Meeting Her Match by Jen Turano - A Book Review

  

I am a longtime Jen Turano fan. I recommend her books quite frequently, especially to those who are looking for a fun, lighthearted read or a book to get them over a reading slump. I will be a bit more cautious about recommending this one. Meeting Her Match goes beyond fun and lighthearted into corny and silly. The interesting mystery of identifying would-be-kidnappers quickly fell to the wayside until the last quarter of the book. I would especially caution residents of Appalachia and those who hold the region in special affection. I do look forward to Turano's next book. She has too many wonderful books under her belt for me not to anticipate another wonderful one.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Meeting Her Match from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

To Spark a Match by Jen Turano - A Book Review

  

After reading several really heavy novels, To Spark a Match was the perfect lighthearted read. Jen Turano's quirky, Gilded Age, romantic mysteries are always delightful. Mr. Gideon Abbott, a member of the Four Hundred, strives to balance his place in society, his secret occupation, and participating in a plan to reintroduce a new and improved Miss Adelaide Duveen into society. Adelaide's penchant for finding trouble and her working her way into his heart makes finding and keeping that balance a difficult proposition. Author Jen Turano's ability to turn a phrase and her sparkling sense of humor combine to give her reader abundant smiles and chuckles. Her ability to plot an interesting mystery with well-paced developments keeps readers fully engaged with the story. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a truly fun read.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of To Spark a Match from Bethany House Publishers via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

A Match in the Making by Jen Turano - A Book Review

  

Jen Turano always provides a wonderful, lighthearted read filled with quirky characters. Her romances set among the society set during the Gilded Age are perfect vehicles for the inspirational messages they deliver. A Match in the Making will delight her fans and those who need an uplifting read to raise their spirits.

Miss Gwendolyn Brinley finds herself in the unexpected and unsought position of assistant matchmaker to two of society's young, husband-seeking ladies. That being difficult enough, her employer agrees to an unconventional arrangement to sponsor one of the wife-seeking men, a widower, in his desire to provide his children with a new mother. Gwendolyn finds Mr. Walter Townsend to be particularly annoying. Let the fun begin!

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of A Match in the Making, book one in Turano's The Matchmakers series, from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

To Disguise the Truth by Jen Turano - A Book Review

   

Light-hearted fun with a good mystery and a touch of romance, that is To Disguise the Truth in a nutshell. I love following up a serious or intense read with a Jen Turano novel. They are refreshing and uplifting, and To Disguise the Truth is no exception. While one would likely enjoy it as a stand alone read, it will be more thoroughly enjoyed by reading the previous two books in the series and familiarizing oneself with the quirky characters.

Set in the Gilded Age of the late 1800s, it is unusual to find an inquiry (detective) agency owned and fully-staffed by women. These women take a unique approach to their cases, and this time maybe more so because the client is one of their own. Eunice Holbrook has hidden behind widow's weeds and veils for seven years, despite never having been widowed. Now it is time to emerge and discover the identity of her grandfather's murderer.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of To Disguise the Truth from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.  

To Write a Wrong by Jen Turano - A Book Review

   

After reading several rather intense books, To Write a Wrong was the perfect break. As usual, Jen Turano provided a great mystery with plenty of comic relief. I as pleased to once again experience her wonderful sense of humor and quirky characters set in the Gilded Age. Turano's writing is not all light hearted though; she does address serious topics, in this case sexual abuse, taking advantage of the vulnerable, and having the courage to stand up for oneself.

I am very grateful to have received a complement copy of To Write a Wrong from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation, and cannot wait for the next installment in the Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency series. All opinions expressed here are my own.

To Steal a Heart by Jen Turano - A Book Review

   


Jen Turano's quirky characters are always a delight. To Steal a Heart's romance and mystery, set in the Gilded Age, are just plain fun. This lighthearted, feel-good story is perfect for these difficult times. Gabriella Goodhue and Nicholas Quinn, raised together as street children, are now reunited as more reputable adults, but their past is nudging its way into the present. The many secondary characters whose lives are woven into Gabriella's and Nicholas' are key to the story and will embed themselves into readers' hearts, readers who will be thrilled that there are more Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency books to come. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of To Steal a Heart from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Storing Up Trouble by Jen Turano - A Book Review

  

Finally a book featuring Miss Beatrix Waterbury, and it was worth the wait! Beatrix was an intriguing secondary character in the first two books of Turano's American Heiresses series, aiding and abetting her friends' shenanigans. In Storing Up Trouble she finds herself in her own series of hilarious mishaps. If you are looking for a book that is strictly realistic, you may want to pass on this one, but if you are looking for a rollicking tale full of fun and invoking a bevy of chuckles, then this is the book for you. I am very grateful to have received a copy from Bethany House via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review, and received no monetary compensation.

Diamond in the Rough by Jen Turano - A Book Review

  

Diamond in the Rough is a fun read. It is Turano's second book in her American Heiresses series, and it was nice to become reacquainted with some of the characters from the first book, particularly Beatrix Waterbury. This story centers around Miss Poppy Garrison, granddaughter of Viola Van Rensselaer, who is having her first social season in New York in payment to her grandmother for a loan given to her parents as they expand their horse farm into Kentucky. Mrs. Van Renssselaer is determined to see her clumsy but exuberant granddaughter turned into a diamond of the first water. She has tasked Mr Reginald Blackburn with seeing to it. He is sorely vexed with Poppy's propensity for unusual mishaps, but is not inclined to let a challenge go unmet.

While fun-filled and lighthearted, this book also reminds the reader of our duty as children of God to invest ourselves, not just our resources, in the lives of those less fortunate. I am grateful to have received a copy of this delightful book from Bethany House via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review and received no monetary compensation.

Flights of Fancy by Jen Turano - A Book Review

   

Like the other Jen Turano books that I have read, Flights of Fancy is a lighthearted, fun-filled story with a dash of intrigue. While there were a few details that seemed a bit unrealistic, it may be because it was difficult to imagine the extent of the fortune that a young man could amass in the late 1800s. The story was enjoyable and the theme of satisfaction found through purpose rather than self indulgence was well-illustrated. Turano's quirky characters are easy to love, and her villains easy to want brought down. Flights of Fancy is a great book to sandwich between meatier reads.

I appreciate receiving this copy from Bethany House through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review and received no monetary compensation.

Caught by Surprise by Jen Turano - A Book Review

  

I truly enjoyed the first twenty-eight chapters of Temperance Flowerdew's story from her kidnapping to finding those responsible for the threats on her life, from the difficulties of living with cousins who did not want her to the pursuit of her hand in marriage by someone who wanted her very much. I had anticipated the events that occurred early in chapter twenty-nine, but had been hoping the story wouldn't take that trite route. Then at the end of the chapter I found myself rolling my eyes. Although I actually would have embraced the end of chapter twenty-nine without the beginning. So, I chose to hold onto the wonderfulness, if that's even a word, of the first twenty-eight chapters and rewrite the ending in my head. Jen Turano provided me with some pretty fun characters to do that with, placed them in a delightful setting, and gave me twenty-eight great chapters to become involved in their lives. I thank her for that, and hope she doesn't mind my parting ways over the last couple of chapters.

I thank NetGalley and Bethany House for providing me with a copy of Caught By Surprise in exchange for an honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review and received no monetary compensation.