Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Reviews of The Promise of Jenny Jones

The Promise of Jenny Jones
Author: Maggie Osborne
ISBN: 141511
Publication Date: 1997
Pages: 377
Rating:
  • Currently 4.2/5 Stars.
 3

4.2 stars, based on 3 ratings
Publisher: Warner Books
Book Type: Hardcover
Reviews: Write a Review

16 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

reviewed The Promise of Jenny Jones on
Helpful Score: 2
Maggie Osborne is so good at striking a note of empathy with her main characters. Her heroines are not your overdone simpering, naive, nit wits. Instead, they are crusty on the outside but display a depth of character that is inspiring. (Jenny Jones and Low Down from Silver Lining are my personal favorites.) Her love stories build beautifully and leave you with an ending that is uncontrived and rewarding. What a wonderful author!!!
reviewed The Promise of Jenny Jones on + 149 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Maggie Osborne never disappoints. She is one of the best, most orignial voices in romance today.
Jenny Jones would face a firing squad the next day. Marguarita offered to die in Jenny's place if Jenny would take her child to the child's father in CA or take the child to raise. Jenny agrees only to be faced with: A child who hates her, many cousins of the child who wish to kill both Jenny and the child, harsh conditions in the desert, on early railroad cars in Mexico, a stranger who is shot while trying to help, and strange emotions that Jenny had never felt and never expected to experience.
Jenny feels that promises must not be broken and that her word is all that she has --- until a little runt of a girl softens her defenses and a rugged cowboy steals her heart when she is not looking.
splage avatar reviewed The Promise of Jenny Jones on + 76 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
The Promise of Jenny Jones is a very original, good old fashion story. Jenny Jones is a unwomanly mule driver getting ready to go in front of a firing squad in Mexico because she killed a man defending herself from his advances. She won't lie to save herself because morally lying is wrong. Her reputation is that she would never break a promise, her word is all she has. She is alone in the world, poor, never been loved by anyone, but she has integrity. She makes a promise to a dying mother to take her spoiled, pampered 6 year old daughter and return her to her father in California. In exchange the mother will face the firing squad for Jenny Jones.

The story was inspiring with a good moral lesson. It was very clean with minimal sexual tension. It was more of an adventure then a romantic love story with shoot'em up gunfights as the H/h trailblazed across the old west terrain. It took me a while to buy into the love/sexual connection between the main characters, Ty and Jenny, mainly because Jenny was so homely. She was very large, manly, dirty, and she had lice so bad she had to chop off her hair- call me shallow but, that all seemed pretty hard to overcome. She was attractive in Ty's eyes though and it he made it believable. In the end the connection was beautiful and had me choked up. Graciela the 6 yr old was a pain in the butt!!, but she grew on me and her and Jenny learned a lot from each other.

I have read other books from this author and they seem to have the same kind of heroine, manly, downtrodden, yet strong sense of honor. There is some makeover but, doesn't seem to overly beautify them by the end.
jjares avatar reviewed The Promise of Jenny Jones on + 3261 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Five stars just arent enough! This is an amazing story. Maggie Osbornes forte is character development and it shines in this book!

Twenty-four year-old Jenny Jones is going to die tomorrow before a Mexican firing squad all because she wouldnt lie. She was attacked by a drunken Mexican and shot him to prevent an assault. The moment she said shed shot the man, she was doomed -- circumstances didnt matter.

Margarita Sanders, a Mexican aristocrat who will die soon of consumption (tuberculosis), offers to trade places with Jenny. Her price? Take Margaritas 6 year-old daughter (Graciela) to the childs father (Robert Sanders, an Anglo) living in California. If he is no longer living, Jenny must raise the child herself.

The problem? Graciela is the heiress to 2 vast fortunes, from both her father and her mother. The Mexican cousins on the mothers side want to kill her (to inherit from Margarita).

Lest you think this is too simple a task, consider three other problems. Graciela is a prissy brat who is used to being waited on and coddled. Jenny and Graciela take an instant dislike to each other and Graciela wants to go to ANY relative rather than stay with Jenny.

Finally, lots of greedy people are related to Graciela and they all seem willing to do a little killing in order to get a piece of the inheritance.

