Another fantastic book by Jocelyn Green! She truly gets better with every book. This book held my attention from beginning to end. There is drama, secrets, mystery and romance!
Olive is on board the S S Eastland when it capsized. Hundreds perish and her best friend is among those listed missing. She returns to work at an insurance agency and finds herself dealing with grief over those who were lost in the accident. When her attempts to discover the truth are sabotaged she accepts the help of a newspaper photographer, Erik. Together they unravel many secrets. Will she and the others find peace? You'll have to read the book to find out. You won't be disappointed. ( )

Wow! I know why this book won the 2022 Christy Awards for Historical Fiction. It’s amazing! I’d never heard of this piece of history. This is one reason I love historical fiction so much is that I can learn about events and people that I hadn’t heard of before. So please make sure you read the Author’s Notes at the end.

The storyline, characters and plot was fantastic. It was a hard book to put down and one I’d love to read again. I felt all the emotions during all the events that happened during this book and the mysteries in this novel were excellent.

Totally worth reading. Technically it could be read as a stand alone, but then you’d miss the back stories of the secondary characters and I don’t like that. Just read the whole series. Books 1 and 3 are my favorite!

This is a Christian fiction novel, but very light on the faith aspect. No bad language, no sex, some violence but it’s handled with care. ( )

In Drawn by the Current, Jocelyn Green recalls the USS Eastland tragedy with smooth writing and intriguing historical details. This aptly named novel explores the trauma of nearly drowning and its aftereffects in the life of Olive Pierce. As circumstances force Olive into the entanglement of deceit, she finds herself unmoored from her ideals and drifting in a riptide of physical danger. The author handled Olive’s PTSD with authenticity and gentleness.

Compassionate and determined to serve her clients well, Olive is a strong female lead, but a particular incident caused me to like her less. Although my fondness for Olive never quite recovered, I still enjoyed her journey from finding worth by assisting others to the fulfillment of trusting God and stepping into a new time of life. I admired how the author intertwined statements of wisdom and the fruition of spiritual themes with Olive’s journey.

Drawn by the Current concludes The Windy City Saga by Jocelyn Green. I recommend reading the series in order as Meg, Sylvie, and their backstories integrate with Olive’s story. Since I loved Veiled in Smoke and Shadows of the White City, I already held affection for this family and felt immediate interest in Drawn by the Current. Four stars!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. ( )

“Your value comes from a much deeper place than who your employer is. You were made in the image of God, and who you are is bigger than what you do.”

Jocelyn Green is an amazing author who accurately relates historical events while conveying solid truth in an unforgettable novel. Drawn by the Current is the third and final book of The Windy City Saga which tells the story of one Chicago family from the Chicago fire through the sinking of the SS Eastland.

While Green gives enough background for Drawn by the Current to stand alone, the book is so much richer with the memories of the previous novels. I enjoyed seeing old friends Sylvie, Kristof, and Meg again. The personalities of those three have matured and wrap the reader in the comfort of older, wise, and loved confidantes.

Olive fights many of the battles of a modern woman, yet fits within her era. She is a nurturer at heart, finding meaning in life as she helps others. She works at a life insurance company and wishes to advance, but her boss feels women cannot use their brains. Olive deals with domestic abuse, PTSD, and loyalty. She desperately searches for the truth while concealing secrets of her own. I wholly identified with Olive when she, at last, learns a great lesson about herself and how God sees her.

Erik is charming through and through. I loved how he takes so much time out of his life to help Olive with her searches. He is so brave to protect Olive. Yet, he doesn’t protect her heart.

A historical novel of great depth, plumbing what it means to survive physically, emotionally, and spiritually. For the keeper shelf.

I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher through NetGalley. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own. ( )

Wow, what an incredible, nail-biting story this author intertwines with a huge tragedy. Olive Pierce works at MetLife Insurance she is hoping to get a promotion to investigator, she would be a trailblazer as this is a male only position. Her boss sees Olive as someone who does paperwork, answers the phone and gets him coffee. Nothing more.

Olive Pierce invites a friend to a birthday excursion on the SS Eastland, in Chicago. What was supposed to be an amazing, beautiful day for Olive Pierce and her friend, Claire, turns out to be deadly. While Olive tries to track down the living amongst the dead, she runs into Erik Magnussen. He is a private investigator and has pictures of that horrific day that Olive would like to see. Olive is trying to track down family members that might still be alive. She looks at this as an opportunity to show her boss she can be so much more than someone who gets his coffee and answers the phone.

Readers get more than learning about the SS Eastland tragedy, there is an intricate web the author weaves, with Olive in the middle of a mystery that could turn deadly for her and her family.

This is a page turner that will keep you up at night trying to figure out how things will work out. I like how the author included a few characters from previous books that worked at the bookstore.

This is a book you don’t want to miss. It’s one that would work great for your next book club pick. There is so much to talk about. The author helps by including notes to readers uncovering historical facts and myths. This book could be read as a standalone, but you’ll have a richer read by reading the other two books in this series. I’ll learn so much.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org ( )