An Affair Of Honor

Rating:
Summary: Timeless Tales 3 stars review
Review: by Maddie Amed

Raleigh Gilmore, a Colonel in the Confederate Army, has been ordered to Boston to sabotage the relationship between the North and the British and thereby provoke the British into openly entering the war as Confederate Allies. Raleigh ends up working in Boston as a shipping clerk for Lydia Appleton, who manages her family's shipping company. Falling in love, particularly with someone with Unionist loyalties, is not in Raleigh's plans, and could distract him from his mission. The last thing Lydia needs is another man who doubts her abilities, no matter how handsome he may be. Despite themselves, Raleigh and Lydia find themselves giving in to their mutual attraction. But can their relationship survive once Lydia discovers that Raleigh is a Confederate spy, or will his secrets drive them apart?

An Affair of Honor is a well-written story. The characters are well rounded and three dimensional, even the supporting cast. What I enjoyed best about Ms. Cummings' tale was the care and attention put in getting the historical details right. Lydia in particular, is refreshing as a self-assured capable woman holding her own in a man's world, both willing and able to grasp the opportunities available in a time of intense political and cultural upheaval. Raleigh, too, is believable as a man with hidebound notions of what a woman's place should be, only to have them challenged as he interacts with Lydia and her family. This is a nice, gentle romance about two people, coming to terms with each other, and one man's gallant attempt to do his duty even when it feels like a lost cause. Although the technical aspects of the book can not be faulted, it fails to draw the reader in. You do not feel connected with the characters. You like them, but you do not particularly care what happens to them. As for the storyline dealing with Raleigh's mission, the plot was less than riveting. It is a competently written story but once read, it is quickly forgotten.