DNF @25%

This one just ended up not being for me. I thought I would have enjoyed it since I do love birds but there was a lot of jargon that I didn't understand the writing itself was hard for me to get into. I do think that people who enjoy Emily Wilde's will enjoy this one!

Title: Ornithologist Field Guide to Love by India Holton
Publication Date- 07/23/24
Publisher- Berkeley
Overall Rating- 4 out of 5 stars

Review: Review copy given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by India Holton and it won’t be my last. I really enjoyed the writing, it was a lot of fun to read. My current soap box for romance, for my own taste, is plot > smut, *for my taste.* Ornithologist Field Guide to Love, was just that. This book has a very solid plot, it’s engaging and fun. The only thing that would have made it a five star instead of four, for me would have been if it were slightly more adventurous. Now, with that being said this book is still a damn good adventure.

Ornithologist Field Guide to Love combines regency romance, historical romance and fantasy. Both main characters have well developed personalities. The bird aspect is very heavy, however I liked that because it felt like it was something outside of the romance and also brought the characters together. It was really fun to learn about the different types of birds and have that combined with fantastical elements. This book isn’t too serious but has enough weight to the plot to keep you wanting more. I look forward to continuing the series in the future!

An international contest to locate and capture a magical bird pits ornithologists against one another in a madcap race across England. Beth and Devon are at the front of the pack--both young, attractive, and exceptional. As they and others decipher the clues and follow the trail of the magical bird, players behind the scenes pull some strings and plant obstacles in Beth and Devon's path. But are those behind the scenes seeing to hurt or help--or perhaps play the role of matchmaker?

I was initially at a loss, feeling like I'd been dropped into the middle of a scene or story. While it was a temporary disorientation, it did hamper my enjoyment at first. But, as I followed Devon, Beth, and the ruthless cast of fictional ornithologists from France and through England, I warmed to the characters and the story. India Holton crafts her lead characters with humor, cleverness, and humanity.

The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love reminds me of the lightning-fast and witty banter of the Gilmore Girls, if one replaced pop culture references with ornithological ones and planted the town and characters of Stars Hollow in 1890s England. Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the complimentary e-copy in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.

The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love was an absolute delight. I loved India Holton’s Dangerous Damsels series so I was very excited to read this one and was not disappointed! It’s just as whimsical, magical, and charming as her past work. It had me giggling and grinning over the sweet romance and fantastical adventure of it all! Can’t wait for more in the series!

This story is a mix of comedy, hijinks, mayhem, magic, romance, backstabbing, plotting, adventure, and language only geniuses understand.

I loved Devon and Beth. They made an intriguing pair for the contest and I enjoyed the background plotting to get them together.

The Victorian era and tea breaks were right up my alley.

My favorite line in the book was:
Good grief. Why do people have to people?

Because, same....I think the same thing often.

I'm a backyard birder and enjoy romance, so I was excited for this one! The beginning is so cute, but even in the first quarter the plot is already being sacrificed for steamy moments. I don't see anywhere in the description that this is a romance-heavy, smutty romance. I will read books with sexually explicit content, but I like to know beforehand and I don't want it to be the backbone of the characters, plot, and action. I'm dnf'ing this book at 30% because it's annoyingly, increasingly lusty inner monologue and close encounters. Not to mention, all the birds are magical so it's not actual ornithology. The reviews for this one are all over the place, so it seems like it's not summarized well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an e-arc to read and review voluntarily.

This is a hard book to review. I really liked the characters and the humor. I just found it very verbose and hard to finish. However I am willing to check out more from the author, or even give this book another shot in the future.

This is my first Holton novel (and glad to hear there will be a second in the series it seems?).
What I liked/loved:
- The characters were adorably charming and funny
- All the whimsy birdish feelings (if you're remotely a millennial birding girly, I do feel like that goes a long way to loving the story even more)
- There was some plot to keep things moving along, but the romance was at the heart of the story
- The vibes overall were somewhat reminiscent of Emily Wilde (but think ornithology instead of faerie prof.)

What I didn't like/love:
- I wish there had been a bit more plot (or at least a bit more substance to the plot, though it was fast-paced and I appreciated that too!)
- Honestly I'm not quite sure what else?

