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The Couriers #1
A Question of Honor
London, 1813: Wellington and Napoleon are locked in a desperate battle for Spain. And now that the French have infiltrated England's intelligence network, Captain Richard Drayton has sworn to ferret out the traitor. But he'll be damned 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...
...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...
382 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2002
1 person is currently reading
332 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 28, 2015
As a Jewish reader of historical everything, it's painfully rare to find heroine "like me" out there. With the exception of Jewish fiction gentle reads, there's hardly anything out there. This is, of course, because Jews were excluded from so much of the high society events that spice up most historical fiction. They wanted our money, but then they wanted us to go away. And yes, it's true, we bankrolled Wellington and YOU'RE WELCOME. Plus! Plus! Rachel isn't a super-religious Jew, but part of the vast diaspora moving away from blind observance and towards what would eventually become Reform Judaism.
My only quibble with this book is that she and Drayton, while discussing the consequences of a goy marrying a Jew, never brought up potential children. That's literally the only reason that this isn't a five star book. I encourage all my fellow historical fans to go out and lay your hands on a copy.
My only quibble with this book is that she and Drayton, while discussing the consequences of a goy marrying a Jew, never brought up potential children. That's literally the only reason that this isn't a five star book. I encourage all my fellow historical fans to go out and lay your hands on a copy.
May 27, 2018
This was a terrific book. The author has real writing talent, and tells a fascinating and compelling story. It's hard to believe that this is her first book. The historical research is impeccable, and is woven seamlessly into the story. It is, essentially, a spy story about the Napoleonic wars. The suspense element is as well done as the historical component. Both the hero (Richard) and heroine (Rachel) are sympathetic, engaging characters, and it is believable that Richard would defy his father and society to pursue Rachel. Further, while Richard is a sympathetic character, he is not without his flaws. He is hotheaded and rash. Rachel also has a quick temper, and the sparks and repartee between them are really enjoyable. The author also successfully juggles numerous secondary characters, who are equally well-drawn and compelling. Since this is a 5 book series, I assume some of them will get their own stories. And I can't wait to read them all.
Rachel is Jewish, a member of a great banking family. Richard is an aristocrat, a member of a class in England that was highly anti-Semitic well into the 20th Century. The novel depicts the plight of Jews in Regency England - they couldn't become officers, they couldn't serve in Parliament, and they couldn't be elevated into the peerage. Further, they were social outcasts. The obstacles to Rachel and Richard's marriage are very real and daunting.
My only criticism is that I would have liked to have seen more of the romance between Rachel and Richard. While well done and totally credible, it takes a back seat to the other elements of the story. However, this is a small complaint in an otherwise wonderful book.
Very few romance novels deal with the plight of Jews in Regency England. I am only aware of a trilogy by Carola Dunn (Miss Jacobson's Journey), and some secondary characters in the Regencies of Carla Kelly (The Admiral's Penniless Bride and Marrying the Royal Marine). While I love this period, it's always interesting to read novels where the obstacles to marriage are extremely serious (such as class, religion, or ethnicity), and are realistically depicted.
Update May 27, 2018: Since writing this review several years ago, I discovered another series that depicts the life of Jews in Regency England. Marjorie Farrell wrote a wonderful regency trilogy, which begins with Miss Ware's Refusal. There is a major secondary character who is Jewish and appears in - I believe - both the second and third books of the trilogy (Autumn Rose and Lady Barbara's Dilemma). In one of the two books (I can't remember which), his story gets almost as much time as the hero and heroine's. It, too, is a realistic depiction of the serious obstacles Jews faced, and beautifully written.
Rachel is Jewish, a member of a great banking family. Richard is an aristocrat, a member of a class in England that was highly anti-Semitic well into the 20th Century. The novel depicts the plight of Jews in Regency England - they couldn't become officers, they couldn't serve in Parliament, and they couldn't be elevated into the peerage. Further, they were social outcasts. The obstacles to Rachel and Richard's marriage are very real and daunting.
My only criticism is that I would have liked to have seen more of the romance between Rachel and Richard. While well done and totally credible, it takes a back seat to the other elements of the story. However, this is a small complaint in an otherwise wonderful book.
Very few romance novels deal with the plight of Jews in Regency England. I am only aware of a trilogy by Carola Dunn (Miss Jacobson's Journey), and some secondary characters in the Regencies of Carla Kelly (The Admiral's Penniless Bride and Marrying the Royal Marine). While I love this period, it's always interesting to read novels where the obstacles to marriage are extremely serious (such as class, religion, or ethnicity), and are realistically depicted.
Update May 27, 2018: Since writing this review several years ago, I discovered another series that depicts the life of Jews in Regency England. Marjorie Farrell wrote a wonderful regency trilogy, which begins with Miss Ware's Refusal. There is a major secondary character who is Jewish and appears in - I believe - both the second and third books of the trilogy (Autumn Rose and Lady Barbara's Dilemma). In one of the two books (I can't remember which), his story gets almost as much time as the hero and heroine's. It, too, is a realistic depiction of the serious obstacles Jews faced, and beautifully written.
July 22, 2021
A mediocre regency romance with spies and counterspies, this book didn't impress me much. It was a clean romance (no sex beyond a few kisses) where the heroes face lots of dangers and overcome multiple obstacles on their way to be together. Unfortunately their mutual affection hardly shows. There is no build-up of their relationship. At first, they don't know each other - and suddenly they are in love. Most of this book concentrates not on romance but on the 'spy thriller' subplot, which should've been secondary in a romance book but wasn't.
