Reviewer: Trudy Smith
Title: Night Hawk
Author: Beverly Jenkins
Publisher: Avon
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-203264-5
Release Date: October 2011
Genre/Sub-genre: Historical Romance
Year/Setting: 1889/ Kansas to Wyoming territories
Overall Rating: 4.25
Sexual Content Rating: Sensual
Language (Profanity/Slang) Content Rating: Mild
Violent Content Rating: Moderate
Beverly's Website/Blog: www.beverlyjenkins.net
When his wife was murdered, Ian Vance went after the killers and has been bounty hunting ever since. Along the way he also become a US Deputy Marshal and was widely known as the Preacher. All he wants to do is get home, it’s been a long time since he’s been there but it’s not meant to be, at least not yet. Ian is delayed when the sheriff from Dowd, KS asks him to take his prisoner to Kansas City. That will only delay him a day or so at the most…but he hadn’t met his prisoner yet.
Being of mixed races, bigotry and hate were two companions that stayed with Maggie Freeman and this time they just may get her hanged for a murder she didn’t commit. Being attacked by a White man wasn’t unusual but his dying while she was trying to defend herself was. Trying to quell the vigilantes, the sheriff asks the Preacher to take custody of his prisoner.
Maggie has had to fight for her existence especially since she was orphaned at 12 and now is no exception but the marshal seems to be a fair man…but can she trust him? Unintentionally causing a near riot in Kansas City, they quickly move west; surely they can part ways in Topeka or Abilene. The more they get to know one another layer upon layer is revealed. Life hasn’t always been kind to either one but they were able to persevere.
It seems trouble is following them but they are resolved to persist. As constant companions friendship grows but there is more than friendship in the air and it’s just below the surface. Will Maggie be able to trust Ian with her heart and will Ian allow Maggie to break the shell he has built around his?
As this was my first Beverly Jenkins’ romance, I was truly impressed with her writing style. The characters appeared so deep that she probably could have kept peeling away the layers. Ian and Maggie’s bantering brought a smile and Maggie’s feisty yet passionate characteristics were amazing as the reader is brought into the heart-wrenching bigotry and hate that both Maggie and Ian endured. I found the historical facts that Ms Jenkins brought to light fascinating and the way she wove them into the story was artfully done. Though I rated the sexual content sensual I felt it was tastefully written and not overpowering.
I’m not sure that I’ve expressed the many thoughts I had while reading Night Hawk but I hope I’ve given you a good balance of what I saw in the story. You’ve probably guessed that this is a keeper on my bookshelves.
Trudy
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