This was a delight! I really enjoyed the friendship between the main character and his found family. I was initially concerned I wouldn’t like the miscommunication between the fmc assuming the mmc was female during their early correspondence, but when she recognized him as her penpal immediately upon seeing him in public I was ALL IN.
Effie was such a fun character. He is so easy to enjoy and I enjoyed Julianna’s character as a comparison to his flights of fancy.
This is a great summer read for anyone who enjoys light hearted regency era novels with a bit of spice.
I thought the narrator was great!
Many thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy for my pleasure to review.

A nice fresh twist on the regency romance, the main characters strive to break gender norms in the wonderful sequel to ‘Earls Trip’. Miss Julianna Evans, a self proclaimed spinster has chosen a life without marriage in order to further her career as a magazine editor. Edward or Effie is a regular writer for her magazine and the two strike up a fast friendship. One day Julianna decides she will set off for the coast to try and meet her dear friend Effie. Little does she know that Effie is actually a man, and not any man but a viscount.

Went in with no prior experience with the characters. I guess the title intrigued me. The main character has wealth, good friends, and a passion for writing. He spends his time on “boys” trips but has never fallen in love with a woman before. It turns out that the newspaper editor he has been corresponding with is a strong, determined, independent woman who assumed he was a woman. When they finally meet she teaches him about what he has been missing and then he has to do some soul searching to figure out what he really wants from life.

The plot involves a group of friends who are Earls that go on a yearly trip together. Effie is such a fun character, a little chaotic but sensible all the same. Juliana is his editor, from the working class and 10 years older. She thinks Effie is a woman and Effie thinks he is in love. When they meet in person their connection is instant and the same as their letters. They were adorable together, such a fun read.

4/5 Stars | The Sad Earl (Viscount, whatever) Club™ 🥀🎩

What I liked:
The friendship in this series is a shining example of how found family can thrive in historical romance. Jenny Holiday continues to write male characters who are not only emotionally intelligent but mutually respectful of one another’s partners, which feels like a revelation in this genre. I was particularly fond of the emotional depth in Earl’s Trip, and while this had a slightly different flavor, it still delivered some unexpected poignancy. The softness! The yearning! The quiet support! Bless these men and their feelings. Also REALLY loved the narrator on this one!

What I didn't like:
This one fell into a trap that I usually only see in second-chance romance, even though it wasn't one. It focused a little too heavily on why things wouldn’t work, and not showing us quite enough of why they would. I wanted more moments of connection, more glimpses into the foundation of their love beyond their obstacles. And Effie’s family issues? That resolution felt less like healing and more like slapping a decorative pillow on a broken chair. Not a total miss, but not as deeply felt as I hoped.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for an audio copy of this book.

Thank you RBmedia and NetGalley for the eALC of this book.

It was delightful, a burst of color and flavor and zest! A GREAT BEACH READ! Fun, zippy, uplifting, sweet, charming; just a bright sunshine sort of RomCom. The blurb on Goodreads starts with the description "Ted Lasso meets Bridgerton" and that description captures the vibe of this book well! If the title speaks to you, you'll dig it! It's effervescent!

One thing that I love is a wacky, off-the-wall historical romance. I LOVED the first book in this series, Earl’s Trip, last year, and have been very intrigued about the continuation of the series, especially with a title like that, and I’m happy to report that I was not disappointed! This story was so unique and hilarious and so much fun. Effie and Juliana were great characters and their friends-to-lovers journey definitely had some unexpected twists but I loved them and their development. I think the focus on male friendships in this series is so good and something I hope we see more of in this genre. I absolutely recommend this if you’re looking for a fun and historical romance!

I adored the first book in this series, Earls Trip, and by its description, Manic Pixie Dream Earl should have been a slam dunk winner for me. And it was objectively fine - solid plot, compelling characters, fantastic well-cast narration - but subjectively it just missed the mark for me. Maybe it was a matter of slower pacing, maybe it was the overly-effeminate hero, maybe it was just not the right book at the time, but there was just something missing for me. I think this author is solid and that this book will find its audience, and if you enjoy modernized historical romance with feisty characters, definitely give this one a try!

Thank you to Tantor Audio for gifting me with an ALC to review. All opinions are my own.

This was such a sweet and fun story that it was just what I needed after a long day. I loved how it was a fairly modern plot told with a historic twist. It made both feel new and fresh even though either on their own could've felt like so many other romance novels.

Heart achingly sweet.

This was the perfect fun, quirky, unique historical (with modern influences) romp.

