Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Publication
Bold Strokes Books (2004), Paperback, 180 pages
Description
The first in the Honor series, Above All, Honor introduces single-minded Secret Service Agent Cameron Roberts and the woman she is sworn to protect--Blair Powell, the daughter of the President of the United States. Cam's duty is her life--and the only thing that keeps her from self-destructing under the unbearable weight of her own deep personal tragedy. However, she hasn't counted on the fact that the beautiful, willful first daughter will do anything in her power to escape the watchful eyes of her protectors, including seducing the agent in charge. Both women struggle with long-hidden secrets and dark passions as they are forced to confront their growing attraction amidst the escalating danger drawing ever closer to Blair. From the dark shadows of rough trade bars in Greenwich Village to the elite galleries of Soho, each must balance duty with desire and, ultimately, choose between love and honor.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member ex-labrys
first book in the series introduces secret service agent Cameron Roberts, who must protect the presidents only daughter. Blair Powell has no intention of being easy to protect, as she slips away from agents to go bar hopping and picking up conquests.
LibraryThing member rivkat
She's a tough Secret Service agent with a tragic past. She's the president's closeted daughter who hates being surveilled. They don't exactly fight crime, but they do fall in love, with lots of sex with other people to try to avoid emotional entanglement. It was basically a standard explicit
Show More
romance with bonus casual sex, though I'm not sure whether the constant references to the (butch) agent's "hardness" was a trope of lesbian erotica or merely this author's tic. Show Less
LibraryThing member ironicqueery
Romantic fiction is not generally my genre of choice, but given that Radclyffe is a popular lesbian fiction writer, I thought it was necessary to give this a try.
Radclyffe has some great plot ideas, and this one is no different. Her ideas for situations are unique and capture the reader's
That being said, Radclyffe gets stuck in the romance aspect of romance fiction a bit too much. Above All, Honor is actually on the light side of the romance, and because of that, is probably the best one in her Honor series. I much prefer contemplating the plot than hearing about what goes on under the sheets.
Of course, quite a few people think otherwise, so that is what makes Radclyffe popular. She delivers for her audience. However, I can't help but be slightly disappointed that she doesn't take a slightly more serious approach to fiction and fully explore her strong creativity for plots and stories that engage the reader, rather than write for the largest common denominator.
Radclyffe has some great plot ideas, and this one is no different. Her ideas for situations are unique and capture the reader's
Show More
interest. Her characters aren't quite as developed as they could be, but they are still different and interesting nonetheless, except for physical features, which seem to standardize with fit and slightly muscular. That being said, Radclyffe gets stuck in the romance aspect of romance fiction a bit too much. Above All, Honor is actually on the light side of the romance, and because of that, is probably the best one in her Honor series. I much prefer contemplating the plot than hearing about what goes on under the sheets.
Of course, quite a few people think otherwise, so that is what makes Radclyffe popular. She delivers for her audience. However, I can't help but be slightly disappointed that she doesn't take a slightly more serious approach to fiction and fully explore her strong creativity for plots and stories that engage the reader, rather than write for the largest common denominator.
Show Less
LibraryThing member DanieXJ
Blair is the daughter of the President of the United States, an artist, and really, really doesn't like having a security detail from the Secret Service.
Cameron is the new head of Blair's detail. The two of these things put together makes for an often explosive narrative in the novel.
And then add
Before I read this first book in the series I had read some of the more recent in the series books, and I have to say that I was very surprised by how the characters of Cameron and Blair started in this book.
Still, it was a good story and a helluva couple of different cliffhangers, so, Honor Bound (number 2 in the series) here I come.
Cameron is the new head of Blair's detail. The two of these things put together makes for an often explosive narrative in the novel.
And then add
Show More
in quite the thriller subplot to the rest of the crazy mess and it's an insanely intense novel.Before I read this first book in the series I had read some of the more recent in the series books, and I have to say that I was very surprised by how the characters of Cameron and Blair started in this book.
Still, it was a good story and a helluva couple of different cliffhangers, so, Honor Bound (number 2 in the series) here I come.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Warmus
I read a lot about this story on other websites, so I decided to see what the fuss was about. Even though this story screams sex, it was moderately entertaining. I'm not too fond of Blair, but I could get used to Cam. I hope the other books in the series explore more of Blair and Cam's emotional
Show More
commitment towards each other. Show Less
LibraryThing member Familiar_Diversions
Cameron Roberts, a Secret Service Agent, has physically recovered from the assignment that killed the woman she loved, but she's not sure she'll ever be the same emotionally. She's initially frustrated when she's assigned to protect Blair Powell, the daughter of the President of the United States,
The First Daughter has had so little privacy most of her life that she now does everything she can to achieve moments of freedom. Although she behaves perfectly at public functions, she rarely tells her Secret Service agents her personal plans ahead of time, and she can be nearly unrecognizable when she wants to be. It's not unusual for her to slip off for one night stands with women who have no idea who she is.
