A good read that is well worth taking the time to read. A round of thunderous applause for Jen Turano!
I just came back from vacation and this is the book I read during the long car rides. I liked this book very much. It was fun, suspenseful, and well written. Jen Turano’s plot had me flipping the pages as fast as I was able to. Permilia and Asher, the main characters, were interesting and Turano’s other characters were also intriguing. Those characters will be in the next book.
I usually don’t quote books but I actually found a funny quote that made me smile. It is during a scene when Asher is talking with Permilia’s father and her father asks if Asher thought Permilia was appealing. Asher answered back with this quote, “She’s very appealing-when she’s not annoying me, that is.” I just thought that quote was hilarious.
I highly recommend Behind the Scenes.

New York City - 1883

Miss Permilia Griswold is watching a parade of people on their way to Mr. and Mrs. William K. Vanderbilt’s costume ball. Riding with her constantly critical stepmother, Ida, she is listening to a litany from the woman listing her faults. Permilia’s stepsister, Miss Lucy Webster, is also with them heading to the ball. A lovely young woman, Lucy is also very critical of Permilia who chooses to buy her clothes at shops not considered to be high quality. Lucy blames Permilia’s frugality for her not finding a husband for herself to which Permilia insists is Lucy’s fault she is still unwed because she acts so condescending and aloof to men.

After the death of her mother when she was just age 2, Permilia’s father took her with him as he conducted business running his mines. But when he married Ida, the woman kept Permilia at home instead of letting her participate in her father’s business. Before she lost her husband, Ida has been part of the New York Knickerbocker set and now is tasked with making a society person out of Permilia.

At the ball, Permilia finds herself trying to hold back a collapsing pillar before it falls on someone. She is rescued by Mr. Asher Rutherford, owner of Rutherford and Company Department Store. Asher is the son of a wealthy family who is dismayed at him getting into trade. During the ball, Permilia overhears a plot to kill Asher and rescues an older woman who is in the Vanderbilt’s private rooms. As the evening wears on, Permilia gets into some more mischief a’la I Love Lucy style but Asher continues to laugh at her antics and becomes even more admiring of her.

The next day when Asher and his friend, Harrison, are riding they discuss the secret that only Harrison knows about Asher. It turns out that Asher is not wealthy through his family because they lost most of their money when he was just a boy.

Knowing that Asher is endangered, Permilia has taken it upon herself to follow him around to see that he is protected. Thus begins a cat and mouse game that is sure to make the reader laugh and shake their head a bit in confusion.

For the most part, I enjoyed this story but I must admit that one has to enjoy slap-stick comedy to keep up with this book.

Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I always enjoy the dialogue in Turano's books and this one didn't disappoint. I loved the interaction and witty dialogue between characters. It feels real and her characters feel like people I would be friends with in real life. The secondary characters added a lot to the story and rounded out the interaction and dialogue. Even though people were trying to kill Asher, I kept forgetting or realizing how serious it was because it was more of an afterthought or something to move the plot along. The characters and their interactions are the main focus. I hope in subsequent books in this series that we will get to see some of the characters again.

Before you dive into “Behind the Scenes” be sure to check out the short novella “At Your Request” that introduces you to the characters involved in the story. (This novella is currently free on Amazon. That is subject to change at any time.)

The thing about Jen Turano is that all of her books are delightful and I find it hard to pinpoint exactly what it is that I love about them. The stories are often dramatic. (I typically don’t care for dramatic). And yet, I love Turano’s books.

Perhaps I love Turano’s novels because she keeps things light. Even deadly peril is introduced with a decidedly comic twist. I do enjoy a good laugh and there is more than one good laugh to be found in “Behind the Scenes.”

Perhaps I love Turano’s writing because her characters are so genuine and particularly unique.

All in all, I can simply say that I enjoyed reading “Behind the Scenes” and I hope that you will too.

– I was given a free digital galley of this novel to review in exchange for my honest opinion. –

Another fantastic read by Jen Turano! Permilia has accepted her lot as a wallflower. She uses her position to her advantage by penning the news column Miss Quill. Asher Rutherford makes his fortune owning his own department store. Their paths are crossed at many balls. When Permilia overhears a plot against Asher the two join forces to solve the mystery.

