The Honorable Imposter: 1620

The House of Winslow #1

by Gilbert Morris

Forced by his family to become a minister in the Church of England, Gilbert Winslow is offered a dangerous and challenging task by one of the most powerful nobles in Britain. Taking the post offers fortune and escape from a life he despises, but Winslow discovers it also means becoming a spy. His mission is to infiltrate a group of religious separatists and to ferret out the whereabouts of their leader, who is accused of dissension against the King. In spite of his initial uneasiness, infiltration proves to be an easy matter. But will the ultimate betrayal be so simple? With the influences of good and evil, faith and doubt, compassion and selfishness pulling him apart, to whom could he turn?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Christian, Fiction, Historical, Romance, Christian Romance

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

also published under the name Gilbert L. Morris

Gilbert Morris was one of today's best-known Christian novelists. He lived in Gulf Shores, Alabama, with his wife, Johnnie. He is the father to Lynn Morris and Alan Morris

Series:
* Adventures of Kerrigan Kids
* American Century
* Appomattox Saga
* Barney Buck
* Bonnets and Bugles
* Cheney Duvall, M.D. (with Lynn Morris)
* Cheney and Shiloh: The Inheritance (with Lynn Morris)
* Chronicles of the Golden Frontier
* The Creole (with Lynn Morris)
* Danielle Ross Mystery
* Daystar Voyages
* Dixie Morris Animal Adventures
* Far Fields (with Robert Funderburk)
* House of Winslow
* Jacques and Cleo: Cat Detectives
* Katy Steele Adventures (with Alan Morris)
* Lady Trent Mystery
* Liberty Bell
* Lions of Judah
* Lone Star Legacy
* Omega (with Lynn Morris and Alan Morris)
* The Price of Liberty (with Robert Funderburk)
* Reno Western Saga
* Seven Sleepers
* Seven Sleepers: The Lost Chronicles
* Singing River
* Spirit of Appalachia (with Aaron McCarver)
* Too Smart Jones
*

Reviews

[Cassandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am really not sure what to think of this book! Morris is a very popular Christian author but I didn't really enjoy this first exposure to his writing. It looks like I'm one of only a few who didn't enjoy it.

The Honorable Imposter was definitely written with a male audience in mind. Action, intrigue, romance from a male perspective. I did not understand some of the main character's actions. He seemed extremely wishy-washy for a man's man.

While I am sure novels written by women tend to portray men inaccurately, this novel (written by a man) didn't seem to be an accurate portrayal of women. Eek. I didn't like either the worldly woman or the spiritual one. They were presented as complete opposites and neither were realistic.

I finished the book just to say I had read something by Gilbert Morris. In a way, The Honorable Imposter was a breath of fresh air because it's so different than all the other Christian historical fiction I've read. However, I still wouldn't say this book was good. It was just different.

[Becca · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK, I'll admit it, I read all 40 books in the House of Winslow series. Each book was a quick read and the history was fascinating; however, the books were not particularly well writen. The hero in each and every book was described as having a "wedge-shaped face". I'm still not sure what a person with a wedge-shaped face looks like, and it became a joke to see how far into each book I could read before that phrase popped up.

I hesitate to recommend the books, except that it's a fun review of American history from the Mayflower through World War II.

[Jasmine (Jazzie) [Jesus Loves You!!] · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book! It definitely kept me wondering what would happen next.

The Mayflower has fascinated me for years now, especially since I found out I'm distantly related to some of the people onboard. Actually, the Mayflower was one of the historical events that got me into loving history as much as I do, so I was definitely excited to read this book.

The main downside of this book is that, as a whole, I the characters weren't my favorites. I'm not really sure why that's the case, though.... I just wasn't all that fond of them.

But anyway, I can't wait to continue this series!

[Christopher Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of this book is well done: a man hired to spy on separatists to find out where a preacher wanted by the king is hiding out. Its a pretty good historical ripping yarn with swordplay and a cunning rake seducing pretty girls, and in three parts has three different kinds of tale told in the larger story.

Despite the interesting concept, however, it turns kind of formulaic, and while I'm a Christian, and this is a less-hammering story than some Christian novels, its still kind of heavy handed with tons of scripture quotes. Granted, the guy infiltrates a puritan colony in Holland so its not unexpected but it may be a bit much for some readers.

The colony eludes capture and boards the Mayflower (yes, its those puritans) and the trip across the Atlantic is troubled. There is a particularly ridiculous scene where a sailor tries to assault one of the main character girls on board a ship crammed with supplies and passengers like a sardine can, and in fact almost all the sailors on board the ship are portrayed as reprehensible characters.

