 Author: Jen Turano Genre: Historical Romance Series: Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies #2 Pages: 304 Release Date: April 21, 2026 Publisher: Bethany House Publishers LESSON TWO: Become headmistress and expect to find yourself partnering with an attractive inventor to search for treasure. Annaliese Merriweather has been appointed the temporary headmistress of the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies while her sister is on her honeymoon, but she doesn't feel cut out for the role. Especially after she loses two of her most troublesome students during an outing to a county fair and has to recruit the help of Seth McCormick, an eccentric inventor, to retrieve them. Soon after, one of those mischievous students disappears again, intent on pursuing a pirate map. Together, Annaliese and Seth set out to find her, accompanied by a menagerie of Annaliese's rescued animal companions. As they stumble from one chaotic situation to the next, sparks fly between Annaliese and Seth. Somehow, they'll need to outwit dangerous individuals also intent on seeking the treasure and bring everyone back in one piece--all while deciphering what their hearts desire.
 Reviewer: Paula Shreckhise Jen Turano always tickles my funny bone with the antics of her characters, whether they be human or animals. In the case of In Pursuit of Civility, the heroine, Annalise, has a boatload of trouble while in that pursuit. Annalise is serious about freeing animals from certain demise. Case in point: her aversion to fur and feather hunters or animals being mistreated in Fairs or Circuses. Hence, she has three attack ferrets, a pickpocket monkey, and various other so-called pets. Her role in The Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies is Decorum Instructor, but she is doomed to failure when her charges run off. Seth McCormick, whose sister Norma Jean, is one of the young ladies, is an inventor of very curious and sometimes hilarious items, such as a skunk scent deterrent designed for the young ladies’ protection. You can imagine the chaos that is the result. What an unconventional romance with Annalise this turns out to be when a present that Annalise welcomes is a habitat for her bugs and spiders and a spider sack to put in it. There is not a dull moment in this book with runaways, a missing aunt, and a treasure hunt, not to mention meddling mothers and young ladies alike. I love Ms. Turano’s turn of phrase and the stream of consciousness dialogue. While this can be read as a standalone, the first book sets up the series nicely, and who would want to miss the first book with more mischief and mayhem? A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Bethany House on behalf of the author via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.  Reviewer: Diana Lea The Pursuit of Civility is the second book in the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies series by Jen Turano. As with the first book, Turano fills this story with lively characters and unexpected situations. I always look forward to Turano’s books for her sense of humor, and this installment offered witty responses to the constant troubles that seem to follow the ladies of Merriweather Academy. The main story centers on Annaliese and her suitor, Seth. They make an unconventional pair—Annaliese with her many beloved animals and Seth as an inventor of mostly useful gadgets. Seth’s inventions added several fun moments throughout the story and often helped move the plot along in unexpected ways. A particularly entertaining addition to the cast is Norma Jean, a feisty thirteen-year-old student whose rebellious antics create more than one complication for the adults trying to keep order. When Norma Jean runs away, Annaliese and Seth set out to find her, leading them into a search that also reveals new clues about Annaliese’s long-missing Aunt Ottilie—an ongoing mystery in the series. Readers who enjoy seeing women pursue their interests and ambitions during the Gilded Age, animal-loving heroines, and lighthearted adventures—along with Turano’s signature style of humor—will likely enjoy this continuation of the Merriweather Academy series. I received a complimentary copy of this book courtesy of Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley and Interview & Reviews. Opinions here are my own.  Reviewer: Laura J. Davis
The Pursuit of Civility by Jen Turano is a lively historical romance that takes readers once again to Merriweather Academy, where we quickly learn how difficult it is for Annaliese Merriweather (the temporary headmistress) to handle teenage girls. The cast of characters includes Seth McCormick, who is an inventor born way before his time. His sister, Norma Jean, would be considered a juvenile delinquent by modern standards. She causes so much trouble that Annaliese and Seth are forced to chase her to Florida when she suddenly runs away, seeming to join the circus. I will not give you the details on what she was up to, but the journey is hilarious and full of ridiculous antics. While I am sure many will enjoy this story, for me it was a struggle to get through. There was too much dialogue and not enough description. The entire book felt like the author sat down and let her characters run loose on the page without ever reigning them in. Therefore, it resulted in conversations that were about the same thing for several pages, and it became tedious to finish reading. But, I plowed through and was pleased with the ending. If you like madcap adventures with a lot of dialogue, you may enjoy The Pursuit of Civility. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House Publishers via NetGalley for my honest opinion. Leave a Reply. |
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