Oh my. From the first page, Jen Turano captured my heart with her lead character Permilia Griswold! I mean--with a name like that, how you could NOT be in love with her? The wittiness of the plot and dialogues is what makes me just love this author's books. The fact that this character has red hair, is passionate about helping young women advance themselves, and gets into shenanigans---well it reminded me at times of I love Lucy Episodes! ;)

And what's not to love about dashing, self-made yet more sedate Asher? He's befuddled by the fact he's intrigued by Permilia. And that's what makes their story so delightful!

it's such a good comedic romp but the plot never gets lost and keeps you entranced to the end! As usual, I'm ready for the next book in the series!

I read an advance copy as a download from NetGalley.

Miss Permilia Griswold may have been given the opportunity of a debut into New York high society, but no one warned her she wasn't guaranteed to "take." After spending the last six years banished to the wallflower section of the ballroom, she's finally putting her status on the fringes of society to good use by penning anonymous society gossip columns under the pseudonym "Miss Quill."

Mr. Asher Rutherford has managed to maintain his status as a reputable gentleman of society despite opening his own department store. While pretending it's simply a lark to fill his time, he has quite legitimate reasons for needing to make his store the most successful in the country.
When Permilia overhears a threat against the estimable Mr. Rutherford, she's determined to find and warn the man. Disgruntled at a first meeting that goes quite poorly and results in Asher not believing her, she decides to take matters into her own hands, never realizing she'll end up at risk as well.

As Asher and Permilia are forced to work together and spend time away from the spotlight of society, perhaps there's more going on behind the scenes than they ever could have anticipated. . . .

This has to be one of my favorite authors. Readers will truly enjoy and be entertained with this novel..

Permilia reminds me of myself in some ways. She prefers to be behind the scenes, a wallflower in society, which is much like me. Those qualities don't stop her from being a charming, lovable, and enchanting girl and it was fun to watch her try accomplish her goals at the newspaper.

Turano has created a niche for herself with her quick and easy stories that are sprinkled with quirky, adorable characters who find themselves dabbling in humor and mystery. This is an enjoyable historical adventure that is highly entertaining.

Content: mild romance; mild religion

Always love everything by Jen Turano. Her quirky and laugh-out-loud characters always keep me reading to the end. You definitely won't want the story to end. I highly recommend this book and series. You won't regret reading this story and won't be able to stop till you finish. Miss Permilia Griswold is one of my absolute favorite characters. She is everything and more.

My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

Hands-down, Jen Turano is the one author that is guaranteed to have me laughing at or along with her characters. She is one of the few authors that manages to make it to my bookshelves. Behind the Scenes is a light (and delightful) read as well as highly entertaining. The main character, Permilia, is introduced during a Gilded-Age costume ball (and completely misinterprets it) - and things just go on a lark from there. Overall, the characters are extremely delightful, humorous, and a fun addition to a reading stack!

I loved this read! Permilia is definitely quite the name and one I can say I've never heard before. But she's as remarkable a character as her name is. You're not going to be forgetting her anytime soon!

She's determined to rescue a man she doesn't know and hardly is sure if she likes or not, but along the way she's going to get to know him and some unlikely helpers along the way.

I loved meeting Gertrude and can't wait for her book to come out which I'm sure it will. She's another unique character.

Jen Turano is an author like no other. She writes wonderful books that draw you in. I get so sucked in that I can't put them down and I always look forward to her next one coming out. They're that good. When you start on a new one in the same series where you get to revisit old characters it's like catching up with your best friends after a hiatus. No time has passed at all.

I often find myself laughing aloud when I read these books. There are such funny parts and the characters steal your heart. Of course, I also find myself shaking my head at a character saying that they should not have done that!

Within her book, you'll find danger and mystery but also you'll find love and romance. And interwoven through it all you'll find faith in God.

I highly recommend and would definitely read this one again and again!