A love story and mystery rolled into one. You find yourself rooting for these two characters to have the ending of a fairy tale!

Imagine, opening your mail and find that you have been invited to a masquerade ball at Alva Vanderbilt's home, the creme de la creme of society. You are a women's page writer for the New York Sun and this invitation allows you access to the inner workings of her home and to see all of the Knickerbockers while also allowing you to gain tasty tidbits of society gossip for your column.

Such was the case for Miss Permilia Griswold, who wrote under the pen name of Miss Quill. Her writing allowed those not at the party to feel as if they'd been there and seen the people. Permilia talked about the gowns the ladies wore, the escorts they had, the dances they danced, but left out salacious details of the evening.

Leaving out the salacious details is what got Miss Quill fired from her job at the New York Sun, but that was secondary to the murder plot Permilia accidently overheard. Jen Turano writes novels that exude humor and delight and that entertain the reader from page one to the last page. Behind the Scenes is one such novel. Permilia has been handicapped by her step-mother and her step-sister who live for drama, making the right impressions and being seen in the right company always.

I didn't realize that Jen had chosen "Permilia" as her heroine's name, I'd only heard of this name one other time--in researching my family tree, one of the great-great-grandmother's had this name, and her mother was Parmilia. I adore Jen Turano's writings because of her humor and settings. Her characters are more than just the fluffy, air-headed society debutantes. This is a five-star book, two thumbs up, and a dress that doesn't look like a chicken molted all over it.

My thanks to Bethany House for allowing me to read and review this book.

Behind the Scenes by Jen Turano

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Story Notes

Jen Turano's latest foray into the world of 1880's New York Society takes a different point of view that will enthrall and entertain readers immensely.

How many of us have longed to join the popular people and be included in the fashionable set everyone else seems to be looking to for advice? Jen Turano takes this question on in her latest book about New York society - but focuses instead on those who would have been considered the "fringe holders" rather than the "forerunners". And this focus will allow her to delve deeper into those who are a very-real-but-unacknowledged part of society - the merchants that clothe and accessorize society, and the wallflowers that know all of its well kept secrets . Jen Turano is one of my favorite writers, given her excellent phrasing and sharp-witted dialogue, and her latest book met then surpassed my expectations. She has her characters be those who think and act outside the box seemingly assigned them which always makes for fun adventures and conversations crackling with sarcasm and laughter. Ms. Turano presents her readers with a wonderfully smart and confident character named Permilia Griswold - a 6th year debutante who is firmly situated the the "wallflower" category of society. This condition suits Permilia fine as she is more interested in her career as a society news writer than in finding a husband. And this career also allows her to be the main benefactor of a school for girls that works to find them genteel jobs well away from the factories and workhouses where they are usually employed. It will be at one of the biggest parties of the season that Permilia will stumble across her best story yet, although it will be one she will not be free to submit for printing - a death plot against Mr. Asher Rutherford. Asher is Ms. Turano's chosen hero for this story and he is one of her best yet. His well-established family's wealth has become non-existent and, in an effort to save face in society, Asher has opened a department store under the guise of a new hobby. The irony of it being one of the most visited fashion stores outside of the House of Worth makes things all the better for Asher. And his latest endeavor to open a tea room on the top floor of his store will, unintentionally, make him the target of a very nasty death plot. Having been on the receiving end of Permilia's confusing sense of logic and ideas before Asher is loath to accept her telling of a plot she overheard involving his demise. But when several attempts are made on his life, often while his is with friends, Asher begins to see that someone means him real harm. What follows will be a hilarious romp through the streets and homes of New York, ending with a conclusion that all readers will find most satisfying indeed. Ms. Turano's way of looking at circumstances through the eyes of her characters is one that I find most enjoyable. She makes both Permilia and Asher so very real in her writing that one almost feels like they are actually walking alongside them as they go about their lives. I laughed so much at her description of Permilia's mistaken belief that the "Go-As-You-Please" quadrille meant that the dancers involved dance however they wished rather than following known steps. And the many escapades Permilia and her friend Gertrude find themselves in as they go about trying to keep Asher safe almost brought me to tears in their hilarity - as did the accompanying explanations. And Ms. Turano does not leave all the best lines to the main characters either. Rather, she has some really wonderful sub-characters included that help the main characters (and readers too!) see the whole truth, instead of what is plainly seen. I also find the way in which Ms. Turano includes faith in her stories to be one of the best - faith is as much a part of her character's lives as breathing but they are not fanatical in the sharing of their faith. And Ms. Turano always make sure that her characters find a challenge put to their faith within the story so that they are continually on a journey to grow closer to God. Additionally, I liked very much that she kept the identity of the intended murderer secret until the last few pages. She gave just enough clues to keep the reader guessing but never enough that one could figure it out well before the end of the story. And the fleshing out of the ending was very good - one that allows Ms. Turano the freedom to either leave the story as a single novel or turn it into a series, which I know she intends to do. I will most certainly recommend this book to my friends and family and will be purchasing a copy of this book for my shelves. Ms. Turano continues of offer excellent stories with well-developed characters and sparkling dialogue that will keep all readers highly engaged and entertained. I'm very much looking forward to her next story in this Apart From The Crowd series.


