Because of her difficult past, and living in that particular era, Spring Lee is not they typical woman that would find love. That is, until she meets reporter, Garrett McCray, who has come to interview her brother, Dr. Colton Lee, and gets in a dangerous and sticky situation. Although they try to fight their mutual attraction, it fails.

Spring is not your typical woman during that day and age, but that doesn't matter to Garrett. It also shows how despite her past, Spring was able to become the woman she needed to be, and was able to grow in her own path. Garrett was able to come into his own and forge his own nontraditional path as well.

Garret proved himself to be worthy to be called a BJ Hero. This was a great book and this story is why Mrs. Jenkins is considered the GOAT when it comes to historical romances featuring black characters. And I always enjoy the history of our people that is always included in the story, as well as what references the author used that is included in the back of the book.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

It's not everyday that a person meets the love of their life in a Wyoming blizzard, but that's exactly what happens to Spring a female rancher who is returning home after helping her business partner birth a stillborn mare when she notices a horse without a rider, and soon sees Garrett, a DC newspaper man, limping and trying to find his way in the storm. Spring knows that if she does not help this man, he is headed toward a likely death, but Spring is no fool, so even though she is not exactly sure that she can trust Garrett, she knows she can rely on het trusted pistol tucked in her gunbelt. Welcome to Paradise Wyoming, Garrett.

Wild Rain by Beverly Jenkins was a delightful read with its simple prose and touching storylines. I loved witnessing the curmudgeon Spring and the nosy Garrett getting to know one another, in scenes like this one:
"I’ve never met a woman rancher.”
“I’ve never met a newspaper reporter/ carpenter. Makes us even.”
Not only does Ms. Jenkins gives the reader a womanist heroine who speaks her mind and knows her worth, unfortunately attained through years of pain, she gives Spring a love interest who admires those traits from the very start, and never once holds Springs unconventional past against her. It is so refreshing to read romances that do not play into traditional gender roles. Hence, the chemistry between Spring and Garrett will peak your interest, but I suspect the will enjoy Wild Rain for a plethora of reasons, like the the community Jenkins crafts, the character development and the historical context. I highly recommend picking it up.

I liked this book, it was cute, had great writing and great characters. This was my first Beverly Jenkins book and I had so much fun reading it. I thought the characters had such great chemistry, and I adored the romance between Garrett and Spring. Spring was such a strong girl, and Garrett was a sweet man, and they just really complemented each other. I will say that this ended a bit abruptly than I was hoping for, I would have liked to have more from them but overall highly recommend checking this out! Trigger Warnings for racism and the N-word.

Wild Rain is the second of the Women Who Dare series, but is part of the interconnected universe of the Carmichael/Lee family. However, the novel works perfectly as a standalone.

Wild Rain begins with Spring Lee, an independent rancher heading home during a blizzard after assisting in the arduous and protracted birth of a foal (who arrives stillborn). She’s bone-tired, freezing cold, and just wants to go home but plans change when she catches sight of a rider-less, fully laden horse. According to the novel, had she been anyone else, she might have let the horse go on, given the horrendous weather conditions, but instead, she hitches the horse to her wagon, keeping an eye out for the owner. She soon comes upon a downed man, whose knee has been injured when he was thrown from his horse, and helps him into her wagon.

Turns out the rider is an East Coast newspaperman named Garrett McGrady who has traveled all the way from Washington DC to interview Colt Lee, her brother and the town doctor about life on the frontier. His father owns the “sundown paper” which will publish the story. Spring Lee, who has survived a savage past, isn’t bedazzled by Garrett’s strong build or exceptional good looks and warns him that, while she will let him stay with her and will tend to him, she will not be trifled with.

However, the blizzard and Garrett’s injured knee forces them into close proximity. After a few days, Garrett, a former slave, navy sailor, educated in the law and a carpenter to boot, makes an impression on her, together with his mild manner and gentlemanly ways. And he cooks! What woman can resist a man who knows his way around a kitchen?

When trouble from Spring’s past rears it’s ugly head, Garrett steps up and shows himself to be more than an intelligent man with good manners, but a decent man with an iron character who is determined to stand up for Spring and love her the way she needs to be loved.

This book is fantastic. Spring is no one’s doormat and, after a harsh and relentless life, knows exactly what she needs to be happy. Garrett is a priceless cinnamon roll, the kind of perfect, self-possessed, sensitive beta hero a woman like Spring can be with – one who sees Spring’s extraordinariness and loves her exactly as she is. I need more books like this one, where the HEA is perfect for the couple but might not look the same as everyone else's.

