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A Chance at Love
Loreli Winters never imagined she'd end up a "mail-order bride" in middle-of-nowhere Kansas -- until the two adorable orphan nieces of a dusky dream named Jake Reed beg her to be their new "mama." And one look at the dark, devastatingly handsome man is enough to entice her to abandon her California plans and stay put for a while in this one-horse frontier town.
Strong, sensible Jake was hoping for a wife to help him raise his girls, but Loreli may be more than he can handle. He can't stop wondering what it would be like to hold the fiery enchantress close and kiss her deeply. Surely he could never compete with the sophisticated gents she has known, yet he intends to try. But will his honest passion be enough to take a chance on a long-shot called love?
Strong, sensible Jake was hoping for a wife to help him raise his girls, but Loreli may be more than he can handle. He can't stop wondering what it would be like to hold the fiery enchantress close and kiss her deeply. Surely he could never compete with the sophisticated gents she has known, yet he intends to try. But will his honest passion be enough to take a chance on a long-shot called love?
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 3, 2002
113 people are currently reading
1069 people want to read
About the author
Beverly Jenkins
70 books4,818 followersBeverly Jenkins is the recipient of the 2017 Romance Writers of America Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as the 2016 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for historical romance.
She has been nominated for the NAACP Image Award in Literature, was featured both in the documentary “Love Between the Covers” and on CBS Sunday Morning.
Since the publication of Night Song in 1994, she has been leading the charge for inclusive romance, and has been a constant darling of reviewers, fans, and her peers alike, garnering accolades for her work from the likes of The Wall Street Journal, People Magazine, and NPR. Her critically acclaimed Blessings series has been optioned for film by John Legend’s and Mike Jackson’s production company Get Lifted, and Hollywood and Broadway powerhouse Deborah Martin Chase.
To read more about Beverly and sign up for her newsletter, visit her at www.BeverlyJenkins.net.
She has been nominated for the NAACP Image Award in Literature, was featured both in the documentary “Love Between the Covers” and on CBS Sunday Morning.
Since the publication of Night Song in 1994, she has been leading the charge for inclusive romance, and has been a constant darling of reviewers, fans, and her peers alike, garnering accolades for her work from the likes of The Wall Street Journal, People Magazine, and NPR. Her critically acclaimed Blessings series has been optioned for film by John Legend’s and Mike Jackson’s production company Get Lifted, and Hollywood and Broadway powerhouse Deborah Martin Chase.
To read more about Beverly and sign up for her newsletter, visit her at www.BeverlyJenkins.net.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
April 15, 2018
Nope, nope, NOPE.
Here what didn’t work:
1. He propositions to buy her “services” for a year 🤢
2. Until he finds a “real” wife
3. He lets her go even though he “loves” her so much and cares nothing for her safety. Let me elaborate, her life was very much in danger!
4. After letting her go (who he “loves” beyond life) what does he do? Oh, he looks for another wife! If the other woman didn’t refuse to be a second best they WOULD be married. Let’s be honest and let’s face the fact. The only reason the second marriage didn’t happen was because SHE rejected HIM. Not because of his reluctance. He was PRETTY eager to move on. I’m actually going to go ahead and call this cheating. At least emotionally.
5. Let’s come to the reconciliation. At NO point of time did he think of looking for her or bring her back.
IF the friend didn’t send him the letter telling about the baby he would have looked for another wife who wasn’t a soiled dove and who wouldn’t have minded being a second best. Only, ONLY when he received the news of pregnancy did he go to the heroine and asked her to come back. So just because he says “marry me because I want you, not because of the baby” it makes it not about the baby? WHO is THAT naive? Actions speaks louder than words. His actions tell me it’s ALL about the baby. He wouldn’t even be there if it wasn’t for the baby. He WASN’T there until it was for the baby. So no. He only offered marriage for the baby. Please, do go ahead and try to convince me otherwise. Trust me, I’ll be nicer than the hero and less judgemental and will give your opinion a chance.
6. He claimed he let her go because he had to think about the girls, and almost gotten married to someone else. So that threat doesn’t exist anymore now that she’s pregnant? (Well it doesn’t, but HE doesn’t know that!) And what if he heard about this after he was married to the OW of the OW decided to be a second best? Please tell be how is there a rescuing of this shit? I really need to what he’d do if he heard about the baby AFTER getting re-married. He really would have been. I’m NOT torturing myself with what ifs. The OW refused to marry him not the other way round, there was NO indication that he’d have backed out from his offer if she said yes. What would he do with the heroine and the kid then?
He was a loser and tosser!
If it was a modern story I’d have said she should have stayed divorced and taken custody of all THREE kids.
She deserved better.
Ok let me reinstate in bold!
He had EVERY intention of marrying the OW. Would have been married to her by the time the letter containing news of heroine’s pregnancy has come to him IF the wonderful woman HERSELF didn’t reject HIM. What would he do if he heard about the pregnancy if he was already married to Cordelia? What would this SO “honourable” man do then? HE got rejected. He wouldn’t have rejected OW despite being in love with heroine and would’ve received the news of pregnancy when he was a married man!
Here what didn’t work:
1. He propositions to buy her “services” for a year 🤢
2. Until he finds a “real” wife
3. He lets her go even though he “loves” her so much and cares nothing for her safety. Let me elaborate, her life was very much in danger!
4. After letting her go (who he “loves” beyond life) what does he do? Oh, he looks for another wife! If the other woman didn’t refuse to be a second best they WOULD be married. Let’s be honest and let’s face the fact. The only reason the second marriage didn’t happen was because SHE rejected HIM. Not because of his reluctance. He was PRETTY eager to move on. I’m actually going to go ahead and call this cheating. At least emotionally.
