About the Book

After a childhood as a street thief, Gabriella Goodhue thought she’d put her past behind her until a fellow resident at her boardinghouse is unjustly accused of theft. In the middle of breaking into a safe that holds the proof to prove her friend’s innocence, Gabriella is interrupted by Nicholas Quinn, the man she once considered her best friend–until he abandoned her. 

After being taken under the wing of a professor who introduced him into society and named him as heir, Nicholas is living far removed from his childhood life of crime. As a favor to a friend, Nicholas agreed to help clear the name of an innocent woman, never imagining he’d be reunited with the girl he thought lost to him forever.

As Gabriella and Nicholas are thrown together into one intrigue after another, their childhood affection grows into more, but their newfound feelings are tested when truths about their past are revealed and danger follows their every step.  

My Thoughts

This book made me smile. The ladies at the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency are a delightful if forward thinking, bunch who come into themselves as they unite to help others. All of the things you love about Ms. Turano’s stories are present including laugh out loud moments, witty and sometimes over the top dialogue, and character with whom you want to be friends. If I lived in 1886, I would want to live in that boarding house.

The sweet slow burning romance between Nicholas and Gabriella had enough twists and turns to keep you guessing while confident that all would turn out happily ever after. Even the characters that I wasn’t so sure about showed in the end that they’re coming around.

Despite the fact that there are A LOT of characters, I didn’t have a problem keeping track or remembering who is who. They support the story well without overwhelming Nicholas and Gabriella’s growing friendship. While I guessed a bit of the mystery part of the book early, it was a delightful ride seeing how it all came together in the end. After a satisfying end, I closed the book with a big smile on my face.

While I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher, I was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are honestly my own.  

About the Author

Named One of the Funniest Voices in Inspirational Romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today Best-Selling Author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publisher Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. When she’s not writing, she spends her time outside of Denver, CO. She can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and www.jenturano.com