Author Jocelyn Green transports readers to the roaring '20s in The Metropolitan Affair.

​With a character-driven plot filled with mystery and romance, the author has created a world that transports readers to the days of speakeasies, prohibition and Egyptomania. Her research shows as Dr. Lauren Westlake painstakingly takes Detective Joe Caravello (and the reader) on discovering a fake artifact from the real deal. I found this fascinating and thoroughly enjoyed this mystery of tracking down the art forger.

With a bit of romance and themes of redemption, this book will surprise you more than once. In one chapter, I'd think, "Oh, so that's the culprit!" Only to have that theory fall flat in the next. This book will definitely keep you guessing!

If you like historical fiction with a great mystery, you will love The Metropolitan Affair.

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House through NetGalley for my honest review.

Decade of 20.
Lauren Westlake is a MET curator, specilaized in Egyptian arctefacts with familiar issues. Her beloved mother had died in her teenage years and the relationship with her father is complex, to say the least. And When She is appointed to help the NY police department on a forgery case, She didn't though that She would meet again with her first love, Joe Caravello, the assigned detective. He asks for her help to solve the mistery that involves oone of the most hunted forger's identity of the state. But this proximity will bring not only the dangerous attention of the criminal, but also the challenge of have their hearts at risk at love again.

I knew this book would be a wonderful journey through the pages! What a delightful story We have in here. All of the elements applied in the narrative had caught my attention as the kind of thing I so into about reading: Egypt content, story set in the 20's, a MET museum curator , an NY police agent to follow the laeding suspense to the book and a romance with a second chance/ first love reconnection trope that has made a match with my TBR. I liked a lot the surprise of founding some christian reflexion in the text, even though it was slightly, but still has made part of one of the main messagens of this incredible story. Furthermore, the characters had a great development and were well constructed, with layers of conflicts and emotions that had made a conection with the reader. and the setting and mystic egyptian aura gave an ellegant and deepshape to the story. More than Aproved! Thanks a lot, Netgalley for this ARC.

The Metropolitan Affair was quite possibly—and most definitely—my favorite of all Jocelyn Green’s books!

This book had such rich historical detail about Egyptology, and it was fascinating learning more about artifacts and what makes them genuine or counterfeit. It’s quite obvious the author invested a ton of time into making this plot thread accurate, insightful, and engaging!

Also, the themes in this book were powerful. How do we keep from building up walls and shutting out those we love when we’ve been hurt in our past? How do we trust those who have deeply let us down? How do we let go of what we hoped would come about that never did? Those questions are powerful themes in the story, and if you’ve ever had a broken relationship, especially with a parent, that was never mended, this book might really meet you where you are.

I adored the characters, and I was rooting for Lauren and Joe’s romance pretty much from the first scene we see them together. Their romance was so sweet and intentional, and I absolutely loved it.

My only complaint is that sometimes the narrating style felt a bit more contemporary than historical, at least to me. But beyond that, I loved this book!!

All in all, The Metropolitan Affair is a lovely book and I’d absolutely reread it again! Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an eARC. A positive review was not required, only my honest opinion. All thoughts are expressly my own.

Terrific historical fiction with a great sense of time and place. The roaring 20s come alive and you feel as if the author has transported you back.

Multi layered story that will engage readers. Lauren was an interesting woman who loved her job as the assistant curator of Egyptology at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Readers will learn a great deal about Egyptian artifacts as Lauren helps Joe search for a forger. A start to another great series by this author.

This was the first book I read this year and what a book! It has everything I like: it's an historical set in Manhattan about archeology and Egyptology. And it's a romance! I really couldn't put it down.

Lauren is asked to help the NYPD identify art fraud objects by a detective. They used to be friends and soon their friendships is rekindled as they spend more time together trying to uncover who the forger is.

There wasn't anything I didn't like about this book. So interesting and absorbing!

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

I was trying to figure out how to described this book. Another reviewer said "layered" and that is good. "Heartfelt" might work, but more in a "pulls-on-your-heart" kind of way.

Lauren was easy to connect to and I felt SO. BAD. for her!!! The roller-coaster she went on with her family relationships was so sad. I loved that she had Joe's family to show her what a loving family looks like.

The 1920s is not a time period I read much about and I also don't read much themed around Egypt but I found this book fascinating. Lauren's expertise and how it was used to help the police was very interesting and the mystery was compelling. Most of the book revolves around Lauren trying to wrestle with feelings leftover from her childhood regarding her parents. It's a sad story but I liked that she had Elsa and Ivy and Joe to help her. (I really liked Elsa and Ivy :)

As someone who loves relationship history, Lauren and Joe's friendship was magnificent to me. I loved Lauren's thoughts as she walked through the Met! I sort of have something like that with places around where I grew up, but hers is even better!