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

When Miss Permilia Griswold's father decides that his daughter needs a society debut, he does the unthinkable and marries again. While the woman he marries is impoverished, she is well-versed in the "rules of society", and one of those rules means Permilia must learn to use the "right" eating utensil, how to dance, and how to converse with a proper gentleman. However, since she has her own daughter to present to society, she is half-hearted in her efforts to train Permilia, making every lesson seem more like a punishment than a treat.

When Permilia's first season passes with not one offer for her, she finds herself firmly "on the shelf", a place she actually prefers. Unless the men talk mining, she is tongue-tied. Her attempts at dancing have been known to cause grave injury to her partners, and her lack of knowledge of the numerous eating utensils used at grand banquets, has caused her to be ridiculed. As a Wallflower, she has no need to converse with men or dance with them. Offered a job by one of the biggest newspapers in New York as an incognito gossip columnist, Permilia takes her job as "Miss Quill" very seriously. When she overhears a plot to murder Mr. Asher Rutherford, a man who had been at least friendly in the past, she does her best to rescue him. What happens when her rescue attempts ensnare both of them in the propriety of society?

Asher Rutherford has spent years rebuilding his family's fortunes. Most of society believes that he's living on his family's old money, but in truth, his father squandered that long ago. He built and runs one of the most affluent department stores in the city, and he has angered other merchants by stealing their best workers by paying a fair wage. When he keeps running into Miss Permilia Griswold at society events, he is intrigued by her outspoken manner, and the fact that she doesn't consider herself worthy of a man's attentions. Then, at the Vanderbilt Ball, she comes up with the outlandish idea that someone is going to kill him. Is she off her rocker, or the most sane person he knows?

Oh, my word! This book tickled me endlessly. Ms. Turano's description of Permilia attempting to dance the "Go As You Please Quadrille" was hysterical, as was her description of Permilia finding the light-fingered Mrs. Davenport in the Vanderbilts' personal living quarters with a filled satchel. Then, to top it off, she rescues Asher from someone shooting arrows at him by driving up in a filled milk wagon. Again, too funny. This woman careens from one mishap to another, completely clueless as to what is wrong with everyone else. She believes her actions are completely logical, never once considering that she actually appears to be defying every convention of society.

If you like your romance with a side of giggles, you definitely need to pick this one up! This is a historical romance set in New York in the 1800s. I listened to the audio version, and can absolutely recommend that as a way to enjoy this book.

This book was my first experience with author Jen Turano and it was a pleasure. Her characters and situations were funny and enjoyable. When I wasn't reading, I found myself telling me husband about some of the situations in the book, such as the dumb waiter incident. I read a lot of regency romance books so it was fun to branch out a little with this one that takes place in the States and is about a different class, the wallflowers, than the norm. I look forward to reading more by this author.

A fun new series by Jen Turano begins with this novel. The first in a trilogy, these novels are about the "Wallflowers" of society who turn out to be much more than anyone else had bargained for. While I did not care for this series as much as some of Turano's earlier works, I found Behind the Scenes to be an amusing, entertaining, and engaging read. I liked both main characters, and I found their antics hilarious as they tried to work past their own differences. Overall, it was a fun read, and to any other Turano fans, I would still recommend checking out this series. I received this novel from Netgalley and Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

I started this one but got bogged down (because it wasn't a suspense read) and hopped to another title. By the time I came back to read it again, I couldn't remember where I'd downloaded it--and the title had been archived and I couldn't download it again.

When Jen Turano is at the helm, you can always count on much laughter. She spotlights the already-extreme quirks of Gilded Age high society and turns them into the most outlandish tongue-in-cheek version of themselves. Her writing is a mix of Georgette Heyer and P.G. Wodehouse but set a bit on its end. From the dialogue (which can slide into a hilarious info-dumping) to the madcap mayhem, the ensuing result is copious amounts of giggles and amusingly endearing characters.

