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A review by crystalisreading
Wild Rain by Beverly Jenkins
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