Rollicking New Release from Humorous Historical Romance Author Jen Turano Miss Gertrude Cadwalader hoped her position as the paid companion to Mrs. Davenport would be easy. But as she becomes acquainted with her employer, she realizes the wealthy Mrs. Davenport has a strange tendency to be a bit light-fingered with other people’s trinkets. Gertrude is relieved when Mrs. Davenport decides to have … Davenport decides to have a quiet summer away from the social scene–until the woman changes her mind in order to help a young socialite launch into society.
When Gertrude is caught in the act of trying to return one of the trinkets by Mrs. Sinclair, the mother of shipping magnate Harrison Sinclair, the woman jumps to an unfortunate conclusion. Harrison is determined to mend fences with Miss Cadwalader, but he’s unprepared for the escapades a friendship with her will entail.
more
Jen Turano’s books have a way of not only making me laugh but tugging at heartstrings as well, with inspiring faith themes tucked amid the humor. Such was the case with Out of the Ordinary, the second book in Turano’s Apart from the Crowd series, which I listened to via audiobook. Harrison Sinclair made for an appealing hero with his kind and generous personality as well as his unconventional sense of fashion. Gertrude Cadwalader was a down-to-earth, sweet and unassuming heroine who struggled with issues stemming from her upbringing. The combination of humor with inspirational themes of forgiveness and second-chances made for a most satisfying read.
So as much as I loved Asher in the first story, Harrison was even better. His personality and color blindness were adorable and endearing and Gertie is perfect as well. The fact that she could keep up with her boss! My favorite part though was admittedly when Harrison decided to try out acting like the leading man of a romance novel at the insistence of Asher.
What’s not to love about this book. Gertrude was an amazing character, especially putting up with Mrs. Davenport. Harrison was awesome in that he had the most horrendously colored clothes. Makes me wonder if he was color blind. I love that they weren’t your typical characters. Jen is a great author and I love all her books.
Another great charmingly witty story. The antics poor Harrison gets into had me laughing out loud numerous times. I loved how he was towards his sisters(and I really hope they get a spinoff series because Harrison being protective big brother is something I need to see). I loved that we got to see more of Temperance and Permilla, the friendship they share with Gertrude is so lovely. This was a great tale of family, friendship and love.
First of Jen Turano’s book that I ever read. Just loved it and had to find more. Fun, romantic, and inspirational all rolled into one. Get ready to laugh out loud!
I have been reading books and watching several testosterone filled movies with the hubby lately and I frankly felt the need to balance all that seriousness with some good humor and romance. Out of the Ordinary hit the spot, (Note: I happily found this book in my local library). I remember the unusual encounter between Gertrude Cadwalader and Harrison Sinclair in book one, Behind the Scenes, so I was curious how Ms. Turano would weave together their story especially with the strange and mysterious Ms. Davenport using Gertrude in a manner that went above and beyond the call of duty. Fans will not be disappointed with the amusing antics and unfortunate circumstances that somehow draw Harrison and Gertrude into a sweet romance. The ending is satisfying as Ms. Davenport’s history is revealed and comes full circle in an inspiring reunion. Asher and Permilia as well as all the ‘wallflower’ friends, the Huxley sisters, and many more make appearances and add to the fun.
This was my favorite book of this series. I loved it! Two kind-hearted and generous individuals go from friendship to love in the midst of hilarious circumstances. Full review is at my website.
I received this book complimentary in a giveaway. I was not required to give a review. All of the opinions I have expressed here are my own.
I adore Jen Turano’s writing. She creates such realistic historical characters that jump off the page. Her heroines are never the typical women of the time period. They enjoy acting out of the societal norms, which I love. Her writing is crisp and clean with abundant descriptions to keep me in the setting. There isn’t too much or too less description. Just enough to keep my imagination flowing as the characters move around in the setting. I was really excited to read Out of the Ordinary, and Turano didn’t disappoint.
