The Metropolitan Affair by Jocelyn green

Summary

Bestselling author Jocelyn Green sweeps you away in a dazzling novel of secrets, betrayal, and romance within one of New York City's most esteemed museums.

For years her explorer father promised Dr. Lauren Westlake she'd accompany him on one of his Egyptian expeditions. But as the empty promises mounted, Lauren determined to earn her own way. Now the assistant curator of Egyptology for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lauren receives two unexpected invitations.

The first is her repentant father's offer to finally bring her to Egypt as his colleague on a new expedition. The second is a chance to enter the world of New York's wealthiest patrons who have been victims of art fraud.

With Egyptomania sweeping the city after the discovery of King Tut's tomb, Detective Joe Caravello is on the hunt for a notorious forger preying on the open wallets of New York's high society. Dr. Westlake is just the expert he needs to help him track the criminal. Together they search for the truth, and the closer Lauren and Joe get to discovering the forger's identity, the more entangled they become in a web of deception and crime.
 
Positives

I’ve got a new addition to the favorite books stack.

This book is everything I love—a smart, down-to-earth heroine who defies all the odds and the people who tell her she can’t. A compelling mystery laced with suspense. A unique angle of history. And, of course, a side character that I inexplicably love and fear for his life. (Points to Jocelyn Green for keeping him alive!)

I loved the angle of how (name) tackled sexism—not in a “I’m better than you, and I can do whatever I want” sense. But in the sense of recognizing the passion that God gave her, and that this particular passion was not limited to gender. In her overcoming and proving wrong all the many, many naysayers. She is a powerful example to readers. And plus, how many heroines are into Egyptology?

Joe was great as well. She did a wonderful job giving me two well-developed characters to root for. The romance in this book was also unique in that they had met and fallen in love before! The second-chance aspect of this book was very sweet and different.

This book pulls no punches when it comes to neglect and emotional abuse. Against my will, she got me to the point where I was rooting for the abuser to change, so Lauren wouldn’t have to go through this pain anymore. But the truth is, often abusers don’t change, or not as quickly as we’d like. I can’t say much more without spoiling the ending, but this story will come alongside abuse victims in a very personal way.

And that mystery! I could not quit reading, I had to know how it all worked out. I had so many theories, and none of them were right. Blew my mind.

Negatives

None.

Conclusion

The Metropolitan Affair is one of my new favorite books. This book is everything I love—a smart, down-to-earth heroine who defies all the odds and the people who tell her she can’t. A compelling mystery laced with suspense. A unique angle of history. Tackling tough topics like emotional abuse and sexism. And, of course, a side character that I inexplicably love and fear for his life. (Thanks for keeping him alive.)