Diamond in the Rough (2019)

About the Book

Book: Diamond in the Rough

Series: American Heiresses #2

Author: Jen Turano

Genre:  Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: September 3, 2019

When Miss Poppy Garrison accepts her grandmother’s offer of financial help for her family in exchange for Poppy joining the New York social season, she quickly realizes she is far less equipped to mingle with the New York Four Hundred than even she knew. As she becomes embroiled in one hilarious fiasco after another, becoming the diamond of the first water her grandmother longs her to be looks more impossible by the day.

Reginald Blackburn, second son of a duke, is in New York to help his cousin find an American heiress who can help save his family’s estate. But when his very proper British manners lead Poppy’s grandmother to request he teach etiquette to Poppy, he quickly finds himself in for much more than he bargained for.

And while they couldn’t be more opposite, Reginald and Poppy just might find they have more to teach each other than they ever could have expected.

Click HERE to purchase your copy!

My Thoughts

When I was a little girl, my most favorite TV show was Three’s Company. I had a serious little-girl crush on Jack Tripper. I thought he was the funniest man ever. There was this one episode where Jack and Janet and Terri are at a barn. I cannot remember why they were there, but I can remember how funny Jack was. He was so inept at farmwork it was hilarious. He fell from a hayloft, he couldn’t milk a cow, and he smacked himself in the face with the handle end of a hoe. This one episode had little-girl me dying I was laughing so hard.

Why am I telling you this? Because Diamond in the Rough by Jen Turano filled me with the same level of joy I felt when I was a little girl watching Three’s Company. Later in life, I would learn that John Ritter’s style of comedy is called slapstick, and I became quite a fan of the physical comedy schtick. I can say with certainty that when it comes to writing, Jen Turano is the queen of slapstick. There are so many delightful moments in Diamond in the Rough where I laughed out loud. Poppy Garrison, the heroine of this novel, is a veritable force to be reckoned with, and mayhem follows her at every turn. She is awesome!!!

My most favorite character is Murray. He may be the most endearing character I’ve ever had the delight to encounter, and his growth from page one to the end is superb. I quite literally cheered Murray on the whole story. Around the 60% mark, Murray makes a realization, and I found his realization to be a stellar reminder for me too. Due to earlier mayhem in the novel, Poppy, Reginald, and Murray meet a young girl named Maria. Maria and her family have fallen on hard times and now live in a rough part of town. Maria sells flowers. In an effort to help Maria’s family, Poppy, Reginald, and Murray pay exorbitant amounts of money for Maria’s flowers. Maria protests that they are giving too much but Murray counters, “I have plenty of money, Maria, but you’ve just had me realizing that I’ve never appreciated that before, nor have I ever done anything worthwhile with the money I have. You’ll be allowing me to feel useful for once if you simply accept my gift. Your Christmas present to me.”

I love this teachable moment so much! It reminds me to count my blessings and take stock in myself. Am I utilizing my blessings the way God wants? Am I filled with gratitude, or have I turned into a woman who takes God’s blessings for granted? As Murray realizes in Diamond in the Rough, I too need to make sure that I am giving thanks to God for His blessings in my life, and I need to make sure that I am honoring God by being a good steward of those blessings.

Diamond in the Rough by Jen Turano is a literary gem. I thoroughly enjoyed every second spent reading this novel, and I will miss these characters greatly. If you are in the need for a well written, hilarious, and endearing read this holiday season, I highly recommend Diamond in the Rough. You will love this book!

I purchased an eBook copy of this novel from Amazon on September 3, 2019, in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.