REVIEW: Breathless by Beverly Jenkins

 
In Breathless (Old West #2) by Beverly Jenkins, Portia Carmichael gives thanks every day for the fact that her Uncle Rhine and Aunt Eddy took her and her sister Regan in as kids, giving them a home and showering them with love. Their childhood up until that point was filled with neglect and men who wished them harm. So to say that Portia is a bit muddled when it comes to men is an understatement. And even though she’s secure in her job as manager of her aunt and uncle’s hotel and knows she doesn’t wish to marry, her world shifts when handsome Kent Randolph comes to the hotel to visit. The heat between them is instant and undeniable. But what Portia decides to do about that chemistry could change her entire future.

They were so close to each other she could feel the kiss about to come. “If you kiss me in front of all these people, I will hit you so hard you’ll wake up in Florida.”
He laughed with such gusto he fell back on the blanket.

Kent may have been reckless in his youth and didn’t realize the opportunities he’d been given but he’s learned his lessons well. And a trip to the Arizona Territory to visit old friends Rhine and Eddy gives him the chance to possibly put down some roots for the first time in his life. The biggest change when he arrives, though, is seeing Portia for the first time in fifteen years. The girl he once dubbed Duchess has turned into the most gorgeous, strong, smart women he’s ever met. And Kent plans on fighting past her worries and doubts to woo Portia until she agrees to spend the rest of their lives together.

Her eyes strayed to his mouth and lingered. When she raised them to his again, the air seemed to thicken.
He said, “When you look at me that way it makes me want to do all manner of things, Duchess, and keeping my hands to myself is not one of them.”

Breathless was a sweeping tale that encompassed just about everything I enjoy in Western historical romance novels. It had a sense of history of course, but it was also about family, community, love, and the issues people faced in the Old West in the mid-1880s.

‘It was shameless, illicit, and so decadent she felt like someone else entirely, and that woman was breathless and greedy for more.’

I was completely charmed by the characters and the overall storyline Beverly Jenkins created for Breathless. It was a heartfelt novel that truly made me smile and had me feeling invested in what happened to each person we met along the way. And there was such a diverse group here. Not just in terms of race, but a wide variety of personalities, and people dealing with very different circumstances as well. I did love how Jenkins incorporated the women’s suffrage movement into the story and spoke about how women of color were a big part of the meetings and local events that took place. It was easy to get caught up in the excitement of that time period and see women finally getting their voices heard and becoming independent, showing their strength and their intelligence.

The characters Jenkins gave us were well-crafted, with flaws and strengths that made them seem real. My heart went out to Portia and her sister Regan for all they had endured as children. But I was thankful they ended up having a fun, very loving, protective relationship and laughed at their sisterly bickering. Portia herself was great. Strong, thoughtful, wicked smart. She had a backbone and wasn’t afraid to show it. However, she was confused when it came to men–a byproduct of her childhood–so she didn’t know what to think of Kent courting her, which in turn endeared her to me, as we watched her struggle with her emotions and give in to them.

Now Kent, he was a wonderful guy who had learned from mistakes in his past and was ready to settle down. He also knew that he was the right man for Portia. I adored them together. There was passion of course, but they had a tenderness between them that balanced out their comical bantering perfectly. And seeing Kent with his old friends Rhine and Eddy, Portia and Regan’s uncle and aunt, was a lot of fun too. The scenes where they all interacted together like a family showed the love they had for each other and how the sacrifices they had made strengthened the bonds between them all.

What an absolutely lovey story. There was enough action and conflict to keep things interesting, and strong dynamics between the entire cast. I can’t wait to see what happens next when outspoken, sassy Regan travels to Wyoming on what’s sure to be a wild adventure.

Book Info:

 Expected publication: January 31st 2017 | by Avon | Old West #2

A strong-willed beauty finds herself in the arms of the handsome drifter from her past, in this second book in the sizzling series set in the Old West, from USA Today Bestselling Author Beverly Jenkins

As manager of one of the finest hotels in Arizona Territory, Portia Carmichael has respect and stability—qualities sorely missing from her harsh childhood. She refuses to jeopardize that by hitching herself to the wrong man. Suitors are plentiful, but none of them has ever looked quite as tempting as the family friend who just rode into town…and none has looked at her with such intensity and heat.

Duchess. That’s the nickname Kent Randolph gave Portia when she was a young girl. Now she’s a stunning, intelligent woman—and Kent has learned his share of hard lessons. After drifting through the West, he’s learned the value of a place to settle down, and in Portia’s arms he’s found that and more. But convincing her to trust him with her heart, not just her passion, will be the greatest challenge he’s known—and one he intends to win…