Fortunately for Graciela, Jenny is a resourceful, fearless woman who is on a mission. Just when it looks like there are too many of the enemy, Jenny runs into another one - Ty Sanders, brother of Gracielas father -- who doesnt want any help taking his niece back to California.

Before long, folks are being stabbed, shot and tossed off trains! Theres lots of action and dialogue that rings true.

This is a wonderful story enjoy!
robinmy avatar reviewed The Promise of Jenny Jones on + 2045 more book reviews
Mule Driver Jenny Jones is in a Mexican prison awaiting execution when she is visited by a local woman. The dying woman offers to take Jenny's place in front of a firing squad if Jenny will promise to take the woman's young daughter to her American Father in California. Jenny doesn't like children, but a promise is a promise and she always keeper her word. Soon Jenny and little Graciela are on the run from the child's relatives who want to see her dead in order to get her large inheritance. While trying to keep one step ahead of the relatives, Jenny runs into Graciela's uncle, Ty Sanders, who has been sent by his brother to find the child. Together they fight evil relatives, desperadoes, and a six-year-old brat.

Wow! You don't find too many heroines like this one. Jenny is a hard woman who has had to fight for everything she has ever received. She dresses like a man, cusses, smokes cigars, and doesn't trust anyone. She never lies and her word is her bond. So when she promises to take Graciela to California, she is determined to get it done. Ty thinks he is on a fool's errand to find his brother's long-lost daughter, and is just lucky to stumble across her and Jenny during a shoot-out with Graciela's cousins. He doesn't know what to make of a woman like Jenny Jones, but knows they'll have to work together to get the little girl home.

Maggie Osborne has done an outstanding job developing the characters in this book, from Jenny down to little Graciela who hate each other at first sight. The story is great and moves fast. There are lots of laughs and lots of tears. I couldn't put this book down. My rating: 5 Stars.
jjares avatar reviewed The Promise of Jenny Jones on + 3261 more book reviews
This is an amazing story. Maggie Osborne's forte is character development and it shines in this book!

Twenty-four year-old Jenny Jones is going to die tomorrow before a Mexican firing squad - all because she wouldn't lie. She was attacked by a drunken Mexican and shot him to prevent an assault. The moment she said she'd shot the man, she was doomed -- circumstances didn't matter.

Margarita Sanders, a Mexican aristocrat who will die soon of consumption (tuberculosis), offers to trade places with Jenny. Her price? Take Margarita's 6 year-old daughter (Graciela) to the child's father (Robert Sanders, an Anglo) living in California. If he is no longer living, Jenny must raise the child herself.

The problem? Graciela is the heiress to 2 vast fortunes, from both her father and her mother. The Mexican cousins on the mother's side want to kill her (to inherit from Margarita).

Lest you think this is too simple a task, consider three other problems. Graciela is a prissy brat who is used to being waited on and coddled. Jenny and Graciela take an instant dislike to each other and Graciela wants to go to ANY relative rather than stay with Jenny.

Finally, lots of greedy people are related to Graciela - and they all seem willing to do a little killing in order to get a piece of the inheritance.

Fortunately for Graciela, Jenny is a resourceful, fearless woman who is on a mission. Just when it looks like there are too many of the enemy, Jenny runs into another one - Ty Sanders, brother of Graciela's father -- who doesn't want any help taking his niece back to California.

Before long, folks are being stabbed, shot and tossed off trains! There's lots of action and dialogue that rings true.

This is a wonderful story ... enjoy!
reviewed The Promise of Jenny Jones on
An action-packed love story with a feisty heroine, a rugged hero and a cute kid. A fun read.
Jenny Jones was a mule driver, buffalo skinner, and, in self-defence, a killer -- not a baby sitter. Yet when a rich dying woman offers to take Jenny's place in front of a firing squad -- in exchange for bringing her 6-year-old daughter safely to California -- Jenny gives her solemn oath. it won't be easy. Graciela hates her on sight. The kid's greedy, gun-toting relatives are soon hot on their trail. And there's a certain tall, handsome complication...