In Out of the Ordinary, I really enjoyed getting to know Gertrude Cadwalader a lot more. She is an unique individual with a personality to match. She is independent and isn’t afraid to stand up for what she believes in. The hero, Harrison Sinclair, is a color-blind man who wears horrible non-matching clothes, even by today’s standards. But even through the outward appearance he portrays, Gertrude sees past all that and falls in love with the sweet and protective man underneath. Their romance has a friendship base and makes for a great love story.
I have read many reviews where they mention that Turano is a hilarious writer. Usually, I don’t find anything funny about her plots, but this time around, she really did make the plot funny. She put Gertrude in a number of different scenarios that made me shake my head and smile. I really enjoyed how toward the end Turano had Harrison take notes from romance novels on how to whoo Gertrude back and they all went horribly wrong. It was funny! I really enjoyed this novel and wanted to read it in a day, but life happened, and I did finish it in four days. I loved this story.
Overall, Out of the Ordinary by Jen Turano is anything but ordinary. There are moments of pure laughter with a delightful cast of characters that had me flipping through the pages to see what other situation they can find themselves in. I truly LOVED this story, and I can’t wait for the next installment in this series from Turano. Fans of Lorna Seilstad and Cara Lynn James should pick these books up.
I received a complimentary copy of Out of the Ordinary by Jen Turano from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.
I received a copy of this book from the author. I was not required or compensated for a favorable review. This is another wonderful book in the series as well as another wonderful book from Jen. It was great to see another one of the young ladies from the first book finding her way in the world. Gertrude was dependent on her family when her parents died when she was younger and she became a companion to Mrs. Davenport, who at time did some really strange things. But when her dear friend Harrison is being chased by the young ladies of society because of his money he has to come to terms that he has feelings for her. But she is accused of stealing things from his families boat and other misdeeds. But will Harrison finally tell her hows she feels, and will she finally deal with the guilt that she never felt the loss of her mother the way she should.
This is book two in the Apart From the Crowd series, but I was able to read it as a stand-alone even though it has some recurring characters. If you love to laugh then search no farther, as I laughed out loud numerous times and ended with a big smile on my face. I suggest not drinking anything while reading as you might spew while laughing. The characters are quirky and out of the ordinary as well as the writing style of this author. I love that she doesn’t put her characters in a box and they are free to explore life. Forgiveness, seeing yourself as worthy, romance, a little mystery, and faith all come together for an enjoyable read. Laughter really is the best medicine as you will find out if you read this one.
I won a copy of this book on a blog. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
A delightful romance taking front stage on the society pages. Permilia Griswold has spent a good part of the last few years as a wallflower during society events. Forced to attend events by her stepmother and sister, all she wants is do something worthwhile with her time. Mr. Asher Rutherford, owner of the department store where society loves to shop is trying to give those with skills and in need an opportunity to earn a good wage. You would think love would bloom instantly but good thing this occurrence did not immediately unfold. After an interesting introduction at the Vanderbilt’s ball, a disastrous turn on the dance floor, and Permilla hearing a plan to kill Asher there is nothing left but for the two to be thrown together. Both are wonderful characters that will have you turning the pages as they are involve you in each new escapades
Out of the Ordinary by Jen Turano is the second book in the Apart From the Crowd series. This story continues the saga of the neglected and often shunned Wallflower group of high society. Although this book started out a little slow for me I was able to get “into” the storyline fairly early and it turned out to be another great story from Jen. There were so many good laugh-out-loud scenes with Gertrude and Harrison. By the time I finished the story I felt that I was part of their inner circle of friends. We now finally understand Mrs. Davenport and her peculiar behavior. I enjoyed how Jen worked her faith into the story without coming across as overly religious. I can’t wait for the next book.
I received this book from Bethany House publisher’s in exchange for my honest review.
This latest installment from Jen Turano is a delight! Hear what I have to say in my #2MinBookReview video here: http://www.carlalaureano.com/2minbookreview-out-of-the-ordinary/
This book is full of fun characters, humorous dialogue and romance.
