Jen Turano has created her own genre of fiction by writing humorous historical romances. Behind the Scenes is the perfect example of historical fiction meets romantic comedy. I have read many titles by Turano, and this by far is the quirkiest. While I enjoyed it, there were a few times I felt like parts of the story were a bit over the top.
In Behind the Scenes, a wallflower, Permilia Griswold discovers a murder plot while attending the Vanderbilt ball. It involves the handsome Asher Rutherford…one of the few gentlemen who found his way onto her dance card. Permilia knows she must protect Asher and find out who wants him dead, and why. From here, the story takes a number of crazy turns. Near the end, I found myself laughing at the unexpected conclusion. It was almost if Permilia had wondered on to the set of Days of Our Lives. I should also add that Turano tells her stories through dialogue. There isn’t a tremendous about of scene description or pages of inner thought. Behind the Scenes is eighty percent conversation.
All things considered, Behind the Scenes is a decent read that I enjoyed. It isn’t a book I would consider a favorite, but not every book can be. This book is the start to a news series and I am hopeful I will enjoy the subsequent books even more. Turano’s After a Fashion, is without a doubt one of her most memorable novels. If you enjoy humor and historical fiction, this book is for you! Jen Turano writes like no other author in the Christian Historical Fiction genre. I was given a complimentary copy of this book by Netgalley and Bethanyhouse. I was not required to give a positive review and I have not been compensated in any way.