Elfreda Marsden has grown up a love of history and antiquities thanks to her grandmother and father. She wants to be officially recognized as an archeologist, but male-dominated society won’t consider it. Elfreda is determined to complete her own dig and procure timeless artefacts to prove she has what it takes as a female archeologist. When Elf discovers an Anglo-Saxon relic near her estate she must try to convince her newly returned neighbor and nemesis Georgie to let her use their land. As the two come together to search for the hidden treasure Elf and Georgie realize the facades each have been putting on for society and family have been grossly misjudged by the other. As Elf and Georgie slowly reveal their true selves the closer they come to finding the treasure. Will Elf finally be able to pave her way one of the first female archeologists? Will Georgie tire of the countryside once their adventure is done and head back to London?

I fully connected with Elf with being socially anxious and getting tongue tied in a group setting. I also understood Georgie just wanting a place to belong and feel accepted. I will read any historical romance Joanna Lowell writes, not only for the sweet and sensitive romance but because of all the historical detail and research she includes.

I liked this but I didn't love it. Unfortunately, I can't quite put my finger on what it was that held me back. Maybe there wasn't enough conflict or the pacing was too slow? I'm not exactly sure.

I really liked Elfreda and Georgie. Georgie is so exuberant and rushes in and just enjoys life. It's refreshing because I am so opposite to that haha. Elfreda is shy but passionate about her family and archaeology. She is determined to make a discovery that will earn her a spot in the local archaeology society. At first, it seems like Elfreda and Georgie couldn't be more different and they do get under each other's skin. But over time, we see how well they actually complement each other. And the other characters are a delight as well - Phipps, the twins, Agnes, Mrs. Alderwalsey. I think the twins were my fave because of their antics.

Overall, I would recommend this one if you like historical romance, opposites attract, and/or second chance romance.

Thanks to Berkley for the free advance copy!

The beauty of this queer historical romance is that Joanna Lowell's written it in a way that really makes the love story feel possible.

Thank you to @BerkleyRomance, @netgalley & @joannalowellauthor for the free #gifted copy of this book! All opinions are my own.

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: A Rare Find
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Joanna Lowell
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬:368

𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
𝙀𝙡𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙖 is an archaeologist who is working under her fathers name with the Society of Antiquaries. She is the oldest of 4 daughters and has to often take care of her younger sisters since both her mother and grandmother have passed. She found some of her grandmothers riddles that give hints as to where the Vikings have hidden their treasures/artifacts.

𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙞𝙚 is Elf’s neighbor and childhood nemesis. She is the opposite of Elf in almost every way. She is a loud, adventurous spitfire who is sent back home after some drama in London. Georgie is non-binary and has been in love with her since they were kids. Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding she was thought to be mean and hurtful to Elf

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐡𝐚𝐬:
Historical Romance - Regency
Small Town
Enemies to Lovers
SlowBurn
Found Family
Sapphic Romance
Treasure Hunts
Dual POV

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝:
• Beautiful Cover
• Great side Characters
• I loved how Georgie explained the “they/Them” pronouns
• Grandma’s riddles/clues for the treasure hunt
• I loved the cozy feel of it all
• Fantastic ending

𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: I really enjoyed this book! It is the first book that I have read by Joanna Lowell and I cannot wait to read more! I do feel that there were a few pacing issues and at times I was confused as to who was telling the story but I loved the historical accuracy. The only thing that I truly did not like was Elf’s father. He was horrid - I hated that he took credit for her work, how he treated his children and how he did nothing to fix the home that was literally falling down around them. Overall, this is a lovely summer read that has some great character growth/discovery and lots of great banter!

𝐂𝐖: Sexism, Misogyny, Child Neglect

A Rare Find by Joanna Lowell is a standalone novel that celebrates queer joy, following the story of Elfreda (Elf) and Georgina (Georgie)—neighbours whose childhood rivalry evolves into understanding, attraction, and love.

There is so much to love about this novel. Lowell excels at demonstrating that queer people have always existed in our world. Being LGBTQ+ is not a new way of being, nor is identifying as non-binary. By setting her characters in the Regency period, she highlights how they navigated a society that did not accept or sanction them, finding ways to live authentically while remaining safe within restrictive norms.

I really appreciated how Lowell explored Georgie’s non-binary identity. Learning about the evolution of they as a singular pronoun was fascinating. Having a non-binary family member, I’ve become accustomed to they/them pronouns in speech but seeing them used consistently for a character in writing took some adjustment. However, it was well worth the effort to fully embrace Georgie in the way they were meant to be seen.

