Breathless audiobook

Didn’t love this one as much as the other 2 in the series but it was still thoroughly enjoyable! Kent and Portia’s romance is slow and sweet. I LOVED his nickname Duchess for her. This series is a must read if you love western historical romances.

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.I really enjoyed this book. I was so happy to see so many wonderful character from the first book in the series, Forbidden, featured in this book. I found this book to be a really easy read and liked the sweeter romance that it offered. The western setting was very well done and quite a lot of fun. The book focuses on Portia and Kent. Portia came to live with her Aunt Eddy and Uncle Rhine when she was 12 years old. They are forced to leave Virgina City shortly after the events of the first book. The family ends up in the Arizona Territory running a successful hotel. Portia has grown up to be an intelligent and very capable woman who handles most of the day to day operations of the hotel. She is very business minded and has no desire to marry.Kent's life has been rather adventurous since he fled Virginia City with Portia's family. He is now the rancher he always wanted to be and is hoping to settle down a bit. He signs on to work with Rhine and soon is put in charge of the adjoining ranch. He is a very hard worker and an all around good guy.I liked Portia and Kent together. This romance was really quite sweet. Portia is very innocent and the bulk of the book covers the couple getting to know each other. I liked how Kent handling all of the attention that Portia was getting from her long time suitors. He seemed to know just the right thing to say to handle a situation. It was nice watch this couple fall in love with each other.I would recommend this book to others. I didn't like it quite as much as I liked Eddy and Rhine's story but I thought it was a solid romance. Having Eddy, Rhine, and other characters from the previous book play an important roles in this book was a nice surprise. I can't wait to read the next book in this series!I received an advanced reader edition of this book from Avon Books via Edelweiss.

This was a lovely Valentine's Weekend read.I liked this in many ways, the main character is a woman interested in early feminism and uninterested in marriage. I loved the historical imformation, this authors research is top notch and smoothly included in the narrative.Still I don't much care for rom

This was lovely, sweet, and romantic. I love Beverly's books so much. Her sense of family, the old fashioned romance, and the hope threaded through the character's lives is perfectly done. This wasn't quite as good as Forbidden but still really great.

Rating~ 4.5 starsSuch a great read!Portia ‘Duchess’ Carmichael is the manger of the Fontaine Hotel. Portia had a very difficult childhood which was further made difficult when her mother decides to abandon her sister and her to their aunt. It took a long time for Portia to pare her deep distrust of men that her mother was responsible for. Portia now has a lovely family, she loves her aunt and uncle like her parent and her sister. What she doesn’t want to be married or be in love. She is truly adamant that it she doesn’t need love that is before one cowboy comes back into her life.Kent Randolph is finally reunited with his friends the Fontaines, after travelling and just drifting through life he has finally decided to settle down and put down some roots. Seeing Portia, who he knew as a child is another boon for him. Convincing the woman to give him a shot might take him some time but he’s in it for the long haul.The romance we get in this book had this gentle, caring sweet and humorous filled quality to it that I adored. I truly didn’t want to it end. As a fan western historical romance I know I’ll rereading this again! I think its one of most healthy relationships I’ve read in a while, it was a very natural progression to their attraction and caring to move on and fall in love. I can’t even articulate properly the feeling I had while reading their romance, it was just great.They were so good and adorable together. Kent made Portia smile, laugh, live a little and encouraged her to after her dreams while Portia took her time understanding the man that Kent had become, who was not only hard working, intelligent but a genuinely nice guy who understands her better than anyone.I also loved the friendships and the family dynamic the book had! Regan and Portia were very close together and Beverly Jenkins showed their sweet, teasing and loving relationship quite well at the same time showed how different they were from each other. The characters were also fantastic along with that it also some historical details that I wasn’t aware making it even more interesting.Overall, it was joy to read, I was smiling through out the book and I can’t wait for Regan’s story, Portia’s sister who really wants to find love. ARC was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The narrator was spot on, and flowed as the reader was transported back to the wild Wild West. In this second installment of Beverly Jenkins series.Portia Carmichael and Kent Randolph’s journey to love was a treat to listening to. I love how at the heart of this story was family, progress and personal growth. No one character was perfect but each one learned from their past. This series had some sprinkles of historical qualms regarding both Blacks and Native Americans plights in the old territory.I enjoyed the love story and I enjoyed the hard work ethic that the hero and heroine displayed. They felt sweet and sexy together. It was a fun book to listen to.