This novel is a natural follow-up to Tempest, part of the Old West Series, but it is also the second book of the Women Who Dare series. I love interconnected novels - they, create a series of deep relationships between characters that you invest in and grow to love with each installment. For example, Reagan and Colt (Tempest) make their reappearance in this novel and it is such a pleasure to see how their family – and love – continues to flourish. I am eager to see which other couple will be featured in future novels.

ARC provided by NetGalley/publisher in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars
I was excited to start this romance novel as it was long overdue for me to read a Beverly Jenkins novel.

While this historical romance is very well written, the story unfortunately didn’t grab me.

I loved the set-up, with a strong heroine that defies convention, and yet I found myself wanting to skim the last few chapters as the story was losing focus and my interest.

The beginning was strong as we meet Spring and Garrett for the first time. I loved the forced proximity spark to their romance given she rescues him from a snowstorm and yet I didn’t feel like their romance was given much of a chance to develop.

If anything, their romance was very instalove given only a few days passed. I wish more focus was given to these two to really buy into their connection despite their bedroom scenes being quite hot.

For me, the secondary pieces of the story detracted from their romance and didn’t add to the story. The whole piece with the man wanting to build the new mill could have been removed as was Garrett’s day to shadow the doctor.

This book would have been stronger had the story delved more into Spring and Garrett having time to learn more about each other and dealing with the trouble Matt brought.

Spring is a fantastic character as I love strong heroines but unfortunately she couldn’t carry the story for me.

I also felt like pieces of history were more forced into the narrative rather than flowing as a natural part of the story.

I would recommend this book for fans of Beverly Jenkins and anyone who loves this time period but unfortunately it wasn’t my favorite.

*Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

Happy Release Day to Wild Rain💜💖💛

I have been impatiently waiting for Spring’s book since Tempest, and BOYYYYY did Ms. Bev deliver!! I’m so excited for y’all to read Spring & Garrett’s book😍 hence the double post within a week lol

This book kept me up past midnight!! Watching Spring begrudgingly fall for Garrett was the ~sweetest~ most heartwarming thing, and the way he patiently wooed her was just swoon worthy💗 Wild Rain kicks off with Spring finding a wounded Garret McCray in the woods near her house, & she gruffly takes the stranger home to care for him🙏🏻 though the east coast newspaper man only came to Paradise to interview Colt, Garret can’t help being charmed by the small town and its surly female rancher

THESE TWO DUMMIES🥰 Garret was pretty much gone for Spring from the get go (which we love!!) and the way that he supported & cared for her while respecting her boundaries was just *bites fist* god it was amazing. He loved her in a way that didn't require her to change, just to be utterly herself🥵 its fine im fine

And Spring!!!!!!! Omg she was perfection, serving the IMMACULATE gender swapped grumpy/buttoned up hero vibes🙌🏼 She’s so competent, and just has ~zero~ time for for people who try to slight her bc of her gender or her race. I couldn't get enough!!

Highly recommend this one friends, if you’re looking for some western small town vibes with the most badass heroine & a hero who loves her desperately, you gotta pick up Wild Rain. Thank you to @netgalley and @avonbooks for my review copy!!

P.s. a quick CW for sexual abuse (in the past, referred to on page) of the heroine

Book 2 in the Women Who Dare series is also a follow up to Jenkins’ Popular Old West romance The Tempest, The signature elements of Jenkins’s work come together in spectacular form in “Wild Rain,” a boldly feminist narrative about a female rancher.
See full review "In Beverly Jenkins’s Romance Novels, Black History Is Front and Center" at https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/09/books/review/beverly-jenkins-wild-rain.html

He came west for a story and found a woman rancher who refused to follow the script. The old west comes alive in all it’s colorful, gritty hues from the pen of a talented author and I was eager for this reading adventure to begin.
Review

Wild Rain is the second of the Women Who Dare standalone stories, but it is fourth in the Old West series that are an inter-connected series of books about the women of Carmichael/Lee family. I had no trouble reading it without the earlier Old West stories, but I could see the strong connection to the previous book Tempest, in particular.

