I read the dedication and then immediately went to Google manic pixie. I had no idea this was a thing, but it made instantly realize that I was going to love this book too. I couldn't ask for a better follow up to the first book in this series! The main reason I didn't love this one quite as much as the first is simply because I will be hard pressed to find another couple I love as much as I love Archie and Clementine. But don't get me wrong, Edward and Julianna (the two MC in this book) are a delight too. I love that their story got started anonymously and loved that Julianna took Edward's secret in stride. Most author's would have made that a deal-breaker and I'm glad that wasn't the case here. Julianna is kind and understanding and I really appreciated that about her. This book also took place during the annual Earl's Trip. And again we see the special brotherhood that these three friends have. There is nothing as touching as when Edward compares their found family to salt, strawberries, a leg of lamb and cream. :) It's just the sweetest thing!

Both the title and blurb from this amazing and delightful book by @jennyholiday hooked me and it was so refreshing and hilarious! I lived every second of this book and if you love a bromance, a romance, and LGBTQ+ characters in a regency setting where they go to the sea for an Earl's Trip (*Girl's Trip*), then this book is for you! Thank you @hambright for this amazing ARC!

Effie and his two best friends are going on their 1822 Earl's Trip to Brighton. They have rules, and whatever happens in Brighton, stays in Brighton. But Effie is also a poet and has been having a long-term condescendence with the editor if the magazine that publishes his poems, both of them becoming close friends. The twist? Her editor is a woman and she thinks Effie is also a woman. Until Julianna, the letter friend, comes to Brighton to meet her/him. The double twist? They are already in love with each other's soul. Would could possibly go wrong?

Favorite quote out of context:
✨ "Honestly, one's friend find one composing a sonnet naked in one's own bedchamber one time, and one never lived it down."
🌊 "Poor Effie," Archie said. "So handsome, and eligible and charming, you can't go anywhere."
✨ "If only one could bank kindness. Save it up when one encountered an excess of it, and pull it out later when it was in short supply. If that were possible, Effie would never run out."

Tropes include: ✨ Regency romcom/romance 🌊 Trip to the sea ✨ Bromance 🌊 LGBTQ leads ✨ Speaking parrot 🌊 Finding oneself ✨ Found family 🌊 Healing ✨ Great communication

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ / Spice: 🌶️🌶️ (open door but not too descriptive)

“A woman my age may be a spinster, a wife, or a widow. I wouldn’t mind being a widow, but not at the price of having being a wife first.”

I had a great time with Manic Pixie Dream Earl. It is a very different Historical Romance.
I adored the guys’ friendship, super healthy and supportive, not toxic at all, even though they love to tease each other. That found family is refreshing, that’s not something we are used to, and even less in Historical (I’ll for sure read the other books in this series).
The romance between Effie and Juliana was equally delightful. They talk and communicate a lot, are super open about their emotions and feelings. But they also respect the other’s needs and wants (even if that means they’ll suffer). Again, that’s something I wish I could read more often and the fact that Edward is demi-sexual was a true add-on to the plot. I also loved the Bi+ rep here.
Both characters have “daddy issues” even if it’s for different reasons, and –once again– the “gang support” was super nice. I truly enjoyed that “modern” (but, I’m sure, not so new) vision of the couple, and the “woman’s condition”, as much as the individual aspirations of all the characters, and loved that they had space to make it works outside the romance. As the book kept going, I was worried I would not like the ending (a bit too “providencial”), and once again the author surprised me. The beats are different here, which allows the resolution to have a true space, and the author to take the time to make it work.
If you like a cute –and steamy– romance, both Historical (with a few liberties) and with some feminine empowerment, and a healthy relationship, then this one might be the one for you.

Thank you to the author, Kensington Publishing and Hambright for the eARC via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

4.5/5

Manic Pixie Dream Earl is a sweet, quirky historical romance with a lot of heart. Effie is a lovable and eccentric earl who brings fun and charm, while Jules is more serious and grounded, their opposites-attract vibe totally works. Their romance starts with letters and turns into something deeper, even with a few bumps along the way. It dragged a little near the end, but the characters and unique story made it a really fun read!