When I say I was so happy reading this I mean it. Jules & Effie were completely endearing. Both very unconventional and unapologetic about it, even though they'd had their fair share of difficulties as a result of their choices. The way they connected over correspondence and eventually met in real life felt so organic and true to form. I was rooting for them to have their happy ending even though circumstances made it seem as if that could never happen. Found myself tearing up over so many of the sentiments expressed by Jules & particularly Effie - I just wanted to crush them both in the biggest hug.

Found family aspect was the absolute sweetest and I'm so glad the Earl's are each getting their own story - can't wait for Simon's!

In disbelief that this is the first Jenny Holiday book I'm reading and you best believe I'm going back to read book one asap and I hope she writes many more historical romances in the future.

Narration was truly top notch - Harry Frost captured the characters and nuances of the story perfectly.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this joyful ALC.

Sadly this book didn’t do anything for me. I wanted to root for Effie and Juliana but found them both a little bland, though Effie was nice and quirky, and had a great non-toxic friendship group which I did like about this book. There’s the odd amusing bit but overall it was lacking any kind of hook. Where was the plot going? It didn’t seem to be character or plot driven. Their romantic relationship began really early on, the obstacles were underwhelming, they already knew each other really well at the outset so there wasn’t much development. I can appreciate the queer rep and Leander the parrot but overall, I don’t like to say it about a book, but I was bored. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to review this book. I wasn’t the audience for it but that doesn’t mean other readers aren’t!

This had a fun premise but flawed execution. The idea of a lovestruck poet catfishing his pen pal as a woman named Euphemia has potential for chaotic comedy, but the story struggled to balance historical setting with contemporary voice and plot logic. Character motivations felt inconsistent, and the main conflict was resolved far too easily. While some readers may enjoy the quirky tone and unconventional romance, it didn’t quite land for me.

I want to live in this world of love and acceptance Jenny Holiday has created.

Overall: 5
Spice: 2.5 - 2-3 scenes with vague descriptions and historical terms for body parts.
Narration: 4

Archie, Effie, & Simon are back for Earl's Trip 1822. They are headed to Brighton for rest and relaxation. Effie has been writing poetry for a ladies magazine as well as answering questions from readers for a regular column, posing as a woman. For the magazine work he regularly corresponds with Julianna, the editor. They've been pen pals for the last five years, but Julianna thinks Effie is short for Euphemia, a woman's name. When Julianna travels to Brighton to visit her friend Effie on her holiday hijinks ensue. Can an aristocrat be with a woman who works and is a decade older than him?

The warm hug that was Earl's Trip continues in this second book in the series. As a reader of many regency romance series, I love this setting but can also appreciate how Holiday turns the trope on its head with such emotionally mature characters. Hence wanting to live in this world - Archie & Simon are accepting of Effie no matter who he loves and support him through nightmares and his pursuit of Julianna. Effie is definitely pining in this one as Julianna's focus is her magazine first of all and she can't imagine a life as the wife of an aristocrat in her future. Holiday also does an excellent job of setting up the reader's expectations for a typical plot point and then handles it in a unique and unexpected way. I love how Effie is the manic pixie and Julianna is the steady, strong one of the couple. This is a 5 star for the vibes as you can't read these without feeling happy and content for all of the characters. Highly, highly recommend!

This Regency romance follows Effie—Archie’s best friend—and I absolutely loved getting to know him better. What really stood out was the gender role flip between Effie and Julianna. Julianna is older, more worldly, and far more experienced—in life and in the bedroom—and it was so refreshing to see that dynamic explored in a historical romance.

Both characters go on such a meaningful journey of emotional and personal growth. The story also touches on the complexities of sexuality in the Regency era, and the way it was handled—with nuance, care, and warmth—was genuinely heartening.

Once again, the friendship between Archie, Simon, and Effie was a highlight. Their bond continues to be one of the best parts of this series. The found family theme hits especially hard in this book, and I felt so emotionally invested in all of them.

Audiobook-wise: the same narrator from book one returns, which gave nice consistency. But I still find it odd that it's labeled as dual POV when we only get one narrator—it makes it harder to fully connect with both characters.

All in all, this was another standout in the series. I’m already counting down the days until Simon’s story!

Manic Pixie Dream Earl by Jenny Holiday
Earls Trip series #2. Historical romance, romantic comedy. Can be read as a stand-alone but because of the men’s friendships, probably better as part of the series.
It’s another year for the boys annual trip and once again, Edward Astley, Viscount Featherfinch, is not packed or ready to go. At least he’s dressed this year. Effie’s bought a printing press though it’s broken and he hasn’t fully decided what to do with it. Oh, sure, he knows the dream would be to give it to the love of his life, Julianna, but he’s never actually met her. She wouldn’t recognize him either as he signs his letters and columns with a female name rather than his own. Until they see each other on the street and know each other instantly, without ever having met.
He’s of the aristocracy. She is not. Even if he doesn’t want to be Earl, he doesn’t actually have a choice. She manages a magazine. He writes poem and an advice column.
What’s next for them?

