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cctblog's review against another edition
3.0
Diamond in the Rough is the amusing story of Poppy Garrison, a young woman trying to make her way in society because of a deal she made with her grandmother. Poppy is accident prone, to say the least, and she finds herself in one mess after another!
This novel contains quite a few quirky characters, and I enjoyed their interactions with each other. While I did struggle to immerse myself in the book, I think that's more of a reflection of where my head is now than of Turano's writing. Poppy's story is humorous and engaging, and I think many fans of historical romance will enjoy it! 3-1/2 stars.
Disclosure of material connection: I received this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own.
This novel contains quite a few quirky characters, and I enjoyed their interactions with each other. While I did struggle to immerse myself in the book, I think that's more of a reflection of where my head is now than of Turano's writing. Poppy's story is humorous and engaging, and I think many fans of historical romance will enjoy it! 3-1/2 stars.
Disclosure of material connection: I received this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own.
librarykate's review against another edition
4.0
Poppy agreed to attend a New York season with her grandmother, Viola, in exchange for some financial assistance to her parents. But Viola's plans to turn Poppy into a Diamond of the First Water don't seem to promising until mishap after mishap plagues her. Until Reginald Blackburn (secretly the son of a duke) agrees to help train her. The two quickly form a friendship and hilarity and adventures ensue.
I really enjoyed this title, Poppy was such a fun character. I appreciated that even though some plot elements were obvious, Turano still manages to keep me guessing a little bit as to the process of how things will work out.
I really enjoyed this title, Poppy was such a fun character. I appreciated that even though some plot elements were obvious, Turano still manages to keep me guessing a little bit as to the process of how things will work out.
booksforchristiangirls's review against another edition
4.0
About this book:
“When Miss Poppy Garrison accepts her grandmother's offer of financial help for her family in exchange for Poppy joining the New York social Season, she quickly realizes she is far less equipped to mingle with the New York Four Hundred than even she knew. As she becomes embroiled in one hilarious fiasco after another, becoming the diamond of the first water her grandmother longs her to be looks more impossible by the day.
Reginald Blackburn, second son of a duke, is in New York to help his cousin find an American heiress who can help save his family's estate. But when his very proper British manners lead Poppy's grandmother to request he teach etiquette to Poppy, he quickly finds himself in for much more than he bargained for.
And while they couldn't be more opposite, Reginald and Poppy just might find they have more to teach each other than they ever could have expected.”
Series: Book #2 in the “American Heiress” series. Review of Book #1, Here!
Spiritual Content- Talks about God, forgiveness, & trials; Mentions of God; Mentions of churches, church going, services, sermons, hymnals, & reverends; A few mentions of prayers, praying, & thanking God;
*Note: A few mentions of a ghost and a ghoul.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: seven ‘idiot’s; A couple mentions of curses (said, not written); Some eye rolling; Being kidnapped & a gun aimed at you (barely-above-not-detailed); Fights, Injuries, Pain, & Gunshots (barely-above-not-detailed); Throwing up; Mentions of a sudden death (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of fist fights/brawls, injuries, blood/bleeding, criminals/thieves, & stealing (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of jail; Mentions of blackmail; Mentions of alcohol & social drinking; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of throwing up; A couple mentions of an accidents & deaths; A couple mentions of cigars.
Sexual Content- five hand kisses (greeting/parting), a not-detailed kiss, a barely-above-not-detailed kiss, and two semi-detailed kisses; Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of greeting/parting kisses; A few mentions of ruined reputations; A couple mentions of hints of men hiring women in a rough area of town; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Mentions of unmentionables; A few mentions of Poppy’s curves (noticed by Reginald).
-Poppy Garrison, age 22
-Reginald Blackburn
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1885 (Epilogue in 1886)
347 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
While this isn’t my favorite Jen Turano book, it was still quite a fun read. It took a bit for me to get into because it felt very much like her other books, by mid-way I became more invested and curious to see how different elements would turn out. Murray was a very pleasant surprise of a character and I truly enjoyed him the most. “Diamond in the Rough” was a good and clean read that I believe many will enjoy. :)
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2019/08/diamond-in-rough-by-jen-turano.html
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Author for this honest review.
“When Miss Poppy Garrison accepts her grandmother's offer of financial help for her family in exchange for Poppy joining the New York social Season, she quickly realizes she is far less equipped to mingle with the New York Four Hundred than even she knew. As she becomes embroiled in one hilarious fiasco after another, becoming the diamond of the first water her grandmother longs her to be looks more impossible by the day.
Reginald Blackburn, second son of a duke, is in New York to help his cousin find an American heiress who can help save his family's estate. But when his very proper British manners lead Poppy's grandmother to request he teach etiquette to Poppy, he quickly finds himself in for much more than he bargained for.
And while they couldn't be more opposite, Reginald and Poppy just might find they have more to teach each other than they ever could have expected.”
Series: Book #2 in the “American Heiress” series. Review of Book #1, Here!