Thank you Netgalley for an arc of Manic Pixie Earl Dream by Jenny Holiday

4.25 stars. This series continues to be delightful — we love a man with strong, caring friendships, who I willing to be emotionally vulnerable. This was a mistaken identity between two friends who had only previously corresponded via letters. What follows is a very tender romance, with both MCs being queer. Effie is very exuberant and a bit flamboyant, but a gentle soul. In manic pixie Dream Earl fashion, he collects quirks, has a pet talking bird, wears silly shoes, and is always down for a fun gambit. Jules, the FMC, is generally a serious person, focused on her business, but being with Effie helps her relax a bit and embrace some silliness. I felt it did drag a bit in the last 1/3, but overall I had a great time. With the fate of traditionally published HRs up in the air, I will say I plan to revolt if I don’t get Simon’s story, so make that happen, okay Kensington?

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for the ARC!

Manic Pixie Dream Earl is a sweet romance about an unlikely earl named Edward who has fallen for a journalist named Juliana. However, she believes she is exchanging letters with a woman! Once they meet in person, Edward must convince Juliana of his true regard for her while also overcoming her fear of marriage. Are they meant to be?

This was a sweet, cozy romance. I liked the characters, and thought it as great how open they are. However, it didn’t always capture my interest, and I found attention wandering at times. Still an enjoyable read and would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for access to an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

ARC Review ✨️

♡Loved it!!♡

Book two of the Earls Trip series was an absolute blast! I definitely need to go back and read the first book because I really enjoyed this one!

Edward is a poet and has been in love with Julianna, the magazine editor. The kicker is that they've never met, and Julianna thinks Edward is Euphemia, a female.

Julianna finds out that Euphemia is planning a trip, so she saves up money to go and surprise her so they can finally meet. When she arrives, they are both definitely surprised 🤣🤣🫣 Now they have to decipher what's true or not and if love is worth it.

This is the first time I'm reading this author, and I'm hooked! The banter, the plot, the twists, all of it was just so perfect. I read this novel way faster than I had originally anticipated because I just couldn't put it down. I craved more as soon as I stopped reading! With that being said, I'm going to be reading the first book asap!

Tropes:
✨️Mistaken identity
🖤Friends to lovers
✨️Regency era
🖤Cross-Class Romance

Thanks so much to the author, Hambright Pr, and Netgalley for the ARC!

✔️ Found Family
✔️ Secret Identity
✔️ It's Just Sex
✔️ Epistolary

Book two of the Earl's Trip series, this one focuses in on Edward, the creative of the bunch. He'a a poet and also writes an advice column in a ladies magazine. The problem? He's in love with Julianna, the editor of the magazine, sight unseen. The other problem? She assumes he's a woman. At least he has this year's Earl's Trip to take his mind off these problems. That is, until Julianna goes on holiday too, to finally meet her writer.

I enjoyed this one so much more than the first book. I think it was because the obstacles to the HEA felt big - there were more stakes.

I loved Edward from the start and seeing his group of friends support and advise him was exactly what I love in a fictional male friendship.

I loved the romance between him and Juliana and how vulnerable they were. I loved that Edward figured out what his boundaries were and effectively communicated. I loved Juliana parsing out her own self-sabotaging and finally getting to the point where an HEA is possible. This was a 5⭐️ read and one I am still thinking about.

Steam 🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕💕💕

This was indeed a fun and pleasant read. I enjoyed the vacation setting and watching the relationship between Julianna and Effie bloom into something more. The characters in this book are so open that it makes it easy to connect with them. The friendships forged and the found family is healing. Effie’s an heir and Earldom that doesn’t really want to be. He grew up in an abusive household, but he manages to remain positive and this is partly his personality, but also a result of the friends that he has in his life. I loved the reversed age-gap here. the only thing that bothered me was how incredibly stubborn Julianna was regarding her spinsterhood - I was clutching my kindle rather fiercely to prevent myself from throwing it across the room. However, that didn’t stopped me from being charmed and welcoming these characters into my heart.
I recommend this book to people that enjoy romantic historical fiction, especially when an author takes it out of the norms (some crazy antics and outside of the societal norms of the times).
Many thanks to Kensington Publishing via Hambright PR and NetGalley for a digital copy of the book. The opinions expressed are given freely and are honestly and my own.

