I have read several books by this author and have enjoyed them. I enjoyed this story but it seemed a slower read than her others. I love the historical aspect of this book and all the twists that came unexpected. I will continue to read her books and look forward to the next one.

Jen Turano's Out of the Ordinary is a pure delight! This is the first novel I have read by this author, and I was drawn in by her writing style and her delightful, REAL characters. Her writing captivated me so much that I was nearly one-third of the way through the novel before I realized that this is the second book in a series.

Gertrude and Harrison are both unexpected, unlikely characters in this type of story. Gertrude claims to be "ordinary" and has given up all hope of finding love and marrying. Instead, she is resigned to spend her years as a hired companion for older woman, such as Mrs. Davenport. Because she is so convinced that she will fail to find love, she does not recognize clues from Harrison that he is interested in anything more than friendship with her.

Harrison is a wealthy, well-connected shipping businessman. However, he does not fit the typical mold of a wealthy person living at this time. He is clueless about fashion and style (wears colors and patterns that draw attention for all the wrong reasons) and fails to notice the many single women who try to win his heart.

Gertrude and Harrison share a friendship while trying to sort out any hint of romance. Gertrude is adventurous and up for any antics her employer (Mrs. Davenport) can throw at her. She has her hands full, trying to protect Mrs. Davenport's reputation against her hobby of stealing objects from those around her.

Interspersed within this funny, quirky, clever tale (amidst all the suspense and mystery) is heartfelt revelations about having a relationship with God. One of my favorite quotes from the book is: "God doesn't expect His children to live ordinary lives, but extraordinary ones....if a person is willing to give up living the ordinary life on her own and hand that life over to God, trusting Him to lead the way to the path of extraordinary." As Gertrude takes this to heart, and evaluate her current relationship with God, she discovers adventures -- extraordinary ones -- she never expected.

Turano uses great dialogue, real characters, a dash of mystery and intrigue, and FUN romance (no sappy, rolling-of-the-eye scenes) to spin a tale that is light-hearted and pure delight. In the midst of all of that, she manages to do it all in the context of historical fiction! Your heart will cheer when you read this book. Even though it is the second in a series, it works as a stand-alone novel. Curl up on a cold Saturday, sip tea, and travel to Gertrude's world!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Miss Gertrude Cadwalader hoped her position as the paid companion to Mrs. Davenport would be easy. But as she becomes acquainted with her employer, she realizes the wealthy Mrs. Davenport has a strange tendency to be a bit light-fingered with other people's trinkets. Gertrude is relieved when Mrs. Davenport decides to have a quiet summer away from the social scene--until the woman changes her mind in order to help a young socialite launch into society. When Gertrude is caught in the act of trying to return one of the trinkets by Mrs. Sinclair, the mother of shipping magnate Harrison Sinclair, the woman jumps to an unfortunate conclusion. Harrison is determined to mend fences with Miss Cadwalader, but he's unprepared for the escapades a friendship with her will entail.
This book was laugh out loud funny. It is so rare that I find myself do amused by the antics by the characters in a book that I find myself laughing in spite of myself. But this book had some really funny twists. It also had a little suspense which for me to read a book is a requirement. It was also interesting to me that I have a friend whose last name is Cadwallader—the only difference being the addition of an ‘l’. Ms. Turano did a very good job with character development. The characters in the book were likable for the most part—from the elderly Mrs. Davenport to the quirky Harrison and his friend Asher. The only exception was Clementine but that was to be expected. For me the characters and the descriptions appeared to be true to the time period depicted in the book.
While I am not generally a reader of books that are primarily centered around romance, Ms. Turano’s books are the exception because they are written with such flare that they immediately draw the reader in from the beginning and have enough action and not just romantic thoughts throughout.
I was provided this book in exchange for a review which is my own.

Jen Turano has outdone herself in presenting a hilarious look at high society in the late nineteenth century. Out of the Ordinary is a tale that is just that: out of the ordinary. "Wallflower" young women attracting the most eligible bachelors in society; a wealthy kleptomaniac; the Pinkertons; and clueless men who think the path to chivalry is portrayed in dime store novels. Ooh, la, la! This book was a laugh a minute as the mystery was untangled. All the characters are so much fun to get to know, I couldn't help wishing they were real people that were truly my friends. What a riotous adventure Out of the Ordinary is.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. This in no way influenced my opinions of the book, nor was a positive review required.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end, a fun-filled, fast-paced read, full of humorous situations.



