Jackson's Justice

By: Maddie Taylor

Narrated by: Gideon Welles

Length: 14 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's Summary

Twenty-year-old Jenny Harper has been in love with Heath Jackson since the day she saw him leap from a galloping horse to save an old woman when she was 11 years old. Over the years, Jenny has watched the women swarm around Heath, but she has her heart set on him and she is not one to give up easily. One way or another, she will show Heath she is a grown woman, ready for a husband, not the child he remembers tagging along after his younger brother. 

Unfortunately for Jenny, ever since he was left at the altar by a foolish girl who ran off to marry a wealthy old man, Heath Jackson has sworn off marriage, preferring instead the company of widows and saloon girls. And in any case, though he has secretly lusted after her for years, as far as Heath is concerned Jenny is too young, too much like family, and too eager to wed. 

But when tragedy strikes, putting more on Jenny’s shoulders than she can bear, her only hope of saving her family home lies in marrying quickly. Can Heath sit back while other men vie for her affections? Can he bear to watch in silence as she chooses a weakling when she desperately needs a strong man like him, one who will keep her safe and give her the sound discipline she needs when her impulsive ways place her in danger? Or will he stand up and claim what should be his, even if it means risking his heart again? 

Publisher’s Note: Jackson’s Justice is a stand-alone novel, which is the second entry in the Jackson Brothers series. It includes spankings and sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don't buy this audiobook. 

©2015 Stormy Nights Publications (P)2018 Maddie Taylor

Enjoyable story

I anticipated that I wasn’t going to care very much for this book. It sounded good and so I thought it was worth a try and since I got it for free what’s to lose right? My hopes weren’t very high though just because it was an author that I didn’t know, a narrator I didn’t know, and free. However, I was pleasantly surprised! The story was actually very captivating, and I even found myself looking for excuses to be able to listen to it. There was a lot of spanking in the book, as it says in the description. I personally don’t mind that kind of thing in a book, but the way that it was written in here just got really really annoying. It wasn’t written in a way that was enjoyable, it was written in a way that was disciplinary between a husband and a wife, where it would be more appropriate between a father and a child. So that could have been written a little bit differently, but again neither was it a dealbreaker, it was just a huge eye roll.

The narrator was good enough, but I tend to prefer female narrators for romances. Really the only problem that I had was during the intimate scenes, and it just felt really really awkward to hear this man reading these extremely graphic scenes. It just felt a little bit inappropriate and I actually fast forwarded through most of them which is something I never do. The narrator might be newer to narrating, but he did a good enough job. I wouldn’t seek him out nor would I avoid him if I saw that he was narrating something. I feel like his narration might be more appropriate set in something other than romance, or at least this graphic of a romance.

All in all, it was an enjoyable enough read. I probably won’t seek out the previous, or next, book in the series, but I don’t feel like I wasted my time. Just that one was enough for me.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Loved it!!

I loved Heath and Jenny. This audio made me laugh and cry, it had twist and turns and steamy sex. I want a Jackson man!! I can't wait to read Luke's story.

Refreshing and entertaining~

Although western romances are not my usually, I highly enjoyed Jackson's Justice.

Old fashioned cowboy justice with a bit of naughty romance. How cute is the naive innocence of Jenny Harper? How sexy is it that the rugged Heath Jackson knows how to paddle a bottom and it seems this trait runs in the family. LOL! You have to read it to understand what I mean.
Anyway this book had so much going for it.
A time when life was harder and women were set up for marriage.
It's wonderful to have some sass in the women and funny to see the end results of this.
We have adventure, love, kidnapping and so much more.
I find myself endeared by this story and wanting more.
A pleasant change of pace for me and a wonderful story for readers of all types of romance.

This series just gets more fun

Once again Maddie Taylor has transported the reader to the old frontier and created a story that is humorous, sensual, suspenseful and full of old-fashioned love. I received this audio book in exchange for a review. The lightheartedness of this novel that underlies everything else going on makes this a really refreshing and easy listen. Gideon Welles does such a great job of making the characters believable and distinguishable from each other. It is so engaging that the 14+ hours just escaped me. I listened to this book over the course of several days but it was easy to listen for hours at a stretch. Maddie tells an excellent tale and I am looking forward to the third book in the series.

A Little Too Long

I really think I preferred the first book. I listened to the Audiobook for this one.

The narration was decent. There was just so much going on in this one book. It actually felt like listening to more than one book. It took forever for Jenny and Heath to finally end up together. Heath spent so much time at the beginning trying not to want Jenny, that by the time they got together, I felt like I wasn't as invested in their story.

Jenny seemed pretty desperate for Heath through the beginning of the book, and then spent a third of the book feeling like she wasn't worthy of the Jackson family. She kept doing one thing after another without giving much thought to the consequences.

