Flights of Fancy by Jen Turano

Miss Isadora Delafield may be an heiress, but her life is far from carefree. When her mother begins pressuring her to marry an elderly and uncouth duke, she escapes from the high society world she's always known and finds herself to be an unlikely candidate for a housekeeper position in rural Pennsylvania.

Mr. Ian MacKenzie is known for his savvy business sense and has built his reputation and fortune completely on his own merits. But when his adopted parents are in need of a new housekeeper and Isadora is thrown into his path, he's unexpectedly charmed by her unconventional manner.
Neither Isadora nor Ian expected to find the other so intriguing, but when mysterious incidents on the farm and the truth of Isadora's secret threaten those they love, they'll have to set aside everything they thought they wanted for a chance at happy-ever-after.

Flights of Fancy is the first in Jen Turano's new series, American Heiresses, and it certainly starts off the series with a bang (or I guess as Elmer would say, with a cluck). Izzie has always been a proper but intelligent daughter of a wealthy family who knows she will marry well but intent on marrying the right person. When her mother tries to set her up with a man rumored to have down away his previous wives, Isadora takes the only option she can think of...run away to be a housekeeper in the country. The following escapades and disasters that occur are exceedingly entertaining...who knew doing laundry could be so dangerous... and the lessons that Izzie learns along the way, extremely valuable. The other more minor characters, such as Aunt Bertha and Uncle Amos, add their own wonderful quirks and advice to the story, and the four young orphans that Ian finds in his homes are adorable, rambunctious, and all too willing to help Buttercup learn to climb stairs and to open doors (yes, Buttercup is a cow). 

I heartily enjoyed the adventures that both Isadora and Ian found themselves in the middle of, their hilarious dialogue and interactions, and the growth that both main characters experienced as they learned to let go of selfish plans and to be willing to grow their goals to meet the needs of others as well. The ending of the novel was simultaneously amusing (Elmer really leaves no other option) and heartwarming, and I cannot wait to see which American Heiress is next (my fingers are crossed for Isadora's best friend)!

I received this novel from Jen Turano and Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.