I received this E-book free of charge from Bethany House Publishers via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation from either company for this review.

Unlike many readers, I don't have a list of "auto-buy" authors, but if I did then Jen Turano would probably be on it. I've never been disappointed by any of her books. That is why I jumped at the chance to get an ARC when I found out she was writing a new series, even though requesting ARCs is not a regular part of my book blogging life. Anyway . . .

Behind the Scenes is set in 1883 and follows the romance of Permilia Griswold and Asher Rutherford. Both characters were introduced in the free novella that started the series, At Your Request. Permilia is a wealthy young woman whose forthright manner and late debut have relegated her to the wallflower section at events. Since wallflowers are generally ignored, this allows her to secretly write about the fashionable set as gossip columnist Miss Quill. Asher Rutherford is the owner of a highly popular department store and the subject of a death threat that Permilia overheard at the society event of the year. Unfortunately, she didn't see the faces of the assassin and his client. As they say, hijinks ensue when Permilia and Asher try to stay one step ahead of the killer while trying to figure out who he is.

I hope my summary doesn't make this sound like a thriller because it isn't. It is closer to a cozy mystery than a thriller, except there is no body. This book, like all of Turano's novels, is light fun. It is a romance, after all. We know the hero and heroine will make it to the end of the book; the mystery is a reason for them to keep getting thrown together so we can enjoy their delightful dialogue, which I can hear clearly in my head as I read.

Turano's style isn't preachy, so she doesn't beat the reader over the head with the messages in her books. Asher questions whether he should be more "masculine" like the alpha males around him. Permilia wonders she couldn't keep working with her father in his mining business instead of being sent to the city to be turned into a lady. Gender equality, being who you are, finding God's path for your life -- these concepts are all worked into the story naturally. Although I am a Christian, I do appreciate reading a "clean" book that doesn't feel like a Bible study.

As is customary with romance series these days, this book does not end in a cliffhanger. There are a few minor loose ends that will draw you to the next book in the series for more information, but the main plot of this book is definitely wrapped up at the end. If you pick this up when it is released 04 Apr 2017, it would make a lovely spring break read.

Throughout this entire book, I found myself smiling, giggling, and even laughing out loud once or twice. Permilia and Asher play off each other and navigate the perfect comedic dance. From the first pages of Behind the Scenes, I liked Permilia. Snubbed by society but unwilling to let that determine her worth, she finds other occupations to keep her entertained during the many times she’s not asked to dance. While she’s a strong woman, she also has a shy side with most men that is endearing.
The one man she has no problem speaking…her mind…with is Asher Rutherford. A business man with whom her previous interactions would cause her stepmother palpitations if she knew the entire tale. Yet Asher’s attentiveness and kind words cause her to view him in a different light.
As she and Asher try to unravel the murder plot against him, and the threat to her now as well, will spending more time together make them appreciate the other more or will Permilia’s headstrong willfulness and Asher’s stodgy opinions tear their budding relationship apart?
The first full-length book in the Apart from the Crowd series, Behind the Scenes delivers Turano’s spot on humor, a peek inside high society during the gilded age, and the fashions of the time. A truly delightful read.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Behind the Scenes

by Jen Turano

Bethany House

Bethany House Publishers
Christian

Pub Date 04 Apr 2017

I am voluntarily reviewing through the Publisher and Netgalley:

This book transports us back to 1883 New York. Miss Permilla Griswold, Permila's Father is one of the wealthiest men, but she has trouble following the traditions of High Society.

Permilla supplies stories for Quill's Quality Corner, but she finds herself awkward at Society events.

Permilla has spent years being a wallflower , standing against the wall, at society doing's, until she began working as a Columists for Quill's Quality Corner as a society columnist, she works with but soon they find themselves learning the darker more dangerous sides of high-society, and soon she finds herself getting threats.

Soon something more than a working relationship develops between Asher and Permilla, will they find they're happily ever after, find out in Behind the Scenes.

I give Behind the Scenes five out of five stars.

Happy Reading.

In the free novella, At Your Request, we were introduced to group of young women known as Wallflowers in New York society. Women who, for one reason or another, have not been taken in by high society, and while they attend the social events, they are not expected to mingle or converse, but rather are banished to their own isolated section. However, Miss Permilia Griswold has found a way to use her Wallflower status to her advantage, and collects information from unsuspecting society guests to use in her column published under the pseudonym Miss Quill. While snooping around a wealthy hostess's house, however, she overhears a conversation that puts a gentleman in danger, as well as herself for having heard it. Now, she must convince Mr. Asher Rutherford that she is telling the truth and keep both him and herself safe.

I love Ms. Turano's books; her characters are so fun and quirky, and unusual for the time periods they're set in. I love how she develops friendships between groups of women, sometimes in unusual circumstances, such as this one. Wallflowers are not supposed to have friends at all, and they certainly are not supposed to converse with one another, yet beginning with Wilhelmina in the novella, and continuing with Permilia and Miss Gertrude Cadwalader, as well as a small appearance by Miss Temperance Flowerdew, the author has again created a group of women who are brave and smart, and fun. I greatly enjoyed Permilia's interactions with Asher, and the snippets of Gertrude's life that will surely prove to be an interesting novel later in the series. If I had a wish for this book, it would have been to add in Wilhelmina from the novella, and to get to know Temperance a bit more - assuming she'll be the main character later on.

As much as I loved the main characters and their interactions in this book, the overall plot fell a bit short for me this time. Without giving too much away, the dangerous situation seemed contrived, and overdone, and made the book seem sillier than others by this author. It was a detraction from the character development for me, and I was left disappointed. However, I still enjoyed the writing, and I am definitely looking forward to future installments in this series.

I give this book 4 stars, mostly based on the strength of the characters themselves, and the hope for this to be the beginning of a great series.

You can find Behind the Scenes HERE.
The free novella is available HERE or HERE.
You can find the author's website HERE.
Or, you can connect with her on Facebook HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, Bethany House, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

I love reading this author. Everything always fits so nicely together. The main characters were wonderful and I can see another story with some of the minor one as well. From the first page I could not stop reading

I LOVE this book!!! Like Turano’s other books, it is funny, full of chaotic, crazy situations, and has a host of quirky characters. I found myself laughing out loud and just sitting there smiling as I read. Some of my family members looked at me a little strangely and I just said, “You have to read this book.”

Permilia’s stepmother and stepsister find her woefully lacking in the “necessities” for society. Permilia purchases clothes from “less than desirable locations” and actually talks to common people who are assisting her (shocking!). She even breaks the cardinal rule of wallflowers which is that they are not to converse with each other….ever! Despite all this and her desire to be back working in her father’s mines, Permilia meets with some success when she actually makes the acquaintance of a man, Mr. Asher Rutherford. When she overhears a plot involving him, chaos ensues, and Mr. Rutherford is forced to believe she’s a lunatic. Will Permilia be able to make him understand the threat is real?

