Welcome to my tour stop! Read my review and enter the tour giveaway below...
Storing Up TroubleBy Jen Turano
Christian Historical Romance
Paperback & ebook, 352 Pages
May 6th 2020 by Bethany House Publishers
Summary
After Miss Beatrix Waterbury suffers multiple mishaps due to her involvement with the suffrage movement, her mother decides a change of scenery is in order for her incorrigible daughter. Banished from New York, Beatrix is sent off for an extended stay with her Aunt Gladys.
Mr. Norman Nesbit, a gentleman and a brilliant man of science devoted to his work, doesn’t have time to be distracted with members of the feminine set. When robbers descend on the train, intent on divesting him from his important research papers, Norman is thrust into Beatrix’s company when she has the audacity to interfere—leaving him no choice but to try to save her from herself.
When Beatrix’s life is put at stake after her arrival and employment as a salesgirl in Chicago, they find themselves propelled into each other’s company again and again. With danger and intrigue dogging their every step, they become surprisingly drawn to each other—until information comes to light that threatens to crush this relationship that’s barely had a chance to blossom.
My Review
STORING UP TROUBLE is a story of two strangers becoming acquainted after a train robbery who find they are complete opposites, but somehow are attracted to each other against either of their wishes, whereas hilarity ensues. The characters are all charmingly unique with their own quirks, the setting in historical Chicago and a bit in New York is during the suffragette movement which adds a bit of depth, and the romance is sweet with plenty of banter. An overall entertaining read!
I think my favorite character from this story would be Beatrix. She's really quite straightforward and blunt in her opinions, daring even if it wasn't the safest or smartest thing to be, with the best intentions, but also charming when she needs to be. I liked that she was open to becoming more aware of the world and the challenges that faced women in a lower class than her very upper one. She very much took things in stride, even startling things that occurred. Norman is also straightforward and blunt, but in a different way. He was very intelligent as to math and science, but not people all the time. I adored his niece and sister. I really liked the family relationships in this story as they are all a bit different and added quite a bit of amusement. Aunt Gladys definitely falls into that category. The romance was painful in some ways to watch unfold. Beatrix and Norman were so blind, but also awkward in how to go about things, particularly as they were both in denial for so long. I did like how well they balanced each other though. Then there was a bit of a suspenseful plot weaved throughout in regards to Norman and his work that added a bit more to the story.
I will say that Norman annoyed me much of this story as did much of the dialogue. I think it was just too much for me and felt a bit overdone. Norman seemed so radical and oblivious that it didn't feel realistic as did Beatrix's Aunt Gladys. The story also felt a bit drawn out. Having said that, the characters were still delightful in many ways and the story pulled me in enough that I kept reading and wanted to know how things would turn out.
In the end, was it what I wished for? Overall, I enjoyed this story, especially the second half when things progress a bit more. Readers will find Turano's trademark humor, charming characters, sweet romance, a bit of an inspirational element, and an interesting plot.
Content: Clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Celebrate Lit, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.
In the end, was it what I wished for? Overall, I enjoyed this story, especially the second half when things progress a bit more. Readers will find Turano's trademark humor, charming characters, sweet romance, a bit of an inspirational element, and an interesting plot.
Content: Clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Celebrate Lit, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Other Books in the Series
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About the Author
Jen Turano, (www.jenturano.com) a USA Today bestselling author, has written four historical romance series. She is a member of ACFW and RWA and lives in a suburb of Denver, Colorado. Visit her website at www.jenturano.com.
More from Jen
Can you tell us a little about “Storing Up Trouble?”
