Review: The Hudson Collection

Title: The Hudson Collection

Author: Jocelyn Green

Publisher: 4th June 2024 by Bethany House Publishers

Pages: 368 pages

Genre: Christian | Historical Fiction | Romance

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

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

Jocelyn Green’s ‘The Hudson Collection’ provides a perfect balance between history, mystery and romance. Taking place in New York City after the Great War, readers follow Elsa who is a young ornithology researcher. She attends a country mansion just outside NY on the Hudson River, to catalogue a bird collection of the deceased residents estate.

‘I need someone to go examine the Hudson Collection - named for the river which flows next to the estate - to see what condition the birds are in.’

This is a multifaceted gem of a novel covering a whole range of engaging topics. Firstly there is obviously much about orthology which was interesting. The story also has a strong focus on Elsa who is a polio survivor and struggles both physically and socially. Then there is a range of other themes such as eugenics, autism, PTSD and discrimination for those with disabilities. 

“Father’s view has always been that the weaklings should be allowed to die. Natural selection and all that. He says that even if they did grow up, they would only reproduce more weaklings and lower the quality of the gene pool.”

Set in 1920s New York there are visits to places such as Coney Island and Central Park - much bird watching to undertake there. There is a mystery surrounding the search for a  valuable manuscript from the Middle Ages which makes for a climactic ending. ‘The Hudson Collection’ is a story with a great mystery, friendship to romance and an overarching theme of having faith by being loving and accepting of yourself. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Boxing Baroness

Title: The Boxing Baroness

Author: Minerva Spencer

Publisher: 25th October 2022 by Kensington Books

Pages: 288 pages

Genre: historical romance 

My Rating: 3 cups

Synopsis:

Inspired by the real-life Boxing Baroness, acclaimed author Minerva Spencer sparkles with this brilliantly imagined story of her romance with an infuriating duke in the first of a witty, Regency-set, feminist series exploring the role of women in a rigidly patriarchal society. A new generation of readers and Bridgerton fans will delight in the rapier sharp wit, sexual fireworks, and thought-provoking entertainment of The Boxing Baroness. 

Magnetic and educated, Marianne Simpson has the manner of a lady and the looks of a lover, not a fighter. Neither of which explains her occupation as a boxer in her uncle’s circus, Farnham’s Fantastical Female Fayre. Nonetheless, when St. John Powell, the exquisitely handsome Duke of Staunton, begins turning up at her shows, she finds herself dangerously distracted by the powerful peer’s mysterious presence. With her safety at stake, Marianne’s days in the ring are numbered. But how long can she fight her attraction to the man the ton calls Lord Flawless?

 St. John Powell doesn’t just want Marianne Simpson, he needs her … to rescue his brother, who is being held for ransom by a treasonous English baron—the man all of Britain knows as the Rake of Rakes. 

 No matter how little Marianne wants to see her duplicitous ex-lover, the man responsible for the humiliating nickname the Boxing Baroness, St. John must convince her. Even if it means climbing into the ring with the beautiful boxer and taking everything she’s got . . .

My Thoughts

The Boxing Baroness sounded an interesting book as it appeared to contain many unique and interesting elements involving the historical romance genre. There is an all female circus with a female athlete/boxer (Boxing Baroness because she was married to a Baron for a while). Whilst the writing was solid, the plot required a rather large leap of faith (and that was not involving the boxing element as one might first suspect).

“I know that you sent me to school hoping that I could find respectable work, but if nobody would hire me as a governess before I started boxing, they’re hardly likely to do so now that I’m the Boxing Baroness, are they?”

This book was one of those quick flick reads that gave flashbacks to the ol’ Mills & Boon bodice ripping tales. As mentioned, the plot is rather crazy even though it appeared straightforward. I ventured into the read thinking the boxing aspect would be the element ‘outside the box’. Not so. It was secret identities - both strange and surreal - of characters including Napoleon Bonaparte and the exiled King of Sweden that left me perplexed. There is no doubt that the writer is talented with a good cast of characters and whipping dialogue inclusive of many steamy romantic moments. 

“Perhaps being raised in a circus, by Barnabas, was more of a blessing than I thought.”

I commended Minerva for writing a unique historical romance. There is a large portion of the story that is factual and will have you racing to Google to learn more. This book though will not be to everyone's tastes due to its less than conventional storyline and stepping outside the usual genre. Still, sampling this author may prove entertaining and worth your while.  

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Vanished Days (Slains #3)

Title: The Vanished Days (Slains #3)

Author: Susanna Kearsley

Publisher: 5th October 2021 by SOURCEBOOKS Landmark

Pages: 464 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction, romance

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

In the autumn of 1707, old enemies from the Highlands to the Borders are finding common ground as they join to protest the new Union with England. At the same time, the French are preparing to launch an invasion to bring the young exiled Jacobite king back to Scotland to reclaim his throne, and in Edinburgh the streets are filled with discontent and danger.

