Customer Reviews

Man to Call My Own

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(21)

 

 

Writing is not an easy thing to do and as a result I hate to tear an author down still this book was not up to Ms. Lindsey's standard.

The premise of one good twin, one bad twin, and one yummy guy is a old tried and true formula but this just did not work here. First off the nasty one was nasty but the "good" one was equally nasty. Yummy man was not only fooled by a nice face but was unable to tell the two apart and as a result made a fool out of himself. How stupid was he suppose to be. One thing I had a big problem with was in the fact that after sharing two kisses with Marian (thinking that she was Amanda for one of them) all of a sudden "BAM" he's attracted to Mari while giving her a lesson on how to saddle a horse???? Hello, from 0 to bada boom in a nano second. I did not understand what set him off or where the attraction came from.

This was not a Lindsey in any way shape or form. The plot drifted and eventually was non-existant, the character developement was totally lacking as if Ms. Lindsey could not decide on which twin was going to be the heroine until the end. Do yourself a favor if you really want to read a book by Ms. Lindsey pick up one of her older books, or if you're dead set on reading this one, pick it up at the library or borrow it from a friend.

I was looking foward to this book after reading the flap, hoping it was have more in common with her earlier works. I was a bit dissapointed in this book and read it in less than four hours.

While I really felt for Marion, I didn't understand why she felt that she had to hide herself so much. She then felt attracted to Chad, but was going to give him up to save him from her sister's clutches. She isn't a matryr (?), but she acted like all Amanda's actions were her responsibility. Then I have to say I was shocked by how sudden Marion and Chad became lovers. One minute he doesn't like her, the next he's dragging her down in the hay.

I felt that Lindsey spent too much time describing Amanda's faults, so by the end of the book when she tried to portray Amanda in a different light, I could really have cared less. I felt that she got what she deserved. There just wasn't the emotion that I normally find in Lindsey's books. If this is your first book by Lindsey, don't be dissapointed, because there are much better ones out there!

Sorry Johanna, but there is no plot here -- none. There is no lust here -- none. There is no ROMANCE here -- none.

It is the story of two identical twins. We have the good twin and the evil twin, but what twin is what twin? Ah, yes, use the secret number code. Whatever was I thinking? The first twin, Marian, for personal asinine reasons, chooses to don a dreadful disguise. She is rude, indifferent, and boorish to our hero. The second twin, Amanda, is beautiful, spoiled, and shameful. Our poor, poor hero, Chad Kinkaid - whatever is a man supposed to do? Fear not, Chad's sixth sense kicks in and he knows Marian is the one! Why? Who the devil knows? Certainly not this reader!

Now the book's strategy -- Chad is aroused, when he attempts to teach Marian how to ride a horse. He drags her into the hay mow, and well, one thing leads to another. But wait, which twin is she? He thinks he knows, but no, he doesn't, or does he? Confused? So was I.

There is no story here -- none. The book's copy is double spaced and essentially blank pages complete chapters. I read the hardcover in one day -- not because I couldn't put it down -- simply because there is nothing here.

To be effective, the romance should have been explored more. Maybe explain how Marian wins Chad's affections. Perhaps have them spend time together. Or possibly, show Marian being kind and compassionate to another person, maybe the cook or the cook's daughter, or some pathetic ranch hand -- while Chad quietly observes. However, just to inform the reader that Chad knows she is his soul-mate, well it just doesn't warrant.

Sorry, for all the Johanna Lindsey fans -- out there in romance land -- and I am one of her biggest, this book misses the grade. For entertainment, seduction and lust, read Lindsey's "Prisoner of my Desire" or "Gentle Rogue".

Grace Atkinson, Ontario - Canada.

On the train coming home from a Chicago business trip, Mortimer Laton fell between cars and died. Following the funeral in his hometown of Haverhill, Massachusetts, Mortimer's attorney Albert Bridges reads the will in which the preponderance of the estate went to his twin daughters equally. Worried about fortune hunters, Mortimer had one stipulation. To inherit, the girls must marry, but until they do his sister Kathleen will serve as their guardian and approve any groom. Amanda angrily leaves, but Marian understands that they will move to Texas to live with an unknown aunt.

