From Publishers Weekly
Amanda and Marian Laton are identical twins who couldn't be more different. Amanda, the apple of her father's eye, is a spoiled, jealous young woman; sweet-hearted Marian, in an effort to be as unlike her sister as possible, strives to make herself plain and undesirable. Set in the 1870s, this historical romance by the prolific Lindsey begins when Amanda and Marian's father dies in their hometown of Haverhill, Mass., and the twins are shipped off to Texas. Under the provisions of their father's will, they cannot claim their inheritances until they are married, and in the meantime they must live with their aunt, Kathleen Dunn, a widowed rancher nicknamed Red. Life on the ranch is much too rustic for Amanda, but Marian enjoys the country living-and her brushes with Chad Kinkaid, heir to a ranching fortune, who is lending Red a helping hand. Hiding behind thick-lensed spectacles she doesn't need, Marian tries to deflect Chad, afraid that if she shows an interest in him her mean-spirited twin will lure him away. Slapstick catfights and anachronistic language ("it wasn't just the jealousy issues") give the novel a farcical slant; on the plus side, there is plenty of western kitsch: a train robbery, an attempted kidnapping and an old-fashioned barbecue. Concluding with an improbable surprise ending that is most unsatisfying and rather bitter for a historical romance, this is a clunky if occasionally entertaining effort that nonetheless will sell as Lindsey is wont to do-that is, a lot. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From AudioFile
Laural Merlington depicts city-bred twins Amanda and Marion with style and wit in this story of loss and first love. The twins are sent to live with Aunt Kathleen in 1870s' Texas after the sudden death of their father. Merlington portrays Amanda as beautiful, but spoiled and petulant. Her identical twin, Marion, is calm and compassionate. Desperate not to compete with Amanda, who hates her, Marion disguises her looks with horn-rimmed glasses and dowdy dresses. Merlington's Texas drawl, depicting cowboy Chad Kincaid, is outstanding. This love story will amuse and entertain as the listener is carried back to a simpler era. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine


From Booklist
Twists and turns galore and a Wild West setting make for a delightful romp by veteran romance writer Lindsey. Identical twin heiresses Marian and Amanda are as different as night and day. Amanda has been spoiled rotten by their father; Marian has been ignored. Marian has rendered herself as unappealing as possible to avoid having Amanda destroy the life of any man who might find her twin alluring. Their father's will specifies that they cannot claim their inheritance until they marry with the approval of their Texas aunt, a rancher called Red, so off they go on an eventful journey complete with stage robbers, train robbers, and a bounty hunter. Along the way, they are rescued by Chad, Red's foreman, the son of a local cattle baron. Marian falls for Chad but thinks that he is infatuated with Amanda. Marian's attempt to learn how to ride a horse turns into a session of passionate lovemaking with Chad, but Amanda claims that she was the one involved, making Red order Chad to marry Amanda. Then, when Marian is kidnapped from a barbecue, things really get cooking. Diana Tixier Herald
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Book Description
#1 bestselling author Johanna Lindsey captivates readers with a love story as wild and romantic as the old American West in this thrilling novel of an heiress who discovers passion in the arms of a Texas cowboy. After the sudden death of their father, Marian and Amanda Laton must leave their New England home and travel to their aunt's Texas ranch. It is a harrowing journey, but plain-looking Marian welcomes the challenge of their adventure, while beautiful Amanda complains at every turn. And when they need rescuing, cowboy Chad Kinkaid is the strong, sexy hero for the job. Amanda's beauty catches Chad's eye, but it is Marian's daring spirit and hidden passion that spark his desire for her -- a sensual attraction that lands them in a romantic entanglement Marian is not prepared to handle. Tied to him by the fate of her aunt's ranch, Marian must face a proud cowboy who's determined to convince her -- whether it means wooing her under the stars of the open range or following her back East -- that she's the only woman for him....


