Diamond in the Rough by Jen Turano

Review: I just finished reading a book that made me decidedly uneasy... and "Diamond in the Rough" was the perfect anti-dote for the malaise I was suffering after that first read. 

There is absolutely not a single thing about this book that you can, by any means, take seriously. It is utterly ridiculous (and I mean that in the nicest way possible). The dialogue is long winded and so proper that it left me giggling just trying to envision such ridiculousness coming out of anyone's mouth - regardless of the era! The characters, especially Poppy, are beyond amusing. Poppy is constantly falling into an amusing and bizarre array of mishaps that are so utterly far-fetched that one can't help but giggle, and watching her potential husband try and keep her in one piece is hilarious. 

I suppose that is why I keep coming back, at least once a year, to read something by Jen Turano. Her books are funny. Even if I try and take them seriously, I can't.... and sometimes that is exactly what you need. 

If life is getting a little too serious or you have a little too much on your plate, consider picking up one of Ms Turano's books. They are hilarious, ridiculous, and always infused with an endearing romance. This book left me with a smile on my lips (if not shaking my head a little) and a good deal less stressed than when I started reading it. 

"Diamond in the Rough" briefly touches on some of the darker sides of one lady's mental health issues and there are a couple of non-descriptive fighting scenes.... apart from that this book is clean of any sexual content or violence. While not written for a younger audience, it isn't a book I'd be alarmed to find in a high-schooler's hands by any means. 

Thank-you to Graf Martin Communications and Baker Publishing House for a copy of this book. 

Back Cover: 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.