This was a cute historical romance about 3 friends who go on an annual trip but have to detour this time to rescue an old friend and her sister from a rascal. They end up staying in a run down castle with the sisters after their rescue. They all become good friends and a romance blooms between 2 of the characters.

I'm not one to usually read books from a male protagonist POV. However, Earl's Trip was surprisingly delightful and a breath of fresh air. To be a period piece that includes positive male relationships with a level of openness we don't normally see from the male POV - it was very well done! I'm excited for the subsequent books in the series.

For the Bridgerton lovers - this is a must read!

Earl’s Trip is perfect for lovers of Bridgerton! This book perfectly filled the hole that’s been in my heart since I finished reading the Bridgerton series. I honestly really enjoyed everything about this book. I was a little worried at first because what I thought was going to be the main conflict wrapped up really early on, but the rest of the book unfolded in such a beautiful way that felt perfect. All of the main characters were very developed and I felt very invested in their friendship. I really enjoy dual POVs, especially in romance books because I like getting to be in each of the characters heads and this book definitely delivered. I loved the transparency with which the male friend group discussed their platonic love for each other. A lot of the ideas that the characters in the book felt very modern but I loved their inclusion nonetheless because they were still hypothetically realistic ideals that people in the regency era could have held.

I would definitely recommend this book to people who enjoy regency romances, friends to lovers, and found family! I can’t wait to read more of Jenny Holiday’s books! Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

This book was a pure, Regency-era delight! This storyline had a clever premise mixing a manly getaway, two unexpected female interlopers and all that could possibly occur during their foray in a borrowed crumbling castle. The book was a total hoot but at the same time managed to tug on my heartstrings. I not only adored Arch and Clementine, but the male friendships and the deeper sisterhood that comes from the trip.

There is so much sweetness (but also some spice, which I'm more of a closed-door kind of gal,...) The aha moment Arch realizes he is in love with Clementine! And vise-versa...there are so many deep, insightful moments, and how our couple gains clarification/advice from their inner circle...sweet sigh. I loved so much about this book (other than the sisters' father-boo hiss!)

I can hardly wait to see who the next book focuses on....

4.5 stars

I love a historical romance, the feeling of being transported back in time. It was well written. It was fun with the humour and light hearted. But I felt like something was missing for me. I am obsessed with the cover, definitely an eyecatcher.

Earls Trip was a perfectly fine book. If you’re a big fan of historical romances, I think you’ll enjoy it. I liked the friendship between the three men. Personally, I felt it was a little too slow, and the modern elements mixed in with the historical elements felt a little jarring. I will say I am OBSESSED with the cover; I think it’s so cute.

I love historical romances, but I will admit I was hesitant to try this one because the description sounded a bit cheesy. I was feeling better about the book when I started reading it, because it started fast and fun and seemed less cheesy than the description. The characters were unique and different from each other, which I thought was interesting and different. Unfortunately, I hit the middle of the book and found myself bored with the book. I was close to DNFing not because the story was bad, but because I just wasn't interested in picking it up. I did keep going, however, and it was a fine book.

I did like some of the more forward thinking themes being explored in a historical romance - such as women being "ruined" or vegetarianism. Unfortunately, I was hoping the vegetarianism would have played out a bit differently. The FL was a vegetarian and the ML was a hunter/meat lover. I would have understood him just giving up hunting, but the ML and vegetarianism felt a bit forced.

Overall, an okay book that I am sure others will enjoy, but just not my favorite. 3 stars.
Thank you #Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a huge fan of Georgette Heyer, the apex of Regency romance writers, and this is very entertaining but quite far from a Regency romance as there's some part which are a bit not historically correct.
The characters could be real as it was an age when some very innovative people lived (just think about Mary Shelley and her circle of friends in Geneva).
I had fun, liked the characters and I'm curious about the next instalment.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was such good fun, and such an easy, enjoyable read! If you need a regency escape (and love the friends to lovers trope) with some modern humour thrown in (if the punny title didn't give it away), this is just what you need! Thanks to the publisher for an early copy.