Gertrude Cadwalader is the most patient and long suffering lady's companion ever. Her employer, Mrs. Davenport considers herself a fashion designer and dresses Gertrude in her overdone and impractical creations. Gertrude does her best to keep Mrs. Davenport out of trouble, but her employer can be sneaky. While Gertrude and Mrs. Davenport are on Harrison Sinclair's yacht to celebrate Permilia and Asher's engagement, Gertrude goes looking for Mrs. Davenport who has disappeared again, when her impractical dress gets stuck and Harrison Sinclair comes to her aid.



Gertrude makes a memorable first impression on Harrison, he admires the grace with which she handles the situations that she is thrust into by Mrs Davenport. He himself has a unique sense of style, and even though Asher keeps suggesting to him that he and Gertrude would be great to together he keeps insisting that they are only friends, even though he keeps coming to her aid.



I love Gertrude, she holds her head high in awkward situations that would completely destroy a lesser woman. She is a great friend and an encourager to her friends, she is quick to forgive and to run to her friends' aid. She is kind and thoughtful towards others, but also has a backbone.



This book is full of colorful characters, with delightful interactions and comedies of error. I loved the larger than life characters, revisiting old friends and meeting new ones. The pages flew by and I couldn't keep a smile from my face. A fantastic read from beginning to end!



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Jen Turano writes with wit, humor, and her characters live life at a frenetic pace. I wonder where she gets the names for her characters: Gertrude Cadwalader, Clementine Flowerdew, Permelia Griswold. But, those names fit the personalities: Gertrude is a companion for a society lady with a penchant for lifting baubles that are not hers. It then becomes Gertrude's job to return the items to the proper owners. Clementine is a young lady on the look out for a husband and she doesn't care who she runs over to get one. Permelia dances with an exuberance that belies the fact that she can't dance. At the party to celebrate her engagement to Asher Rutherford, she had the members of the orchestra running for their lives. The title of this book, Out of the Ordinary, is apt for the contents. There is nothing ordinary about this story.

One thing I do like about the one main character I've not mentioned yet--Harrison Sinclair--is that he dresses with a flair that would make any onlooker reach for the nearest pair of sunglasses. What the reader is led to believe is that Harrison is color-blind. He sees most nearly everything in shades of orange, but in reality, he might be wearing a lime green jacket with sky blue pants that have clovers all over them.

The road to true love for Gertrude and Harrison is never smooth and easy. His mother has Gertrude arrested. He ruins the clothing they are wearing when he's trying to be gallant. He nearly dislocates Gertrude's shoulder when he rides up on his horse and pulls her aboard the horse. He doesn't realize that some of the little things he already does touches Gertrude's heart

This is a fun book to read, five stars, two thumbs up, and a garish outfit for the dance tonight.

My thanks to Bethany House for allowing me to read and review this book.

I enjoyed Out of the Ordinary. There were a number of larger-than-life characters who added quite a humorous element to the story.

Harrison was great. He was considered “most eligible bachelor” despite his interesting fashion choices. He was obviously color-blind, but also had a penchant for mixing stripes and plaids and was known to wear trousers that had clovers all over them. He read his sisters’ romance novels in secret, hoping to better understand women through them, and with humorous results.

Gertrude was mostly just kind-hearted and generous. She cheerfully endured her employer’s fashion experiments despite the fact they often resulted in disaster, such as the time she was forced to endure a partial bird cage converted into a bustle. Really. 🙂

I loved the scene where Gertrude and Harrison were running away from his sister and “sneaking” off the yacht. Harrison’s actions and motivations for them had me laughing. I don’t want to spoil it, so I’ll just leave it at that.

Some quotes I liked enough to note here:

God doesn’t expect His children to live ordinary lives, but extraordinary ones



I think you may have just insulted me



What good is having long lashes if I never get to bat them?

I also loved the use of some fun words and phrases that you don’t get to hear every day. For example: skullduggery, thwarting, wallflowers, and last prayers.

