A Lesson in Propriety by Jen Turano
4 Stars
Book 1 in the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies Series
If you love historical romance with a side of sass, mystery and lots of humor - READ THIS BOOK! 🎀✨

Miss Drusilla Merriweather has lost everything....her father, her fortune, and even her fiancé (good riddance, to be honest!). She is left with only a "haunted" castle 🏰, one with strange happenings like walking suits of armor and unexpected visitors. She rolls up her sleeves and decides to turn it into a finishing school. Cue the ghostly shenanigans, suspicious developers, and a swoon-worthy architect with a heart of gold. 💘

Rhenick Wittenbecker is charming and clever. I loved their dynamic together. The BANTER had me giggling!

All the funny, lighthearted "attacks" and quirky details really made the story. We have SO much in this, including fun pirate stories and hilarious animal events. Drusilla really is a spunky woman and Rhenick was a great guy. The mystery surrounding the castle was very interesting to me, really something you just got to know how it ends up.

Jen never fails to create heroines who refuse to be boxed in by society’s expectations and Drusilla is no exception. She’s bold, smart, and determined to make her own way, haunted castle or not, which I absolutely LOVE! I connected to her immediately with the drama with her fiancé making me crack up! Her SASS was on 10 and I loved it!

Loved this one and looking forward to the next book! Thank you to the publisher for a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts are my own.

Every time I read the brand new Jen Turano release, I am certain she can't top her pervious stories. EVERY SINGLE TIME, she proves me wrong! Jen's ability to weave the tales she does is masterful, and let's not forget her ability to add the most hysterically funny scenes into her stories. "A Lesson in Propriety," is a wonderful mix of mystery, danger, comedy, fabulous characters and the setup for what promises to be a rip-roaring good time for the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies series. I am here for it! I loved everything about this story and can't wait for more from Jen!

It may be 1885, and Drusilla Merriweather may take the prize for the most proper member New York City’s Four Hundred has ever known, but the unexpected can happen at any moment. Before her father’s sudden death, Drusilla, her younger sister Annaliese, and her mother enjoyed (mostly) the social status that comes with great wealth. However, as the mourning period comes to an end, the Merriweather family finds itself penniless when their solicitor, Mr. Sanford Duncan, absconds with their family fortune, leaving the women to drown in debt.

Following this shocking revelation, Drusilla’s fiancé dumps her, leaving the family in danger of begging for their next meal. Drusilla negotiates with her former fiancé (knowing the nuances of proper etiquette can help a damsel in distress) and raises enough money to move them to Chicago.
Drusilla’s plan? Her Aunt Merriweather transferred the title to her home to Drusilla and Annaliese before leaving on her latest adventure. The sisters hope to save money by living quietly in the castle until they can devise a better plan.

Upon arriving in Chicago, Drusilla and Annaliese have their hands full between coaxing their mother out of the carriage and fighting off hordes of goats, geese, and a suspicious gardener. Not to mention a well-meaning but condescending member of the opposite sex who offers to save Drusilla by marrying her. As if!

Mr. Rhenick Wittenbecker, brother to a passel of sisters, knows how to spread calm and charm when in the presence of females in a quandary. His out-of-character proposal to a damsel in distress disturbs his equilibrium. Her firm refusal tweaks his pride.
Rhenick and Miss Merriweather may have gotten off on the wrong social foot, but he recognizes the genius behind her idea. Bonafide members of New York City’s highest society want to open a finishing school for young ladies.

Unfortunately, members of the underworld want the castle and its grounds for their own (nefarious) business purposes. Between Rhenick and Drusilla, the plan might come to fruition.

What I Loved About This Book

Turano weaves another romp through the Gilded Age in A Lesson in Propriety. Interfering family members, ghosts on the balcony, and ravens in the belfry keep the reader glued to the pages from start to finish.