Dear Jenny Holiday,

Earls Trip is the first historical of yours I’ve read; to date, all the other books I’ve read of yours have been contemporary. I’m a big fan of your contemporary novels. They’re auto-reads for me (or auto-listens, as the case may be), so I was keen to read Earls Trip.

Unfortunately, I didn’t connect with the story as much as I wanted to. I think maybe your historical voice doesn’t work as well for me as your contemporary one does. Or, perhaps it is that I kept hearing your contemporary voice in a historical novel and it didn’t fit. Something like that anyway.

There were parts of Earls Trip I enjoyed (more particularly in the last third of the story which I won’t go into here because spoilers) but overall it wasn’t a book which wowed me. It wasn’t bad; I just couldn’t get all that excited about it. Which is definitely not what I said about Canadian Boyfriend recently, for example.

Archie and his BFFs, Simon and Effie, are remarkably evolved for white, wealthy, male, historical nobility. They openly talk about love and (at least in this universe) Simon coins the term “found family”. Clementine and to a somewhat lesser extent, her sister, Olive, also felt more modern than the setting did. It’s certainly not unusual for modern sensibilities to be explored in historical romance; most recently I’ve read Sarah MacLean doing exactly that, quite successfully for me, in Bombshell and Knockout. But in Earls Trip I felt a kind of dissonance about it. On the other hand, all of the main characters are misfits of a sort and I do relate to that. There ought not be anything objectionable about a more emotionally soft and fluffy earl but for some reason I couldn’t get that to fit neatly in my head with the otherwise Corinthian pursuits Archie had (boxing, hunting, shooting, for instance), including his sexual experience and expertise. Archie was both very in touch with is feelings. His mother has dementia – perhaps Alzheimer’s although of course it was not called that – and almost never remembers him anymore and he is openly distraught by this and not remotely “stiff upper lippish”. He is very freely affectionate with his friends Simon and Effie), but he’s quite clueless about what he feels for Clem. Again, it seemed a bit incongruent to me.

As is usually the case, I didn’t refresh my memory on the blurb before I started reading. I was a little surprised by how quickly the initial scandal was resolved. The purpose of the scandal seemed to be more about getting the five young people together in an isolated location for a fortnight than that it was intended to be the central conflict. There is perhaps a question about whether it was entirely proper for the two sisters to be alone with three bachelors for two weeks but if it raised issues for anyone, nobody objected. Once the group arrived at the castle, the book started to settle out for me however. I enjoyed the renewed friendship and affection between Clem and Olive. I liked that Clem’s example challenged all of the group to consider forgoing meat at least sometimes but also how she did not berate others for being carnivorous. Given Archie’s love of hunting and eating the results of the hunt, the idea of a “meatless Monday” (my words not from the book) was particularly difficult for him but in the end he respected Clem’s vegetarianism (or perhaps veganism?) and Clem herself sufficiently to make significant change freely and with no whining.

The humour is sometimes fairly broad – for example there is a phallic topiary garden at the castle. Sometimes it worked for me, sometimes it didn’t.

I wanted to like Earls Trip more than I did. I feel bad that I couldn’t quite connect to it. But I found myself avoiding rather than wanting to make time to read and that is always telling. As I write this, the early Goodreads reviews are rating the book at 3.89 so I may be an outlier.

Grade: C+

Regards,
Kaetrin

I’m always hesitant when authors make the leap between contemporary and historical romance, Jenny Holiday’s contemporary voice blended well to the historical boys road trip story in her latest release, Earl’s Trip.

The Earl of Harcourt needs to get away and the annual Earl’s trip couldn’t have come any sooner … too bad he has to take a detour with his friends to help his wayward former friends and neighbours, Miss Clementine and Olive Morgan from their own adventurous folly!

