To Spark a Match

 To Spark a Match

by Jen Turano

My Thoughts:

Adelaide Duveen doesn't quite fit the mold of the New York 400. She has always been a bit of a wallflower, and her obsessive love for cats and books doesn't help. In addition, her uncanny ability to get herself into terribly embarrassing situations, such as the time she walked through a dinner party with her skirt tucked into her unusual bloomers, doesn't help. Her mother is beside herself and fears her daughter will never wed. When Adelaide's latest disaster is the result of helping Gideon Abbott while he's trying to uncover a thief, he feels obligated to find a way to help Adelaide return to the good graces of society.

This book is a hoot! But in addition to the hilarious situations, there is a deep aspect about Adelaide's life. She desperately wants to be herself, not the person society wants her to be. The way Jen Turano creates her character, and others, adds a heartfelt element of caring for others in sacrificial ways. I love this book, its characters, and the underlying message.

About the Book (from the back cover):

After five unsuccessful Seasons on the marriage mart, Miss Adelaide Duveen has resigned herself to the notion that she's destined to remain a spinster forever -- a rather dismal prospect, but one that will allow her to concentrate on her darling cats and books. However, when she inadvertently stumbles upon Mr. Gideon Abbott engaged in a clandestine activity during a dinner party, Adelaide finds herself thrurst into to a world of intrigue that resembles the plots in the spy novels she devours.

Former intelligence agent Gideon Abbott feels responsible for Adelaide after society threatens to banish her because of the distraction she caused to save his investigation. Hoping to return the favor, he turns to a good friend -- and one of high society's leaders -- to take Adelaide in hand and turn her fashionable. When danger surrounds them and Adelaide finds herself a target of the criminals in Gideon's case, the spark of love between them threatens to be quenched for good -- along with their lives.

About the Author:

Named one of the funniest voices in inspirational romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today bestselling author known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. She and her family live outside of Denver, Colorado. Readers can find her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (X), an at jenturano.com.