Behind the Scenes is no exception. I mean, when the first few females you meet are named Permilia Griswold, Gertrude Cadwalader, and Temperance Flowerfew, you know you’re in for a good time. The fact that you meet them at a Vanderbilt costume ball with 1200 guests and themed quadrilles – including one that Permilia so delightfully misunderstands (which does not, however, stop her from “dancing” in it) – is just icing on the cake.

And then there’s Asher Rutherford, a self-made businessman who is, of course, rather dashing and perplexedly (to himself, at least) captivated by Permilia. When she overhears a plot to murder Asher, he doesn’t take her seriously… until he’s forced to do so. Which is about the time she’s rescuing him – in costume, of course – from an attempt on his life.

Add in nods to Cinderella, a colorful cast of supporting characters, and some sound kissing? You’ve got yourself a wildly entertaining read!

Bottom Line: Behind the Scenes by Jen Turano is a light, fun romance with a dash of suspense and a bucketful of hilarity! The characters – and the setting – leap off the page, and you’ll find yourself more than once wanting to grab Permilia into a spontaneous hug. Particularly during the Go-As-You-Please quadrille. Although… that hug might be for self-preservation purposes more than anything else. Gilded Age society has never been more entertaining, and I’m already eagerly anticipating the next wildflower in the spotlight!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

All Permilia Griswold wants is to help manage her father's mining business. Unfortunately, he is convinced that she would be happier learning to become a lady and has provided her with a stepmother to achieve just that experience. Permilia's performance in society is a sore disappointment to her stepmother, however. Her awkward ways and complete lack of ability to converse with suitable gentlemen have made her a confirmed wallflower at the age of twenty-something. But Permilia is far from discouraged and has turned her talents to secretly writing a society column for the New York Sun under the pseudonym Miss Quill.

When Permilia attends the ball at the Vanderbilts' new home, her antics catch the attention of Mr. Asher Rutherford. The proprietor of a burgeoning department store, Asher is from one of the oldest and most respectable families in New York. He is fascinated by a woman willing to haggle with him over the price of ice skates, debate the roles of women in the workforce, and warn him about a plot against his life. He finds himself defending her against the censures of society matrons, rescuing her from traps laid by too-friendly gentlemen, and desiring to better his acquaintance with this diamond in the rough.

After the first chapter, I was convinced that I wasn't going to like Permilia. Her support for her pet feminist projects was introduced rather ham-handedly and she seemed like a flat caricature of a person. I reversed my opinion of her at the Vanderbilt ball, however, finding her behavior eccentric enough to be humorous and enjoying who she was as a character. Asher Rutherford was a delight throughout--he reminded me a little of Freddy, from Georgette Heyer's Cotillion, needing to shepherd a clueless heroine through the hoops of society with his solid good sense.

Most of the book was entirely told through dialogue. Some of it was written quite wittily, but other pieces, particularly in the first half of the book, were more about story exposition than believability. One example of ham-handed exposition was in the first chapter, where Permilia says to her stepsister, "My father, your step-father..." as if the stepsister (instead of the reader) needs to be informed of the relationship?

The Cinderella motif in the story was a clever one, both with Permilia's relationship to her stepmother and stepsister and the loss of her glass-beaded shoe at the ball. The story itself is more of a reverse-Cinderella tale, however, with Permilia playing her own fairy godmother and being the one to save her Prince Charming. The plot was more in line with an Oscar Wilde play than a dramatic historical novel, and I found this book a pleasant diversion from a somewhat dismal Saturday.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you for the chance to review this book, however, unfortunately, I was unable to read and review this title before it was archived.

Just because you are not the Belle of the Ball, that doesn't mean you cannot find something to do to make the most of your time. Why not enlighten those that are around you, or even those that are not in attendance. Surely others can benefit from your time spent hiding behind potted ferns or near a delightful conversation.

