Above All, Honor

Being given an assignment that United States Secret Service Agent Cameron Roberts felt was beneath her she retorts to her superior officer, "I'm an investigator, not a goddamned baby-sitter." She is after all, a senior agent with ten years of impeccable service and should have a say what her next job should be. Once the headstrong woman is resigned to the fact that she has no choice but to be the next Agent in Charge of protecting the safety of an equally strong-willed woman, who happens to be the daughter of the President of the United States, Commander Cameron Roberts is willing to put her life on the line for those in her care and lets nothing stand in her way in Above All, Honor by Radclyffe. Cameron Roberts thinks she's getting an easy job until she meets the stunning, willful, elusive, caged bird, Blair Allison Powell. Cameron's predecessor tells her that, "She's an angry animal in a cage, and you're the new zookeeper." He also informs Cam that the "high-profile subject" has a "problematic lifestyle." Blair's mission is to elude those who are hired to protect her in order to maintain some sense of freedom. Cameron's mission is to protect her while maintaining her privacy-if possible. The USSS Agent in charge before Cam steps in and gives the President's daughter an apropos code name: Egret. According to the New Merriam-Webster Dictionary, an Egret is "any of various herons that bear long plumes during the breeding season." Blair barhops from one seedy place to another and most of the time she goes unnoticed. Who would expect the respectable first daughter to be frequenting bohemian gay bars? When on official White House business, Blair is quite the fancy diplomat. She rightfully yearns for a private life, which is virtually impossible, and until Cam Roberts comes along, nobody has any sympathy for her. She is not only trying to escape her life in a birdcage, but she has some painful memories of the past that have her haunted as well. Cam demands respect from those under her command and she gets it. She's shrewd, smart, has integrity, and strong work ethics-all of which result in glowing performance records. She has sharp gut instincts, amazing self-control, and is an expert at undercover work. Cam does not tolerate homophobia on her team. More to her credit, she has no qualms accepting the resignation of any officer who has a problem with the fact that Blair is gay. Cameron Roberts is an admirable hero worth emulating. Radclyffe's reference to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" did not escape notice when Cam's report from her last assignment held all of her merits and facts without any of the story behind it. They noted the fact that her female partner was killed in action during the last sting, but it was not up for discussion that the partner had also been Cam's lover. Even though there were rumors that Cam was gay, they didn't ask and she didn't tell. Cam works hard to ignore Blair's advances. While Blair tries hard not to allow Cam to get u

Other reviewers are right -- there isn't really anything like the Honor series out there and when I want to escape into a fast-paced action world, I will pick up the Honor books to take me away. I am glad the author revised this book (though it irritates to buy multiple versions of the same work in the same way that it irritates to have bought a DVD only to discover a short time later that a "director's cut" is going to be released) because this version *is* better than the first. I think it reflects a new artist's creative energy honing itself over time. Let's face it, some of our best writers in romance have gotten better over time, especially those with a number of books already produced and more on the way. Since the other reviews of this book are accurate I didn't see a point to adding my 5 stars, but I was surprised that anyone would suggest that if I happen to like another writer then I haven't read Radclyffe. Well, I have read Rad, plus lots of other writers. I see no reason to pick between them, or refuse all others just because I might have a favorite. That's just plain silly. Rad isn't my favorite, sorry my heart belongs to another, but she's on the list of writers I will *always* buy, and that's a pretty short list.Given the struggles of our bookstores and publishers and writers today I think everybody should buy as many books by as many writers as they can afford. Why be exclusive? I think it's great to have a number of talented writers in the romance genre, each giving different flavors. Radclyffe writes an action-thriller-romance-sexy tale with a blend that is all her own (and this series is the best example of that) and sets her apart from the banal. Other writers do what they do in their own way equally well. If you limit yourself to just one writer you're missing out on some great books and wonderful entertainment.

I read this in the first version. Radclyffe is such a terrific author though that I bought this version, too. It's a huge tribute to her that I plan to keep both copies of this book in my library. This new edition expands the story in a really effective way. It's very visual and visceral, too, so this series would make a terrific TV series or mini-series type movie. Cam and Blair are cool characters, and the taut plot contributes to a smooth and wonderful read. I can't say enough good things about Radclyffe's work. I should have written reviews for her before this! Kudos to her.

This is my first time with a Radclyffe novel and to to say that I was pleasantly suprised is an understatement. I loved this book. My only complaint is that it was over too soon. Luckily I have already ordered the 2nd and 3rd book in this series and I anxiously await their arrival. The escalating tension between the president's daughter and the secret service agent who is sworn to protect her is nothing short of steamy. The writer also provides us with just enough background that we are able to understand the motivation behind these two women. I literaly could not put this book down. Radclyffe has just got herself another fan.

"Above All, Honor", Radclyffe's first in a series involving the President's daughter and the Secret Service agent assigned to head her security team, is a tale of forbidden desire set amidst today's world of political turmoil and public fixation with celebrities. Combining the complex characterization and stark eroticism we have come to associate with Radclyffe's romances, "Safe Harbor", "Love's Melody Lost", and "Innocent Hearts", with the kind of taut, tight plotting required of an outstanding action thriller, "Above All, Honor" fulfills every desire.Blair Powell, the only child of the nation's leader, resents the intrusion into every corner of her private life of those charged to protect her and will do anything to preserve her independence. With the added pressure of protecting her father's political image in a world where image could determine the outcome of the next election, Blair struggles to keep her true passions from the world. Cameron Roberts, the agent reluctantly assigned to guard her, is tortured by secrets of her own. When a threat to the First Daughter's life brings emotions to a boil, they are forced to confront their mutual desire. As always, Radclyffe's prose is lean and sharp, lending itself well to the staccato pace of an action thriller shot through with the soaring romance which is the hallmark of her fiction. Timely, intriguing, and ultimately satisfying to both the intellect and the senses, "Above All, Honor" is a fitting entree into the world of politics, forbidden passions, and hidden dangers inhabited by an unforgettable cast of characters.