A Change of Fortune by Jen Turano

Title: A Change of Fortune (Ladies of Distinction #1)

Author: Jen Turano

Pages: 318

Year: 2012

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

     The most fantastic romantic comedy I’ve read yet!

     Lady Eliza Sumner has lost everything. After losing her family, her fiancé, and her faith, the disappearance of her fortune is the last straw. What is young lady of the nobility from England to do in 1880? Of course she must masquerade as Miss Eliza Sumner, governess-at-large, find the man who ran off with her fortune, reclaim the money, and head straight back to London. Will New York City ever figure out what hit it?

     Mr. Hamilton Beckett, widowed now for 2 years, has become the focus of much of the female members of society in New York City. Of course they have decided for him that he must remarry, whether he has any interest in doing so or not. His focus instead is on keeping his business afloat and raising his two children alone.

     When Eliza and Hamilton first meet, sparks instantly begin to fly. Then at their second meeting they discover that they have a common nemesis, causing them to join forces. Let mayhem ensue.

     Jen Turano has done a marvelous job of creating an enjoyable group of characters for this novel. I had so much fun reading this book and trying to follow all of their antics. I never knew from one moment to the next what they were going to try next. It was very amusing to see what all situations that Eliza was able to get herself into simply because she had given up on God and was trying to do things her own way. The characters were all so well developed. There was only one character that I found to be truly annoying. That was simply because he refused to listen to what he was told. He had made up his mind and didn’t want to budge.

     I’m looking forward to reading the other books that Jen has written. I’m sure that they will be just as light-hearted and entertaining.

     I loved this book so much it has to get a 5 star rating.