Flirtation on the Hudson

by J.F. Collen

Shivers of delight raced through Cornelia Rose's entire body as she thought, 'Stroll Flirtation Walk with my escort, unchaperoned? How could this be permitted, much less condoned?'
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“This is a beautiful story and the author brings to life a period of history with its traits and way of life.... 'Flirtation on the Hudson' is real; a narrative that features elaborately developed characters and adventures that will keep readers entertained. JF Collen combines humor and wit in a work that is hugely entertaining. I enjoyed every bit of this story.” ~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Christian Sia (5 STARS)
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Cornelia Rose decides early in life, almost instinctively, not to allow anyone to limit her to the few choices available to women in New York in the 1850s. Marry well and become a proper lady—is that all I can do? She surreptitiously pursues learning 'not meant for young ladies,' and begins the journey to become a midwife.


Flirtatious and sexy, Cornelia attracts suitors everywhere she goes. Flooded with invitations after her 'unofficial' debut, her courtships take a dramatic turn when invited to the West Point Military Academy as the guest of a cadet. Will her romantic escapades compromise her choices? Who will decide her future?
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EVOLVED PUBLISHING PRESENTS a journey back in time to the 1800s, from New York society and the West Point Military Academy, to the Old West pioneering spirit, as one woman seeks fulfillment in her life. [DRM-Free]
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BOOKS BY J.F.
"Flirtation on the Hudson" (Journey of Cornelia Rose - 1)
"Pioneer Passage" (Journey of Cornelia Rose - 2)
"The Path of Saints and Sinners" (Journey of Cornelia Rose - 3)
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MORE GREAT HISTORICAL/LITERARY FICTION FROM EVOLVED
"Behind the Open Walls" by Lanette Kauten
"Invisible by Day" by Teri Fink
"Fresh News Straight from Heaven" by Gregg Sapp
"The Colonel and the Bee" by Patrick Canning

314 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 9, 2019

About the author

JF Collen has spent the last umpteen years practicing as a lawyer—but don’t hold that against her! She has made a career of protecting Intellectual Property, but at heart always wanted to be writing novels instead of legal briefs. She has written award-winning children’s books, “The Enjella® Adventure Series,” using fantasy as a vehicle for discussing the real world problems of children. She has tried to use her talent for storytelling for good instead of evil.

But her real love is history. One of her many hobbies is traveling to historical sites around the world with her husband and four children and reading the biographies of the people who affected these places. Her books depict modern dilemmas in historical settings, with a touch of humor. Since only one of her parents had a sense of humor, however, JF feels she is only half as funny as she should be.

Much to her husband’s dismay, they still live in New York.

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Reviews

[Erin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Having recently moved to the Hudson Valley, I looked up books set there, just out of curiosity. I didn't expect much from this, I promise, but omg it is so, so dumb. I can't. Bouncing at 6%.

[Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exquisitely written and historically accurate ... a compelling read cover-to-cover

[Gregg Sapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

F. Scott Fitzgerald observed, “The rich are different from you and me.” More so than today, in past eras, along with the privileges and trappings of wealth came certain prescribed social expectations. The tension between one willful young woman’s desires and the rules of genteel society supplies the main plot dynamics in J.F. Collen’s elegantly conceived historical novel, “Flirtation on the Hudson.”

Readers meet Cornelia “Nellie” Entwhistle in 1847, when she is seven years old. Nellie is the middle of three daughters in her family, which also has four boys. James Entwhistle, the Irish patriarch of the clan, is an engineer for New York City’s aqueduct system. He provides the family with a comfortable material life, while Gertrude, his German wife (Mutter to the children), oversees the girls’ indoctrination into the patrician culture of New York’s elite. They live in a bucolic homestead near the Hudson River in Sing Sing.

Mrs. Entwhistle struggles to manage Nellie’s natural energy and inquisitiveness in ways that comply with a respectable ingenue’s code of conduct. For example, she is a stickler concerning where Nellie may go, in whose company, and when a chaperone is required. Still, she laments of Nellie, “I never did see a girl so carried away with her ruminations.”

In particular, Mutter is lukewarm regarding her daughter’s informal apprenticeship to a local midwife, despite Nellie’s insistence, “But Midwife Rafferty is so interesting, while we pick, she sorts the plants, groups them according to medicinal properties, and teaches their use… I desire Mrs. Rafferty’s full instruction in the science of midwifery.”

When Nellie becomes a debutante and takes her place in society, she entertains an abundance of suitors seeking her hand, especially among the gentlemen cadets from West Point. She has been schooled into how to subtly signal her interest, such as by strategically dropping her handkerchief so a selected gentleman can pick it up for her. However, her playful impulses sometimes get the better of her, as in an incident she refers to the “debacle of West Point,” where after an evening of quaffing “Hot Flips” she escapes from a slightly seedy campus bar via the window. Nellie wonders, “When will I learn some restraint?”

Apart from Nellie’s dramas with cadets of greater and lesser moral character, this novel ripples with vivid imagery of a distinctive place and an era replete with grandeur. For example, Nellie’s enchantment at the milieu of a grand cotillion evokes a wondrous scene:

“The smells inside were as intoxicating as the crisp air had been. The aroma of cinnamon was wafting up the stairs… Candle lighters walked gingerly about, carefully adding new candles to every freshly polished sterling silver holder, all the large chandeliers, and the many-mirrored sconces that outlined the perimeter of the ballroom. The sterling shone, the chandeliers sparkled, and the mirrors reflected and refracted the light, spreading throughout the beautiful rooms. At last, the grand house glowed with hundreds of lit candelabras. The effect was spellbinding.”

Such descriptions fuel the imagination in striking ways. I got swept up in the spectacle.

I do have a couple quibbles. Historical romance not being my typical reading fare, I’m not schooled in its conventions, so I’ll simply observe that there’s plenty of room for character development. Also, peculiarly, each chapter has its own title, and, contrary to the engrossing historical spirit of the narrative, some echo contemporary memes, such as “Don’t Know Much History” and “Trapped Between the Moon and New York City,” which feels incongruous.

This is the first installment in the author’s “Journey of Cornelia Rose” series. I expect the characters to grow as their adventures continue, and the scenes of their future exploits to be as vividly rendered as those herein.

[J.P. Barnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flirtation on the Hudson is a delightful read about a young upper class woman trying to make her way in the 1850s aristocracy of the Hudson valley. She's defiant and independent with a love of dancing and a reluctance to do things just because she's told. I really enjoyed my time with the main character of Nellie, with each reading session another adventure in her coming of age tale. The historicity of the novel is top-notch, putting me right into the time period and teaching me things I didn't know before about the era. Flirtation on the Hudson reminded me of Bridgerton or the classics such as Little Women. It's a low stakes yet poignant window into the world of one outstanding woman trying to make sense of the world.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, as an audio book. i don't think I'd be able to read it, physically. a lot of old timmey words that would cause me to pull out my hair and not finish the book. As an audio it's an incredible book! Again, I absolutely loved it! can't wait to listen to this other books in the series.

[Joan]

This lovely novel takes place in the 1800s right here in Ossining and the area - West Point, Verplanck... Author Collen did her historic research and makes places and buildings come to life - the Campwoods grounds, Brandreth pill factory, Sparta cemetery and more. Check it out!

[Raoul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the mid 19th century history of Ossining, NY and the upper Hudson River Valley.

[Doreen J. Ginipro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Read

This novel has excellent historical content. The author makes her characters come to life while at the same time providing historical insights. I cannot wait for her next book