It took me a little while to get into this book, as the main female character felt a bit childlike at first and took some time to warm up to. However, I really enjoyed her journey—her eagerness to be independent and pursue her passions was refreshing. The male lead was a very likable character, someone you can’t help but root for. I truly enjoyed their romance and found the story to be endearing and heartwarming. Highly recommend!

Thank you Netgalley for the audibook.

It was my first read from Christina Dudley and I was delighted by this charming and traditional Regency Romance. I got the audiobook narrated by Katherine Anderson and had such an amazing time with her work.

It's a very humorous story that will make you laugh with the characters mis-communication and misunderstandings, and has a happy ending as was all I was needing and hoping for.

If you love slow-burn historical romance with Jane Austen vibes, this one’s for you! Set in the English countryside, The Naturalist follows a quiet, widowed botanist whose life gets delightfully upended by a handsome, mysterious neighbor. 🌿👀💘

Jilly Bond’s narration is ✨fantastic✨—she brings warmth, wit, and just the right amount of tension to every chapter. The romance is subtle, the characters are smart, and the nature details are surprisingly soothing.

Not action-packed, but incredibly charming and thoughtful. Highly recommend for fans of period dramas, nature lovers, and anyone who appreciates a good slow burn.

I enjoy a good period piece. This was a nice break from the heavier content I typically read. I enjoyed the author’s writing, and I would read more books by Christina Dudley. I probably won’t continue this series. I liked the characters enough, but I didn’t feel a strong connection to anyone. The story is sweet and what you’d expect with a miscommunication troupe. If you are interested in this book, I HIGHLY recommend listening to the audiobook. Katherine Anderson did a superb job of bringing the story to life! Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

The Naturalist
by Christina Dudley
Narrated by Katherine Anderson
Book 1 of The Hapgoods of Bramleigh

Set against the backdrop of Somerset, England, in 1808, The Naturalist invites us into a world where the captivating wonders of nature ignite the spirit of Alice Hapgood. Yet, Alice is bound by societal expectations that frown upon a lady daring to dirty her hands in the bounties of the earth. Undaunted, she bravely dons boys' clothing to pursue her passion for the natural world.

When the chance arises to assist Joseph Tierney, a member of the Royal Society and a desirable bachelor, Alice seizes the moment, risking everything to maintain her disguise. In true Shakespearean fashion, chaos is swift to follow. Assuming the identity of "William," Joseph's new assistant, Alice becomes embroiled in a whirlwind of jealousy that threatens not only Joseph’s rising career but also his reputation and freedom.

The Naturalist is the first installment in The Hapgoods of Bramleigh Regency romance series. If you delight in tales featuring clever yet impulsive heroines, devoted heroes, and whimsical adventures, you will be spellbound by the world of Alice Hapgood. Katherine Anderson’s narration elevates Christina Dudley's story, imbuing the characters with remarkable life and authenticity. She makes it utterly believable that Alice could effortlessly deceive those around her with her clever façade. Having thoroughly enjoyed this first installment, I eagerly await the next in the series. The Naturalist is an excellent listen from start to finish.

Thanks are extended to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the advance copy of the audiobook.

Here's to New Adventures in our Reading & Journaling Journey!
@thewritingwhisperer &
@shh_imreading Continue to Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, & the Power of the Written Word!✒📖

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This was a delightful story! It took a bit to get into - but once it got going - it was beautiful and so fun to follow! The narrator was delightful! I love a well written book! And this book was clever and took me on a fun journey! The characters were well fleshed out! Enjoy!

Thank you to NetGalley for the story! All opinions and thoughts are my own!

Shout out to Tantor Audio and narrator Katherine Anderson. Her narration is lovely.
This traditional Regency romance is whimsically written with themes that I adore; natural research of flora and fauna, with a lead female character who is determined to prove herself.

The Naturalist is a charming Regency romance that blends historical detail with thoughtful reflections on gender roles and personal freedom. Christina Dudley crafts an engaging tale around Alice Hapgood, a bold and determined heroine whose passion for natural history drives the story forward. I especially appreciated the way shared intellectual curiosity forms the foundation of Alice and Joseph’s connection, giving their relationship a unique depth. Fans of traditional Regency tales with a touch of adventure and scholarly intrigue will find plenty to enjoy here.

What a delight - a historical fiction tale about a woman who wants nothing more than to study the natural world and the lengths she’ll go to make it happen. Alice Hapgood is vivacious and bright. Her interest in flora and fauna makes her feel like a kindred spirit across time and fiction. Joseph Tierney is kind if a little oblivious, and the slow burn romance between the two is beautiful.

While the story lends itself to a classic miscommunication trope, it comes alive naturally and in a way that doesn’t feel overwrought.

“She fell in love in perfect peace.”

I highly recommend the audiobook - the narrator is a true professional and tells the story wonderfully. And the cover? A work of art.

I received a free listener copy courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this book. I thought the narrator was incredible and made the book come to life SO WELL! For someone who loves proper romance but feel like they can sometimes all feel the same, this one had such a fun twist that had me laughing out loud over and over again. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to listen to this book.

