The Manhattan Confessions stood out to me in all the best ways! After so many books with simple plots and shallow love, this slower read was the healing balm my brain didn’t know it needed.
Main Themes
The plot in The Manhattan Confessions was surprisingly intricate, with several different threads of danger and mystery Ivy and her friends have to untangle to discover the truth and keep themselves safe. I think I fell in love with Jocelyn Green’s writing on the spot when she rejected a trendy, romance-heavy plot and chose instead to allow the love between Ivy and Tom to grow naturally and completely unforced. It was by far my favorite love story in a long time.
The romance was such a small part of the overall action, however. Ivy also found herself strategizing how to help her Italian cousin immigrate safely and legally to America, a process made difficult by the oppressive Italian government and a deceptive American law firm that had its own agenda for desperate immigrant women. And when Ivy wasn’t stressing over her cousin, there were other issues, much larger issues at work that threatened the safety of every one of her friends.
Jocelyn Green wove together a beautiful story of immigration, staying loyal to friends even when they fall out of favor with society, and realizing what’s important in life. Her commitment to historical accuracy was impressive and shone through on every page.
Faith Elements
Faith was not a large part of The Manhattan Confessions, but did show up at the end when Ivy realized that only God could offer her the constant companionship and security that she was looking for. Other biblical themes in the novel included doing the right thing even when it hurts, staying loyal to friends, and protecting those you love.
Family Friendly Considerations
This is a wonderfully historical novel that will definitely be finding a forever home on my bookshelf, but it did have a few sensitive themes including immigration, human trafficking, grief so real I found myself crying with the characters, mild violence, and stalking/assault. It’s a fantastic novel for adults but probably not the best option for younger or more sensitive audiences.
Interest in Similar Reads?
If you love historical novels, you might want to check out these as well!
- These Empty Places by Sarah Loudin Thomas
- The Lumber Baron’s Wife by Lynn Austin
- With Enduring Tides by Jane Kirkpatrick