Manic Pixie Dream Earl is a surprisingly heartfelt, unique, and introspective historical romance with a dash of comedy! I've read a ton of historical romance, especially of the Regency era, so I can especially appreciate the originality of Manic Pixie Dream Earl.

Like the first book, the author switches between the two characters' POVs across chapters. This is one of the few times I've preferred the MMC POV to the FMC's! While I liked and even related to the FMC, the MMC is quite endearingly eccentric, forthright, and dear. Also, the third act breakups (plural!) were so tragic that I honestly had a hard time liking the FMC again in the eventual happily ever after. Their relationship was originally epistoraly and largely predated the timeline of this novel, but I still felt their romance was well-developed and believable.

Also like the first book, the writing was easy to read and not overly nineteenth century, but my attention really strayed when the narrative strayed away from the main couple. The side characters were fine but didn't add overly much. Additionally, I was sometimes confused as to who was speaking, but I'm willing to believe this is just an early unedited draft issue.

This is the second in a series, but you certainly would not need to read the first to understand or enjoy the second. I rated the first three stars, and I much prefer the second. I do want to note that there is discussion of animal death and abuse, loss of a parent, and abuse of a child by a parent. If you're looking for an offbeat historical romance, I think you'll likely enjoy this. I will definitely be interested in the next in the series!

Thank you, Kensington Publishing, for the arc!

3.75 stars rounding up!

This sweet and goofy romp of a follow up to Earl’s Trip brings back our trio of warm hearted earls - and our (manic pixie dream) Earl-to-be Effie’s love story that almost wasn’t!!

Effie and Julianna feel so out of place for the time and the ton (complimentary), a pair of progressive thinkers open to love but worried about societal implications that come with it. The two are like a pair of magnets, drawn to each other over and over from town to ton!

I didn’t love this one as much as Earls’ Trip, but I did love Effie and Jules as characters more!! They both were gentle souls, but firm in their beliefs. They both loved deeply, if not carefully. They both are precious angel bbs that earned their happy ending!!!

MANIC PIXIE DREAM EARL by Jenny Holiday is the follow up to EARLS TRIP.

I read an ARC copy for the sake of my ratio, but they approved my request weeks AFTER the book came out? Which does not seem smart?? Anyway, the first book was cute, this one was cute, I am excited for the next one.

A group of earls (one is only heir to an earl) go on a trip together every year. They are unrealistically self aware and egalitarian and emotionally intelligent, but it doesn't matter, because it's funny. The biggest problem for me was that I kept forgetting that the male main character, Effie, is in fact male, since I really only think of that name in relation to Effie Trinket.
.

This novel was such fun!! It’s been a while since I’ve read a Regency romance, and MPDE takes a whimsical turn with the genre.

Effie doesn’t want to inherit the earldom. He’d rather write poems and paint. Julianna wants to be in full control of her magazine but her useless stepbrother holds the reins. Both of them are constrained by the societal expectations of the period. However, Holiday has written this cute story through a progressive lens, giving both Effie and Julianna a supportive environment. I’m all for this subversion of the norm! Effie coming clean to Julianna that he’s been using a female pseudonym to write the advice column for her magazine could’ve gone sideways upon their first meeting. The ruse has already cemented a deep friendship. Now meeting in person they’ve discovered kindred spirits in each other, and it’s opened the floodgates for more.

