Jen Turano: In Pursuit of Civility

 By Kelly Bridgewater

 LESSON TWO: Become headmistress and expect to find yourself partnering with an attractive inventor to search for treasure.

Annaliese Merriweather has been appointed the temporary headmistress of the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies while her sister is on her honeymoon, but she doesn't feel cut out for the role. Especially after she loses two of her most troublesome students during an outing to a county fair and has to recruit the help of Seth McCormick, an eccentric inventor, to retrieve them.

Soon after, one of those mischievous students disappears again, intent on pursuing a pirate map. Together, Annaliese and Seth set out to find her, accompanied by a menagerie of Annaliese's rescued animal companions. As they stumble from one chaotic situation to the next, sparks fly between Annaliese and Seth. Somehow, they'll need to outwit dangerous individuals also intent on seeking the treasure and bring everyone back in one piece--all while deciphering what their hearts desire.

With witty characters and humorous banter, Jen Turano takes readers on a lively tale of hijinks, humor, treasure hunting, and forced proximity in her latest historical rom-com set in Chicago at a finishing school during the Gilded Age.

 

 

My Thoughts:

In Pursuit of Civility by Jen Turano features many different, yet charming animal characters who make the story a little different, yet in a good way. Annaliese, the heroine, is a decorum instructor at Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies, which her older sister help created out of the castle that their sister left them. Readers need to read the first book in the series to see how this happens. I love Turano’s stories, but in this installment, she does have many moments where readers are going to see two characters have a dialogue, and it will go on for pages with no real action happening. This was a little annoying at times. I wanted something to happen instead of just reading their lines. It made me wonder what the other characters were doing while these two characters were just talking. As for the romance, I like the little gestures that Seth gives to Annaliese to show his affection. There was one gift that stood out, and it is mentioned repeatedly in the story. The plot, besides what I mentioned earlier, does move along nicely. There are mishaps with skunks, pirates, monkeys, and birds that make the reader laugh. Overall, In Pursuit of Civility by Jen Turano was not one of my favorite of her stories, but I will definitely open a paperback copy.

I received a complimentary copy of In Pursuit of Civility by Jen Turano from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

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Jen Turano : A Lesson in Propriety

 By Kelly Bridgewater

LESSON ONE: Stand in the way of the Windy City's criminal world and expect a most improper proposal from an eligible gentleman in return.

With her father dead, her fortune stolen, and her fiancé casting her aside, Miss Drusilla Merriweather's privileged life has been upended. She is left with only one option: to provide for her family by opening a finishing school in the allegedly haunted castle she's inherited from her eccentric aunt. However, her plan is immediately threatened by unscrupulous developers keen on claiming the coveted estate for themselves by any means necessary.

Mr. Rhenick Wittenbecker, a dashing architect with a tendency to charm his way out of trouble, is convinced he can protect Drusilla but is challenged by her fierce independence. Yet when strange occurrences--walking suits of armor and unexpected ghostly visitors--arise within the castle's grounds, Drusilla must decide whether to risk her family's safety and her school on the gallant architect who seems to have found his way into her heart.

Laugh-out-loud witty banter, swoon-worthy romance, and delightful mischief in the Gilded Age string together this entrancing series starter. Fans of clean romance, Christian fiction, and strong female characters will enjoy this read.

My Thoughts:

A Lesson in Propriety by Jen Turano was a wonderful jump into her new series. The first couple of chapters in a tea room really do not show any propriety in any way. I love the heroine, Druscilla. Right away, Turano shows her strength and allows the circumstance that is affecting her current life to make her a strong heroine. Readers will enjoy that another one of Turano's heroine does not really care what society or a man thinks. As a result of this, funny things happen to the heroine. Funny items like a herd of goats, a duck, and a bunch of ravens. I really love the setting in a castle alongside the Lake Michigan. When Turano has the heroine and her family and friend come to the castle, it really wrapped me in the mysterious element, and I couldn't wait to learn more about the setting and what is going on there. Of course, there is some romance to the plot with a neighboring man. While the heroine is a strong-willed woman, she comes to learn that not all men are horrible and allows her heart to open to the possibility of marriage. Overall, A Lesson in Propriety by Jen Turano is a rip-roaring fun of a novel in an abandoned castle. I honestly can't wait to continue this series and see how some of the unanswered questions are handled.

I received a complimentary copy of A Lesson in Propriety by Jen Turano through Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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