Adam Gentry helps Emmaline from her circumstances and another family is born. Excellent characters that I enjoyed watching find their way to love .
Ebook from netgalley and publishers with thanks. Opinions are entirely my own.

Really enjoyed this book. I would most definitely recommend. Would like to read more by the same author, thank you Net galley for letting me read this book.

I really enjoyed this historical fiction romance because I felt such empathy for Adam Gentry when he has to get drunk every night to deal with the pain of the sudden loss of his fiancé. He’s a broken man mourning the loss of Josephine but he’s also a gentleman and in 1873 a gentleman would take part in an arranged marriage to save the reputation of his best friend’s sister and her family. His bride-to-be is also a sympathetic character; she’s deathly ill in the early months of her pregnancy but she’s also a practical woman who steadfastly holds on to her dreams and fights for them. I was absolutely delighted when Adam comes face-to-face with the real Emmaline who has hid all of her best qualities under drab clothes and a desire to remain in solitude so others won’t know her deepest secrets and desires. And speaking of desires, I sure wasn’t expecting the graphic sex scenes but I love a surprise and I sure got one! Now I’m anxious to read the other books in this series, though this book reads well as a stand-alone. I read a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley and all opinions expressed in my voluntary review are completely my own.

Adam Gentry has lost his fiance, and with her all of his dreams of love and companionship. Drowning his sorrow in the bottle, the heir to the Gentry horse breeding empire looks like he may never recover. 

Emmaline Somerset has made a dreadful mistake with a man she never wants to see again, and now that she's admitted her unwed pregnancy to her family, the whole town will soon know about it. Much to her surprise, her sister-in-law Olivia's brother Adam pays her a visit, offering to marry her to take away her disgrace. It won't be a love match--he's still heartbroken over the death of the love of his life--but she's in need of a husband and he's gentleman enough to put away his whiskey bottle and offer her a solution. 

Befuddled by his spirited and unusual wife, Adam finds himself doing everything he can to comfort her and make the Gentrys' Paradise mansion her new home. But that couldn't possibly mean he's falling in love with her--after all, lightning doesn't strike twice in the same spot.Trapped into a marriage she never wanted and forced into the role of mistress of Paradise, Emmaline must decide what she wants out of life. She never imagined herself as a wife and a mother, but is her growing attraction for Adam a sign that she should give up her dream of becoming a published author? 

This marriage of convenience has two convincing protagonists, each with preconceived notions about their lives, each learning to compromise to make room for the other. Emmaline's aspirations as an author were endearing, as was Adam's chivalrous attentiveness to her throughout her pregnancy and beyond. It did annoy me that there were absolutely no recriminations for Adam getting his late fiancee pregnant, whereas Emmaline had to endure lectures from many after her moment of folly. 

Some romances close the door on bedroom scenes, others leave little to the imagination. Let's just say that this book was far and away the latter (which surprised me as I had read another review calling this a "sweet" romance). One of the main plot points of the book is Adam and Emmaline's burgeoning intimacy, and it is their enjoyment of each other in the bedroom that proceeds to a mutual love and respect in the rest of their lives. Fortunately, an all-too-convenient rescue at the end of the book leaves both hero and heroine realizing their love for each other is more than just physical attraction.

Although this book is the fourth in a series about the Gentry family, I felt that it stood alone quite well. Note: The gentleman on the cover may belie the fact that this is a historical novel, but be assured that it is set in the post-Civil War era.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

For Her Honor ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️by Holly Bush

As an avid reader of Ms Bush, I had no misgivings about this book. I found her gentle prob of the main characters Adam and Emmaline just what was needed.

Adam Gentry the heir of the Paradise Stables was in a state very poor mental state. His depression and drinking overpowered his judgement. Upon his reckoning that he could not change the past or bring his true love back after her death he began a personal recovery.

When Emmaline Somerset finds herself unmarried and with child all her hopes and dreams are dashed.