Gertrude Cadawalder and Harrison Sinclair were introduced in Behind the Scenes, Jen Turano’s first book in the Apart from the Crowd series. Gertrude is a paid companion to Mrs. Davenport, who has a horrible habit of stealing trinkets from hostesses, leaving Gertrude to find a way to return them without that theft becoming known. A job that is way above her pay grade! Mrs. Davenport also thinks herself something of a clothing designer using Gertrude as her runway model and unfortunately making her unpopular with society’s upper crust. This lack of being dressed to society’s standards is something Harrison shares with Gertrude as he is somewhat color blind, always pairing the most unfortunate colors and patterns. However, his wealth and overall good looks more than make up for the fact that he dresses like a clown.
When Harrison throws their good friends an engagement party and invites Mrs. Davenport her nimble fingers unfortunately go to work and she steals a few of his sisters belongings. Gertrude, when returning those items gets caught and his mother throws her into jail. While defending her to his mother, Harrison finally begins to see Gertrude as more than a friendly aquaintance.
Jen Turano writes with such warmth and humor that it makes enjoying her novels very easy. As an Inspirational Romance writer she deftly ties faith into the story so that it pairs naturally with what is happening in that moment, and except for the innocent nature of the “romance” I wouldn’t know I was reading an inspirational novel. I have really enjoyed this series and if you are looking for a fun, witty novel that is light in nature but not in plot, you need to pick up one of her novels.
This is a hysterical historical romance!
This story stands alone within the series. The main characters from the first book are present in supporting roles. It was fun to check in and see how their lives had progressed.
Many times throughout the book I was laughing out loud at the conversations and antics of these wonderful characters. At times I was concerned that I was disturbing others in the house with my laughter.
I love the main characters! The variety of quirks that come out is amazing. One of the things that truly captured my attention was seeing how childhood emotional wounds shaped the way Gertrude behaved with others as an adult. We had hints of those wounds throughout the book.
Then over halfway into the book there was a major, heartbreaking, truth revealing session. So many of the odd behaviors were explained and my heart truly ached for all the pain and suffering that Gertrude and others had gone through.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.
Out of the Ordinary by Jen Turano is the second book in Apart from the Crowd series. Miss Gertrude Cadwalader is companion to Mrs. Davenport which is not an easy task. Mrs. Davenport is known for helping herself to other people’s belongings while they are at parties and events (which Gertrude returns). Gertrude and Mrs. Davenport are attending the engagement party of Permilia Griswold and Asher Rutherford on the yacht of Harrison Sinclair. The next day Mrs. Davenport confesses that she left her reticule on board the yacht with stolen contraband inside. Gertrude tries rescue it, but is caught by Harrison’s mother before she can depart. Gertrude is arrested and accused of stealing from the Manhattan Beach Hotel as well. Harrison works with Gertrude to clear her name (and Mrs. Davenport’s) and find the true culprit (and true love along the way).
Out of the Ordinary is easy to read and nicely written. Out of the Ordinary can be read alone. If you enjoy humorous historical novels, then I suggest picking up a copy of Behind the Scenes (first book in Apart from the Crowd series). There is one laugh out loud moment after another in Out of the Ordinary. I was happy to see growth in Mrs. Davenport and Gertrude by the end of the novel. At times I wanted to shake Gertrude and tell her to develop a backbone (especially after she wore the birdcage for a bustle). I felt that Ms. Turano captured the era with the fashions, dialogue and mannerisms. There is some predictability to the romance portion of the story (that seems inevitable in romance novels) and I felt the first night (night of engagement party) went on too long. That night alone took up 48% of the book. The mystery was interesting and I enjoyed figuring out the culprit. Out of the Ordinary is a quirky novel that will appeal to readers of historical romance novels and fans of Jen Turano.
Get ready for some fun! Author Jen Turano’s characters will keep you chuckling. Jumping from one escapade to another, this book doesn’t get boring. There are also serious moments with forgiveness and acceptance threaded throughout.
The characters are well developed, believable, and colorful. With good historical detail, and a bit of a mystery to keep you guessing, you will enjoy this. While this is Book 2 in the series, it reads fine as a standalone.
Humorous with a sweet, clean romance, I highly recommend Out of the Ordinary.
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.