Wild Rain: Women Who Dare
The stranger whom Spring Lee finds in a blizzard is like no man she’s met. Easterner Garrett McCray has come to Paradise, Wyoming, to write a newspaper article on Spring’s brother, the area’s only Black doctor. Beneath Garrett’s gentle, gentlemanly manner, Spring finds a strength that matches her own. Born into slavery, Garrett served in the Union Navy in the Civil War, then read for the law. Garrett isn’t intimidated by Spring’s independence, or her skill with horses and guns, but for their deepening attraction to become a future, Garrett must defeat the specters of Spring’s past and win her trust.
The love story builds with sweet sensuality as Spring and Garrett discover each other’s strengths and complex pasts. The supporting characters are engaging and diverse. A strength is how Jenkins deals realistically with the challenges facing Black and Native characters, from bigotry and navigating a segregated world to rebuilding lives after Freedom. As ever, Jenkins delivers a historical world that feels fully inhabited and a convincing depiction of the real challenges facing the 1880s U.S., while foregrounding the triumphs of truly likeable characters and delivering a deeply satisfying love story. An entirely enjoyable read.
