Beverly Jenkins - Trish Jensen
Jenkins, Beverly - TAMING OF JESSI ROSE, THE (Avon - 10/99) (4+)
Jessi Rose Clayton was desperately fighting to keep her ranch
out of the hands of land-grabbing Reed Darcy when her ten-year-old nephew Jotham wrote to his idol, Marshal Dix Wildhorse, asking for help. Help arrived in the form of Griffin Blake, a convicted train robber who, until approached by Marshal Wildhorse, was serving time in the Kansas State Penitentiary.
Jessi quickly realizes she has no choice but to accept Griffin's help, but working closely day after day with the handsome ex-con brings out feelings that were better left inside. Even if she were tempted to enter into a romantic relationship with this man, there are two facts that bother her: she is seven years older than Griff, and he is a convicted outlaw who has no experience with lasting relationships.
Griff, on the other hand, finds the tough yet beautiful Jessi Rose very much to his liking, although marriage is not on his mind. But who knows how long it will take to bring Reed Darcy to justice. He decides that the time spent in the company of the lovely Jessi calls for a bit of courting and seducing. Griff, the expert flirt, begins to exercise his skills and create delightful, sensuous scenarios to entice his way into Jessi's bed. Will the relationship they are headed towards be enough for them though?
THE TAMING OF JESSI ROSE is a historical romance rich in African American culture. Beverly Jenkins has created a wonderful cast of characters in a nineteenth-century western locale, complete with a "you better give me the deed to your ranch" villain who will have readers hissing and booing. The tender love story between Jessi and Griffin will warm your heart, and Ms. Jenkins applies enough sexual steam to make fanning a necessary exercise while reading this book. Griff's "deputized" outlaw buddies and Jessi's outlandish supporters provide the humor. For those readers introduced to Dix Wildhorse in TOPAZ, you will have the opportunity to find out what's been happening since he married his beloved Kate. THE TAMING OF JESSI ROSE is a lively, romantic romp that ends all too quickly but leaves you with a great sense of enjoyment. ~Olivia Holton for Bookbug on the Web
Jenkins, Beverly - THROUGH THE STORM (Avon - 1998) (4)
In the final months of the Civil War, house slave Sable Fontaine finds out that she has been sold to a cruel man from a neighboring plantation. Acting on instinct and led by the spirits of her long-dead royal African ancestors, Sable runs from what would have been an untenable situation. She sets out on a
journey that will take her from the squalor of a Yankee-held "contraband" camp to the luxury of the elite black society of New Orleans. Is it fate, coincidence or divine intervention that ultimately causes her path to cross with that of handsome Union Major Raimond LeVeq?
In a beautifully written and well-plotted book, we get glimpses of a culture, that in my experience, has seldom been revealed with such intriguing detail. The author has taken great pains to weave historical fact with tradition about the black culture in Africa to create a story that, although sometimes painful to read, is both emotionally and intellectually engaging. I was entertained and enlightened by Jenkins' storytelling and I would recommend THROUGH THE STORM to readers who enjoy meaty historical fiction. ~Connie Ramsdell for Bookbug on the Web
Jensen, Trish - HARDER THEY FALL, THE (Harl. Love & Laugh. 24) (4+)
I was rolling-on-the-floor laughing from the first page of this book. That's saying a lot because my family often accuses me of having NO sense of humor. The plot was fairly straightforward. Man comes to town to take over family company. Woman doesn't want company taken over. She is a klutz. He teaches her how to be less klutzy. The beauty of this story comes with the almost slapstick images that fairly leap from the pages. If you need a real belly laugh, read this book. ~Connie R. (C1rams@aol.com)
Jensen, Trish - HARDER THEY FALL, THE (Harl. Love & Laugh. 24) (5)
A book about a young woman who is trying to stop the sale of the restaurant chain her family built. The corporate raider who shows up has no idea who she is at first, and can't understand why the manager keeps her on--she is a walking disaster! Sparks really start to fly, but needless to say, they are reluctantly attracted to each other—even though he fears for his safety whenever she is around (and rightfully so)! I laughed from the first page to the last. I highly recommend this book. ~Vicki D. (vickid@gate.net)
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