Wild Rain opens with woman rancher, Spring Lee, on her way home from caring for a horse. A blizzard has come up and she comes across a horse with an empty saddle and then the injured rider. Turns out the rider is the eastern newspaperman who wants to interview her doctor brother since he’s a colored man practicing medicine. Spring likes to be to herself and be left alone, but something about the courteous and respectful Garrett McGrady makes his company not the irksome burden she assumed when she grudgingly brought him to her cabin and looked after him.

McGrady is full of questions like any news reporter about her brother, about life in Paradise, WY, and about her life on the ranch raising stock horses and more, but he accepts her as she is and doesn’t pry. She learns something about the handsome, gentlemanly easterner who is a former slave, former navy sailor, carpenter, and reporter and for all he is, he is more impressed with her and treats her like a lady no matter what he hears around town about her wild past and most unladylike conduct. Unfortunately, he hears a lot because the slimy son of her former boss portrays her as a whore and nastily brings it up in company. He threatens her, but Spring isn’t afraid to pull out her Colt pistol and fill him with lead if he pushes her. The fancy Easterners he brings to town threaten the ownership of her land, but Spring is more concerned about a certain reporter than anything else.

Garrett came to get a story and falls in love with the ways of the west, the townfolk, and especially a strong woman who isn’t afraid to buck the system to be herself. He gradually learns Spring’s story of being forced out on her own to make her way as best she could. Back east, his father has a woman picked out for him from a slightly higher class in colored society and wants Garrett settled in a respectable law office, but Garrett has other ideas about both. He’d rather pursue his carpentry work and figure out a way to be in Spring’s life. In the mean time, he meets her doctor brother and sister in law Regal, makes friends with many in town, and makes a bitter enemy of the man who insults Spring and threatens her. Will he hang tough and be the man to match Spring or take the easy road back East?

I enjoyed my first Beverly Jenkins book last year, Rebel, so I picked up this second Women Who Dare. Now, perhaps it is the setting- I am partial to westerns- but I thought this story was even stronger and kept me riveted from cover to cover. Spring is my hero. That woman went through so much and she came out as tempered steel though she is generous, loyal, hardworking, and loving in her gruff way. And, Garrett is a rare and lovely beta hero. He’s skilled and poised and has been through his own tough early years, but he’s no domineering alpha sort. He’s not afraid of strong, capable women and respects Spring to death even her wish to stay unmarried and without a family. He will accept her terms to be with her. And, Spring, who had no plans beyond scratching an itch with the handsome man, soon learns what a real man is like and learns that she can have so much more if she can open herself to Garrett.

Beyond the romance, there was an exciting, gritty plot. Spring goes up against an Easterner investor who won’t take no for an answer and an old enemy who bullied and used her when she was too young and desperate to defend herself. It got exciting and had some suspenseful scenes.

The ranch town setting was added to with colorful western characters from all backgrounds. As with the earlier book, I enjoyed the details of African American history that were new to me and how it fit in with other aspects of post-Civil War history of the time. I was intrigued by the class-consciousness that the author referenced of how those who were former slaves were sometimes looked down upon by those who were born free. It was also fascinating to learn a little about life as a black sailor in the navy as well as the ‘sundown’ newspapers of the day. I’ll definitely be following up on several historical details that grabbed me.

But, for all the details, the story driving forward was the most prominent and the details enriched that story. I can’t wait to see what daring woman gets her story next though I wouldn’t be upset if she is the love interest of a certain Native American rancher-engineer… Those who love their historical western romances sensual, exciting, and authentic should give the Old West and/or Women Who Dare series a go.

With all the excitement surrounding Bridgerton, it has been such a joy to see historical romance fans (new and old) come together to celebrate the show and such a phenomenal sub-genre of romance. I can’t wait to see all the new books that are acquired and published now that there has been a resurgence in interest!

I have been a historical romance fan since my first Lisa Kleypas (Dreaming of You – Derek Craven! *sigh*), but at times, the HR readership tends to go down the Victorian and Regency historical romance rabbit hole, never to return. And it means missing out on some gorgeous stories at different points in time.

That is why I was thrilled to get my hands on an early copy of Wild Rain by Beverly Jenkins. Focused on post-Civil War America, Ms. Jenkins paints a beautiful, heart-wrenching picture of the life of Spring Lee, balancing the reality of the time with the romance of a true connection found.

I loved Spring’s spirit—she was powerful, quick-witted, and didn’t have time for anyone’s nonsense. And— *a bit of a spoiler here*— her wants in life and in love didn’t change just because of a man. She wasn’t magically “healed” or “changed.” She is a rancher through and through. Knows the life she leads, what she wants, and goes after it. We need more Spring Lee characters in romance—historical and beyond.

