The Westmoreland Legacy Books 1-3: A Spicy Black Romance Collection by Brenda Jackson
**Audio Review:**

The Rancher Returns ***
Navy SEAL Gavin Blake, also known as Viper, returns from active duty to find the surprising sight of a beautiful stranger, Layla Harris, excavating his ranch. Layla is convinced that there is buried treasure hidden on his land, but Gavin is more interested in uncovering the professor’s secret desires. As Layla digs up deep family secrets and faces mysterious threats, Gavin is determined to protect her, even as her revelations alter everything he thought he knew.

If you appreciate a strong, Alpha male character, you’re going to love this book. While Gavin’s attitude at the beginning might come off as arrogant—he's used to women fawning over him—his journey evolves throughout the story.

While I initially struggled to connect with Layla, largely due to the narrator's portrayal of her voice, her character ultimately grows on you. This book is the first in an engaging series, providing a tantalizing glimpse of other Navy SEALs who will feature in the upcoming instalments.

His Secret Son ***
I have some concerns about the title of this book, "His Secret Son." In my view, no actual secret about the child is ever revealed.

The story follows Navy SEAL Laramie Cooper (Coop), who has a brief three-day fling with Bristol Lockett in Paris. After their encounter, Laramie is captured during a secret mission and is presumed dead. Meanwhile, Bristol returned to the US and gave birth to her son, believing that Laramie had been killed.

But after spending 11 months missing in action in hell his fellow Navy Seals saved him just in time as he lived each day thinking it would be his last. Three years later, a chance meeting at an art gallery in New York City brings the two back together. Can this new family find a way to make things work?

I found the narrator's pacing to be quite slow, so I had to increase the playback speed to 1.25 but I still had an issue with some of the voice as it just did not suit me.

An Honorable Seduction ***

David Holloway, affectionately known as "Flipper," is a highly skilled Navy SEAL who has faced countless tough assignments throughout his career. However, this time, his mission has taken an unexpected turn. Instead of focusing solely on his professional duties, he is now deeply invested in protecting Swan—the woman who has captured his heart. David’s feelings for Swan run deep; she brings out emotions in him that he has never experienced before, making him feel like a different man. As he grapples with the challenges ahead, he is determined to shield her from danger, even as the lines between duty and desire blur.

Swan Jamison, the goddaughter of three high-ranking military officials, finds herself embroiled in a serious scandal: she is under suspicion for allegedly selling government secrets to China. This troubling situation is especially complicated for Swan, who has always promised herself to steer clear of military men. Her family’s background has instilled in her a profound sense of unease about the safety of those she loves, leaving her haunted by the fear of loss. Despite her convictions, she now faces a dilemma that challenges her beliefs and pushes her to confront her emotions.

As she navigates this crisis, Swan struggles with deep-seated trust issues that have lingered since a painful past relationship. Memories of betrayal and deception weigh heavily on her heart, and she is left questioning whether she can find it within herself to forgive David. His lies feel like a betrayal of the bond they share, and she wonders if their love can survive the tumult.

This audiobook, encompassing three books, was the best one and the narrator was the best of the three. His tone and pacing were perfect for the characters and the story.

Holy moly what an epic collection!

I was honored to be given this collection of books via ALC. Brenda Jackson is the queen of romance and can do no wrong.
I love stories like this, where there all siblings, or connected family like this in the same town.

With each story you find out new beautiful aspects of the setting. No two couples are alike either. The steam in here is great.
I will always root for Black and Brown cowboys!

Great narrations and narrators.

What a great opportunity to catch up with one of the greats, an author who opened doors for so many to come behind her and write searing stories of love featuring Black characters. This is a great three-book collection- a bit of an introduction to the handsome, charming Westmorelands. I had read the first book. I enjoyed getting an introduction to Bristol & David. Ms. Jackson has a distinctive style that makes her books a comfort read.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy and am voluntarily reviewing it. I received the audio book for books 1-3. I am thoroughly enjoying the voices. The audio version will keep readers interested from beginning to the end.