There were a few things that bothered me about the book. Not enough that I don’t recommend it, but I did want to point them out. The intention here is not to be critical, but constructive. Remember, I gave the book 4 stars despite these things. 🙂

Overall the book was humorous, but there were some serious topics that were brought up. The circumstances surrounding Gertrude becoming an orphan were extreme as was her employer, Mrs. Davenport’s, past. The contrast between the humorous and the serious parts was almost enough that it felt like the author couldn’t make up her mind what kind of tone the story was supposed to have. The combination of madcap and maudlin was awkward.

I appreciated the message about forgiveness and how it extends to everyone, and the way that it was brought home was well done. However, mentions of God and other Christian themes were very lightly scattered throughout the story, so where they appeared, it felt a little contrived and almost like they were placed there as a second thought. Like the tone of the book, I felt that more consistent mentions of God and Gertrude’s struggles would have made the story stronger.

This is a very minor thing, but there was a scene where the ladies were at a hotel and had changed into their bathing costumes in their room and then donned capes and headed through the hotel to go to the beach. I haven’t researched this, so I could be wrong, but wasn’t that why they had those bathing huts – so the changing of clothes could be done in modesty and then the ladies could go right outside the hut into the water mostly unseen by anyone else? It seemed like it would have been very inappropriate for them to walk through the hotel in such a state of “undress” as that.

Jen Turano writes humorously laugh out loud, out of the ordinary regency novels. While the story was far fetched, it was also fun. And while the story was fun, it wasn't without a deeper layer of truth. I enjoyed reading Out of the Ordinary and will look forward to Turano's next release.

It should be noted that while you don't have to read the previous books in this series to understand the story, I believe having previous experience with the characters makes this story even more enjoyable.

I received a free digital galley of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another great story by a wonderful author. Gertrude gets in so many unusual circumstances. Love it from beginning to the end. Can’t wait for the next book.

I’m not sure I was prepared for this book. I mean, I have read many historical fiction pieces. In fact, historical fiction might just be my favourite genre. But this novel fell under more than one category. Mystery, romance and comedy would definitely have worked as well.

Out of the Ordinary is the first novel I’ve read by author Jen Turano. The next time I’m looking for a light read, one that is sure to have me laughing out loud and all but forcing my husband to hear the odd line or two, I might just have to see what else she has come out with. I won’t have to look far, since Out of the Ordinary is actually second in the Apart From the Crowd series. The debut book to the series (in case you want to pick it up) is called Behind the Scenes. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to get my hands on that one before reading the sequel, so I was at a bit of a disadvantage. However, I was caught up to speed easily by the author’s great ability to pull the reader along and fill in any blanks I was wondering about.

Are you wondering why I wasn’t prepared for this book? I guess this is a good moment for a spoiler alert! Just a bit anyway.

Well, for one thing, it was incredibly fast moving. With exception to the epilogue, this entire book covered only one week! And in that time poor dear Miss Gertrude Cadwalader (the leading lady) had half a birdcage strapped to her rear end to create an absurd bustle, captured Harrison’s heart (although that I suppose had already happened before the book began), she was arrested for theft, helped catch the real thief, quit her job, got a new job, and even managed to find time get some pretty intense and much needed inner healing. Forgiving of oneself was a bit of a theme amongst two of the main characters. I’m trying not to spoil everything here, so I won’t apologize for being a tiny bit vague.

The leading gentleman – Harrison – in this story I found both incredibly odd and charming at the same time. A man that seemed to be a wonderful Christian gentleman, brother to three sisters, an expert where boats were concerned (and thus the family business), the most ridiculous (and yet hilarious) dresser you can imagine, and not caught up in his own ego even though Harrison could have been considering he was considered great marriage material by many young maid… and spinster a like. Inspite of his terrible tastes in clothes. One scene had him looking like cotton candy, another had him in orange, pink, another had him in mixing patterns… you get the point.

This book had so many twists and turns, but you’ll have to read those for yourself. Get ready for a book filled with silliness, socially awkward moments, moments that might make you tear, and moments when you might want to say “come already, Harrison”.