Spiritual Content- Talks about God, forgiveness, & trials; Mentions of God; Mentions of churches, church going, services, sermons, hymnals, & reverends; A few mentions of prayers, praying, & thanking God;
*Note: A few mentions of a ghost and a ghoul.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: seven ‘idiot’s; A couple mentions of curses (said, not written); Some eye rolling; Being kidnapped & a gun aimed at you (barely-above-not-detailed); Fights, Injuries, Pain, & Gunshots (barely-above-not-detailed); Throwing up; Mentions of a sudden death (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of fist fights/brawls, injuries, blood/bleeding, criminals/thieves, & stealing (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of jail; Mentions of blackmail; Mentions of alcohol & social drinking; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of throwing up; A couple mentions of an accidents & deaths; A couple mentions of cigars.
Sexual Content- five hand kisses (greeting/parting), a not-detailed kiss, a barely-above-not-detailed kiss, and two semi-detailed kisses; Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of greeting/parting kisses; A few mentions of ruined reputations; A couple mentions of hints of men hiring women in a rough area of town; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Mentions of unmentionables; A few mentions of Poppy’s curves (noticed by Reginald).
-Poppy Garrison, age 22
-Reginald Blackburn
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1885 (Epilogue in 1886)
347 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
While this isn’t my favorite Jen Turano book, it was still quite a fun read. It took a bit for me to get into because it felt very much like her other books, by mid-way I became more invested and curious to see how different elements would turn out. Murray was a very pleasant surprise of a character and I truly enjoyed him the most. “Diamond in the Rough” was a good and clean read that I believe many will enjoy. :)
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2019/08/diamond-in-rough-by-jen-turano.html
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Author for this honest review.
sydneyelaine's review against another edition
3.0
a solid 3/3.5.
it was cute and fun (and i did like it!), and readers who enjoy Turano’s books will like this, but it wasn’t completely my cup of tea. her books seem a little more on the “hit or miss” side for me. i really liked the first book in this series though so i’ll probably read the last one to finish out the series.
it was cute and fun (and i did like it!), and readers who enjoy Turano’s books will like this, but it wasn’t completely my cup of tea. her books seem a little more on the “hit or miss” side for me. i really liked the first book in this series though so i’ll probably read the last one to finish out the series.
ladywithaquill's review against another edition
4.0
Full of fun, quirky characters, Diamond in the Rough is an enjoyable read for anyone who enjoys a lot of humor in their romances! And I do, especially when I use my books as an escape from reality. My habit is to highlight (on my tablet) all of the passages I like, usually involving humor or witty remarks. This book has so many highlights, folks. It wasn't just the main characters that brought a fun, lively energy to the story - it was all the main characters as well. Every character in this book lent a bit of themselves to the story to make it a unique read that is unpredictable and fun.
Raised on a horse farm in rural Pennsylvania, Miss Poppy Garrison is the proverbial fish out of water in high society of New York City. With one catastrophe after another occurring whenever she is near, everyone is both horrified and intrigued by her original nature. When she is saved by Mr Reginald Blackburn, the traveling companion of a lord from England, they both are wrangled into an arrangement by Poppy's grandmother - Reginald will teach Poppy the social graces necessary for her to make a good match, and he will pocket a monetary sum for his efforts. While Reginald is at first daunted by the task, he soon finds himself thinking of Poppy every day and defending her to those who would disparage her. Her lack of refinement might be a spectacle to the New York Four Hundred, but to Reginald, it's a breath of fresh air. With Poppy in his life, nothing would ever be boring again...and the idea is quite appealing.
Poppy and Reginald were an interesting match. I didn't really see the chemistry initially, and their relationship was rather slow to build up. However, once they began spending more time together, and Murray joined in along Beatrix, the pair grew closer and closer. Poppy was definitely a singular woman, very unlike anyone else she met, and she was quite strong in the face of much criticism. She approached challenges with a sense of confidence and good humor, and it was no wonder she attracted many who would otherwise be overlooked by the creme of the crop. Reginald was very soft spoken, you could tell that he was going to be the quieter one in the relationship, and that suited them just fine. Poppy never stopped talking, and I think it really enchanted Reginald.
As always, Jen has written a book full of laughs and history. This is not a book to be missed!
**I received a free copy via NetGalley and this is my honest review.**
Raised on a horse farm in rural Pennsylvania, Miss Poppy Garrison is the proverbial fish out of water in high society of New York City. With one catastrophe after another occurring whenever she is near, everyone is both horrified and intrigued by her original nature. When she is saved by Mr Reginald Blackburn, the traveling companion of a lord from England, they both are wrangled into an arrangement by Poppy's grandmother - Reginald will teach Poppy the social graces necessary for her to make a good match, and he will pocket a monetary sum for his efforts. While Reginald is at first daunted by the task, he soon finds himself thinking of Poppy every day and defending her to those who would disparage her. Her lack of refinement might be a spectacle to the New York Four Hundred, but to Reginald, it's a breath of fresh air. With Poppy in his life, nothing would ever be boring again...and the idea is quite appealing.
