Book Review: BEFORE THE DAWN by Beverly Jenkins

From Beverly Jenkins Online!
No Place for a Lady
LeahBarnett can't believe how far fate has carried her: from Boston to the toweringColorado Rockies... and into the life of an angry, ruggedly sexy man.
RyderDamien is not about to welcome this beauty with open arms, however, especiallysince Leah was the one who won the affection of Ryder's late father and now mayinherit his considerable wealth.  Butwhen she stands before him in the flesh - proud, vulnerable, and intoxicatinglylovely - desire replaces hatred in Ryder's heart.  Yet can passion survive this wild land andits dangerous men...and the most breathtaking peril:  untamed love?
My thoughts...
LeahBarnett inherited her mother's tavern, the Black Swan, upon her mother's death.The Black Swan was a Boston establishment that serviced sailors of color. Atthe books opening, Leah is struggling to run the business, barely getting by onthe money coming in.  Louis Montague(Monty), her mother's longtime boyfriend, is near death and convinces Leah tomarry him so that she may claim his Colorado estate. It's not until themarriage is official that Montague surprises Leah with the revelation that heabandoned two sons when he left Colorado. Determined to fulfill his wishes, Leah boards a train to Colorado withCecil Lee (Monty's close friend).
Whenshe arrives in Colorado, she is confronted by Montague's past in the form ofhis son, Ryder Damien. Ryder is angry with Monty and blames him for the deathof his mother, who is a Cheyenne woman. And the make matters worse, Ryderaccuses her of marrying his father for money. Although Ryder is rude and hostile, Leah can't help but be affected by thelonghaired Ryder.  Determined to fulfillMonty's wishes, Leah continues on her quest to claim the inheritance but ishampered by legal issues.  There's acourt judgment against the estate that she must pay off.  If she is unable to pay the debt, she mayforfeit her freedom and her inheritance. Ryder offers her the money...if she'llbe with him.
Beforethe Dawn is an intriguing tale from front to back. The book had everything Iliked in a romance—lies, scandal, regrets, secrets, mystery, and peril aroundthe corner.  It was an adventure.  It raised the hairs on the back of neck...ina 'can't put the book down until I get to the end because I just want to seewho the danger is' kind of way.  Ienjoyed the developing relationship between Ryder and Leah.  I also appreciated the Western United Stateshistory and Native American history weaved into the story. I enjoyed thebreathtaking scenery as well.  Characterslike Seth (the other brother), Cecil, and Samuel made this even better.
Leahwas feisty and definitely up to the challenge of defending Monty's wishes andherself.  But who in their right mindcould resist Ryder? He was the bomb. And I'm glad she couldn't resist him forlong because their love affair was akin to a thrilling spin on rollercoaster.  Loved it. 
Thisis the first book by Ms. Jenkins that I listened to on CD.  I have to say, I enjoyed the experience. Thereader added a layer to the written word and I found myself wishing I could getmy hands on other audiobooks of Ms. Jenkins novels.  In fact, after this one, I picked up Winds of the Storm on CD.  If you like a fast paced adventure with a HOTromance, you'll love Before the Dawn.