And then there’s Mrs. Davenport. It’s very obvious from the very start that this woman is one with sticky hands, if you catch my drift. And you have lots of time to get to know this odd and… busy… lady since Gertrude is her companion. You’ll love Mrs. Davenport. Other times, you’ll not like her at all.

You may throw the book.

And then pick it up because you just have to know what happens next.

My absolute favourite part of the book was the epilogue. It was not at all what I was expecting, and was by far the most sentimental, heart warming, tear jerking moment in the entire novel. And, it didn’t even feature Gertrude.

I received a complimentary copy of “Out of the Ordinary”, however I was not compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

I really don’t know what to say about this book. I have read many of Jen Turano’s books but this one…

It has been sitting on my nightstand waiting to be read, but since I had finals, I had to put aside all fun reading. Not any more! Well, until I have finals in the spring.

I actually read this book in one day. It is an easy read but I am not impressed with the story. I liked Turano’s novella and first book in this series. The one thing that drove me crazy about this book was the character Mrs. Davenport. I cannot explain the annoyance I had for her. Also the story took place within a couple of days. So, half of the book was one day, which, in my opinion made the story drag out. Once I got half way through I was bored with the story. Oh, and another thing, the back of the book’s description does not happen until three quarters into the story.

I cannot say I disliked Out of the Ordinary to the point I would not recommend it but I was not a big fan. To those who have read the first in the series, I will say, give this book a try; you might enjoy it. This one did not make me give up on any of Turano’s other books, since I am already waiting for Caught by Surprise, which is the third book. That book should be coming out on July 31, 2018!

This story is a delight! As always, Turano’s writing is full of humor and historical detail, and the romance between these two unusual members of society is both funny and swoon-worthy. I loved when Harrison matter-of-factly begins calling Gertrude “Gertie.” Her compassion toward quirky Mrs. Davenport and her willingness to be turned orange or wear a birdcage-bustle (read the book) is captivating. I laughed out loud when Harrison picks up Gertrude and runs from his annoyed little sister. Out of the Ordinary is full of endearing moments, mystery, and unconventionality, and it’s utterly charming.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was constantly laughing and loved the dialogue and the characters. There were many misunderstandings between the characters which were sweet and innocent and provided for a bunch of laughs. Harrison was adorable with his blunders with women and yet he was very sweet even though he claimed to not understand women. Gertrude was relatable with thinking she was ordinary and that she thought she had too much extra weight. I found the whole cast of characters to be a delight and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

This book was provided by Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

I normally enjoy Jen Turano's stories and really wanted to like this one a lot after the hint of it in the prequel novella and first novel of the series. As usual, she placed her odd characters in equally odd situations. (I mean, really, half a birdcage as a bustle?) And those situations were entertaining.

However, the first setting (an engagement party) went on far too long for me. As in the previous book, the author spent at least the first third of the novel there. While that isn't bad in and of itself, it became one incident after another that did little for moving the story along in an exciting and timely manner. There were too many instances where a situation or reactions were dragged out after the fact, much of it telling narrative not shown in real time. On the other hand, the second half moved much better.

I really liked Harrison and, for the most part, I liked Gertrude. I thought I would like Mrs. Davenport much more than I did. Previously, I'd seen her as a loveable eccentric. Though she has a compelling backstory, overall, it didn't change the moments I found her selfish and unpleasant.

I've read fiction long enough to know that no matter how much I like an author, on occasion there will be individual books I'm not as crazy about. That doesn't mean I'll stop reading that person's work. So, because of the second half, along with the humorous moments and one laugh-out-loud situation, my stars on Amazon will show four (barely).

As you guys already know I love Jen's books and so far have loved this series.

This book didn't disappoint and even though I was a little afraid the the premiss might be to predictable it wasn't and it actually surprised me with a few things!

I love Mrs Davenport and finding out her background and why she did what she does. And than watching her slowly try to change was a great lesson in redemption.

