"A Defense of Honor" by Kristi Ann Hunter

A Defense of Honor (June 5, 2018) by Kristi Ann Hunter.*

After willingly turning away from London society over a decade ago, Katherine “Kit” FitzGilbert finds herself in the type of place she swore never to return to. A ballroom. In so doing, she has promised a dance to a potted shrubbery and encountered Graham, the Viscount Wharton, heir to the earldom of Grableton. She has not heard of him, which is to his credit, as she has spent these years avoiding ballrooms by dedicating herself to helping women escape the same wrath and disdain that fell upon her and her best friend, and they raise the innocent children that resulted. Kit has her ways of obtaining funds to raise the children at Haven Manor, and she isn’t alone in charge of the children. Daphne is the nurturing one, while Jess is the tough one. When Lord Wharton is stranded at Haven Manor because of flooding, he becomes the father figure all of those children are missing, and Kit sees he is not the despicable, wanton type of gentry she is accustomed to dealing with. Is it worth it to tell him everything, even as she knows he suspects the origins of the youth?

            After meeting Kit in a random ballroom, he cannot seem to get her out of his mind. But where does one begin to look for one who does not want to be found? It turns out, do not try at all. One of his best friends, Oliver, Lord Farnsworth, is desperately trying to locate his missing sister, Priscilla. It’s apparent that their father knows why Prissy is missing, but he has set a stubborn line and will reveal nothing. The only piece of information Oliver has is a strange, albeit legitimate, contract. Graham embarks on a search with Oliver and eventually finds himself at Haven Manor. The more Graham learns about Kit and the children, the more his eyes are opened. He wants to help, though he’s unsure exactly what he should do. But he doesn’t know Kit’s entire story. If he did, would he be repulsed by her past? Or the person she is now?

            Having enjoyed the previous book I read from this author, I was curious to see where this new series would go, and I was not disappointed. I felt this first story in the Haven Manor series read at a steady clip. I enjoyed how well Hunter introduced her main and supporting characters; they are well fleshed-out to be believable individuals and not carbon copies of other characters. I appreciate that flaws are visible even while characters are faithful. For example, Kit’s heart is in the right place, but the way she goes about obtaining and maintaining funds is misguided. No one likes a bully, after all. But flaws give her room to grow, just as our flaws give us endless room to grow.

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”