I’d be delighted to tell you about my latest book. “Storing Up Trouble” is the third book in the “American Heiress” series, but you don’t need to read the first two books in that series (“Flights of Fancy” “Diamond in the Rough” to understand what’s going on. I’ve been writing my books more as stand alone stories, and “Storing Up Trouble” is no exception to that. With that said, this book centers around Miss Beatrix Waterbury and Mr. Norman Nesbit. Beatrix, unfortunately, has annoyed her mother to such an extent that she finds herself banished from New York and on her way to Chicago to spend time with her aunt, a lady Beatrix remembers as being a querulous sort. She, being Beatrix, a lady who lands herself in trouble at the most unexpected of times, soon finds herself a victim of a train heist. An unlikely hero in the form of Mr. Norman Nesbit, a gentleman with a brilliant mind but relatively few social graces, comes to her rescue, and from the moment they disembark from the train, they find themselves thrust into one escapade after another.
In “Storing Up Trouble,” is there a character you’d like to be friends with in real life, or better yet, a character you’d avoid at all costs?
I actually have an answer to both parts of that question. Miss Theodosia Robinson is a lady I would love to count as a friend because she’s loyal to a fault, and is a friend who’ll be there for you, no matter if you want to delve into an unusual scientific experiment, or take a jaunt to your local department store to do a bit of shopping. As for who I’d avoid at all cost – Mrs. George Blossom, who has a very small part in the story, but she’s a customer at Marshal Fields & Company who embraces an air of superiority over the sales girls, and I’ve never been one to enjoy people like that.
What do you consider your greatest accomplishment?
That’s easy. Being Dominic’s mom. He was definitely a handful when he was little, which is why he’s an only child, but it’s been incredibly rewarding to watch him grow over the years. He recently graduated from college with a degree in engineering, and seeing him land a grown up job and begin to embrace the whole adulting thing makes me prouder than any book I’ve written or other job I’ve held.
What was the inspiration behind “Storing Up Trouble?”
There were quite a few things that inspired me to write this book. I’d set another one of my books, “Caught by Surprise” in Chicago, and because of the research I did for that book, research I wasn’t able to fit into that story, I knew I wanted to revisit that city at some point. Beatrix Waterbury gave me the perfect excuse to travel back there. I wanted to take her out of her usual setting of NYC, so off she went to Chicago, on a train ride that definitely turned concerning. I had also picked up a few research books about Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison and I’ve been itching to create a character after those brilliant gentlemen. Norman Nesbit turned into that gentleman, although I have to admit that some of the science Nikola and Thomas used was way over my head. My son, the engineer, tried to explain it to me, but I believe at one point I might have been drooling, and not in the good way, but the bored way. That’s when Norman really began to develop because I thought it would be amusing to have a character who was passionate about his field of study, but most of the people he tried to share that passion with had no idea what he was talking about and always got a bit of a dazed expression in their eyes as he waxed on and on about double-electrical currents.
What fun facts did you uncover while doing research for “Storing Up Trouble” but weren’t able to fit into the story?
There was so much fodder for additional storylines just with the research I did on Marshal Field and his department store. Did you know that the main store in Chicago burned down doing the Great Fire of 1871 and…it burned down several times after that? Who knew? There was also a lot of drama surrounding Marshal and his partner for years, Mr. Levi Zeigler Leiter. They had different ideas about how the store should evolve, which resulted in Marshal forcing Levi to sell his shares of the company to him, at which point the store turned from Field, Leiter, & Company to Marshal Fields Company. It was also interesting to learn that Mr. Fields was notorious for paying his workers low wages, but those workers accepted those wages because of the prestige that came with working at his store. If you worked at any other store, you were considered common, but to work at Marshal Fields was a feather in your cap, even if you weren’t earning as much as you could have earned at another store.
What are quirky little things you keep on your desk?
At the moment, I have one little pig with googly eyes, one cow with googly eyes, and then another small pig that a reader sent me because she really liked Matilda in “A Match of Wits” and thought this little pig she found at a store was exactly what Matilda would look like.
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Oddly enough, no, it never crossed my mind until Dominic was in third grade and we decided to write a book together after finishing this horrible series about this bird. That book was never meant for publication, but it did have me remembering that I had, at one point in time before I became a stay-at-home-mom, enjoyed using my brain. I started experimenting with different genres and learned everything I could about the publishing industry. It took me five years to find an agent, and then she sold “A Change of Fortune” to Bethany House, and I’ve been writing for them ever since.
