Elsa Reisner is an ornithologist with the American Museum of Natural History in New York City in the mid-1920s. She was surprised when her job took her to an old estate on the Hudson River to examine a large collection of stuffed birds that had been willed to the museum. While her job was to determine the condition of the birds, Elsa became involved in so much more, including the lives of the gardener and her daughter. Luke Dupont worked for the family architectural salvage company. He was working at the estate dissembling rooms to later be sold to interested clients. His plans had not included becoming involved with a young ornithologist and her plans to help an aging gardener and her special needs daughter, plans that include solving the mystery of a missing medieval aviary worth a great deal of money.

Jocelyn Green's latest series, On Central Park, is wonderful with great intrigue and suspense. The actual historical events add so much to the drama of the stories. This second book is equally as good as the first. The tension between the main characters and their friends, and the less compassionate and far more greedy characters in the story causes a great deal of angst for Green's readers, the good kind, the kind that compels one to keep reading long after they should be in bed asleep.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Hudson Collection from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. ( )

I enjoyed this story of a young woman who gets sent by the museum she works for to an estate along the river to catalog a stuffed bird collection. It was pleasant historical fiction, and I can‘t say I‘ve ever read about an ornithologist before. I liked how the author worked the flu pandemic, WWI, and polio into the story. (I received this ARC from library thing early reviewers.)
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I won an ARC of this book through Librarything. This review is fully my own opinion and freely given. I have not read any books from this author and I did enjoy this book. It flowed very well and the story was interesting. The characters were well-developed as well. There were a few errors in editing but not enough to make reading difficult. The errors did not detract much at all. I can usually guess the ending of a book but not this one. It kept my interest throughout. This is a Christian book but not at all preachy. If you are looking for a clean, historical fiction slight mystery you will enjoy this book. I give this a 5 out of 5 star rating.

“Eugenics is hogwash. The self-directed evolution in the quest of a ‘perfect human product’? Absolute rubbish. You were made in the image of God, and so was every other person. Once you start reducing people to measurements and heredities, you strip them of their dignity. We aren’t livestock. We have souls."

5 stars for this book!

First of all, I want to say I really appreciated the author's stance on the subject of eugenics in this book, and how the so-called science clashed with what God's word says about who we are- made in His perfect image, chosen, worthy and loved.

The cast of characters was excellent, the story intriguing, and the mystery woven in was the perfect finishing touch.

Also, kudos to the cover designer, this book cover is gorgeous!

Elsa was a character I loved, and could easily relate to. She was very interesting, and I loved her dedication to ornithology as well as her care and concern for others. She had a lot of grit despite her condition, and she tried her best not to let it get her down.

Luke was a great male lead, and just the sweetest guy. I can't say a whole lot about him because of potential spoilers, but he was a fine gentleman and had a neat redemptive backstory. He was compassionate and was a good friend to both Tom and Elsa.

Here's one of my favorite quotes from the book:

"...I will always be your safe place to land.
I can’t give you wings, but I’ll be your solid ground.”

The Hudson Collection was a sweet and clean, slow burn, closed door romance that I loved and definitely recommend!

Thanks to the publisher for the complimentary e-book I received to review through Interviews and Reviews. I was not required to write a positive review, and the thoughts above are solely my own. ( )

I loved The Metropolitan affair, the first book in the On Central Park series, and was eagerly awaiting this second book. It surpassed my high expectations! The fast-paced plot pulled me in from the beginning and kept me engaged to the end. Beautifully crafted characters stole my heart and sparked my imagination. I was especially drawn to main characters Elsa and Luke and secondary characters Tatiana and Danielle. I love Elsa’s strength and resilience despite her physical limitations. Luke, with his own physical scars and personal trials, is the perfect match for her with his patience and support. I love the way their love story develops. Seamlessly integrated historical detail and particulars of the science of ornithology serve to inform and entertain the reader and enhance the story. The vividly described settings beckoned me to travel back to 1920s New York to experience the story wherever it took me whether it be Coney Island, Central Park, or the imposing Elmhurst estate. I greatly appreciate the encouraging faith lessons on the worth of every individual regardless of their station in life or physical imperfections since all are created in the image of God. I loved this book, and highly recommend it.
I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House Publishers through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion. ( )