Ty Sanders thought looking for his brother's long-lost daughter was a fool's errand. That was before he stumbled upon a tough-as-nails young woman battling desperadoes to protect the kid. Now all Ty wants is for Jenny to hand over his niece. But Jenny Jones has a suspicious nature and a promise to keep. Indeed, her word is all she has -- until a little runt of a girl softens her defenses...and a rugged cowboy steals her heart when she isn't looking.
jjares avatar reviewed The Promise of Jenny Jones on + 3261 more book reviews
Five stars just arent enough! This is an amazing story. Maggie Osbornes forte is character development and it shines in this book!

Twenty-four year-old Jenny Jones is going to die tomorrow before a Mexican firing squad all because she wouldnt lie. She was attacked by a drunken Mexican and shot him to prevent an assault. The moment she said shed shot the man, she was doomed -- circumstances didnt matter.

Margarita Sanders, a Mexican aristocrat who will die soon of consumption (tuberculosis), offers to trade places with Jenny. Her price? Take Margaritas 6 year-old daughter (Graciela) to the childs father (Robert Sanders, an Anglo) living in California. If he is no longer living, Jenny must raise the child herself.

The problem? Graciela is the heiress to 2 vast fortunes, from both her father and her mother. The Mexican cousins on the mothers side want to kill her (to inherit from Margarita).

Lest you think this is too simple a task, consider three other problems. Graciela is a prissy brat who is used to being waited on and coddled. Jenny and Graciela take an instant dislike to each other and Graciela wants to go to ANY relative rather than stay with Jenny.

Finally, lots of greedy people are related to Graciela and they all seem willing to do a little killing in order to get a piece of the inheritance.

Fortunately for Graciela, Jenny is a resourceful, fearless woman who is on a mission. Just when it looks like there are too many of the enemy, Jenny runs into another one - Ty Sanders, brother of Gracielas father -- who doesnt want any help taking his niece back to California.

Before long, folks are being stabbed, shot and tossed off trains! Theres lots of action and dialogue that rings true.

This is a wonderful story enjoy!
goldilocks2005 avatar reviewed The Promise of Jenny Jones on + 104 more book reviews
Great read! I read this several years ago, but it still sticks out in my mind as a really fast and excellent read!
reviewed The Promise of Jenny Jones on + 96 more book reviews
Like all by this author fun characters!
blessed1 avatar reviewed The Promise of Jenny Jones on + 127 more book reviews
Great story by a great author!
reviewed The Promise of Jenny Jones on + 35 more book reviews
Very good book
silentmelody avatar reviewed The Promise of Jenny Jones on
Excellent story!
jjares avatar reviewed The Promise of Jenny Jones on + 3261 more book reviews
This is an amazing story. Maggie Osborne's forte is character development and it shines in this book!

Twenty-four year-old Jenny Jones is going to die tomorrow before a Mexican firing squad - all because she wouldn't lie. She was attacked by a drunken Mexican and shot him to prevent an assault. The moment she said she'd shot the man, she was doomed -- circumstances didn't matter.

Margarita Sanders, a Mexican aristocrat who will die soon of consumption (tuberculosis), offers to trade places with Jenny. Her price? Take Margarita's 6 year-old daughter (Graciela) to the child's father (Robert Sanders, an Anglo) living in California. If he is no longer living, Jenny must raise the child herself.

The problem? Graciela is the heiress to 2 vast fortunes, from both her father and her mother. The Mexican cousins on the mother's side want to kill her (to inherit from Margarita).

Lest you think this is too simple a task, consider three other problems. Graciela is a prissy brat who is used to being waited on and coddled. Jenny and Graciela take an instant dislike to each other and Graciela wants to go to ANY relative rather than stay with Jenny.

Finally, lots of greedy people are related to Graciela - and they all seem willing to do a little killing in order to get a piece of the inheritance.

Fortunately for Graciela, Jenny is a resourceful, fearless woman who is on a mission. Just when it looks like there are too many of the enemy, Jenny runs into another one - Ty Sanders, brother of Graciela's father -- who doesn't want any help taking his niece back to California.

Before long, folks are being stabbed, shot and tossed off trains! There's lots of action and dialogue that rings true.

This is a wonderful story ... enjoy!
reviewed The Promise of Jenny Jones on + 65 more book reviews
Love Maggie's books this was good, couldn't put it down, it's a keeper for sure
reviewed The Promise of Jenny Jones on
Wonderful book! Ex-library copy. All intact. in good shape.