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| A Change of Fortune |
5 Stars*****
In this lively,
entertaining novel Jen Turano takes us to New York City 1880 and introduces us
to Lady Eliza Sumner. Eliza is a feisty young aristocrat from England who is
posing as a governess until she can find the man responsible for stealing her
family’s fortune.
Miss Eliza
Sumner has been posing as a governess for the affluent Watson family with no
one the wiser because of the great lengths she has gone to hide her identity.
Eliza is determined she will find the vermin that stole her father’s money, the
last she heard he was in New York. Eliza will do anything it takes to recover
what is rightfully hers, even if it means doing some unsavory things.
Mr. Hamilton
Beckett is a wonderfully handsome man who has had his share of sorrow in his
life. He lost his beautiful young wife in what he believes was a riding
accident and now is raising his five year old daughter and three year old son
with the help of his mother since it seems the little sweethearts keep scaring
away the nannies.
The night Eliza
and Hamilton met was at a dinner party held by the Mr. and Mrs. Watson. Eliza
was to take the place of the Watson’s oldest daughter, Agatha, who had some
mysterious illness. Still in disguise, Eliza makes her debut in huge glasses
wearing an ill-fitting hideous colored gown held together by pins. It was to
Eliza’s utter dismay she was seated between two brothers who happened to be the
best looking men there. After several hilarious mishaps Eliza makes it through
the dinner party and thinks to never see Hamilton again, but alas, life is
filled with unexpected surprises.
Later that night
as Eliza is pursuing the man who stole her fortune she runs into the most
unlikely person, Hamilton. It seems he too is pursuing someone that is
connected to what happened to Eliza. When they pool their resources to find
this person will they also find that God has a plan for the two of them that
neither expected?
I will have to
say I thoroughly enjoyed this book; Jen did a fantastic job of creating
characters that you will fall in love with. I was able to relate with Eliza
because the harder she tries to do things it seems the worse the outcome will
be. Thankfully Jen gave her a great sense of humor and I think that’s what
makes her character so much fun. There are a lot of twists that will have you
gasping and then there are the ones that will have you giggling. This is one
book that should be at the top of your TBR list. Thanks Jen for a truly
entertaining and enjoyable read!
You can get this book by Jen at Amazon, CBD, and Books A Million.
QUESTION: Do you have a funny story where you were doing something serious and something happened that made it hilarious?
GIVEAWAY: A copy of Jen's book for one of our commenters who answers the question.
You can get this book by Jen at Amazon, CBD, and Books A Million.
QUESTION: Do you have a funny story where you were doing something serious and something happened that made it hilarious?
GIVEAWAY: A copy of Jen's book for one of our commenters who answers the question.
Good Morning Everyone! I thought I would start off with my serious event that I turned into something hilarious. When my hubby and I had just started dating I worked for a very well known Home Builder. Every year he would host a huge Christmas Party and invite about a thousand people that included Bank Managers, Real Estat Agents, Owners of the Supply Companies he used, and a wide variety of other business people. There was several open bars and Carlton and I were probably the only ones there that hadn't consumed any alcohol. Poor Carlton had a bout of vertigo hit him and he was so dizzy we had to almost carry him out, he looked very drunk. Then when I went to get my purse so we could leave, I had to cross the dance floor, and I had on new shoes and I must have hit a slick spot because the next thing I know "Miss Prim and Proper decked out in her pretty new clothes" was slipping and sliding and landed in a heap on my rear in front of all of those people!! :D Needless to say my face was so red and I couldn't get out of there fast enough. After it was over I had a huge laugh because of how bad we looked. When I went into work on Monday my boss teased me all day about how "drunk" we were at his party. :D
ReplyDeleteHi Teresa,
DeleteThank you so much for your wonderful review, TERESA. It's so encouraging to learn that someone enjoys my writing:) Your story was great!
Have a very Merry Christmas.