With great atmosphere, an evil you can truly hate down to your bones, and a sweet hero who only wants to be with the woman he loves and admires, seeing her for who she really is, Wild Rain was a sweet read that historical romance fans across the board will enjoy.

This book drew me in from page one, when Spring Lee finds Garret McCray struggling through a blizzard and rescues him. I don’t typically read American-set historical novels, but I’m discovering a love for these ones set in the western frontier. Wild Rain takes place in the years following the Civil War and is set in Wyoming territory.

Spring is a bad-ass horse rancher who’s a loner and a bit of a grump. I laughed every single time she threatened to feed Garrett to a bear if he pissed her off!

I saw somewhere that this is Ms. Bev’s first “cinnamon roll” hero, and WOW, did she knock that right out of the park. I adore Garrett, he’s just so quietly sweet and caring, showing Spring a respect and care that she doesn’t need (and doesn’t want, haha) but in a way that’s not pushy or overbearing. He can make me breakfast (and do the dishes! a unicorn!) any day. The dynamic between Garrett and Spring is just so great, and I love their chemistry. I feel like I also learn a lot every time a read one of Ms. Bev’s books – they’re so well-researched and she just slips information in there in ways that seem so natural, whether it’s Garrett explaining sundowner papers to Spring or her talking about the difference between breeding horses and breaking wild horses.

Wild Rain is the second book in the Women Who Dare series and the fourth book in the Old West series. This book can be read as a stand alone, though it does reference Spring’s brother Colton and his wife Regan’s story, which is book 3 in that series (Tempest) – and you’d better believe I immediately went and bought that!

Wild Rain was a good book. It is a solid example of Beverly Jenkins' writing style - straightforward storytelling with a lot of historical detail. She always tell us something about the history of Black Americans. This time the story is set in the West after the Civil War. We encounter the impact of the war on those not directly involved. We also have a Native American perspective.

The heroine, Spring Lee, is independent and tough as nails. She is perfectly happy to live on her own until she encounters newspaper reporter Garrett McCray. He is visiting from the East to interview her doctor brother (Tempest). A bit of intrigue and danger develops while Spring and Garrett form a relationship.

I enjoyed the story and the characters. The secondary characters added flavor and interest. Garrett was definitely a beta hero (which I love), but in this case he seemed a bit flat. If opposites attract then Spring and Garrett were a good combination. She was prickly and he was easy-going. As I said, this was a good book, but not Ms. Jenkins' strongest.

ARC provided through Netgalley

3.5 Stars

Spring Lee likes her simple life that she created for herself in Wyoming. She tends to her ranch and stay to herself. She doesn’t have the desire to be with a man or have babies like society dictates for a woman. She stumbles across an injured man in a snowstorm and her life suddenly changes.

Garrett is in town to interview Dr. Colton Lee for his newspaper but he gets more than he bargains for with Spring Lee. He knows that she is something special from their very first encounter. He just has to convince her of that.

I had a slow burn liking for Spring. She has been through so much in her short life. She had to fight for the life she wanted. I like that buried beneath her rough exterior there was a woman who wanted to be loved and accepted for who she really was. I think that Garrett saw her from the beginning. She is just not warm and fuzzy which is understandable so it takes time to get to love her.

While I did enjoy the book the heat between Garrett and Spring fell a bit flat for me. Garrett is instantly fascinated and in love with Spring which I didn’t mind but the connection always felt a bit force. I kept waiting for her to warm up but when she did, it is a little too late for my taste.

I always love the historical details that the author adds to all of her stories. I found it fascinating that Garrett was a part of the Union Navy and end up studying law. I’m always left wanting to do further research after reading one of Ms. Jenkins’s books. She takes her time to educate her readers which I do appreciate.

This is a standalone romance but readers will enjoy it more if they read previous books in the series and The Old West series. Old characters show up and obviously Spring’s brother has his own book as well.

~ Samantha

When I read Tempest I was (a) annoyed with Colt literally the entire time and (b) obsessed with Spring. So I've been anxiously awaiting Wild Rain for quite some time and I'm delighted to inform you that Spring remains absolutely fantastic. And Garrett is probably my favorite hero of Ms. Bev's I've read. He's her first cinnamon roll and he was... delightful. Spring mentions that it's nice waking up to someone cooking her breakfast and, like, yes, could I have that please?

