Rating: 
Summary: GIVE UP AND LET IT HAPPEN
Review: A fresh voice! A new kind of historical romance! Imagine one strong-willed, recently altar-jilted Black female taking on a project to deliver 30-plus Black mail order brides from Chicago to Kansas in 1884. Although Jim Crow was alive and thriving, this story, thankfully, does not dwell on it, but rather uses racism as a reality-based backdrop for the atmosphere of that time period. ALWAYS AND FOREVER focuses on the relationship between the lead woman, Grace Atwood, and the wagon master, Jackson Blake. The author skillfully develops the characters and takes us through each of the controlling motivations in their lives. This is a very beautifully told and passionate love story. I am now a Brenda Jenkins fan.
Rating:
Summary: GIVE UP AND LET IT HAPPEN
Review: A fresh voice! A new kind of historical romance! Imagine one strong-willed, recently altar-jilted Black female taking on a project to deliver 30-plus Black mail order brides from Chicago to Kansas in 1884. Although Jim Crow was alive and thriving, this story, thankfully, does not dwell on it, but rather uses racism as a reality-based backdrop for the atmosphere of that time period. ALWAYS AND FOREVER focuses on the relationship between the lead woman, Grace Atwood, and the wagon master, Jackson Blake. The author skillfully develops the characters and takes us through each of the controlling motivations in their lives. This is a very beautifully told and passionate love story. I am now a Brenda Jenkins fan.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Superb!
Review: A friend recommended Ms. Jenkin's book to me some time ago but I didn't pick one up until recently. I an now a die-hard fan! I am a African-American history buff and what Beverly has done is absolutely extraordinary. She has combined sensual, beautiful and romantic tales with actual African-American historical facts. I read "Always and Forever" in one day! Once I finished that I rushed out to purchase "The Taming of Jessie Rose". Needless to say I have all of her books now except "Vivid". My favorite Beverly Jenkin's novel is "Indigo". I loved the strong-willed, intelligent "Hester Wyatt" and the handsome, charming and dashing "Galen Vachon". I love "period" movies and "Indigo" would make a wonderful movie. It would also be a vehicle to allow the many talented African-American actors and actresses to showcase their skills. I can almost visualize Shemar Moore portraying the dashing Galeno Vachon and Cress Williams (from the now cancelled show "Living Single") portraying his loyal friend "Raimond Leveq". But I digress; Ms. Jenkins is truly talented and I hope she continues to bless us with her pheonomenal talent.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Superb!
Review: A friend recommended Ms. Jenkin's book to me some time ago but I didn't pick one up until recently. I an now a die-hard fan! I am a African-American history buff and what Beverly has done is absolutely extraordinary. She has combined sensual, beautiful and romantic tales with actual African-American historical facts. I read "Always and Forever" in one day! Once I finished that I rushed out to purchase "The Taming of Jessie Rose". Needless to say I have all of her books now except "Vivid". My favorite Beverly Jenkin's novel is "Indigo". I loved the strong-willed, intelligent "Hester Wyatt" and the handsome, charming and dashing "Galen Vachon". I love "period" movies and "Indigo" would make a wonderful movie. It would also be a vehicle to allow the many talented African-American actors and actresses to showcase their skills. I can almost visualize Shemar Moore portraying the dashing Galeno Vachon and Cress Williams (from the now cancelled show "Living Single") portraying his loyal friend "Raimond Leveq". But I digress; Ms. Jenkins is truly talented and I hope she continues to bless us with her pheonomenal talent.
Rating:
Summary: She did it again!
Review: Ah! Ms. Jenkins has done it again! Always and Forever is not only a love story but a great historical reflection, showing what strong willed African American woman have always done to survive. The women on the journey from Chicago to Kansas City were just 38 of the nearly 800,000 in the historical setteling of the middle south after the civil war, thrown in with a little love, this story is a definite must read for anyone who has never picked up one of her books. Ms. Jenkins is in that special catetory of writers when it comes to reflection of life for blacks after the civil war. I can't wait for her 8th novel. Ok, if anyone is reading reviews and have an ear to Mr. Johnson over at BET, you may want to pass along to him that Ms. Jenkins needs a serious look-see for something substantial or if anyone has a ear to the major networks she needs a mini-series to bring her books to life.
Rating:
Summary: Splendide !
Review: As a french reader, I would like to say that this book is wonderful. It's the first time I read an african-american author and as a caribean woman it was very helpful for me to understand a little bit the story of the blacks in USA.
And even if it's a romance, it makes me able to discover what was the life of my "cousins" of USA.
The love between this two characters was so great and so hot ! Excuse me for not to be longer but it's difficult for me to describe all my feelings in english (I could read the book, it's the most important !)
Rating:
Summary: Five Stars Are Not Enough!
