What a thrill to be able to read the backstory of how Blackie came to met Emma Hart. This is my favorite series. You must read this.

It has been years since I have read a Barbara Taylor Bradford book and I’d like to thank NetGalley and St Martins Press for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of A Man of Honor. I have to say that even though I did not read the the other books in the Emma Hart Series, I still loved A Man of Honor and fell in love with the characters, especially Blackie O’Neil. I loved seeing Blackie grow into a kind strong man, despite the horrific poverty he survived. Being of Irish and English decent, I loved the setting of the story and it made me wish I could visit England and Ireland.

While this was not a light read, rather heavy indeed, I really enjoyed the descriptive writing style and storyline. I definitely will have to read the other books in the Emma Hart Series. Well done Barbara Taylor Bradford!

I have been a fan of Barbara Taylor Bradford’s writing for many years, first discovering Emma Harte in my late teens. I was very happy to learn that she would be writing sort of a prequel based on one of the characters Emma met in her early years. As someone who’d enjoyed Emma’s scenes with Blackie, I looked forward to reading his own story. That said, I’m not quite sure what I think. The nostalgia factor definitely had me turning pages & yet it wasn’t quite as hard to put down when I needed a break. It is one I would recommend to fans of Bradford’s fans though & I’m certainly glad I took the time to catch up with an old “friend”.

Quite the book honor is such a old thing these days ! was happy to see that in days of old people kept their word! Liked the story!

First of all I would like to thank NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of A Man of Honor for me to read and review. My opinions are my own and not influenced by this fact. A Man of Honor is the prequel to A Woman of Substance, which Barbara Taylor Bradford wrote over 40 years ago. I wanted to see if reading a prequel so many years after reading the first book of her series would trigger my memories of the story (it did). I was intrigued and was very curious to learn more about both Blackie and Emma's stories. I loved learning about their backgrounds, as well as what life was like in Ireland in the late 1890s and early 1900s. And as I presume the author meant to do, I now want to re-read A Woman of Substance with my new outlook on the story and the characters!

It has been a long time since I read a book by this author so I was excited to get approved for this book. I liked it, but I didn't love it. It was a little slow for me. The book follows "Blackie" from 13 years of age to adulthood. A very sad and poor beginning to his life. But he is a stand up guy and works hard. The characters are enjoyable and likable ( well, most of them ha ha ) and it was interesting to read of the old country and olden times but it just was not an easy read for me. But I still am glad that I read it.

💫 Man of Honor 💫
By Barbara Taylor Bradford
Publisher: St Martin’s press (Nov 16.2021)

Ok I have to preface it with the fact that I didn’t read ‘Woman of Substance’ but I honestly am not sure I had to as I was able to pick up the novel (a prequel) as a stand-a-lone.

The parts I loved:
1. Ireland, ugh, Ireland has my heart. I loved all parts of the English and Irish way of living.. (the accent/brogue too!) .I’ve travelled to Ireland and are heading to the UK in 2022…. So I enjoyed being transported to that part of the world.
2. I always get sucked into young children characters who just needed someone to watch and love them. The level of desperation gave me that same desire to scoop Blackie up.
3. Watching the growth and determination of Blackie. It’s a character that is not hard to love.
4. Another book with friendship that is fraught with high society and poverty.

Things I didn’t like:
1. A bit long even for me 🙈
2. Didn’t care about Lord Lassiter and wanted to skim those parts

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 as I still think I’ll pick up WOS and see if it changes my thoughts :) and a special thank you to @stmartins for the gifted copy in return for an honest review.

It has been years since I’ve picked up a Barbara Taylor Bradford novel and I am glad to have had the opportunity to read “A Man of Honor”. This is a story of a determined Irish teenage who is mature beyond his years and one who wants to have a better life for himself after dealing with family tragedies that has left him orphaned and could have stymied his ability to wanting more out of his life. But alas, he has dreams of becoming a builder and his skills can make them come true.

Blackie O’Neill sets off for London as an apprentice to his uncle, who is also a builder. The story details his life from age 13 to adulthood. In the process, he meets Emma Harte, who is kind and becomes his friend and creates a strong and unforgettable bond. The Prequel to “A Woman of Substance”, this was one book that I thoroughly enjoyed and had a hard time putting down. Both Blackie and Emma faced challenges in their lives that allowed them to handle them and learn from their circumstances. This story draws you into the lives of the characters as they are relatable, generous souls that had positive attitudes to accomplishing their dreams.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Blackie O’Neil travels on a journey for a better life at such a young age. This was such an enjoyable read. What I like most was the easy flow of the story and it left me sneaking to find time to read. at work since this book was so hard to put down.