Elf’s journey was equally compelling, particularly her awakening to her feelings for Georgie and her growing awareness of her place in the world. The subplot centred on Elf as an aspiring archaeologist—dismissed and diminished because of her sex—effectively underscored the constraints placed on women within the patriarchy. Watching Elf and Georgie join forces to validate her grandmother’s discoveries, as outlined in her journal, was enthralling. The search, the discovery, and its aftermath all served symbolic purposes that I deeply appreciated.

What I found somewhat lacking in this novel, however, was emotional depth and connection. At times, the pacing felt off, reading more like a historical account than an emotionally charged love story. I wanted to experience more of the characters' emotions firsthand. That being said, the ending was outstanding and truly made the story shine. I also thoroughly enjoyed the historical notes.

Overall, A Rare Find is a recommended read. It’s groundbreaking and illuminating—borrowing a term from the historical notes, it’s “edutainment” well worth exploring!

This was a nice quick read, but ultimately it didn’t pull me in like I would have wanted.

There was some fantastic queer representation in this book, which I really loved. It was cool to see how someone like Georgie would have navigated the world with their identity in this time period. I loved the conversation around pronouns that they had, and about how to some they may not seem important, but how much they can affect a person.

The treasure hunt aspect of the story was a fun inclusion, and I thought it was well paced, but what I was missing the most was tension. I never fully felt that pull between the two main characters, so overall the book fell a bit flat for me.

Ooh this was a delight. I instantly connected with Elfreda and fell for her passion and determination to reach her goals. And then in strolls (or lunges really) Georgie and I knew there would be a lot of fun trouble ahead. Despite what drove Georgie to return home, their ability to make anything and everything seem light and fun and nonchalant made this book such a breeze to read. The banter between Elfreda and Georgie never let up, even in the most disastrous situations, and they way it led to longing and passion made this book feel cozy at all times. It was quite a slow burn, though being inside each character's heads made it feel less slow and honestly I appreciated how quickly they did share their attraction especially in this time when it could be so dangerous to do so. I love how safe they both felt, and how all the queer characters made it feel like a cozy, happy, safe place to be who they are. The sisters and thwarted suitor made for a lot of levity and there were plenty of laugh out loud moments. This book is both fun and tender. I really loved all the historical notes and setting and even the discussion on why learning about the past is so important to Elfreda in the way she understands the present.

Slow burn enemies to lovers (and neighbors). I enjoyed having a nonbinary MC in a historical. I appreciate Lowell’s low stakes adventures. I was very frustrated by Elf’s horrible father. This was fine.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC!

I loved Joanna Lowell’s A Shore Thing, so I was super excited to get my hands on an early copy of A Rare Find. A Rare Find is a gentle, easy enemies to lovers romance. This book was rather heavier on history than romance, and I found it to be a bit slower than Lowell’s other works. I did find myself rooting for Georgie and Elf, and I loved the cast of secondary characters. As per usual, Lowell’s author’s note is excellent, and includes a love letter to historical romance in addition to tidbits about the history of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

I read Joanna Lowell’s last book and was so excited for this one! I need more and more queer historical romance! I’m also a sucker for friends to lovers. This was more friends to rivals to lovers, but I love it all. I love Joanna’s blend of historical context and romance. I always learn a lot from these books and I’m always interested in how real it feels. This was just as good as the last and I’m excited for more!!

I have quickly become a fan of Joanna Lowell's queer historical romances and especially her author's notes.
Elfreda Marsden wants to become a member of the Albion Archaeological Society, and she's been working with her father for a long time in an attempt to earn her membership. She finally has a breakthrough on their property that she believes will cement her place in the Society, only to have the chance ruined by the return of her neighbor Georgiana Redmayne after years of absence. Elf is convinced Georgiana has returned simply to vex her and be in her way. Georgie has returned home after a disastrous end to an engagement, and they've spent the past years learning a lot about themself and who they are. Georgie promises to help Elf gain her rightful place in the Archaeological Society, and upends a lot of assumptions Elf has made about life in the process.
I loved the way Georgie found ways to express who they are that felt completely natural for the historical setting while still allowing for the fact that the terminology we have now wouldn't have existed at the time. I also loved Elf's introduction to queerness and the expansive possibilities of life outside the structures of her historical society and the ways that also gave her power to divest from her dreams of joining a men's society and instead dream larger. Elf and Georgie's journey from neighbors at odds to reluctant allies to lovers was incredibly charming. While the plot of this one isn't as page turning as A Shore Thing, offering a much more pastoral and character driven arc, I was still eager to see the end of their story.
I do feel there are a number of loose ends in this one, and it isn't quite as easy to tie up with an HEA due to the historical parameters on Georgie and Elf, i was satisfied with their happy-for-now and know that they'll continue to strive to live and create the lives they want to be leading.

