher’s Law is filled with the small town color and feel. People that are likable and not so likable, and a romance that once you get beyond his stupid actions is sweet and steamy.

Reviewed by Annetta Sweetko

Complete review: https://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=87702

This is a bind up of a novel Rancher’s Law and a novella, Guy.

Review of Rancher’s Law:

Amelia Grayson nurtured an unrequited love for her troubled neighbor Cal Hollister who viewed her only as a friend and off limits romantically. She was determined to enjoy their time together, with the understanding that they would never get a happy ending. He “wasn’t the type to settle down,” something that her grandfather continually reminds of her. When tragedy strikes, they part in the worst of ways, misunderstanding and distrust between them. Years later, they run into each other again in Jacobsville. Amelia has moved on with her life (as best as possible), and Cal is not in a good place emotionally. Cal has realized Amelia is the one who got away, but can he convince her to give him another chance?

This is a heartfelt, second chance-at-love with plenty of angst, and Diana Palmer’s characteristic gentle humor. Fans of Diana Palmer’s Long Tall Texas series will appreciate getting a chance to spend more time with beloved characters and to see a new couple’s relationship come to fruition. Dark content, such as war and violent death during war, child death, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, grief, toxic family relationships, alcoholism and drug abuse feature in this story, but are dealt with sensitively. The values and traits of many of the characters do feel dated (although this may be the norm in small towns?), which may not appeal to some readers who like their romances with a very contemporary feel. I do think there was an opportunity to humanize Edie (the other woman) and explore her complexity as a person. (Honestly, I was thinking it would be cool to have a story about Edie where she finds a happy ending). There was quite a bit of editorializing via character speeches in this book that may annoy some readers. I was able to shrug that off personally, but I can see that being off putting to some.

As usual, Cal has the Diana Palmer hero trait of being very emotionally mean to Amelia (for reasons that are very frustrating to me, and his viewpoint is really archaic). I did like that he was very remorseful and did grovel in a satisfactory way. Amelia comes off as very young, and in some ways, unbelievably innocent (for a 21st Century young woman). You can’t help but love her (in my opinion, Diana Palmer heroines are always likable).


As a lifelong fan of Diana Palmer, it was nice to get an opportunity to spend time with her characteristic storytelling. I am able to shrug off some of the dated aspects and enjoy her writing. (I just remind myself that her stories exist in some sort of time bubble and it makes things more believable). While I like romances with on the page sex scenes, I think sometimes they can be over the top and I get kind of burned out and put off by it, if I’m honest. It’s nice to read a romance that isn’t too descriptive with the sex scenes that focuses on the sensuality and emotion. Because that’s what I read romance for (if you can get good love scenes that are nicely sexy too then that’s great). I would love to see some black people in Jacobsville. There are literally zero.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was a good read and it calmed me down and relaxed me to read this on my Kindle after work. 4.25 stars

Review of Guy

I really liked this story. I don’t know why, but it flowed a lot better for me, and there weren’t any things that rubbed me the wrong way. I love me some angst, and there was some great angst in this one. Both Guy and Candy are both very tortured by past traumas, and carry scars and wounds. I love an imperfect, physically ailing heroine, so that drew me in. I think I remember Guy from previous Long Tall Texan stories, and he seemed a lot more lighthearted in those. He’s pretty dark and taciturn. At first, they don’t get along, but as they spend time together and get to know each other (and each other’s trauma), they find a bond with each other. Even though things move very quickly, it felt authentic and possible. I loved how they were there for each other. Although it wouldn’t seem very interesting, I liked the tidbits about raising cattle and how to feed them (and moving towards organic and humane care for them) because I’m a nerd. It was a sweet and meaningful romance. Yeah, I loved everything about this story. 5 stars.

Overall rating: 4.5 stars (technically it was 4.6 stars doing the math).