Queen Anne's commissioners, seeking to calm the situation, have begun paying out money sent up from London to settle the losses and wages owed to those Scots who took part in the disastrous Darien expedition eight years earlier--an ill-fated venture that left Scotland all but bankrupt.

When the young widow of a Darien sailor comes forward to collect her husband's wages, her claim is challenged. One of the men assigned to investigate has only days to decide if she's honest, or if his own feelings are blinding him to the truth.

The Vanished Days is a prequel and companion novel to The Winter Sea, with action that overlaps some of the action in that book. The Vanished Days goes back in time to the 1680s and introduces the reader to the Moray and Graeme families.

My Thoughts

What is there not to love about a new Susanna Kearsley book! Her stories are always fabulously written, well researched and captivating. When you open the pages of one of Susanna’s books, you enter into a new world, one that guarantees rich historical detail combined with fabulous drama. Her fans are excited as The Vanished Days is the prequel/companion to The Winter Sea (a book I read many years ago but still a firm favourite of mine). Needless to say, I was quite excited to read Susanna’s latest!

‘There had been so many moments in my life when my survival had depended on my trusting to my instincts that I’d gained a great respect for them’

The Vanished Days is set in Scotland during the late 1600's-early 1700's. Kearsley includes a dual timeline plot, however, this time around it is much closer - only 10-25 years apart. Therefore, it appears more of a companion to Winter Sea as it has a shared character and a similar time period. This can definitely be read as a stand-alone, yet how wonderful would it have been to read all three in this series together (The Winter Sea and its sequel, The Firebird).

“In life, you understand, we always say things that we later would take back - a careless insult, or a sharp word thrown in anger. We are none of us immune.”

As always Susanna has done a fabulous amount of research, and that definitely shows through her in-depth and vivid descriptions that bring history to life in her stories. It is probably for this reason that the book does start off somewhat slow, but persevere, once you get past a certain point it will be a race to the end. Wow! What a twist.

“That comes from Plato. His Symposium, in which he claims that every person has one - that we all were made originally whole, then sliced in half like flatfish, so we now must search the world for the one person who completes us.”

Susanna Kearsley is one of my favorite authors and I will always read anything and everything she writes. If you’ve never read one of her books and you are a fan of historical fiction, you simply must do yourself a favour. I jealousy envy you reading this Slains series sequentially - stories beautifully researched and written with characters that will touch your heart and stay with you long after the last chapter ends. 

“You’re the first man I have loved,” she said, her voice not much above a whisper, and it was as though she knew I needed those words then. “The first man and the last man. You will always be enough for me.”

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Lord Somerton's Heir

 

Title: Lord Somerton's Heir

Author: Alison Stuart

Publisher: 1st September 2021 by MIRA - Harlequin Australia

Pages: 446 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction, romance, regency

My Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

First love left them desolate ... can a new love heal their wounds? A tale of second chance love in aristocratic Regency England, for lovers of all things Bridgerton.

Sebastian Alder's sudden elevation from penniless army captain to Viscount Somerton is the stuff of fairy tales, but the cold reality of an inherited estate in wretched condition leaves him little time for fantasy, and the memory of his wife's brutal death haunts his every moment. When he learns of the mysterious circumstances of his cousin's demise, he must also look for a potential murderer ... surely not Isabel, his cousin's ladylike widow?

Isabel, Lady Somerton, is desperate to bury the memory of her unhappy marriage by founding the charity school she has always dreamed of. Her hopes are shattered from beyond the grave when she is left not only penniless but once more bound to the whims of a Somerton ... although perhaps the new Lord Somerton is a man she can trust ... or even care for?

Suspicion could tear them apart ... honesty and courage may pull them together.

My Thoughts

Having read and enjoyed Alison’s Australian colonial tales, I was eager to step back to Regency England for a change of scene. Suffering from Bridgestone Blues, it was time to find a fix somewhere else and I am happy to say Lord Somerton’s Heir more than fits the bill.

This is classic stuff and highly entertaining. Alison gives this Regency romance some real drama with a fabulous murder mystery. There is the mandatory handsome hero and a wise widow, along with a solid cast of other characters that bring real depth to this great getaway. Add to the standard plot of redemption some evil blackmailers, a couple of murders ending with an edge of your seat final coach chase across the English countryside which is all neatly tied together with a romantic bow for good measure. 

Regency England comes to life from a lavish ball, to the other end of the spectrum with the lengths some poor souls needed to go to in order to survive. What I truly appreciated was how Alison subtlety brought to light the very real struggle of how the aristocracy lived beyond their means, often with the cost of running such estates moving beyond them. 