A delightful book. I read and loved A Shore Thing and was so excited to find out that Joanna Lowell would be doing another queer romance. As in A Shore Thing, A Rare Find weaves a fun time with touches of queer history and queer normalization for the time. Elf and Georgie were the best kind of estranged best friends to lovers. They had such shared history that they knew exactly which buttons to push while simultaneously being constantly reminded why they were friends in the first place. Their chemistry was delectable and their ability to truly be themselves with the other person and to have that person see them was so joyous to witness. And Georgie's group of all-queer friends? And they say historical romance isn't realistic.

I hope Joanna keeps giving us the queer regency romps we need.

4.5 rounded up

A Rare Find by Joanna Lowell is a charming and fun queer historical romance with a treasure hunting twist. Elfreda is a determined, awkward archaeologist who just wants to be taken seriously. Georgie, their childhood rival, is stylish, flirty, and hiding deeper feelings. When an ancient amulet is lost, the two team up to find Viking treasure, and maybe love along the way.
I loved the mix of humor, romance, and real emotion. Elfreda’s passion for history was inspiring, and Georgie’s charm made their growing bond so entertaining to read. Their chemistry felt natural, and the slow burn build up was totally worth it. The historical setting was rich but easy to follow, and the conversations around gender and identity felt modern yet believable for the time.
This was a lovely, lighthearted read that still had depth. Perfect for fans of historical romance who want something inclusive, warm, and adventurous.

This was such a lovely historical romance! I LOVED all the history references and the plot was very unique and fun, the romance was also really heartwarming and well done. It was a bit slow moving at times, but overall I deeply enjoyed this!

P. S. Don’t skip the authors note!

*I received an arc in exchange for my honest review*

A sapphic romance that was everything light, bright, and sparkling— with a treasure hunt! A Rare Find felt like a frolic more than a romp.... if that makes any sense whatsoever, and the way Joanna Lowell treated queerness felt relatable to a 21st century reader, but you could also imagine people back then having these nuanced conversations and complex feelings on gender and sexuality.

Elfreda is having a tough time all around— she manages a crumbling household, a narcissistic intellectual of a father, and three messy sisters. She dreams of discovering a hoard of Viking gold, but her naivete in believing that a roomful of men will happily accept her anthropological contributions is tough to stomach...

...Which Georgie recognizes immediately (they uses they/them pronouns, and there's actually a great dialogue on pronouns in the English language early on in the book), because they're socially canny in a way Elf is... not, but they have their own reasons for helping Elf find the treasure. I LOVED the low-grade tension between Georgie and Elf, due to a series of childhood misunderstandings (and an almost-kiss??)— it's humorous if not fairly relatable, considering Elf was basically the local weirdo growing up, and Georgie was the popular one who ran off to party it up in London the first chance they could.

The interplay between the socially-awkward, earnest Elf and the rakish, enormously charming Georgie is a delight, especially as they begin their hunt for the artifacts and enter this very ambiguous state of "hey we're friends now but also.... KISSING friends??" It's not that they don't... recognize that being long-term partners is an option (there's definitely family precedent there), but it takes longer for them to realize they want permanence in each others' lives.

The sex:

Elf proves real fast that she's a virgin who *can* drive— the poster child for "it ain't much but it's honest work", complete with a facesitting moment(!!)— before Georgie does what rakes do best, namely, taking the reins and being all "it's MY turn now". It takes a little while to get to, but once they get going, all bets are off.

Overall:

Joanna Lowell is writing the kind of historical romance that's VERY accessible to people new to the genre, and perhaps more specifically those who feel historical romances are only about cis-het white people. And it's genuinely such a fun book— light and romantic, if on the sweeter end of things. I'd go as far as to say I'd recommend it to anyone new to the genre who'd like to begin their historical romance journey.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Rating: 4.25/5
Heat Level: 3.25/5
Pub Date: June 10th

I cannot think of a more perfect book to read during Pride than A Rare Find. This book exudes queer joy. It is the childhood rivals to lovers, swoony, tender-hearted, funny, quirky cottage-core gender-fluid romance you need to add to your bookshelf.