Adam has known Emmaline for years so proposes they marry. Each knows there is no love in this marriage but they take the step. As only Ms. Bush could pen a beautiful story of love and respect evolves. I truly enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

I was thrilled to see this book available on NetGalley, and SO EXCITED to be approved for an ARC. I loved the previous books in the series, and was very much looking forward to the final book in the series. And to find out the story was about Emmaline?! I dropped what I was reading and started right in on For Her Honor. I was over the moon, people!!!

But a hazard of being so excited, is sometimes you end up feeling let down. Which is what happened…

😭

Adam Gentry lost the love of his life, Josephine. Unfortunately, we catch up with him over six months after this happened (we learn of his interest in her during For This Moment, but otherwise we don’t get much of their backstory). He’s basically lost all will to live, and is just going through the motions. But after a night of heavy drinking, he comes to the realization that he can’t go on the way he has been. Shortly after this epiphany, he learns that unmarried family friend, Emmaline, is uh, in the family way.

The logical solution to his problem (needing/wanting a wife and children) and hers (needing a husband) is for them to marry. He proposes, she accepts. He lets go of his hopes for a marriage based on love, she lets go of her hopes to live an independent life. They go about making a life together...

I’m intrigued by the concept that honor and duty - doing what’s right - is more important than happiness, or love. That having a greater purpose is the highest calling, and in that you can find a roundabout kind of happiness. I admired Adam’s sense of duty. I admired his honesty, and his willingness to ensure Emmaline was protected from the harshness of society’s judgement, and committed to her finding happiness.

But my romantic side...was heartbroken for Emmaline. She seemed to be most practical, but I couldn’t help feeling sad she went into her marriage with no expectation - no hope - of being loved by her husband. Respect, companionship, yes. But nothing more. How sad. Also sad? She was so spunky and fun in For This Moment, and we saw very little of that in this story. Even accounting for the situation she found herself in, I missed the girl who gave her older brother Jim all kinds of crap for being stupid about the woman he was in love with.

On one hand, I appreciate the lack of over-dramatized angst involved in Adam and Emmaline’s relationship. But on the other, perfectly logical people don’t make for very much conflict. And no conflict equals little to resolve. I find it hard to believe I’m going to say this, but I wanted more conflicting emotion from Adam that he was feeling more for Emmaline, and more lamenting from Emmaline that she knew Adam would never love her. There could have been so much of the good kind of angst! Instead, we got a cliched “woman in great peril” situation that inspired them both to realize they were in love with the other.

When your expectations are so incredibly high, there’s always the chance you’ll experience disappointment. Don’t get me wrong - I still liked this book. Ms. Bush is an excellent writer! I liked the characters, and the marriage of convenience plot was actually believable. But this story failed to move me as deeply, and lacked the depth of emotion of the others in the series. After pondering for a couple of days, I feel like too much of the storylines was spent on them separately, and not enough of them together. If a story is a romance, I want to feel the love! I want to see the relationship develop from companions, to close friends, to being in love. Sadly, that development, that progression, didn’t seem to be there. I just wanted...more.

Regardless, Holly Bush - and her Gentrys of Paradise series - has inspired me to read more historical romance. In the past, I wouldn’t even give this genre a consideration, but now I do. And I’m looking forward to reading more by Ms. Bush.

* thank you to NetGalley and Holly Bush Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I've received a ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A cute historical romance novel. The characters were likeable, and the content was realistic for that time period but I did find it strange how quickly Emmaline got over the death of her child after an horrible miscarriage and how quickly she wanted children later on. In regards to her miscarriage, there was definitely a lack of emotion lingering there but I guess everyone grieves differently I suppose. Overall, an enjoyable novel I would recommend.

This is exactly what I needed to read this weekend.
A short, sweet romance with two lead characters; Adam is mourning the death of his beloved and Emmaline is with child but unmarried. Whereas Adam is all about honor, Emmaline is bent on fulfilling her dreams and not being tied down with wifely duties. He's yet to love again and she's yet to trust and open up and the two make an awesome couple. Their dialogues were entertaining.
Readers of romance and those who love historical romance would enjoy this. Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.