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

Earls Trip

By Jenny Holiday- never read author

Rating: 4/5 ⭐

Page Count: 368

Setting: London 1821

Publication 4-23-24,  Read4-24-24

🙏🏾 Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Kensington Books for this ARC💚! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

🤔 What to Expect: 

*Historical Romance
*Friends to Lovers
*Found Family
*Damsels- in- Distress
*Male friendship
*Sisters

⚠️H mother has dementia, h parental death- in the past, H/h not virgins

Summary: Three friends Archie, Effie, and Simon get together every year for two weeks and go on a "guys only" vacation. Things don't go has planned this year when Sir Albert, an old neighbor of Archie's, asks him to rescue his daughters Olive and Clementine. Olive ran away to marry Mr. Bull (Clementine's ex), and Clementine followed to stop her. Archie and his friends escort them home, but Archie and Clementine rekindle their friendship and more.

🎭The characters:

*Archibald "Archie" Fielding-Burton/ Earl of Harcourt- His mother Miss Brown doesn't remember him, requires a caretaker. His father Charlie is deceased, wanted Archie to be more competitive.

*Edward" Effie" Astley/ Viscount Featherfinch- a little flighty, an artist. He has a long lost love no one knows about.

*Simon Courteney/ Earl of Marsden-the serious one of the group. He works in Parliament.

*Clementine Morgan-Was with Mr. Bull, but her sister Olive eloped with him. She dressed as a man, doesn't wish to marry or have children, and is a vegetarian.

*Olive Morgan-runs away with her sister's lover to marry him. She is a little spoiled, but her and Clementine become closer on the trip.

*Sir Albert Morgan- Clementine and Olive's father.

My Thoughts: I loved this friend trip and how they all become family. Archie and Clementine were childhood friends when they lived next door to each other, but lost touch. Archie rediscovers who Clementine is- a strict, vegetarian, feminist. Clementine offers Archie a "friends with benefits" as her last "hoorah" before becoming a spinster, but Archie wants more from her. Effie was chaotic, funny and so relatable, I can't wait for his book!

Unfortunately I DNFed this book. I found the characters insipid and I could not handle them. I did not find this book to be as billed a mashup of "Bridgerton" and "Ted Lasso". I did not think this book achieved that at all.

Happy Pub Day to this book🥳. Thank you so much @netgalley @kensingtonbooks @holymolyjennyholi for providing me with the ARC of Earls Trip! I THOROUGHLY enjoyed myself🥰.

Summary: set in the early 1800s, Clementine finds herself in a bit of a..situation...so her father enlists the help of Archie to help her out. Archie is about to go on an annual trip with his friends, & now his plans are diverted to help his childhood friend. What comes afterward is such a cozy, wholesome story that'll make you giggle & squeal a LOT 🤭🙈🥰.

On to the review!
I am a lover of all things romcom, but I'm sooo picky & I've been craving one set in the past - this is hard to come by with my requirements. This one DELIVERED 💯👏. I was SO obsessed & was giggling right from the start🤭. The writing, simple, yet exquisite🤌. The setting sooo cozy omg🥹, I'm such a sucker for cozy vibes in a story lol.

What stood out to me the most in this book were the characters. I literally cannot get enough of them! I love love Clementine, her cheerfulness, love for nature & science, it was all bleeding through the pages and straight into my heart🥹🥰. And then there are the men😭🥹🤌. Where does one find such SOFT men?! I don't mean just the romance, which btw was everything😭🫣🙈🥰 it was such a perfect slow burn, the way the characters don't even realize they're in love😭 I really really didn't want the Earls Trip to end. What I want is more time spent in a rundown castle, during the Autumn of the 1800s, with Archie and the whole group, racing turtles & such (you should read to find out🤭). This was one of those books where I wish I could reread it for the first time over & over again,

About the men though - AHHH they are SO SOFT😭🥹. I really don't know how else to describe them😅. This is a true found family, where their love & understanding for one another cannot be described through words alone. It made me reflect on my own friendships & how thankful I am to have this type of love with a handpicked few🥰.