Spring comes across Garrett in a blizzard after he's fallen off his horse and hurt his knee. Garrett has come from Washington D.C. to interview Colt for his father's Sundown Paper, a term that was new to me. Spring is prickly and also not like other women in a way that isn't like, "I'm not like other girls," but just Spring having found that the things that were and are coded as feminine didn't serve her in her quest for independence after a really traumatic coming of age. I don't want to spoil her background if you're unfamiliar with Spring, but you should know that there are some potential trigger warnings for sexual... manipulation, I guess, maybe is the best way to say it. That's in Spring's past, but as someone from that time in her life has reappeared, it comes up a good bit.

I love Spring and enjoyed seeing Regan again and Garrett was great. Odell also makes many appearances and I adore him. I also loved seeing Dottie again. What I still didn't like is Ben. And there's this whole segment where Colt encourages Spring to forgive him and while I know that at the time Colt didn't know the full story, I still found it absolutely infuriating. Ultimately, this is the element of the story that I really struggled with. I'm the type of person who is very good at holding a grudge and ultimately, I just couldn't quite come around to this thing with Ben. And then the end of the book resolves a conflict and the situation with Ben in a way that just didn't feel quite... satisfying for me. But all that to say, I still really enjoyed this one.

Paradise, Wyoming, isn’t like the cities back East. The mostly White residents live in harmony with the few Blacks and other non-White residents, including rancher Spring Lee and her brother, Colton Lee, the town doctor. Spring is an independent woman, owning and managing her own ranch. She’s had a rough past, but the town’s folk let her actions remain in the past.

Garrett, a lawyer-turned-journalist has traveled from Washington, DC, to Wyoming to write a story on Dr. Colton Lee, a Colored doctor. On his way into town, he is thrown from his horse and gets stranded in a snow storm. Luckily, Spring happens upon him and brings him back to her place to rest and recover.

Wild Rain is a wonderful historical romance filled with action and adventure. Although this is the second book in Ms. Jenkins’ Women Who Dare series, it is unrelated to the first book and completely standalone. (I’ve learned that this series is a mix of supporting characters from previously published works.) An Old West romance at its core, the story features a strong, unconventional woman and the man who supports her. There is ugly racism and misogyny, including references to non-consensual sex and physical abuse, all part of what life was like for a Black woman during the times. However, Spring survives her past and makes her own way, writing her own rules. I admire her strength and confidence. She has the ability to deal with and move past those who want to pull her down. She also has the support of friends and family to keep her going.

Garrett is the perfect man for Spring. He admires her unconventionality and understands she doesn’t need saving. He allows her to take care of him and sees her as an equal. One of my favorite moments in the book comes after Garrett defends Spring’s honor. He says to her that he knows she doesn’t need saving, but he couldn’t help himself. He then apologized and asks if he over-stepped. Spring acknowledges that sometimes a girl gets tired of fighting alone. Their interactions are honest and open, creating a bond that is immensely special.

In addition to their budding romance, each has to deal with family issues and come to terms with what a future may look like. I enjoyed watching both deal with these issues, both via internal monologuing and discussing them with other characters. There are also some bad men who come to town, causing grief for the pair and the citizens of Paradise. I love how all of the components work together to weave a tale and spin this marvelous romance. I laughed, worried, cried, and rejoiced - and when a story can do all of that, you know it’s a good one.

In the end, I adored Spring and Garrett and throughly enjoyed my time in Paradise. Now I want to go back and read Tempest, the story of Spring’s brother Colt and his (now) wife, Regan.

My Rating: B+ Liked it a lot

I rarely pick up a Beverly Jenkins historical romance and don't enjoy it. I CAPITAL L-O-V-E this series of bold, independent women and the men who are destined to fall for them. We met and fell for Spring in Tempest (another novel I enjoyed) and begged for her story. When I say I was not disappointed? I mean every syllable.
I have some *nits* with the ending (let's be honest, endings are hard and I have nits with every ending!) but it didn't take away from the overall warmth and joy I got from this book. I read it when the world was a fury, both personally and *waves arms around* everywhere and it was such a salve.
Well written, well told, educational, entertaining, and HOT. If you're a Jenkins fan you'll love it. If you're not, this title will likely make you one. Read Rebel and Tempest too!

