THE HUDSON COLLECTION by Jocelyn Green, Reviewed by Winnie Thomas

When I pick up a Jocelyn Green book, I know I’m going to read an intricately-researched story filled with rich historical detail. The Hudson Collection is no exception. Set in New York in the 1920s, it’s a perfect blend of history, suspense, and romance, with some inspiration thrown in to enhance it. Green is a master at creating engaging, flawed, realistic characters which she proceeds to toss into riveting situations. She then brings them out the other side with a noticeable increase in personal growth.

I enjoyed the main characters in this tale. Elsa is an ornithologist with the American Museum of Natural History in New York, who is dealing with the aftereffects of having polio as a child. When she is assigned to catalog the birds at the country estate of a deceased patron, she finds more than she bargains for—including some new friends and a mystery. Architectural salvage dealer Luke Dupont is an endearing, compassionate hero, and it was so easy to like him. I admired the way he was so caring and considerate with others, especially Elsa. I was impressed with the way they helped each other become better versions of themselves.

“People can be salvaged. Relationships can be restored. We can save the beautiful that remains and build upon that, can’t we?”

Themes of acceptance of others, the value of family relationships, and the worth of each individual stood out to me while I was reading. I recommend this book and author to those who enjoy historical romantic suspense.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Bethany House Publishing through Interviews and Reviews. All opinions are my own.

 

SEE PAULA'S REVIEW

BackCover Blurb:
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?

Bethany House Publishing, June, 2024
Available in digital ebook, paperback, library binding, and audiobook:
Buy THE HUDSON COLLECTION at Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House