Prequel to series -
I enjoyed this series, so excited to go back and read how this series starts.

Travel to North Kerry, Ireland in 1899

A young man who has lost his family needs a fresh start, a helping hand.
When this happens, follow his new life path in a whole new direction.

A great new part of this series, very enjoyable!

The prequel to A Woman of Substance stands on its own. The early lives of Blackie O’Neill and Emma Harte drew this reader in straight from page one! This is a must read for anyone even if you have not read A Woman of Substance. And if you haven’t read it you will after reading A Man of Honor. This is a wonderful historical work of fiction and should not be missed. Thank you to #NetGalley, Barbara Taylor Bradford, and the publisher for my requested ARC and the review is honestly my own.

I loved A Woman of Substance and read all the books in the Emma Harte series, also watched the TV production and read the whole series again. I was so excited to see this book and read Blackies story. And it was good. But not great. There was so much more about Blackie that could have been told and what had the Lassiter family got to do with anything? Maybe its been too long since I read the original series but I dont remember the Lassisters. I should re-read them I guess. I was born in Ireland and believe me we never, EVER, say Top of the Morning to anyone - that happens in Hollywood not anywhere else. Ever. Kerry is nowhere near Galway either. Well about as near as London is to Birmingham (relatively speaking) or New York is to California. And Irishmen, particularly at that time when the people were still dying from hunger etc and the memory of the horrific famine where Ireland lost half its population through death or emigration was very much alive and well, didn't rush to join the Navy to fight for "their" King. It was a Queen (Queen Victoria) who was sitting on the throne when Blackie's Uncle Pat would have joined the Navy. And if he was an Irish catholic he would have joined for the money and a job. He may have good mates but he would have faced enormous racism - as would the Irish in England in the time period in this book. Were there Irish in the English forces? Yes absolutely. Thousands of them but did they join out of a patriotic duty or to try regular food and shelter?

I wish to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press Publishers for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a delightful story one that transports the readers back to 1899 Ireland. In the beginning you meet Blackie O’Neill who is 13 years old and has already lost a mother, father and sister and must now leave his home and to England. You will follow his path to manhood and meet many kind, generous and honorable men who will have an impact on his life. He is a character that forms longstanding friendships with both women and men and a role model for any man.

As usual Barbara Taylor Bradford has woven a beautiful story of people you want to meet and learn about them. Her descriptions of fashion, interior design, meal preparation and sights and sounds of 1900’s England. This is a story for everyone and I totally endorse it. Since this is intended to be a prequel to her widely published “Woman of Substance” you will find yourself wanting to reread that one as well.

This story follows young Blackie, who moves from Ireland to England to work for his uncle. His dream is to build houses and he is determined to be successful. He meets many people along the way, some with a little element of mystery.

The dialog took a little to get used to, and some phrases were repeated a lot throughout. Halfways through the novel the story suddenly shifted to Lord Lassiter and after a few chapters it suddenly shifted back to Blackie. It felt a bit disjointed, and I wish the two storylines were better weaved together. Also, I felt like the story abruptly ended and I feel a little more is needed at the end to tie things up. But overall I enjoyed the story.

My love affair with the Emma Harte saga began in 1979, when the first in the series, A Woman of Substance, was published. At the time, I was 18 and recuperating from major abdominal surgery, which caused me to delay my start at college, where I would major in English so I could learn how to write. Instead I joined the Book of the Month Club and The Literary Guild and had the best in contemporary fiction shipped straight to my door. This was a marvelous service I couldn't get enough of and I read voraciously. I particularly enjoyed family sagas, the bigger (figuratively and literally) the better.

Although it has been many years since I've read anything by Barbara Taylor Bradford I had to jump on this one when it hit my Net Galley dashboard. Who doesn't love a good prequel, the "story behind the story?" And what a fine story it is. Now I need to reread the original, A Woman of Substance and see if it still enchants me as it did at 18.

A Man of Honor is the backstory of Emma's lifelong friend Blackie O'Neill. Born in poverty and determined to not only crawl out of it but to become a filthy rich man, Blackie is a dear, dear boy full of wide-eyed ambition. grit and determination. Like Emma, he is "a man of substance." l almost expected the two of them to get together, which I knew wouldn't happen but it did not seem unlikely.

It was interesting to read about English society at the turn of the last century but sometimes I felt like the story wasn't true to to the day's norms and mores. The language often seemed a bit modern for the times. For instance, there was mention of couples' "hooking up," more than once, which I doubt was the term used in 1903. The women seemed a little loose, looser than the men, shockingly, and I found myself wondering about that as well.

The book seemed a bit rushed and broken into parts that confused me. For example, the sections involving Lord Lassiter and his troubles seemed to sprout from nowhere and I didn't understand how they fit into the whole scheme of things. Still don't, although I enjoyed reading about them.

I really wanted to love this book for old time's sake but it fell short of my expectations. At the same time I was compelled to finish it, wondering what happens next, so in the end it was a fairly good read.

Recommended for lovers of family sagas, prequels, and early 19th century English heroes.

The book was ok. To me, an old say easy read full of likeable characters. Not too many bad ones and not too many bad events.

St. Martin's Press thank you so much for this widget!
I am so grateful I was able to read this story!

This was a captivating, emotional read that really took you on a journey. The book is so wonderfully written, with each of the characters having their own unique qualities and traits to add to the depth of this fascinating tale. The storyline was marvellous and had so much context and drive, it was impossible to not find yourself invested in the characters and their lives as the story begins to unfold.
Enjoyed this book more than I thought I would!. Truth be told! But dang it was amazing!