5. Let’s come to the reconciliation. At NO point of time did he think of looking for her or bring her back.
IF the friend didn’t send him the letter telling about the baby he would have looked for another wife who wasn’t a soiled dove and who wouldn’t have minded being a second best. Only, ONLY when he received the news of pregnancy did he go to the heroine and asked her to come back. So just because he says “marry me because I want you, not because of the baby” it makes it not about the baby? WHO is THAT naive? Actions speaks louder than words. His actions tell me it’s ALL about the baby. He wouldn’t even be there if it wasn’t for the baby. He WASN’T there until it was for the baby. So no. He only offered marriage for the baby. Please, do go ahead and try to convince me otherwise. Trust me, I’ll be nicer than the hero and less judgemental and will give your opinion a chance.
6. He claimed he let her go because he had to think about the girls, and almost gotten married to someone else. So that threat doesn’t exist anymore now that she’s pregnant? (Well it doesn’t, but HE doesn’t know that!) And what if he heard about this after he was married to the OW of the OW decided to be a second best? Please tell be how is there a rescuing of this shit? I really need to what he’d do if he heard about the baby AFTER getting re-married. He really would have been. I’m NOT torturing myself with what ifs. The OW refused to marry him not the other way round, there was NO indication that he’d have backed out from his offer if she said yes. What would he do with the heroine and the kid then?
He was a loser and tosser!
If it was a modern story I’d have said she should have stayed divorced and taken custody of all THREE kids.
She deserved better.
Ok let me reinstate in bold!
He had EVERY intention of marrying the OW. Would have been married to her by the time the letter containing news of heroine’s pregnancy has come to him IF the wonderful woman HERSELF didn’t reject HIM. What would he do if he heard about the pregnancy if he was already married to Cordelia? What would this SO “honourable” man do then? HE got rejected. He wouldn’t have rejected OW despite being in love with heroine and would’ve received the news of pregnancy when he was a married man!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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October 10, 2019Absolute magic. Like a fool, I had been skirting this one because I'm not a massive fan of kids in romance but having read Always and Forever it became imperative to have Loreli the gambler's story.
It's a doozy. Loreli is self-made rich, a gambler, sex positive and feminist, well-connected by nefarious means and uses her privilege for good, doesn't give an inch, but gives everything else because she has a heart the size of a small state. She is fantastic.
It would be impossible to match her with an equally cool and kickass partner, so Ms Bev doesn't. Instead there's Jake, a hog farmer (!) with a miserable joyless religious background and a tendency to be judgy (!!) who has virtually no sexual experience, so their first time he just comes after thirty seconds and rolls over (there are not enough exclamation marks but reader, I howled). Jake is also a union organiser and activist, a cmmitted and decent man who will do anything for his orphaned nieces so it's not like he's a pointless reclamation project. We can see why Loreli bothers, and it's touching how he blossoms into a someone far more capable of pleasure in life, out of his narrow miserable box, under her mind-opening influence.
Plus, and here I just hold my hands up in awe, the kids are lovely and I enjoyed reading about them. It's a hugely warm and loving book and I felt infinitely better for it.
It's a doozy. Loreli is self-made rich, a gambler, sex positive and feminist, well-connected by nefarious means and uses her privilege for good, doesn't give an inch, but gives everything else because she has a heart the size of a small state. She is fantastic.
It would be impossible to match her with an equally cool and kickass partner, so Ms Bev doesn't. Instead there's Jake, a hog farmer (!) with a miserable joyless religious background and a tendency to be judgy (!!) who has virtually no sexual experience, so their first time he just comes after thirty seconds and rolls over (there are not enough exclamation marks but reader, I howled). Jake is also a union organiser and activist, a cmmitted and decent man who will do anything for his orphaned nieces so it's not like he's a pointless reclamation project. We can see why Loreli bothers, and it's touching how he blossoms into a someone far more capable of pleasure in life, out of his narrow miserable box, under her mind-opening influence.
Plus, and here I just hold my hands up in awe, the kids are lovely and I enjoyed reading about them. It's a hugely warm and loving book and I felt infinitely better for it.
October 1, 2020
3.5 stars -- there was some craziness at the end that deflated this for me some.
I did love the setting (KANSAS!) and Loreli and the twins. Very well researched. The hero had a lot of heart and goodness, but needed to be more proactive, IMO. My second by Jenkins and I will read more. Even if there's something about the plot or romance that is not to my taste, her use of setting and history is fantastic and makes it worth it, and that is a major component of my reading HR. That is also the X factor on what will get me to read more by an HR author.
I did love the setting (KANSAS!) and Loreli and the twins. Very well researched. The hero had a lot of heart and goodness, but needed to be more proactive, IMO. My second by Jenkins and I will read more. Even if there's something about the plot or romance that is not to my taste, her use of setting and history is fantastic and makes it worth it, and that is a major component of my reading HR. That is also the X factor on what will get me to read more by an HR author.
December 7, 2024
Reread, Dec 2024:
I loved this one a few years back when I read it and since first reading it I have read all of Queen Bev’s historical romances and this one remains one of my favorites still. Bev always writes strong heroines and Loreli is one of my favorites of hers, she’s been through so much and her character’s backstory hits hard. I remembered loving all the time with Loreli, the girls, the slice of life details we get of the community and townspeople (Bev always has such rich, layered communities in her books). An easy favorite, highly recommend still!