This was not a short or fast paced read. Heath seemed determined to spank Jenny every time she turned around, even before they got together. I didn't get the same sense of connection between Jenny and Heath that Aaron and Janelle had in the first book. There was a lot of sex in this book, that had I been reading, I probably would have just skipped through.

If spanking, sex, domestic discipline, male dominated societies, etc. offend you, you might want to take a pass on this book.

I do wonder if this book would be different reading it, just because there is so much going on in it. I would recommend that you take a listen and judge for yourself.

I voluntarily listened and reviewed this audio book received from the author via Audible.

IT TAKES YOUTH AND SPIRIT TO CONQUER STUBBORNNESS.

A full tale of unrequited love fulfilled, danger, old west lives, deceit and adventure. Contains spanking and lovemaking. A very adventurous and spirited woman meeting up with a very stubborn and older man. The narrator seemed too old in some places and didn’t carry the same tone of voice for the character all the way through. He did well for the women's voices.

Childhood Crush, Heartbreak, Accepting Love

Jenny has loved Heath, 11 years her senior, since she was 11 when he save an elderly woman in a runaway wagon.
Heath suddenly notices Jenny when she is 18, but believes she is too young plus he was embarrassed by a fiancé who ran off with someone else.
I wasn’t sure how this book was going to keep me interested as I thought each time a problem arises and is solved, another pops up. The problems that pop up are believable and kept me engaged through out the story.
I can’t say Inalways love Heath and Jenny, but they were very realistic characters with flaws and positivism. There is spending and domestic discipline, so if that is something you don’t like you will have a problem with parts of the story. It isn’t my favorite parts of the story, but it was overdone and there are enough sweet episodes and hot scenes.
The narrator has a deep voice and does an excellent job..he doesn’t press too much to sound female, but brings a difference to tell the difference from one another.
This is the second book in the series, and I didn’t read the first, but it didn’t impact my ability to enjoy this book.
I’m interested in finding out what happened to the third Jackson brother and interested in the first book
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Action packed

I absolutely loved this book. The men sure have protection issues. Which are wonderful, I’m glad Jenny came into her own and didn’t let Heath walk all over her. There is lots of passion and love. It was great. I want to read Jeanelle and Arron’s story next.

CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THOSE JACKSON MEN!

Maddie Taylor spirits us back to Laramie, Wyoming in this rollicking second installment in the Jackson Brothers trilogy!

I really enjoyed JACKSON’S JUSTICE! Once again the author swept us up in the Old West and I was completely charmed by this marriage of convenience tale featuring a tough, take-charge alpha cowboy who finally makes an honest woman of the sweet yet sassy young woman who’d always loved him from afar! This book was chock full of everything I crave in a historical western romance: A rich complex plot. Breath-stealing romance. Thrilling adventure. Steamy passion. Naughty spankings. Juicy small-town scandal. Danger. And…yikes…even a rowdy saloon brawl and a treacherous kidnapping to keep our adrenaline pumping!

Though I felt the overall book was a bit too long and drawn out, and the plot tend to meander in places, I was nevertheless HIGHLY ENTERTAINED throughout! Ms. Taylor has a true gift for writing in this genre—I really felt like I was transported to the pioneer town of Laramie circa 1878— and her western-flavored narrative, vibrant characters, sizzling sensuality and engaging, emotional tone were MAGNIFICENT!

From page one, I was enchanted by the high-spirited romance between a love smitten Jenny and her strappingly handsome protector, Heath. This tall, commanding rancher was the perfect counterpart for the sweet, wildly impulsive young woman who sometimes acted without thinking. Gah…what a beleaguered heroine Jenny was! Her sad, emotional plight truly struck a chord in me and my heart ached for all the hardships this poor young woman had to endure in the face of her crippling family strife. She had been dealt a lousy hand in life after her ma and pa died, and although sometimes she made “questionable choices,” her courage, resilience, grit and determination to hold onto her family legacy and take care of her young brother, as well as her willingness to risk her neck to help others in the community truly shone through.

And despite the fact that her romance to Heath got off to a rocky start, and they faced many ups and down on the road to true love, I rooted for them EVERY STEP OF THE WAY! Their smoldering attraction was undeniable... and even when they were locking horns, it was always apparent that a big-hearted, bull-headed Heath Jackson always had a soft spot for his precious darlin’!

Just like with the first installment, MARSHAL’S LAW, one of my favorite parts of this second book was the close-knit Jackson clan! They played a pivotal role in this series and could always be counted on for moral support and to circle the wagons in times of trouble! I just adored catching up with Heath’s ma and pa, Henry and Letty, his younger brothers Aaron and Luke, and his sister in law from another era, Janelle. And I also enjoyed the interactions with Jenny’s younger brother Will and the various townsfolk! Even the baddies were a heck of a lot of fun!