There are several surprising twists and turns and the ending was quite intense. I'm curious to see where this series goes from here.


I received a copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own and a favorable review was not required.

Mummies, murder, mysteries, oh my! Dr. Lauren Westlake, assistant curator of Egyptian art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is more at home around the dead than the living. When approached by her father, Mr. Westlake, about going to Egypt for an archaeological dig, Lauren is hesitant. On shaky ground in her relationship with her father, she is not sure if he is serious about her joining him. Growing up, Mr. Westlake would promise to take her on expeditions and then leave her at home. He was always gone on an expedition, leaving her for months at a time, while her mother lay in her sick bed, dying. As Lauren expected, there is a caveat for her being able to go on expedition. She must prove to the Napoleon Society funding the trip, that despite being a woman, she is capable of handling such a trip- never mind that she has her Doctorate in Egyptology and works at the Met. Desperate to build a better relationship with her father, she agrees to start writing articles for the Napoleon Society in the hopes that they will let her go on the expedition. She secretly hopes that this will finally give her the approval and love of her estranged father that she has longed for all her life. Across town, 35-year-old Detective Joe Caravello of the NYPD, is dealing with the aftermath of a botched speakeasy raid where a man was killed, and his partner was put in jail. Joe is determined to find the answers of what really happened that night, and how a mysterious Egyptian oyster shell put into the dead man’s drink is related to Connor and mysterious happenings in the world of Egyptian art. Convinced that forged Egyptian art is being sold as the real thing to collectors, Joe asks the only person he knows who has the knowledge to recognize fakes- Lauren Westlake. Lauren agrees to work with Joe as a consultant for the NYPD and what they both uncover will rock them to their core. Will the secrets unearthed, shatter their blossoming relationship? Will lies and betrayal destroy the lives of everyone that Lauren and Joe love, including them? When the unthinkable happens, will Lauren be able to forgive? “The Metropolitan Affair” is a beautifully written story set in the roaring 20’s. Since the finding of King Tut’s tomb, the world is captivated by all things Egyptian during this era. I truly appreciated the attention to detail both in the art world and 1920’s New York, that Ms. Green put in her novel. The characters took on a life of their own. I was swept away to another time and place that was fascinating. The ending had a twist I did not see coming. I could not wait to see what happened, trying to solve the mystery before Lauren and Joe! I look forward to more of Ms. Green’s books. I thank NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for the ARC of this book. I am not required to give a positive review. All opinions within this review are my own.

The Metropolitan Affair
by Jocelyn Green
Pub Date: March 14, 2023
Bethany
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I was drawn to this book by the beautiful cover, and I knew this author.
" Do Not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. Isaiah 43:1

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.
This is the first book in a series (On Cental Park) and I highly recommend it!
This book is very well written, and the characters are realistic. The book held my attention throughout. Green is a fantastic storyteller.
I enjoyed this book so much!
5 stars

I was drawn to the cover design, and hoped this would be my sort of book.

I was drawn in by the book's opening sentence, which I found simple but dramatic at the same time. After that, the book held my interest throughout. I was very invested in the story, and interested in the characters. The theme of Egyptology was also something that I appreciated, because it's something that's always interested me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

The Metropolitan Affair is the first book of Jocelyn Green's new On Central Park series. This series is set in New York, a departure from her previous series set in Chicago.

This is a clean read, reconcilliation/redemption story filled with secrets and betrayal. I was a bit skeptical going into this book, as Egyptology seems to be a recurring themes in books I have read lately, but The Metropolitan Affair had an entirely different and refreshing focus. The story's focus was less on the discovery process of the artifacts and more towards acquisition, forgaries and a behind the scenes look of the Metropolitain Museum of Art. (Remember it is set in New York, not Egypt). I still learned a lot about Egyptian history and artifacts but it didn't overwhelm the story or give it a "textbook" feel. More of a crime solving story, by the end of the first chapter I was completely hooked. Lauren and Joe were great characters and I enjoyed their relationship and rekindled romance. The mystery of this book kept me engaged and glued to its pages. I was pretty sure who was behind the crimes, but the plot was intricately written with many moving parts and Jocelyn Green kept making me second guess. There were plenty of suspicious characters to choose from. If you are already a Jocelyn Green fan. enjoy reading Michelle Griep or Erica Vetsch, or like an engaging clean read, then I highly recommend this book.

Choose this as your next read if you like:
Mystery
Secrets, betrayal
Rekindled romance
Crime investigations
Intricate plot

Thank you Jocelyn Green, Bethany House and Net Galley for the complimentary copy of this book. The opinons expressed here are my own.