The title was totally misleading. The main story was about lost loves and mercenaries. I thought unbelievable and just dragged on. The bonus story of Guy was slightly better, a typical cowboy romance.
Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own. #RanchersLaw

When Cal first met Amelia, he knew she was way too young for him, and much too innocent. For her part, Amelia knows her crush on her handsome neighbor can't go anywhere. Instead, they worked to hide their feelings and simply agreed to be friends. Until one night things got away from them. Guilt rode both of them hard; Cal thought it best to stay away from Amelia. for years, events conspired to keep them apart. But their desire for each other never waned. Was a second chance possible?

You always know what you're getting with a Diana Palmer story. She's one of my primary go to's when I'm looking for a sweet, quiet story with little angst but lots of heart. Family tends to be at the heart of her stories, and is a big part of this story. Because this series takes place in the small town of Jacobsville, TX, there are always appearances by characters from previous stories, and the main characters have often shown up in earlier stories. So reading her books is like wrapping yourself in a warm blanket and visiting with old friends. Though her stories tend to be formulaic, there is always a little twist or surprise that makes each story a bit unique. They are always a no miss for me.

Included in the book is an early novella first published 25 years ago. It, too, takes place in Jacobsville, references many familiar characters and is full of the same warmth and emotion still found in her writing today.

What could be better than a story by Diana Palmer. Well in RANCHERS LAW you get two stories by different authors. Fans of Diana Palmer will enjoy revisiting some old friends. But not to fear. Diana Palmer makes sure to introduce each character just in case you’ve forgotten or never met them. I find it part of her charm. There is always a battle between the sexes in any of this author’s books. Invariably love wins the day. I can’t think of anything I love more than a happy ending. Now that doesn’t mean the going will be smooth.
In the first story we meet two characters who have had their share of rotten luck. When we first meet them the obvious issue is age difference and life experience. Cal is part of a non-government merc unit that takes him all over the globe. But when back home he finds himself spending time with a young person who candidly takes the edge off his life. Even though it’s pretty obvious the attraction is mutual, neither is in the position to take it seriously. For Amelia, she sees herself as not pretty, worldly or sophisticated as women Cal is attracted to. Amelia already suffers from a lack of self-confidence. The only person who treated her with kindness was her grandfather. Her world was small. So Cal provided some much-needed light. Fate was going to take a key role in their lives.
The second tale is a shorter story centered around two folks that find themselves working together for what is supposed to be a brief time. Both Candy and Guy are survivors. Both are gun shy.

Rancher’s Law by Diana Palmer was not exactly what the title indicated. It was (obviously) a romance, but mostly told in memories and not good ones, by both involved. Cal Hollister was in his late twenties when he met Amelia Grayson and her grandfather. She was barely eighteen and kind and cheerful and young. He was a mercenary who fought wars in other countries. He had seen things he couldn’t bear to think about, let alone share with her. She was in love with him: he knew it, she knew it, and her grandfather knew it. Cal knew better than to act on it and her grandfather counseled her that it was a bad idea. She went to community college where she majored in Chemistry. She loved to blow things up, and to cook. Both were simple chemistry. Then her grandfather died. She was beyond heartbroken but she knew things needed to be done and she did them. Then Cal arrived and they spent one night of passion, a reaffirmation of life. He brought another woman to the funeral. Heartbroken, Amelia went to stay with her great-aunt. Things unwound from there. All of these folks made mistakes.

Cal was a good man, brave and honest, mostly. On a drunken whim he married a woman he had been escorting for years. He spent years regretting that decision, along with many others. Amelia had nowhere to go. She couldn’t stay with her aunt so she trained to be an explosives expert at a school for mercenaries. She was trying to nurse her broken heart. This was a relatively unused kind of plot and Palmer did it well. Both these characters were well-written and although the reader wanted to knock their heads together, she was silently cheering them on. It was a unique way to tell a story and the ending came too quickly. But it was worth it. Thanks, Diana Palmer, for this and for the cute story after this one about love at first sight by Teri Wilson.

