A Change of Fortune by Jen Turano

Read Excerpt here:

Lady Eliza Sumner is on a mission. After losing her family, her fiancé, and her trust in God, the disappearance of her fortune is the last straw. Now, masquerading as Miss Eliza Sumner, governess-at-large, she's determined to find the man who ran off with her fortune, reclaim the money, and head straight back to London.
Much to Mr. Hamilton Beckett's chagrin, all the eyes of New York society--all the female ones, at least--are on him. Unfortunately for all the matchmaking mothers and eligible daughters, he has no plans to marry again, especially with his hands full keeping his business afloat and raising his two children alone.
When Eliza's hapless attempts to regain her fortune put her right in Hamilton's path, sparks instantly begin to fly. The discovery of a common nemesis causes them to join forces, but with all their plans falling by the wayside and their enemies getting the better of them, it will take a riot of complications for Hamilton and Eliza to realize that God just might have had a better plan in mind all along.

A Change of Fortune by Jen Turano was a whimsical and delightful novel that kept me engaged through the entire course of its pages. The plot had a good mix of mystery, suspense, humor, and disaster with a large dose of romance. While I loved the exchanges between Hamilton and Eliza, at times I found there instant connection to be unbelievable. The witty repartee between Zayne and Agatha with their only hint of romance seemed more realistic and relatable. However, I enjoyed the twists and turns as the characters were pulled into scrapes and seemingly unwinnable situations. The themes of this novel included the importance of trust in God and in others, being honest, and caring for one's family. The narration of A Change of Fortune was alternately from the perspective of Eliza and Hamilton.

The characters in A Change of Fortune were by far my favorite part of the novel. Each one was different, had an engaging personality, and added to the depth and humor of the story. Hamilton Beckett was an interesting character. He was labeled as "brooding", but his interactions with Eliza Sumner both destroyed this persona and created new problems and issues for him. He believed the worst about someone who had previously been close to him, and it led to the abandonment of his beliefs and his trust in others. Eliza had similarly been hurt by someone close to her family, and she chose to allow her past to almost destroy her faith and her future relationships. However, thankfully for both of them, they chose new paths for their lives that led them back to God and family. There were several surprising revelations that a brought a whole new light to what each thought had occurred in their pasts. The other more minor characters were excellent and added to the story tremendously. Zayne Beckett and Agatha Watson added much good humor and laughs to the story as they acted as foils to the main characters, and the chauvinist private detective Theodore Wilder added his own twists to the story with his dramatic escapes and bizarre conversations with other characters. Agatha's mother Mrs. Watson and the Becketts' mother Grace contributed to the story with their own schemes and hilarious acts as they tried to set up their children against or in spite of their own opinions to the contrary.
Overall, I enjoyed A Change of Fortune by Jen Turano, and I look forward to reading her next novel and the sequel,  A Most Peculiar Circumstance. I would highly recommend this novel if you are looking for a dashing and delightful romance.

I received this novel for free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.