Title: After a Fashion
Author: Jen Turano
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Market: Christian
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: A
Class of Their own (Book 1)
Length: 353 pages
Pub. Date: February 14, 2015
Description (from Amazon):
Miss Harriet
Peabody dreams of the day she can open up a shop selling refashioned gowns to
independent working women like herself. Unfortunately, when an errand for her
millinery shop job goes sadly awry due to a difficult customer, she finds
herself out of an income.
Mr. Oliver
Addleshaw is on the verge of his biggest business deal yet when he learns his
potential partner prefers to deal with men who are settled down and wed. When
Oliver witnesses his ex not-quite-fiance cause the hapless Harriet to lose her
job, he tries to make it up to her by enlisting her help in making a good
impression on his business partner.
Harriet
quickly finds her love of fashion can't make her fashionable. She'll never
truly fit into Oliver's world, but just as she's ready to call off the fake
relationship, fancy dinners, and elegant balls, a threat from her past forces
both Oliver and Harriet to discover that love can come in the most surprising
packages.
My Review:
I am a fan
of Jen Turano, and this book did not let down my high expectations. Jen generally has a fun, feisty female
character, and Miss Harriet Peabody fits that description. If you have never read a book by Turano,
you’re missing out. She is a fabulous
writer, and her stories are all page turners.
The writing
in this book is so good that it invites the reader to stay up past your bedtime
to read just one more chapter. The
characters are described well by both the dialogue and the narration. Each character’s true colors were clear, and
some stereotypes regarding professions were challenged. I love the surprising plot twist that takes
place near the end of the book. It
caught me unaware.
I love Miss
Harriet Peabody’s character. Although
she is not as funny (maybe quirky is a better word) as Turano’s previous female
main characters, she is quick witted and emotionally strong. Her high morals and love of people regardless
of social class make her a fantastic main character, and she is super
likeable! As an independent woman, she
doesn’t seem to notice how beautiful she is on the inside as well as the
outside. Social status may have a role
in that, too.
Mr. Oliver Addleshaw
is an admirable character, too. He is an
honest businessman who also cares about people, but he has been too wrapped up
in making money to see that he hasn’t always made the wisest choices in
business partners. Not everyone has his
standards. Sadly, this has not changed
in today’s society. Snake-like people still
try to use others for their own personal gain without regard for the welfare of
others.
There is a
good amount of conflict and tension in this story. Conflict or tension arises between Harriet
and her employer, Harriet and Mr. Addleshaw’s “fiancé,” Harriet and Mr.
Addleshaw, and Harriet and her aunt Jane.
Each situation is different, and each shows Harriet’s strengths and
vulnerabilities. They keep the story
moving along at a fast pace, but not to worry, there isn’t an overload of
conflict. The romantic tension is like a
flower opening in the spring. The
characters grow and change, and eventually they become aware of those changes,
so they acknowledge their budding romance.
Throughout
the story, Harriet never lost her faith in God.
Even the pastor was a father figure to her, looking after her, making
sure she was okay. The theme of this
story could be that all things work together for the good for those who love
God (Romans 8:28). I love this genre
because the lady always gets the right man, and there is always a happy
ending. This story didn’t deviate from
that path. However, the method of
arriving to that end was not predictable, and it made the story interesting.
I recommend
this book to anyone who loves the historical fiction, Christian romance, and
clean romance genres. If you love Jen
Turano’s books, this novel is for you.
She is in my favorite authors group, and you will definitely enjoy her
writing!
Thanks to Net
Galley and Bethany House Publishers for providing a copy of the book in
exchange for my honest review.
Pros: Vivid
characters, exciting plot twist, great read
Cons: None
My Rating: 5 out
of 5 stars (Nearly perfect)
