Best leuk boek, de hps zijn leuk, maar het verhaal us overal net iets te ongeloofwaardig om echt leuk te zijn. En er zitten net iets te veel dominees in... ( )

Jen Turano’s American Heiresses series continues with great fun in Diamond in the Rough. To help her family, Poppy Garrison agrees to participate in the New York social season—but having grown up on a horse farm, she is quite unprepared for what that entails, of course. Enter Reginald Blackburn, second son of a duke. He agrees to help Poppy, but she might just prove to be more than he can handle.

Opposites in so many ways, Poppy and Reginald make a delightful pair. As is typical of a Turano novel, they encounter one silly situation after another, and complement each other well through it all. I so enjoyed my time with them; seeing them learn, grow, and fall in love made it easy to do. If you love historical romance, I’m sure you will enjoy it just as much.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. ( )

"Diamond in the Rough" by Jen Turano provides a fun reading experience. Miss Poppy Garrison was raised on a horse farm, and has come to New York to join her grandmother for a "season" in polite society. Poppy becomes embroiled in one humorous exploit after another. She manages to surprise and offend quite a few people in the upper echelons of society as she attend numerous polite society engagements.

Reginald has come to America to accompany his impoverished relative, the Earl of Lonsdale, as he seeks an heiress for a bride. Poppy's grandmother Viola engages Reginald to instruct Poppy in proper etiquette to help her advance in society. The results are humorous and touching.

This is a clean romance and a rollicking good read. Readers should prepare to be amused and also to learn some historical details about the time period in New York's upper crust society.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own. ( )

You don’t find many historical fiction novels that also can be humorous and light hearted. But "Diamond in the Rough" by Jen Turano is certainly just that among the many historical fiction novels published today. I might even go so far as to say it’s a “Diamond of the First Water,” just as our main character Poppy strives to be!

Poppy Garrison is a unique, klutzy, and completely genuine and loveable character (and what a name). I loved watching her as she tries to navigate the rules and etiquette of the New York Four Hundred social season (think of Poppy adjusting a broken bustle in public–the horror). But this book isn’t just light and fluffy; there is also a lot of character growth and development and themes of family and identity.

I thoroughly enjoyed my romp through the social season, but I am very glad Poppy was the one to do it and not myself, thank you very much!

Content: This is a clean read.

Rating: I give this book 4 stars.

I want to thank TLC Book Tours, Jen Turano and Bethany House for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255. ( )

Diamond in the Rough by Jen Turano is the second book in the American Heiresses series. It can be read as a standalone for those new to this series of books. However, I heartily recommend reading Flights of Fancy (it is a delight to read). From the very first page, I was drawn into this engaging and humorous historical novel. Poppy Garrison is a vibrant woman with a zest for life. She is twenty-two years old and could care less about society. However, she made a promise to her grandmother and Poppy intends to keep it. Viola did not count on Poppy’s clumsiness or how often she manages to get herself into sticky situations. Poppy’s antics had me laughing through the whole book (there is a snail incident, a busy bustle, runaway horses, a tiara incident and so much more). Reginald Blackburn is an English gentleman who believes is proper decorum. He agrees to give lessons to Poppy, but he had not idea it was going to be such a challenge. I like how the characters grow as individuals as the story progresses. While Diamond in the Rough is humorous, there are some sweet, tender moments. The story focuses on Poppy and Reginald, but there are side stories involving some of the other characters (like Charles Wynn, Murray Middletown, Viola Van Rennsselaer, and Poppy’s mother). I thought Diamond in the Rough was well-written and it proceeded at a fast pace. I like how Jen Turano captured the time period with the clothing, language, the dances, books, conveyances, and people. I was swept back to the Gilded Age and watched Poppy as she was let loose on New York high society. My favorite line comes from Poppy when she states, “I’ve always felt that misfits are far more interesting than normal folks.” Diamond in the Rough is by far my favorite book by Jen Turano. I cannot wait to read the next novel in the American Heiresses series. Diamond in the Rough is an amusing historical novel that has dizzying dances, runaway rides, an eager earl, rowing relatives, slippery snails, husband hunters and a peppy Poppy. ( )