Download Description
"From #1 New York Times bestselling author Johanna Lindsey comes a love story as passionate, tumultuous, and colorful as the old American West. In 1870s Texas, an unforgettable drama unfolds in the lives of rival twin sisters and the cowboy they both want to call their own. Amanda and Marian Laton are identical twins but they are as different as night and day. Amanda is beautiful but nasty, and Marian is nice but plain -- purposely so to avoid provoking her spiteful twin's jealousy. When their wealthy father suddenly dies, the two gently reared New England heiresses are sent to live with their aunt on a sprawling Texas ranch. There the twins meet Chad Kinkaid, the cowboy son of a neighboring rancher. Marian is fascinated by Chad's rugged good looks and his sheer masculinity, but she knows that like every other man she and her twin have met, he will pursue Amanda, not her. Chad is indeed beguiled by Amanda's beauty, but soon he begins to see beyond Marian's carefully constructed dowdy facade. Unlike the tame gentlemen back East, after witnessing Marian's taste for adventure, her sense of humor and bravery in the face of danger, Chad finds himself wanting her. But how can he, a man who's just a cowboy without fancy airs or urbane charm, convince her she's the only woman for him? In a story that surprises and delights, Johanna Lindsey skillfully charts the intoxicating course of first love, and all of love's attendant twists and turns, that ends with a spunky woman's coming into her own and finding a man she can call her own. With powerful emotions and sensuality, incomparable humor, and great insight into the ways of the human heart, Lindsey delivers one of her most compelling novels, which readers won't want to put down until the final page is turned. "

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
Bestselling author Johanna Lindsey turns to the American West for this historical romance about two sisters and their search for love and fulfillment in late-19th-century Texas. The Laton twins, raised in the East, are sent to live with their aunt Kathleen in Texas following the death of their father. It is the aunt's charge to approve any would-be suitors and protect the young women from fortune hunters. While the sisters look alike, their personalities are polar opposites: Amanda is the pretty, spoiled, self-centered one, who demands complete attention; Marian is the nice one who plays down her looks, even wearing thick, ugly glasses to avoid competing with her sister. Chad, the son of a rich neighbor, is dispatched to pick up the sisters at Galveston and escort them to the ranch. Sparks fly immediately between Marian and Chad, but she is too accustomed to second place to trust the attraction. (When he kisses her, did he really think he was kissing Amanda?) Switched identities, sibling conflicts, and family secrets add dimension to this satisfying tale. Ginger Curwen

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Amanda and Marian Laton are identical twins but they are as different as night and day. Amanda is beautiful but nasty, and Marian is nice but plain -- purposely so to avoid provoking her spiteful twin's jealousy. When their wealthy father suddenly dies, the two gently reared New England heiresses are sent to live with their aunt on a sprawling Texas ranch. There the twins meet Chad Kinkaid, the cowboy son of a neighboring rancher. Marian is fascinated by Chad's rugged good looks and his sheer masculinity, but she knows that like every other man she and her twin have met, he will pursue Amanda, not her. Chad is indeed beguiled by Amanda's beauty, but soon he begins to see beyond Marian's carefully constructed dowdy facade. Unlike the tame gentlemen back East, after witnessing Marian's taste for adventure, her sense of humor and bravery in the face of danger, Chad finds himself wanting her. But how can he, a man who's just a cowboy without fancy airs or urbane charm, convince her she's the only woman for him?

In a story that surprises and delights, Johanna Lindsey skillfully charts the intoxicating course of first love, and all of love's attendant twists and turns, that ends with a spunky woman's coming into her own and finding a man she can call her own. With powerful emotions and sensuality, incomparable humor, and great insight into the ways of the human heart, Lindsey delivers one of her most compelling novels, which readers won't want to put down until the final page is turned.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Amanda and Marian Laton are identical twins who couldn't be more different. Amanda, the apple of her father's eye, is a spoiled, jealous young woman; sweet-hearted Marian, in an effort to be as unlike her sister as possible, strives to make herself plain and undesirable. Set in the 1870s, this historical romance by the prolific Lindsey begins when Amanda and Marian's father dies in their hometown of Haverhill, Mass., and the twins are shipped off to Texas. Under the provisions of their father's will, they cannot claim their inheritances until they are married, and in the meantime they must live with their aunt, Kathleen Dunn, a widowed rancher nicknamed Red. Life on the ranch is much too rustic for Amanda, but Marian enjoys the country living-and her brushes with Chad Kinkaid, heir to a ranching fortune, who is lending Red a helping hand. Hiding behind thick-lensed spectacles she doesn't need, Marian tries to deflect Chad, afraid that if she shows an interest in him her mean-spirited twin will lure him away. Slapstick catfights and anachronistic language ("it wasn't just the jealousy issues") give the novel a farcical slant; on the plus side, there is plenty of western kitsch: a train robbery, an attempted kidnapping and an old-fashioned barbecue. Concluding with an improbable surprise ending that is most unsatisfying and rather bitter for a historical romance, this is a clunky if occasionally entertaining effort that nonetheless will sell as Lindsey is wont to do-that is, a lot. (July) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

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