Reviewer: Judith
A Brother's Honor (The Grangers, #1) by Brenda Jackson
Series: The Grangers #1
Publisher: Harlequin, Harlequin MIRA
Publication Date: May 28th 2013
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 392
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Series Rating:

The Granger brothers left behind their family's Virginia estate and the bad memories it holds 151 years ago. But their dying grandfather's request brings them home: to a failing business, a legacy of secrets and a deathbed promise to make things right.

As the eldest brother, attorney Jace Granger is determined to take responsibility for Granger Aeronautics, his family's failing business. But the years of mismanagement seem impossible to untangle. As CEO, he hires a consultant to turn the company around. Smart, sexy Shana Bradford is the right person for the job and the right woman to turn Jace's world upside down.

But the passion between them is jeopardized when old secrets begin to emerge. A woman from Jace's past suddenly reappears. And an explosive discovery changes everything Jace thinks he knows about his mother and his father, who was convicted of her murder.

Jace Granger tried to leave his family history behind once before. But this time he needs to face the past or risk losing his future.

Three brothers. One legacy. A lifetime of secrets.

But the passion between them is jeopardized when old secrets begin to emerge. A woman from Jace’s past suddenly reappears. And an explosive discovery changes everything Jace thinks he knows about his mother-and his father, who was convicted of her murder.

Jace Granger tried to leave his family history behind once before. But this time he needs to face the past…or risk losing his future.

Brenda Jackson is known for her lengthy and popular family-related series and it seems that no matter how many she writes, most of us really like them.  As a woman of color and deep faith, Brenda has not backed down from expressing the views of contemporary society through the voices of her characters nor has she ever been reluctant to write honestly about the sexual and love relationships between partners.  Here she is introducing a new series of novels about brothers who have been forced to return to their roots to fulfill their promise to their dying grandfather and to save their family business.

It’s often difficult to “go home.”  There is an old truism that declares that we can never go home . . . certainly not in the sense that we can re-create a past that may or may not have been desirable.  In the case of the Grainger brothers, there is not much that is positive about their return to Grainger-land.  There is a whole load of old pain, disappointment, and business problems that gather like a miasma over their father’s business.  Adding a woman into the mix doesn’t seem very smart.  Yet this particular woman possesses the talents and business acumen to identify the problems that are bringing their family business down.  But it is the very process of finding what is wrong business-wise that also makes Jace’s personal life incredibly complicated as well.

This is a very emotional novel and in the way that is very much Brenda Jackson’s way, it is erotic and sensual.  There are so many positive and negative feelings sweeping over the pages of this novel.  It is the kind of story that is filled with tension and crisis, both in the context of the story as well as the attraction between Jace and Shana.  The sexual energy is really hot and it is a romance that feels like it just can’t sustain itself–as one old love song states:  ” . . . it’s too hot not to cool down.”

I, for one, really like Brenda Jackson’s work.  I have read her blog and a lot of what she has to say about her life and her feelings about what she writes.  I appreciate her honesty and her relentless pursuit of putting the stories of people of color before the public.  And above all else, I think she’s good at it.  This novel will be a very entertaining read for her fans and for those who are just discovering her work.

I give it a rating of 4 out of 5.

You can read more from Judith at Dr J’s Book Place.

This book is available from Harlequin MIRA. You can buy it here or here in e-format. This book was provided by the publisher for an honest review.