Dr. Lauren Westlake holds a prestigious position at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art as an assistant curator of the Egyptian collection. She inherited her love of Egypt from the mesmerizing stories of adventure and intrigue her father told her on his rare visits home. After her mother’s death, Lauren moves in with her aunt and uncle and immerses herself in learning all she can about Egyptology.

In 1925, few women have their doctorate, and even fewer speak multiple languages and read Egyptian hieroglyphs. When Lauren’s estranged father seeks her out, Lauren prays that she’ll forge a real relationship with him this time. If not the father-daughter relationship she craved as a young girl, then at least a relationship based on mutual respect for each other’s accomplishments.

When his partner gets arrested on murder charges, New York Police Department Detective Joe Caravello knows the mystery goes deeper than anyone at the police department will admit. Prohibition has spawned speakeasies and illegal activity all over the city, and someone is making bank. Joe figures the criminals must somehow launder the money, and the mysterious Egyptian artifact his partner tossed in the victim’s drink might hold a clue.

When his chief gives him permission to investigate, Joe turns to the one person he knows could spot a fake—Dr. Lauren Westlake. He hasn’t seen her in over a decade, but his feelings for her haven’t diminished. As they embark on a joint investigation to uncover Egyptian forgeries, his respect, and concern for her grow.

Can they discover the motive and the artist behind the elaborate forgeries before someone gets hurt?

Why I Loved this Book

Green sets the story in an era when few women had the means or the support to further their education. And once they gained it, they often struggled to find a place to use it or gain the respect of their male colleagues. Her lush descriptions of New York during Prohibition draw the reader into the story.

Readers will relate to the protagonist’s struggle to heal a broken relationship with a parent. A dash of danger, a sweet romance, betrayal, and mystery keep the reader turning page after page. If you love historical romance that inspires and entertains, you’ll love The Metropolitan Affair. Fans of Amanda Dykes and Kristy Cambron will love this book.

The minute I saw this book was about ancient Egypt I was interested, and Jocelyn Green did a great job painting a fun and fascinating story in an uncommon setting: archaeology in the 1920s. Heroine Lauren works at the Metropolitan Museum of Art but dreams of accompanying her father on an expedition to Egypt. It gets even more interesting because this is during the height of the frenzy around the discovery of King Tut--something that grabbed my attention even more because I recently went through an immersive exhibit of Tut's tomb.
Enter Joe, a detective trying to solve cases of art fraud. When he and Lauren cross paths the sparks fly! Kudos to the author for her research into the time period--including what the museum and archaeology were like. I'm curious to see where Green takes this in the next book in the series.

I was sucked into this intriguing story by the first line or two, “Dead people were easy to talk to. It was the living ones that often gave Lauren trouble, especially her father.”

I enjoyed Dr. Lauren Westlake and was fascinated by her love of Egyptomania. It was interesting to learn how they determined what was the original and what was a fake work of art. The author places readers in a marvelous,1920’s New York Metropolitan Museum setting. I enjoyed this mystery and its many layers, it is an intriguing, read with realistic, relatable characters I sympathized with, and a plot that took some twists and turns I didn’t see coming, as detective, Joe Caravello and childhood friend Dr. Lauren Westlake, work together to shut down a ring of thieves.


The story is rich in history, strong characterization, with a suspenseful mystery that builds as the story unfolds. I loved the splash of the heartwarming romance between the Detective Joe Caravello and the Dr.Lauren Westlake.

Jocelyn is a wonderful storyteller that takes us on another remarkable journey through history, this time it’s in a museum, I love her attention to detail that doesn’t bog down the reader and the story. This is a great escape, especially if you love everything Egyptian. This is the first book in the On Central Park series. I’m excited to see where Jocelyn takes us next.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a 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 https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

I would like to personally thank Jocelyn Green for writing me this treat of a book! I truly felt like it was written for me! This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. So much so that the moment I got to THE END, I preordered myself a copy and may have to go back and order more for every other reader I know. The Egyptian archaeology, the Met, the period detail, the romantic elements, and the friendships in this novel make it one I know I will be returning to countless times in the future. I can't wait to hopefully read more stories about the main character's roommates, especially her cousin! Count me in!

"The Metropolitan Affair" is a Christian romantic mystery set in 1925 in New York City. And I can't tell you exactly why I like it so much without genuinely spoiling the story, so in general: Lauren loves her job, but she chose her profession in hopes of gaining her father's approval and a relationship with him. He's been absent on one excuse or another her whole life. Now he's moved nearby and is spending more time with her. She'll make time for him, even though a close childhood friend has asked her professional help with identifying Egyptian forgeries. She and Joe draw closer as they spend time working together.

