The Taming of Jessi Rose

Written by Beverly Jenkins

Narrated by Thomas Penny

Beverly Jenkins is an incredibly popular author of African-American romances. The Taming of Jessi Rose is the unforgettable tale of Jessi Rose Clayton. In trying to save her family ranch from falling into the greedy hands of the wrong people, Jessi finds a unique solution-hiring outlaw railroad robber Griffin Blake as her protector. Now, with this strong, bronze-bodied man on her side, Jessi might just be tempted to mix business with pleasure.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 5, 2010
• ISBN: 9781440779756

Beverly Jenkins

Beverly Jenkins is the recipient of the 2018 Michigan Author Award by the Michigan Library Association, the 2017 Romance Writers of America Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as the 2016 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for historical romance. She has been nominated for the NAACP Image Award in Literature, was featured in both the documentary Love Between the Covers and on CBS Sunday Morning. Since the publication of Night Song in 1994, she has been leading the charge for inclusive romance, and has been a constant darling of reviewers, fans, and her peers alike, garnering accolades for her work from the likes of The Wall Street Journal, People Magazine, and NPR. To read more about Beverly, visit her at www.BeverlyJenkins.net.  

Reviews for The Taming of Jessi Rose

[addictofromance · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Summary Jessi Rose Clayton, is a fighter and is just as capable at running a ranch as anyone. She is determined to keep the family ranch from falling into the hands of the local tycoon who is taking property left and right. Her father has been murdered, but not even the sherrif who was her fathers best friend, will help her. She is the caretaker of her nephew who is the heir of the ranch. Then they reach out for help an outside source. A native seminal US Deputy Marshall Dixon Horse, who is a friend of Griffin. Griffin finds himself in jail for seven years for the train robbing that has become a life profession. Griffin has his own reasons for being a train robbers, including getting revenge for his mothers death. When Dixon gives him an offer to help out a lone woman and her nephew and in exchange he will get freedom and become a US deputy. Griffin is appalled in the beginning, but knows he has little choice in the matter. So he heads to Texas to help out Jessi Rose Clayton, a firecracker of a woman. At first Griffin's job is to aid Jessi in bringing a certain man to justice, but he is soon enthralled by Jessi and her fighting spirit and the little boy who needs a safe haven, not being threatened day and night. But a love blooms between Griffin and Jessi, a love they learn is worth fighting for!Plot and Story Line The Taming Of Jessi Rose is one of my all time favorites, I had so much love for this book and boy can Beverly Jenkins write a story. She wows me each and every time and we get another somewhat connected book here. This time we have Griffin's book. Griffin is the brother of the hero in Always and Forever. I just had a blast of fun with this book, and since this was free through my library, I grabbed it up. Because honestly what a treasure of a read this is, and I am really loving the progression of this book.We get some fun characters that really added some more lighthearted fun to the more serious toned plot that brought about a balance I wasn't expecting to find. We of course have Dixon Horse, who I have seen in three different books and want his book so badly!! :) Then we have Preacher---now he was fun. His story I am looking forward to (at least I am hoping he has a book) He loves his bible but also can be very rugged. Now for my favorites The TWINS!!! Now I was first introduced to these boys in Something Like Love which features Neil's story. Now these two are a riot and so outrageous at times, and loved their humor and certain "games " that they like to play with bad men. *grins* those who have read this already know exactly what I am talking about here. But what I adored was seeing these characters come together to help out one woman and a little boy and get some justice.Jessi Rose was a very unique heroine and loved her to pieces. She is strong, resilient but has her own vulnerabilities that seemed realistic and believable. She has suffered through some horrors in her past, and now is fighting with everything she has to protect her nephew and keep the land her father died to protect. She can be quite stubborn at times but I like that she accepts help when she knows that she needs it.Now Griffin was a cool hero and I wanted more of him. He is a bit of a bad boy, because HELLO---he is a outlaw and robs trains. Although to his credit has never killed anyone and does it in a very playful and mischievous way so I was cool with his past especially when you see what he went through when his mother died which just about broke my heart in the beginning.The plot of the story is so engaging and I got so wrapped up in this book, I just didn't want to put it down, I listened to it every moment I could!! I loved the villain of the story, because wow is he cunning and greedy. This element of the story I think was pretty vital and added some tension to the story that keeps the reader on the edge of their seats. The romance between Griffin and Jessi Rose is so tender and sweet at times, it almost made me cry. Once they come together, it is just perfect seeing them find contentment and happiness that neither of them ever has had before. Especially for Jessi Rose. She has been dealt a very bad hand in life, but it hasn't broken her and I loved seeing her find a happy ending she deserved.Narration This narrator, Thomas Penny, is slowly winning me over. I am loving his voice. Normally male narrators it takes me a while to like since they aren't as common as female narrators. But I felt he handled every aspect whether big or small of the story so brilliantly. I adored the way his tone of voice altered with change in emotion and keeps you engaged.The Cover I have much love for this cover!! I love the pink dress, its so pretty. I do love this romantic pose though, it just fits this pair so well. Love the horse in the background!!Overall View The Taming Of Jessi Rose is a spectacular read that had me enthralled from the very beginning. It's heartwarming, witty, with a taste of mystery and danger and some passion rolled in----creates a work of art!!! It shows the history of what blacks had to go through in this era and setting and it kept me raptured and learning something new. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

[jacqueline065 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the book immensely. I connected to Jessi Rose's fiery spirit and could understand why our heroe was smitten by her.I learn a great deal of forgotten history in Beverly Jenkin's novels, this was no exception.A pet peeve was that the characters on the cover did in NO WAY match the author's physical description!!!!!