“More fascinating than any creature that swam or flew or burrowed, more winsome than any plant that blossomed or leaved or fruited. Mr Joseph Tierney, Naturalist.”

I enjoyed the Naturalist a lot. I discovered it through a tandem between its audio and ebook version and it made the experience really enjoyable –and addictive, I listened to this audio in almost only one go. The narration is very smooth, the narrator embodies all the cast perfectly and contributes to the need to go further and further in the story.
Even though it’s historical romance, even though the book was written more than 10 years ago, Alice is a great character. She isn’t one of these naive or self-effacing characters. No, she wants to work as a naturalist and doesn’t hesitate taking risks to do so, and even more when Joseph enters in her life in search of an assistant. That “gap” creates the main conflict in the story, but also some “cognitive dissonance” in the main characters’ minds (though for different reasons), and I found it was a very interesting way to talk about the evolution of women’s place into traditional society. I loved that it was first and foremost their shared interests that made them closer, and not (only) physical attraction.

I also loved how present Natural History was in this story. It is Joseph’s job, and Alice’s motivation, but it isn’t only a pretext. As someone who loves History of Natural Sciences, I was delighted by this book (yes, it’s romanced, but that’s a setting I particularly loved).
But what I enjoyed the most was Alice’s evolution. From the Nature lover who only sees how to reach her wants, she finally questions her actions and their consequences, tries to find a balance. That was a great trajectory, and she is a great character. Joseph is her perfect mirror, his questions about his feelings, his carreer, and what society (his father) wants were truly interesting points. This balance between personal desires and Society’s expectation was –I believe– the main theme of the novel, and it was a great one.

Thank you Tantor Audio for the ALC via NetGalley. My opinions are my own

4.5/5

The Naturalist is a charming and relaxed regency romance. Refreshingly, the male love interest is not of high class, and rather the complication revolves around his profession as a naturalist (and the FMC's desire to be one too).

The prose is immersive and historically appropriate, giving the story more of an Austen feel than some of the more 'modern' regency romances. I enjoyed the ebbs and flows of the story as Alice and Joseph navigated their own identities, societal expectations, and their relationship with one another. It was also intriguing to have a glimpse into the studies of naturalists, and the role of gender within this smaller ecosystem of society.

This was a relaxing and easy read as an audiobook. Alice and Joseph's characters were clear in the narration, and the narrator did a wonderful job of bringing our their personalities and emotional experience. The narration also brought out the gentle nature of the narrative, making for an immersive listening experience.

Thank you Tantor Audio for an advance version of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

Alice grew up in her small town interested in the natural world. She would dress up as a boy and go out to explore and learn all about the species in her own little town but sadly felt like she could never do anything about it. Her father forbade her from doing anything unlady like since he had 4 daughters he needed to get married off. She feared she would live the rest of her life as a woman confined to a marriage arranged by her father until the day a handsome younge naturalist came into town looking for an assistant in cataloging the flora and fauna of this region. This was her chance to help do what she loved before she was confined to her fathers fate.

This book was a refreshing historical romance with a medium pace driven by a mix of the characters and plot. The main characters Alice and Joseph were sweet and well rounded people making it easy for you to follow their story and root for them as a couple. With moments of humor, tenderness, and peace it was a nice relaxing read that was perfect for my break from romantasy stories.

I listened to the audiobook of the Naturalist written by Christina Dudley and narrated by Katherine Anderson. It is the first book in the Hapgoods of Bramleigh series. I really enjoy historical romance, and I love how this story is clean with no salacious hookups and details. The story features Alice Hapgood who loves exploring her family’s estate in Somerset, England during the Regency period. Although her father forbids her from behaving in an unladylike manner, she ignores him and disguises herself like a boy to experience the region’s beautiful outdoors. One morning during one of her explorations, she runs into Mr. Joseph Tierney who is a visiting naturalist charged with detailing and capturing the local flora and fauna. Impressed with this young man's knowledge, Mr. Tierney hires Alice (desguised as Arthur) to be his assistant. Obviously, this mistaken identity leads to humorous antics, misunderstandings, and wholesome charm befitting the era. Simply put, the story is well written and I look forward to listening to other stories in this series!

Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC - all opinions are my own.

This was a sweet story that did require one to pay close attention as it is written in a very proper English from the early 1800s. It felt as though the author was influenced by the writing style of Jane Austen, and that came through in this book.

Alice, one of the main characters, has to disguise herself as a boy in order to study the natural world around her as it was not acceptable for women of that era to do so. She works with a young man named Joseph, which poses some awkward situations.

The main characters were likable enough, but I didn’t feel a strong emotional attachment to any of them. It was a little far-fetched to think that Joseph never once suspected his young assistant boy of being a girl.

Overall, it was a pleasant story, but not terribly gripping.

Alice Hapgood longs to explore the grounds of her family’s estate. Though she’s well versed in the region’s flora and fauna, her father has forbidden her from roaming freely and behaving in such an unladylike manner. In order to pursue her passions, Alice devises a clever plan to disguise herself as a young man named Arthur and explore the estate during the early morning hours.