On land, the story follows more or less historical fact, altering some events to fit the story line. Starvation, illness, and death follow on that first winter and things are a bit grim. Our hero manages to save the day a couple times and wins the girl - which one of the two? Well you can read and find out.

Characterization in the book is pretty simplistic and neither of the female leads are very interesting: a bratty spoiled rich girl and a pure naive puritan girl. Both are pretty much noteworthy for their beauty and not much in the way of personality. Its not a bad book, and I'm curious where the story goes next, but its not as interesting as I'd hoped given the setup.

[Haylee Yoder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good book!!! Can’t wait to read the rest of the series!!😁 Would definitely recommend!☺️

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most of you may not know this, but I am hopelessly hooked on the House of Winslow Series by Gilbert Morris! I learned about these books from my Grandma, who happens to have read all of his books (how she did it I don't know!).

I felt drawn to this series because it's a Historical/Christian/Romance series that offered the best of both words: the message of Jesus Christ integrated into a captivating Historical romance. And as most of you know, I am a sucker for anything romantic.

After listening to my Grandma go on-and-on about Gilbert Morris's books, I decided to look into getting myself the first book From the House of Winslow Series: The Honorable Imposter.


The Honorable Imposter's theme is set in the 1620s. The book tells the history of the coming of the Pilgrims to the New World, and the trials and tribulations they faced during that first year in America. The book had everything a reader could ever dream of: adventure, romance, nail-biting, tear-jerking plot twists, and completely accurate historical events tied into the story lines.

The main character, Gilbert Winslow, a tall man with blond hair and cornflower blue eyes, is hired by Lord North to find and turn in William Brewster, the leader of the Puritans. Gilbert Winslow finds it impossible to turn in the man he has grown to love. He then finds himself unwillingly on the Mayflower headed toward the New World, a new world he wasn't prepared for.

Gilbert runs from God time and again from this book. An independent, strong man like himself didn't need a God, besides, he was tired of having the message of God shoved down his throat by his relentless father. However, after fighting, running and refusing to surrender his life over to the Heavenly Father, Gilbert finally finds the peace that only God can give. He then discovers something he had never fully realized: his love for a young woman, a woman who never thought she would ever find true love, a woman that was God ordained soul mate. Together they rejoice in the happiness they find together and in the sovereign peace they found with the Lord.

Gilbert Morris does a fantastic job in writing The Honorable Imposter, weaving his characters and integrating the history of our nation into a captivating, inspiring, moving book centered around Christ and his willingness to accept a wretch like Gilbert Winslow who had turned his back on God, only to return to find God's outstretched hand waiting for him.

This book is third person, past tense.


Pros:

It combines romance, history and God into one action packed book centered on the forgiving and loving nature of Christ.

Cons:

I can't think of anything I didn't like.But it was slow at first.


Objectionable Content:

Language: None

Romance: Yes, there was kissing scenes. But nothing revealing.

Violence: Some mild description of war-related violence

I would rate this book 5 stars and recommend it for ages 13 + up.

[Tiffany Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Resentful because of being forced into studying to become a minister, Gilbert Winslow finds himself with an offer promising him danger and excitement and the possibility of great wealth and improving his social standing. And if this proposition also puts him in the position to be able to marry the beautiful daughter of one of the most powerful nobles in England, so much the better. All he has to do is sell his honor and agree to betray William Brewster, one of the leaders of the sect that breaks away from the Church of England and become the settlers on the Mayflower, searching for religious freedoms. Because of his religious stance and wanting the freedom to worship instead of just following the Church of England, Brewster has been declared a traitor to the crown and it becomes Gilbert's job to infiltrate the group and find out where Brewster is hiding and turn him in to face his crimes. But, as he gets to know them, he slowly finds himself wanting to believe the way they do and truly be a part of their midst and is he really falling in love with the beautiful Humility?

I've always been a huge fan of Gilbert Morris's books and, yet, somehow I haven't read this series before. I can honestly say that this will be rectified as I plan on reading the entire series this year. The first book definitely showed his eye for detail in historical research that I've loved in all of his other series. Yes, there's some creative license but I still found myself looking people and events up. So, I always end up learning so much when I read a Gilbert Morris novels! I love the characters in this and found myself crying a few times. I'm looking forward, very much, to reading the rest of this series.