~ JEN ~
TERESA, I just don't know whether I'm just in a silly mood, but EVERYTHING is seeming SO funny on here. Or it could be the case that it just is!! I loved your story!! Fantastic visuals, lol!!! :D
DeleteGreat review, Teresa!! Love that Jen gave Eliza a great sense of humor, those are the best kind of characters :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for going first on the bloopers, you and Carlton must've been a sight to behold without trying!! I'm never comfortable at parties with drinking, but you make the best of it and then leave before anything gets too crazy :)
Okay, I thought of something! Around Thanksgiving my nephew was visiting with us and I wanted to tell him how much I loved him and his mom. That God adored them both and how wonderful they are to our family. My nephew, he's 8, was sitting down in the living room so I squatted in front of him to tell him. I tried standing up straight, but lost my footing and somehow slipped on the floor on my butt (if it hadn't been so ridiculous looking it would have been a ninja move because it happened so fast). It didn't hurt, but my dad and brothers were in the room watching TV and looked at me in amazement. My nephew couldn't stop laughing :) I smiled at the silliness of it, but I have no idea how it happened and RIGHT in front of my whole family!
I'm usually serious so I'm grateful for silly moments like that, laughing is a gift :) If I think of anything else, will let you know :)
Great job Teresa, love these funny moments! Blessings :)
Thanks KARA.. I am known in my family for my laugh. I love to make people feel good by laughing, I have been known to make fun of myself to make someone laugh. Just like I said about Eliza...if it can go wrong it will for me. And usually I am able to laugh if off! :)
DeleteTERESA, I'm so sorry I'm so late getting here! Sick hubby and having to go to the store and pick up a few things for him! And then waiting on the poor baby.
ReplyDeleteI will think of bunches of stories later, but right now I'm pulling a blank. One thing that I can think of right offhand is when we had a lady preaching at our church in CA and it was some serious preaching, let me tell you. I was getting blistered. Then all of a sudden she moved and her slip fell down to her ankles. She just took it off w/out batting an eyelash and continued to blister us with her preaching as though nothing had happened. I couldn't dare look at any of my friends b/c we were about to lose it and I finally had to go to the bathroom and crack up for a few minutes. It was one of those you would have had to have been there times, and I daresay she probably wore full slips from then on. haha
That reminds me of a lady preacher at a church we attended when I was a teenager, she was an older lady but had a very young daughter of maybe 2 or 3. The little girl was sitting on Mom's lap and she reaches up to mom's pretty hair and the next thing you know mom's pretty hair is lying in the middle of the church isle. Dad reaches over and puts his hand on mom's head to hide her not so pretty hair-do while he reaches to grab the wig and put it back on mom's head! :D It was so funny and I'm not so sure I held in the laughter as good as you Diana.
DeleteLOL, TERESA! Many times I find serious things amusing in our church and don't dare look at you sitting up there behind the piano! haha
DeleteLOL DIANA!!!! Oh man, I'm so glad I wasn't there!! I don't know that I would've had as much self-control as you did!!! And then I would've set you off too.. :D
DeleteAnd it's probably a good thing I'm not in your chuch with both of you also!!!! I'd be afraid of looking up at TERESA too, I can imagine T giving a funny look at us over something said and that'd be it. Too funny.
She does do that, NOELA. She peeps over her reading glasses at me. I have to put my head down. haha
DeleteI cannot think of any funny stories to tell but I've enjoyed reading yours! The more I read about Jen's book, the more certain I am that it's a book I want to read. Thanks for the review.
ReplyDeletePAM thanks for coming by, it was getting pretty lonely here today! :) I know you will love Jen's book, it really is an enjoyable read! Merry Christmas!
DeleteI can't think of anything offhand, but I'm sure it's happened before! makeighleekyleigh at yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteMEGAN that sounds like a good thing! LOL Wish I could say the same thing!! Thanks for coming by! MERRY CHRISTMAS!
DeleteHmmm...well, the first thing that comes to my mind is during my wedding ceremony, during a very serious moment, my 3-year-old nephew looked at my sis-in-law, who was crying and said, "It's okay, Mommy, you're not in twouble, don't cry." We couldn't help but chuckle. He was quiet the rest of the time, but that was just hilarious.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the chance to win!
Beth
bharbin07[at]gmail[dot]com
BETH that is so sweet...gotta love little kids. Thanks for sharing! MERRY CHRISTMAS!
DeleteHey Everyone! Thank you so much, ladies, for stopping by today - sorry I'm a little late - very peculiar day, but won't go into all the pesky details:0) Love all the stories, and I would share something else funny, but I'm not coming up with a single thing at the moment - must be due to all that shoveling I did today.
ReplyDeleteWishing all of you a very Merry Christmas!
~ JEN ~
Great review, Teresa! Given that you, Marian, and then Lisa will be heartily endorsing reading Jen's books, I am going to have to read. In fact, I'd like to head back to the bedroom to read the novella, shortly!
