Sandy M’s review of All Gowned Up by Jen Haymore
Historical Young Adult published by Entangled Teen 3 Feb 25
I began reading Jennifer Haymore back in 2009, and I loved each book I read. I began to have some issues with historical romance several years back, and Ms. Haymore is one I read to get through that barrier. So with this newest release, I thought I’d try again, even though it’s a young adult story.
I’ve been reading for entertainment for a very long time. After all those years, I don’t delve too much into young adult. I lived my fair share of young heartache, angst, and everything else that goes with the age. But once in a while, a YA story will work for me. This one works for the most part.
Emerald Dixon daydreams more than she works at her seamstress job, one she’s not at all good at anyway. One dream is to find her father, someone she’s never known, and getting her mother to talk about him isn’t happening. When she inadvertently becomes friends with Will, the Earl of Townsend, a new world opens up for her, giving her the opportunity for discovery she’d never have otherwise – and also giving her a taste of society and a bit of romance – and all that goes along with each of those.
Including secrets around every corner. Even Will has a difficult time with the ins and outs of the ton, having to live up to his father and being reminded that is a very tall task. That task becomes even more difficult when he decides to assist Emerald in her hunt, something that could potentially go very wrong and leave them both in tatters. When their hearts become involved, the stakes climb even higher as they delve into the life of one aristocrat who could conceivably be Emerald’s sire.
This is a sweet story with painful issues for women, the downtrodden and others of the time. While I enjoyed Will and Emerald, I didn’t truly connect with them. I expected them to be a bit more mature as most young adults were during this era, but they are definitely teenagers acting like teenagers. I guess now because of my age I want a bit more living and grit with my romance to make the entire story more interesting. But all that being said, Ms. Haymore does a great job with characters and plot to give readers an enjoyable read.
Grade: B
Summary:
She’s not exactly a lady…
Seventeen-year-old Emerald Dixon is the worst seamstress in London. Officially.
It’s not exactly her fault. No matter how hard she tries, she’s lacking the skills that she’s “supposed” to have. Sewing? Nope. Needlework? Absolutely not. Instead, her mind keeps drifting off into daydreams—ones filled with fantastical lands, high society balls, and dancing with dashing young men. And above all, trying to find the father she’s never known.
But when her skipping stone hits an attractive young earl, the gilded doors to society are suddenly opened to Emerald…if she has the courage to enter.
The Earl of Townsend, eighteen-year-old Will Granville, knows how it feels to be trapped in your own life. His life is a non-stop reminder that he will never fill his father’s shoes—or become the marquess he’s expected to become. But by helping Emerald go undercover into society, he has a chance to get to know the curly-haired beauty he can’t stop daydreaming about…and avoid the growing complications of his own life.
Of course, infiltrating the very crème de la crème of London society isn’t exactly easy, and Emerald and Will are already in over their heads. Because this glittering, opulent world has more secrets than either of them could ever know.
And a single stolen kiss could send the whole fragile façade crashing down around them…