[Franny · Rating 5 out of 5]

You will really, really like this author's books if you like history. The first book in the House of Winslow series starts in 1620, and the last book takes you right up to the present. Gilbert Morris researches his novels extremely well, and always creates interesting characters and settings. They are enjoyable to read, and you learn a lot about American history in the process.
The honorable imposter is a man that goes along with the Puritans on the Mayflower. He is secretly working for the government of England, and his goal is to find evidence that this group of people are reading the Bible, which is against the law for a common person to do. While crossing the Atlantic Ocean, he falls in love with one of the Puritans (all of his books are dashing, daring romances) and is faced with a great question: should he be true to his commission or abdicate? They are thrilling, never to be forgotten novels, and will easily hold your interest. He is a prolific writer, and always turns out a winner!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is the reason I developed a love for reading!

I was a kid when I found these books. Because of them, I developed not only a love of reading, but of a deeper faith and love for God, and history.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent read, but a bit difficult to get through.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another awesome book by Gilbert Morris. The House of Winslow series starts with a story set in the pilgrims coming to the New World on the Mayflower. A wonderful way to experience history.

[Lauren H · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was good but I felt everything was on the surface. I didn't feel as connected with the characters. It was like it's more from their point of view than what was inside of their head and what they were feeling exactly.

I will continue reading the series and hope to connect with the characters better.

[Deon · Rating 3 out of 5]

nice read, lots of history, some parts more difficult to get through than others

[Kim Savage · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. Good story overall. I enjoy the historical part of the Mayflower, William Bradford, and others. The characters were basically strong and independent. There’s some great action (I loved the sword fights!). I was just a little disappointed in the streamlining of the main character Gilbert Winslow becoming a Christian and also falling in love with Humility Cooper. Gilbert starts out as a spy, and his assignment is to find William Brewster, the leader of the Separatists, and bring him before the King as a traitor to English justice. But William comes to respect and admire the man and the people who follow him for their dreams of freedom, for their faith, and for their vision. However, he is scared to trust them, and God, with his future. I get all that. But it just seemed like a lot was left out. Not a smooth read. I was filling in a lot of blanks.

[Kathryn, the_naptime_reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had 3 parts, England/Netherlands, the Mayflowerr, and Plymouth. The first third plot wise was actually pretty gripping. The second and third parts were slow, not a lot happened beyond a lot of talking. This author’s writing and descriptions of female characters felt cringey. There is a massive 32 books in this series, but I wonder if it really held up over time. I don’t think I’ll be continuing on.

[HENDRYX HENDY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice read

[Dana Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series so much that I am looking to purchase it so I can read it again.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Honorable Imposter, by Gilbert Morris, has been around for quite some time. It was originally published in 1986, and is the first book in the House of Winslow series, but I had not read it until this year. Even though I have read many other books in the House of Winslow, which covers the saga of the Winslow Family from the time of the voyage of the Mayflower by the American Pilgrims to the 20th Century, for some reason, I've overlooked the very first novel in the series. It probably didn't help that the time era in which it is set it not exactly my preferred era for reading about; I prefer books that are set in the Regency era, but also will read about books set in the Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian eras. I'll even read historical western and prairie romances, but the ones I've read are usually set in the 1800's. Visiting the 1600's in novels hasn't been as appealing to me, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that I really enjoyed reading The Honorable Imposter.


The story begins in England. Gilbert Winslow is a younger son and a bit of a rogue. His prospects are limited, and in spite of his roguish tendencies, he has been educated to be a parson. Gilbert is presented with the opportunity to join the ranks of the nobility by entering into the service of Lord North, who wants him to become the husband of his daughter, Lady Cecily. However, he needs to prove himself worthy to Lord North, who recruits Gilbert to find William Brewster, a fugitive from the King, because of his involvement with the Separatists and Puritans. Lord North wants Gilbert to infiltrate and spy on the members of Brewster's movement so that Brewster can be found and then arrested as a traitor to England.


Even though Gilbert is repulsed by the idea of infiltrating a group and then betraying his victim, he agrees to take on the mission. He gains entrance into the Separatist movement through his brother, Edward, who is sympathetic to Brewster's cause. Gilbert wrestles with his conscience because he fully realizes that he is spouting hypocrisy when he speaks the words that will gain him acceptance into the Separatist group. He also meets Brewster himself, and realizes that the man is not exactly the villainous character that he had believed him to be. Instead, Gilbert finds an honourable man of genuine faith. Significantly, through the Separatists, Gilbert meets Humility Cooper and is drawn to her, even though they stand on opposing sides with regards to their beliefs toward the established church. What will Gilbert do when the moment comes for him to betray the Separatists? Will he follow through with his mission and gain Lord North's favour and support in climbing the ranks of English society, or will he join the Separatists as they try to find religious freedom in the New World across the Atlantic Ocean?