Blackie is a determined teenage Irish lad. His parents and sister have all died, and there are no opportunities for him in his homeland. He makes his way to Leeds, England, where he’ll live with his uncle and aunt and work in his Uncle Patrick’s carpentry business. Blackie works hard, learning all he can, and he dreams of building houses someday. His skills enable him to take on more and more responsibility and even design projects. On the way to an estate job, Blackie fears he is lost on the Moors and comes upon a young kitchen maid, Emma Harte. Wary at first, Emma does take Blackie the rest of the way to the estate. Emma works extremely hard and has her own dreams. When circumstances force her to leave the estate, she makes her own way to Leeds.
A Man of Honor, the prequel to the classic A Woman of Substance and the rest of the Emma Harte Saga series, is a wonderful introduction to Blackie and Emma. We’re also reminded that the connections people make, whether they’re poor or an aristocrat, and how they handle life’s challenges, have lasting effects.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on November 16, 2021
Blackie, only 13 years old but with the disposition of someone much more mature, sets off to rise above his lot in life. Poor, orphaned, living in rural County Kerry Ireland and dependent of handoffs from the local gentry, he travels for Leeds to live with his kind uncle who takes him under his tutelage. He aspires to become a builder of grand buildings. He is quick to learn and has a determination to one day be very successful and rich. Throughout all his trials, Blackie shows that he is a man of honor, a true gentleman. As he rises in his profession, he contracted to work on Fairley Hall. There he meets Emma Harte, a kindred spirit, while he was lost in the mist of the Yorkshire moors. That moment ignites a lifetime of friendship and a bond so strong.
A gentle, thoughtful tale of the life of Blackie O'Neill who grew up in Ireland. He had a young life of poverty and loss, losing his mother, father, and sister, and at the young age of 13 travelled to England to apprentice with his Uncle Patrick, a builder. The story chronicles Blackie's growth from child to adult. I found the character enchanting. He had a positive attitude, an affinity for building, a strong moral character, and a generous spirit.
I haven't read a Woman of Substance but after reading this I definitely will. This was a harrowing read, but I couldn't put it down. Evokes the bare faced horror and desperation of poverty. That any human, let alone a child of 13 finds the strength of character to survive such circumstances is astonishing, and with Blackie O'Neill you get an inside look into how precarious that journey is. This one will stick with me for a while.

Prequel to A Woman of Substance, first book of the Harte Family Saga, none of which have I read.

This is not an action driven plot, but rather rambles along like someone on a leisurely stroll as opposed to a rushing stride. This, however, I did not find to be an unenjoyable negative. I was able to focus on the book instead of rushing ahead to find out ‘what next’. I read it slowly, a few chapters at a time, over the course of a two week period and savored the rich descriptions that are plenty in this book.

I enjoyed this one and recommend it to anyone who can appreciate a slow ramble of historical fiction.


Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an eARC of this title. Opinions shared are influenced by nothing other than my reading experience.

I haven't read a Woman of Substance but after reading this I definitely will. This was a harrowing read, but I couldn't put it down. Evokes the bare faced horror and desperation of poverty. That any human, let alone a child of 13 finds the strength of character to survive such circumstances is astonishing, and with Blackie O'Neill you get an inside look into how precarious that journey is. This one will stick with me for a while.

A unique story that encompasses many different characters from very different walks of life. While the love stories seemed a little fast for that era, I appreciated the various perceptions on love and affairs in a very very different time period than today. I also learned a bit of history on some of the trials people went through and jobs that were available to people which always fascinates me.

I liked this charming origin story about Blackie, one of the main characters in the author's Woman of Substance series. Emma Harte for sure makes an appearance part of the way into the book.

For those who fell in love with woman of substance will enjoy this book. Blackie is an ambitious like ale character. He comes from a life of poverty and ends up wealthy due to his hard work. Emma is introduced as a teenager in this book. I highly recommend this book.

A prequel to A Woman of Substance. Bradford's books are always chock full of warm vibrant characters who bring you into their lives. The storyline centers on Blackie O'Neill and his life story.

I appreciate #NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of A Man of Honor by Barbara Taylor Bradford. I've read other books by this author, but not A Woman of Substance, which this book is considered a prequel to. It's next on my to-be-read list. I enjoyed the story of Blackie O'Neill as he leaves a life of sadness and poverty in Ireland and moves to England. Blackie is ambitious and hard-working as strives for a better life.

I read this very quickly. It was engrossing and a real page turner. The book is well written and have strong characters. I give it 4.5 stars and a strong recommendation.

I gave up on this one a few chapters in. It was so very slow going and felt like work to get thru. There was so much detail into the minutiae of what was happening in the first 4 chapters just in Blackie walking around or visiting his friend preparing dinner. And then the basics of conversation and events that were not necessary and didn’t really lend that much to the story... I don’t know the first book from a few decades ago that it’s referring to but I just couldn’t get into it and decided to let it go. Maybe someone else would like this slow going story but it just wasn’t for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.