The Latecomers by Helen Klein Ross
I have mixed feelings about this book. Historical fiction is my favorite book genre, and this story of an immigrant Irish girl and the family she goes to work for in Connecticut is just the type of novel I enjoy. To top it off, a lot of it takes place in Connecticut where I lived for nearly 30 years. For the good part, this book is a page turner, in spite of its length, I finished it in 3 days. There were several reasons, why I was not able to give this book a higher rating. The book covers years from the turn of 20th century to 2012, three quarters of the novel covers 20 years from 1908 to 1928 and the last quarter speeds through the rest of the years. I was ready to give the novel 4 or even 5 stars, but the last part completely turned me off. I didn’t feel it added to the story, it was contrived and not believable, too many coincidences. Had the book ended in 1928 with the secrets resolved then, this would have been a 5 star novel.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the advanced copy.

I have to say that I couldn’t wait to read this book based on the description and it did not disappoint! It was everything I thought it would be and more: a wonderful story that grabbed me right from the start, characters that I grew to love ( especially Bridey), and a real sense of time and place with period details. I loved every minute of it and didn’t want it to end, yet the end was perfect. I just wish I had someone who I could talk about it with! This would make a terrific book club book and I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

THE LATECOMERS is certainly one of the best novels of recent vintage. I was so engrossed from the moment I met Bridey Molloy that I was unable to leave the book for a moment.

Ross manages to combine the family history of Bridey and her son with that of the wealthy Hollinghursts, while incorporating the history of the 20th century. It is never boring since the skillful weaving of the stories of the characters, caught in the swirl of the times, kept me turning pages.

Oh, how I loved the characters, but as a teacher, I had to admire the incredible research that went into this novel making it a journey through the century. The author describes not only the significant events and movements of the time period, but even the decorative arts and inventions that changed life.

The heart of the novel is the life of Bridey, running away from Ireland with her intended, and within days finding herself alone and pregnant in New York City. It is this pregnancy and the adoption of her child that is the center of this book. The secondary characters are very well-developed and the family is followed through many generations.

Even the terrible secret that could have ruined Bridey's life is revealed and the author does a wonderful job of bringing closure to the reader. That last moment is fueled by a new technology that has come into broad use.
Klein Ross simply doesn't miss a thing in this book.

I highly recommend this novel to book clubs and to classes in Woman's Studies and modern American history. Part of the uniqueness of the book is that is a wonderful novel wrapped around a well researched story of American. With all the talk about immigration, it provides an interesting look at the lives of female immigrants around the turn of the century. Despite the happenstance of her son's adoption, it also speaks to the control of a young woman's body and the enslavement to the constant danger of giving birth without respite or choice.

Thank you Netgalley for providing this novel and the fascinating journey that I had the fortune to take.

I read about 15% of this before setting aside. It just didn't hold my interest--it seems like this has been done a million times before.

This is the most extraordinary historical fiction, Ross places readers so firmly in early 20th century New York, it’s almost a shock to put the book down and find yourself back in 2018. Her story revolves around Bridey, a young Irish woman who flees to America with her boyfriend for a better life. Her lover dies aboard ship before they can marry and Bridey finds herself pregnant and alone. The story of her survival in her new home, from factory worker to maid to one of the wealthiest and most influential families in the city is simply enthralling