What should a displaced heiress do? Well, in the fingertips of anyone else, she would probably just sit down and cry, but in Jen Turano's experienced hands, she decides to leave New York for the family castle in Chicago. However, the castle definitely fits the term eccentric with ferrets, goats, and a crime family keeping a watchful eye on what's going on.
Jen Turano, the queen of the Gilded Age, has started her new series off with a bang and lots of laughter! But would we expect anything less?
A Lesson in Propriety has all of the trademarks of a Jen Turano novel, with all the eccentricity, mystery, romance, and endearment that I have come to expect from this author. I have no idea how she comes up with a tenth of what happens in her books, but regardless of how, I am so glad she does. It has kept this reader entertained for a good number of years, and I honestly don't want her to stop writing!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via the publisher. I was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is my first book from Jen Turano and I am already a fan. Drusilla is a riot. Her wit and charm are enduring. Drusilla and her sister, Annaliese, quickly became favorites. There are many witty and funny moments through the whole book. (The ferrets and ravens alone had me laughing out loud.) The sister’s quirky and unique personalities quickly stole the show. Not to be outdone by Rhenick and his family. His sisters were adorable. And his mother! She and Irma were two peas in a pod. I loved Rhenick’s relationship with his family. There was the sweetest conversation Rhenick had with his nephew that pulled at my heartstrings. My favorite was his description of Drusilla.

Along with fun characters the story is fantastic. And the added mystery was a nice touch. The banter and the chemistry between Drusilla and Rhenick was perfectly done.

Thank you to @austenprose for selecting me for this blast. I received a #gifted copy of the book from the publisher with a NetGalley link. All views are my own.

This novel is one of my newest favorites from Jen Turano. It's full of her signature humor along with new memorable characters. Drusilla and Rhenick are just lovely main characters, and their families and friends are delightful. The story hooked me from the very beginning and I didn't want to stop reading: a perfect smattering of suspense, humor, and romance. This is definitely a five star read and on my reread list.

I received a free copy from the publisher, and all opinions are my own.

Jen Turano books are unique in that they offer a humerous book in a historical setting.

If you like quirky characters and unique settings, these books are for you. Drusilla is dumped by her fiancé when her family looses their fortune. She finds out who her real friends are and decides to take up residence in a Chicago castle she inherited from her aunt. When the castle is haunted and overrun with animals, the task to turn it unto a finishing school seems like a large task. She soon realizes that the state of the castle is not her biggest problem. She and her family have to figure out a few mysteries before they can make headway on their plans.

I loved Drusilla. She was strong, resilient, and able to turn the criticism she had endured into the strength she needed to save her family from financial ruin.

Rhenick was equally as enduring. As the long man in a family of females, he must somehow convince Drusilla he truly cares about her while dealing with the meddling of his family.

I loved following the adventures and mystery solving throughout the novel. There was as never a dull moment. If you need a happy light read, this one is for you.

What should a displaced and penniless heiress (formerly a member of the New York 400) add to her newly gifted castle in Chicago that already contains a herd of watch-goats, an unkindness of ravens, a tagalong goose, copious rats and spiders, and a strong possibility of at least one ghost? Well, a trio of attack ferrets, of course. Because what else would one such character do in a Jen Turano novel, besides that very thing? Especially when the bosses of Chicago’s criminal underworld have their eyes set on that same property and don’t appear to be taking Drusilla Merriweather’s ‘no’ for an answer. I don’t know how Jen Turano continues to come up with the hilarity that ensues in her stories, but I’m so glad she does because they never fail to put laughter on my lips and a smile in my heart.

A Lesson in Propriety kicks off a brand new series that has us leaving Turano’s traditional settings of New York or Newport to take up residence in Chicago with Drusilla Merriweather, her widowed mother Irma, her sister Annaliese, and her best friend Seraphina (who, I’m not gonna lie, scares me just a little lol). The drafty, haunted, neglected castle that Aunt Ottilie transferred to Drusilla and Annaliese (before mysteriously disappearing) initially felt like something right out of a Jaime Jo Wright novel but then, oh yes there they are, the delightful Jen Turano spins at every turn. Poor Drusilla – the antics that she encounters upon arrival at the castle were basically all of my own worst nightmares rolled into one house, minus people in costume. (Although… maybe that’s why Seraphina scares me a little, come to think of it.) Enter the charming and sweet Rhenick Wittenbecker who… well… does not get off to a very good start with Drusilla, despite his gallant intentions. I immediately adored him though, along with his family, and loved him all the more after one particularly redeeming act of heroism that even Drusilla can’t deny. (And for those of you who know about my bird phobia, you’ll know what I’m referring to when you get there lol.)

