Drawn by the Current by Jocelyn Green

Drawn by the Current
by Jocelyn Green

ISBN-13: 9780764233326
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: February 1st 2022

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
A birthday excursion turns deadly when the SS Eastland capsizes with Olive Pierce and her best friend Claire on board. Hundreds perish during the accident, and it's only when Olive herself barely escapes that she discovers her friend is among the victims.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Olive returns to her work at an insurance agency and is soon caught up in the countless investigations related to the accident. But with so many missing, there are few open-and-shut cases, and she tries to balance her grief with the hard work of finding the truth. Is she just overwhelmed, or is someone trying to impede her investigations? When clues surface that impact those closest to her, how deep will she dig?

Newspaper photographer Erik Magnussen begins helping Olive with her cases, and they develop a fast friendship. Just when Olive begins to unravel the secrets, more setbacks arise. It will take everything she's got to find the truth and stay ahead of those who want to sabotage her progress.


My Review:
Drawn by the Current is a Christian romance set in 1915 in Chicago. The historical details were largely focused on the SS Eastland disaster and the many insurance claims that had to be investigated and processed. These details were woven into the story and brought the events alive in my imagination. The main characters were likable, reacted realistically to events, and matured as people as they had to make difficult choices and sometimes didn't make the best choices. Olive wanted to prove her abilities as an investigator, so she pushed hard for the truth even if she didn't always like the outcomes. Her life was made harder because someone didn't want her to succeed.

Erik and Olive didn't meet until after the SS Eastland capsized. They quickly clicked as friends, and Erik supported Olive rather than trying to tell her how to do things. They got to know each other as they worked together and realized how much they cared about each other. Olive felt like her worth was based on her job and what she could do for others, so she struggled when she felt like she wasn't succeeding at helping others. Her family reminded her that her value comes from God rather than what she does. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this intense historical. How mind-blowing that so many people could die on a steamship that tipped sideways while at a dock with plenty of help present.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.