Thursday, December 27, 2012

A Change of Fortune - by Jen Turano


Lady Eliza Sumner has taken a job as a governess with the Watson family in New York.  Not because she actually is a governess, but because she is trying to track down the man who stole her fortune and besmirched her family's name in England.  So, as plain Miss Eliza Sumners, she tries to conceal her identity and search for the thief inconspicuously.  Once her employer forces her to attend a formal dinner, however, and she finds herself seated next to a Mr. Hamilton Beckett, her carefully laid plans begin to go awry.  Instead of following the trail by herself, she is instead surrounded by new friends eager to assist her.  The money she searches for may even become less important as her new life becomes filled with people she cares about.

This book was just plain fun.  While the plot may not have been terribly original or complicated, the characters in the story were completely endearing.  It wasn't even just Eliza who made the story, but every single character who was involved in her life, from Agatha who became a close friend, to Hamilton and his brother Zayne, to Hamilton's children Piper and Ben, and even the mothers, Mrs. Beckett and Mrs. Watson gave such life and humor to the book that I couldn't put it down.  I loved the friendship between Eliza and Agatha, and how together they couldn't resist the adventure of taking an active part in the investigation.  I also loved how the people around them couldn't help but be taken in by their humor and zest for life, while still working to keep them safe and work with them to recover Eliza's fortune.

I give this book 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.  There wasn't a lot of depth to Eliza's search for God, yet she still came to realize that He was guiding her steps, and had even worked the loss of her fortune to her good.  I recommend this book if you're looking for a light, fun read.

You can find A Change of Fortune HERE.
You can find Jen Turano's website HERE.
I am excited to see that this is the first book in a set of four!  I can't wait to see what other characters and stories come next!
Ms. Turano has a companion novella available on Amazon for FREE right now, called Gentleman of Her Dreams.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

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