ANYWAY. Go grab this book right now, you will not regret!!

3.5 stars

I’m the type of person who constantly has songs stuck in my head. While they range greatly, there are a few that are in there over and over. One of them is the song Sisters from the film White Christmas. Not only is the dedication of this book lyrics from that song but there is a chapter named after said lyrics. Needless to say, that song has been on a continuous loop in my brain all week!

As for this book, it had its ups and downs for me. To start with, the characters are all amazing. I couldn’t love Archie and his friends more. And while it seemed at first as though Clementine’s sister was going to be a hard sell, that wasn’t the case. I found this story fascinating when this quintet was together in the same room. I loved their camaraderie and the inside jokes the men shared. I loved that Clementine and Olive could let go of formality and be themselves with them. Also, when Clementine and Archie spent time alone it was magic. They were the best of friends when children and delight in reconnecting. They bask in the realization that they still find great comfort in each other’s presence while also noting the differences that have come about over the last few years.

The problem was I didn’t feel they got to spend enough time together. Seriously, these two didn’t kiss until three-quarters into the book! While there is a definite attraction between Archie and Clementine, they are strictly renewing their friendship and keeping any lingering thoughts to themselves. In fact, they rarely see each other for the first half of the book due to the circumstances that brought them together. It was too much for me and slowed the story, which started strong, to a crawl at times.

Once Clementine and Archie finally kiss, the story picks back up and the last quarter of the book is wonderful. I especially love the scene leading up to their declarations of love. So touching and beautiful.

Right now I don’t see this story listed as part of a series, but there was a reference that there will be a teaser chapter to Effie’s story in the final draft of this book. (BTW, how magnificent is the title Manic Pixie Dream Earl?) There is enough given in this story for me to have me invested in the rest of the quintet’s stories, too.

Earls Trip by Jenny Holiday
Historical romance.
Three Earls take an annual two week vacation. Archie, Simon and Effie have been friends since childhood. As a way to deal with their stress and everyday burdens, they take turns choosing a vacation spot and escape. This year, a messenger intercepts them on the way out of town, asking for Archie to rescue Olive and Clementine Morgan from a ruinous scandal. He, of course, rescues them, but returning them home would take up most of the two week planned get-away. So instead, the five travel to the remote, crumbling, and borrowed castle on the edge of Scotland, to relax and rejuvenate with strict instructions that the women remain out of the way so as to not bother or ruin the men’s escape.
Needless to say, separate areas of the castle doesn’t end up working and they all find deeper friendships in the end.

Humorous, delightful and adorable. A slow burn blooming friendship, multiple times over between the group, with Archie and Clem turning into a deeper bond of romance. Vegetarian cooking and leaking roofs add depth and color. A story you will love. I hope this is the beginning of a series as I’d love to revisit with these friends.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley

A guys road trip turns into a rescue mission in this adorable friends to lovers rom-com! The book had a modern feel especially with the premise of a boys trip. Jenny Holiday brought humor and wit to this tale. I enjoyed reading the romance of Archie and Clem! My only word of warning is that the beginning is confusing due to all the nicknames being used.

3.5 stars

Jenny Holiday's "Earl's Trip" is an absolute delight from start to finish! This charming romantic comedy had me grinning from ear to ear and laughing out loud with its witty banter, endearing characters, and swoon-worthy romance.

From the moment I met the main characters, Archibald Fielding-Burton (Archie) and his two friends Simon and Effie, I was completely drawn into their world. Holiday has a remarkable talent for crafting characters that feel like old friends.

But what truly sets "Earl's Trip" apart is its humor. Holiday's sharp wit and comedic timing had me giggling uncontrollably throughout the entire book. From hilarious misunderstandings to clever one-liners, every page is infused with laughter and joy.

"Earl's Trip" is a must-read for fans of romantic comedy. Jenny Holiday has crafted a story that is equal parts hilarious, heartwarming, and romantic. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for allowing me to read this ARC.