It also wouldn’t be a Jen Turano book without at least a dash of suspense to create more farcical mayhem, and A Lesson in Propriety sees danger coming from several different avenues. I wasn’t sure exactly how it was all going to play out, and there were several twists that took me by surprise in the best way. Where’s Aunt Ottilie? What’s behind all the strange goings-on at the castle? Why do so many developers – particularly those connected to the criminal underworld – want that property? And, amidst all of the above new mysteries and mayhem they encounter in Chicago, there remains the whole reason they had to leave New York in the first place: will the Pinkertons be able to find the crook who stole the Merriweather fortune? The suspense elements in this book were a lot of fun to follow and puzzle over, and I am especially intrigued in how some of these might continue to play out across the series.

Bottom Line: A Lesson in Propriety by Jen Turano is endearing and eccentric and so very entertaining. I have come to expect no less from this author, and she starts this new series with a bang (and a bleat… and whatever noise a ferret makes). The characters are kooky but adorably so, and Drusilla and Rhenick make a delightful pair whom I enjoyed getting to know around the cobwebs and criminals and ghostly apparitions and terrifying… i mean, hilarious… animals. I am really looking forward to seeing what stories await Annaliese and Seraphina, as well as the antics that surely will occur once their Finishing School opens its doors, having already met a few of their future students on these pages. Laughter, danger, mystery, romance, and of course plenty of mischief – plus a gently-delivered message of embracing your uniqueness as something to be treasured – make this another Turano read that’s not to be missed!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

A Lesson in Propriety by Jen Turano is a delightful romantic comedy that is the first book in the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies series. Miss Drusilla Merriweather’s life has changed drastically after her family lost their fortune. She moves to a supposedly haunted castle to start a finishing school. The first day Druisilla meets Mr. Rhenick Wittenbecker ,an architect, trouble, misunderstanding, and sparks start to fly.

This was a great beginning to a new series. Drusilla was a fun character with lots of spunk who made me laugh out loud. Rhenick was a great hero, gentleman, and all-around great guy who I enjoyed rooting for. I loved the banter, humor, and sweet romance. Meeting the other characters, the mystery of the castle, and the setting of the Gilded age made for a great story!

There is nothing quite like a Jen Turano book to make you laugh, reflect, and take you on a great journey. I enjoyed A Lesson in Propriety and look forward to the other books in the series. I highly recommend.

I was given a complimentary copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.

“His lips quirked. ‘I’ll say one thing for sure—all of you are going to make some interesting proper decorum instructors because, from what I know about ladies, which isn’t all that much, the proper ones don’t tend to involve themselves with matters that might turn dangerous.’”

Jen Turano’s Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies series is a showcase for Turano’s signature wit and humor. I always love meeting her new characters and seeing the crazy settings and circumstances she plops them in.

Druscilla Merriweather, her sister Annaliese, and their mother are left penniless in New York City when their fortune is stolen after their father’s death. The sisters decide on a plan to move to Chicago and turn a house they inherited into a finishing school for young ladies. Upon finding the house is a castle which is allegedly haunted, they—along with their friend Seraphina—go to work ridding it of ghosts, ravens, goat herds, and walking suits of armor. Upon finding themselves threatened by unscrupulous developers who want the property, hero and architect Rhenick Wittenbecker arrives to protect them.

“Drusilla watched him disappear through the door, but continued staring at the door even after he was out of sight because--it was difficult to hold a grudge against a gentleman who’d saved her from an unexpected bird assault.”

Rhenick is a swoony and amazing hero. He’s just what Drusilla needs after being jilted by her ex-fiance. I loved Drusilla and her “take-charge” personality. She is independent, courageous, and seems to take things in her stride and solve problems as they come along.