1st Read, Aug 2021:
Loreli travels to Kansas with a group of mail-order brides and before she’s about to head off to her next adventure, she gets stopped by 8-year-old twin girls who want to find their Uncle Jake a wife so they can have a new Mama. Loreli and the girls bond right away and as she sets out to return them home, she meets their Uncle Jake. Jake is a hog farmer and has been wanting to find a wife as his hands are full trying to raise his sister’s twin girls. He realizes quickly it isn’t just the girls who are so taken with Loreli and has a proposition for her…join them at their house and be the “Mama” the girls are in desperate need of for a year while he searches for a wife. But of course, things don’t go quite as planned…
I love a strong heroine and every time I read a Beverly Jenkins I’m like “yes this is my favorite heroine she’s written”, but omg Loreli is my favorite heroine she’s ever written…top tier! She’s a gambler, a self-made rich woman (“domestics clean houses, I buy them”), and I just love the way she took control of her life, her finances, and her sexuality. Jake had very little sexual experience and was also under the impression that only men can experience pleasure, because of course a man told him that. 🙄😅 I loved how after their first and terribly short encounter, Loreli has a talk with Jake about exactly the ways of pleasuring a woman and sets him on the right path. Their relationship was just healthy and felt so real. The twin girls were adorable and I loved their relationship with Loreli, she teaches them how to care for themselves and to never rely on a man to do things for you (whether learning to ride horses or handle their money). Loreli lost her own mother when she was young, so she definitely connects to the girls over that. Such a fantastic book and I can’t wait to continue on my binge of Bev’s backlist.
I loved this one a few years back when I read it and since first reading it I have read all of Queen Bev’s historical romances and this one remains one of my favorites still. Bev always writes strong heroines and Loreli is one of my favorites of hers, she’s been through so much and her character’s backstory hits hard. I remembered loving all the time with Loreli, the girls, the slice of life details we get of the community and townspeople (Bev always has such rich, layered communities in her books). An easy favorite, highly recommend still!
1st Read, Aug 2021:
Loreli travels to Kansas with a group of mail-order brides and before she’s about to head off to her next adventure, she gets stopped by 8-year-old twin girls who want to find their Uncle Jake a wife so they can have a new Mama. Loreli and the girls bond right away and as she sets out to return them home, she meets their Uncle Jake. Jake is a hog farmer and has been wanting to find a wife as his hands are full trying to raise his sister’s twin girls. He realizes quickly it isn’t just the girls who are so taken with Loreli and has a proposition for her…join them at their house and be the “Mama” the girls are in desperate need of for a year while he searches for a wife. But of course, things don’t go quite as planned…
I love a strong heroine and every time I read a Beverly Jenkins I’m like “yes this is my favorite heroine she’s written”, but omg Loreli is my favorite heroine she’s ever written…top tier! She’s a gambler, a self-made rich woman (“domestics clean houses, I buy them”), and I just love the way she took control of her life, her finances, and her sexuality. Jake had very little sexual experience and was also under the impression that only men can experience pleasure, because of course a man told him that. 🙄😅 I loved how after their first and terribly short encounter, Loreli has a talk with Jake about exactly the ways of pleasuring a woman and sets him on the right path. Their relationship was just healthy and felt so real. The twin girls were adorable and I loved their relationship with Loreli, she teaches them how to care for themselves and to never rely on a man to do things for you (whether learning to ride horses or handle their money). Loreli lost her own mother when she was young, so she definitely connects to the girls over that. Such a fantastic book and I can’t wait to continue on my binge of Bev’s backlist.
February 18, 2022
While I enjoyed most of the story the last part wasn't a favorite of mine. But still it was a good one.. I loved the family dynamics the most and how attached the heroine got to the heros niece's and how attached they got to her. The drama got exciting and was hard to stop listening to but the last bit went down a bit. Although by the end I didn't dislike it either
December 11, 2024
I really wanted to love this one, but aside from the characters that were great, I really couldn't get into this one because the plot was just too slow. This is very much a slice-of-life romance where, after the heroine decides to stay and get married to the hero, they just go around town. They talk to each other a lot. Talk to people in town. The plot picked up at the end and I loved how dramatic it became, but I just need a bit more to the plot of books I read to really enjoy them the whole time!
I do know a ton of people love this one for the characters, and they were great! I did love the nieces and how adorable they were. They played a great part in the story and had great personalities, but I wish a bit more happened in this book!
I do know a ton of people love this one for the characters, and they were great! I did love the nieces and how adorable they were. They played a great part in the story and had great personalities, but I wish a bit more happened in this book!
June 4, 2022
✨He has in fact practiced penetration before (just badly)✨
I really liked the beginning of this!! I was all prepared for my virgin hero moment to come through and shine but this man was absolutely no virgin??! He just was raised to assume women didn’t get pleasure and that it wasn’t his duty to provide it lol???? Idk why this is out on virgin hero lists because I’ve seen it listed MANY times. It’s literally the reason I read this book.
He was cute worrying about his inexperience (because while not virgin, he was inexperienced) but it was more of a pride thing and it kinda got old. He was just straight up bad at it the first time around 40% through. It had potential for sex lessons subplot and it referenced it a few times, but it was never fully explored. Suddenly the next time penetration came around he was just a sex god.
I think I would have given this book 4⭐️ based on the first half! It was good, engaging, and I liked the characters. However, after 50% his character kinda got a bit more controlling and while it wasn’t that off-putting, I was still kinda miffed. Then, the plot just fell apart. It really REALLY felt like exactly what happened with the last third of Night Song. There was a random kidnapping and danger and it just didn’t fit the bill at all. The second half of the book lost track of both the main plot direction and the romance.
