Banished by her grandfather at the age of eighteen, Spring Lee has survived scandal to claim her own little slice of Paradise, Wyoming. She's proud of working her ranch alone and unwilling to share it with a stranger--especially one like Garrett McCray, who makes her second-guess her resolve to avoid men.
For those who hesitate to delve into African-American historical romances for want of that visceral fantasy element, Beverly Jenkins’s novels — richly grounded in history and yet bristling with joy — are a revelation ... The signature elements of Jenkins’s work come together in spectacular form in Wild Rain, a boldly feminist narrative ... Garrett is the rarest of Black romantic heroes: the cinnamon roll. In historical romances, Black men are rarely afforded the space to be soft, sweet and supportive heroes who dote on their women and don’t mind when they take the reins (literally, in this case). But Garrett is all of those things and it never diminishes him. The way he cares for, loves and stands up for Spring while also knowing when to stand down only makes him more appealing ... Watching her lean into loving him and vice versa is pure pleasure, a powerful, indulgent treat ... showcases Jenkins’s talent for writing intriguing individual stories that illuminate bigger historical themes ... With so much going on, and a pace that propels the reader relentlessly forward, some things get short shrift. Love arrives rather quickly and abruptly for one of the characters. And, outside of a few long-running grudges, some of the conflicts resolve too easily. Still, if Wild Rain doesn’t quite rise to the heights of Beverly Jenkins masterworks like Indigo and Forbidden, it is incredibly satisfying in its own right.
You know you’re in the hands of a master when you part the covers of a Beverly Jenkins book. Wild Rain is no exception to that rule, providing us with a wonderful romance worth falling into impassioned love with ... Jenkins never hesitates to give the reader just what they want and Wild Rain is a perfect, touching and romantic tale ... You know you’re in for impeccable research when you read a Jenkins romance, and her portrayal of the rise of Jim Crow in Wyoming and the aftermath of native tribes being driven off their land and into reservations is outstanding. The period and flavor of the era is fully intact ... An excellent romance with a wonderful and memorable heroine, Wild Rain gets my highest recommendation.
It's a cinematic adventure, with snow-capped mountains, majestic forests, and plenty of Old West atmosphere — including some truly nasty, wrath-deserving villains. But it also provides a perspective on African American life years after the end of the Civil War ... Beautifully written, Spring and Garrett's love affair is intimate, passionate, and sexy. But this isn't only a story of two people falling in love in the Old West ... Jenkins's novel also paints a lovely landscape of the Wyoming Territory with resonant compassion for wildlife and nature ... Wild Rain will linger in your thoughts for its remarkably likable hero, spirited heroine, beautiful horses, scenery, adventure, and romance. It's the kind of excellent storytelling that keeps us coming back for more, again and again from Beverly Jenkins.