My personal knowledge of American History with regard to the Pilgrims and their voyage on the Mayflower is pretty weak, so I wonder which connections to recorded history I am missing because I do not recognize names of real people and places that are mentioned in the story. However, I can appreciate the struggle that Gilbert Winslow faces throughout the novel. If I had to choose a verse from the Bible to summarize his dilemma, it would be Mark 8:36, which reads, "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?"


I also found it amusing and surprising to find out that the first Winslow in the House of Winslow saga was actually quite a rogue. Gilbert isn't interested in taking orders in the church; the man is quite a skilled fencer and is quite smooth in his interactions with Lady Cecily. It's funny to think that the Winslow Family, whose members' spiritual journeys are covered in the series, had a patriarch who was not a great spiritual paragon for much of the book. I can also appreciate the mention of Gilbert's cornflower blue eyes now a bit more, as mention of this physical trait appears in some of his descendants in later stories connected to the House of Winslow. Supposedly, the Winslow men are characterized by a tendency to fall deep and hard for one woman for life. I can't recall if this trait was mentioned in The Honorable Imposter, but it does appear in later books.


If you haven't read any books from the House of Winslow series, The Honorable Imposter is a good book to start off with as it is the book that kicks off the series. There is also a connection between the House of Winslow with the Cheney Duvall, M.D. series which is by Gilbert Morris and Lynn Morris.


This review is also posted on my blog:
http://whatiscbreading.blogspot.ca

[John Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

They were hounded by the king’s government, berated by the established church, scorned by society, hated for their piety by those who preferred carnal pursuits. Believing God said, “Come out from them and be separate,” they left England and settled in Holland. Hearing God’s call to be “strangers and pilgrims on the Earth,” they braved the rigors of the New World to create a place where their descendents could worship in peace and freedom. Instead of landing in Virginia as planned, they were blown by a storm north to New England where half their number died the first winter of “general sickness”. But they held fast to their faith in God and His Word.

This novel tells the story of a young man employed by a powerful lord to infiltrate the Separatists and hunt down the location of Elder William Brewster. That preacher had printed a sermon that annoyed James I, who wanted his head.

Gilbert Winslow spurned his studies for Anglican priesthood in order to find success with Lord North and to win the hand of his lovely daughter, Cicely. He turned his charm on pretty Humility Cooper, the Separatists’ link with Brewster, and made her fall in love with him.
When the two of them go to fetch the preacher for the trip on the Mayflower, two events created an estrangement between them. A rival for Cicely’s hand revealed Gilbert’s treachery and Gilbert killed the man to prevent Brewster’s capture. Wounded in the sword fight, Gilbert was taken onto the Mayflower and became not only a wanted man but also a valuable asset to the colony. Then things got complicated.

The author impressed me with the Pilgrim’s trust in God and His word. I can foresee the Church’s need for such faith in coming years. On the other hand, keeping to the traditions and beliefs of romance novels, he argued that Humility could not make a loving marriage with another Pilgrim because she was still in love with Gilbert. I disagree with that idea.

I recommend this first story in the author’s House of Winslow series for its illustration of faith in the midst of persecution, its exposition of a man’s honorable character, and the twists and turns of its romantic arc.

[Beth F · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read quite a bit of this series as a teen and was completely enamored by the lot of them. Feeling nostalgic, I recently decided to pick up the first book in the series and reread it.

The things I appreciated about this book were that it was an easy read but that did not mean that it’s one of those things that will make you feel like you’ve just lost a brain cell by reading it. Important figures, places and dates that played a role in American history come to life on the pages.

In this book, the main historical event is the crossing of the Mayflower from England to the New World. It tells the stories of the Pilgrims who fled religious persecution in Europe and sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in order to establish a new life for themselves.

My sole critique of the book is that it’s highly formulaic. If you only ever read one of these, you probably wouldn’t notice. But after the first few chapters, the storylines for all the others came rushing back and that made me feel sad because it made me lose momentum and not feel like re-reading the rest.

In each of the 20 or so books of this series that I’ve read, a member of the Winslow family tree finds themselves intertwined with an important event in American history. At the beginning of the story they are generally not entirely true to themselves/family/country/God but before the final chapter ends, that individual will have had an experience that helps them turn their soul over to God and as an added bonus, also find the love of their life.