Review: Beverly Jenkins does it again. Being a die-hard romantic, as well as a writer of romantic fiction, I have read numerous romance novels. Upon completing "Always and Forever" (at 5:35 a.m. this morning), I made a decision. Beverly Jenkins is my all-time favorite romance writer. Not only does Ms. Jenkins write the heck out of a romance novel, but in each of her books, she provides a generous dose of African-American history. I am always amazed at how she weaves the love stories of her protagonists with our people's history so eloquently. Her characters-Grace Prescott and Jackson Blake, the main characters of "Always and Forever," being no exception-are always exciting and fun. Her heroines are women I admire, women who make me proud to call them sister. Her heroes are always to die for. What men!!! Whew! Even the supporting "actors" leave indelible impressions. And girlfriend writes a mean love scene. Lordie, lordie. Each time I read a novel by Beverly Jenkins, and I've read just about every one of them (and the one I haven't I'm buying today), I am filled with a warm, cozy feeling. Her stories evoke smiles, laughter and tears of joy, each and every time. I find myself cheering when her heroes and heroines accomplish whatever mission or goal they set out to achieve. When I come to the end of her novels, although I hate to see her stories end, I am never left wanting. Beverly Jenkins is awesome. Her writing is awesome. Her characters are awesome. If you want to read a book that will leave you with a feeling of joy and happiness, read anything written by this incredible sister.
Rating:
Summary: Five Stars Are Not Enough!
Review: Beverly Jenkins does it again. Being a die-hard romantic, as well as a writer of romantic fiction, I have read numerous romance novels. Upon completing "Always and Forever" (at 5:35 a.m. this morning), I made a decision. Beverly Jenkins is my all-time favorite romance writer. Not only does Ms. Jenkins write the heck out of a romance novel, but in each of her books, she provides a generous dose of African-American history. I am always amazed at how she weaves the love stories of her protagonists with our people's history so eloquently. Her characters-Grace Prescott and Jackson Blake, the main characters of "Always and Forever," being no exception-are always exciting and fun. Her heroines are women I admire, women who make me proud to call them sister. Her heroes are always to die for. What men!!! Whew! Even the supporting "actors" leave indelible impressions. And girlfriend writes a mean love scene. Lordie, lordie. Each time I read a novel by Beverly Jenkins, and I've read just about every one of them (and the one I haven't I'm buying today), I am filled with a warm, cozy feeling. Her stories evoke smiles, laughter and tears of joy, each and every time. I find myself cheering when her heroes and heroines accomplish whatever mission or goal they set out to achieve. When I come to the end of her novels, although I hate to see her stories end, I am never left wanting. Beverly Jenkins is awesome. Her writing is awesome. Her characters are awesome. If you want to read a book that will leave you with a feeling of joy and happiness, read anything written by this incredible sister.
Rating:
Summary: Five Stars Are Not Enough!
Review: Beverly Jenkins does it again. Being a die-hard romantic, as well as a writer of romantic fiction, I have read numerous romance novels. Upon completing "Always and Forever" (at 5:35 a.m. this morning), I made a decision. Beverly Jenkins is my all-time favorite romance writer. Not only does Ms. Jenkins write the heck out of a romance novel, but in each of her books, she provides a generous dose of African-American history. I am always amazed at how she weaves the love stories of her protagonists with our people's history so eloquently. Her characters-Grace Prescott and Jackson Blake, the main characters of "Always and Forever," being no exception-are always exciting and fun. Her heroines are women I admire, women who make me proud to call them sister. Her heroes are always to die for. What men!!! Whew! Even the supporting "actors" leave indelible impressions. And girlfriend writes a mean love scene. Lordie, lordie. Each time I read a novel by Beverly Jenkins, and I've read just about every one of them (and the one I haven't I'm buying today), I am filled with a warm, cozy feeling. Her stories evoke smiles, laughter and tears of joy, each and every time. I find myself cheering when her heroes and heroines accomplish whatever mission or goal they set out to achieve. When I come to the end of her novels, although I hate to see her stories end, I am never left wanting. Beverly Jenkins is awesome. Her writing is awesome. Her characters are awesome. If you want to read a book that will leave you with a feeling of joy and happiness, read anything written by this incredible sister.
Rating: 
Summary: ANOTHER keeper!
Review: Beverly Jenkins has done it again! I enjoyed reading this book. I think that I enjoyed it more because of its historical information than I did the romantic aspect. The romance was intense but not as intense as Ms. Jenkins other books. The storyline is based on the hardships that the African-American women faced trying to get to their "future husbands" in Black establishments out west. Ms. Jenkins' talent for tying romance and history together is unrivaled! I think readers will enjoy reading Topaz as well. Some of the characters are in both of these books. BOTH books are keepers!
|