I very much enjoyed my trip to Regency England - a sweet romance and murder mystery - with Alison’s words flowing at an easy and enjoyable pace that kept me engaged to the very end. 

‘She was free, but at what price came that freedom? … To attain freedom, first she had to find Lord Sommerton’s heir.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Thief

Title: The Thief (Borderland Brides #2)

Author: Allison Butler

Publisher: 2nd June 2021 by HarperCollins Australia

Pages: 326  pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical romance, fiction, cultural Scotland

My Rating: 3.5 cups

Synopsis:

She needs a home, he needs a bride ... neither wants to fall in love.

1402, the Anglo-Scottish border.

To fulfil his father's dying wish, border laird Lachlan Elliot must marry and sire a legitimate heir, cementing his family's name in the tumultuous borderlands. But he is determined his marriage will be one of convenience only - he has no time for the pain and betrayal of love.

So even when Lachlan catches a spirited thief stealing his horse, and she turns out to be the breathtaking daughter of a neighbouring laird, he vows to marry her, bed her, but never love her.

Kenzie never wanted an arranged marriage, but to be forced to wed the domineering laird who catches her thieving from his lands is even worse. Feisty, strong-willed and determined to make her own way, she may have no choice but to agree to the marriage, but she will never give up her independence. Lachlan may own her body, but he will never own her heart ...

My Thoughts

Well it’s getting cold Downunder and we are in lockdown yet again, so what better way to pass the time than romancing it in the Scottish Highlands. For that quick, simple, smiley read, look no further than Allison’s latest book to pass away a chilly weekend. 

You know the drill - an accidental yet fortuitous meeting, an arranged marriage but luckily (how lucky can you be!) they are both good looking, kind and falling for each other because of above said qualities.  Keeping their distance and secrets, they dance around each other (literally and figuratively) until we get our prerequisite happy ending after jumping through the necessary hurdles (including a rather awful and manipulative sister).

No brooding laird here, no damsel in distress either. It was great that we had two rather sound and sensible leads who gently let their defences down to be honest with each other. Both lust and love are now on the horizon for this couple. 

If you too are staying indoors don’t be shy about venturing out to secure a copy of the latest Borderland Bride to while away a few hours around the hearth. If Scottish flings are your thing, you won’t be disappointed. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Last Truehart

Title: The Last Truehart

Author: Darry Fraser

Publisher: 2nd December 2020 by Harlequin Australia, HQ (Fiction, Non Fiction, YA) & MIRA

Pages: 402 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction, romance, Australia

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

A woman alone and a charismatic private detective are caught up in a dangerous quest to discover her true identity in this thrilling historical adventure romance set in 19th century Victoria, from a bestselling Australian author.

1898, Geelong, Victoria. Stella Truehart is all alone in the world. Her good-for-nothing husband has died violently at the hands of an unknown assailant. Her mother is dead, her father deserted them before she was born, and now her kindly Truehart grandparents are also in their graves.

Private detective Bendigo Barrett has been tasked with finding Stella. He believes his client's intentions are good, but it is evident that someone with darker motives is also seeking her. For her own part Stella is fiercely independent, but as danger mounts she agrees to work with Bendigo and before long they travel together to Sydney to meet his mysterious client where they discover more questions than answers.

What role do a stolen precious jewel and a long-ago US Civil War ship play in Stella's story? Will sudden bloodshed prevent the resolution of the mystery and stand in the way of her feelings for Bendigo? It is time, at last, for the truth to be revealed...

My Thoughts

Darry Fraser has proven yet again that she is a master at writing Australian historical fiction. The Last Trueheart is another wonderful tale to immerse yourself in with a strong female lead in male dominated colonial Australia. I love the fact that in each of her novels, Darry takes her female lead and explores with them at a time when women were on the cusp of acquiring some form of independence. Into this Darry can always be relied upon to weave intriguing, maybe even forgotten historical facts, that all up result in a worthy tale. 

‘Leo Smith was her father. Mrs Parks had sent Bendigo Barrett to find her, and now Stella would learn why.’

It is not only the female leads that are inspiring. On this occasion both Stella and Bendigo (yes ... named after the city) are strong and believable 19th century characters. There is not just a romance but a partnership between the two to explore and consolidate a place in society. The secondary characters likewise offer insight into a lifestyle long gone, particularly Bendigo’s sisters. Darry, as always, undertakes research to produce both a time and place that gives her readers a real sense of what life would have been like at that time. 

The Last Truehart is an enjoyable and well written tale - a great yarn, a dashing hero and a real sense of place in the evolution of Australian society of the time. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.