LOVE, HONOR, BETRAY
Mary Monroe
3.5 stars

In LOVE, HONOR, BETRAY, we find ourselves back in the lives of Hubert and Jessie Wiggins in the third installment of Mary Monroe’s Lexington Alabama series. Things pick up right where the second book of the series ended, the serial murders are still plaguing the town with no clue as to who the culprits are. The killings have become more sinister with racial undertones as the victims are no longer young black women but now includes black men who are being hung in trees. Everyone is afraid and on high alert. This is beneficial for Hubert’s business as the funeral home director, but the potential threat to their lives is instilling fear. Especially considering the Klan may be on the loose and the police investigation is hitting to close to home to the appalling act they are keeping secret.

Hubert has managed to keep his secret affair with his lover Leroy hidden but things change, sending Hubert in a downward spiral. Jessie is dealing with the frustrations of being in a marriage with no intimacy. She takes up an affair with a married man who proves to be too much for her. Will the secrets they share as well as the ones they are keeping from each other be the downfall of their marriage of convenience?
Although I enjoyed my journey with Hubert and Jessie and their messy marriage, I find this book to be a bit repetitive and wordy. The book provides some of the shock value as MRS. WIGGINS, but they are predictable moments as well. You can count on Mary Monroe to bring the drama and I am here for it!

Love, Honor, Betray by Mary Monroe was a very good read. Hubert and Jessie's marriage was based on lies. However, lies will eat you up inside and eventually the truth has to come out. A good lesson for all to learn!

"While everybody else was preparing to celebrate Christmas last month, Blondeen was preparing to kill me and Jessie."

If the 'Tell-tale Heart' had been full of scheming characters with secrets piled on secrets, that would be this book.

"I'm a undertaker, not a schoolteacher."

This was the wildest ride! Both narrators are sus, and shouldn't be believed, but who can you trust?

Definitely recommend! Historical fiction with all the twists!

This last installment in this series was a full circle moment. All the loose ends in this story were definitely tied up. I enjoy the author’s way of letting the reader into the lives of these colorful characters. The dialogue between them makes you feel like you’re sitting there with them. I was surprised by the ending. I thought it would end with a scandal or a cliffhanger but it ended right for the series. This is the second series I read this year and will certainly read more.

Love, Honor and Betray was very good addition to the Lexington Alabama series. Monroe writes compelling characters that tug at your heartstrings. Plus it is always a treat to read about Black life in the deep South. Finally, the plot was well paced with some very suprising twists and turns, which will keep readers engaged. However, I do recommend reading the first two books in the series as this is not a stand alone.

Love, Honor, Betray is book three in the Lexington, Alabama multicultural interest series by bestselling author, Mary Monroe.

Book three begins where book two, Empty Vows, left off. Hubert and Jessie are both preoccupied with their married life and the secrets they’re keeping from each other and the world.

The story is again revealed through the alternating viewpoints of Hubert and Jessie, using appropriate chapter headers. Though part of a series, this novel works well as a standalone, due to adequate backstory. However, I recommend reading the series in order for the complete storyline. This book is appropriately paced throughout. The plot is compelling with unexpected twists. I give Love, Honor, Betray 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it to all readers of historical fiction, especially multicultural interest fiction.

My thanks to Kensington Books, Dafina, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Kensington Books and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

The end to the series is brilliant.

What a way to end a series. This book tied up any loose ends from the previous book. Herbert and Jessie were hiding things from each other and learned from that. This author always delivers. I cannot wait for the next book from this author. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on this review.