At the not so subtle requests of her followers who strongly suggested that Spring Rain Lee, sister of Dr. Colton Lee and sister-in-law of Regan (TEMPEST), should have her own story, the prolific and writer extraordinaire, Beverly Jenkins, agreed to write that story. What a story it is! It is set in the small town of Paradise, Wyoming Territory, Post-Civil War. Spring has been living her life being “a woman alone”, that is, until Garrett McCray shows up. Garrett travels to Paradise from Washington, D.C. to interview Spring’s brother, Colton, a doctor of color practicing medicine in a “place not usually associated with the members of the race”.
I love Spring’s character. She is a beautiful woman who is unconventional, unapologetic, and unpretentious. Quite a breath of fresh air from the women whom Garrett associated with back East. Garrett and Spring meet by accident when she literally saves his life. I’ll allow you to discover the details of their first encounter.
As always, Ms Jenkins presents an accurate historical picture of the Wyoming Territory during this period in history.
I highly recommend WILD RAIN for your “edutainment” reading pleasure! While it can be read as a stand-alone, I strongly suggest you read TEMPEST, (Old West Book 3) where you will be introduced to Spring. WILD RAIN is another example of Ms. Jenkins’ brilliant writing, documented historical research, masterful pacing, and memorable complex characters. You can thank me later.

Spring Lee was seemingly as untamed as the Wyoming mountains, and frankly, just as impressive.

Second in the Women Who Dare series, Wild Rain, returns to the town of Paradise in the Wyoming Territory. Frequent readers of Ms. Jenkins will recognize a lot of characters and relations of former stars from previous books but I would only suggest Tempest, book three in the Old West series, as a possible book that you might want to read before this. The starring heroine here is Spring Lee, the sister of Dr. Colton Lee from Tempest but our hero Garrett McCray is a new character from out east, coming to interview Colton for his father's sundown newspaper. Spring comes upon Garrett after he is thrown from his horse and with an early spring blizzard, normally surly Spring lets Garrett stay at her cabin until his knee heals.

He’d left her feeling treasured, desired, something she’d never experienced before. It awakened a long-buried part of herself to the possibility of what could be, and that scared her.

Spring was the star of the show for me, she's fiercely and competently independent, strong willed, has some bite, and a little bit of vulnerability. When she was eighteen her grandfather threw her out of the house when she wouldn't marry the man he'd chosen for her. She ends up working on a ranch where the owner makes her trade sexual favors for the job and even “shares” her with his son. There's no flashbacks to this but the few times Spring thinks back to it, clearly shows how traumatic it was for her but how she survived and fought for the independent life she has now. Spring is one of those heroines who is deeply clear, what you see is what you get but there's an ocean to her thoughts and feelings.

Being enslaved, who he wanted to be had been beyond his grasp. Now free, his life, ambitions, and dreams were his own. He’d not turn the reins over to anyone else.

Spring was such a strong character that Garrett paled in comparison. A little farther into the book, we learn that he ran away from enslavement when he was fourteen and joined the Union Navy, read law because that was what his father wanted but ultimately became a carpenter for his own self-fulfillment. The author calls him a “cinnamon roll” hero and while he sweetly loved Spring and introduces her to foreplay and desire, he was too blankly just there for a lot of the story. There was some instant love going on too, he's ready to move out west to be with Spring already at around the 40% mark.

She’d chosen him for now, so he contented himself with holding her close and listening to the rain.

As always, Ms. Jenkins shines with her family dynamics and the second half provides that with Garrett having a heart-to-heart with his father about how he wants to live his life his way (it's a pretty emotional conversation as Garrett's father explains why he tries to control and hold so tightly to his two children) and Spring having to deal with unresolved issues with her grandfather. There's some drama with the son of the man Spring worked for, which I thought added good angst, but he brought along another character that wanted to build a saw mill and that whole storyline and its characters never felt settled in right and broke up some cohesive story structure for me. Along with emotional family dynamics, you'll always get interesting historical portions that help create a feel for the setting and characters. There's mention of sundown newspapers, the Sandy Creek Massacre, a Civil War ship battle, and the beginning of Jim Crow.

Being around Garrett McCray had altered her thinking about life and her place in it in ways that were new and challenging: from how she defined respect, to what she deserved from a man in bed. In his calm, quiet way he’d changed her, not necessarily into a better person but a different one.