Poppy and Reginald were an interesting match. I didn't really see the chemistry initially, and their relationship was rather slow to build up. However, once they began spending more time together, and Murray joined in along Beatrix, the pair grew closer and closer. Poppy was definitely a singular woman, very unlike anyone else she met, and she was quite strong in the face of much criticism. She approached challenges with a sense of confidence and good humor, and it was no wonder she attracted many who would otherwise be overlooked by the creme of the crop. Reginald was very soft spoken, you could tell that he was going to be the quieter one in the relationship, and that suited them just fine. Poppy never stopped talking, and I think it really enchanted Reginald.
As always, Jen has written a book full of laughs and history. This is not a book to be missed!
**I received a free copy via NetGalley and this is my honest review.**
joytiff's review against another edition
5.0
This was such a fun book! I always love when a character doesn’t fit the mold and Poppy most certainly stood out from the crowd! Loved it!
bookwormjourney's review against another edition
5.0
My word! I really loved Reginald with his brooding self. I loved how different he was from Poppy, but how easily you could see them together. One bringing some seriousness and the other bringing energy. I also enjoyed the epilogue because I really love getting a glimpse into the future life of the couple in question. This is the second book in this series and I think it was better than the first. I'm about to start an advanced copy of the next book I'm excited to see how that compares. Diamond in the Rough definitely had moments that made me laugh and left me going awwww at the end, which is like instant 5 stars in my world. Jen Turano is an author I've read multiple series from and I highly recommend!
booksoneveryshelf's review against another edition
5.0
I’ve had the pleasure of reading all of Jen Turano’s books to date, and can honestly say that she is one of my very favorite historical fiction authors. That being said, this review will probably have a bit of bias. I’ve been hooked since reading my first of her books (which was actually her second published work) and have yet to be disappointed. Though I’ve greatly enjoyed them all, I have had some favorites here and there, and this one definitely falls into that category!
As always, Ms. Turano kept me in stitches from the first few pages all the way through! I would frequently look up and find my husband trying to read over my shoulder and find out what was so funny! I couldn’t help but love Poppy’s character and her penchant for finding herself in the midst of unusual circumstances - situations that are rarely of her own making, but she jumps in with both feet. I adored her unique way of looking at things, enjoyment of life, and determination. She’s quirky and kind, but also stubborn and sometimes a bit reckless. I noticed that the author’s portrayal of society changed a bit during this book, as well. It isn’t a kind place, most of the time, with gossiping, conniving, and sabotage being things that are clearly shown. Which highlights even more the kindness in Poppy’s character, as well as several other characters we’re given the opportunity to meet. I also quite liked Reginald, with his faux stuffiness and determination to help his cousin. I loved the teasing he and Poppy regularly engage in, as well as getting to see Poppy and other characters through his eyes. I do have to say, that there were a couple characters that surprised me! When the book began, I wasn’t expecting to like them, but over the course of the story, I found them becoming some of my favorites.
And of course, there’s a bit of intrigue mixed in, which kept me curious and hurrying to finish the book before bedtime. Though I wasn’t overly surprised at “whodunit,” the reasoning behind all of the shenanigans wasn’t quite what I had anticipated.
I will definitely be rereading this book and am anxiously anticipating what I’m hoping will be Beatrix’s book!
*My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book! I was not required to write a review, positive or otherwise, and have not been compensated for it in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
As always, Ms. Turano kept me in stitches from the first few pages all the way through! I would frequently look up and find my husband trying to read over my shoulder and find out what was so funny! I couldn’t help but love Poppy’s character and her penchant for finding herself in the midst of unusual circumstances - situations that are rarely of her own making, but she jumps in with both feet. I adored her unique way of looking at things, enjoyment of life, and determination. She’s quirky and kind, but also stubborn and sometimes a bit reckless. I noticed that the author’s portrayal of society changed a bit during this book, as well. It isn’t a kind place, most of the time, with gossiping, conniving, and sabotage being things that are clearly shown. Which highlights even more the kindness in Poppy’s character, as well as several other characters we’re given the opportunity to meet. I also quite liked Reginald, with his faux stuffiness and determination to help his cousin. I loved the teasing he and Poppy regularly engage in, as well as getting to see Poppy and other characters through his eyes. I do have to say, that there were a couple characters that surprised me! When the book began, I wasn’t expecting to like them, but over the course of the story, I found them becoming some of my favorites.
And of course, there’s a bit of intrigue mixed in, which kept me curious and hurrying to finish the book before bedtime. Though I wasn’t overly surprised at “whodunit,” the reasoning behind all of the shenanigans wasn’t quite what I had anticipated.
I will definitely be rereading this book and am anxiously anticipating what I’m hoping will be Beatrix’s book!
*My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book! I was not required to write a review, positive or otherwise, and have not been compensated for it in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
nicole1's review against another edition
4.0
Jen Turano is always a great choice for a light-hearted fun historical. A Diamond in the rough was no exception!