ON MY LADY'S HONOR By Kate Silver Zebra Ballad Historical Romance August 2002 ISBN # 0-8217-7386-0 {Click here to buy this book} In her debut novel, "On My Lady's Honor", Kate Silver puts a new spin on a classic tale of the Three Musketeers. This is the first

Sophie Delamanse is suffering tremendous guilt at having disobeyed her parent's. Not because she disobeyed them by going to the marsh near her home that the village is saying is spreading the plague but because she believes that she's responsible for bringing the plague into her home that killed her entire family. Before her family's death her troth had been pledged to a man of the King's Guard, a Musketeer like her twin brother, Gerard, and indeed her brother's best friend. Having never met the man Sophie rejects her father's deal with Count Ricard Lamotte and believes that this promise of marriage is void now that her parents are dead.

Sophie and Gerard were very close, as twins are, and vows to bring honor to his name. All through her growing years she's trained, unofficially, beside Gerard and is more than an adequate swordswoman and archer. Binding her breasts and donning Gerard's uniform she gathers his belongings and sets off for Paris to live as Gerard and as a Musketeer in the hopes of bringing honor to his name.

Lamotte is confused why his close friend Gerard walks straight passed him on Gerard's return to duty after being away for so long tending to the deaths of his family from plague. Lamotte is even more confused when Gerard provokes a fight with him. And wounds him in the process. Lamotte is a methodical man and assumes that being a survivor of the plague that Gerard's mind must be fuzzy. Lamotte sees that the illness has robed Gerard of a bit of size as well. By request from Gerard, Lamotte vows to retrain his friend until he's fit once more. But each passing day Lamotte sees that there's something much more different in Gerard than is immediately evident.

"On My Lady's Honor" is a wonderful swashbuckling tale where the heroine is witnessed swinging from ropes, engaging in dangerous sword fights and risking life and limb as an order from the King goes dreadfully wrong. If ever there was an alpha heroine, Sophie Delamanse would be it. While this is a terrific romance I have to admit that I got lost in all the "hoo-wa"… the adventure!

Make no mistake though, this is an outstanding romance. The relationship between Sophia and Lamotte is allowed to mature along side their respect for each other as soldiers. Sophie's character is exceptionally well developed as I believe this is her story. Lamotte is almost a secondary character to Sophie's gregarious and energetic one. In true hero style though, Lamotte is dashing to say the least, as well as honorable and definitely loving, and willing to risk his own life in support of Sophie's beliefs.