This story concentrates on Honor's relationship with Captain Lord Pavel Young. After his cowardice and desertion on the field of battle that was near the end of the previous book, this book begins with his court martial. But Young has powerful friends and the government needs to appease them if they are going to get the declaration of war against Haven that the need so badly.

An almost hung jury saves Young from being shot but enough was proven to have him cashiered out of the Navy. After his father's death just after the verdict is given, Young becomes the new Lord North Hollow who inherits his father's secrets and position in the House of Lords. But he blames Honor for all his problems and won't be content until she is dead.

Before he gets to Honor though, he decides to make her life terrible by killing Paul Tankersley who is Honor's love and lover. North Hollow hires Denver Summervale to challenge Paul to a duel. Summervale is a cashiered Marine who is a killer for hire who has killed many men on women on the field of honor.

Honor had been sent to Grayson to get her out from under the massive publicity the court martial has stirred up. When she hears about Paul's death, she is determined to challenge Summervale to a duel and kill him herself. But Honor has friends on her side who get to Summervale and convince him to tell them who hired him. To no one's surprise, the man was hired by North Hollow and Summervale's confession is on tape. Of course, with the confession gotten by less than legal means it is impossible to take the take to law enforcement.

Honor publicly calls out North Hollow and demands that he meet her on the field of honor even though she gets a lot of pressure from the Queen's government and her own superiors to back off. North Hollow's support is still needed in the upcoming war effort. But Honor won't be dissuaded. She feels that the cost to her career is a cost worth paying if it gets justice for Paul and shows North Hollow for the coward he is.

The story was packed with emotional intensity. Honor's grief for the loss of Paul was very movingingly written and narrated. ( )

This story concentrates on Honor's relationship with Captain Lord Pavel Young. After his cowardice and desertion on the field of battle that was near the end of the previous book, this book begins with his court martial. But Young has powerful friends and the government needs to appease them if they are going to get the declaration of war against Haven that the need so badly.

An almost hung jury saves Young from being shot but enough was proven to have him cashiered out of the Navy. After his father's death just after the verdict is given, Young becomes the new Lord North Hollow who inherits his father's secrets and position in the House of Lords. But he blames Honor for all his problems and won't be content until she is dead.

Before he gets to Honor though, he decides to make her life terrible by killing Paul Tankersley who is Honor's love and lover. North Hollow hires Denver Summervale to challenge Paul to a duel. Summervale is a cashiered Marine who is a killer for hire who has killed many men on women on the field of honor.

Honor had been sent to Grayson to get her out from under the massive publicity the court martial has stirred up. When she hears about Paul's death, she is determined to challenge Summervale to a duel and kill him herself. But Honor has friends on her side who get to Summervale and convince him to tell them who hired him. To no one's surprise, the man was hired by North Hollow and Summervale's confession is on tape. Of course, with the confession gotten by less than legal means it is impossible to take the take to law enforcement.

Honor publicly calls out North Hollow and demands that he meet her on the field of honor even though she gets a lot of pressure from the Queen's government and her own superiors to back off. North Hollow's support is still needed in the upcoming war effort. But Honor won't be dissuaded. She feels that the cost to her career is a cost worth paying if it gets justice for Paul and shows North Hollow for the coward he is.

The story was packed with emotional intensity. Honor's grief for the loss of Paul was very movingingly written and narrated. ( )

This tale really puts Honor through the wringer as plots to harm her come to fruition and in order to fight back she must choose between revenge, justice and her career. ( )

Books 3 through 5 have a pretty tight story line, almost all linked, and almost all having a misogynistic villain of some form. I'm getting ahead of myself, though.

We begin where we left off in [The Short Victorious War]-- With the establishment of Pavel Young's cowardice, the political backwash that's expected from his court marshal, and the honors heaped on Honor. The greater expansion of the political intrigue shows here.

Realize there isn't really a naval battle in this book. Yeah, okay, may or may not be a spoiler. This is a lot of dirt side maneuvering, arguing, and action. Politics is not just heavy handed here, it is the book.

I waver a little on if I continue to recommend from here. ( )

This was a page turner! Once things started happening, I kept reading it long past my bedtime and didn't stop until the end. The battlefields here are not out in the stars. These battles are personal and political. In some ways, I think they were even harder on Honor than the previous battles. These were designed to hurt her deeply and to crush her as a person. I wanted her to win her battles with herself and to stay true to who she was.

The really fascinating part to me was the Grayson culture and how Honor is adapting to it, and its members to her. I love watching her grow into her role as a Steadholder.

Once you are about halfway through the book, you are in for a ride. I strongly suggest you allow time to finish it in one sitting. This is for those who have read the earlier books in the series. While the author does a good job of reminding the reader of pertinent information, the reader really does need the fuller background to really understand all the events. ( )