Throughout this entire book, as with most all of Jen Turano's books, I found myself smiling, giggling, and even laughing out loud once or twice. Jen is the best story teller! Sometimes you cannot let life get you down, you just have to find other ways to occupy your time, just as the main character of Turano's latest book. Unwilling to let all those dance cards go empty? Why not take notes of all that you see, hear, smell, or taste? You never know, that information might come in handy. Especially if you don't meet societies standards, nor expectations.

I loved this book because I can relate in some small fashion. I have never been in the forefront of anything and that is fine by me. I like to watch and listen. You learn so much that way. Another fabulous book Mrs. Turano. Keep them coming!

Jen Turano was a relatively new author to me, but is now one of my favourites. Behind the scenes is an entertaining bumblebroth of activity and characters, reminiscent in a contemporary way of Georgina Heyer, another much loved author.
The main characters Permilia and Asher plus their friends, are engaging, the cast of somewhat unusual characters is intriguing (Mrs Davenport is a standout as are the Misses Huxley) and the denouement was extremely well achieved.
The incorporation of the friendly, helpful Reverend, who helped Permilia and Asher to wait on the leading of 'The One' was a lovely, gentle inclusion as was the descriptions of Permilia relying on her faith.

I loved this novel as it incorporated many of my favourite elements: humour, mystery, a hint of romance and faith at work in the character's lives.

With many thanks to the Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC.

Jen Turano has once again written a delightfully engaging and humorous story in her first novel in the Apart from the Crowd series, Behind the Scenes. Turano’s characters are fun and charming, causing readers to immediacy fall in love with them. The story is a fairly easy and quick read that readers will thoroughly enjoy when they are looking for some light and enjoyable reading. This novel is about a “wall flower” and how she finds romance. I would recommend this book to readers that have previously read Turano’s historical novels.

Series: Apart from the Crowd
Genre: historical, romance, Christian
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Publication date: April 18, 2017
Number of pages: 352

Content Rating: PG

Oh. My. Stars! This was so not what I expected! So, Miss Permilia Griswold is apparently a “wallflower” in 19th century New York society. In other words, she’s used to sitting back and observing at high society events (which…I can’t imagine ever happening if you know her personality!). She happens to overhear a murder plot to “take out” her new friend – and one of society’s most eligible bachelors – Asher Rutherford. The chaos that ensues will have your eyes open wide and you may even find yourself laughing out loud.

No, I did not expect a madcap, but I did thoroughly enjoy it. It’s not my usual genre, but it was a lot of fun and held my attention. It was well written (well, of course it was! It’s Jen Turano!)

Wallflowers are underestimated. So says Permilia Griswold, who is secretly the writer of the gossip column in one of New York's magazines. She sees everything from behind the scenes, even using disguises from time to time. She's quirky and sweet, and when she uncovers a plot to murder a particularly annoying (and handsome) young man, Permilia decides it is time to step in.

Behind the Scenes was clever and funny. I adored it. It kept me laughing and loving the characters. There is truly nothing like Jen Turano's novels, and I eagerly await each one's publication. Behind the Scenes is no exception.

What can I say about this book? The quirky characters were lovable and show so much wonderful development. The plot was intriguing. There was never a dull moment, and the mystery kept me guessing. The historical details added depth and pulled my interest even more. There were so many reasons I loved this book that I have a hard time choosing one to highlight. Perhaps the wonderfully absurd situations that made me laugh every time? The ridiculous and absurd can be underappreciated as a reason for laughter, but I love it so much!

I highly recommend Behind the Scenes, and I recommend it to fans of historical romance.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Permilia is branded a wallflower but she is no ordinary wallflower.. She writes a society gossip columns anonymously and enjoys her life as it is. Until.. she meets Mr. Asher Rutherford and then the fun begins! This was a fun entertaining read I truly enjoyed. A little mystery, some social faux pas and oh my the predicaments Permilia gets into made for a hard to put down book. If you like an inspirational historical romance with a twist to the fun side.. try this one!