Out of the Ordinary
(Apart from the Crowd #2)
by Jen Turano
~ MY REVIEW ~
Ah… Jen’s books are always so very fun to read! That’s why I like them so much. They’re unusual and wholly unbelievable, but they make me laugh and I dearly love a laugh! 🙂
This book was, as I expected, a lot of fun and quite the adventure at times! There are some deeper, more difficult topics in this book, but as a whole I would consider it a comedy. Sometimes, the characters and situations are completely absurd, but that’s what makes it so funny! (If you’re a fan of classic films, I might compare it to something like “The Court Jester” or some other similar movie. If you don’t understand that reference… then all I can say is that you need to go watch that movie. You’ll thank me later. 😉 )
I think I can honestly say that my favorite part of this story, and of the series in general so far, is Harrison. He is just….. he’s such a lovable sweetheart! He’s a wonderful brother and I love that about him! A hero that’s a good brother always gets to me and Harrison’s got that roll nailed. He obviously loves his sisters, even if he does find them exasperatingly baffling most of the time. He cares about them and for them. And all of that translates over into his relationship with Gertrude (who I also love) in a really sweet way. He’s also a good and loyal friend. And while I’m pretty sure his clothing choices would probably drive me bonkers… I guess it does say something for him that he wasn’t so extremely concerned with what people thought of his sense of fashion.
Gertrude is frustrating at times, mostly because of all the things she lets Mrs. Davenport get away with, but the more I got to know her, the more I loved her and I was somewhat better able to understand where she was coming from. Going into too much detail on that would be a spoiler so I won’t say anything more, except that she has a very sad past and I know it would be difficult for anyone to overcome some of what she went through. She is compassionate and loyal and the type of person I think I would enjoy calling a friend.
I did wish for a little more in certain areas. I was really hoping for some more information on Harrison’s colorblindness, yet at the same time, I wasn’t surprised when it wasn’t explored further. And Temperance’s seeming about-face was kind of abrupt, but I thought that might be explained more in the next book. I hope it is. And I wish we knew more about Harrison’s family! Seems like there could easily be a series written about his sisters… Would that be too much to hope for? And I felt like Mrs. Davenport’s situation could have been expounded upon further. It just felt like there would be more behind her character and personality than what we were given in the story.
One thing upset me. At one point, the pastor says that he’s delivered several sermons that centered around the truth that everyone is worthy of God’s grace. That is not true. Grace is, by definition, unmerited. It is impossible to be worthy of grace. That is all.
With all that being said, I still really enjoyed this book. I’m happy to be able to add it to my ever-growing collection of Jen’s books and I’m sure I’ll be perusing it again in the future! 🙂
Before I go… leave me a comment if you’ve read the book and you remember that moment when Harrison was so desperate that he used the topic of conversation he was trying to avoid as a distraction from the distraction he tried to use to avoid the original conversation. (Hope that makes sense.) Personally, I found that situation hilarious! ;D
I received a free copy of this book through the Bethany House Blogger Review Program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
~ WHAT SOME OF MY FRIENDS ARE SAYING ABOUT THIS BOOK ~
Lots of silliness going on which led me to smiles and giggles. Read more…
~Emilee
Jen excels at witty dialogue and has the ability to turn the simplest of situations into laugh-out-loud humor…. I enjoyed every minute spent reading this delightful story. Read more…
~Carole
Another winner in the line up of books by Jen Turano! As I’ve come to expect from her, this book was wonderfully hilarious and warmly romantic. Read more…
~Rachel
Adventures, misunderstandings, and crazy attire combine to create a delightful story that will keep you chuckling throughout! Read more…
~Sarah
~ SOME FAVORITE QUOTES ~
Gertrude: “I’ve heard rumors about people who’ve recently found the love of their life. Those rumors have it that lovestruck couples soon turn their thoughts to securing love matches for anyone in their direct vicinity who may not be otherwise engaged.”
Permilia: “I can’t claim that the image of you covered in butter isn’t an amusing one. However, since I do seem to have experience getting ladies unstuck, which seems downright odd now that I think about it, brace yourself because this might demand some determined tugging on my part.”
Gertrude: “You and I are going to have to have a little chat about the delusion you seem to be under regarding my relationship with your brother.”
Mrs. Davenport: “There’s no cause to be so snippy.”
Gertrude: “There’s no cause to embarrass a person either, but that didn’t stop you from sending me off to a formal engagement celebration wearing a birdcage attached to my behind.”
He’d been born with a face that caused ladies to swoon, but he was in possession of something much more significant than a handsome face– a caring and compassionate heart.
Expressions Of Me 