ONE HEART TO WIN - Johanna Lindsey
A Perfect 10
Gallery Books (Hardcover)
ISBN-13: 978-1-4767-1426-4
June 2013
Historical Romance

Montana Territory - 1880's

Fifteen years ago, Rose Warren left her husband Frank on their ranch in the Montana Territory.  She took her baby daughter, Tiffany, moved back home to New York, and left her three sons for Frank to raise.  Tiffany barely remembers her father; he visited her in New York a couple of times, but after a while, it was only her brothers who came to visit her each year.  Tiffany resents her father and has no desire whatsoever to ever see him again.  Even so, she has promised her mother that she will return to Montana territory to reunite with Frank and finally her betrothed!  In the attempt to settle a multi-generational family feud, the Warrens and the Callahan's agreed to end the feud once and for all with the betrothal of Tiffany Warren and Hunter Callahan.  Now, it is time for seventeen-year old Tiffany to meet her betrothed, Hunter Callahan.  The Callahan's have even begun building the couple's new home right on the disputed land near the water!

Tiffany has agreed to a three month trial period in Montana.  She promised her mother she'd stay and get to know Hunter, but once the three months are up, Tiffany will be back on the train east to New York City!  She can't imagine actually marrying and living in the uncivilized Montana territory.  Now, traveling with her maid, Anna Weston, Tiffany is introduced to the Wild West in the usual manner of the day, a train robbery, lots of shooting, and uncivilized men pushing women around.  Quite by accident, when she arrives in the town of Nashart, the younger Callahan brothers mistake her for Jennifer Fleming, the new maid hired by Frank Warren.  Tiffany seizes this opportunity to live right in the Callahan house and get to know the real Hunter.  What better way to get to know him and not see the false persona he puts on for Frank Warren's daughter Tiffany!  Tiffany acts quickly; she sends a quick telegram to her mother, asking her to inform Frank not to expect her yet, then, leaving Anna in the hotel, she boards the Callahan's wagon for the trip to their ranch.

ONE HEART TO WIN is the story of Tiffany Warren and Hunter Callahan, betrothed at birth to settle a family feud.  Neither of them is keen on marrying someone they do not know, let alone love, and Tiffany thinks she has the perfect opportunity to spy on Hunter while he believes she is just a housekeeper.  This is quite a new experience for Tiffany, who is used to having her meals prepared and served, her house cleaned by others, and a maid to wait upon her every move.  Even so, she bucks up to the challenge, finds a cookbook, and begins to teach herself to cook, in addition to tackling the housework with a bravado that belies her real station in life.  I loved her for that; she's a strong and genuine heroine!  Hunter is tall, handsome, and an honorable man who resents having to marry a woman he's never even met.  And while he is waiting for the infamous Tiffany Warren to arrive in Nashart, he figures a little dalliance with the new housekeeper might be entertaining.  The fun is in watching Hunter and Tiffany interact while Tiffany tries to keep her deception from being discovered.

A plethora of secondary characters abound inside these pages, and several plot threads coexist along with the story of Tiffany and Hunter, and there's even a bit of mystery added to the mix.  This newest novel from Ms. Lindsay does not disappoint.  ONE HEART TO WIN is a definite Perfect 10!  A fresh look at the Old West, this book was such fun and so satisfying, I am hoping for a sequel!

ONE HEART TO WIN is a must add to your keeper shelf!

Diana Risso