Overall: Absolutely loved this little rom-com with some bird brain behind it! I will be looking forward to the next one and can't wait to read it!

The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love is an over-the-top, adventurous romp with a sweet romance. I loved the banter between the two main characters and the slightly magical regency world. There were two side characters that toed breaking the fourth wall and felt like the readers' voice in the story. It was fun to see what they would concoct next. If you enjoy a rom-com set in regency Europe with unexplained magic and many hijinks, you may like this story.

If you liked Holton’s previous books, you’ll like this—it has the same charming, irreverent energy, set on birdwatching.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the eARC!

India Holton’s Dangerous Damsels trilogy are some of the most enjoyable books I’ve read, and this book did not let me down. I’m very excited to keep reading this series. Like her previous books, The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love is absurdly funny, whimsical, and charming.

Something I love about Holton’s writing is her balance of total farce with a completely earnest romance. An anxious and lonely introvert finds love with someone who not only brings her comfort but meets and challenges her on an academic level, while a man who has always been told that he’s too much finds the one who holds him steady. Holton is unmatched when it comes to witty banter and sexual tension; mere horse mounting or hand-kissing here is more blushworthy than many an open-door scene.

The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love is all the more enjoyable because Holton clearly has a blast writing it, from her bottomless supply of puns to the meta references to romance novel tropes (I cackled when I got to her version of “one bed left at the inn”). My only complaint is that the ending felt quite rushed–I would have liked some more time between the climax and final chapter. This book was a hoot! India Holton truly brings romance to soaring new heights!

One of the cutest romcoms I’ve ever read!! It had me laughing and blushing and highlighting the whole time. 10/10 would recommend to anybody looking for something cute, cozy, romantic, and a smidge magical. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

I am a big fan of India Holton's Dangerous Damsels books, so I was really thrilled to get an ARC of this one. I enjoyed it, but it was not as magnificent as the Dangerous Damsels in my opinion. The Ornithology community in this one was a bit over the top to me, and it all felt a little silly (and this is coming from someone who loved Dangerous Damsels). As usual, Holton nails the romance and the character development, but I just didn't love the side characters and the world building. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't what I was hoping for.

I was so excited to read this book. The cover caught my eye and then I read the synopsis and immediately wanted to start reading it. The few days of waiting to see if I would be approved to read it were killing me. When I finally got it, I was escatic. And then I started to read it...

I really thought that this was going to be a somewhat easy read. It's about birds so I understand that there's going to be bird terminology and I don't really know that much about birds. But I still figured I would be able to read this book. No. I didn't understand a single word of what they were talking about. There was so much ornithologist jargon that it made it impossible for me to read or even enjoy.

I'm so upset by this because it sounded like such a good book. I recommend if you read this, you should study birds for 5 years first.

Also, a little side note. I couldn't tell what year this was set in. Because they were talking and acting like it was like 1800s-1900s but then all of a sudden, Beth's parasol had a propeller attached to it and they were flying through the air. I was completely taken by surprise when that happened.

This was more delightful, wacky fun from India Holton! If you loved the Dangerous Damsels series, you'll probably love this. Lots of hilarious hijinks, a sweet romance, and all the cozy vibes. Plus the academia commentary was spot-on. I really loved all the snarky asides in this one.

Two brilliant ornithologists struggle to keep their hands off each other while searching for a rare magical bird. This novel was laugh out loud funny in parts, but I got tired of the repetitive romancing.

𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝐵𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙊𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙞𝙨𝙩’𝙨 𝙁𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙙 𝙂𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚
𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 1: 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚’𝙨 𝘼𝙘𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙘
by India Holton
384 pages
Due July 23, 2024

Thank you to the author, @berkleyromance and @netgalley for the opportunity to read this before it was published.