This book is a great start to the Apart from the Crowd series. It looks like each book will focus on one of the “Wallflowers” who are a little set apart from society. There was a brief introduction to them in the novella, At Your Request. They are a delightful, quirky set of ladies. This book really whet my appetite to learn more of Mrs. Davenport and her antics. She and Miss Cadwalader will be featured in the next book and I can’t wait!

If you like witty writing, quirky but loveable characters, and bizarre situations with twists and turns, you really need to give this book a try. I’d highly recommend it!

Thank you to Bethany House for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

With a name like Permilia, you know the characters will be filled with quirks and foibles. Permilia might be a society wallflower, but she manages to work behind the scenes to create an acceptable life for herself that's meaningful and stimulating. Asher thinks he has no room in his life for Permilia--a woman who doesn't fit his ideal of a perfect life partner--despite the fact that he's falling in love with her. When Permilia overhears a plot to kill Asher, sparks fly as she tries to save his life (despite the fact that he doesn't think he needs saving).

Once again, Jen Turano leads the reader on a mad romp through New York society at the end of the 19th century. You won't be able to put this one down.

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."

I just can't tell you how delighted I am to have read Jen Turano's latest book, Behind the Scenes, but I will try.

I endured my husbands looks as he put up with me reading and laughing out loud, giggling away (with the occasional snort) from chapter one right to the end. If you have never read a Jen Turano book before, DO IT NOW!! Her hilarious characters, who get themselves caught in hilarious situations are always the highlight of my To-Be-Read pile.

Turano has a talent for bringing out the humour in the ways of society and highlights in the interactions between two people in the best way, with the most laughs while being meaningful all at the same time. Miss Permilia Griswold, a wallflower with a few secrets, very quickly became my favorite of Jen Turano's characters to date. Enter the dashing Mr. Asher Rutherford,(and his powder puff) and sparks fly. The banter between these two characters is just the sort of thing that tingles my funny bone. Each character has their secrets and their insecurities and together they find they own way towards each other, and towards being who they were meant to be, and doing what they really truly were created to do, in their own way.

Although Society has not accepted Permilia Griswold, with the help of her friend Gertrude Cadwelader, and Mrs. Davenport, she gets up to all sorts of adventures on her way to "finding herself" and solving a mystery along the way, while losing some of her own, society imposed inhibitions.

There is no wonder that Miss Griswold finds herself unexpectedly in love with Mr. Asher, when you get to know him, you will find out why. He is adorable, and dashing, and did I say handsome and , well, adorable.

Jen Turano's dialogue is superbly witty and on point! She writes funny like no one else I have ever read. She has a gift. One of her signature things is having an ornery animal in the mix, well, you will not be disappointed, watch out for Mr. Merriweather.

Light, pacy and enjoyable, this adventure romance is a delight from beginning to end. With sound morals and gentle reference to Christianity, the leading lady is one with whom spending time was fun. Mystery, sass, fashion and a strong female in the lead, a great combination!

Behind The Scenes by Jen Turano is a delightfully amusing Christian historical romantic mystery and I really enjoyed it. It is the first book in the Apart From The crowd series and I cannot wait for the subsequent books.
Jen Turano's books are always entertaining and amusing. Her heroine in Behind The Scenes is a very modern and unconventional lady for her time. She gets in to some amusing scrapes. With her attitude of "I do prefer using a pistol to my fists," she is indeed an unusual woman in the nineteenth century.
There is a social conscience running throughout. "Simply because one comes from wealth does not mean one should abandon their thrifty principles." Wealth is not to be squandered but used to do good.
The attitudes of the day towards class are challenged within the story. Class boundaries are blurred by some characters who realise that good people come from all walks of life.
Likewise the traditional conventions of the male and female interactions are broken down by some individuals, much to the horror of others! This does create some wonderful light hearted moments.
There is the Cinderella theme running throughout - even down to the loss of a shoe.
The gossip columnists of the day are challenged as one character refuses to lower their principles. "I will not set aside my principles simply to sell more papers."
Philanthropy is alive and well within the novel as the education and prospects for the less well off are helped.
And there is a mystery. Which try as I might, I could not predict the outcome.
The characters were delightfully drawn. The interactions of the leading man and lady were wonderful to view as their dialogue bounced off each other.
A perfectly delightful and amusing read.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

"Behind the Scenes" is a Christian romance set in 1883 in New York City. Having read Turano's books before, I expected unconventional characters who don't care what society thinks and humor resulting from the silly situations they end up in. Unfortunately, the characters were borderline insane in this one, and their irrational behavior is intended to get the laughs.