🎧 I was able to alternate between an ebook and audiobook which is narrated by Harry Frost. He also did the first book in the series. The audiobook helps to bring the distinct personalities to the surface so the reader knows exactly when it’s Effie, or one of the boys or someone else. Effie’s head is often in the clouds but we can hear his wonder and concern and frustrations in his own life. I prefer to read the two formats together so I do listen at 1.5 or slightly higher to more closely match my reading and conversational speed. This performance seems perfect at regular and my faster preference.

This story didn’t go as expected and I loved it for that very reason. A great romance and solution for Effie. Next up is Simon and I’m looking forward to reading his romance.
Delicious and delightful.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher RBMedia.

I received a copy of this audiobook from netGalley for a honest review.

I love Jenny Holiday books and her foray into historical romances has been a treat for me. Like with her modern romances there is a lot of depth to these characters and plot lines. I enjoyed this look into Edward and Julianna's nontraditional romance, I wasn't sure how they were going to make it work but Jenny tied up all the loose ends and made a wonderfully romantic solution.

Author is 2 for 2 in this wonderful Earls Trip series. I really loved Manic Pixie Dream Earl. Edward or Effie is our hero. He's the sensitive Viscount poet, and is in love with his editor Juliana, with whom he has corresponded with for years. Trouble is Juliana thinks he's a woman. Juliana knows that Effie is on a trip with friends, and decides to crash it. Hijinks and a wonderful relationship ensues.

Thank you to Netgalley and cantor Audio for the advanced listening copy. Harry Frost is an exceptional narrator who brings all the characters to life in this delightful regency rom-com. This is a wonderful listen for beach season. I highly recommend it. I'm looking forward to book three in this series which will be Simon's book.

A lovely age gap story with cute and interesting moments. I loved the last few chapters where the protagonist takes his life in his own hands. I really hope to see the last friend fall in love!

Manic Pixie Dream Earl by Jenny Holiday.

This is the second in the Earl’s Trip series but I have only read this one and to my surprise really enjoyed it. I mainly requested an ARC of this as there is an X in the title which would help me with my Alphabet Challenge. Thank you NetGalley for my audio ARC.

Quoting from a Google search: ‘A Manic Pixie Dream Girl’ is a film trope referring to a female character, often quirky and unconventional, who is primarily introduced to help a male protagonist ‘find himself’ or embrace life. The term was coined by a film critic after observing Kirsten Dunst character in the film ‘Elizabethtown’. This makes me love the Earl title so much more.

1822: Three best friends are about to embark on their annual Earl’s Trip. One of the men is Viscount Edward Astley Featherfinch, known as Effie to his friends. Effie has a tender soul and loves to write poetry. He has a bad past with his cruel father and is dreading when the Earldom is finally passed on to him. Effie knows that he will have to marry to pass on the title but he is hopelessly in love with someone else. Someone who he has never actually met in real life.

Effie has been corresponding with Miss Julianna Evans for the past five years and their correspondence has become more intimate over time. She is a magazine editor and not a member of the aristocracy so they can never marry. Julianna has employed Effie to write articles for the magazine but she is of the impression that Effie is short for a woman’s name Euphemia.

The men go to Bath for their Earl’s Trip and once there they happen to meet up with Julianna.

This was a lovely Bridgertonesque type story with mistaken identities, found family, class lines blurring and demisexual characters.

The narrator, Harry Frost, gave a spectacular reading and you could hear each individual character.

This was great fun and went by pretty quickly for how long it was, until maybe the last 10 or 15% where I was itching to see how the story would resolve. This is one of those purposefully anachronistic historical romances - which I always enjoy. I hadn't read the first book and I don't think it mattered at all, although I will go back and read it at some point because I quite enjoy the fantasy of these impossibly emotionally evolved earls and their charming friendship.

Manic Pixie Dream Earl is a lovely balance of lightness and depth, with well-drawn characters. Not a lot really happens, it's mostly about the connection between the main characters as well as their relationships with their friends and loved ones. So if you aren't into low-plot, high-vibe, this might not work as well for you. Despite the low-plot, there are some little twists and turns and I have to say that there is at least one that I found quite implausible and that is the thing that is keeping my rating solidly in 4-star territory.

Overall a very enjoyable read that was also well narrated.

I received an audio Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley and Tantor Audio in exchange for an honest review.