A review by melbsreads
Tempest by Beverly Jenkins

adventurous hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Content warnings: death of a spouse (in the past), death, gun violence, blood, racism, xenophobia, bullying, misogyny, death, murder, kidnapping, animal death

I knew I was going to enjoy this from the time that Regan accidentally shoots her future husband in the shoulder, thinking that he's an outlaw. The story was a lot of fun, and while there were darker moments - in regards to the loss of Colton's wife, especially, but also a hefty dose of racism - the dynamic between the two leads had me hooked. 

Did Colton need to be slapped upside the head for his "women can enjoy sex?!?!?!?!" attitude at times? Absolutely. Did Minnie need to be slapped just in general? Definitely. Did I have fun listening to this? Yes. Yes, I did. 

I did wish there was a LITTLE bit more on the mail order bride side of things, purely because the whole idea is so fascinating. But that's a pretty minor complaint in the grand scheme of things.