I didn’t care about much that happened in the second half seeing as the sex was lackluster and there was less of the two girls. While this is still one of my favorite historical romance covers and I really wish I was smitten, it just didn’t quite work for me by the end.
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶/5
I really liked the beginning of this!! I was all prepared for my virgin hero moment to come through and shine but this man was absolutely no virgin??! He just was raised to assume women didn’t get pleasure and that it wasn’t his duty to provide it lol???? Idk why this is out on virgin hero lists because I’ve seen it listed MANY times. It’s literally the reason I read this book.
He was cute worrying about his inexperience (because while not virgin, he was inexperienced) but it was more of a pride thing and it kinda got old. He was just straight up bad at it the first time around 40% through. It had potential for sex lessons subplot and it referenced it a few times, but it was never fully explored. Suddenly the next time penetration came around he was just a sex god.
I think I would have given this book 4⭐️ based on the first half! It was good, engaging, and I liked the characters. However, after 50% his character kinda got a bit more controlling and while it wasn’t that off-putting, I was still kinda miffed. Then, the plot just fell apart. It really REALLY felt like exactly what happened with the last third of Night Song. There was a random kidnapping and danger and it just didn’t fit the bill at all. The second half of the book lost track of both the main plot direction and the romance.
I didn’t care about much that happened in the second half seeing as the sex was lackluster and there was less of the two girls. While this is still one of my favorite historical romance covers and I really wish I was smitten, it just didn’t quite work for me by the end.
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶/5
September 18, 2020
Not a virgin hero, just bad in bed.
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August 14, 2025RAS for Summer Session 2025
Live Show Aug 20th
Live Show Aug 20th
February 7, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
This book hit all my buttons! Marriage of convenience. Arranged for children to have a mother figure. I loved that the heroine knew how to handle her own sh*t. Her finances, she spoke up for herself and didn’t take any crap from no one. She was totally independent and yet I loved the respect and honor that she gave the hero. She was the one who had the money in this story due to gambling and making good financial choices. She was also the one that had to teach this inexperienced hero how to pleasure and take care of a woman. I’m telling you I was not expecting this at all, but I loved it. The deal was to be married for a year, but well you have to read to find out what happens. Loved it!!
This book hit all my buttons! Marriage of convenience. Arranged for children to have a mother figure. I loved that the heroine knew how to handle her own sh*t. Her finances, she spoke up for herself and didn’t take any crap from no one. She was totally independent and yet I loved the respect and honor that she gave the hero. She was the one who had the money in this story due to gambling and making good financial choices. She was also the one that had to teach this inexperienced hero how to pleasure and take care of a woman. I’m telling you I was not expecting this at all, but I loved it. The deal was to be married for a year, but well you have to read to find out what happens. Loved it!!
December 7, 2024
4.25 stars
Superb romantic leads and chemistry, Beverly Jenkins has always excelled at conjuring up heroines and heroes who are believably dimensional with undeniable charm, and Loreli +Jake in A Chance at Love might take the crown as the best pairing I've read from her thus far — the conservative, yet earnest hero interacting with a worldly, fire-cracker personality of the heroine generated many hilarious scenes (the outcome from their first physical act after a lengthy romantic tension was hilarious and true-to-character!) as well as tenderly emotional ones. This novel is pick-up worthy just for the character work alone.
Plot-wise, I thoroughly enjoyed the small town shenanigans, as well as the historical facts sprinkled throughout (Beverly Jenkins can get side-tracked by being overly generous with laying out her research, but the balance in this novel felt just right). Unfortunately, the last 10-15% of the novel took a turn, with a hastily-introduced antagonist becoming its focal point (a character I assumed previously to be merely a mention in one scene), and the resolution to the romance that felt very temporary with many conflicts unresolved. This 'closing-a-story-with-an-action-set piece' has been a template executed across a couple novels of hers I've read, it is too bad it has always stuck out like narrative sore thumb in an otherwise perfectly told tale.
Still, this might be my new favorite Beverly Jenkins novel, despite the absence of a fitting finale. My previous favorite has been Topaz, which in the Afterword was mentioned to have character overlap with this one, so that's a pleasant nugget of information!
***Historical Hellions Book Club | Octorber 2024 Selection***
Superb romantic leads and chemistry, Beverly Jenkins has always excelled at conjuring up heroines and heroes who are believably dimensional with undeniable charm, and Loreli +Jake in A Chance at Love might take the crown as the best pairing I've read from her thus far — the conservative, yet earnest hero interacting with a worldly, fire-cracker personality of the heroine generated many hilarious scenes (the outcome from their first physical act after a lengthy romantic tension was hilarious and true-to-character!) as well as tenderly emotional ones. This novel is pick-up worthy just for the character work alone.
Plot-wise, I thoroughly enjoyed the small town shenanigans, as well as the historical facts sprinkled throughout (Beverly Jenkins can get side-tracked by being overly generous with laying out her research, but the balance in this novel felt just right). Unfortunately, the last 10-15% of the novel took a turn, with a hastily-introduced antagonist becoming its focal point (a character I assumed previously to be merely a mention in one scene), and the resolution to the romance that felt very temporary with many conflicts unresolved. This 'closing-a-story-with-an-action-set piece' has been a template executed across a couple novels of hers I've read, it is too bad it has always stuck out like narrative sore thumb in an otherwise perfectly told tale.
Still, this might be my new favorite Beverly Jenkins novel, despite the absence of a fitting finale. My previous favorite has been Topaz, which in the Afterword was mentioned to have character overlap with this one, so that's a pleasant nugget of information!