I read in phases and there are times when reading something that follows a formula is a big plus in my book (take a look at my list—I’m an occasional sad fan of trashy, historical romances and they’re quite possibly the worst offenders of them all!) but apparently it looks like I chose the wrong moment to reread this particular book because the formula caught me off guard this time around.

[Linda Pilling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kept me hooked

He never disappoints! What a great story. I was hooked the moment I read, “The Mayflower.” I loved the strong believable characters, the plot and description.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I thought I read this before, I didn't remember the story. This is basically the story of the Mayflower.

At the beginning of this story Lord Henry North is asking his daughter, Cecily, if she's ready. Since no one would have answered him the way she did, he told her she needed a beating. She replied that they both did, but there was no one to do it! They discussed Cecily's mother's choices for her husband, and Cecily asked why he didn't make any suggestions. He told her that this was the biggest area of disagreement that they had, as he wanted someone with courage, wit, & loyalty. Eventually they joined the admirable Lady North. Her comment was that they'd be late, but Cecily would be worth it. Her parents asked her to be civil to Lord Roth & the parson. She asked, "What parson?" When they arrived at the palace of Lord Simon Roth, he welcomed them. They all knew that he was looking forward to more than just this visit. Lady North felt that Simon would be an acceptable to her husband as a suitor for Cecily. She told her mother that marriage was more than money & a title. They were all masked as they went to the ballroom.

[LeAnne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe I just find 17th century England more interesting than 19th century America,but this was a lot harder to put down than the prairie romance I just read. Morris has obviously researched his subject well, down to the families who sailed on the Mayflower. There is a strong feel for both time and place and the differences in the various societies. He knows how to show this historical data in dialog and action rather than paragraphs of explanation. He set up a strong love triangle and at times I wasn't sure how I wanted it to come up. Most of the book communicated the religious message in ways that felt authentic to the plot and characters, but it did get pretty preachy at the end. (I skimmed.)

[Gardavson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, I am going to review this series as a whole instead of by individual book. While this first in the series is not my favorite, the series itself is excellent. The books are so much fun to read. The history in them is amazing, especially in that it is enormously entertaining. Morris touches on so many of our countries monumental historical events and really brings them to life. While doing so, you're reading fantastic plots with endearing characters. Morris pulls so many things together while keeping the reader engrossed. The messages are clear and touching. Some messages will mark your soul and stay with you forever.

[Casey Short · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gilbert Morris is a wiz at blending history and romance and Christ's values through out his books. I am a huge fan. The series continues thru to many many generations but it never gets old. You always remember that this is where it started. If you are a history buff you will not be disappointed. For the sweet love story, you'll be satisfied. If you are reading it for the Christian Moral in the story you will find it quite full of Christ's teaching and love and forgivness. I read it for the three reason that are listed above.

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gives a kinder look towards the Scrooby Group than most of the books I've read. Other books pose them as harsh arrogant people who consider fun things evil. It's not so in this book, and I appreciate that. This book has a little more description of the kisses and such then I would like, but there's good parts as well that make it worth it to just skip the kissy parts when you come to them. :)

[Faye · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wouldn't say that I was riveted by the story. It was an easy,quick read. Good for escape and not overly challenging to read. The historical aspect (pilgrims coming over on the Mayflower) was interesting and I enjoyed that part of it. I enjoyed the Christian undertones of the book ... not too "christianese" or sappy. Like most romance genre novels, it was a little predictable. I have heard good things about this series so maybe I will try book#2.

[Arwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taking a walk back in time with this book. Actually in more than one way. It’s a historical romance set on the Mayflower and the early days of the Plymouth colony, but it’s also the first in a series of books that I read in high school. Gilbert Morris has a talent for taking you back in time and making the book com alive with action, adventure and romance. It’s a perfect curl-up with a cup of hot cocoa and read all day book.

[Merit-lee Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was the first book i read by gilbert morris i was sick and looking for books on cassette that i could listen to he had the most in one series something like 15 on cassette so i started listening i am still working on the series i'm on like book 33 or something i wish to read all his books i learned a lot about history from reading them and they have a strong plan or salvation in each book not just a sappy love story i'm guessing at when i read the book it was a long time ago

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started reading this book I did not like it. I don't care for romance novels as they seem to give a lot of people a false sense as to what life is like and I thought that was what this book was. So I read little bits of the book here and there. Then I read the whole thing in two settings with the most of it today. It was a compelling story, giving a lot of information as to what life was like in the time frame. Good Book.