A Man to Call My Own: A Novel (Hardcover)

The "mystery" is weak and fairly unneccessary. There's even a train robbery thrown in so the heroine can be needlessly abducted.

However, the characters are well-drawn and this is something for which I used to hold Lindsey in high regard. The plot is interesting and par for the course for her.

I do hope Lindsey eventually gets back the fire and sparkle that characterized her earlier works. Though this novel is not as bad as the last few she's released, it's really not that good either.

I recommend sticking with her earlier works for wonderful westerns that you can't put down - Savage Thunder, A Heart So Wild and Angel come to mind right away.

It did have likable characters. Marion has gumption, especially in standing up to her obnoxious twin sister, Amanda. And the hero Chad has his moments of wit and interest. But they aren't fiery together. Alone, they aren't even that interesting (Colt Thunder or Chandos - two of JL's hottest Wild West heroes - could probably have entire novels about them ALONE, and I'd read it).

I think the problem with "A Man to Call My Own" is in the narration. JL spends a lot of time saying this or that happened, but never describes the actual scene. For instance, pivotal to the plot is a train robbery that happens early on in the novel, but JL devotes perhaps two sentences to the entire event. She also says Amanda's a bitch and Marion is the sweet, sensible one, but we don't get too many scenes involving this. Just the statement. If JL devoted more time to fleshing out the characters, I would have warmed to them. As is, they are not that memorable. In fact, not a single scene in this novel stands out as great or exciting, which is a shame, since it had such potential with certain events and meetings.

The other problem is that JL devotes this story not just to a happy ending with Marion and Chad, but also with Amanda and her beaux, AND with the twin's aunt and her beau as well. The ending is too tidy for me, too gooey happily ever after, especially following the not-too-intriguing storyline involving the dad's death.

Added to that is the fact that "A Man" is a mishmash of older JL storylines. For instance, Marion wears glasses to make herself look ugly, just like Roseleen in "Until Forever" (Tanya of "Once A Princess" is more original by using makeup to hide her beauty). We also have twins changing places - just like "Joining," "Silver Angel," "Tender is the Storm," and "All I Need Is You" (which, coincidentally, involves an abandoned stagecoach, too). Then you have the plotline about the hero marrying the wrong girl, which we already saw in "The Heir." Throw in a shotgun wedding straight out of "Brave the Wild Wind" and "Angel," and you've got yourself a patchwork quilt of rehashed stories called "A Man to Call My Own."

Altogether, "A Man to Call My Own" is all right if you've never read a Johanna Lindsey romance before. But serious readers would be better off going for any of the other JL's mentioned above. For a sensational Western JL experience, read about Colt Thunder and his Duchess in "Savage Thunder" or Chandos and his Cateyes in "A Heart So Wild."