I absolutely adore reading Jen Turano books! Diamond in the Rough is a whimsical historical fiction book with depth that will keep a grin on your face as you read about the antics of the many characters in the book. There is romance, intrigue, family, wealth, dancing, and just pure FUN in this delightful book filled with friendships that continue to deepen throughout the story. You will keep turning the pages just to find out what adventure and disaster awaits on the next page!

Jen Turano has crafted a delightful second book in her American Heiresses Series. Diamond in the Rough is certain to entertain and provide hours of reading pleasure. Jen Turano is an extremely gifted author who has an intricate grasp of the era. It's always a pleasure to read her books.

~ While this book was provided for free, I was under no obligation to provide a positive view. The pleasure was mine. (2019)

Diamond in the Rough is a really funny and very sweet romance. Reginald is hired to teach Poppy proper etiquette in the hopes that she will becoming a proper lady ready for New York society. He quickly finds out he has his work cut out for him. I absolutely adored this book. From the start, I loved Poppy. She was a breath of fresh air. I loved her ability to laugh at herself and how she threw her whole being into whatever she did. The banter between Reginald and Poppy was a lot of fun. Their journey to love was a joy to watch.

Along with Poppy and Reginald's romance, the rest of the story is full of great characters. Murray was my favorite. I loved the friendship that developed between him and Poppy. I would have loved to see his point of view in the wooing of his love interest. The book deals with forgiveness, family and being true to yourself.

I didn't read the book that came before this one, but that was OK It worked very well as a stand alone. I do want to go back and read Flights of Fancy. I would definitely recommend this one to anyone who loves clean historical romances. I would be surprised if you weren't left smiling like I was in the end.

After rolling on the floor laughing I am now able to collect my thoughts. Poppy is hysterical and so full of life that I would love to be her friend. She has a big task ahead of her to help her family out which proves to be a journey she will never forget.

The opening pages of the book set the tone for the delightful writing talent of the author. She is known for witty and charming characters. Poppy is hands down my favorite and she is written with pure inspiration and charm. I could picture Poppy as she and her dashing partner danced around the room. Leave it to Poppy to make a scene at a gala with important and influential people .

Reginald is a very distinguished gentleman who Poppy's grandmother sets her sights on to help Poppy. Oh what a deal Poppy is getting into because of her grandmother. The banter between Poppy and her grandmother is priceless. Two very determined women trying to get the upper hand on the other. The author has out done herself with this wonderful story filled with laughs, family values and faith.

As Poppy matures and becomes more refined I felt she finally realized how loved she was by many. Her grandmother wants her to marry for money. Poppy has admirers but will she do what her grandmother wants? This is one story that I couldn't put down because it was funny yet reminiscent of someone finding their place in life.

As with all her books, the author gives us wonderful characters and leaves us with a wonderful message that stays with you forever. I love the faith elements in the story and reading how a young woman named Poppy learned to believe in herself.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and author. The review is my own opinion.

Diamond in the Rough
by Jen Turano

Bethany House

Bethany House Publishers

Christian

Pub Date 03 Sep 2019

I am reviewing a copy of Diamond in the Rough through Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley:

In order to settle a debt and prevent her family from going into the poor house. 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 managed to get into one hilarious fiasco after another. She is doomed to face a huge societal failure of being deemed the diamond of the first water her grandmother longs for her to become.

Reginald Blackburn is the second son of a duke, and he has been forced to come to America to help his cousin. Charles Wynn, who is the Earl of Lonsdale, finds an American Heiress to shore up his family estate that is desperate need of funds. Reginald though 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.

I found Diamond in the Rough to be a well written novel that is worthy of five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

If you enjoy historical fiction with humor then you must read Diamond in the Rough. I laughed my way through this book, certain that I need Poppy as a best friend. The characters in this story are so well developed and delightful that you will love them and want to go to a ball with them. However the story is not all humor. There is mystery afoot with an unexpected twist, and of course there is light romance. Something for everyone!

With the underlying thread of hope, forgiveness, and restoration, Turano does a great job of weaving faith into her story without preaching. And when the son of and English duke meets the daughter of an American horse farm owner, watch out. Shenanigans ensue!

Note this is the second book in the American Heiresses series but acts as a stand alone. However, after you read this you’ll want to go back and read Flights of Fancy because author Jen Turano just keeps getting better! Grab a copy of Diamond in the Rough. You’ll love it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

A fun filled, madcap adventure through a New York social season. You're sure to find many laugh out loud moments!

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.

