By Kelly Bridgewater
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?
My Thoughts:
The Hudson Collection
by Jocelyn Green features a bird-watcher or an ornithologist for the American
Museum of Natural History. I can’t imagine all the research that Green had to
go through to have the names and the sounds of the correct birds to ring true
in her novel. But then again, if they are wrong, is not like I would know the
difference. I know nothing about birds except they fly, look different, and
sing songs. The plot has a mystery element to it as the heroine Elsa tries to
catalog all the birds in the mansion that she was assigned to bring back to the
museum. Green crafted a character that had a flaw that she acquired when she
had polio as a child that affected her today. But she is a strong character who
knows her limitations, but there are moments when it does rear its ugly head,
but she keeps moving. Similarly, there is a romance aspect between Elsa and a
male character that has some surprising twist to it, but Green does a wonderful
job at showing a relationship that can see past faults and learn to trust in
God and grow together. Overall, The Hudson Collection by Jocelyn Green
brought some lights to the world of birds and the work of the American Museum
of Natural History, so fans of historical fiction with a hint of romance and
mystery might love this book.
I received a complimentary copy of The
Hudson Collection by Jocelyn Green from Bethany House Publishing, but the
opinions stated are all my own.
My Rating: out of
5 stars
Purchase The Hudson Collection
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