Her ruse is going well until she has a chance encounter with Mr. Joseph Tierney, a visiting naturalist, that changes everything. Fascinated by his work, Alice (as Arthur) becomes his assistant, leading to humorous antics, mistaken identity, and regency era charm. While there’s no spice, Mr. Tierney’s Mr. Darcy like appeal more than makes up for it, making this Bridgerton-esque rom-com a delightful, laugh-out-loud read.

The audiobook was well done and immersive. Katherine Anderson’s accented narration transported me straight to the Regency era. Her distinctive tone brought depth to a wide range of characters and emotions. Though some supporting voices occasionally blended together, Alice and Joseph remained strong, central figures throughout making the story easy to follow.

Highly recommended for fans of Jane Austen, Bridgerton, and clever historical rom-coms. Thank you to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Historical romance? I'm in.
Male MC is not the heir of a fortune? That's new! I'm so in!
Female MC dresses as a boy to pursue her passion? Ok, I have to read this one!
Unfortunately, I couldn't grab an ebook.
Only the audiobook was available to me. It wasn't bad, but I think it would be better if there was a male narrator. Her voice sounded weird in those parts.

I loved this audiobook! The narration was fantastic, the writing was so good. It felt like the historical romance version of a cozy read. It was so cute and filled with the dry comedy I love. As soon as I finished I looked the author and her other books up; I can't wait to delve more into the Hapgood family!

If you are a fan of historical sweet romance where not much happens but two people working through their problems to be together (a la Julie Klassen, Jane Austen, Mary Balogh, etc.) then this sweet little story about Alice, an 18-year old aspiring scientist and Joseph a naturalist spending his summer working on a research project near her home - is right up your alley.

In order to assist Joseph in his collection of flora and fauna, Alice poses as a boy and digs herself deeper and deeper into trouble with each lie. She is smitten and he is totally clueless. When the truth is discovered, can he forgive her deception to see a mutually academic loving future?

The audiobook was hypnotic, and I breezed through it. It put me in a zen headspace while I did housework and drove to work. I'm glad I did the audiobook because the story might have bored me if I wasn't multitasking. Kudos to the cover artist, the colors and floral concept are worthy of two pinkies up tea party toast! So girly and glam.

A charming Regency romance in audiobook format for the first time! This lovely little romance was perfect on audio and I’m fully committed to the series after listening to this one.

I’m personally going through a bit of a Regency phase after reading Emma by Jane Austen and binging the first two seasons of Bridgerton, so The Naturalist was a natural choice for me to keep that Regency romance mood going. This book is markedly less… raunchy than Bridgerton and a lot of current popular historical romances, and it had a captivating and unique plot. A happily ever after is basically guaranteed with this type of novel, but it’s all about the obstacles that keep the lovers apart.

I loved reading about Joseph Tierney and Alice Hapgood, who meet under deceptive circumstances. Alice Hapgood disguises herself as a local boy named Arthur in order to fill the role of assistant to the naturalist who has just arrived in the county to survey the flora and fauna of Somerset, where Alice and her family reside. Joseph Tierney, the naturalist, falls for Alice’s disguise and hires Alice/Arthur to help him. He’s impressed by her knowledge but somewhat suspicious of his new assistant’s origins. Eventually, the truth is revealed and so the two must wed for propriety’s sake, though neither is convinced of their own affections or the other’s intentions.

Joseph’s salary as a naturalist cannot support a family, so he must return home and beg for his father to allow him to take on the family’s living as a rector. I have to say there is an element of convenience and coincidence in the way everything is eventually worked out for the characters. This aspect, along with the the tropes of disguised identity and a LOT of miscommunication, was a little over the top as far as how much can realistically happen in a story, but that’s something you have to accept when you’re reading this genre.

I loved the way this story explored gender roles and social expectations in Regency life while still keeping things light and fluffy overall. I also really appreciated that this was a romance between equals and that Joseph was initially drawn to Alice’s intelligence as a person before even knowing she was a woman. And the revelation that she was a woman did not reduce her in his estimation. The author subverted a lot of expectations I had for a historical romance novel without straying too far from what I look for in this genre.

In the epilogue of The Naturalist you can find a clear set-up for the next book in this series, which I think is very fun. I love when a series introduces side characters early on who can be expected to have main character arcs eventually. This is a series I’ll definitely pursue in audiobook format as they become available or in paperback if I am too impatient!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the opportunity to be an early listener of this title. The Naturalist audiobook is available now.

I was very excited for this audiobook, and luckily it did not disappoint. I haven’t found a historical fiction book that I have enjoyed this much in forever, The Naturalist felt like it was set in a Jane Austen world, with slight romance and comedy and charming characters.
The story is about Alice a woman who has a passion for science and nature, but in the regency times she as a woman cannot practice this. She disguises herself as a man to get a job with a Naturalist named Joseph.

I loved the narrator’s voice, she moves along at a comfortable and engaging pace. I enjoyed her British accent as well it wasn’t difficult to understand and added to the them of the book.

Thanks so much NetGalley, BellaVita Press, and Tantor Media for the ALC