I was invited to read Rancher’s Law by Harlequin Romance. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #HarlequinRomance #DianaPalmer #RanchersLaw

Diana Palmer's latest novel, Rancher's Law, a novel that had nothing to do with ranching or the law as the title indicates, is about what I've come to expect from Ms. Palmer's novels--the same formula, as always: A young virgin of limited means in love with an apparently unavailable man 20 years her senior. The biggest change to the usual scenario was that this time around, the older man had blonde hair rather than black, as well as black eyes. Since I was curious, I learned that black eyes and blonde hair account for only .01% of the population.

Additionally, the man in question, Cal, has PTSD from his work as a mercenary, and is spiteful beyond belief. After having unprotected sex with Amelia, a 19-year-old virgin, he tells her to get a morning-after pill, and, oh yes, he's leaving town to take a job with the San Antonio police department. Due to circumstances beyond her control, such as the death of her beloved grandfather, she is unable to do so in a timely manner. Of course, she becomes pregnant, wants to keep the baby, but since Cal flaunts the other woman in his life at the funeral for Amelia's grandfather, Amelia goes to live with her only living relative, her nasty aunt Valeria, who upon discovering the pregnancy, throws Amelia down a flight of stairs, she ends up in a hospital, waking to discover she's lost the baby. Why isn't Aunt Valeria arrested or put into a mental institution? Your guess is as good as mine. Then the madwoman calls Cal and tells him that Amelia aborted the fetus, and does he check to see if that's the truth? Of course not--instead he calls Amelia, raging and cursing at her and telling her to go to hell. Then, he gets plastered and marries Edie, an alcoholic and drug-addicted woman he doesn't love, just out of spite. Charming fellow--not!

Yes, Cal and Amelia eventually meet up 6 years later, and in the space of a few pages you'll get the HEA ending you expect at the end of a romance novel, but for this reader, I cannot imagine any sane woman wanting to spend the rest of her life with a man so easy to spite and anger, who drowns himself in alcohol, and who is both mentally and verbally abusive to the woman he purports to love. There is simply no way I can recommend this novel, which left me both bewildered and angry.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions stated are my own.

Amelia lives with her grandfather and gets good grades in school and is friends with Cal. She studies chemicals in college and knows how to use them to blow things up. In the small town of Jacobsville, there are so many ex-Military people, law enforcement and mercenaries that you have to expect people to like shooting guns, making bombs ect. Cal is ex-military and after his last mission, he's pretty messed up mentally but doesn't show it outwardly too much. He and Amelia get closer as they spend time together and he knows it would be a mistake to sleep with her since she's not experienced but it happens anyway. They spend one night together and both of their lives fall apart right after for a lot of different reasons.

Eb Scott is a retired Soldier of Fortune and what I would call mercenary and has a team that he sends out on missions. After Amelia and Cal have a falling out, she goes to Eb Scott and asks to join his team and reluctantly he agrees. Years later she's been trained but is mostly behind the scenes where she can't be hurt or put into danger. Years later Amelia and Cal see each other again and it's bitter sweet after everything they've both been through but Amelia wants nothing to do with him because of how he treated her the last time they spoke.

Cal wasn't the nicest of guys and the way he treated Amelia without even letting her explain anything made me so mad. She was the nicest of people and he knew her, knew her better than to think she would treat him the way he thought she did. Cal in my opinion took advantage of her when she was in emotional pain and then treated her like crap afterwards for no reason. I'm not sure I would have forgiven him as easily as she did in the end even if it was because of other people meddling and spreading lies. He should have at least talked to her like a civil human being instead of his excuse of being in emotional pain because of what he went through during his last mission. That wasn't a good enough excuse for the way he treated her and what she went through.

I've read a lot of Diana Palmer books and I know the men in them are going to be gruff, grumpy and standoffish and I can accept that but Cal was a jerk and Amelia deserved better.

Disclaimer: I was given an e-ARC of this book via NetGalley but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The story was told mostly in flashbacks, and the current time was extremely short and minimal. This was a typical Diana Palmer story - young, virgin heroine and older experienced mercenary hero. He never should of touched her, but of course he does, and of course she gets pregnant. Chaos ensues. Hero treats heroine like garbage, and of course she forgives him - no groveling needed. ARGH!