I received a copy of this from the author and publisher, all opinions are my own

Jen Turano’s books will DEFINITELY cheer you up. In some places you will positively be rolling on the floor with laughter. This is no different. Although the story is full of madcap comic scenes, there’s a great deal of depth to the characters – so it’s not all fluff. It’s nice if you read the previous books in the series, but not necessary to the story. Christian Historical Romance that you will love, love, love. Be careful who you invite to your party! Gertrude is a personal companion to Mrs. Davenport who has a little problem with “lifting” pretty things from other society guests when she attends gatherings. And she’s very crafty at hiding it. And herself. Part of Gertrude’s job is to return said items afterwards, but this is the last time she’ll do it – and the first time she is caught. Luckily Harrison has sisters who have taught him how to act . . . and they had some romance novels that he read. But they may not have had the best advice – especially to just literally follow and try to apply. One thing you can guarantee, never a dull moment!

I have a warning for all of you snorters out there. Do not read this book in public. Don’t even read it on your lunch break. If you’re like me, your coworkers (the non readers anyway) will give you evil looks. Why you ask? Because this book is filled with some hysterical moments that will have you laughing loudly with a possible snort here and there. For those of you who think historical reading is boring, let me be the first to tell you that there is plenty of comedic relief if you are looking in the right place. And this, my friends, is the right place!

Mr. Harrison. I’m not really sure what I can say about his character. I’m not sure if it is his personality that gets me, or his wardrobe! The fact that Ms. Turano decided to make his character so eccentric for this time period was simply genius. It just really made his character come to life. And it made me wonder had his character been real, how would have people back then treated him? I thought he was so sweet, genuine and fun. The thing I most admired about him was his ability to be his own person. There were a few times I wanted to flick him right in the forward to wake him up about his feelings for Gertrude! But, oh those characters….they just have to figure it out on their own.

I think my favorite scene in the entire book had to do with Gertrude getting stuck because of her bustle. Oh my goodness, I laughed so hard people thought I was a crazy person. The great thing is, the laughing didn’t stop. I truly enjoyed reading and laughing during this story. Ms. Turano is a very gifted author who has the perfect blend of humor, seriousness, character development, and drama. Her books cannot come out fast enough in my opinion!

A Slow Start and a Fast Finish
Out of the Ordinary felt as though it took a long time to get going. It wasn’t that nothing was happening—there was a lot happening. But it all took place in a very short period of time. It starts with Miss Gertrude Cadwalder attending a party on a yacht with her employer, Mrs Davenport. That evening takes almost half the novel, which may be why it felt as though it wasn’t moving forward. Nor could it, as Gertrude spends rather too long trapped in a chair by her bustle.

And that situation is typical Jen Turano, in the best way.
Out of the Ordinary was full of Jen Turano’s trademark witty writing, with plenty of nonsensical plot elements. We briefly met Gertrude and Mrs Davenport in an earlier novel, so we know she is a woman with aspirations to fashion. Aspirations and money she may have, but taste she does not. Gertrude is often the victim of Mrs Davenport’s fashion crimes, such as the offending bustle in Out of the Ordinary.

Quote from Out of the Ordinary

The second half was much better than the first, as it got moving (literally and figuratively), and we got to see more of Gertrude and Harrison, and find out more about the eccentric Mrs Davenport. The romance perhaps proceeded more quickly than I might prefer, but it worked because Gertrude and Harrison weren’t strangers—they’d met in previous books in the Wildflowers series. And I enjoyed the strong Christian undertones.

Yes, Out of the Ordinary is part of a series. The earlier books are At Your Request (a free prequel novella) and Behind the Scenes. Although Out of the Ordinary can be read as a standalone novel, it would be better to read the earlier stories first. Otherwise the sheer number of characters (and personalities) introduced at the beginning of Out of the Ordinary might be overwhelming.

A must-read for all Jen Turano fans, and those who like some wit and intelligence in their Gilded Age romance.
Thanks to Bethany House Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

Out of the Ordinary is hilarious and incredibly sweet. I loved Gertrude and Harrison in the last book and was really excited to read their story; it did not disappoint. Both of them are funny and neither of them were very interested in fashion, which makes them an interesting combination.

I laughed out loud many times throughout this book, towards the end it just kept getting funnier and funnier. At one point I was crying from laughing so hard. To me, that is the definition of a good book.

I love that we got to hear Mrs. Davenport’s story, and witness more of her shenanigans. She is always entertaining and I was glad to understand her a little better.

I find this series a little slow to start, it takes me a bit to get into them, but once I do, they are wonderful. I look forward to the next book in this series.