Harcourt makes quick work of finding and rescuing the Miss Morgans, and it’s decided that their motley crew of three Earls and the two misses will continue on to the Earls trip and allow the scandal to dissipate on the ladies adventure.

Originally trying to segregate themselves from the ladies, the Earls attempt to continue their holiday as planned… But with Miss Clementine on his mind, Harcourt can’t stop thinking about the friendship and camaraderie they used to share and the sparks that have started since their reunion…

I’m not usually a big friends to lovers fan, but I really enjoyed how this one played out and the authentic progression of the lost friendship and connection transitioning into a love match.

A major element of the story was the friendship between the earls and the relationship between the sisters. I appreciated how it wasn’t just a romance. It was about friendships and the connections people have and that makes life better. It was fun to watch the sisters reunite and come back together from a minor estrangement and the Earls continued to gang together to support each other.

I’m excited to see where Jenny Holliday takes the series next as she continues with the Earls and I hope to see more trips and more shenanigans!

Earl’s Trip by Jenny Holiday is available now!

I think that the concept of the story is interesting, but, at least for me, it didn’t completely deliver. All in all, I liked the novel. Especially, I enjoyed the close friendship between the three male characters, Archie, Simon, and Effie, and their easy banter caused a lot of comedy. However, I think the pace was slow and I found it difficult to like the two female characters, the Morgan sisters, especially Clementine who was too arrogant and irritating for my taste.

At its heart, "Earl's Trip" is a celebration of seizing the moment, taking risks, and opening oneself up to the possibility of love. Holiday deftly explores themes of self-discovery, forgiveness, and the transformative power of connection, creating a narrative that is both heartwarming and uplifting. The book is a charming and enchanting read that left me with a smile on my face and a longing to pack my bags and set off on my own adventure. Jenny Holiday has crafted a masterpiece that is sure to captivate romance readers everywhere. Great for anyone in search of a feel-good story with plenty of heart and humor. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington Booksthrough NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you so much!

Archie and Clementine grew up together but haven't seen each other for about five years. Still, when her father sends him a letter asking for help, Archie is ready to ride to the rescue. He even drags along his two best friends because they're supposed to be on their annual "Earls Trip" (only two of them are earls, one is an heir.) They seem surprisingly okay with detouring their trip to help rescue Clementine who is hell bent on rescuing her sister, Olive. Then all five trundle off to continue on the earls trip. Without chaperones. To a house that has a bunch of bushes in phallic shapes.
I've only read contemporaries by Jenny Holiday and those a generally fairly fun. This book, though historical, still has those contemporary beats. If I had thought or known to expect an overlay of contemporary banter, ideals, and jargon over a historical setting, I think it would have made the book more enjoyable for me.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out April 23, 2023
ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own
Archie and Clementine grew up together but haven't seen each other for about five years. Still, when her father sends him a letter asking for help, Archie is ready to ride to the rescue. He even drags along his two best friends because they're supposed to be on their annual "Earls Trip" (only two of them are earls, one is an heir.) They seem surprisingly okay with detouring their trip to help rescue Clementine who is hell bent on rescuing her sister, Olive. Then all five trundle off to continue on the earls trip. Without chaperones. To a house that has a bunch of bushes in phallic shapes.
I've only read contemporaries by Jenny Holiday and those a generally fairly fun. This book, though historical, still has those contemporary beats. If I had thought or known to expect an overlay of contemporary banter, ideals, and jargon over a historical setting, I think it would have made the book more enjoyable for me.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out April 23, 2023
ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

This was a hilarious romp, and perfect for those who love rom coms and bridgerton! I am so glad Jenny Holiday has dipped her toes into the world of historical romances, this was such a delightful read!

