"A good juicy romance"

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

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted June 16, 2003