“Considering she’d just been told she was in danger, it was rather unexpected that instead of feeling even a smidgen of apprehension about the matter, Drusilla was feeling downright annoyed instead.”

Be prepared for unusual weapons—purse revolvers, a blunderbuss, brooms, flamethrowers, attack ferrets, and even goat guards—when these hilarious characters need to defend themselves. Filled with action, suspense, witty dialogue, hilarity, and a dash of romance, this tale is a barrel of fun which is good for some belly laughs, chuckles, and even a few snorts.

I’m excited for the rest of the series to see how these three ladies handle a castle full of young ladies and try to teach them decorum. I’m sure there’s going to be loads of delightful mayhem and craziness going on.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Bethany House. All opinions are my own.

This absolutely delightful Gilded Age romance is filled with wit, charm, and a clean Christian love story that will still make readers swoon. A must read for readers of faith who also love romantic HEAs!

When Drusilla is dumped by her fiancé and has to move to Chicago in order to take care of her family, she is probably at her lowest. But, she is a courageous and resourceful young woman who has a brilliant idea to convert the house that her aunt left her into a school for young ladies. Little does she realize the mishaps she will find herself encountering, but also being rescued and helped countless times by the handsome Rhenick Wittenbecker who helps her to see the remarkable young she truly is.

Author Jen Turano uses humorous situations to keep you turning the pages. A Lesson in Propriety is a prime example of hilarity with attack ferrets, eccentric friends, and a “haunted castle” that is filled with rampaging goats, a goose, and aggressive armor that swings weaponry at Drusilla and her family.

This is the first book in the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies, and you will want to read the next book since the school is getting ready to open. I look forward to reading what antics the students will be involved in throughout the series.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions are my own with no obligation to write a positive review.

Ghosts, Ferrets, and a castle? Oh my! Join Jen Turano on a hilarious romp through Gilded Age New York City and Chicago. As a member of the elite Knickerbockers, Drusilla has never needed for anything, until she gets dumped by her fiancé and left penniless by a scammer. Left with nothing but a run-down castle in Chicago, Drusilla, her mother, sister, and the mysterious Seraphina, leave New York, with the idea of opening a finishing school. However, Chicago’s dark underworld has other ideas. Rhenick Wittenbecker, an up-and-coming architect, never planned to fall in love but one look at Drusilla may have changed his mind. Offering an unconventional proposal, which was refused, to help protect the very independent Drusilla, Rhenick tries to not only keep Drusilla safe but win her heart. When mysterious things begin to happen and Drusilla’s safety is at risk, Rhenick and Drusilla must work together to solve the mystery before it is too late. The first book in a new series, "A Lesson in Propriety", is a delightful novel that will satisfy Rom-Com readers of all ages! I thank NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for the ARC of this novel. I am not required to give a positive review. All opinions within this review are my own.

Ms. Turano is always good for a hilarious time when I delve into her quirky historicals. This time the animal kingdom is on the attack- whether it is the pet ferrets or the goats, geese, and ravens that inhabit a rumored ghost-ridden castle.
Part of the New York society elite, Drusilla Merriweather, sister and mother have been cheated of their millions after the death of Mr. Merriweather. But Aunt Ottilie has gifted the girls with a castle in a newly affluent neighborhood in Chicago. Hijinks ensue when they encounter mobsters after their property which they want to turn into an Academy for teaching etiquette.
Ms Turano never ceases to amaze me with her turn of phrase and the antics of her characters and animals.
Mystery and mayhem, romance and riot, missing persons and mischief abound in this perfectly paced novel. The heroine is independent and set in her ways but the hero is just what she needs to help thwart the enemy.
I cannot wait for the next match-up in book two and some things to be resolved- the game is still afoot!
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Bethany House on behalf of the author and via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*

Jen Turano never fails to make me laugh! from attacking ferrets to guard goats, there were several moments where I laughed out loud. It was a bit slow to start, but once Miss Drusilla Merriweather meets Mr. Rhenick Wittenbecker, it quickly picks up and the end is great. Overall, this was a fun read with wonderful and delightful characters and I give it 4 stars!

