Wild Rain

Spring Rain Lee has her ranch, her horses, her weapons, and her autonomy, precious commodities for anyone in post–Civil War Wyoming Territory, let alone an unmarried Black woman. Spring has survived years of abuse, and she now lives life on her own terms, making no apologies for her scandalous past. During a sudden snowstorm, she rescues Garrett McCray, a reporter for a Washington, DC–based Black newspaper; Garrett has journeyed to the West for an article he’s writing. A mutual attraction catches them by surprise. Spring then must deal with people of malicious intent while deciding whether she wants to make room in her life for Garrett. He, meanwhile, must learn to navigate life in an environment vastly different from his own, while determining how to handle his growing fascination with Spring; she doesn’t conform to the ideals of respectable womanhood that he was brought up with. Jenkins’s (Forbidden) deft hand with dialogue is evident: the book’s large cast of characters all sound like individuals. This talent serves the audiobook well, as narrator Kim Staunton doesn’t much vary the characters’ voices during conversation scenes. Jenkins’s stellar research also shines through.