Thanks again NetGalley, Publisher and Author for the chance to read and review this amazing book!
I'll post to my Social media platforms closer to pub date!

Typical Barbara Taylor Bradford-It's a prequel but since it's been many years since I read "A woman of substance" I would consider more of a stand alone novel. I enjoyed the historical aspect of the time but really this is afluff of a book without much substance.

What a beautiful flashback this story was to my earlier life (I’m soon to be an octogenarian) when people accepted the harshness of life and worked diligently – against all odds – to bring themselves and those they loved into a better living situation. It was a life of honor and dignity in spite of prevailing poverty and deprivation. I very much appreciate this portrait of the reality of that life.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t realize this was considered a prequel until after I finished the book. I admit I was disappointed with all the loose ends, but glad to know the story continues. Set in Ireland and England in the early part of the 20th century, A Man of Honor tells the story of Blackie O’Neill, a young orphaned Irish boy who is determined to make his way in the world. Along the way, Blackie meets people from all walks of life, some of whom help him, and some who come to play a significant role in his life. Bradford’s easy writing style makes this a quick read I’m looking forward to seeing where this story goes,

It’s bee many years since I read A Woman of Substance so I had to jog my memory a bit. In this story, Emma Harte and Blackie go back to their beginnings and the beginning of their friendship. It was a slow go for me in the beginning, lots of descriptions, and not much to move the story along. But it was a good read, especially if you are a fan of Barbara Taylor Bradford.

I have followed Barbara Taylor Bradford's Emma Harte series since the beginning. Blackie was always one of a cast of supporting characters, albeit an important one since he figures in every installment of the Emma Harte franchise. I was delighted b that Ms. Bradford gave him his own story, even though much of A Man of Honor had been alluded to by Emma as her own backstory was developed. A Man of Honor tells the story of Blackie's rise from crushing poverty in Ireland to his becoming a well-known builder In Leeds and his relationship with Laura, who would become his wife. The rest of his story, as they say, is revealed in A Woman of Substance.
Even though I loved all the Emma Harte books, Blackie O'Neill was a favorite character, never as hard-edged as Emma in her quest for revenge on the Fairleys.

Fans of Barbara Taylor Bradford will love this new book, It's a prequel to "A Woman of Substance" so if you read that book, this one is a must. It is a very interesting story about Blackie O'Neill trying his best to move up in the world in England. An honorable person is someone who believes in truth and doing the right thing. Then he meets a kitchen maid, Emma Harte and his life and goals change.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. This book tells the story of Blackie and is hard life. He list his family when he was young and moved to England to learn a trade from his uncle. I enjoyed this book and can't wait to read her next one.

I loved this series so was very happy to see a new book in the series as a prequel. I know our patrons will be as well. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.

I have always loved Barbara Taylor Bradford so I was very excited to see that she had written a prequel to A Woman of Substance, one of my favorite books about a strong woman achieving in a man’s world. The story of Blackie O’Neill, long time best friend of Emma Harte, is a story that is just as inspiring as Emma’s. This is a story of overcoming obstacles through determination, positive thinking, and discipline.

Blackie, only 13 years old but with the disposition of someone much more mature, sets off to rise above his lot in life. Poor, orphaned, living in rural County Kerry Ireland and dependent of handoffs from the local gentry, he travels for Leeds to live with his kind uncle who takes him under his tutelage. He aspires to become a builder of grand buildings. He is quick to learn and has a determination to one day be very successful and rich. Throughout all his trials, Blackie shows that he is a man of honor, a true gentleman. As he rises in his profession, he contracted to work on Fairley Hall. There he meets Emma Harte, a kindred spirit, while he was lost in the mist of the Yorkshire moors. That moment ignites a lifetime of friendship and a bond so strong.

I loved hearing Blackie’s story as he was a favorite character from A Woman of Substance. One confusing element for me was the amount of print given to another story within this book about Lord Lassiter and his unhappy home life. I didn’t feel that it added any substance to Blackie’s story. But that aside, Bradford writes a story rich in details that transports you to Ireland. Having an Irish grandmother, the dialogue was authentic and music to my ears. Even having read A Woman of Substance, this story stands on its own. Blackie O’Neill is a character that you admire for his tenacity and for just being a kind and honorable human being that you will root for his success. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

Many thanks to #netgalley #barbarataylorbradford #amanofhonor for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book was sent to me on Kindle by. Netgalley for review…I do not enjoy reading prequels, and although I have enjoyed books by this author, 5is one is not a favorite…others might enjoy the story and might try it…the author is good at her craft, and the characters are intriguing…

“As they walked up Town Street, neither of them knew then that they had embarked on a journey that would lead them to more success than they had ever dreamed possible. Or that their friendship would be so enduring it would last a lifetime.”
This book is the prequel to A Woman of Substance and is the background of Shane Patrick Desmond O’Neill known as Blackie… it’s the early years of Blackie who did not have an easy life but is a wonderful character !

I was so excited to see this new book by Barbara Taylor Bradford. I had read her Woman of Substance years ago and loved it. I don't know whether my reading preference has changed or what. But I found this book not nearly as good. A prequel to her former book, this one introduces Blackie O'Neil, who later marries the main character in A Woman of Substance. I was disappointed in this book.