The characters were not fully developed, and it was challenging to invest in them. There were times when you felt like you might be getting to who they are, but, no. There were many things that were handled so strangely in this book. The lead character's Aunt commits a criminal act against her and it is just ignored and brushed under the carpet, like - Oh that's just her. What - she should be in jail! There should have been consequences.

The hero verbally brutalizes the heroine, and when they meet 7 years later, after one little talk - all is good. HEA happens. It just is so frustrating. I wish there had been more depth to the characters, and more time set in the current time. Years of angst and torment are settled in less then 10 minutes and everyone is happy now. It needed to be more.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for the ARC.

I received an arc from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

This was just an Okay book for me. It was a typical Palmer storyline and nothing surprising or new. I will still read her books but this one was not my favorite.

Amelia Rose Grayson meets Cal Hallister, a former police officer turned mercenary for Eb Scott, when he moves into her neighborhood. Despite warnings from her grandfather about their age difference and Cal's unsuitability, Amelia and Cal grow close. After Cal is injured on a job, Amelia cares for him, though he has a high-society girlfriend in the city. Without telling Amelia, Cal re-enlists with the police and leaves, intending not to return. After her grandfather's death, Cal contacts Amelia again, but true to Diana Palmer's style, their reunion is fraught with complications.

If you like western romance books pick this one up, you'll enjoy it. I enjoyed following the story of Cal and Amelia. Plus the version I read included a bonus story, Guy, which was also a fun read. If you're a Diana Palmer fan you'll want to read this newest addition and even if you aren't pick it up for a good western romance read.

I received an electronic ARC from Harlequin - Romance through NetGalley.
Palmer has consistently stayed with her formula for successful romances and this one follows the pattern. In an interesting style change, Palmer uses flashbacks to tell most of the story. The present is six years beyond most of the events related from the characters' lives. Both have journeyed far from their first meeting as a naive nineteen year old (Amelia) and a former police officer who has become a mercenary (Cal). In the present, both have seen darker sides of life and deal with the nightmares and memories. Both have hurt each other though Cal certainly did more than his share to create the pain in the past. Readers follow their lives as the story moves between their stories and can see how events unfolded that led to the estrangement and grief.
This book did not flow as smoothly as some of her others and she acknowledges events in her own life that are causing grief. In particular, I was disappointed in how the Great Aunt's actions were treated. That even the doctor excused her serious rages as simply a reaction to her illness without any consequences was frustrating and appalling to me.
On the whole, a quick read with some heavier themes.

Diana Palmer is my absolute favorite author. I have been reading her books since the late eighties. I remember the opening scenes from this book in another book, which I liked reading from another perspective. The book had a very lengthy back story, it took up well over half of the book. As always I enjoy catching up with couples from past books. While reading this book I now want to go back and reread most of Diana’s other books that have the characters mentioned in this book even though I have already read some two or more times. And I will also be rereading this one again for sure.

Amelia Rose Grayson is quite young when she encounters Cal Hallister. He has just moved into her neighborhood, having left his job at the police department. Cal starts working as a mercenary for Eb Scott, unaware of the full extent of what he's getting into. During his time there, Cal and Amelia grow close. Her grandfather cautions her that Cal is too old and not suitable for her. After Cal is wounded on a job and returns home, Amelia takes care of him. Despite having a high-society girlfriend in the city, Cal re-enlists with the police department without informing Amelia of his departure and intention not to return. Following her grandfather's death, when Cal reaches out to Amelia again, she hopes things will be different. However, as any reader of Diana Palmer would know, it's never that straightforward.

Some interesting characters. I don't understand the title of the book. Some things were predictable and others a surprise. Lots of misunderstandings. Also quite a bit of good advice. As usual, I skipped over the intimate scenes. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy. My review is voluntary.

Diana Palmer fans will jump for joy for another book in her Jacobsville series featuring well-known characters like mercenary Eb Scott. Most of the story is told in flashbacks, but readers will be happy with Amelia and Cal's happy ever after! I love Diana's sense of humor and writing, I always finish her stories with a smile on my face!