A Diamond in the Rough is one of my standout books for 2019. Oh my stars. Poppy Garrison is one of those characters who will to stay with me forever. The Second in the American Heiress series is a joyous romp of a read. From the first page, Poppy swept me up into her various escapades and lively personality.
This is a hilarious look transplanting a horse farmer’s daughter into New York Society with a delightful array of mishaps, misadventure and dastardly machinations. Poppy sticks to her guns, despite all that life throws at her.
The great thing about this novel is that it’s laugh out loud funny, while being a work of depth. Poppy stays true to herself in every situation. She doesn’t let herself be pressured into choices that aren’t right. Poppy inspires those around her to step out of their comfort zones to help the less fortunate, and encouraged me to be a better person in the process.
With vivid characters, great description and detailed research, I was swept away into this world of manners and propriety. Meanwhile, the supporting characters were just as vibrant as Poppy, two that spring to mind are her grandmother (Viola) and friend Murray. Funnily enough, they both appear in one of the author’s favorite parts…
“One of the most amusing scenes for me to write was when Mr. Murray Middleton, after suffering a most dastardly attack, shows up to explain what happened to Viola, dressed in Viola’s pink dressing gown… I got this image of him – black eyes, nose stuffed with cotton, and wearing a pink dressing gown with feathers attached to it, and I couldn’t not write him into the scene. ” Jen Turano
The romantic thread was sweet, delicately woven into the bigger story and I honestly loved this book. Jen Turano is above all, fast becoming one of my go-to authors if I want to laugh out loud, made to think and be encouraged.
Next Steps…
For a sneaky peak of the first few pages or to buy the book, click here…
To connect with Jen via her website, click here…
And to check out my most anticipated reads of 2020 (featuring the next in this fabulous series), click here…