With Spring and Garrett's love feeling too instant for me, I never fully felt the emotion in their bedroom scenes and those were what was left to carry the heft of their relationship in the second half. There's some ending angst with Spring not wanting children that gets resolved fairly quickly but still in a way that left me feeling their relationship was more of a happily for now instead of a happy sigh ever after. Ms. Jenkins does the old west vibe wonderfully, this couple just didn't strike any heavy emotionally chords for me.

I want to start with the disclaimer that I received an ARC of "Wild Rain" to read and provide my unbiased thoughts and opinions on from Avon via NetGalley. I thank them for the opportunity to have an early look at the book.

Now that is out of the way, readers beware, when you read this book you taking part in Beverly Jenkins making yet another historical mark on the arc of the romance genre. I should not be surprised that at this point she is taking it to a completely different level, but wow, this book is one that is going to be talked about when we talk about the cannon of romance in the future. The beauty of the world of romance is the stories are female lead and female driven, but traditionally they have always had a "Hero" for the "heroine" and he plays a huge some big role in her path to 'HEA", normally "saving her" in some way. However, with "Wild Rain", Beverly Jenkins has brought us a next generation heroine, she is the hero to her "Hero". She is the gun carrying Alpha that saves him. He brings joy and love to her life, but she is 100% the hero in the story, and it completely works and is perfect and it is game changing.

I should back up a little bit, "Wild Rain" is the direct follow up to "Tempest", which was the final book in her "Old West" series. Readers met Spring as the wild, independent, sister of the hero of that story, Dr Colton Lee, and it seems enough of us were captured by her character and questioned Jenkins about her enough that she finally rounded back around to give Spring her own story. However, I can see why Jenkins took her time on writing this one, and why she ended up creating something kind of revolutionary in the process. A normal Beverly Jenkins hero would not work for Spring at all, she would just shoot him.

Because our heroine had been such a colorful and memorable side character in a previous story in many ways she is already fully developed and led a full life already before this story even has started. Spring Rain Lee is a Wyoming land owning rancher, with a successful horse breaking business with a partner, and has moved on from her past traumas/demons. She suffers no fools, she cannot afford to have any exposed weakness, she simply would not be able to survive if she did. So what better way to turn her world upside down than to have this woman, who very much knows who she is and is comfortable in her skin, meet / have to rescue from a blizzard a DC journalist (former navy sailor, former lawyer, who is also a carpenter, i.e. not so sure of what he wants to be) in badly fitting boots. While Garrett McCray is a "cinnamon roll" hero, who is many ways is having to figure out what he wants for his life and how to not life under the expectations of his family and under his father's thumb, it works because the worst Spring tosses at him is repeated threats to feed him to the bears as she repeatedly saves him from various situations. While he shows her the value of being valued, respected and eventually loved. Opposites attract, really was the only trope that was going to work for this hand of card.

Beyond a very entertaining fire and ice romance, Jenkins has put in a lot of really fun plot points to make this an engage story, we have murder attempts, arson, con men, robberies, saloon altercations... basically the fun stuff that makes Westerns, Westerns, then lots of family dynamic drama that we can all relate to, and then the elements that make it a Jenkins book: commentary on social justice, mixed with some key lesser known historical facts and finally my favorite chuckle of the book "baby jail".

All in all, it is easy for me to give "Wild Rain" my first 5 star rating of 2021.

This was my first Beverly Jenkins book and I definitely need to read more of her significant backlist. I adored our cinnamon role hero. Spring was a fantastic heroine – fresh, strong, and unique. I've not read any historical in post-Civil War America or any historical set in the West. The setting instantly pulled me into the story and plays a compelling, important role throughout the book.

Beverly Jenkins does not write typical romance. It wasn't what I expected, but it was what I needed. Her writing is at times sparse, with a quick tempo. Jenkins straddles a narrow line of ensuring romance readers are given the expected HEA while pulling no punches to the reality of the lives of black folks in American in the 1850s. It can be harrowing and difficult to read about. We must confront our past to be able to reckon with America today.

I loved this book.

I have not read a lot of the Beverly Jenkins catalog, but I have adored what I have read.

With that said, I truly adored this post civil war story about an unconventional woman working her own ranch like a queen. She wears pants, and doesn't fuss over her appearance. Spring truly is the kind of heroine I love to see in historicals.

When Garret comes to town to interview her brother, (who is a doctor! Let's get his book please!) he can't help but be swept away by her. She rescues him, and calls to him. He was raised well, and writes for a paper.

This story was lovely. I spent my time reading it, because it was just so enjoyable. If you haven't read from Queen Bev yet, please do!