Honor by Lyn Cote

★★★★★
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When unexpected circumstances leave Honor Penworthy destitute after the death of her grandfather, she is forced to leave her Maryland plantation – and the slaves she hoped to free – and seek refuge with a distant relative. With no marketable skills, her survival hinges on a marriage arranged through the Quaker community to local glass artisan Samuel Cathwell. Samuel is drawn to Honor, but he has been unwilling to open his heart to anyone since scarlet fever took his hearing as a child.

A move west brings the promise of a fresh start, but nothing in Honor's genteel upbringing has prepared her for the rigors of frontier life with Samuel. Nevertheless, her tenacity and passion sweep her into important winds of change, and she becomes increasingly – though secretly – involved in the Underground Railroad. Samuel suspects Honor is hiding something, but will uncovering the truth confirm his worst fears or truly bring them together as man and wife?

Set against the backdrop of dramatic and pivotal moments in American history, the Quaker Brides series chronicles the lives of three brave heroines, fighting to uphold their principles of freedom while navigating the terrain of faith, family, and the heart.

As soon as Lyn Cote’s Honor introduces Honor Penworthy, the novel’s namesake, decision after difficult decision becomes swiftly set before her and as a result, she finds her life taking unexpected turns. With constantly arising challenges, life is certainly not easy for this resolute and resilient heroine, but as she determines to hold to the principles of her Quaker heritage, her story is worth reading. Through Honor and the variety of authentic characters she meets, Cote highlights several issues of the day, including abolition of slavery and the barriers of deafness. I haven’t read much fiction focused on these issues within the context of the early 1800s, so the unfolding story continually and securely held my interest. I definitely enjoyed reading Honor (especially with its added benefit of some heartwarming romance) and it will surely please other fans of historical fiction, too. Now, I can’t wait to see where Cote takes the Quaker Brides series next.

Thanks to Tyndale BlogNetwork, I received a copy of Honor and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.