Cam intrigues Blair, but the agent is too tightly controlled and professional to let her own reaction show. However, keeping emotionally distant becomes more difficult when Blair finds herself the target of a stalker.
I got this from a used bookstore two or three years ago and attempted to read it back then but found that my disgust with the presidential administration at the time made it impossible to enjoy a story about even a fictional First Daughter. Thankfully, it was an easier read this time around.
I've been meaning to try one of Radclyffe's books for years. Some review I read somewhere described her as the Nora Roberts of lesbian romance in terms of quality and output. While I thought this book was decent, that description set up a few expectations I'd have been better off without.
For one thing, although I'm sure the series as a whole qualifies as lesbian romance, this particular book didn't follow the romance conventions I'm used to. Cam and Blair had sex quite a bit throughout, but almost all of it involved other people. I was initially okay with this, but one instance in particular threw me - Blair had sex withone of her Secret Service agents , primarily because she was upset that Cam rejected her. They weren't a couple, and didn't become a couple until the end of the book, but I still wasn't a fan of the way Blair behaved.
In general, I didn't really like Blair. I get it, she hated that her position meant she had people watching her all the time. She couldn't be open about her sexual orientation (although I'd be surprised if the tabloids didn't at least speculate about it, considering her frequent one night stands), and she felt fenced in. Still, she came across as bratty and childish. She knew her Secret Service agents had a job to do, and she largely made it as difficult as possible for them to do it properly. Thank goodness she at least cooperated at public functions and, somewhat, after it became evident that she had a stalker, or I wouldn't have been able to put up with her at all. I thought Cam was remarkably patient with her, considering.
I was disappointed with the stalking subplot, which was barely developed and never fully resolved. It felt like it was introduced mostly to make sure the book wasn't entirely about Blair doing her best to have sex with nearly any woman who caught her eye while Cam did her best not to show any reaction. Maybe the next book ties that thread up? As it was, this didn't feel like a complete book.
I'm not sure yet whether I'll continue on with this series. The writing was decent, and I'd definitely be willing to try another one of Radclyffe's books, but Blair and Cam didn't work for me as a couple until nearly the end.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
Show More
thinking it'll be little more than a babysitting assignment and a waste of her skills. She soon realizes that guarding Blair is a lot more challenging than that. The First Daughter has had so little privacy most of her life that she now does everything she can to achieve moments of freedom. Although she behaves perfectly at public functions, she rarely tells her Secret Service agents her personal plans ahead of time, and she can be nearly unrecognizable when she wants to be. It's not unusual for her to slip off for one night stands with women who have no idea who she is.
Cam intrigues Blair, but the agent is too tightly controlled and professional to let her own reaction show. However, keeping emotionally distant becomes more difficult when Blair finds herself the target of a stalker.
I got this from a used bookstore two or three years ago and attempted to read it back then but found that my disgust with the presidential administration at the time made it impossible to enjoy a story about even a fictional First Daughter. Thankfully, it was an easier read this time around.
I've been meaning to try one of Radclyffe's books for years. Some review I read somewhere described her as the Nora Roberts of lesbian romance in terms of quality and output. While I thought this book was decent, that description set up a few expectations I'd have been better off without.
For one thing, although I'm sure the series as a whole qualifies as lesbian romance, this particular book didn't follow the romance conventions I'm used to. Cam and Blair had sex quite a bit throughout, but almost all of it involved other people. I was initially okay with this, but one instance in particular threw me - Blair had sex with
In general, I didn't really like Blair. I get it, she hated that her position meant she had people watching her all the time. She couldn't be open about her sexual orientation (although I'd be surprised if the tabloids didn't at least speculate about it, considering her frequent one night stands), and she felt fenced in. Still, she came across as bratty and childish. She knew her Secret Service agents had a job to do, and she largely made it as difficult as possible for them to do it properly. Thank goodness she at least cooperated at public functions and, somewhat, after it became evident that she had a stalker, or I wouldn't have been able to put up with her at all. I thought Cam was remarkably patient with her, considering.
I was disappointed with the stalking subplot, which was barely developed and never fully resolved. It felt like it was introduced mostly to make sure the book wasn't entirely about Blair doing her best to have sex with nearly any woman who caught her eye while Cam did her best not to show any reaction. Maybe the next book ties that thread up? As it was, this didn't feel like a complete book.
I'm not sure yet whether I'll continue on with this series. The writing was decent, and I'd definitely be willing to try another one of Radclyffe's books, but Blair and Cam didn't work for me as a couple until nearly the end.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
Show Less
Language
Original publication date
2002-01
Physical description
180 p.; 5.51 inches
ISBN
193311004X / 9781933110042