Isadora Delafield has found herself in a position that many would envy, from the outside. She has caught the attention of a duke, to the delight of her mother. However, when she rebuff's the duke's intentions, she inadvertently places herself in danger, and suddenly becomes part of an insane plan to get her out of harm's way. The plan involves hiding this great American heiress as a servant in an out of the way household in Pennsylvania. The household in question is that of Ian MacKenzie, an industrial attorney who has worked hard to draw himself out of the poverty and abuse of his childhood. Having worked his way into the circles of rich investors and industrial owners, his last goal is to marry up to gain entrance into the social circles of Pittsburgh. However, a strange housekeeper with a distinct lack of housekeeping skills, and growing tension between the laborers and those who profit off of them may have Ian reevaluating his goals in life.
I have long enjoyed Jen Turano's books, but this may be one of my favorites. The characters are delightful, and their journeys of self-discovery are so well intertwined that even though you know where the story is headed, you can't help but enjoy the road to get there. As Isadora, Izzy in her new life, opens her eyes to the world she was always told she was above, she finds out parts of herself that she never knew were there - some good, and some to be left behind with her old life. At one point, she has this realization about herself:
"She'd grown up in the lap of luxury, spoiled by her parents and raised with the expectation that her every whim would be met by people paid to see to her creature comforts. She'd never once considered that her demands cast her in a less-than-pleasant light, but now, after having that brought to her attention, and rather matter-of-factly at that, she really had no choice but to agree that she, Isadora Delafield, was a demanding woman, which then suggested that she might not be very...likeable."
To her credit, Izzy takes this revelation and turns those parts of herself around, becoming not just "likeable," but beloved by everyone around her.
As Ian tries to figure out exactly why he's drawn to this oddly bespectacled house manager of his, "house manager" being a position he didn't realize existed, he also finds that perhaps he has let his new position in society cloud his view of the life he has been so desperate to escape. With Izzy worming her way under his skin, and his Aunt and Uncle taking in orphans that will need his care, and his discomfort with his side of negotiations in the factory disputes, Ian also realizes he may need to make some changes.
Between Izzy and Ian's life-changing journeys, Aunt Birdie and Uncle Amos, the four Duffy children who come to live with them, and the animals on the farm who have such distinct personalities as to be their own characters in the book (including a cow who likes to come indoors), this book is filled with enjoyable characters and relationships. There are, of course, several unsavory characters to drive the plot, but as hateful as they are, they provide a sharp contrast to the loving and God-seeking lives of the main characters.
I give this book 5 stars; it was such a delighful read, and I cannot wait to see what the rest of the series holds!
You can find Flights of Fancy HERE.
You can find the author's website HERE.
Or connect with her on Facebook HERE.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.
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