***Historical Hellions Book Club | Octorber 2024 Selection***
September 17, 2025
Back to the wagon trail! Lorelei was the gambler who had no plans to stay in Kansas with the wagon trail. She’s wealthy and headed to California…but twin 8-year-old girls convince her to stay and be their mother. The real plan is to stay until their uncle can find a wife, but we know how that’s going to go.
I enjoyed the return to the wagon trail, though the characters in this story were all new. The children were adorable!
I enjoyed the return to the wagon trail, though the characters in this story were all new. The children were adorable!
June 26, 2010
Once again Beverly Jenkins does an outstanding job with this historical romance. I love her writing and whenever I need a break from the paranormal, she always fits the bill. An intriguing storyteller.
This is the story of Loreli Winters and Jake Reed. Loreli is a very different kind of historical AA heroine from the origins of her birth to her occupation, however, she has a huge heart and a sassy mouth and you can't help but love her. Jake is a hog farmer who has taken over the care of his twin nieces after his sisters death. Realizing that they need a mother, Jake sets out to find one, however, Loreli was not in his plans. If you can, read Topaz before reading this book in order to get a background on some of the "mail order" bride dialog that goes on, however, it is not necessary. This book stands on its own well. If you love historical romances and would enjoy it from an AA perspective, you will love this book. Any of Beverly Jenkins books will give you a great read, as well as solid historical information. Definitely recommend!!
This is the story of Loreli Winters and Jake Reed. Loreli is a very different kind of historical AA heroine from the origins of her birth to her occupation, however, she has a huge heart and a sassy mouth and you can't help but love her. Jake is a hog farmer who has taken over the care of his twin nieces after his sisters death. Realizing that they need a mother, Jake sets out to find one, however, Loreli was not in his plans. If you can, read Topaz before reading this book in order to get a background on some of the "mail order" bride dialog that goes on, however, it is not necessary. This book stands on its own well. If you love historical romances and would enjoy it from an AA perspective, you will love this book. Any of Beverly Jenkins books will give you a great read, as well as solid historical information. Definitely recommend!!
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August 14, 2021Loreli Winters is an amazing heroine, and this book is 100% worth it for Loreli alone. She earned a fortune gambling, and she refuses to be looked down on or allow other people to make her choices. She's sharp, strong, and loving. Loreli's also openly sexual and not a virgin, which I love to see in a historical heroine.
When it comes to the romance in the plot, this wasn't my favorite Jenkins. I didn't really get an emotional connection between Loreli and Jake, though they do seem like they'll be a nice family since they're both so tied to his sister's twins. I also felt like the plot had aspects that felt as though they were punishing women for being sexual, though I am sure this was not intended.
Beverly Jenkins' books have all been very worth reading for me due to the historical context and representation, even if the romance doesn't hit. I would absolutely still recommend this, and I think Staunton does a great job narrating.
When it comes to the romance in the plot, this wasn't my favorite Jenkins. I didn't really get an emotional connection between Loreli and Jake, though they do seem like they'll be a nice family since they're both so tied to his sister's twins. I also felt like the plot had aspects that felt as though they were punishing women for being sexual, though I am sure this was not intended.
Beverly Jenkins' books have all been very worth reading for me due to the historical context and representation, even if the romance doesn't hit. I would absolutely still recommend this, and I think Staunton does a great job narrating.
September 3, 2020
Loreli and Jake. A beautiful, sassy heroine that knows how to stand up for herself. O and is a gambler and a great one at that. Heroine is 35 Hero is 37. Jake is raising his sister Bonnie's children, Bebe and Dede, because she died in a horse accident. The children and Loreli fall into instant love and the story goes on from there. The children are adorable. I enjoyed most of this journey. Jake's sexual experience with paid women and one married woman has him believing that women do not enjoy sex. (He had also read that in books so it seems to back up what he knew about sex). Loreli, needing more finesse than he had showed him how to fulfill her needs as a part of their journey. However, some things fall apart towards the end due to the villain, in which Loreli had a sexual past with, being very over the top. Loreli choosing to leave those children without saying goodbye due to the actions of the villain did not make sense to me. Her not marrying Jake until he and the girls followed her to Philly after he found out she was pregnant with his child- months later was not as romantic as I wanted it to be. Lastly, as a reader I would like the ending to be more concrete with some minor questions answered like since she is very, very rich. Did they stay in Philly, did they go back to Kansas or decide to live all her properties? Was the baby a boy or girl? Trigger warning:
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2025
Loreli Winters came to Kansas with a train of mail-order brides looking for a little adventure before heading further west. When a set of twins decides that she could be their new mother, her heart melts. It means marrying their uncle Jake, a farmer, while Loreli is a gambler, a city woman, and wealthy to boot. But love at first sight for the twins is worth giving the handsome farmer a year at least to find himself someone more appropriate to the Kansas plains.
I always enjoy knowing how much history I'll learn when I pick up a Beverly Jenkins. After reading Love is a War Song, I was looking for another book with BIPOC cowboy roots, and Jenkins is obviously a go-to for the genre. Loreli and Jake are immediately attracted to one another, but the romantic tension in the book is twofold: Jake doesn't think he's good enough or experienced enough to have Loreli as a wife and lover. This leads to sex lessons and watching the two of them navigate class and desire. Loreli is an unlikely mother figure, but a strong woman who can step in to give the twins guidance, and Jake is a farmer who cares deeply for his nieces, is a political organizer for the fledgling farmers' union, and most importantly, an eager learner.
