American Bourbon

by Jennifer Jenkins

“Jennifer Jenkins’s AMERICAN BOURBON is a compelling and potent family saga filled with evocative characters as strong and flinty as the Appalachia hills from whence they come, set against a smooth plot that goes down with an easy, supple, clean finish.” –Tony Ray Morris, author of DEEP RIVER BLUES “Peopled with a cast of characters and a setting out of an early Cormac McCarthy novel, American Bourbon . . . starts out with a burn, working its way through you, then settling into your bones, where memories of the journey linger.” – Jeff Talarigo, Author of THE PEARL DIVER “A day of reckoning, as thick as the fog in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, looms over the McKinsey clan in this spirited tale of fury, whiskey and grief. And while Jenkins’ rendering of Caleb, the abusive and hard-driving patriarch who parlays an illegal moonshining operation into a multi-million dollar company, is harsh, there is grace to be found among his three grown children as they find their way back to one another. Illuminating, nuanced and heartfelt.” – Laurie Loewenstein, Author of DEATH OF A RAINMAKER When an illegal moonshine still explodes deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the McKinsey family’s world-famous (and legal) whiskey, Bourbon Sweet Tea, is threatened. Government agents swarm the area, eager to implicate Sweet Tea founder Caleb McKinsey, who was a notorious bootlegger before going legit. Finding out he is dying, McKinsey’s ready to hand on his legacy. But none of his children are on speaking terms. His daughter Brigit is determined to remake the company against her father’s will, while his sons want nothing to do with their abusive father. When Caleb dangles a lucrative inheritance if all his children return, Brigit and her older brother Mack grudgingly call a truce to find missing brother Kieran. They journey to New York City, where Kieran fled after his girlfriend disappeared. As crimes from Caleb’s past promise to destroy Bourbon Sweet Tea, the only way to save their company is for Brigit to convince her brothers to embrace the family legends, and live as outlaws once again.

259 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2021

About the author

Jennifer Jenkins has written for Hippocampus Magazine, NonBinary Review, Up North Lit, Canopy Review, Parentheses Journal, and others. She earned two Glimmer Train Fiction Award honorable mentions and a nomination for a PEN America Short Story Award. She has also worked in the theater, with Manhattan Theatre Club, Sondheim’s Young Playwrights, and the PBS series Great Performances.

Reviews

[Rachel's Review! · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is titled "American Bourbon" and is penned by Jennifer Jenkins in 2021. This book is about a family business that feels threatened due to outsiders, and it has to be passed on to a trustworthy person to save its legacy. The Bourbon Sweet Whiskey is is a family business run by Caleb McKinsey which is world-famous indeed. The family business faces a sudden threat, and now Caleb McKinsey wishes to hand over the legacy. But will this be as simple as expected? Caleb's children are expected to return but then they have their reasons to hate and stay away from their father. Grab this book to know what happens to Caleb and his children along with his world-famous business as well.

Overall the plot runs to 259 pages with a full-fledged story about the family business which needs to be saved. There is a theme of revenge, togetherness, family relationships etc which runs throughout the fast-paced plot. Characters are closer to reality, and the scenes they are present is organic too. Of all the characters, Brigit proves to be diplomatic and she rises to the situation, unlike her brothers. The usage of flashbacks and other literary techniques increases the curiosity while reading. The emotions embedded in the layers of the pages speaks volumes and shows the survival nature of the characters induced in the work.

The descriptions are well penned and it gives a sense of visualisation. The language is standard and it makes proper literature. The style is engaging as well as there is not a moment of tiredness while reading. The ball sets rolling the moment Caleb is introduced in the first chapter with all the smoke and curse surrounding him. Henceforth, this novel is recommended to those who love to read a fast-paced story that focuses on limited characters.

[Agnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bourbon drinker but may need to have a shot, or two, just to understand the desire for the stuff.

Did like the interactions of family members, past and present, and how situations developed. It did get rather graphic at points.

Special addition: When I contacted Jenkins as to her elementary school, she confirmed it as Roslund Elementary, where I do believe I taught her in Third Grade! How special is that?! Will be eagerly waiting for next novel.

[Anne London · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow to start

I really struggled with this and contemplated not finishing it I'm glad I did as the end was better and I hate leaving a book unfinished. In my opinion, something to read if you are looking for a book related to whiskey in the VA mountains.