I found this book to be very entertaining. Poppy knows nothing about high society and how she is supposed to act. She's only there so she can save the family farm. She has no desire to snag a titled husband. Reginald is no Duke, but he is very influential in England. He tries to keep his secret so he won't be the target of matchmaking mothers. Poppy's grandmother hires Reginald to help Poppy learn the niceties of society. He grudging accepts and what follows is an adventure for both of them.

This is the second book in the series. I have not read the first book and did not feel lost while reading this book. Although, Diamond in the Rough was so good I want to read the first book. I recommend this book to any one looking for an entertaining read.

I was given this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

Turano always writes fun-filled, page turning, improbable romances that I thoroughly enjoy. It doesn’t really matter that they are far-fetched tales. I am prone to laugh out loud while reading and I end each story with a smile on my face.

While Diamond in the Rough is part of a series and there are connections to the first book, Flights of Fancy, you could read this novel as a stand alone.

If you are looking for a implausible, but comical, light read then I would highly recommend this book. I’m looking forward to the next installment in the series.

I received a free digital copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

If any book should be turned into a movie it is this one. Jen Turano took my breath away. She had me laughing out loud and actually giggling in one chapter, and the next I was holding my breath in suspense. There is no possible way to guess where the story was going to go, and I enjoyed every moment of it. How Turano can make such interesting characters I’ll never know. And the dialogue is so funny and ridiculous at times that I can’t imagine how she comes up with them. I need more books like this in my life.

I love Poppy. She is so much fun to watch, and one can never guess what ruckuss she is going to get into next. There is just something about her complete honesty that is so refreshing. I loved watching the way her and Reginald interacted and how she exasperated him constantly. The secondary characters were so fun to get to know, and I was not ready to say goodbye. I can’t wait to see what Turano does next! I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read. The Historical aspect was so fun to imagine, and I felt like I was on an awesome adventure. I received a copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers and was in no way forced to post a review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

I devoured this book! There is nothing like a historical romance to dive into to keep reality away. I love the main character Poppy. She is not a typical New York Elite Heiress. She is clumsy, forthright, and see things differently than others. This is because Poppy did not grow up in New York, she grew up on a horse farm far away from city. However, she is determined to please her grandmother. So while all the others girls are looking for love and husbands, Poppy just wants to experience life. Yet, there is something or someone lurking in plain sight that has different plans for Poppy. I'm not saying more since I don't give spoilers. I can say is that this is a great book that I couldn't put down! I love how relatable Poppy and the other characters are.

I adore Jen Turano and her fabulously fun gilded age stories. Diamond in the Rough is another unforgettable, knee-slapping, giggle-inducing romp through New York high society.

Mayhem finds Poppy Garrison—a fact of life she’s come to accept as her reality. This is apparent by the end of the first sentence of this new releases. Reginald Blackburn is everything you’d expect the son of an English noble to be. So, of course, when Poppy’s grandmother strikes a deal with him to properly educated Poppy in decorum, hilarity ensues.

Yet, behind all the silly and quite memorable situations (come on, Poppy makes a list of all her society faux pas for Reginald), Poppy has a heart of gold. She values family, friendship, and honesty over appearances and gossip. Is it any wonder Reginald, who is horrified upon first meeting Poppy, becomes enamored with her as he spends time with her and sees the beauty of her heart?

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books 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.

I love books by Jen Turano and this is no exception. Her books are well written and light-hearted, laugh out loud, fun.
The main characters were well developed and interesting. They were interesting and kept the flow going well.
This is a Christian book but not preachy at all, in fact, it is a little lighter in this area than her other books.
The one thing I did find wrong was that it was not as well-edited as her other books, but I was given an advanced reader's copy and hopefully, the final book will have the errors taken care of.
I highly recommend this book. I give it 5 out of 5 stars, even with the errors.

There are times in life when you need a book to make you giggle and laugh. This book did that for me. And not only did it do that, but it challenged me also! There were nuggets of wisdom scattered throughout the pages filled with humor and antics. Snails flying across the room hitting men at fancy dinners is just a sampling of what goes on within the pages. I adored this book. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All views stated here are my own.

Turano's trademark wit comes out in full force, not only in the banter between the main characters Poppy Garrison and Reginald Blackburn but also in Poppy's interactions with friends Murray and Beatrix. The dialogue had me laughing out loud as well as the antics of Poppy's lovable group of friends.
The only downside to this book was that I'm not quite sure I bought the crazy villain. Her motivation was a bit odd to me, but everything else about this novel was amazing. I'm excited to see what Jen Turano has in store for us next. I'm hoping Beatrix will get a turn. I'll just sit here and try to wait patiently until the next book comes out.

(Blog post review goes live on Friday, Sept. 6 at 5:00 PM)

This was another wonderful book by Jen Turano! I love the quick wit and humor her stories are so well know for, and this book was no exception. The plot was great and I loved the twists and turns the story took.

