Here is my review of earls trip by Jenny holiday! Thank you net galley and Kensington books for allowing me to have an arc review of this book! I gave it 3.25 stars ⭐️

What happens on Earl's Trip, stays on Earl's Trip." What a promising start! LOL

I was lucky enough to get an ARC on Netgalley and "Yes!" I was down for this adventure. First off, this cover might be my favorite romance novel cover EVER. It's just gorgeous and I love looking at it. Would it be weird to frame it?

In this first installment, of what I hope is a very long series, three affable Earl-bros head out on road trip and end up riding to the rescue of some damsels in distress. I love this premise for a spicy historical romance!

Clementine and Olive Morgan are his childhood neighbors, but they've always been friends and felt like sisters to Archie (The Earl of Harcourt). Now they've gotten themselves in trouble with a rogue vegan and Archie's been asked to divert his road trip with his buddies to rescue their reputations. Hilarity and sweeping romance ensues. Swoon!

This book is simply charming. The characters are all so loveable that you'll wish you were part of the group. If you like friends-to-lovers tropes, turtle races, good kind men, strong female characters, and slipping around in silky dressing gowns, this is the holiday for you! This was my first Jenny Holiday book, and it won't be my last!

As soon as I saw this book on Netgalley I knew it HAD to read it, and I’m so glad I did! I’m a sucker for regency era books after gobbling down all the Bridgerton series and this hit the spot.

This book had a more modern feeling twist on the typical regency era book, having the male characters take an annual “bros trip”, and it was very refreshing and enjoyable.
Their plans get derailed a bit, but in the best way and we meet even more characters to fall in love with, the Morgan sisters.
This was technically Archie’s book, but we got a significant amount of the others that I’m very much looking forward to their books as well.
All the characters were so real and likable and it was so much fun to enjoy them reconnecting whether it was between the two sisters, the disconnected childhood friends, or the three best friends who use this annual trip to strengthen their bond.

Friends to lovers is my absolute favorite romance trope so of course I ate this all the way up. It was so perfect, I love Archie and Clem so much. My only wish is that it hadn’t been as closed door.

This was an amazing romcom, especially for regency era lovers. I absolutely cannot wait for the next in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Books, and the author for this ARC.
Publication date 4/23/24

This was just okay for me. I had a really hard time getting through it, and I'm not sure why. I really wanted to like it more than I did, but it was a 2.5 for me. I have already ordered it for my library and can think of several patrons who will really enjoy it.

This was my first foray into Jenny Holiday’s work and what a romp it was!

The Earls in question, Archie, Effie, and Simon have such a lovely dynamic between them, and I know we’ll see that develop as the series continues. Archie is obviously the favourite in this book, but Effie?? He’s a goth poet with a flair for the dramatic, of course I’m going to love him! As for the Morgan sisters, Clem and Olive are the epitome of sisters with an age gap (and I can speak from experience): clearly different interests and coping mechanisms, but surprising similarities. “We think and we act as one,” indeed.

I commented on another recent read that I want more romance books that favour the male POV, and while both Archie and Clem have POV chapters, Archie is really the star of the show here. We love to see it.

One thing that’s taken me out of a few other recent historical reads has been anachronistic moralities and sensibilities in the narrative and this book handled those really well - vegetarianism, to be specific.

All in all, would Earls Trip again!

We both really, really loved this low-angst friends-to-lovers Regency romcom!!! Clementine and Olive, sisters, are rescued from ruination by an old family friend and end up crashing a boys' getaway. Archie (aforementioned old family friend) and Clementine were close as children, but the death of her mother and his father led to a gradual distancing between the families. Now, though, thanks to the close proximity of the Earls Trip, Clem and Archie get to spend more time with each other, deepening their friendship and finding new points of connection.

Archie is one of the sweetest MMCs I've ever read: his greatest quality is that he's a truly decent person who loves his friends for exactly who they are. This book is friends-to-lovers and it's a romcom, but Jenny Holiday brings a good helping of heat, as well. I also teared up on at least two occasions. This one hits all my sweet spots and I'm so glad to have read it! Really looking forward to the full series and more historicals from Holiday.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC in exchange for a honest review!

I was really eager to read a Regency-era romance, but I think the modern take on this one didn't work for me. It felt a little to forward with some of the agenda that was brought in throughout the story. I had a difficult time liking Clementine. I think if two people are meant to be together, that it shouldn't require you to change things about yourself. My husband is a hunter, so maybe the theory of making him change that for me is what I couldn't get passed. Overall, this was an okay story, it just wasn't my cup of tea.

It is 1821 and the Earl of Harcourt is about to depart for his annual two week "Earls Trip' with two close friends when he is asked by a close family friend if the Earl would please go rescue the older man's daughters. This begins a truly delightful romcom. At its core Earls Trip is a friends-to-lovers historical romance, but it is also about found family, and how to build grown up relationships with school friends and siblings. The romance is touching, the comedy is excellent, and the balance between the two makes for a wonderful reading experience. There are a couple open door spicy scenes tastefully done, but also easily skipped if not to the readers taste. Highly recommend!!

I found this book to be really engaging and I loved the premise. I'm a sucker for .historical romance so this story was right up my alley. I am looking forward to reading other books by the author.

I am giving this book a 3.75 for me. I will say what I expected going into this book and what I read for me didn't quite match up. The tag line was Ted Lasso meets Bridgerton for a 19th century spin on The Hangover. While I admit I don't understand the ted lasso reference I do understand the Bridgerton and hangover references. So, I was expecting the Bridgerton vibes of buildup of sexual tension broken up with comedic moments and the Hangover wild antics (modified to be appropriate for 19 century) of a guy's trip. At the start of the book, I will say there was a lot of promise of meeting that expectations as for me it did start off with a bang. But then once they get to the country vacation house it just slowed down and hit a lull for me. The middle just became the same routine of the girls having a moment reconnecting then dinner where Archie was wishing Clemintine was at dinner with them then maybe the guys having a after dinner session and then archie and clem having a secret moment watching the stars. This just slowed down the whole book and didn't have the aforementioned feel of it. Felt a little dull.

Now it did pick up a little when Clem decided to propose an interesting proposition to Archie if you catch my drift ;). Which before that the book was standing at a 3.5 for me so it did start to pick up but at times there were still slow moments but that's probably because I kept waiting for things to really pop off because again of the hangover tie in. So, I just think what I expect not being quite what I got did play a factor into my rating. I will say also there was one part where I did DNF the book. It was during one of the slow books and I was just feeling meh about it and then there was one passage in the book towards the end of chapter 13. While I understand what the author was trying to say it just felt very off-putting to me "she was tempted to point out that just because a woman had aversions-or preferences, for that matter- it didn't mean that a man need heed them. In fact, most men found the aversions and preferences of women to be completely irrelevant." this was in response to Archie saying he understands Clem's aversion to marriage and will respect it. But the first part of that passage where it said that "it didn't mean that a man need heed them" came off as don't accept her no because she really means yes and the woman is just playing hard to get and that Clem even agreed a little (I could be reading that part completely wrong), and I think this point could have been made with just the sentence she was surprised archie was respecting her preferences because most men found the aversions and preferences of women to be completely irrelevant. So, for me since the book was meh and that line I did almost dnf the book. But I was 70% in, so I was like let me just finish it I made it this far.

After that scene is when things did pick up and towards the end, I did almost shed a tear where there was a touching moment between Clem, archie and archie's mother. So that is why I landed on 3.75 becuase the book did pickup and that one scene really hit for me.

As to the characters I loved Archie. I thought him a man ahead of his time and even our time as he was in touch with his emotions and expressed them to his friends who he cared for very much, he did respect Clem's boundaries even with this he might not agree with or understand as it pertained to her vegetarianism and he even made sure to get her consent anytime they were together and even during those times asking is this okay with you so checking in that she still wanted to do it. I very loved him as a character. Now, for Clem I liked her but at times I didn't really like her. She was very nice and firm in her belief which I can like and respect but at times she very much preachy and judgy about others who eat meat or Archie's favorite pastime of hunting. At no time was she ever pressured to eat meat by those on this trip but anytime anyone else was eating meat or talking about hunting she did come off judgy. Archie wasn't just hunting for sport and fun he actually ate the things he hunted so it's not like they were going to waste but anytime he mentioned this hobby which brough him great joy she had to try and make him see her viewpoint as to why it was wrong. So, while I did like her at times I also at times did not enjoy her. I did like male friends of Archie and found them to be a hoot.

So overall this book wasn't what I expected going in and it did hit a lull in the middle for me but the beginning and end I did enjoy, and Archie was a great MMC.

I did receive an ARC Copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoy a number of Jenny Holiday's books, including most recently, Canadian Boyfriend so was intrigued when I saw her write a histrom. I thank Netgalley and the Kensington for the the advanced copy to express my opinions.
First off, I love the concept of the story with a Boys trip and also the modern feel and cheekiness to the chapter names. I enjoyed all the nuances of each character and how they were all quite unique and had hints of neurodivergence. The book seems to go from light in its concept but very deep and serious in its execution and thoughts. There were a lot of wonderfully comedic moments with the characters which I loved. What I didn't love was the rambling nature of the book. There seemed to be too many thoughts and of the same sort quite often, which I think could have benefitted from maybe some more editing? It sort slowed the pace down a lot, especially when there seemed to be a lot of action in certain parts of the book and then totally die down. I think it may have been Ms. Holiday's change in style to try to suit the Regency era, which I think is unnecessary. I also was driven a bit mad with Archie and Clem's cluelessness, and I didn't feel that yearning from them like I have from other books. I loved the found family for each of them and each character, including the secondary ones, seemed interesting of their own accord and offering hints of more. I'm glad to know this is a series though, as I believe that the next one will be even better, and am looking forward to Effie's book.

Steam: 🔥
Heart Flutters: ...

I tried to read this several times and I just couldn't get into it. I thought the beginning was a little too chaotic with the characters and jumping right into the plot before I could get a bearing on what was happening. I'll try again- maybe I was not in the right mind set when I read it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this, it was a fun and silly little historical romance. I liked all of the characters, the humor was great and the romance was really well written; a very good slowburn friends to lovers story that left no doubt that they were meant for each other. I would absolutely reccomend this to fans of Bridgerton or historical romance in general. Publication Date- April 23, 2024

This book was such an interesting take on the Regency-era romance, and the best friend trip plot was something that reeled me in from the start. I thought the characters were fun and well developed, and I especially loved Clementine's personality come through throughout the plot. It read like a modern day novel, with the frills and fancy of the time period, so I really liked that aspect of the story and the writing. My only issue with this book was that I felt it was a slower start to get to the page turning point, but it was still a lovely read and was definitely different from what I've read before. Thank you very much to NetGalley and the author!

Where are the stakes? And no, I’m not talking about the sirloin variety🥩

Earls Trip is a historical romcom staring three friends on their yearly “bros” trip. Before they can even get started, they are tasked with extracting their childhood friends from the clutches of an unsavoury, absolutely in it for the money, “gentleman”. Afterwards, the sisters join them for the remainder of their trip.

I could not get invested in the romance and I also could not figure out the external plot to help move the story along. My interpretation of the stakes was so low that they were non-existent but it may not be for others.

There is a lot of talk of vegetarianism in the regency area so if you have a special interest in the topic, you will likely get more from this story than I.

Additionally, if you were a fan of Netflix’ 2022 Persuasion modern makeover style of classic elements, Earls Trip would definitely enter the chat.

As it was, this one wasn’t for me but it has some rave reviews on GoodReads so be sure to check those out.

Earls Trip will be released this coming Tuesday, April 23rd. I received this eARC from Kensington Books via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book delighted me in so many unexpected ways! I wasn’t sure what to expect at first. I’ve read a decent amount of Regency romance, and have sometimes felt like the genre was getting stale. This book felt fresh and original, offering a new perspective on the opulence and traditions of the era. Here are some of the things I loved:

🌳 The friendships - particularly the male friendships - were so heartwarming. I love a good bromance, and Archie, Simon and Effie’s friendship is so endearing. Their loyalty and willingness to be vulnerable with one another, so contrary to the oft-depicted stiff upper lip of a Regency gentleman, is lovely.

🌳 I appreciated that while this book makes no secret about being a romance novel, at its heart, it is so much more. It’s a love story about friendship, sisterhood, and the family that chooses us. The romance between Archie & Clem is a slow, slow burn, (maybe too slow? I’ll get to that later) which allows for the author to develop and explore the relationships between the other central characters. It’s filled with a deliciously simmering tension between the love interests, while also ensuring we’re invested in the growth and happiness of the others as well. It immediately left me wishing for a sequel (which is coming in 25!)

🌳 I laughed out loud constantly, and the humor never feels forced or anachronistic. Some of the funniest moments are found in the MCs familiar, witty banter and good-natured ribbing between the boys.

🌳 The thing that kept this from being a five star read for me was the pacing. The first and final thirds of the book shine, immediately reeling me in and ensuring I stayed up late to finish. But the middle third lagged, and I felt like there were a few scenes that slowed things down without contributing substantially to either plot or character development. I still absolutely adored the book and will be recommending it to romance lovers and skeptics alike!

💬 “I don’t want to tame you. I want to love you.”

✨ thank you to kensington books and netgalley for a copy of this arc! ✨

Thank you to the publisher for an ARC of this book. Adorable story about found family and finding love. Really great characters-and very believable issues dealing with a beloved family member with dementia, which of course they didn't have words for. That plot line really got me since it's something I've dealt with, also as an only child. I really like this author-and she's a versatile-her last book was a great contemporary read, My Canadian Boyfriend. If you want true Regency-this takes a lot of liberties, but if you enjoy fun takes on Regency definitely give this one a try!

This was by far the most philosophically inclined histrom I’ve ever read…

The story is about three best friends taking an annual trip to replenish their souls. Archie, Simon and Effie are very different in character, come with personal baggage and share everything. Together, away from society, they get to be their truest selves without judgement.
On their way out of town, Archie is asked to rescue Clementine and Olive, two sisters and childhood friends of his, from ruin. The men succeed in their mission and take them along since they’re already closer to their destination than to town. However, their presence changes the dynamic of the trip.

At home, Archie deals with his mother’s dementia as well as he can, and that part is very thoughtfully written and touching.
The brotherly bond between the men is delicious and hilarious. I really felt their unconditional loyalty and love for each other.
Clem is a vegetarian and is very adamant about that, to the point where it can get tedious (for me, a non-vegetarian, at least). She makes herself more of an outsider than she really is. She says people don’t know her, but she knows very little about them as well.
Olive, Clem’s little and somewhat spoiled sister, evolves beautifully throughout the story - there’s a lot more to her than I expected.

This story has a lot of deep conversations, emotional confessions, rooftop rendezvous, walks in the woods, a splash of humour, some nice steam in the second half and a turtle race. But where the main characters are essentially Clem and Archie, it sometimes loses its focus. It also takes the MCs an extraordinary long time to realise they’re more than long lost friends which leaves little room for romance. Mostly the story felt a bit long and slow in my opinion. It could do with a bit more spirit, but it was an agreeable read nonetheless.
⭐⭐⭐✨

I went into this book excited, and the story started on a high, enjoying the character's introductions and the chain of events that propelled the story to draw readers in. Not too far after the pacing lost its stride and moments lost momentum, leaving much to be desired. Though plot points perked the story back up, it would slow down again and become repetitive.

I absolutely loved Canadian Boyfriend and was very excited to get an ARC of Holiday’s regency romance. While the characters are fun (if a bit confusing with names, nicknames and titles) and the story interesting, it’s very long. The plot begins and ends with conflict and the middle brings the group together with a slower pace and lots of characterization. It made it hard for me to get through and I don’t think I will continue with the series.

Clementine was by far the star of the book. Her wild and carefree nature and love of outdoors made me love her and root for her throughout. I appreciated Archie’s constant steadiness to his friends and family. The secondary characters really fell flat for me which may have contributed to the book feeling long.