Johanna Lindsey (1952–2019)

Glorified rape-called-true-love. I’m all for doing whatever you want in fiction, but... something is just disturbing about how it’s presented and brushed off by all other characters, especially protag’s mum.

Edit for the modern age (2023): It really is just poorly written. I don't even hate the "forced love" trope. But I wanted to come back and be clear that it's not the subject itself that I find vile, it's the utter failure of being able to convincingly make these two characters not show more only love each other, but tolerate each other, even for a moment. show less

As I plow my way through the books in this genre I am seeing such a range. Some, say Georgette Heyer or Joan Aiken, write with such verve and veracity and humour-- so much care given to getting the details RIGHT. And there. Knowing the difference between a curricle and phaeton. No one would ever wear muslin to a grand ball. Then there is the danger of the high school mean girl/boy obsession thing. Maybe that is all that Almack's ever was in the day, but in this genre the marriage mart has show more become something far more--it's about young women holding out for love--rebellious and wonderful. Which leads to getting the sexy bits right too. There is what amounts to marital rape in this one -- I guess you could still do that in the 80's but there is one scene that goes against all that I have come to love about the sexier books in this genre. They encourage and instruct and show what is normal, what to expect and require from a man in the way of respect and reciprocity, what to explain about yourself and your needs, what to ask for, that you should be listened to. And if you aren't getting any of those from a man in your real life, well get thee hence. Empowering. So I wasn't impressed. Part of my problem was also the narrator of the audiobook, an American who, I swear, had some Hollywood voice coach from the forties for the English accents. Ouch. I hate to give a book one star, so **. But really. show less

This is a true old school bodice ripper, its pretty dark and dramatic straight through to the end. Originally published in 1978, bodice ripping, dubious consent and outright rape were on par for the time period. These darker aspects were tempered with lots of drama, fabulous or dangerous adventure, and vivid descriptions of the setting, scenery and dress.

Bettina is a classic figure for the time, a virgin of good breeding who is treated as a commodity instead of a person. Having been sent show more away by a father who didn't want to deal with her, she was raised in a convent and returned home once she was marriageable age so her father could arrange a marriage to a man she has never set eyes on. As Bettina's father was obsessed with a title, he arranged Bettina's marriage to a French compte living in the Caribbean and he sends her off on a vessel across the ocean to be married without any family save her maid. Along the way, Bettina is abducted by a pirate captain. I liked Bettina and had a fairly good connection with her character. While I could never put myself in her shoes, I did understand her frustration and being shackled by her circumstances as a female of the time period. Lindsey did a good job and making the frustration and strife be felt by the reader.

The anti-hero pirate captain of the story is Tristan Matisse, who was technically a privateer sailing under the British flag. While Tristan had his own tragic circumstances in life, they did not excuse his treatment of Bettina. A good portion of the story is spent forcing relations and deceiving Bettina for no reason other than Tristan wanted to bed her. He had no thought to what would happen to the girl once he was done with her, and it made it really hard to like him. In fact, I didn't. Usually there are redeeming qualities or circumstances in a bodice ripper that makes you feel okay about the story by the end. But this may be the first book of this ilk that I have read where the "hero" was not redeemed.

There was no grand passion between our main couple, at least not one that happened on the page. There were times when Bettina professed to be happy, but given Tristan's refusal to marry and self-absorption, I really didn't believe her. I loved Ryan O'Casey and Bettina's mother - they may have been my favorite aspect of the book.

This was an audiobook listen for me, and I really thought it would take me a few days to get it done in time for the Throwback Thursday post. However it somehow kept me enthralled even though I hated Tristan, and I finished it in a day. I think that speaks to Johanna Lindsey's writing ability, to keep me wanting to find out what will happen even when the hero is an uncaring SOB.

4 stars / 2 flames. show less

Johanna Lindsey’s Man Of My Dreams was one of the first romance novels I ever read. I recently curled up with the ebook to reread it for the first time in years and still got that perfect, HEA-high that the best romances give me.

Lindsey does things that would earn most authors writing today a big slap on the wrist – she switches between her h/H’s point of view every paragraph or two in some scenes, always letting us see into the head of whoever’s having the most exciting thoughts. show more She mentions when characters don’t notice something – “Megan looked away first, her face hotter than ever, so she didn’t see the flush that also came into Devlin’s cheeks” – which is bad form these days but, as in the above example, can be really fun for the reader.

And she’s written a book that hinges on a silly contrivance – Devlin shows up at the heroine’s house masquerading as a horse breeder, but he’s actually the Duke of Wrothston. He needs to lay low for a while to avoid a duel and that’s the solution he comes up with. Also straight out of Romancelandia? The heroine, Megan’s, fantastic good looks. After one look at her, men drop to one knee and spout proposals. She’s not just beautiful, she’s dangerous.

I actually find Megan to be a really delightful character. She has this matter-of-fact attitude about her looks that I admired – she knows she’s gorgeous but she doesn’t dwell or gloat – and she’s just as matter-of-fact and accepting of her flaws, like the fact that she’s spoiled and stubborn. As a result, she never seemed childish to me. I think it takes a fair bit of maturity to know yourself and accept yourself so well.

Devlin is used to being the heartthrob in the room – he’s a fantastically good-looking duke! But Megan’s beautiful enough to smash even his composure and he meets her as a laborer, without the aphrodisiac effect of his title. He hates being at a disadvantage and reacts by cutting loose. He speaks his mind, courtesy be damned, and throws propriety to the winds.

The best thing about MAN OF MY DREAMS are the verbal sparring matches between Devlin and Megan. Their banter is quick and sexy and so fun. One early plot twist gets started when Megan informs Devlin that she’s set her cap for a man she thinks she’s never met, the Duke of Wrothston. Devlin is horrified to think how easily he’d have fallen under Megan’s spell if he hadn’t been warned about her title hunting & sets out to teach her a lesson.

The best parts of the book take place before the game is up and Devlin reveals his true identity, but this is still an all-time favorite for me. show less