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haley49's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Everything about this book was done right, from the atmosphere to the mcs to the side characters to the way sensitive topics were handled. Basically perfect but didn’t give 5 star vibes if that makes sense😭
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Gun violence
Moderate: Slavery, Sexism, Misogyny, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Violence, and Death
Minor: Death of parent
wilybooklover's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.5
I loved this! Garrett is a super soft, sweet hero who would do anything for Spring — and who could blame him, because Spring is amazing. He never wants to change her or cage her in; he simply supports her and trusts her to know what’s best for herself. Spring is tough, independent, and more than a little bit prickly (also a complete bad ass), but Garrett earns himself a place in her heart despite all that.
I also loved that Spring doesn’t compromise on not wanting to marry or have kids, but at the same time doesn’t close herself off from love. So often heroines end up changing their minds out of love for the hero and I am so glad she didn’t.
The conflict resolution with the villain at the end felt a bit rushed, and the book ended a bit abruptly. I wish there had been another chapter or two to flesh the last part of the story out a bit more (and maybe an epilogue?). But aside from that, this was excellent!
The conflict resolution with the villain at the end felt a bit rushed, and the book ended a bit abruptly. I wish there had been another chapter or two to flesh the last part of the story out a bit more (and maybe an epilogue?). But aside from that, this was excellent!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Gun violence
Moderate: Medical content, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Violence, Sexual assault, Animal death, Blood, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent, War, Genocide, Terminal illness, and Slavery
sydapel's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
First step in incorporating more authors of color into my voracious historical romance taste! This felt a lot different from any historical romance I've ever read, in such a good way. Set in the beautiful Wyoming mountains and focusing on the history of black Americans during the late 19th century as much as the developing relationship at the core, Spring and Garrett's story is as much about family expectations and prejudices as it is about two people who meet each other where they are. There's very little tension (of the bad kind) between them, and their relationship develops naturally and without the ups and downs common in regency romances. The ending was a little rushed for my taste, but what does it for me was the way the author treated Spring's choice not to have children. Can't wait to go back and read about Colton and Reagan next!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Racism
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Medical content, and Sexual harassment
erinwolf1997's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Blood, Death, Racial slurs, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Violence, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, and Slavery
Minor: Medical content
megloveswords12's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual violence, Rape, Racial slurs, and Racism
now_booking's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I love this author’s work and couldn’t not jump on this new release, a second installment in her Women Who Dare series. Unlike some of her other series, this book isn’t at all linked to “Rebel,” the first book in the WWD series- different worlds, different settings. Indeed, my feeling is that this series is linked by the strong Black unconventional female leads who are living life on their own terms. I think this description could fit any Beverly Jenkins’ heroine personally, but I suppose the heroines in books 1 and 2 are extra daring and out of the usual way. This book IS however linked to this author’s Old West series with Book 3 in that series, “Tempest,” featuring Colt and Regan, characters who also feature prominently in this book as the brother and sister-in-law of the protagonist. Nonetheless, like most of this author’s historicals, each book stands alone and it’s only a bonus if you happen to know the characters previously.
The premise of this book is that female Wyoming rancher, Spring, is one of the few black people in her rural small town, and she has a scandalous reputation from a somewhat wild youth. Now older and a self-made rancher, what people say about her doesn’t matter to her because she has been through fire to get to where she is, she has paid her dues and she’s not in this world to be liked or to be what anyone but herself thinks she should be. When she meets Garrett, a citified lawyer cum newspaperman cum carpenter from Washington DC, come to her Wyoming small town to interview her doctor brother, sparks fly but that doesn’t mean she’s ready to change herself for anyone.
I liked this novel the way I adore anything Ms Bev writes. The storytelling was gorgeous, the history was well-researched and vibrant, the action was good, the characters feisty, the heroine absolutely everything. Garrett is a real delight as a hero- open-minded, non-judgmental, understanding, he’s the perfect match to Spring. I’m a “give me all the babies and marriage” sort of romance reader but I loved that the author took a different path with this heroine, because I recognize that not everyone’s happy ending looks like marriage and children and I think the author did a fantastic job representing this underrepresented sort of heroine in this book. I loved that Spring was always unapologetically and unashamedly herself and just really had no flips to give. It was good to have a hero that for once was the one that compromised and gave up some of his dreams for love. This was fun and deeply emotional and engaging. I listened in audio and I must say like all Beverly Jenkins’ other books, this translated very well and was quite a gorgeous listen. Highly recommend!
The premise of this book is that female Wyoming rancher, Spring, is one of the few black people in her rural small town, and she has a scandalous reputation from a somewhat wild youth. Now older and a self-made rancher, what people say about her doesn’t matter to her because she has been through fire to get to where she is, she has paid her dues and she’s not in this world to be liked or to be what anyone but herself thinks she should be. When she meets Garrett, a citified lawyer cum newspaperman cum carpenter from Washington DC, come to her Wyoming small town to interview her doctor brother, sparks fly but that doesn’t mean she’s ready to change herself for anyone.