Genre: historical romance with contemporary vibes
London, 1821

“What happens on Earls Trip, stays on Earls Trip. Usually.” Thus sets the tone of the adventures of Archibald Fielding-Burton (Archie), the Earl of Harcourt and his friends Simon Courteney, Earl of Marsden, and Edward Astley (Effie), Viscount Featherfinch. Every year, the friends take a trip together. There are some rules - no more hunting after Archie accidentally shot Effie when he thought his plumes were a wild animal, for example - but this is largely a responsibility-free getaway. Except this year, Clementine and her sister Olive, old neighbors of Archie’s, have themselves in a spot of trouble. Olive appears to be eloping with Clementine’s fiance, and now both girls may be ruined, and at the request of their father Sir Albert, Archie and his friends are off to the rescue.

What a fun read! I enjoy Jenny Holiday’s contemporaries and was delighted to discover she had a historical rom-com. This book puts the com in comedy: it's entirely modern and tongue in cheek in a late Georgian setting. It starts out with a quote from Ted Lasso, and that sets the tone. Holiday leans into this tone, which works well, because the book never masquerades as something it's not. If you can't handle overly modern language or sentiments in your historicals, stay away, but if you want light hearted fun, fresh characters, and an enjoyable trip, this is for you.

I’ll be excited to see where this series goes, as there are a lot of possibilities for great character development. The friendships in this book are just as strong as the romantic relationship, and I know they’re all going to continue to get up to no good!

1821

It is time for the eighth annual Earls Trip and three good friends are preparing to enjoy their two-week sojourn. this year, they are bound for a castle in Cumbria.

Archibald (Archie) Fielding-Burton, the Earl of Harcourt; Simon Courteney, the Earl of Marsden; and Edward (Effie) Astley, Viscount Featherfinch, are riding along when their carriage is stopped by a messenger from Sir Albert of Parliament. It appears the his daughter, Olive Burton, has run off to Scotland to marry Mr. Theodore Bull, a true scoundrel. Not only that, but Olive’s sister, Clementine, has left dressed as a man to find and rescue Olive. Now, Archie has been asked to find both girls. Rather than Archie go alone, the three friends decide to go together on this mission. Finding the sites and rescuing them, they all head to the Earls Trip destination in Cumbria. There, the big discussion appears to be that the sisters are vegetarians and the men enjoy eating their meals of meat. This causes some tension among them all. But soon, old friendships lead to something more serious. Could someone find love?

This book was difficult to get into. The prose is of another time period making it somewhat difficult to follow. Because of this, I found my mind wandering at times. I admit I was tempted to DNF this one but I hate to do that so I persevered. As it got toward the end, things picked up a bit and as I really liked a previous book by this author, I decided to be kind and give this book 4 stars. But, the middle of the book took a lot of determination to get through. Good luck with this one.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

If you love regency romance with a bit of a modern twist - you'll probably love this one. Ride along with three Earls on their annual boys trip - their trip goes astray when they rescue two ladies from a near marriage gone wrong.

I'd read Canadian Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday and really enjoyed it. So I thought this book would be an immediate love. I'll say that this one didn't quite hit the mark. It felt slow for me. The writing style had the regency vibes but also modern and for some reason my brain just didn't flow page to page. I didn't fall in love with any of the characters as I'd hoped. I had some affection for the sisters strengthening their relationship within the book.

I give it marks for being different with lighthearted romance.

First time reading this author, regency story with modern feel catchs me up. Some moments are wonderful, others a bit slow, but in general, I enjoyed this book. Love boys vacation trip and the stories around that, specially with the girls. Huge fan of friends to lovers trope.
Hope can read more of this author.
Thanks Kensington Books for the copy of this book.

I didn't like this book. I liked the setting, characters, and storyline, but it was just too slow for me, and I really wanted to like it because I liked the characters so much, especially the guys, but it was not to be.

My favorite part of the book was the healthy relationship between Archie, Simon and Effie. It's not something you see regularly and they were not the typical 'alpha male'

For the slow pace, more than 50% of the book had passed before the characters 'found' each other