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

Author: Jen Turano

Publisher: Bethany House 2012

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 202

Rating:  4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Sub Genre -- Mystery, Romance; New Authors; Mount TBR; Book Bingo -- 1 from TBR Pile; T4MC -- J Author (5 points)

How I Got It: I won it!  An ARC

Lady Eliza Sumner is on a mission. Her fortune was the last thing she had left after losing her father, her fiance, and her faith. 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.

Mr. Hamilton Beckett, much to his chagrin, is the catch of the season, and all the eyes of New York society--all the female ones, at least--are on him. He has no plans to marry again, especially since his hands are full keeping his business afloat while raising his two children alone.

Eliza's hapless attempts to regain her fortune unexpectedly put her right in Hamilton's path. The discovery of a common nemesis causes them to join forces and, before she knows it, Eliza has a whole retinue of people helping her. Eliza's determination not to trust anyone weakens when everyone's antics and bumbling efforts to assist her make her wonder if there might be more important things than her fortune and independence.

When all of Hamilton's and Eliza's best-laid plans fall by the wayside, it will take a riot of complications for them to realize that God just might have had a better plan in mind all along.

A good choice to help kick off my new's reads.  I won this ARC a few weeks back and decided to throw it in my suitcase for reading on the plane.  I didn't read it on the plane but devoured it in just two days before my trip back.  The romane, the adventure, and the mystery were all great elements.  I loved Eliza's spunk and Hamilton's devotion.  The rest of the characters were fun and useful.  Zayne and Agatha were by far my favorites.  Piper and Ben were the cutest children ever.  I really enjoyed read this book.  However, I have one issue: the Christian angle.  Suddenly about half way through the book more and more characters are bringing up their faith.  It felt a bit after the fact to me.  I didn't see it as an apparent main theme.  In that way, it seemed just a bit disingenuous.  If that's the angle taken, I would like to see it incorporated at the start of the book.  But even that little issue didn't keep me from enjoying the book.  Plus, I started my year off right with a good read.

Ladies of Distinction

• #0.5 Gentleman of Her Dreams
• #1 A Change of Fortune
• #2 A Most Peculiar Circumstance
• #3 A Talent for Trouble
• #4 A Match of Wits