I always enjoy knowing how much history I'll learn when I pick up a Beverly Jenkins. After reading Love is a War Song, I was looking for another book with BIPOC cowboy roots, and Jenkins is obviously a go-to for the genre. Loreli and Jake are immediately attracted to one another, but the romantic tension in the book is twofold: Jake doesn't think he's good enough or experienced enough to have Loreli as a wife and lover. This leads to sex lessons and watching the two of them navigate class and desire. Loreli is an unlikely mother figure, but a strong woman who can step in to give the twins guidance, and Jake is a farmer who cares deeply for his nieces, is a political organizer for the fledgling farmers' union, and most importantly, an eager learner.
June 7, 2023
Actually 4.25 ⭐️
Ok, this relationship made me happy. The romance was a little quick, but Beverly Jenkins writes at a slower pace, so it didn't feel insta-lovey.
My favorite parts were the healthy conversations about sex. It isn't often that a sexual encounter is awkward or that the ML is less experienced in a romance book; it was refreshing to see that here.
Anyway, this was one of the books that reminded me about why I love Mrs. Jenkins' books so much. Stellar!
Ok, this relationship made me happy. The romance was a little quick, but Beverly Jenkins writes at a slower pace, so it didn't feel insta-lovey.
My favorite parts were the healthy conversations about sex. It isn't often that a sexual encounter is awkward or that the ML is less experienced in a romance book; it was refreshing to see that here.
Anyway, this was one of the books that reminded me about why I love Mrs. Jenkins' books so much. Stellar!
July 26, 2023
Well this book proves even an excellent author like Ms Jenkins can lose the plot in the third (second) act.
This book had an excellent premise - our experienced heroine who is making her way West when she meets our hero and his two adorable nieces. Loreli was a great character honestly, she was a gambler, with a touch backstory and at 35 was more mature than the typical ingenue that we can get in historical romance. Plus, she is a fashion plate which brought a smile to my face.
Our hero was good too (though not as great as Loreli), he was political in the best sense and passionate about his cause which I appreciated. Ms Jenkins’ character work is top notch and the way she weaves real history into her stories remains excellent (e.g. there was a reference to the Knights of Labour and Jayhawkers, which I didn’t know anything about). As a result, I was quite enthusiastic about the romance itself and about the first half.
The plotting though was off - right from the beginning the entire meet-cute about a temporary marriage seemed the most stupid idea ever. It gave me pause as this is not typical from what I can tell for Ms. Jenkins. By about Chapter 14 though, the plot of the book had taken a side tangent into crazy town.
I was quite tired and annoyed by the time I finished the book which is not the experience I want from a romance (well reading in general but especially not in romance).
In the end I average the excellent first half with the train wreck of the second and am giving this book 3 stars as a compromise. This plot was ridiculous - but I do like the couple.
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Jan 2021:
So this has a less experience hero which is a chance enough to at I am intrigued but tbh it’s Ms. Jenkins. I’ll probably like it if it had little green aliens and tadpoles
....
Though - thinking about it - green aliens sounds fun in a romance too
This book had an excellent premise - our experienced heroine who is making her way West when she meets our hero and his two adorable nieces. Loreli was a great character honestly, she was a gambler, with a touch backstory and at 35 was more mature than the typical ingenue that we can get in historical romance. Plus, she is a fashion plate which brought a smile to my face.
Our hero was good too (though not as great as Loreli), he was political in the best sense and passionate about his cause which I appreciated. Ms Jenkins’ character work is top notch and the way she weaves real history into her stories remains excellent (e.g. there was a reference to the Knights of Labour and Jayhawkers, which I didn’t know anything about). As a result, I was quite enthusiastic about the romance itself and about the first half.
The plotting though was off - right from the beginning the entire meet-cute about a temporary marriage seemed the most stupid idea ever. It gave me pause as this is not typical from what I can tell for Ms. Jenkins. By about Chapter 14 though, the plot of the book had taken a side tangent into crazy town.
I was quite tired and annoyed by the time I finished the book which is not the experience I want from a romance (well reading in general but especially not in romance).
In the end I average the excellent first half with the train wreck of the second and am giving this book 3 stars as a compromise. This plot was ridiculous - but I do like the couple.
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Jan 2021:
So this has a less experience hero which is a chance enough to at I am intrigued but tbh it’s Ms. Jenkins. I’ll probably like it if it had little green aliens and tadpoles
....
Though - thinking about it - green aliens sounds fun in a romance too
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2021
Why I love reading Beverly Jenkins-
•She never fails to give historical/Political/ commentary about people of colour in the US.
•She writes the best heroines in HR.😇😇
We meet Loreli Winters, who came with other would-be brides on Mail order bride wagon to Kansas. But she has not come to be the bride but to experience an adventure. She is a rich 35-year-old daughter of a mixed-race couple and a gambler by profession. She is sassy, self-reliant, and does not gives two hoots about the norms of society. In Kansas, she meets twin girls, Bibi and Didi, who are looking for a new Mama. ( Yeah, you heard me right. It's a Kidsfic) and decided to be their mother by marrying their uncle Jack for a year. (Spoiler Alert- there is no Marriage of convenience here)
Jack and Loreli often fight over what is the right behaviour for a woman. No, Jack is not terrible the only problem with him is that he is shown as a conventional man from backwaters. Miss Jenkins, writes these heroes who are constantly in dilemma, over women's changing role in society but they are mostly marshmallows for their loved ones.
I love the heroine but I didn't felt much for the hero. I also felt this book was lacking in historical/political intake on People of colour. Plus the plot felt weaker. I realized Miss Jenkin's 'Tempest' is a much better book with the same theme.
•She never fails to give historical/Political/ commentary about people of colour in the US.