Chad Kinkaid works on Kathleen's ranch though he will inherit the neighboring spread. He is attracted immediately to Marian in spite of her dotty clothing and thick spectacles. She falls in love with Chad, but Marian believes he loves Amanda because no one ever cared about her. While Amanda falls in love with someone who seems indifferent to her and Chad has trouble persuading his beloved that they belong together, a behind the scenes manipulator has other plans for the Laton cash.

Though there has been a rash of twins serving as protagonists lately, A MAN TO CALL MY OWN is an invigorating 1870s Texas romance. The plot contains an interesting major twist that will surprise the audience but also serve as a reminder of how far communication has come in under a century and a half. Though there is plenty of action, the story line focuses on the couples, more so on Marian and Chad, who readers will like. Johanna Lindsey provides an absorbing tale that her fans will appreciate.

Harriet Klausner

This was the worst Johanna Lindsay book I have ever read. Both the "evil" twin and the "good" twin were annoying. The evil twin because Lindsay spent the first few chapters telling us all the reasons we should hate her, the good twin because she was unnecessarily mean to the hero for no good reason. The hero was easily manipulated and not too smart.
The worst part of this book was the fact that after spending so much time convincing the reader to hate the evil twin, by the middle of the book Lindsay has this character do a complete turnaround. POOF!!! She's married and slowly but surely she's turning into a nice girl while the good twin is getting meaner and nastier. At this point I disliked most characters in the book and I couldn't give a hoot what happened next.
The humor and emotion that are usually the main ingredients in Lindsay's books are woefully absent in this horrid story. Don't waste your time or money on this pathetic tale.

What happen to johanna? Her earlier books were so wonderful you could'nt put them down. The last few years her books-- dull, dull, dull. I say pass on this book. Come on Johanna you can do SO much better. I will still read anything you write but from now on i get them at the library or wait for paperback.

While I love Johanna Lindsey's earlier works, this as most of her recent books fell flat. Ms. Lindsey spent too much time in the beginnig telling us how rotten Amanda was and to what lengths Marion hid her beauty. I think Ms. Lindsey rushed to get us to the hero/heroine conflict. She elaborates on Marions distrust of Chad's attentions toward her sister then BOOM! Their doin' it in the stables. Then follows the trite misunderstandings and unspoken secrets that could clear everthing up. If you want to read a novel that exhibits why Ms. Lindsey is a best selling author, I would suggest "Man of My Dreams".

I never thought I would ever give a Johanna Lindsey book so low a rating; however, this book is garbage. How many times do we have to read about a good twin and a bad twin? This book is full of flat, undeveloped characters, and the most predictable storylines. Quite honestly, I haven't liked much of Johanna Lindsey's books since the 90's. I can't help but think that she needs to focus on the quality of her writing rather than the quantity. Her latest books appear to be rushed out in a manufactured style of writing.

This is the first Johanna Lindsay book I've bought in at least five years. Not that I didn't like her earlier works, I just grew away from them. A friend of mine is a devoted fan and I thought "OK I'll give her try again". The cover is gorgeous, the story sounded good but was a HUGE letdown. The sex scene in the barn was great ;-) but Marion just came off as silly and a little childish and her sister as a witch....Neither were really redeaming--the best part was Chad (and his dad!) I never finished it and told my friend to save her money for the paperback :-(

This book wasn't the usual Lindsey - it didn't have the same intelligent conversation and witty dialogue. It was, however, a fun book to read. Twin girls, both beautiful, hate each other since they were young because one is selfish and cruel but the other is kind and sensitive. So the kind one dressed like a dowd to avoid notice and her sister's cruel attention.

When Amanda, our nice sister, meets Chad who has come to escort them to her aunt's ranch, she falls for him. But she is so busy plotting to make sure her sister doesn't know her feelings that all sorts of misunderstandings occur. This adds to the book's light charm. There is also enough action (train robberies, kidnapping...) to keep the fan of the western genre interested as the girls struggle to fit into their new ranching life.

Of course, we have our happy ending but there are also a few twists and turns you wouldn't expect to find in a typical romance - they keep you turning the pages, though.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and finished it quickly. I look forward to the next Lindsey novel!