I love imaginative and fantastical stories with a blend of historical fiction and helicopter parasols or flying houses or magical birds being rounded up by adventurous and eminently courteous ornithologists. (with British accents). If your up for these kinds of fun shenanigans and a slow burn, proper romance, you should pick up any of India Holton’s fiercely fun books, but especially this one.
Read this:
🪄if you believe in magic and the fantastical
🦜can handle a Indiana Jones style quest for magical birds
🇬🇧 with some proper English fun - think well mannered Regency escapades
👩‍❤️‍👨 👩‍🏫👨‍🏫open door steaminess between the academics
🌶️🌶️🌶️ open door and hot

This is one for my readers with vivid imaginations who can appreciate some madcap Regency style adventure with a steam punk vibe. In other words, just the kind of place I like escaping to.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars

#bookreviews #newbooks #arcreader #arcreview #currentlyreading #amreading #bookstagram #ornithologistsfieldguidetolove #indiaholton #reading #romancebooks #historicalfictionfantasy #historicalfictionbooks #fantasybooksk

If I could go anywhere in the world it would definitely be India Hilton’s mind!! This was such a fun and unique read. This book was so wacky and hilarious I couldn’t stop laughing out loud. It was truly a joy to read.

AND THE ROMANCE!!! Ahhhh!! SOO GOOD! It had me giggling and kicking my feet. I love mutual pining and when they’re clueless just how much the other person is obsessed with them. It gets me everytime!!

In this book the two MCs are in a competition to find a rare (and magical) bird to win the title of “Birder Of The Year” and I loved being introduced to all of the different types of magical birds I thought it was so fun! I do wish we got to know more of the world in general we were brought into we were just kind of thrown into it with no guidance. Overall this was such a delightful book and I will definitely be looking out to see what India writes next!

3.75/5 ⭐️
I’m having a hard time deciding how to rate this. On one hand it’s fast paced and filled with some pretty funny dialogue. Although it’s slap stick, unseriousness is something I kind of have to be in the mood for. I think I could’ve been if maybe it was formatted a little differently. Like I kind of wish there was less head hopping. But more so I wish the secret PR agents thing wasn’t happening. Because of them manipulating everything, the two main characters lost a lot of agency. While in the Hunger Games there is little agency too and the constant threat of the field changing and manipulated, both in the games and real life, everyone is aware of this possibility, thus giving agency back to the characters as the buck against it. Because of all this manipulation, events and set backs felt like plot convenience.
Overall, it was fine and at times enjoyable. I definitely think this can be enjoyable to anyone that likes lighthearted, silly stories. However, if you’d like your plot to be less convenient and the historical etiquette to not be cherry picked, I would advise reading other reviews before making a decision to read. Not bad, but in my opinion, could’ve been exceptional.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

This historical fantasy has a sweet romance between two rival ornithologists as they search for a magical bird. This is a fun rivals to lovers romance full of humor and adventure and it was truly enchanting.

Beth is an Oxford professor of ornithology who is traveling with Hippolyta, a famous ornithologist and author in search of magical birds. They are in Spain tracking a deathwhistler and just as they are ready to swoop one up, Devon, a Cambridge professor and ornithologist, beats them to it and then the handsome devil pauses to smile at Beth! He is there with his associate, Herr Oberhufter, a fellow birder and High Flier of the Year. Beth and Hippolyta are outraged and try to shoot them but someone has removed their bullets so Beth tries to stab Devon with her parasol. Ornithologists can be ruthless.

The following week Beth and Hippolyta are in France at a bird lecture. when chaos breaks out. The International Ornithological Society (IOS) announces a contest to find a caladrius recently sighted in England. . Whoever finds it will win five thousand pounds, and will be named International Birder of the Year and if they are professors they’ll be given tenure! And so the adventure begins as the birdwatchers rush to England, many of which are ruthless competitors that will resort to blackmail, theft and bribery to find the magical bird.

Hippolyta and Oberhufter scheme to cause Beth and Devon to miss the ferry to Dover. Devon comes to Beth’s rescue and they jump onto a fishing trawler that delivers them to Dover. From there they travel together in pursuit of the caladrius. It’s fun where there is only one horse for them and only one room left at the inn with one bed. Devon is smitten with Beth and admires her intellect and kindness and when she puts on her spectacles, he wants to kiss her. Beth thinks he is handsome and a genius.

There is a plot line that felt a little awkward where two publicists for the IOS believe if Beth and Devon fall in love it will increase applications to Ornithology programs at the colleges. But it's fun when journalists begin to follow Beth and Devon and crowds cheer them on. There is hilarious banter and many wonderful characters that help them along the way.

I love books with humor and adventure and this lighthearted story kept me smiling. I recommend this to readers who would enjoy a historical romance with humor and magical birds.