An Honorable Man [Mass Market Paperback]

Rosemary Rogers (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Sex and spitefulness often give way to love in Rogers's novels (A Reckless Encounter, etc.), and this salacious Civil War romance is no exception. Like Scarlett O'Hara, Cameron Campbell is a spoiled Southern belle used to getting her way, so when Captain Jackson Logan, a handsome rogue suspected of blockade running, spurns her, she vows to hate him forever. Six years later, he returns to her family's Mississippi plantation to deliver a message to her senator father. Much to Cameron's dismay, Jackson decides to stay for a few days. While Jackson and Cameron wrestle both in and out of the sheets, Cameron's sinister brother, Grant, kills their father and seeks to auction off all of their slaves, including Taye, Cameron's freed mulatto companion. Grant is as unrealistic as villains come, and Cameron can be hard to stomach as well, particularly when she throws one of her many temper tantrums. Although Rogers is well known for her classic 1970s bodice-rippers, the forced seduction formula will be off-putting for some readers, as will her trite dialogue ("If only you would let me take you into my room, I could show you the moon, the stars...."). But the story moves at a fast clip, and some readers may hold out until the end simply to see Grant get his just deserts.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Cameron Campbell has led a sheltered life as the daughter of a Mississippi senator living on the family plantation, Elmwood, but now she has to try and forget her first and only love, Captain Jackson Logan. She was only 17 when he entered her life and promptly broke her heart; she is now, six years later, an improper, still unmarried southern belle when he returns to Elmwood with news of the impending Civil War. Cameron's father plans to send his daughter north, and he himself prepares to side with the Union, knowing that his son will side with the South. Captain Logan has a mysterious mission at Elmwood concerning the senator, but Cameron cannot see beyond her impression of a man who seeks fortune above all else. Logan, meanwhile, realizes that he has never forgotten Cameron, but his secret mission makes it difficult to communicate his true feelings. Rogers has filled an old-fashioned romance with modern thoughts about women, slavery, sex, and an updated version of the South. Patty Engelmann
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Mira (December 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1551669536
• ISBN-13: 978-1551669533
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 4.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,164,200 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars superior Americana story, December 19, 2002

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: An Honorable Man (Mass Market Paperback)

As southern states succeed from the Union like dominos both sides of the conflict wonder what position will highly regarded Senator David Campbell take. Two presidents court the Mississippi representative, but David accepts Lincoln's offer of advisor on the war council. Before he leaves for DC, David decides to free his slaves as a symbolic gesture. Though his daughter Cameron bursts with pride over her father's courageous actions, his son Grant detests the destruction of his privileged life. In a drunken ire, he kills his father, but persuades authorities that an accident occurred.

Grant denies Cameron's insistence that their father was freeing the slaves because he intends to sell them. However, Grant fails to recognize his sister's passion for honoring her father's wishes and see the slaves to safety and freedom. She persuades Lincoln's escort envoy Jackson Logan, undercover as a merchant, to help her even though he broke her heart several years ago. As they journey together, their love flourishes while they struggle to survive one harrowing experience after another.

Most readers realize that a visit to Rosemary Rogers' neighborhood is always a sure shot for finding a powerfully enjoyable novel. Her latest tale, AN HONORABLE MAN, may be her best as this Civil War tale contains a terrific plot, a feel for the era, two delightful lead protagonists, a nasty villain, and a tremendous support cast. Fans of historical romance will gain much satisfaction with this superior Americana story.

Harriet Klausner

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Horribly unsatisfying, April 4, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: An Honorable Man (Mass Market Paperback)

Had to respond to the previous 5 star review, because I couldn't disagree more. This book was truly a disappointment!

Although Rosemary Rogers has a decent writing style, the plot and character development of An Honorable Man is almost nonexistant. The main heroine of the book, named Cameron, is very unlikeable to the point where you wonder how all the people around her can love her so much. She is spoiled, bratty, and dumb to boot. And you cringe at her selfish decisions that put everyone at jeopardy. Much more likeable is the secondary heroine, Taye, Cameron's mulatto half-sister, and I kept hoping that the hero of the book would dump Cameron and sensibly go for Taye.

As for plot, although the book is set in the South at the onset of the Civil War, the characters' story is not adequately weaved into the bigger backdrop of the war. The hero is supposed to be an agent of the North and morally just because he opposes slavery, but really all he does is run around in secret meeting shadowy contacts. He doesn't really DO anything. He's a jerk in the beginning, which is never really explained, and it's never clear why he falls in love with Cameron when they reunite.

Although I applaud writers who try to break away from formula romance writing, the one thing a romance novel can't get away from is two main characters that are sympathetic or admirable or plain likeable enough for readers to be invested in their stories. If we are to root for their finding true love, we have to like them enough to think they deserve it. There is nothing I hate more than devoting a few hours to spend with people I come to despise, because then I feel cheated by a happy outcome.

Avoid this book. You will be happy you did.

5.0 out of 5 stars I really liked this book...., August 16, 2006

By 

Ayden & Chase "Rebecca" (Southern, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Honorable Man (Mass Market Paperback)

A really great historical romance set in Mississippi at the beginning of the Civil War. Although the heroine is a bit hard to really really like, I found myself really pulling for her and Jackson at the end of the book. I look forward to reading the sequel to this book very much. Rosemary Rogers is one of the best historical romance writers I have come across over the years and you will be hard pressed to find a more consistent writer, her books are always entertaining and sensual without being over the top. Read this book, you will not be disappointed!!