The main characters were complex, well-developed people that I cared about. They struggled with real issues, and relationship tensions were created by realistic behavior (rather than manufactured obstacles). Lauren and Joe supported each other through hard experiences and built each other up. Interesting historical details were woven into the story and immersed me in the time and place. The mystery was clue-based and the reader can guess the bad guys (though Joe suspected as the clues piled up, so he's not dumb). Joe asked good questions and followed up on leads until he finally uncovered the truth along with proof.

By the end of the story, Lauren realized that God is the perfect Father that she's been looking for. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this enjoyable story.

What a richly layered story. Set in the 20s in New York City, the heroine, Dr. Lauren Westlake, is an Egyptologist at the height of public fascination with Egypt thanks to King Tut. A woman ahead of her time, she just wants to preserve the past thorugh her work and make it understandable. But then an old friend asks her to help identify forgeries. Detective Joe Caravello is determined to bring those behind the forgeries to justice, but finds a devious web of deceit and layers that put others at risk. Add Lauren's father appearing and this is a book I inhaled in two days. Highly recommend for lovers of atmospheric historical novels laced with romance.

The Metropolitan Affair by Jocelyn Green is a unique trip through the world of a history museum. What is better than a fraud system with historical artifacts? The main heroine, Dr. Lauren Westlake, is a unique yet realistic heroine because she is hunting for the affections of her father. I love the connection to the ultimate connection of trying to find satisfaction in another person but knowing the true joy will come when anyone finds that joy in seeking and discovering God. The plot captured my attention with plenty of secrets and moments of intrigue that kept me moving through the story. While reading it, I wished I did not have to go to work because I had to put the story down. The setting is different, yet fascinating. I love museums, so this was a nice way to see the underscore world of a historical museum. Overall, The Metropolitan Affair by Jocelyn Green was a unique, yet engaging story. Definitely a book for my keeper shelf.

I received a complimentary copy of The Metropolitan Affair by Jocelyn Green through Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

“I’ve learned many things from Egyptology, not the least of which is the idea that what we do in this life matters in the next. That we should be preparing ourselves for what comes after. Death isn’t the end of life—it’s really the beginning of our eternity.”

“Ancient history isn’t the only past worth preserving.”

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”

What can I say about this book except it was outstanding. This is my second book by Jocelyn Green and I am a big fine of her Christian historical fiction. I have always been interested in archaeology and Egypt so this book was perfect in learning more. Although this book focuses more on the museum aspect with artifacts, an not the archaeological dig part, it was still all fascinating and interesting. And Green is a master at writing descriptive scenes that will transport you to another time and place.

I really loved the characters in this book. Dr. Lauren Westlake was both well written as well as a sympathetic, relatable character. I could feel her struggle as she sought the approval of an earthly father. And Detective Joe Caravello was awesome. He was a man whose moral compass pointed true north as he pursued truth and justice. I liked the interactions between Joe and Lauren. I loved the setting in New York in 1925/1926 and it makes me want to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The mystery aspect was also really good. Murder (more on that later) as well as the forgery of ancient artifacts. Very unique and very well executed. And it isn’t just a mystery that deals with Egyptology. It is also a story about family, pain, loss, and trying to gain love and approval from another. And most importantly, drawing closer to our Heavenly Father.

One thing that I really loved about this book is that Jocelyn Green made me a character that was killed off in this book. For real! I had volunteered myself through Facebook and she agreed to have a Wade Martin character murdered. Quite the experience coming across my name in the book. But don’t worry; even if my name was not in this book, this is still an awesome book. Easy 5 stars.

I received this book free from Netgalley and publisher Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

I have been reluctant to see Green's novels turn from Chicago to New York, a city I hold much less affection for, and was even more dismayed to see another novel featuring Egyptology, a field that interests me not at all.
Yet despite all of that, The Metropolitan Affair contains very realistic characters that held me captive and a plot that kept me turning pages. Jocelyn never writes stories with neat bows; sometimes things don't turn out the way you hoped, even though the ending is satisfying.
I liked policeman Joe, and was uncertain about Lauren, a female PhD in academia, but thankfully feminism wasn't one of the main messages of the book (relieved because of how overdone and tired that line is). Not too much is said about faith throughout the story, but the end held a moment of reckoning between the character and God. I think people who do and who don't want a very religious book could be pretty content here.
I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, because Green is a fantastic storyteller with attention to detail.

I read a copy provided by Netgalley and the publisher so I could write an honest review, but all opinions are my own.