I liked this novel the way I adore anything Ms Bev writes. The storytelling was gorgeous, the history was well-researched and vibrant, the action was good, the characters feisty, the heroine absolutely everything. Garrett is a real delight as a hero- open-minded, non-judgmental, understanding, he’s the perfect match to Spring. I’m a “give me all the babies and marriage” sort of romance reader but I loved that the author took a different path with this heroine, because I recognize that not everyone’s happy ending looks like marriage and children and I think the author did a fantastic job representing this underrepresented sort of heroine in this book. I loved that Spring was always unapologetically and unashamedly herself and just really had no flips to give. It was good to have a hero that for once was the one that compromised and gave up some of his dreams for love. This was fun and deeply emotional and engaging. I listened in audio and I must say like all Beverly Jenkins’ other books, this translated very well and was quite a gorgeous listen. Highly recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
crystalisreading's review
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Wild Rain by Beverly Jenkins is a solid, enjoyable Black historical romance between a tall handsome cinnamon roll reporter/ lawyer/ carpenter from DC and a biracial Black and Shoshone woman rancher from Wyoming who refuses to conform to social norms to make him or anyone else comfortable. Spring Lee is a survivor of sexual abuse, loss, and abandonment who has made her own way in the world, earning the money for land of her own and taking orders--or intimacy--from no one. But the quietly, calmly inquisitive Garrett McCray, a former slave and Union sailor, as well as a trained lawyer and practicing reporter and carpenter, wins her heart with his patience and gentleness and respect and acceptance of her for who she is. This wasn't a super exciting story for me, despite the shooting, the attempted murder, and the attempted financial swindles. Instead, it felt more like Garrett himself--stable and supportive and encouraging and hopeful, full of interesting snippets of Black history and depictions of strong, successful Black men and women building relationships and community together.
Despite Wild Rain being the second in the Women Who Dare series by Jenkins, it is definitely also a follow up to Jenkin's Tempest, from her Old West trilogy. I do think you'll understand this story better if you've read Tempest before, although I honestly prefered this story more. I thought Spring was a much more nuanced and realistic character than the t00-perfect Regan from Tempest, who makes an excellent supporting character this time around, along with her husband Colton Lee and their children and their extended town and family.
The diversity, as I would expect from Jenkins, is good. There are strong independent female characters as well as a primarily Black cast of characters, with some Native representation as well. No LGBTQ+ representation, and most if not all characters are able-bodied, but there's definitely some #MeToo type themes of sexual abuse and violence in Spring's past. The snippets of history that Jenkins includes throughout the book enrich our understanding of underrepresented history, from the role of Black sailors in Union naval efforts during the American Civil War to the public perception and outright bias against Natives from white and Black Americans, especially back on the East Coast, to women in Wyoming having the vote so much earlier than in the rest of the United States. There's even mentions of Black newspapers and Black authors of the time, due to Garrett's career, but also to his bookworm tendencies. I cheered a little when he mentioned reading Frederick Douglass's third autobiography, a book that still resonated powerfully today. Jenkins strikes the delicate balance of acknowledging issues of race and bigotry and violence without weighing this gentle love story down too.
So if you want a historical Western romance that avoids white supremacist tropes and acknowledges at least some issues of colonization, and if you want a sweet romance between two unconventional Black leads, this is the book for you. While there is violence, both past and present, within the plot, the focus is more on human relationships, between the two romantic leads, but also with the community around them.
Jenkins has said that she doesn't know what character the third book in the Women Who Dare trilogy will feature. I'm personally rooting for Garrett's friendly, confident sister. Either way, I look forward to reading what Ms Beverly writes next. Thank you to #NetGalley and Avon/ Harper for sharing a digital #advancedcopy of #WildRain with me in exchange for an honest review.
Despite Wild Rain being the second in the Women Who Dare series by Jenkins, it is definitely also a follow up to Jenkin's Tempest, from her Old West trilogy. I do think you'll understand this story better if you've read Tempest before, although I honestly prefered this story more. I thought Spring was a much more nuanced and realistic character than the t00-perfect Regan from Tempest, who makes an excellent supporting character this time around, along with her husband Colton Lee and their children and their extended town and family.
The diversity, as I would expect from Jenkins, is good. There are strong independent female characters as well as a primarily Black cast of characters, with some Native representation as well. No LGBTQ+ representation, and most if not all characters are able-bodied, but there's definitely some #MeToo type themes of sexual abuse and violence in Spring's past. The snippets of history that Jenkins includes throughout the book enrich our understanding of underrepresented history, from the role of Black sailors in Union naval efforts during the American Civil War to the public perception and outright bias against Natives from white and Black Americans, especially back on the East Coast, to women in Wyoming having the vote so much earlier than in the rest of the United States. There's even mentions of Black newspapers and Black authors of the time, due to Garrett's career, but also to his bookworm tendencies. I cheered a little when he mentioned reading Frederick Douglass's third autobiography, a book that still resonated powerfully today. Jenkins strikes the delicate balance of acknowledging issues of race and bigotry and violence without weighing this gentle love story down too.
So if you want a historical Western romance that avoids white supremacist tropes and acknowledges at least some issues of colonization, and if you want a sweet romance between two unconventional Black leads, this is the book for you. While there is violence, both past and present, within the plot, the focus is more on human relationships, between the two romantic leads, but also with the community around them.
Jenkins has said that she doesn't know what character the third book in the Women Who Dare trilogy will feature. I'm personally rooting for Garrett's friendly, confident sister. Either way, I look forward to reading what Ms Beverly writes next. Thank you to #NetGalley and Avon/ Harper for sharing a digital #advancedcopy of #WildRain with me in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence
Moderate: Sexual violence and Sexual content
Minor: Racism
treereads's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence and Gun violence
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