Highlights:
* Regency romance, dual POV
* Sexually fluid FMC & MMC
* Female agency
* Spice, open door, inexperienced MMC, experienced FMC
* Silly banter, whimsical tone
* Supportive friends

Be aware of: childhood trauma (abuse & animal abuse) not on page but memory

I also listened to the audiobook in tandem with reading. The narrator, Harry Frost’s take on Effie wasn’t what expected but it works. He delivers the story excellently, providing the right whimsy to the already fun storyline. Holiday’s story is a delight, and I enjoyed her livening up the Regency era!

Thanks to @hambright_pr for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗶𝘅𝗶𝗲 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹 is out now!

This was such a cute and heartwarming read - I am completely all in with these quirky characters!! I loved the idea of following regency era earl bros (who are best friends) who go on an annual trip and seeing what kind of shenanigans they get into! This story was funny and endearing and I’m definitely going to go back and read Archie’s story!

Edward (Effie) is shocked when his pen pal Julianna crashes their trip. He has been secretly in love with her (even though *gasp she’s employed) and she is shocked to discover he’s not a woman…yeah they have some things to work out!!

Effie and Julianna have such a great connection, but it’s not so simple. He is set to inherit the earldom and part of the aristocracy and she’s older and has a job which. No spoilers but this story went in a direction I didn’t expect and I really enjoyed it.

The friend group in this series is the best. They are truly there for each other when it counts and I loved their friendship and loyalty and sense of found family and themes of acceptance. There is one scene in particular where the guys have made an assumption about Effie and their reactions are perfect!

✨What To Expect:
💙 Bromantic Comedy
👑 Regency Era Romance
👙 Friends-to-lovers
👩🏼‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏼 Mistaken identity 
🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ Rep
☀️ Reverse Age Gap
💌 Love letters
🍩 Cinnamon roll hero
✨ Cross-class romance
📝 Pen Pals
🛶 Sea-Bathing
🦜 Inopportune Macaw Moments
😂 All The Shenanigans

I LOVED this book! I loved Jules and I adored Effie. Why are they both just so adorable. I love how they became friends and then fell in love through poems and correspondence where they felt free to be their true selves. I love my adorable demisexual Effie and how he accepts himself fully. I love bisexual queen Jules and how she knows what she wants and is adamant about being her own boss no matter what she has to give up and no matter what obstacles are in her way. I LOVED the friend group; they were funny, tender, absolutely solid in their friendship and acceptance of each other no matter what, and how easily they embraced Jules. They are all down for whatever shenanigans each other wants and don't blink an eye at any situation. I love how tender Effie and Jules are for each others feelings, they are flawed, but so real and don't shame or try to hide things from each other (once they meet) no matter how embarrassing it might seem. I love the writing, a mix of laugh out loud to tender to spicy (and sometimes all mixed together) moments. I cannot wait for more of this series!

Julianna, you heartbreaker!💔

3.5-4🌟
The whimsical title caught my eye and I hadn't read a historical romance for a while so I was tempted by this Jenny Holiday romance. I liked it, mainly due to the male lead character, but I didn't feel any need to go back and read the first book in the series.

Effie, the male lead, is so sweet and has such a sad backstory that I really wanted him to get the woman of his dreams. It was great that his two long-time friends who accompany him on their annual Earls Trip were so supportive. And I loved Effie's ready acceptance of a possible wrench in his inheritance. He doesn't seem to have a mean, jealous or vengeful bone in his body.

Julianna, the magazine editor female lead, is the seemingly standard Regency/Georgian era female who wants a career and independence rather than love or a husband. It was definitely not the days when women thought they could have it all! If only her attitude didn't hurt Effie repeatedly, which soured me a bit on her character. Thank goodness the ending provided a solution to make them both happy.

The inclusion of some characters who were not heterosexual did not bother me.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Review shared on 6/24/25 on Waterstones, Google Play, Goodreads and Bookbub, and with kobo, Barnes & Noble and BAM.