Any problem worthy of the name was bound to find Poppy, and it was interesting to see how each event would play into the larger picture. Her Grandmother was also a very interesting character, adding another layer to an already great story. This was a great book and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes a good story that takes the term adventure in a very unique direction!





I received this book free through NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers for my honest review. The opinions are my own.

Where do you go when you want to find a bride who can become part of the Aristocratic British Society? Well, if you are Charles, the Earl of Lonsdale, you take your best friend, and cousin, Reginald and go to America. You come at the time of year when the High Society Families are having, "The Season," when young ladies are being presented into society. This is a prime time to find a woman with a fortune.

Now, there is Poppy Garrison the granddaughter of the Van Rensselar family who are a part of this upper society crowd. Unfortunately Poppy grew up on a horse farm and not in New York as part of society. Her grandmother, Viola, has invited her to come to the city and be introduced into the Society arena.

What happens when a Farm Girl meets British Aristocracy? Well, nothing really good. That's because Poppy is "clumsy" to say the least and not attuned to high society. But while her grandmother thinks she might be able to marry her off to Lord Lonsdale it is his cousin, Reginald that strikes up the friendship.

The book is delightful and follows the misfit Poppy as she struggles to fit in, yet not give in to changing to meet society's formal normal.

Following the tangled story line of "Pride and Prejudice" you can see how this situation is going to pan out.

The story is interesting and joyful. It makes just enough fun of the Aristocrat's to make you smile and yet feel the need for them to come down a notch and become part of normal humanity.

You'll enjoy the ride as Horse Farmer and Aristocrat become enthralled with each other.

Diamond in the Rough is book two in Jen Turano's American Heiresses series. While the first book- Flights of Fancy- has been sitting in my to be read pile for some time, I must admit that I'd not yet had the chance to read that one before I started this one. Still, you do not have to read the first book to enjoy this one. I cannot say for sure if there is any crossover of characters between the two, but I can say that I certainly didn't feel as I'd missed anything as I was reading. One thing that did become quite clear to me as I read was just WHY I'd heard so many great things about Jen Turano's work... this book was absolutely fantastic.

To be honest, humor is not an attribute that I would typically think of when thinking about historical fiction. Those I've read in the past might have a few moments here and there, but overall were more serious and subdue. Fights of Fancy on the other hand had me laughing right from the very start as we're introduced to Poppy with her tiara snagged on her dance partner's sleeve! One of my favorite books as a teenager was Princess Diaries, and I immediately was reminded of that as I read this one as both feature accident prone girls unaccustomed to the strict mannerisms required in their new settings. As in that beloved book, this leads to some hilarious and often over the top scenarios that tend to shake up the more uptight environment... and I absolutely loved it. I constantly found myself grinning and literally laughing out loud as I followed Poppy on her many misadventures. This was certainly one of those stories that I didn't want to end, as I found myself enjoying it way too much.

Though it was the comedy that I loved most of all, the romance was a close second. I loved the banter between Poppy and Reginald and certainly found myself rooting for them to come together in the end. There was also a bit of a mystery towards the end that added a little something extra to enjoy.

Overall, this was a fantastic read! Not only do I look forward to reading more in the series, I think I've found a new author to add to my growing list of must reads! I am excited to read more in the future.

** I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts are 100% my own.

Poppy Garrison has to be one of my most favorite characters, Jen Turano has created! She refuses to follow the rules to the chagrin of her grandmother. All of Poppy's mischief's had me laughing out loud. And poor Reginald! He's tasked with the misfortune of giving Poppy etiquette lessons.

True to Ms. Turano's style, and creative humor, Diamond in the Rough is a book full of historical New York society, humor, along with a hero and heroine that are as compatible as macrons and barbecue.

Ms. Turano is very good at bringing the character around to self-discovery. Poppy is all wrapped up in who she is as the daughter of the owner of Garrison Farms. A young woman who loves horses and is quite happy staying out of the formal part of society. But as she goes through different circumstances she begins to learn more about herself. I love how Ms. Turano does this. Especially with all the fun, ridiculous, mishaps she places her characters in.

I've been reading Jen Turano's books since her first book, A Change of Fortune, and each book keeps getting better and better. This book can easily be read as a stand alone, but you will want to read the first book, Flights of Fancy!


I highly recommend this book!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via the publisher in association with Ms. Turano's street team. I was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I believe that this has been my favorite book that Jen Turano has ever written. I laughed from start to finish. I would have loved to have a friend like Poppy to go through a season with. Every character was so well written. I can’t wait for book 3 in this series. Though this book still makes you know that you would have wanted money if you lived during these times. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.