The Rancher Returns - Gavin Blake is just finishing up a mission and does not plan to head back to the ranch his family owns until her receives a call that makes him rethink his plans. His grandmother, Melody Blake, has agreed to let to Professor Layla Harris dig up some of their land looking for Jesse James' treasure. Layla has done all of the research and her college is financing the dig. Gavin is ready to come home and put a stop to everything until he sees Layla. There has to be a way to get something he wants out of this. What Gavin wants is Layla. Mysterious things start happening around the dig site. Someone is trying to sabotage Layla's work. Who could it be? Secrets that no one realized were there are surfacing. Will treasure be found as well?

His Secret Son - This book has a lot going on. Secret son, fake marriage and fake death. Not really fake but you will understand if you read this book. Laramie Cooper is another one of the single members of their SEAL team. He was captured on a mission and presumed dead. Right before that mission, he met and had a one night stand with Bristol Lockhart, a marketing executive/artist. Their one night stand turned into a weekend. Both knew nothing was going to come out of it. Both went their own way. Everything was going fine until Bristol finds out that she pregnant. While searching for him, she finds out that the Navy has declared him dead. Bristol figures out how to make a life for her and her son without Laramie ever knowing he had a child. Thankfully, Laramie was not dead. Imagine his surprise when you finds out he not only has a son but a wife. These two have a lot to work out. Spending time together for their son's sake opens another can of worms. Will feelings come into play? Can these two co-parent? Bristol had not planned to have a father in her son's life and Laramie never knew he had a son to consider. You know I love a good kid. Their son is no different.

An Honorable Seduction - David Holloway, Flipper, is sent on a mission without his SEAL team brothers. He is headed to Key West to clear Swan Jamison’s name. She has been accused of selling government secrets. Thankfully, she has some people on her side that are willing to pull in the big guns to clear her name. David has to get close to Swan to figure out what is going on. What he doesn’t count on is the instant connection. Swan, though cautious, feels the connection as well. She takes a chance on David. Will she regret taking that chance when she finds out why David is really there? Can David figure out what is going on? Who set Swan up? Swan’s father was also on a SEAL team. As far as the guys are concerned, Swan is family. Family protects family and our guys will do everything they can to figure this out.

I received an advanced audiobook from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

After starting this read I realized these stories sounded familiar and I had read them before. The storylines were well written and my favorite, out of the three, was probably Laramie's story. If you like spice these books are probably for you.

Fall in love with this group of navy SEALs from The Westmoreland Legacy in three fan-favorite novels from New York Times bestselling author Brenda Jackson, collected here in one volume!

The Rancher Returns

Returning from active duty to find his ranch being dug up by a beautiful stranger isn’t the homecoming navy SEAL Gavin Blake expected. Layla Harris is convinced there’s buried treasure on his land. But the only treasure this wealthy rancher wants to uncover is her. When Layla unearths family secrets—and mysterious threats—he’ll stop at nothing to make sure she is safe.

His Secret Son

The Texas rancher and navy SEAL who fathered Bristol Lockett’s son died a hero’s death…or so she was told. Yet when Laramie “Coop” Cooper strolls into her exhibit at an art gallery three years later, he’s very much alive—and still making her heart race. The all-consuming chemistry between them is as undeniable now as it was then, but Bristol won’t risk her heart—or their son’s. Little does Bristol know he’s determined to win over his unexpected family at any cost!

An Honorable Seduction

David Holloway is used to hard assignments. Now he faces his most difficult yet: cozying up to the soft curves of Swan Jamison. But romancing Swan as part of his SEAL team’s mission tests his honor, even as his feelings become increasingly real. Soon he must make a choice: duty…or desire?

Previously published.