I expected Permilia to be observant and clever. But, no. She danced a complete quadrille without noticing that everyone else was doing a set pattern and only she was making up steps. Her dancing usually results in injury to others, yet she agreed to dance with two men whom she likes. Really? The first 35% of the book was this lavish ball where Permilia blundered into trouble or panicked when men tried to talk with her.

Despite Asher inexplicably being attracted by Permilia's blundering (and perfume) at the ball, he refused to take her warning about an assassin seriously. The book description made it sound like Asher and Permilia would work together to figure out who's after them. Nope, they left figuring that out to other people. Permilia spent more time trying to figure out what God wanted her to do with her life. And more scenes were about various woman throwing things or trying to strangle each other than on murder attempts by an assassin. There was no sex or bad language.

Parmila Griswold makes the most of her circumstances despite the fact that she didn't grow up among society, and doesn't fit in. But now that her business minded father has remarried, she must accompany her new step-mother and step-sister to all the society functions including Vanderbilt's Costume Ball.

Parmila doesn't shy away from her "Wallflower" status, and decides to make friends among the other "Wallflowers." Befriending the other girls that the rest of society likes to look down their noses at, including Gertrude Cadwalader who is a lady's companion to a mischievous Mrs. Davenport.

Asher Rutherford is a high society gentleman, a success in his own right and who also comes from a good family. He owns Rutherford & Company Department Store, and Parmila is surprised at how easy he is to talk to. Could it be that Asher is too good to be true?

Parmila is a strong independent woman who goes out of her way to help others. She is full of ideas and willing to try new things. She's fiercely passionate about helping others, and she wants to give her money to those less fortunate.

I really liked Asher, he takes a while to like because is a silver tongued dandy, who always seems to know the best way to sell something which is what makes him a good salesperson. But underneath it all, he's a genuine gentleman, and he's open to new ideas.

This is a wildly entertaining book that made me laugh out loud numerous times, with the colorful and at times larger than life characters that bring this vibrant read to life. The hilarious situations are descriptive and believable, and the dialog is clever and witty. I loved the fast paced plot full of surprise twists, perfect for someone who likes historical romance with a humorous twist!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

I've generally enjoyed Jen's books, they are unique and she has a writing style like non other. I feel disappointed though with this book. Tedious and one of the slowest moving plots I've read recently, I had no desire to pick it up. Hence taking me over a week to finish. Several times I considered letting it go. It doesn't vaguely get interesting until 65% of the way through.

First, I know that Jen generally goes with eccentric characters and one of a kind names, but this book just bordered on the ridiculous. The names of almost the entire cast of characters were obscure, odd and sometimes trying to get your mind to read it every time you came across it gives you a headache.

The Huxley sisters added some light entertainment, and there's plenty empathy for the lot they've been handed by their Father. I will add it felt very strange considering the nasty revelations of Ida towards Permilia and her husband it just plain annoyed me he didn't cast her off.

All the over explaining of every little thing got tedious too, readers are able to see between the lines and have something to contemplate. I found the addition of obvious plug for the modern day plight of women thrown in there through the hostility towards men, a little over the top.

It seemed odd that Permilia and Asher had only met a couple times, while transacting business and yet at the Ball they seem way more familiar than they should be. The general plot of this book is an interesting one, I think I would have preferred it as a novella length. 2.5 stars due to the tedious conversing & slow pace. I really loved Jen's contemporary novel, I'd love to see more of that.

Thank you to Netgalley & Bethany House for the complimentary copy. This is my honest review.