ReplyDeleteYou will enjoy it! Get in some R & R...rest and reading...NOTHING BETTER CARRIE!
ReplyDeleteGreat review TERESA!! I absolutely loved this story, it really was so much fun to read!
ReplyDeleteSorry I'm a bit late in coming by also. I think to myself I'll leave the link until the morning to post so more Aussie's will see it, but then sometimes that morning fog hits.. :/
The first thing I thought of was this particular person's wedding. Supposed to be fairly serious, right?? But this relative is a little different or 'special', and he had stuffed toys across the piano and stage! And then a slideshow of his life... it was more like something you'd see at a memorial service! The pastors wife was sitting next to me and we couldn't stop giggling. It was a little embarassing though when she'd say something too funny and I laughed a little too loud!
Thank you again, NOELA, for your delightful take on my book. Loved your story, and I cannot tell you the number of times I've had to stuff a fist in my mouth to stop from laughing at completely inappropriate moments - always makes for an interesting event.
DeleteAll the best,
~ Jen ~
OH NOELA how funny!! Since I play the piano I have had to play at quite a few weddings and I have seen a lot of strange things but that one beats them all!! When I see things like that I usually have a "coughing fit" to cover my giggles! Sometimes it works, most times not! ~grin~
DeleteRecently when crossing the Mexico border back into the states, we were pulled over by the army. They opened my door and started quizing our purpose for being there. In my head I was thinking...wow, I'm understanding everything he's asking, and I answered him back in my limited Spanish. He was smiling big but kept talking to me. Then we headed out to the bridge and in a few minutes EVERYONE started laughing...he had been speaking English and I had answered back in Spanish! Here I thought God had rained down Spanish on me....
ReplyDeletemissionwife@hotmail.com
That is TOO funny MELODY!!! Thanks for the laugh!! That actually needs to go in a story, it's just so cute as well as funny! :)
DeleteDon't you have to wonder what that man was thinking? I have to tell you, I've never heard a funny story quite like that before, MELODY - I'm still grinning:)
DeleteHave a Merry Christmas.
~ JEN ~
MELODY that was too funny! I would have been so nervous I couldn't have answered him in Spanish or English!! Thanks for sharing that, I loved it!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!
DeleteIf you were a friend of mine on Facebook, you would have heard this already. The other day, I received a nice gift package in the mail. Inside the box was some lip balm. Now, my hubby has been battling a cold sore for a few days, so he thought, hmmm I could use that. Without thinking, he starts rubbing it all over his lips. Turns out the lip balm was flavored and therefore it was also colored. LOL Needless to say, Photo Op! He gave me permission to 'share' his faux pas on Facebook. He looked very perty! LOL
ReplyDeleteI'm sure he looked marvelous, DEBBIE;) I used to be really involved with the PTO when my son was little, and while supervising a dance, I happened to glance over at my husband - and for some odd reason, the black lights were making his face glow - turns out - he'd used some of my cream, not knowing that it had sparkles in it - I don't think he's ever touched any of my creams since.
DeleteHave a wonderful Christmas.
~ JEN ~
DEBBIE what a cute story and what a good sport your hubby is! Thanks for sharing with us! Hope you have a Merry Christmas! :)
DeleteJEN how cute! You had your own "Sparkling Prince Charming"
DeleteI want to thank you for being on here with us this week, not only did I enjoy meeting Miss Eliza but I have thoroughly enjoyed your interacting with us on here. You are a delight!
Jen, that's hilarious! It's nice that our hubby's can entertain us now and then. :)
DeleteTeresa, yes Jack is a very good sport. I hope both you ladies have a truly blessed Christmas! :)
DeleteTeresa, I'm sure I have, probably many times, but I can't remember one at this time to tell about.
ReplyDeleteI did enjoy the interview and hearing about the characters. Thanks Teresa, and, Laura,.Would love to win. MAXIE ( mac262@me.com )
I can't think of a story right off, but I loved your review and look forward to reading this book!
ReplyDeletePatty
pattymh2000(at)yahoo(dot)com
Hi MAXIE and PATTY!
DeleteThank you for leaving comments, and for your interest in A Change of Fortune.
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas.
~ JEN ~
I'm kindof clutzy, so the most recent thing I did was when I was cooking and I burned my foot. I had grabbed a spoon I had in the pan and it was hot so I dropped it, then stepped on it! I felt so stupid, but had to laugh. shopgirl152nykiki(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDelete