Welcome to my tour stop with Austenprose for
this new historical fiction! Read my review below...
The Hudson Collection
(On Central Park #2)
By Jocelyn Green
Christian Historical Fiction, Romance
Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook & eBook, 352 Pages
June 4, 2024 by Bethany House Publishers
Summary
Step into the beguiling world of 1926 New York and discover the power of resilience, friendship, and love from award-winning author Jocelyn Green.
Elsa Reisner's lifelong dream of working as an ornithologist at the American Museum of Natural History is fading as the job begins to drain her passion. But fate takes an unexpected turn when she is assigned to catalog the bequest of a recently deceased patron whose Gothic country mansion holds secrets and treasures waiting to be discovered.
As Elsa delves into her task, she forms an unlikely bond with the estate's delightful gardener and her daughter, as well as an architectural salvage dealer who still bears scars from the Great War. Together, they embark on a thrilling treasure hunt for a missing relic intended to safeguard the servants' futures before the estate is sold. At the same time, Elsa's body seems to betray her with new symptoms from a childhood disease that isn't through with her yet.
With the brooding veteran and her handsome colleague joining the search, Elsa must navigate the tangled web of secrets and hidden motives along with the changing state of her health. As her deadline looms ever closer, will she be able to secure a new life for her friends before the estate slips from their grasp?
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My Review
THE HUDSON COLLECTION is a unique story set in New York in the roaring 20s. The characters are likable with a plot that emotionally intensifies as it goes, with themes of family, friendship, loss, faith, and romance. There are also a couple of mysteries and challenges with a woman who is a polio survivor and a child who is neurodivergent. A wonderfully endearing story!
This book's plot isn't like any others I've read. First off, the main character survived polio as a child and is still dealing with some of the ramifications. Then she also works as an ornithologist at a museum. She ends up cataloging an entire bird collection at an old estate for the museum and finds new friends there, one in particular who is autistic, and two men who are war veterans with outward and inward scars. I found so many parts intriguing, including the characters, and other parts completely compelling as Elsa builds friendships and unravels the mysteries behind the estate's deceased owner. I also really enjoyed this author's writing style. I didn't feel any lulls in the story as the characters and plot came alive. The characters were well drawn with their own complexities, and very relatable. There were some elements of faith weaved in, but nothing that overwhelmed the story. I especially loved the slowly building romance. Now I need to go back and read the first book in this series even though you don't need to do that to enjoy this story.
There were a few things that were overused or could have been developed a bit more. One was "a lump bobbed in his throat," which was used quite a bit and felt weird to me to be used so much for a guy swallowing. Otherwise, I had no complaints.
In the end, was it what I wished for? This was a very compelling story that I loved stepping into and living in its pages. Definitely recommended to historical fiction fans!
Content: Clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy through Austenprose, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Other Books in the Series
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About the Author
Find the author here.
Have you read the first book in this series? What do you like about this one? Have you read any other books with a character who has had polio?
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