THE SWOON-WORTHY NARRATION by Gideon Welles was once again SPOT ON! His gruff, growly tone and whiskey-smooth western drawl was perfect for the part of Heath. Sighhhh. His depiction of the big, strong, ruggedly sexy hero sure made my heart flutter! And he also did a marvelous job with Jenny and all the various other secondary characters as well! He is just such a talented storyteller and his multi-faceted vocal range and strong, soothing, gently commanding emotional inflections really captivated me from start to finish. I look forward to him narrating the third and final book in the series, WILD WISTERIA, featuring the devilishly handsome youngest Jackson brother, Luke!

Highly recommend this book for fans of this genre!

I'm Loving the Jackson Men

A little high handed or heavy handed, the Jackson men know just what is needed to teach the rules to their women. For Heath and Jenni, unrequited love until her future is thrust into reality. Heath steps up but life doesn't get easier but it does get sweeter. Love the narrator and story definitely pulls you in. Wish book 3 was in audio but I'll make due with imagining the deep voice.

A superbly narrated tale of heroes and villains

Jackson's Justice is the second audiobook of a trilogy that is part romance, part family saga, and part science fiction adventure - all set against the rugged, unyielding backdrop of the American midwest. The wild, uncompromising landscape is echoed in the strapping, steadfast Jackson men, especially so in Heath whose desire to remain untamed equals that of the most recalcitrant colt on the ranch.

Unusually, even for a raunchy romance, the explicit descriptions in this audiobook begin almost immediately. I'm no prude, but I prefer it when the author 'earns' the steamier scenes, having built up the characters' anticipation a little and allowed us to get to know them before revealing their most intimate desires. However, as the story unfolded and I grew more familiar with the character whose observations prompted such vivid descriptions, it made much more sense that he would dive in with no holds barred, as he does with everything else!

Much as I enjoyed the book, it did feel as though there were two distinct parts, which could have been split into two books. There was a natural conclusion to the plot around halfway through and, at a total of almost 15 hours long, it could easily have been split into two volumes without either feeling insubstantial.

I found the Jackson family very endearing, with each character developed enough to feel integral to the balance of humour, warmth, and strength that kept them together. Despite my reservations regarding one particular angle, I would still gladly listen to the other books in the trilogy just to spend a little more time with this funny, loyal family.

Though mostly a standalone novel, I'd recommend listening to the previous book in the trilogy first, as this book contains spoilers for the previous story. I wish I'd had the opportunity to listen to book one, Marshal's Law, first, but very much hope to add it to my library soon. I have enjoyed getting to know the characters and am intrigued by the underlying sci-fi element which seems rather out of place in this novel without the proper history. Even if I hadn't liked the characters so much I might have been tempted to listen to book one just for the narrator, and I'm sure he will be a determining factor in my pursuit of the full series.

The narrator in question, Gideon Welles, was possibly my favourite part of this audiobook. His voice is rich, deep, and velvety, with a throaty, southern drawl; like melted chocolate with a shot of whiskey. He was perfect for this audiobook, and is very easy to listen to. I usually keep away from American narrators for romances, especially historical ones, because I don't find the accent very relaxing and and I listen to this genre when I need to rest and allow my mind to wander. Welles' voice was soothing but also kept me engaged in the story and willing to forgive the characters almost anything, nearly as eager to hear more from Heath as Jenny was!

I loved curling up in bed and unwinding with his sonorous, reassuring voice, whose intimacy was pitched just right for the steamier scenes between the couple. We have just had our first days of snow this winter, and I was very glad that Welles' voice radiates such enticing warmth.

There is a content warning for this book which didn't dissuade me from listening but which I now think ought to be worded differently. As well as a physical assault this book contains repeated instances of humiliation and 'corporal punishment' which are often unnecessary and are unhealthily dressed up as a strong, stable man 'taming' an unruly woman 'for her own good'. I felt there were far better ways this could have been achieved, and that the book mistakenly conflates harmless consensual activities with harmful non-consensual ones when exploring this otherwise-innocuous kink. If you're sensitive to historical themes which would today be considered abusive then their repeated occurrence and patronising justification would likely make this book uncomfortable and render the romantic lead wholly unlikeable.

It wasn't a deal-breaker for me, but I did feel that it was handled irresponsibly and that the author could have included similar themes in a much more realistic and far more empowering fashion. Had Jenny's character been a willing participant rather than an embarrassed girl who was begging him to stop, I wouldn't have found the scenes uncomfortable.

When all is said and done none of the above ruined the story. The plot still captured my interest, I was satisfied with the ending, and I adored the narrator. I'm already intrigued by the set-up to the next book in the series, and hope it comes to Audible soon. In the meantime I hope to listen to the first book to learn more about Aaron and Janelle's story, while awaiting the audio recording of Luke's.

*I received this audiobook free of charge in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.