Reviews

Winds of the Storm by Beverly Jenkins

speedireads's review

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adventurous inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

ericas_bookshelf's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny hopeful informative mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Listen. It’s Beverly. Ofc it’s perfect. 

I feel like every time I try to review one of her books I end up praising the same things. But that’s because she just NAILS IT every time. She’s a legend for a reason. 

Archer is down BAD and their tension was delicious, the plot was not only compelling and unique, but rich with some really dark history that I personally did not know about, and was shocked to learn. And yes, someone does get kidnapped. Because, of course lmao. 


She is a genius. I love her brain. I will read ANYTHING she writes. That is all. 

tsukibayani's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

jazzreads32's review

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tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Zara Lafayette and Archer Le Veq was so cute especially when he found out she was butterfly. Zara was such a badass woman especially when she pulled out her weapons. I love the fact that Archer fell in love with her first because Archer was a playboy. I love the way that Beverly Jenkins writes her male main characters because the love  Archer love for Zara was so raw and real. Beverly Jenkins makes me love regarding historical romance. 

kaydawn's review against another edition

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5.0

These LeVeq men are killer. Like each time I’m wanting the woman to hold out longer against their charms but damn are they good. I love a good woman spy story too. Zahra was a delight and Archer did not disappoint as a LeVeq son. I loved the mystery of her identity aspect that stumped him for a while. 

sarahanne8382's review against another edition

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4.0

I'm always kind of amazed by romance writers who can put a lot of heat and and an important story in the same book, and that seems to be Jenkins' special talent. This time we get to learn about Union spies and how their work continued through Reconstruction, in this case, following the spy who saved Archer LeVeq's life during the Civil War.

yourbookishbff's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Ok, I LOVED this. Our female main character is a famed spy for the Union (known as "The Butterfly") and she's been thrown back into duty after the war as a fake madame for New Orleans' newest gentleman's club. She's reluctant to return to spying, but is pressured by the current administration and her good friend Harriet Tubman in a trade-off that will hopefully help protect her parents' right to land. She's from the swamps of South Carolina and knows how to defend herself (which she demonstrates, repeatedly, much to my delight), and has to navigate what her future holds post-war and what kind of life she wants to build for herself. Our male main character is another fairly spoiled Le Veq brother (Archer, this time), and our prologue introduction is pitch-perfect (who doesn't love a man who needs rescued by a woman undercover). Years after their initial encounter, he is wandering through life, well-intentioned but aimless, and his reunion with the spy who saved him is a chance for him to find both purpose and partnership. We have a high-stakes mix of hidden identity and class difference, with original twists on familiar tropes (like sex lessons), and a plot that paces well with the romance from start to finish.

My ONLY gripe is that we have a truly bizarre set of twins in the secondary cast, and I did NOT need their scenes in my brain box. Check content warnings, but holy heck I could have done without their characterization and their role at the sex club. 
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rosh's review

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adventurous lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

thebookdivareads's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

luizalikesbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging informative inspiring tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

i freaking love anything written by auntie Bev Jenkins, this was not different! Freaking LOVED the Butterfly in this book! Archer LeVeq didn't disappoint either but Zahra Lafayette was just on another level! She took no shit and was a badass
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