Blue Jeans And Teacups: •*• Jen Turano Wields Comedy Like a Sword! •*•

Diamond in the Rough – American Heiresses Series Book 2 by Jen Turano

This cover is to die for!

1885, New York, NY –

Art provided by author - used with permission

Now how is that for an opening line?

Poppy has left her family’s Kentucky horse farm to come to New York at the request, or rather insistence of her excessively wealthy grandmother to experience her first “Season”. She tends to say and do the first thing that pops into her head often to the horror of her grandmother and those of the elite NY 400. Disaster tends to follow her, but since she is quite used to that she simply rolls with it. “Do you know that I once got knocked straight off a horse because a duck flew into me?”

fan art by Susan Gibson Snodgrass ~ co-member of
The Gilded Gals of Turano Street. Used with permission.

The Earl of Lonsdale and his cousin, Reginald Blackburn have traveled from England to find an American heiress to marry, effectively rescuing the Earl from financial ruin. However, they are determined to find someone of good character. Something Reginald is certain Miss Garrison certainly is not from the unusual way her dance partner twirled her away, crashing directly into himself and her less than demure commentary to the perturbed host of the ballroom. Then later, finding her crawling on all fours in search of something. “Reginald was of the firm belief that always maintaining the proprieties was exactly what separated true ladies and gentlemen from the masses.” No, Miss Poppy Garrison was certainly not the type of woman he would approve of for his cousin. But when disaster and mystery follow Poppy around like a bad penny, Reginald finds himself caught up in her world, most unexpectedly. As does the meek mannered Mr. Middleton whom Poppy quickly befriends. I really enjoyed the dynamic of her relationship with both men who are distinctly different. Watching Murray Middleton grow and come into his own as the story progressed was a delight. The “snail scene” was hilarious. Very “Pretty Woman”. Just like in real life, the supporting characters take an active role and add so much to the story.

TEA MOMENT: Ok, so I was so excited by the tea-themed cover of this novel, months before it was even close to release. So imagine my surprise when Poppy is at the tearoom in Rutherford & Co. and this happens, “They do offer an impressive assortment of teas, but…” She looked up. “Will you find me quite beyond the pale if I admit I don’t actually care for tea, preferring coffee instead?” "You don’t care for tea?”

“Shocking, I know.”

“Scandalous more like.”

But, my little heart attack was quickly diminished by the hilarious scone and clotted cream scene.

“Adele frowned, “You said you were savoring clotted cream when I first arrived.”

“Savoring, detesting,” Poppy said with a wave of her hand. …

FAITH MOMENT:

MYSTERY NOTE: I genuinely thought I knew who the culprit of the story was, smiling to myself that I had figured it out. Boy was I wrong! The breadcrumbs that led me to my choice unexpectedly did NOT lead to who I thought they would. Naturally, that made the story even more exciting. While there is a bit of danger, there is not any gore or undue stress to the reader.