Wild Rain

May 1, 2021

Spring Rain Lee has her ranch, her horses, her weapons, and her autonomy, precious commodities for anyone in post-Civil War Wyoming Territory, let alone an unmarried Black woman. Spring has survived years of abuse, and she now lives life on her own terms, making no apologies for her scandalous past. During a sudden snowstorm, she rescues Garrett McCray, a reporter for a Washington, DC-based Black newspaper; Garrett has journeyed to the West for an article he's writing. A mutual attraction catches them by surprise. Spring then must deal with people of malicious intent while deciding whether she wants to make room in her life for Garrett. He, meanwhile, must learn to navigate life in an environment vastly different from his own, while determining how to handle his growing fascination with Spring; she doesn't conform to the ideals of respectable womanhood that he was brought up with. Jenkins's (Forbidden) deft hand with dialogue is evident: the book's large cast of characters all sound like individuals. This talent serves the audiobook well, as narrator Kim Staunton doesn't much vary the characters' voices during conversation scenes. Jenkins's stellar research also shines through. VERDICT This sensual, captivating romance is highly recommended for all fiction collections.--Nicole Williams, Englewood, NJ

Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from November 30, 2020
New love heals old wounds in Jenkins’s heartening second Reconstruction era Women Who Dare romance (after Rebel). When Black female rancher Spring Rain Lee rescues Black reporter Garrett McCray after he is thrown from his horse, she means to patch him up and send him on to her brother, Dr. Colton Lee. As it happens, Garrett came to Paradise, Wyo., to profile Colton, but after meeting Spring, he realizes he wants to write about her instead. Spring is a refreshing mix of brash and nurturing, and her fierce independence is both admirable and hard won. She was sexually abused by her former employers and struggles to forgive her family for leaving her to fend for herself, but she has since become a landowner and carved out a life for herself. Opposites attract in stormy Spring and laid-back Garret—but a revenge plot that threatens their lives and a scam artist’s arrival in town shake their budding romance. Jenkins has a sure touch with the racism of the era, not letting it derail the escapist romance but also not shying away from harsh realities. Jenkins once again proves why she’s a giant of the genre. Agent: Nancy Yost, Nancy Yost Literary.

Starred review from January 1, 2021
After the Civil War, a woman rancher in Wyoming rescues a visiting newspaperman from back East and her life changes forever. Spring Lee had a rough beginning, losing both of her parents, being thrown out by her grandfather at the age of 18, and prostituting herself to a White rancher and his son in order to avoid starving. Now Spring has found contentment, if not peace. She owns a ranch and breaks wild mustangs for a living. But life is still hard for a Black woman in Paradise, Wyoming, during the Reconstruction era. When she finds Garrett McCray, a greenhorn in new boots, limping along in a blizzard after being thrown from his horse, she's wary about taking him home with her. But she knows if she doesn't, he'll die. Garrett is a Black man from Washington, D.C., come to interview Spring's brother for a newspaper article. Although Garrett stands up for Spring when an old enemy insults and attacks her, he's a milder hero, willing to stand back and let Spring take care of herself. This is part of what makes Jenkins' novel so refreshing. It's a tale of the American frontier that is lacking in the usual misogyny, anti-Indigenous racism, and idealization of White settlers that plague fiction about this era. Although it's the second book in Jenkins' Women Who Dare series, it's also a crossover to her Old West series, incorporating characters from Tempest (2018). This book has all the hallmarks of Jenkins' fiction--meticulous historical research, a frank look at social conditions for Black people of the time, masterful pacing, and complex, likable characters. Jenkins' story reminds us that true love doesn't require sacrificing our independence. You shouldn't miss it.

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Starred review from December 1, 2020
Readers will be delighted to see spring, Dr. Colton Lee's intrepid sister, who was introduced in Tempest (2018), return in a story of her own set in post-Civil War Paradise, Wyoming. Spring is heading home in a blizzard when she rescues Garrett McCray, who is injured and separated from his horse. She lets him stay in her cabin, and the mannerly Washington reporter who made the journey to interview her brother slowly grows on the feisty, independent rancher. Garrett, once enslaved, enjoys Spring's forthright manner and the way she handles herself and her Colt revolver when a man in town insults her publicly. When Garrett is wounded after defending her in another incident, Spring helps him heal once again and realizes that he really does make her happy. But will he return east to his city life and career? Memorable characters and fun, if fraught, dialogue make the highly anticipated second book in romance star Jenkins' Women Who Dare series (following Rebel, 2019) a refreshing and keenly innovative historical romance. Readers will be clamoring for more well-researched and inclusive love stories featuring strong women in the American West.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Award-winning Jenkins has a large and avid fan base, and her popularity grows with each of her racially diverse romances featuring indomitable women.

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Starred review from December 1, 2020

Scandalous rancher Spring Lee meets her match when reporter Garrett McCray comes to town. Garrett is quickly enamored with Spring, the sister of the man he has come to interview, but Spring's dark past shapes her views on love and marriage. As their attraction grows and Garrett becomes enmeshed in Spring's life and the town's politics, both Spring and Garrett must make decisions that could alter the courses of both their lives. Jenkins (Rebel) continues her streak of writing sensual, hopeful historicals about people who often don't make it into the history books. While Garrett is sweeter than Jenkins's typical alpha heroes, the passion between him and Spring sizzles on the page. VERDICT This second in the "Women Who Dare" series presents a solid entry point for readers new to the legendary Jenkins's oeuvre. Longtime fans will appreciate the appearance of a couple from an earlier book, Tempest. Jenkins's excellent storytelling skills, paired with fascinating American history, makes the narrative shine.--Jenny Kobiela-Mondor, Eckhart P.L., IN

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.