These stories are beloved and well-known; you will not go wrong in reading them individually or as a bundle. With this Advanced Listener Copy, I focused on the narration and presentation of the stories. This bundle offers us three different narrators for each story. The first narrator provided an excellent Texan drawl, but his portrayal of a woman's voice came across as whiny. This approach worked for one character, but not for the main female love interest. For the second book, the male narrator sounded somewhat like Sterling K. Brown, which was enjoyable, except when he portrayed a child. That portrayal was terrible, though fortunately used sparingly. The last narrator was excellent; I have no complaints about how either love interest was portrayed. If you are looking to get into Brenda Jackson's Westmoreland Legacy series or the Westmoreland series, this is a great introduction. I would not hesitate to recommend it.

These were all good stories. I liked all of the main characters and each book was engaging. They were definitely shorter than I thought they would be however the narration was done well. They’re worth a quick listen, however they’re not standouts.

This audiobook bundle delivers books 1-3 of the series about three Navy SEALs.
THE RANCHER RETURNS-
The ranch which he owns with is grandmother, is Gavin/Viper Blake’s haven. Upon his return from a mission and ready for his leave being spent on the ranch ,Gavin is not happy to hear his grandmother has approved excavations in the ranch. Excavations lead by the PhD professor Layla Harris. A woman who is sure treasures from the past are hidden there.
These two strong characters are sure each is right, and much to their dismay, the attraction is just as strong.
But what happens when something else is found in the ranch? Something that will change Gavin’s beliefs ?
In the end , will these two realize they are meant to be together?
HIS SECRET SON: A Surprise Pregnancy
Three years ago, Navy SEAL Laramie/Coop Cooper met a young woman in Paris and fell in love. Three days of bliss. Hoping to see her again after his mission, he never expected to be captured by the enemy.
Having been told Coop was dead, artist Bristol Lockett returned to the USA when she discovers she was pregnant. Three years have gone by when Coop is assigned to make a delivery in NYC and discovers Bristol is not only having a showing at a local gallery, but that she is even more beautiful.
Discovering he’s a father, changes his entire outlook of life and the future. Can he convince Bristol to take a risk at a life together? Can Bristol let go of the fear of Coop dying and someone else leaving her ?
Once more, the author delivers a touching story with a strong female character.
AN HONORABLE SEDUCTION
Another team member falls in love and this time it’s David/Flipper Holloway. A man that loves women and has no plans of settling down.
When his superiors give him an assignment in Key West, he never expected that he would fall in love with his mission, beautiful Swan Jamison. Goddaughter of his superiors and also the person believed to be a traitor of the USA.
As we go to Key West and Flipper meets Swan, the mission is in danger. Imagine Swan’s heartbreak when she realizes Flipper deceived her.
But what happens when bad guys show up?
Another entertaining story in this series.
I have to confess that though I enjoyed all the stories, my favorite was The Rancher Returns.
The narrators, Sean Crisden, Peter Ohms andJames Cavanaugh did a good job with the three stories.
I was entrusted a copy of this audiobook by Netgalley and Harlequin Audio. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

These were perfectly passable cowboy romances — nothing special, but certainly not bad. I however didn’t love the choice to only have male narrators. It was a confusing choice, that untimely affected my overall opinion of this audiobook collection. The narrator used were great, but the choice to entirely exclude women was… confusing.

Ａｕｄｉｏｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ
4 ☆
This is a military romance dealing with SEALs from the Westmoreland Legacy books 1-3: *The Rancher Returns*, *His Secret Son*, and *An Honorable Seduction*.

The audiobooks are good; I enjoy that there are three stories with three different narrators. That was a major plus in my eyes. I am currently new to this author and plan to read more of her work. This series caught my eye.

Thank you, Netgellay, and Harlequin Audio for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This is a Cowboy Romance with a little suspense, and this is the Westmoreland Legacy Complete series. I think any of these books can be read as a standalone. I really enjoyed book one and book three, but I had a hard time getting into book two. I did enjoy it after I got pulled into the story. I listened to the audiobook for this book, and I think the narrator did a really good job. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.

Ms. Jackson can't miss with her style of writing and her sultry characters.


Mysterious happenings and surprising twists kept me glued to The Rancher Returns for days on end.

His Secret Son - Old movie charm with a little Westmoreland temptation and creates a modern day classic.