Diamond in the Rough by Jen Turano

I have one question for you today. Have you ever read a book by Jen Turano? If you haven’t, well then shame on you! Just kidding. Sort of. But seriously, you need to. And if you have, well make sure that Diamond in the Rough is one of them! Poppy – she’s my new best friend favorite character. Oh man, I can’t wait for you to meet her! AND……stop back on the 25th. Ms. Turano herself will be here chatting with me and offering a giveaway!!!

To save her family from financial ruin, Miss Poppy Garrison accepts an unusual proposition to participate in the New York social season in exchange for her grandmother settling a family loan that has unexpectedly come due. Ill-equipped to handle the intricacies of mingling within the New York Four Hundred, Poppy becomes embroiled in one hilarious fiasco after another, doomed to suffer a grand societal failure instead of being deemed the diamond of the first water her grandmother longs for her to become.

Reginald Blackburn, second son of a duke, has been forced to travel to America to help his cousin, Charles Wynn, Earl of Lonsdale, find an American heiress to wed in order to shore up his family estate that is in desperate need of funds. Reginald himself has no interest in finding an heiress to marry, but when Poppy’s grandmother asks him to give etiquette lessons to Poppy, he swiftly discovers he may be in for much more than he bargained for.

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I’m not sure there are adequate words to describe how I feel about books by Ms. Turano. Anyone can say they love a book, but it doesn’t seem to be appropriate here, because I more than love them. I adore them. I can’t get enough of them. Her books always put a smile on my face, cheer me up on a bad day, and transport me to another world. Her character names are ingenious, some of their traits (and quotes) are entertaining, and the circumstances are always delightfully hilarious. Diamond in the Rough is no exception.

Poppy just might be my favorite character by Turano, ever. She says things at the wrong time, gets herself into some interesting pickles, and is a total handful. However, she is charming, not afraid to stand up for what she thinks is right, and honestly tries to do the right thing. She is loyal to her family, and the cause of her grandmother trying to make her the best of the season. The scenes she has with children, with those less fortunate, and with her friends are such a pleasure to read. They show the true nature of Poppy – which should be seen by some other not-so-nice characters in the book.

There were so many laughable scenes I can’t even remember them all! The first line alone was great, let alone talking about snails tasting like chicken, the deaf Mr. Phalen thinking Viola was changing her name to Frank, ending up in water, and so many more. Turano is known for her quirky lines and this book has several to enjoy. The way Turano weaves a little humor into a good portion of the book is just amazing. The fact that her mind can think up these crazy stories just blows my mind!

But don’t let the humor fool you – Turano is also great at weaving in remarkable lessons in her stories. My favorite in this one happened to come from a character other than Poppy (I won’t say who to refrain from having a spoiler). This person happens to have a scene with the less fortunate, and sees how they truly live. It is at that very moment the character realizes all that they truly have and take for granted. It is also at that time I started to think of all that I had and take for granted. Yes, even among the comedy, there are lessons to be learned, and thoughts you cannot help but think. Bravo Ms. Turano for reminding me how good I really have it, even on days when I don’t feel like I do!

All in all, as with every other Turano book ever written, this is a book that you need to read! The characters, the circumstances, the setting, are all worth your time. I encourage you to really read into the characters and try to figure out who the bad guys might really be. I think you’ll be a little surprised with a twist at the end!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“There’s always an odd duck in every family.”

“I’m convinced that Jane Austen’s insipid novels were directly responsible for leaving Elizabeth with an unrealistic view of the world, one where romance ruled the day and everyone got their own happily-ever-after.”

“Remember to smile, dear, and for goodness’ sake, don’t tell him the story about the duck.”

“I think you’ll eventually discover that you’re delightful just the way God made you, my dear.”

“Right there, in the middle of Broadway, surrounded by carriages, strangers, and belligerent deliverymen, and having only recently been relieved of her reticule, Poppy lost a bit of her heart.”

“Life was never dull whenever he was with Poppy.”

“When you’re facing death, my dear, you really do contemplate how you’ve lived your life, and I’m afraid to say that my life has been consumed with matters that are unimportant. How much money I’ve amassed or how many deals I’ve struck will not matter in the end. Family matters. Friends matter. Embracing a relationship with God matters.”

“Poppy, he’d discovered, was not the typed to stay on the sidelines, and he knew, without a doubt, she wouldn’t settle for donating money but would want to get into the thick of the matter…which would undoubtedly lead to mayhem.”

Named One of the Funniest Voices in Inspirational Romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today Best-Selling Author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publisher Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. When she’s not writing, she spends her time outside of Denver, CO. She can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jenturanoauthor/ or visit her on the web at www.jenturano.com. She is represented by the Natasha Kern Literary Agency.

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