I received this book to read and give my thoughts - all opinions are my own.

"A Lesson in Propriety" is a romantic comedy set in 1885, mostly in Chicago. Drusilla has learned to be extremely proper in matters of etiquette, so much so that her 'friends' have said that she reminded them of a finishing school teacher. Her ex-fiancé was always more interested in other women, too, making it hard for her to accept that Rhenick is immediately smitten with her beauty, courage, and willingness to be practical rather than proper. It's just not how she sees herself (even if he's seeing the truth). He helped her get the inherited castle remade into a finishing school and backed her up when she needed friends to stand against those who wanted to buy the property (and weren't afraid to use tricks and bullying to get it).

The characters were nice people with interesting personalities. The comedy was mainly silly situations that Drusilla and her family (and friends) had to deal with. Drusilla and Rhenick got along well, respected each other, and I understood why they were attracted to each other. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this fun romantic comedy.

Another great historical fiction by Jen Turano - the queen of gilded age comedy strikes again! When Drusilla Merriweather's fiance dumps her after her late father's solicitor absconds with the family's fortune, she is forced to take matters into her own hands and plans to use her one marketable skill to teach the nouveau riche lessons in matters of propriety. However, getting a fresh start at the home that her aunt left for her and her sister in Chicago creates a whole new set of issues, not the least of which is a haunted castle. With the help of a local family and her wits and determination, Drusilla determines to follow through with her plan, no matter the obstacles that came her way. And you know with this author, the obstacles will be both incredible and hilarious. Between a vast menagerie of animals, ghost sightings, and the mysteries of both what happened to the man who stole their fortune and what happened to Aunt Ottilie, there was a great deal in this book that kept me turning pages.

This book had a good bit of everything - history, romance, mystery, ghost stories, pirate stories, Chicago mob bosses, animal comedy, wonderful characters and a fun story line. This was a thoroughly enjoyable ride from beginning to end. Though I would consider this to be "Christian light" in that the faith element was not front and center, there is mention of church and the story is completely clean. There was strong character development throughout and the characters were likable and relatable. Though the time in history is significantly male-dominated, the author creates believable strong female characters within the timeframe. And I appreciated the dichotomy between Elbert (the fiance at the beginning of the story) and Rhenick (the hero of the story) and how Drusilla's relationship with the first helped her to more greatly appreciate her relationship with the second. This story is the first in the series, and I find myself champing at the bit for the next story in this saga to see how things progress for our heroines. Special thanks to the author and publisher for an advance copy of this novel. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

4.5/5 stars (rounded up).

A Lesson in Propriety was a deliciously entertaining read filled with wit, banter, and intrigue—I read not a single dull page!

This is the third book I’ve read by Jen Turano, and I have found that her books have not yet failed to amuse me. That said, this one is most definitely my favourite of hers so far! The plot was a perfect mix of humorous episodes and a riveting mystery. I loved the characters as well as the family dynamics, and thought Drusilla was a great protagonist. I also liked the writing which was engaging and facetious.

In conclusion, I eagerly await the sequel so that I may once again revisit these beloved characters, their “haunted” castle turned young ladies academy, and the escapades their students will undoubtedly create!

I absolutely loved this lighthearted, humorous, delightful book. I know some of book clubs would frown on its lack of meaty topics and heartbreaking issues, but sometimes it is just a relief to read a fun book full of zany adventures. I look forward to reading the next books in the series. My gratitude to the publisher for a complimentary e-copy of the novel. I was not required to post a review and all opinions expressed are my own.

I always enjoy a Jen Turano book, and this book was no different. The main character, Drusilla, starts out the story getting dumped by her fiance of two years. As a result, she uproots her life, alongside her mother and sister, and moves to a castle in Chicago (because don't we all dream of doing just that?). Along the way, she faces mobsters, ghosts, and the horror of possibly falling in love again.

I loved it. It was funny, heartfelt, suspenseful, and a great series opener.