This fifth installment in the Honor series continues in the aftermath of 9/11 and the subsequent murder attempt on Blair Powell, daughter of the President. Driven by revenge and betrayal, Cam Roberts vows to apprehend the perpetrators. Officially relieved of her duty as Chief of Security for Blair, she works behind the scenes with her small cadre of trusted allies to uncover those in the government who have switched to the other side in the war on terror. Not only do Blair and Cam encounter crises, so do Paula Stark, Blair’s new Chief, and FBI Agent Renee Savard. Add to the mix a curiously mysterious new relationship for Blair’s best friend, Diane Bleeker, an unexpected appearance by an old friend, and a sudden clandestine return to Whitley Point, and the reader will be swept along as the waves of retribution violently take place.

Honor Reclaimed is, overall, an enjoyable read, especially if one has followed the series. Two aspects are especially commendable. First, the narrative depiction of Whitley Point captures the essence of the island. Cam’s description of Blair’s painting visualizes the scene. “It was an astonishing riot of turbulent purples, indigos, and grays verging on black, cut through with slashes of white. She could almost feel the water beat against her skin” (p. 199). There is an atmosphere of intense and brooding simplicity, almost primeval, as the small band of friends shelters on the Point. The sense of malevolence in the real world attempts to permeate this sequestered retreat.

Another strength of this novel is the author’s depth of characterization for the secondary characters. Diane and Blair share their earlier memories of being intimately together with fondness and nostalgia and both are genuinely credible. When referring to their friendship, Diane states, “As much as I’ve wanted you all these years, this is what I’ve always needed” (p. 205). Diane is more skillfully and completely drawn in this novel. This reviewer found her unveiling to be a smart, witty, and most plausible metamorphosis. However, of all the characters found in Honor Reclaimed, the mysterious Valerie is one of the most sensuous, intriguing, captivating, and melancholy women in Romance literature today. One can only hope that Radclyffe seizes the opportunity to explore the character more fully in a novel wherein Valerie is the protagonist. Redemption comes in many forms and at the most unexpected, yet possibly, fortuitous times. There are many reasons for this, but not wanting to deprive the reader of the joy of discovering Valerie, suffice it to say, a truly unique conundrum awaits.

The ultimate resolution of the conflict was, for this reviewer, less than what is usually found in an Honor novel. Although the pace is steady and the action compelling, it was far too condensed, given the context of the initial life-threatening problems facing Cam and Blair. The emphasis is definitely on the relationships of the three couples. However, as someone who awaited this novel to uncover and react to the crises presented in the previous book, Honor Guards, it would have been an even more satisfying reading experience had the final showdown been more intricately developed and the perpetrators’ background more completely established.
Honor Reclaimed is worth the time and expense. Radclyffe continues to give us characters we will long remember, and if a romance storyline with plenty of steamy scenes is what you are looking for, she proves again that she is, indeed, one of the best today. However, for this reviewer, it is not the pinnacle of the series, but individual readers will make their own judgments after reading Honor Reclaimed.