•She writes the best heroines in HR.😇😇
We meet Loreli Winters, who came with other would-be brides on Mail order bride wagon to Kansas. But she has not come to be the bride but to experience an adventure. She is a rich 35-year-old daughter of a mixed-race couple and a gambler by profession. She is sassy, self-reliant, and does not gives two hoots about the norms of society. In Kansas, she meets twin girls, Bibi and Didi, who are looking for a new Mama. ( Yeah, you heard me right. It's a Kidsfic) and decided to be their mother by marrying their uncle Jack for a year. (Spoiler Alert- there is no Marriage of convenience here)
Jack and Loreli often fight over what is the right behaviour for a woman. No, Jack is not terrible the only problem with him is that he is shown as a conventional man from backwaters. Miss Jenkins, writes these heroes who are constantly in dilemma, over women's changing role in society but they are mostly marshmallows for their loved ones.
I love the heroine but I didn't felt much for the hero. I also felt this book was lacking in historical/political intake on People of colour. Plus the plot felt weaker. I realized Miss Jenkin's 'Tempest' is a much better book with the same theme.
September 28, 2018
This is my 2nd BJ romance and I had high hopes for this one. The world building was phenomenal but I found the male protagonist, Jake, to not really be likeable. Which was a shame since I really like Lorilei. The storyline became problematic and I just wasn’t as interested in seeing what happened. This won’t make the reread list.
April 20, 2024
This is my 13th Beverly book and at this point I’m convinced she can’t write a bad book haha. I ADORE how she weaves history with romance and plot, it’s perfectly balanced every time honestly. 😮💨
This one also features the “that’s my wife” trope which I go feral for every dang time haha
This one also features the “that’s my wife” trope which I go feral for every dang time haha
September 19, 2020
This is a good read, with likable characters. Nice story, a bit different from the normal romances.
March 9, 2022
Thank Goodness for Beverly Jenkins!! She always gets me through these reading slumps!
June 30, 2025
I love Beverly Jenkins pen game. Overall I really enjoyed this book.
May 3, 2012
I feel like I'm addicted to Beverly Jenkins and her historical romances but I just can't stop. I love the way she writes, I love the history about African American's she weaves into all of them, I love how she shows that not all of them are slaves, that some can trace their linage back to when they first came to America. I love how strong and noble she makes all her heroines and heroes. And this one was no exception. Having met Loreli in TOPAZ and then gotten a chance to see more of her personality in ALWAYS AND FOREVER I was very excited by the fact that she got her own novel. And this did not disappoint. I loved Jake and I love how he was inexperienced when it came to relations and that Lorelai wasn't because that is something you don't see in most romance novels (usually, it's the other way around). I love the twins and I love the storyline. I would give this story 5 stars, however I felt the last thirty pages or so were rushed compared to the rest of the story and I didn't like that. But honestly, this is a really good book. Now I have to go hunt down THE TAMING OF JESSI ROSE to finish this little universe (the hero of that story is the adopted brother of Jackson, the hero of ALWAYS AND FOREVER)
October 31, 2019
I quite enjoyed this one. I adored Loreli what a fun character.
July 23, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up. Exactly what it says on the tin: Miss Loreli Winters traveled on a wagon train bringing mail order brides to the tiny town on Henks, Kansas. Loreli has no intention of staying, but as she's leaving the celebrations, a pair of twins waylay her and ask her to be their new mama. The two are eight years old and have traveled to the brides celebration on their own, so Loreli decides she will at least get them back home. On the way, she learns that the girls' mother recently died, and they are living with their bachelor uncle, Jake Reed. Jake's idea of a good woman is the sour-faced pastor's daughter Rebecca Appleby, who subscribes to the notion that children should be seen and not heard. The twins, Bebe and Dede, do not care for Rebecca, and they have decided that if their uncle won't look for a wife, they will do so on his behalf.
Jake runs into the group on their way back to his farm and he is thunderstruck by Loreli's beauty. Once he manages to get over himself, he notes how well the girls get along with Loreli, in contrast to Rebecca, who usually keeps them when he's away on business. He wants what is best for his nieces, and has already decided against marrying Rebecca, but wants to take his own time and find the ideal wife and mother, which the beautiful and confident Loreli very obviously is not.
Loreli has no notion of being a mother; she's been on her own since she was 14, supporting herself with her daddy's trade (high stakes gambling). She's independently wealthy and definitely knows how to look after #1. She's looking for adventure, but deep down, a little piece of her wants a family to call her own. The twins charm her, and Jake is rather enticing himself. He's her complete opposite - straitlaced, stuffed shirt, dutiful son of a preacher himself, and very content to stay on the same plot of land he was born on.
The twins contrive to bring their reluctant uncle and Miss Loreli together, and eventually he does ask for her hand in marriage - a temporary marriage, that is, so that the girls have a feminine hand in their raising while he's off looking for this ideal woman to be his helpmeet. The idea of Loreli settling down in Henks is pretty shocking to everyone, including Loreli herself, but why not?
The town is divided between those who welcome the new brides and those who shun them. Loreli, the Gambling Queen, is given an especially hostile 'welcome'. She pays them no mind; she takes care of her business and makes plans for her wedding, looking forward to bringing joy into the twins' lives after the trauma of losing their mother.
It's not just the town biddies who are against the marriage (watch as they all line up behind the "scorned" Rebecca), but a few dark secrets from Loreli's past also surface to put her future with Jake and the girls in peril.
I like to think that every ode to, or celebration of, independent women is written for the bevy of Ms Bev's fabulous heroines, who are feisty, confident, and competent in spades. Loreli teaches the twins that they need to know how to do things like open a bank account or order items they need, because they may not have a husband to fall back on. She models a lot of strong ideals for the girls, and the girls and Jake pretty much can't help but fall in love with her. She's right up there with Regan and Billie as one of my favorites heroines, and I'm thrilled to learn that she makes appearances in at least two other novels!