Any words of advice for aspiring writers?
I get this question a lot, and I always answer by saying “Have an honest talk with yourself about what you really want to achieve with your writing.” It’s perfectly fine to want to write because you’re interested in turning it into a career. However, with that said, a writer needs to understand that writing and publishing are two different creatures. Publishing is a daunting business, and it’ll take a lot of perseverance to find success with it. With that said, if you have raw talent and are a story teller at heart, you should write all the time and do whatever you can to learn how to improve your craft.
What are you working on next?
I’m working on a new series right now – “The Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency.” The first book, “To Steal a Heart” releases in November, 2020. It’s about Miss Gabriella Goodhue, who spent her childhood living on the mean streets in Five Points. She’s currently living in a boarding house on Bleeker Street in New York City, and when a fellow resident gets unjustly accused of theft, Gabriella, along with the other ladies living in the boarding house, take it upon themselves to try and clear her name. That’s the beginning of the Bleeker Street Agency, and hopefully the ladies will enjoy much success as the series continues.
Thank you so much for stopping by today. I hope all of you get an opportunity to read “Storing Up Trouble!”
Wishing you all the best,
Jen
To celebrate her tour, Jen is giving away the the grand prize package of all three books in the American Heiresses series and a $25 Barnes & Noble eGift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
In “Storing Up Trouble,” is there a character you’d like to be friends with in real life, or better yet, a character you’d avoid at all costs?
I actually have an answer to both parts of that question. Miss Theodosia Robinson is a lady I would love to count as a friend because she’s loyal to a fault, and is a friend who’ll be there for you, no matter if you want to delve into an unusual scientific experiment, or take a jaunt to your local department store to do a bit of shopping. As for who I’d avoid at all cost – Mrs. George Blossom, who has a very small part in the story, but she’s a customer at Marshal Fields & Company who embraces an air of superiority over the sales girls, and I’ve never been one to enjoy people like that.
What do you consider your greatest accomplishment?
That’s easy. Being Dominic’s mom. He was definitely a handful when he was little, which is why he’s an only child, but it’s been incredibly rewarding to watch him grow over the years. He recently graduated from college with a degree in engineering, and seeing him land a grown up job and begin to embrace the whole adulting thing makes me prouder than any book I’ve written or other job I’ve held.
What was the inspiration behind “Storing Up Trouble?”
There were quite a few things that inspired me to write this book. I’d set another one of my books, “Caught by Surprise” in Chicago, and because of the research I did for that book, research I wasn’t able to fit into that story, I knew I wanted to revisit that city at some point. Beatrix Waterbury gave me the perfect excuse to travel back there. I wanted to take her out of her usual setting of NYC, so off she went to Chicago, on a train ride that definitely turned concerning. I had also picked up a few research books about Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison and I’ve been itching to create a character after those brilliant gentlemen. Norman Nesbit turned into that gentleman, although I have to admit that some of the science Nikola and Thomas used was way over my head. My son, the engineer, tried to explain it to me, but I believe at one point I might have been drooling, and not in the good way, but the bored way. That’s when Norman really began to develop because I thought it would be amusing to have a character who was passionate about his field of study, but most of the people he tried to share that passion with had no idea what he was talking about and always got a bit of a dazed expression in their eyes as he waxed on and on about double-electrical currents.
What fun facts did you uncover while doing research for “Storing Up Trouble” but weren’t able to fit into the story?