Another thing that irked me in this novel was the author's unprofessional handling of the POV. It wandered. Ms. Abrams would start a scene with the heroine's POV, then switch to her maid's POV for two sentences, then to her aunt for two paragraphs, and then back to the heroine for the rest of the scene. This was an unexpected and amateur approach in the otherwise professionally written and edited book. I can't understand why its editor allowed this clinker to stand.
On the other hand, this book is unique in the genre: it has a Jewish heroine. I read romances a lot and I've never read a regency about a Jewish woman. The female protagonist, Rachel, is a Jew from a rich family. Her uncle is a banker supporting the British military campaign in Spain. Her father and brother serve the Wellington army as spies against Napoleon. I don't know how tenuously these facts reflect the real life, but maybe. I'm willing to believe that. What I can't believe is that a British aristocrat would fall in love with a Jewish woman and marry her.
With all that critique above, it was overall not a bad book. It was engrossing and I never once wanted to DNF it. It gave me a few days of reading pleasure, even though I doubt I would want to read this author again.
Another thing that irked me in this novel was the author's unprofessional handling of the POV. It wandered. Ms. Abrams would start a scene with the heroine's POV, then switch to her maid's POV for two sentences, then to her aunt for two paragraphs, and then back to the heroine for the rest of the scene. This was an unexpected and amateur approach in the otherwise professionally written and edited book. I can't understand why its editor allowed this clinker to stand.
On the other hand, this book is unique in the genre: it has a Jewish heroine. I read romances a lot and I've never read a regency about a Jewish woman. The female protagonist, Rachel, is a Jew from a rich family. Her uncle is a banker supporting the British military campaign in Spain. Her father and brother serve the Wellington army as spies against Napoleon. I don't know how tenuously these facts reflect the real life, but maybe. I'm willing to believe that. What I can't believe is that a British aristocrat would fall in love with a Jewish woman and marry her.
With all that critique above, it was overall not a bad book. It was engrossing and I never once wanted to DNF it. It gave me a few days of reading pleasure, even though I doubt I would want to read this author again.
May 26, 2012
I was intrigued by the idea of a Jewish heroine. I really liked this book and have ordered all the others in the series (from Alibris) . Ahe has great characters and a good sense of the period. However, she hasn't really thought thru all the day to day constraints of being Jewish in Regency England. Stuff like keeping kosher, covering hair, observing the Sabbath...I think we are meant to assume that the heroine and her family are not very observant, but I don't think that back them a non-observant niece would have been acclaimed to live with her observant aunt and uncle.
Still well worth reading . ( note that they are traditional regencies in terms of sensuality. )
Still well worth reading . ( note that they are traditional regencies in terms of sensuality. )
January 30, 2012
I found this book patronizing to jews ...a christian nobleman falls in love with a jewess. yes, there were many, many obstacles in their path but this book dealt shallowly with the deep prejudices involved. The plot was less than enthralling and I wouldn't have the so called hero on a golden platter..but to each their own. He graciously overlooked her jewish ancestry and fell in love anyway.
April 17, 2017
Liked that the book dealt with difficulty being a spy let alone a family of Jewish spies for England during the Napoleonic Wars. Going to read the next one in this series because I was invested enough to find out what happens to a character from this story.
November 25, 2022
Read aloud with James
March 14, 2021
Overall I enjoyed this book. It is listed and the back describes it as a historical romance novel but I personally think it leans more to historical fiction with romance in it. I enjoyed getting to read Rachael's pov as a Jewish woman living in Regency England. I liked the intrigue and the spy vs spy that was going on with the various players. It was the romance that didn't really work for me as much in the beginning although by the end it was better. Drayton was an ok character but he fell in love with Rachael unbelievably quickly, and he kind of blundered into and out of situations, which I didn't find as charming as Rachael apparently did.
April 29, 2008
A Question Of Honor
Nita Abrams
Historical Romance
375 pages
Copyright: 2002
ISBN: 08217-7326-7
Wounded while on a risky intelligence mission behind enemy lines in Spain during the war against Napoleon, British Captain Richard C. Drayton returns to England to recuperate. While staying with his sister, he meets his young niece's new temporary governess, Rachel Maitland Ross. This enigmatic woman has charmed the entire household, but Richard suspects there is more to her story than he has been told and of course, there is. Abrams is equally adept at writing action-filled scenes that illuminate the dangers of intelligence work during the Napoleonic Wars as she is in writing poignant, romantic scenes between her hero and heroine. With its complex, nuanced characters and polished writing, Abrams's debut romance is superb.
Nita Abrams
Historical Romance
375 pages
Copyright: 2002
ISBN: 08217-7326-7
Wounded while on a risky intelligence mission behind enemy lines in Spain during the war against Napoleon, British Captain Richard C. Drayton returns to England to recuperate. While staying with his sister, he meets his young niece's new temporary governess, Rachel Maitland Ross. This enigmatic woman has charmed the entire household, but Richard suspects there is more to her story than he has been told and of course, there is. Abrams is equally adept at writing action-filled scenes that illuminate the dangers of intelligence work during the Napoleonic Wars as she is in writing poignant, romantic scenes between her hero and heroine. With its complex, nuanced characters and polished writing, Abrams's debut romance is superb.
February 25, 2008
Nice historical details - Abrams writes intriguing mysteries that mix in information about the lives of Jews in England during the Napoleonic wars. The romance level is more traditional than steamy (nothing much stronger than a passionate kiss), and the characters are well written.
September 7, 2015
Characters: governess with a secret, spy
World Building: spycraft
Plot: governess-employer, uncovering treachery, daring rescues
Sex: none. (vague allusion at the very end.)
Read another: Yes
World Building: spycraft
Plot: governess-employer, uncovering treachery, daring rescues
Sex: none. (vague allusion at the very end.)
Read another: Yes
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews