Do you ever see an author’s name and immediately know the vibes? That’s an India Holton book for me. I knew from the moment I opened to page 1 that I was in and India Holton book-quirky characters, fantastical plot, romantic tension and a good dose of adventure.
FMC Beth Pickering is the youngest professor at Oxford University and a woman (circa the 19th century)! As an ornithologist she actively researches birds and comes to a head with our MMC, Devon Lockley during a hunt across England for a rare bird to earn ornithologist of the year. Of course the birds have magical powers, duh! This is India Holton, people! As the two competitive souls race to win in this cut-throat race they keep getting thrown together.

I really enjoyed this adventure.

I would suggest added this book to your TBR! Thanks to Berkley for the advanced copy.

I like birds as much as the next person, but I never imagined they could be this much fun!

The blurb describes this as a historical-fantasy rom-com set in 1890’s England with shades of Indiana Jones, as it involves a madcap dash by a group of competing ornithologists to be the first to safely deliver their version of the Holy Grail: a rare magical bird called a caladrius while avoiding both human and magical bird peril. The prize offered by the British Tourism Board and the International Ornithological Society? The coveted Birder of the Year title, 5,000 pounds and a tenureship for any professor who wins. However, when it comes to birding … no one plays fair!

Prim and proper Beth Pickering and roguish Devon Lockley are Ornithology professors at Oxford and Cambridge, respectively. They’re also rivals in this new competition, but someone needs to remind them of that, as they seem to spend as much time watching and trying to capture each other’s interest, as they do the magical bird at the center of the competition! When, in the course of events, they find themselves under attack by a succession of less than friendly birds, such as a Rabid Flesh-Eating Lapwing, Frostbird or Whopper Swan, they band together to stay out of harm’s way. Ironically, the birds aren’t their biggest worry, as it’s their fellow ornithologists and those behind the scenes who pose the most danger!

As these two capture the attention of the media and the romantic imaginations of the public, will their relationship take flight or will the wings of their budding relationship be clipped? I can assure you that this story left my heart soaring! Beth and Devon are a couple I won’t soon forget. Beth’s hilarious mistranslations of French and comical politeness regardless of the situation had me giggling throughout, and she and Devon’s chemistry and banter was delightful. Side characters like pretentious Hippolyta Quirm, whose entertaining quotes begin each chapter, press agents Monsieurs Fettick and Flogg, the French fishermen and the sisters Fotheringhman were a hoot as well.

In the first of the Love’s Academic series, new-to-me author India Holton has written a book that’s so full of charm and witty humor that even the villains were fun to spend time with! Her prose is gorgeous, the world she’s created with ordinary humans using some extraordinary tools (example: helicopter parasols … how cool is that?!) and interacting with magical birds is so richly imagined that I would’ve enjoyed staying there even longer. I listened to this on audio while reading along, and the narration by Elizabeth Knowelden was stellar. This is a book that I would HIGHLY recommend listening to!

I don’t typically read historical romance or fantasy, so I give major props to Holton for writing a story that left me eager for the next in the series! Side note:

★★★★ ½

This was such a different book and it was so well written. You felt like you lived within the pages of this novel

I love love love India Holton, and this book is just the vibe I was expecting from her. Cozy and witty and fun.

This book was so much fun! Charming and witty and full of wry humor. It didn't feel like it had as much plot as the books in Ms. Holton's previous series but I didn't mind it. It was a madcap adventures and those are fun too.

I loved the magical birds, the insane chase across the county, and of course the rivals to lovers romance that I simply adored.

I can’t wait for Gabriel’s story!!

Beth and Devon, rival ornithologists, run across several unexpected challenges are they race to capture an endangered caladrius bird. They never expected to end up having to work together to try and win the competition, and much less expected to fall in love in the process.


As a long time fan of India Holton, I knew this would be a fun and magical read. I enjoyed the unknowns surrounding the caladrius competition and how Beth and Devon began to question the intentions behind the competition. I was left wanting a little more from the romance between Beth and Devon. Their attraction felt a lot like "instant love" and didn't really create tension between them. However, variations of the "one bed" trope kept teasing the reader throughout the story.

I love India Holton's comedic style - there's something very whimsical and ridiculous about her comedy, and ORNITHOLOGIST didn't disappoint. I didn't think I'd enjoy this book, because birds give me the heebie-jeebies, but most of the birds in this novel were magic, which made them fake, and I can handle that!

Our protagonists, Beth and Devon, didn't quite knock Alice and Daniel off their pedestal for me, but they came very close. Their initial meet-cute/meet-ugly cracked me up, and when Holton was poking fun at some of the traditional romcom tropes, I felt like we were in on the joke as the reader. At heart, I think this is just a fun jaunt around Europe in search of a magical bird, and two lonely scientists finding love in someone who can truly understand them and all their quirks.

This series opener was light hearted, sweet, and absurd in a slap-stick monty python comedy sort of way. Victorian rival ornithologists compete in a contest to find a rare bird with magical properties, although the entire competition is revealed to be elaborate marketing scheme to increase applications to collegiate ornithology programs. They soon team up due to extraordinary circumstances and a media plot that frames them as being lovers competing together. They actually fall in love with each other along the way. I enjoyed the silly hijinx and peculiar side characters. I giggled my entire way through the book.

What more could a reader desire than a dashing hero and a demure heroine meeting through a twist of fate and proceeding along on a dashing adventure together? Why a whole host of characters who make you laugh so hard you snort tea up your nose (most unpleasant, thank goodness it had cooled) and bird puns by the flock! India Holton's wit and humor abound in this new frolicking adventure and, as usual, she does not disappoint.

So fun! As one of the blurbs said, India Holton is the master of the romp! I loved the Dangerous Damsels series and was sad to leave those characters, but all the best of India Holton remains in this new endeavor: humor, heart, adventure, witticisms, and such a singular voice. I think audiences will adore Beth and Devon and this world of magical avians and bonkers ornithologists.

Every India Holton romp grows more adventurous & spellbinding—and this is no exception. If you enjoyed Wisteria Society and thought, “Gee, I could really use some academic spice!” Well look no further. Instead of piratic scoundrels there’s devilishly good looking smarty-pantses. Instead of wielding swords, there’s books! And birds! As with all of Holton’s works, this is a screwball comedy with layers of wit (and feathers).

Ali Hazelwood but make it cozy fantasy. A really fun STEM enemies to lovers romance that had me giggling and kicking my feet.

I enjoyed the fantasy world and the poking fun at academia. Good characters, fun plot. The glib and clever writing style personally wasn't for me, but I think it has great appeal for fans of that atmosphere and I will definitely be recommending it to patrons.

The author's writing style is very captivating from the get-go. It's cartoonish, charming, and it balances academics with romance fairly well. This author has a very strong grasp on her style of writing and the characters she wants to portray.

However, this unfortunately doesn't save it from getting bland as you progress through. As entertaining as it is the first quarter of the way, the actual events in the book weren't very interesting and the dialogue gets stale. A lot of it is characters running all over the place, them happening to run into each other, repetitive flirting and jabs between the leads, padded with "I don't think he/she actually likes me..they're too hot/smart for me", even though they're very clearly about to rip each other's clothes off.

This book could have been shorter, and because it dragged on for so long it became very hard to progress.

First, thank you to the publisher for the chance to read this book. Classic India Holton, wacky premise which turns into a wild adventure. Didn't know I wanted to be an ornithologist. LOL

The birds earned the three stars. Alas, I didn't get a feel for the period, and the plot seemed to be slapped together. A lot of busy running about that really wasn't necessary, and little character development. Gorgeous birds, though!

I am so. dang. OBSESSED. This book was an utter delight from start to finish, further cementing India Holton as a must-read author.

Beth and Devon are literally PERFECT for each other. Reading both of their perspectives was so much fun because not only are each of them distinct and completely lovable, they are also soulmates for each other in every possible way. I was living for the way the author created parallels across both POVs in the character’s ways of thinking.

It wouldn’t. be an India Holton book without hilarious chaos. From the witty characters to the cutthroat ornithologists, I was laughing from start to finish. I love the way that Holton creates a mix of fantasy and romance within a historical setting, it makes the story feel like something wholly unique.

I didn't read the description of this book well because I was a little surprised when the birds in the book were magical. But, after getting over that and understanding this book is a bit of a steampunk, victorian romance I liked it.

The characters in the book are good and it's a quick read as they race around in a contest looking for a rare bird. The spice in this novel is moderate. Overall, I liked the characters and writing enough that I would read the next book in this series.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

HILARIOUS. I really don't need to say more, but I will. I enjoyed India Holton's other series, but I think this book was funnier than the others. I liked the adventure, the romance, the snark. *Chef's kiss.* Highly recommended!