Jake is an excellent stuffed shirt hero. He does not have the worldly experience that Loreli does, but he does not hide behind manly pride (too much) - he is willing to learn what she can teach him, especially when it comes to pleasuring a woman! These two have chemistry out the wazoo and scorch a path through the second half of the book.
I knocked off half a star because the end kinda gets away from the author a little bit; the wedding is disrupted and things just go way off the rails in a myriad of unexpected ways, leading to a third act breakup that really didn't have to happen. This makes the ending feel a bit rushed; some of the strands of secondary stories are dropped (like Bebe racing in The Circle race). But this is a romance novel, and all's well that ends well.
Ms Bev is also known for weaving real history into her novels, and here she touches on not only the mail order bride situation, but also union organizing (extremely prescient to read about in 2025) - not only Pullman porters, but farmers and wage workers who need to make money from their crops in order to support themselves. This was also dropped a bit at the end, but what's here is fascinating!
I would 1000% recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys quieter stories. The drama is all internal - no mystery to solve or fate to overcome or anything like that. Sometimes, in the midst of chaos, it's exactly the sort of escapism that we need.
Jake runs into the group on their way back to his farm and he is thunderstruck by Loreli's beauty. Once he manages to get over himself, he notes how well the girls get along with Loreli, in contrast to Rebecca, who usually keeps them when he's away on business. He wants what is best for his nieces, and has already decided against marrying Rebecca, but wants to take his own time and find the ideal wife and mother, which the beautiful and confident Loreli very obviously is not.
Loreli has no notion of being a mother; she's been on her own since she was 14, supporting herself with her daddy's trade (high stakes gambling). She's independently wealthy and definitely knows how to look after #1. She's looking for adventure, but deep down, a little piece of her wants a family to call her own. The twins charm her, and Jake is rather enticing himself. He's her complete opposite - straitlaced, stuffed shirt, dutiful son of a preacher himself, and very content to stay on the same plot of land he was born on.
The twins contrive to bring their reluctant uncle and Miss Loreli together, and eventually he does ask for her hand in marriage - a temporary marriage, that is, so that the girls have a feminine hand in their raising while he's off looking for this ideal woman to be his helpmeet. The idea of Loreli settling down in Henks is pretty shocking to everyone, including Loreli herself, but why not?
The town is divided between those who welcome the new brides and those who shun them. Loreli, the Gambling Queen, is given an especially hostile 'welcome'. She pays them no mind; she takes care of her business and makes plans for her wedding, looking forward to bringing joy into the twins' lives after the trauma of losing their mother.
It's not just the town biddies who are against the marriage (watch as they all line up behind the "scorned" Rebecca), but a few dark secrets from Loreli's past also surface to put her future with Jake and the girls in peril.
I like to think that every ode to, or celebration of, independent women is written for the bevy of Ms Bev's fabulous heroines, who are feisty, confident, and competent in spades. Loreli teaches the twins that they need to know how to do things like open a bank account or order items they need, because they may not have a husband to fall back on. She models a lot of strong ideals for the girls, and the girls and Jake pretty much can't help but fall in love with her. She's right up there with Regan and Billie as one of my favorites heroines, and I'm thrilled to learn that she makes appearances in at least two other novels!
Jake is an excellent stuffed shirt hero. He does not have the worldly experience that Loreli does, but he does not hide behind manly pride (too much) - he is willing to learn what she can teach him, especially when it comes to pleasuring a woman! These two have chemistry out the wazoo and scorch a path through the second half of the book.
I knocked off half a star because the end kinda gets away from the author a little bit; the wedding is disrupted and things just go way off the rails in a myriad of unexpected ways, leading to a third act breakup that really didn't have to happen. This makes the ending feel a bit rushed; some of the strands of secondary stories are dropped (like Bebe racing in The Circle race). But this is a romance novel, and all's well that ends well.
Ms Bev is also known for weaving real history into her novels, and here she touches on not only the mail order bride situation, but also union organizing (extremely prescient to read about in 2025) - not only Pullman porters, but farmers and wage workers who need to make money from their crops in order to support themselves. This was also dropped a bit at the end, but what's here is fascinating!
I would 1000% recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys quieter stories. The drama is all internal - no mystery to solve or fate to overcome or anything like that. Sometimes, in the midst of chaos, it's exactly the sort of escapism that we need.
April 21, 2025
This is now my favorite Beverly Jenkins. I love Loreli and Jake sooo much!
I also loved the twins (especially since they are primarily to credit for bringing these two together).
This was a perfect historical romance, there was good old fashioned yearning, you have Loreli a woman very ahead of her times and a man named Jake willing to learn with a very open heart. This made for a beautiful story.
This was one of those stories where all you want is MORE! 💗
I also loved the twins (especially since they are primarily to credit for bringing these two together).
This was a perfect historical romance, there was good old fashioned yearning, you have Loreli a woman very ahead of her times and a man named Jake willing to learn with a very open heart. This made for a beautiful story.
This was one of those stories where all you want is MORE! 💗
November 1, 2022
Perfect historical romance! I love that this is Lorelei’s story and addresses some of the major issues of her day (and ours) with a liberal dose of spunk, kindness, and love. Definitely worth reading! 5 stars
August 6, 2023
This was such a sweet and wholesome story. A strong, independent, successful black woman, and a single dad. The children were adorable and the way Loreli bonded with them and took them in as her own was beautiful. I highly recommend this one. 💖
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