Mary N. (maggysue) reviewed Behind the Scenes (Apart from the Crowd, Bk 1) on + 811 more book reviews
Fun story to listen to!
Behind the Scenes by Jen Turano
Apart From the Crowd Book One
Permilia Griswold grew up in mining camps with her dad, hoping one day to take over the business herself. So when he married a socialite to help make a real lady out of her...she just became a wallflower instead. And she was quite happy with that status. Especially when offered a job while being a wallflower.
Asher Rutherford has worked hard to regain his family's fortune. He, unlike Permilia, enjoys all society has to offer. Since many of those he hubnubbed with helped his business. He was warned about being friendly with the wallflower, but she was so intriguing. And irritating.
Jen Turano writes wonderful stories. They usually have laugh-out-loud incidences that her characters create by being themselves. Permilia and Asher seem to be opposites...but with the threat of murder...they find common ground.
**Received from Bethany House for an honest review
http://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/2017/04/jen-turano.html
Apart From the Crowd Book One
Permilia Griswold grew up in mining camps with her dad, hoping one day to take over the business herself. So when he married a socialite to help make a real lady out of her...she just became a wallflower instead. And she was quite happy with that status. Especially when offered a job while being a wallflower.
Asher Rutherford has worked hard to regain his family's fortune. He, unlike Permilia, enjoys all society has to offer. Since many of those he hubnubbed with helped his business. He was warned about being friendly with the wallflower, but she was so intriguing. And irritating.
Jen Turano writes wonderful stories. They usually have laugh-out-loud incidences that her characters create by being themselves. Permilia and Asher seem to be opposites...but with the threat of murder...they find common ground.
**Received from Bethany House for an honest review
http://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/2017/04/jen-turano.html
Loraine N. (momrain) reviewed Behind the Scenes (Apart from the Crowd, Bk 1) on + 205 more book reviews
Great chemistry and laugh out loud situations fill the pages of this story. If you have known quirky people in life, you will love these fictional ones. Permilia and Asher first meet in the novella At Your Request and sparks fly. What fun it was to watch that continue in their story here. Full review is at my website.
Behind the Scenes by Jen Turano is the first book in Apart from the Crowd series. Miss Permilia Griswold lives in New York City with her father, stepmother and stepsister. Permilia (what an unusual name) was raised by her father, George after her mother passed away. She traveled with him around the country while he took care of his mining business. Permilia received a man's education and Permilia thought she would help her father run his businesses. Then George Griswold married Ida, a widow. Ida is a society woman who believes a woman should debut, get married, have children and go to parties. Ida raised her daughter, Lucy in this manner. Permilia is frustrated by all of Ida's rules and the endless functions and society parties. The Griswold's have been invited to Mr. & Mrs. Williams Vanderbilt's costume ball (event of the year). Permilia is considered a wallflower by society because of her unconventional ideas, manner of dress, and the way she speaks. Mr. Asher Rutherford of Rutherford and Company (a department store) is also attending the ball. Lucy is interested in Asher, but Ida does not believe he is a suitable mate for her daughter because he is âin tradeâ. Permilia is sneaking around the ball taking notes for her society column Miss Quill's Quality Corner. While helping a friend, Permilia overhears a plot to murder Asher. Permilia tells Asher about it, but he does not believe her until he is attacked with arrows. Permilia and some friends come to his rescue, but the killer will not be so easily thwarted. Asher and Permilia will need to join forces to find the evildoer, before they find themselves in the obituary pages instead of the society columns.
I was looking forward to Jen Turano's Behind the Scenes. I had enjoyed the lighthearted humor and engaging characters in her A Class of Their Own series. What I appreciated in that series was missing in Behind the Scenes. I found the writing to be awkward with stilted dialogue. Permilia was too peculiar (her education, way she spoke, unusual dress, clumsy, cannot dance, gets tongue-tied, etc.). I did not understand Asher being so possessive of Permilia at the ball. They had only had two unpleasant encounters prior to this occasion. Asher went out of his way to protect Permilia especially from Eugene Slater, an interested suitor. Then there is the offensive stepmother, Ida and her equally annoying daughter, Lucy. I give Behind the Scenes 2 out of 5 stars. I just did not like Behind the Scenes. I tried to read the complete novel, but it was impossible. I ended up skimming through some portions of the story. The ball scene took up 35% of the book (it seemed like it went on forever). The reader is subjected to every little detail about the ball. The dances, what people were wearing, room décor, food, and so forth (this attention to detail continues throughout the book). There was also one inane incident after another. I do not mind some light, fun humor, but this was just plain silly (idiotic would be a better word). Every single one of the wallflowers were eccentric. I found the ending to be predictable. The mystery was easily solved early in the story. The Christian element was very light. I did like Mrs. Davenport and the Huxley sisters (Mabel and Henrietta). I think a book about Mrs. Davenport would be more entertaining (what a character). I believe I will be skipping the rest of the Apart from the Crowd series.
I was looking forward to Jen Turano's Behind the Scenes. I had enjoyed the lighthearted humor and engaging characters in her A Class of Their Own series. What I appreciated in that series was missing in Behind the Scenes. I found the writing to be awkward with stilted dialogue. Permilia was too peculiar (her education, way she spoke, unusual dress, clumsy, cannot dance, gets tongue-tied, etc.). I did not understand Asher being so possessive of Permilia at the ball. They had only had two unpleasant encounters prior to this occasion. Asher went out of his way to protect Permilia especially from Eugene Slater, an interested suitor. Then there is the offensive stepmother, Ida and her equally annoying daughter, Lucy. I give Behind the Scenes 2 out of 5 stars. I just did not like Behind the Scenes. I tried to read the complete novel, but it was impossible. I ended up skimming through some portions of the story. The ball scene took up 35% of the book (it seemed like it went on forever). The reader is subjected to every little detail about the ball. The dances, what people were wearing, room décor, food, and so forth (this attention to detail continues throughout the book). There was also one inane incident after another. I do not mind some light, fun humor, but this was just plain silly (idiotic would be a better word). Every single one of the wallflowers were eccentric. I found the ending to be predictable. The mystery was easily solved early in the story. The Christian element was very light. I did like Mrs. Davenport and the Huxley sisters (Mabel and Henrietta). I think a book about Mrs. Davenport would be more entertaining (what a character). I believe I will be skipping the rest of the Apart from the Crowd series.
