Customer Reviews

The Taming of Jessi Rose

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have been a fan of Beverly Jenkins's novels since Night Song. I have just finished reading The Taming of Jessi Rose and I knew I had to write. I think there are one or two of your books I have not read (simply because I did not know they existed). I look for your name whenever I visit my local bookstores and most of the time, your titles are sold out.

I no longer read the summary on the back of your novels to see if it's a story I'm interested in. If it has your name on it, I just pick it up and put it in my cart. (I read a lot of books and I have one or two favorite authors - Yours is the only book I buy by virtue of your name alone.)

I appreciate the amount of research that you must do to write such wonderful historical romances. Your hard work shows in the effortless way you seem to weave historical details into the fabric of the love story, making it entertaining, while at the same time, giving the story substance. I also appreciate the fact that your work is not littered with the amount of profanity that seems to be so prevalent in stories about black people.

I loved Jessi Rose. This story was different from any other I've read. You managed to take four outlaws and turn them into lovable men with colorful personalities, each one of them I would like to know better. I'd be interested to read more about the "Terrible Twins". What kind of woman would it take to turn them on the path of the straight and narrow?

I hope you continue to write. You have a wonderful talent for storytelling and keeping your reader enthralled. As far as I'm concerned, you are the best! I agree with the Detroit Free Press. You are definitely on your way to superstar status. You deserve it.

JESSI ROSE GAVE UP HER LIFE BACK EAST TEACHING SCHOOL. RETURNED TO BLANCO COUNTY, TEXAS TO HELP HER FATHER RUN THE RANCH AND TAKE CARE OF HER NEPHEW JOTHAM WHOSE MOTHER DIED IN CHILD BIRTH.
DURING A RAIN STORM A STAMPED TAKES PLACE AND HER FATHER IS SHOT IN THE BACK AND KILLED. WITH HIS DYING BREATH HE TELLS HER WHO SHOT HIM AND ASK HER TO NOT GIVE UP THE RANCH TO REED DARCY. DARCY WAS TAKING LAND, CATTLE, AND EVERY THING HE COULD GET HIS HAND ON FROM THE TOWN BECAUSE THE RAILROAD WAS ON ITS WAY. JESSI FATHER HAD REFUSED TO SELL OR GIVE IN . JOTH WROTE THE SHERIFF WILDHORSE ASKING FOR HELP FOR HE AND HIS AUNT, TELLING HIM THAT THE LOCAL SHERIFF WAS ON REEDS PAYROLL ANDS WOULD NOT HELP. INTO TOWN RIDES GRIFFIN SLOAN BLAKE, A TRAIN ROBBER WHO UP UNTIL NOW WAS SERVING THE NEXT 7 YEARS IN THE KANSAS STATE PENITENITARY. SHERIFF WILDHORSE TELLS HIM IF HE GOSE TO TEXAS AND SOLVES THIS PROBLEM WITH REED HE WILL BE PARDON BY JUDGE ISAAC PARKER. WHEN JESSI ROSE AND GRIFFIN FIRST MEET SHE TELLS HIM SHE DOESN'T NEED OR WANT HIS HELP AND TO GET OFF HER RANCH. THINKING OF HER NEPHEW, SHE DECIDES TO LEM HIM STAY. GRIFFIN TELLS HER HE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT CATTLE OR RUNNING A RANCH SHE WONDERS JUST HOW MUCH HELP HE WILL BE. TOGETHER THEY WORK TO FIND OUT THE REAL REASONBEHIND REED WANTING TO TAKE OVER THE COUNTY. THE MORE THEY WORK TOGETHER THE CLOSE THEY BECOME; WITH BOTH FIGHTING THEIR FEELINGS FOR EACH OTHER. THEY FIRST BECOME FRIENDS, THEN LOVERS, THEN HUSBSAND AND WIFE. THE CAST OF SUPPORTING CHARACTERS HELP TO MAKE THIS A WONDERFUL STORY OF LOVE, AND THE EXTENDED FAMILY. BEVERLY JENKINS HAS DONE IT AGAIN.

Ms. Jenkins is one of a kind. I could not wait for the book to be released and when I started reading, I could not put it down. The story of Jessi Rose and Griffin is excellent; a true romance. As a history instructor, I always find Jenkins' lessons on African Americans and the West quite interesting. I often share the references with my students as we study the West and African American History. The Taming of Jessi Rose is filled with romance, laughter and history. I'm looking forward to her next release!

What a page-turner. Ms. Jenkins gives her characters so much detail that one can truly experience them. Jessi, Griffin and Joth make a well-balanced trio. They each have characters that are uniquely different and they complement each other very well. Other characters depicted make it "quite an interesting story". I've never thought of sharing a time and/or place, even the danger, with book characters before, but after reading three of Ms. Jenkins' books in the past 2 months, there's a first time for everything! P.S. I look forward to seeing any of her works on screen!

This was my first Beverly Jenkins novel. It most certainly will not be my last. I was hooked almost from the very beginning. Jessi Rose was such a strong, wildly independent and feisty little lady, you couldn't help but love her. And Griffin was at once incorrigible and adorable. And honorable, despite being an outlaw. I loved the story. I loved the history - the book was a wonderful history lesson in itself. I loved the characters. The story was funny, educational, emotional, romantic and 'steamy'. You can't ask for much more. I will most definitely will be reading more of her stories.

Beverly Jenkins has surpassed us again with a stunning novel. Griffin was just all man and Jessi Rose was strong, yet humble. Together they made beautiful music. The lovemaking scenes and history intertwined beautifully. I really enjoyed this novel to the fullest. I cannot wait for her new novel in September! Keep up the good work beverly.

What can I say the book was great, the two twin brother were great, they kept you laughing. The history information was great also. Not only was the book great but you learned form it. Ms. Jenkins history in her stories always have me going to the library to look up the information myself. When I see her name on a book I buy it. I am looking forward to her next book in 2000.

The Taming of Jessi Rose was another awesome addition to the Beverly Jenkins Historical Collection. Jessi Rose, a single woman turned into a single mom by the death of her sister in childbirth, is a woman who has had a hard life from the age of 13. All she had was herself, her nephew and her land to protect, because her honor had long ago been stripped from her. Then along comes Griffin Blake, a man with his own checkered past and demons to face, who falls in love with this older woman's sheer inner strength almost from first sight. In actuality, they tame each other; she learns to love and trust again and to step out of the darkness, and he learns that he can have a family again and that he can actually love one woman with all his heart and be happy with that. Neil July and Two Shafts add the comedy to this hard drama, but make no mistake, Jessi and Griff are a hot, steamy couple who learn to enjoy sunrises and sunsets. It is hard for me to say that this is my favorite because all of her historicals are superbly written, but I love this book very much. Jessi Rose is me in a lot of ways, and the new love in my life just may be my Griffin. So this one is definitely in my top 5 of her collection and I hope that we get to hear more from Jessi and Griff. Keep rocking Ms. B!

Okay, I love me some BJ, but I was a little disappointed by this book. I don't think it lived up to her other novels like Topaz, Vivid or Winds of the Storm. I enjoyed the book more because I read along with an audio CD performed by Thomas Penny. He is brilliant. I agree with the other reviewer about the climax, I which there was more. Jessi and Griffin's love seemed liked it just appeared out of nowhere, but the loving sure was good. The reader did not know the whole story about Jessi's past until the last couple of chapters. Even though this was not one of my favorites, I would still recommend this book. Try it with the audio CD.

This was the book that made me a Beverly Jenkins fan. It was filled with action, a little humor, and tons of black history. After I read this book, I quickly began my search for her earlier works. If you are a black woman who won't read romances because they are not directed towards your color, then you should read Beverly Jenkin's books. I would start with this one.