Night Hawk by Beverly Jenkins is a historical romance set in the 1870s, following the journey of Maggie Freeman, a mixed-race orphan with a troubled past, and Ian Vance, a preacher and former bounty hunter. The plot revolves around their unlikely partnership as they navigate through Kansas and Wyoming, facing discrimination, danger, and a vigilante mob. The writing style is described as clever, well-paced, and laugh-out-loud funny, with a focus on the challenges and triumphs of the main characters as they find love and happiness amidst adversity.

Characters:

The characters are richly developed, showcasing strength, vulnerability, and complexity in a historical context, with both protagonists overcoming personal and societal challenges.

Writing/Prose:

The author's prose is characterized by its wit, engaging storytelling, and ability to weave history into the romantic journey of the characters.

Plot/Storyline:

The story intertwines elements of love, survival, and historical challenges faced by mixed-race characters, featuring a bounty hunter and an accused woman navigating societal prejudices.

Setting:

The setting is vibrantly depicted, showcasing the American frontier and contextual historical elements significant to the narrative.

Pacing:

The pacing is dynamic, keeping readers engaged with a blend of action, character development, and romantic interplay throughout the narrative.

Preparing dinner in the kitchen of the whorehouse where she worked as the cook, Maggie Freeman decided she’d had enough. If the owner, Hugh Langley, tried to force himself upon her again, she’d have t...

Notes:

The novel Night Hawk is set in 1889 in Dowd, Kansas.

The main characters are Ian Vance, an outlaw preacher and former bounty hunter, and Maggie Freeman, an orphaned woman.

Both characters face discrimination as people of color with mixed descent.

Maggie is a strong female character who accidentally kills a man in self-defense.

Ian, also known as 'The Preacher', is of Scottish descent and a bounty hunter.

The story includes themes of love, history, and adventure.

Maggie's past includes being mistreated as a child and facing injustices as an adult.

The book explores various aspects of Black, Chinese American, and Native American history.

The relationship progresses quickly as they marry in the middle of the story.

Readers find both characters' chemistry and development compelling throughout the story.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The book contains themes of racial discrimination, attempted sexual assault, and violence, which may be triggering for some readers.

Has Romance?

The romance between Ian and Maggie is central to the narrative, characterized by passion, depth, and development.

implied steam level

From The Publisher:

"Beverly Jenkins has reached romance superstardom ."

-Detroit Free Press

"Jenkins's sassy heroines, well drawn secondary characters and seamless incorporation of black history result in a fresh, winning historical."

-Publishers Weekly

The premier name in African-American historical romance fiction, the incomparable Beverly Jenkins returns to the American West with Night Hawk-a blistering tale of high-stakes romance that unites a hard-as-nails bounty hunter with a gorgeous spitfire whom he rescues from a vigilante mob. Set in 1884 Wyoming, Night Hunter by multiple Emma Award winner Jenkins offers a breathtaking combination of passion and adventure that will surely increase her already substantial legion of dedicated fans.

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About the Author:

Beverly Jenkins is the recipient of the 2018 Michigan Author Award by the Michigan Library Association, the 2017 Romance Writers of America 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 in both 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.

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