“Flights of Fancy” by Jen Turano
Rating: 5 stars
Lovable Characters and Tons of Fun
Isadora Delafield is a beautiful, wealthy young woman. Her family is well-known in the New Yorker high society world of the 1880s. No wonder that an English duke has decided that Isadora shall be his fourth wife, the first three wives having died under mysterious circumstances. Isadora is not interested, but she fears the duke will not take no as an answer. Her mother can’t understand why she would be hesitant to marry the duke. As her father is traveling, Isadora needs to hide until he gets back and can save her from this unwanted marriage. But how does a well-known socialite hide?
With some help, the heiress Isadora turns into the housekeeper Izzie. Glory Manor sounds like a good place to use her wonderful organizing skills. But as it turns out, her new job requires her to perform tasks she had never before imagined, such as boiling water or ironing.
Ian MacKenzie, her new employer, cannot help but see that Izzie is not at all qualified for her new position. But something about her fascinates him, and he can’t stop thinking about her. Coming from a rough background, Uncle Amos and Aunt Birdie adopted him when he was a child. Never wanting to return to poverty, he has spent most of his life achieving his goal to be well-off and recognized by high society.
Amos and Birdie have recently taken in four young children, who were left to fend for themselves. Together with all the beloved animals at Glory Manor, a forgetful uncle and a newbie housekeeper, there are a lot of funny mishaps. But besides all that, someone seems to be trying to harm the residents of Glory Manor.
This delightful book is a fun read. Lots of humorous scenes and unforgettable pets make this book different than your normal historical romance story. While the reader gets a very good picture of the social issues of the time, the fun and lovable characters guarantee an enjoyable read. Both Ian and Isadora search for God’s purpose in their lives, and in that process, they learn more about what is really important in life.
Highly recommended! A story filled with love and laughter, bringing the Gilded Age to life, and exploring questions of faith and purpose.
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