Monday, April 24, 2017

Review of "Behind the Scenes" by Jen Turano

Have you ever read any of Jen Turano's books?? If you haven't, I have to tell you that you're totally missing out. I'm serious. They are all super funny - so imagine my excitement when the opportunity to review her first in the "Apart From the Crowd" series came up.

"Behind the Scenes" features Miss Permilia Griswold, the brilliant and very self sufficient daughter of an extremely wealthy mine owner. Her mother died when she was very young, and as an only child she traveled with her father on all of his adventures, ladylike or not. She has always anticipated inheriting and then running the business - utterly unheard of in 1883 - but her father surprises her. He decides to marry again, and that his new wife will teach her how to become a lady. Her stepmother introduces her into society, but is quite disappointed to find that Permilia has her own way of navigating the social set - and she quickly becomes a dreaded "Wallflower."

However, this is only the beginning of Permilia's adventures. She soon meets fashionable store owner Asher Rutherford, overhears a plot to assassinate him, and rescues him from an attempt on his life. The stepmother and stepsister are not kind; they think her odd and embarassing. Her progressive attitude (she is an heiress suffragette and regularly supports causes that promote women's education" is refreshing! Too many hijinks ensue to cover them all here... (and really, you wouldn't want me to, because it's more fun to read about them in the book!)

The author's whimsical and especially clever style shines through the character's dialogue, their names, and of course the wild plot lines, all of which are often laugh out loud funny. I've read all of Jen Turano's books; none of them will disappoint!

I was given a copy of this book by Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.