There was so much fodder for additional storylines just with the research I did on Marshal Field and his department store. Did you know that the main store in Chicago burned down doing the Great Fire of 1871 and…it burned down several times after that? Who knew? There was also a lot of drama surrounding Marshal and his partner for years, Mr. Levi Zeigler Leiter. They had different ideas about how the store should evolve, which resulted in Marshal forcing Levi to sell his shares of the company to him, at which point the store turned from Field, Leiter, & Company to Marshal Fields Company. It was also interesting to learn that Mr. Fields was notorious for paying his workers low wages, but those workers accepted those wages because of the prestige that came with working at his store. If you worked at any other store, you were considered common, but to work at Marshal Fields was a feather in your cap, even if you weren’t earning as much as you could have earned at another store.
What are quirky little things you keep on your desk?
At the moment, I have one little pig with googly eyes, one cow with googly eyes, and then another small pig that a reader sent me because she really liked Matilda in “A Match of Wits” and thought this little pig she found at a store was exactly what Matilda would look like.
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Oddly enough, no, it never crossed my mind until Dominic was in third grade and we decided to write a book together after finishing this horrible series about this bird. That book was never meant for publication, but it did have me remembering that I had, at one point in time before I became a stay-at-home-mom, enjoyed using my brain. I started experimenting with different genres and learned everything I could about the publishing industry. It took me five years to find an agent, and then she sold “A Change of Fortune” to Bethany House, and I’ve been writing for them ever since.
Any words of advice for aspiring writers?
I get this question a lot, and I always answer by saying “Have an honest talk with yourself about what you really want to achieve with your writing.” It’s perfectly fine to want to write because you’re interested in turning it into a career. However, with that said, a writer needs to understand that writing and publishing are two different creatures. Publishing is a daunting business, and it’ll take a lot of perseverance to find success with it. With that said, if you have raw talent and are a story teller at heart, you should write all the time and do whatever you can to learn how to improve your craft.
What are you working on next?
I’m working on a new series right now – “The Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency.” The first book, “To Steal a Heart” releases in November, 2020. It’s about Miss Gabriella Goodhue, who spent her childhood living on the mean streets in Five Points. She’s currently living in a boarding house on Bleeker Street in New York City, and when a fellow resident gets unjustly accused of theft, Gabriella, along with the other ladies living in the boarding house, take it upon themselves to try and clear her name. That’s the beginning of the Bleeker Street Agency, and hopefully the ladies will enjoy much success as the series continues.
Thank you so much for stopping by today. I hope all of you get an opportunity to read “Storing Up Trouble!”
Wishing you all the best,
Jen
Tour Schedule
The Avid Reader, May 23
Godly Book Reviews, May 23
Robin’s Nest, May 23
Locks, Hooks and Books, May 23
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 24
Rebecca Tews, May 24
Texas Book-aholic, May 24
Novelscorner, May 24
Among the Reads, May 25
Inklings and notions, May 25
deb’s Book Review, May 25
Reflections From My Bookshelves, May 26
Hebrews 12 Endurance, May 26
reviewingbooksplusmore, May 26
Losing the Busyness, May 27
For Him and My Family, May 27
Simple Harvest Reads, May 27 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, May 28
Inside the Wong Mind, May 28
Mia Reads, May 29
Read Review Rejoice, May 29
Betti Mace, May 30
Breny and Books, May 30
Blogging With Carol, May 30
Life of Literature, May 31
D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, May 31
Emily Yager, May 31
Splashes of Joy, May 31
The Collaborative Press, June 1
Stories By Gina, June 1
Hookmeinabook, June 1
Blessed & Bookish, June 2
Older & Smarter?, June 2
The Artist Librarian, June 2
Blossoms and Blessings, June 2
Through the Fire Blogs, June 3
Beauty in the Binding, June 3
Mary Hake, June 3
amandainpa, June 3
Wishful Endings, June 4
EmpowerMoms, June 4
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, June 4
Pause for Tales, June 4
KarenSueHadley, June 5
Raining Butterfly Kisses, June 5
With a Joyful Noise, June 5
Hallie Reads, June 5
Tour-Wide Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Jen is giving away the the grand prize package of all three books in the American Heiresses series and a $25 Barnes & Noble eGift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
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