Customer Reviews

A Question Of Honor (Zebra Regency Romance)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I came to this book with rather high expectations, having seen comment about it here and elsewhere. It was, for me somewhere between 3 and 4 stars.

The problem was that it was more of an adventure story than romance, although adventure can add to rather than detract from romance if it is skilfully done and an enhancement to character development.

However, my problem with this book was that I never really warmed to the hero who was very juvenile and underdeveloped. He made astoundingly bad judgements repeatedly and seemed slow to learn. Handled correctly, these could have been sympathetic flaws but I am afraid I found them simply annoying.

The book gets 4 stars from me because the author examined and developed the theme of Judaism in early 19th century Britain and she did her homework. This is a subject I doubt has been much used in historical romantic fiction set in the Regency and the author did a super job of explaining the difficulties and problems Jews had at that time. In fact, the most romantic and sympathetic character in the story is the heroine's brother, James Nathanson.

The book's story of intrigue and adventure in Wellington's Quatermaster General's department is done well and the author has done her research. My main problem is that Capt Richard Drayton just does not stand out in the setting in which the author places him.

I have Nita Abrams next book in what appears to be a mini-series and hope to find her improving with this book. She clearly has talent and writes well.

What a read! I recently took this on my vacation with me and found myself sneaking away to find time to read more! It's one of those rare books you are so sad to finish! I loved the characters--all of them--and was especially impressed by the depth behind them. The historical elements of the story were equally alluring. It is really a wonderful story filled with rich character development and the plot is extremely well thought out--with all the twists and turns of a mystery, the allure of romance, and the intelligence of a talented author. I can't wait for her next release!

From the back cover:

London, 1813: Wellington and Napoleon are locked in a desperate battle for Spain. And now that the French have inflitrated England's intelligence network, Captain Richard Drayton has sworn to ferret out the traitor. But he'll be dammned if he'll let a woman distract him, even one as intriguing as his sister's governess, Rachel Maitland Ross.

The Captain suspects that Rachel is not what she appears to be, although her education is impeccable, her manners exquisite, and even Drayton's wayward little niece is captivated by her gentle ways. But the Captain has been marked for death--and badly wounded--by agents aiding the enemy, and Rachel's true identity as the niece of an immensely wealthy Anglo-Jewish banker remains a mystery. Still, he must trust her--if he is to survive.

Rachel has heard the whispers: the handsome Captain is a rogue and a heartbreaker, though he is unquestionably brave. Indeed, when they were both kidnapped, he risked his life to save hers--but their unexpected intimacy has compromised her reputation. Like a true gentleman, he has offered for her hand, yet she must refuse. Rachel cannot betray the bonds of kinship and of faith...although the bonds of love may prove even more powerful...

And my review:

I felt very cheated after trying to read this book. I bought it because it was listed as historical romance. It should be listed as historical fiction instead of historical romance, since there's hardly anything romantic in it.

Granted, the author deserves kudos for her excellent research and well written prose, as well as for choosing a difficult premise. Not many Regencies deal with Jewish people during the time of Napoleon. If you want a history lesson, the A QUESTION OF HONOR will probably satisfy you. But if you're looking for a book that is primarily a romance, you're going to be dissapointed.

This was a case of the old "bait and switch". The classification of the book promises me a historical romance, and doesn't deliver on it. I can only assume that since half of all book sales are romances, publishers and/or authors are looking to cash in by listing anything that is the slightest bit romantic as a romance novel. For Pete's sake, we don't even get to meet the heroine until chapter three! The first 30 pages of the book are about military strategies and maneuvers. Which is fine for many readers, but most readers of historical romance want a story that is primarily romance.

So that's my two cents worth. Just wanted to warn readers who are expecting a Regency in the style of Sabrina Jeffries or Mary Balogh that they aren't going to get it in A QUESTION OF HONOR.

Tired of the same-old, same-old? In this engaging romance, the daughter of a family of Jewish spies finds love and adventure during the Napoleonic wars.

Nita Abrams has an authentic historical voice and a really nice touch with secondary characters. The chemistry between the hero and heroine is grown up and believable. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens to this family next!

Never having read this author, I did not know what to expect of this regency romance. I found her writing to be excellent, with complex situations followed by more complex situations. No overly simple plots here. There were alot of characters but almost all [with exception of Dayton's friends who are all too interchangeable] are three-dimensional and interesting.

Several reviewers mentioned that Drayton is unsuccessful; in fact, he is extraordinarily brave, creative in the field and daring. Abrams allows us to see him as he sees himself (due in no small measure to his upbringing), as well as how he appears to others. Same for Rachel, our heroine.

I also liked the way the Jewish characters were involved in spying for England during this period of the Napoleonic wars. Two other regencies I've read that dealt with Jewish characters used the Rothschilds' lending of money to the English cause as their sole plot point. OK in terms of historical accuracy, but repetitious. Here, Abrams is more creative and original. However, I do think the criticism of another reviewer is very fair - namely, that once we are told of Rachel's family, we are told nothing of their Jewish practices (except for a reference to the importance of saving a life, even on Sabbath). That's a problem, even if the major portion of the book deals with the war, spying, familial relationships and anti-Semitism in England.

After reading the other reviews for this book, I had to post one as well. This was such a good book - I could not put it down! It deserves a wider audience, I think, than the romance tag on the spine allows it. It is ridiculous for people to rate it lower because they expected it to be yet another run-of-the-mill Regency romance and instead found a fresh and engaging romance/adventure story. How can you penalize an author for having a well-developed plot in addition to realistic and believable characters?

My only issue was that while everyone tells us that the main character is Jewish, there is practically no evidence of this in her actions. She works on Saturdays, as far as we know, and there is mention of the meats served at a party thrown for her in a non-Jewish house. Does she sneak off to light her sabbath candles? Did she and her family eat the meat? There is no discussion of how she practices her religion in England's restrictive and repressive society, only that her family is "devout" and that her religion is unacceptable to the aristocracy. But this was minor - on the whole the book was exciting and a fun read, and I hope more people try it!