Manic Pixie Dream Earl is the second of the Earl's Trip series that follows three gentlemen: Archie (the jock), Simon (the nerd), and Effie (the goth). While the first book centred around Archie, this story follows Effie Viscount Featherfinch on his annual trip with his fellows. There is no specific order to read these books. The story works perfectly alone, with just enough references to the first book that make you want to read that one too.

Effie is a real poet and has been corresponding through letters with Miss Julianna Evans, a magazine editor who faces the hardships of being a woman in a man-dominant era. While their chemistry is strong on-page, they face several difficulties off-page. Besides being from different classes, Juliana thinks that Effie is a woman. With the fast pace, the story unfolds quickly, and this mistaken identification becomes clear. This makes way for their adventure to develop. While there are some eventful scenes, this book is mainly character-driven. Both individually as well as together, the book follows Effie and Julianna as they explore their identity and what that means for each other. This was certainly the strongest aspect of the book.

It was refreshing to see how two bisexual characters are navigating through this era and social group. Thanks to the loyal friendship of close friends and family, they're accepted for who they are, and that leaves room for other themes, such as love, duty, and class struggle.
This was one of the first books where I felt more compelled by the MMC than the FMC. Effie is a true poet, but due to his title, a tragic artist. How he (the author) describes the world is beautiful and dreamy. Juliana is a fierce, independent woman who tends to be close-minded when it comes to the aristocracy. Not to blame her, because her life experience isn't as luxurious as Effie's. She's talented and sticks to her morals and beliefs.

As for the romance, there is chemistry for sure. With a few spicy scenes and lots of humour, the story stays rather light-hearted. I also enjoyed that it didn't entirely centre around Effie and Juliana, but also their dynamics with their friends and (found) family. While it almost ended rather tragically, and at times when all hope felt lost, the near end had a twist of fate. The overall pace felt at times slow, but at the same time, fast. And some terminology was hard for me to understand as someone whose mother tongue isn't English and hasn't read that many Regency era books. However, it wasn't too difficult to follow the story.

It is evident that the author has thoroughly researched the setting and time. It must be noted that a big part of the story is fictional, but the overall setting and dress are researched. I think that it worked well how the author bent the historical setting and period into the emotional, heartwarming Regency story.

I'd recommend this for those who love:
- Romcom Regency romance.
- Mistaken identity.
- Penpals and letter writing.
- Found family & bromance
- Reverse harem; Soft MMC, tough FMC.
- Poetical writing.
- Class struggle, Exploring sexual identity.

Thank you, Jenny Holiday, Hambright PR, and NetGalley, for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐ 4.25
🌶️ 1.5
🥵 Spicy chapters: 9, 10, 11
📚 Tropes/Themes: demisexual rep? Bi/pan MCs, epistolary, he falls first and harder, reverse age gap, right person wrong time,
👀 Dual POV 1st person
💔 Triggers: discussions of past CA, animal cruelty
🛍️ Available: Now

💬 This is the second book in the Earl's trip series, and it is technically a standalone, you could probably read it without reading the first one but I think you would do yourself a big disservice if you didn't read about Archie and Clementine first.

I really enjoyed this book, but it definitely put me through the emotional ringer. Like, I liked Archie a lot but I ADORE Effie and I really hate what Julianna does to him 😭😭 I mean, it's a romance, so you know it's an eta. And I am mostly happy with how things resolved but I don't know the way she treats him just made me so mad even if I understand it.

I really got pulled in and invested in this story, even to the point where I had to put it down and walk away because I was so frustrated but what was happening. I promise it's like the good kind of frustration- because the book is so engaging- but yeah, my poor little heart 🥺.

Definitely read this, definitely read the first book, and definitely have a box of tissues handy.

Ok I'm ready for Simon's book now, thx 🤣

this one wins for best title!! while some things bothered me (like one of the characters supposedly coining the term “found family”), i had a great time reading this joyful romp. i didn’t read the first one but now i want to!!

netgalley approved me for an earc after it was already published lol. so this review isn’t as in depth as most of my netgalley reviews, c’est la vie.

i received this arc after the publication date, but it was available when library holds werent. love jenny holiday.