A Match of Wits by Jen Turano Review

About the Book:

After his departure from New York two years ago to meet up with his almost-fiancée, Zayne Beckett is the last person Agatha Watson wanted to stumble upon in her travels as a reporter with theNew York Tribune. Quite pathetically bedraggled, he clearly needs to be taken in hand and sent back East to his family. Although she no longer has feelings for him, Agatha realizes, by hook or by crook, she'll have to be the one to get the obstinate man home. 
Zayne has no desire to be taken anywhere and is prepared to drag his heels all the way home. . . until he finds himself slipping back into the familiar banter of his former friendship with Agatha. Once they arrive in New York, Zayne realizes Agatha's determined nose for news has earned her a few enemies, and he hopes to repay her help with some help of his own. When she rebuffs all his attempts to prove himself a knight in shining armor, the lengths to which they'll go to win this battle of wills lead to some memorable antics. 

Everyone else may think them a match, but nothing could be further from the truth--until Agatha finds herself in real trouble. Have these two stubborn, too-smart-for-their-own-good people been meant for each other all along?

About the Author:

Jen Turano is the critically acclaimed author of The Ladies of Distinction Series, published through Bethany House.  Her novel, A Most Peculiar Circumstance, was chosen by Booklist as a Top Ten Romance for 2013.

Jen grew up in St. Clairsville, Ohio, a small city bordering Wheeling, WVA.  Her childhood was idyllic and she spent many an hour ice-skating on a little pond, playing with friends in her treehouse, boating at the lake, and reading under the shade of numerous trees.  High School, surprisingly enough, was fabulous.  She roamed the halls with eight wonderful girls, all of whom she’s still friends with to this day.  Student Council took up much of her time as she was Secretary of her class all four years, Vice-President of Student Council her junior year and President her senior year.  After High School, she began her next great adventure – College.  Pursuing a degree in Clothing & Textiles, Jen was a member of Alpha Phi sorority.  She left college after the required four years and set out to take the fashion world by storm, finding out that fashion wasn’t nearly as glamorous as she’d been led to believe.

Meeting her husband, Al, when she was working at a department store in upstate New York, she married him mere months after they’d met, to everyone’s concern.  Twenty-something years later, she and Al are still going strong, proving the concern was all for naught.  Her son, Dominic, was born after she’d been married for quite some time, and it was then she decided to hang up her heels and settle into the best job of her life – Mom.

Her writing career began rather oddly, right when Dominic was in the third grade.  Disgusted with a series they’d been reading together, Jen and her son set about writing a book of their own.  It was a strange story, filled with smelly beasts who had a propensity for eating children, or at least wanting to eat them, but Dominic proclaimed it to be perfect and that was all it took for Jen to begin writing in earnest.  Her earlier works were met with swift rejections, but when she settled on romance, she managed to snag an agent and she’s been writing romance ever since.

When Jen’s not writing, she spends her time hiking around Colorado, socializing with friends and family, and taking great pride in watching Dominic, who will soon be off to college, turn into a remarkable young man.  (For readers of A Change of Fortune – Dominic was the inspiration behind little Ben – which is why you won’t be surprised to learn Jen’s been slightly taken aback over the fact Dominic’s turned out so well.)

My review:

"A Match of Wits" is an enjoyable read. Sometimes when you decide that you are done with someone and no longer have feelings for them you find yourself being unable to say no when they need help. Zayne is a person just like this. Agatha has decided that she no longer wants to plan a future with him and she is forced to see him home safe. Although others think that they should be together they don't. What does the future hold for them? Is being together part of their future. I give this book a 4/5. I was given this book for the purpose of a review from The Book Club Network Inc. and all opinions are my own.