Last year I read the first book in this series, Forbidden, and I enjoyed it but I definitely like Breathless better. Our heroine in Breathless is the niece of the hero and heroine in Forbidden - Eddy and Rhine - who play a prominent part in this book. It's fun to see them fully enjoying their HEA. Portia and her sister Regan came to live with Rhine and Eddy when their mother, a prostitute, could no longer care for them. Rhine and Eddy have given them a good life, and now living in the Arizona Territory, Portia does the books and helps run the fancy hotel and uncle and aunt own. They also start exploring offering a "dude ranch" to clients which is a fun venture. Portia is twenty-seven and a serious woman. No need for passion or love in her life - she is just fine keeping busy at the hotel, no matter how much prodding her more crazy sister pokes at her.Kent Randolph has had a busy adult life - first he found himself in a Mexican prison, and then he headed west to Montana and worked on various ranches breaking in horses. He is now ready to settle down a bit and finds his way to Rhine. A former bartender to Rhine, he knew Portia when she was just twelve years old (he is six years older). He hasn't seen her in many years but when he runs into her at Rhine's hotel, he is stunned. She is beautiful, but still the serious, rigid girl he remembered from all those years ago, earning the nickname "Duchess" from him. Portia gets a little hot and bothered by Kent, something she didn't expect. When he decides to stay on and help run a neighboring ranch, things start to heat up between them.I really like Kent and Portia together. Since they knew each other from childhood, while they have to take some time to be reunited, Kent knows her enough to fondly tease her. He knows Portia is turned on by him, but of course refuses to admit it or show him any sign of it. Portia runs her romance life like she runs the hotel - with efficiency and no-nonsense. Even when she finally admits that she may want to kiss him, it's serious stuff:"I want you to kiss me."Caught off guard, he froze. "I'm sorry. I must've misheard you. Say that again."She looked irritated. "I want you to kiss me.""May I ask why?""I need to cure myself of whatever these feelings are I'm starting to have for you, and don't ask me what feelings. You know what I mean.""I do," he said as he studied her gorgeous ebony face. She looked so put out he wanted to smile but kept his features bland. "Have you ever been kissed before?""No.""Then I should warn you that this probably won't cure you, Duchess. In fact, it might make matters worse."Not so fast Portia. Kent is more than willing to oblige but he wants to court her and be romantic. He shows her what an actual kiss can be like - and then there is no turning back for her."So," he said softly. "Let's give you this kiss..."He released her hand and when he slowly traced a finger down her cheek, the resulting spark was so startling, she jumped.Amusement shone in his eyes. "I can see you're going to manage this real well, Duchess."She came to her own defense. "You - you surprised me. I thought you were going to kiss me not touch me.""Touching's important sometimes. You don't want a man to just grab you and plant his lips on yours. There's no passion in that.""I don't want pass..." The word died as his finger boldly traced her bottom lip. All thought fled.Although she lets Kent in, she still holds strong in her more serious demeanor which made me smile.Along the way, other suitors try to woo Portia which keeps her busy. There is also some drama at the ranch that Rhine takes over that everyone has to deal with.There is big drama at the very end which seemed kind of rushed and I could have lived without it. But I really enjoyed Kent and Portia's romance. Looking forward to Regan's story.Grade: B

I liked the slice of life feeling of this story. :)

4.5 stars

4.5 out of 5I read these books in reverse order. This is the second book in the Od West series and in this book Portia, the older sister of Regan. Portia is very goal focused. She works in pretty much running the hotel that Rhine Fontaine (hero of Forbidded and husband of Eddy, Portia’s aunt) She is the numbers person and she also has hopes of starting her own company. Therefore she has not time for frivolity. She’s therefore rather flustered when an old family friend, Kent Randolph shows up. He used to work for Rhine years ago. Then tragedy struck and their home was burned to the ground, the Fontaines relocated and built a successful business and Kent just drifted all over that time. But now he has dreams of settling down and making a home for himself. And now that Portia is all grown up, she’s the one he wants to share his life with. However Portia isn’t so sure even though she’s wildly attracted to him. Her career is very important to her and she doesn’t want to give it up.This is another book I truly enjoyed by Ms. Jenkins. It’s so nice seeing Rhine and Eddy again and Kent is a great hero. Portia is the real star though. I’m seeing that Beverly excels at writing strong heroines and I love that about her books. I’m ever so glad I have more ahead to read.

Beverly Jenkins writing makes me blush and giddy like a schoolgirl. I'm over here feeling like a teenager lol. Her books are so much fun for me to read. All I need is some sand and a blanket and I'd be ALL smiles.30% Done: BLUSHING!90% Done: Chiiilllllleeeee, this book is juicy! So let me explain. This is only my second Beverly Jenkins book, the first being Forbidden which is in no way as scandalous as this one. Fam! I'M LISTENING TO THIS BOOK AT WORK! I wasn't ready lol

*4.5 stars So soft and sweet loved every minute of it._______________________________________________Reread 24/01/23 Still my absolute fav 😍😍