As a novice antiquarian (see archaeologist), Elfreda Marsden exudes Woman-fighting-an-uphill-battle-against-the-glass-ceiling™️. Her father uses her discoveries for his own advances and yet she still idolizes him, Elf is expected to take on all the motherly duties for her siblings with little respect, and she is brushed off when she attempts to validate her Grandmother’s papers and research. Add to that, Elf’s childhood antagonist, Georgina Redmayne has returned to Twynham and causes her to lose her most recent find. I loved the initial enemies-to-lovers tension between Georgie and Elf that plays out so beautifully as Elf discovers her impressions about Georgie were wrong. Several of the characters in this book are queer and exist in the most natural unquestionable and uncomplicated way that permits Elf to discover she too is queer, and that’s OKAY. Queerness felt personified as cozy; a warm blanket and a cup of tea that just exudes comfort. When Elf makes a discovery under the wisteria bower, she not shocked so much as intrigued and she begins to see everyone around her in a new light.

Lowell excels at writing small town romance. There is so much humor and joy in every side character from Mrs. Alderwalsy to Charles Peach and his dimples, to the ferocious wolves living as little twin girls. It was so easy to fall in love with the people of Twynham, (save one or two) and I felt like I was on the adventure hunt for treasure just like Georgie and Elf. And the prose? Simultaneously magical and exquisite the way so few words can be used to express an emotion or thought. I fell for this book in the best way and it’s already been frequenting my thoughts since finishing. I received a copy from the author, all opinions are my own.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Steam: 🪭🪭.5️⃣
Period: Regency Derbyshire
Vibes: 👌👌👌👌👌

love the vibes! the characters were so fun (great cast of secondary characters, too) but the story dragged a bit.

4 stars and my thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Elfreda Marsden has made the discovery of her life: an ancient amulet that might prove a Northman army camped near her home before moving on to continue pillaging England. When her neighbor and nemesis Georgie Redmayne bumps into her and the amulet is lost, the two have to team up to find more of the treasure so that Elf can be taken seriously as an archaeologist and Georgie can escape the country life back to London.

I was immediately drawn in to this book solely on Elfreda and her narration. She was smart, savvy, and just desperately wanted to be taken seriously in her field. An almost impossible task in a time when women's only profession in pleasant society is one in the home. I just wish she could have stood up for herself just a little bit more. Been a little bitch about the fact that it was all HER find.

Georgie took a bit for me to get into mainly because I couldn't really get their motivations. They've always been in love with Elfreda? I kind of didn't buy it. But god, once the two got together, fireworks. I loved their relationship, their partnership.

This was a beautifully executed romance. We have childhood enemies, Elfreda and Georgie, disastrously meeting again as adults back at their neighbouring family homes.

Elf is a studious archeologist. Her father is awful. A self centred know-it-all who takes credit for Elf’s archeological work.

Georgie is a chaotic and endearing character who charms everyone she meets.

Their story is lovely as they slowly open up and get to know each other better. And excitement abounds as they search together for a hidden ancient hoard.

Their friends and family (apart from the father) are delightful.

I love Joanna Lowell’s story telling and her author’s note is, as always, well worth the read.

✨Do you remember when you were a kid you liked someone so much that every time you’re around them things just never went your way?

Or am I the only one who had (or still has 🤪) this kind of luck?😅

In A Rare Find by Joanna Lowell, Georgie Redmayne experiences this often when it comes to her neighbour, Elfeda Marsden, She’s always trying to get her attention, but always failing and making herself look like an arrogant show off! Definitely not the way to your loves heart!❤️

Thus, Elfie is under the impression that she and Georgie are enemies (!!! News to Georgie!)… that is until Georgie returns to the countryside from galavanting across the London social scene on a forced rustification and proximity and the little force by Georgie pushes them together! It’s enough for Elfie to start thinking maybe they’re not enemies… Maybe there something more!💕💕💕

This was a delightful enemies to lovers romance with fun and unique characters. Elfie dreams of being finally recognized for her archeological finds, and getting the respect and recognition from her father and other archeologists was a great contrast to Georgie, the carefree and popular socialite. They made a perfect opposites attract pairing and really brought out the best in each other.

This was a cozy stand alone read that’s I highly recommend you pick up next week after it’s released!