Old West Books in Order

The Old West series is a trio of historical romances that reimagines the post–Civil War American frontier through the lives of Black entrepreneurs, cowboys, and families. Each book stands alone but is linked through the Carmichael sisters and their extended circle.

Forbidden opens the series in Virginia City, Nevada. Rhine Fontaine, a successful saloon owner and politician, has built his public life on passing as white in a boomtown that offers opportunity to some and danger to many. His careful balance is shaken when he rescues Eddy Carmichael, a determined cook headed west with dreams of opening her own restaurant. Eddy’s refusal to shrink herself or accept less than full respect forces Rhine to decide how much of his true self he’s willing to reveal.

In Breathless, we follow Eddy’s niece Portia Carmichael, who manages a fine hotel in Arizona Territory. Portia has carved out a life that is safe, respected, and entirely her own. When family friend Kent Randolph, a drifter with a complicated past, rides back into town, old nicknames and buried attraction resurface. The story digs into questions of trust, ambition, and what it means to choose a partner without giving up autonomy.

Tempest centers on Portia’s younger sister Regan Carmichael, a wealthy investor and sharpshooter who travels to Wyoming Territory as a mail‑order bride. Her first meeting with widowed doctor Colton Lee ends with an accidental gunshot, not exactly the start either expected. As Regan learns frontier medicine and bonds with Colton’s young daughter, the couple must bridge differences in temperament, grief, and expectations to claim a shared life.

Across the Old West books, Jenkins highlights Black communities, Black‑owned businesses, and interracial alliances that rarely appear in traditional Westerns. The stories touch on railroads, land rights, women’s suffrage debates, and the presence of Chinese and Native communities, all while keeping the focus firmly on the central couples.

If you’re looking for Westerns where Black characters are front and center—owning saloons, hotels, and their futures—this series delivers rugged landscapes, tender romance, and a strong sense of chosen family.