Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ARC

2 ⭐️ ⭐️

I listened to the audio arc of this. While the audio is fine I enjoyed the narrators and it flowed nicely. I however did not enjoy this book at all. If it wasn’t an ARC I would DNFed

This was a very enjoyable listen. I liked the narrator , although I would have enjoyed a woman doing the female parts. It's a very nice take on gender roles and a twist on historical romance. Lot's of fun. I will look forward to finding other books by this author.

This was just as fun as I expected it to be, but much heavier than I expected as well. I thought the balance was well done!

I’m a sucker for any type of love story where the love interests are writing letters back and forth. The added element of Julianna not knowing that her pen pal, Euphemia, was actually Edward had me intrigued from the very beginning. This historical romance had very different characters than typical of the genre. Edward (Effie) was a more flamboyant and artistic type, while Julianna was a serious woman of business made for an interesting dynamic. I also loved that the age gap went in the opposite direction from what is typical. While it was brought up a few times, I enjoyed that it wasn’t the main thing keeping them apart in the story.

This book had a great assortment of characters. The found family aspect was strong and brought up by name a few times. I feel like you never see that in books. I enjoyed how Effie’s friends accepted his eccentricities without blinking. You could feel the love between the characters.

The audiobook was well produced. The narrator was clear and easy to understand. I could barely tell that there was only one narrator. The narrator did a very good job at doing female voices that didn’t sound like a man putting on a girl voice (if that makes sense). I enjoyed that. I recommend this book if you are looking for a historical romance that puts a spin on what you typically expect.

If Jane Austen and Ted Lasso had a Regency lovechild, it would 100% be Manic Pixie Dream Earl—and honestly, I would swaddle that book baby in lace and read it a bedtime story. Effie is the Manic Pixie Dream Earl we never knew we needed: demisexual-coded, emotionally complex, and secretly penning heartfelt columns for a women’s magazine under the pseudonym Euphemia. Because why not toss a little Victorian gender confusion into your anonymous love letter arc?

Juliana Evans, the confident editor who publishes Euphemia’s work, is a standout heroine in her own right. She’s self-assured, whip-smart, and not here for nonsense—unless it arrives in the form of eloquent, anonymous letters that stir something deep. Their chemistry? Pure ink-stained yearning.

The book is packed with everything I love: mistaken identities, epistolary romance, found family feels, and a Regency setting that balances swoony softness with deeper emotional threads. The friendship between Effie, Simon, and Archie is tighter than a corset on ball night. These guys are the Regency equivalent of Ted Lasso’s Diamond Dogs.

Narrator Harry Frost deserves all the tea and applause for giving each character a distinct voice—I could practically hear Effie’s poetic eye-rolls. And while I adored the story, I docked a star because I craved just a bit more swoon in the final act. Still, it’s a warm, witty, and utterly charming read that blends queerness, class, gender roles, and mental health themes with care and nuance. Regency romance with heart, hijinks, and a quill dipped in soul.

Thank you to Jenny Holiday, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. On Sale May 27th, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley, Tantor Audio and Jenny Holiday for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is book 2 in the Earl's Trip series so when I was blessed with this ALC- I went back and read book 1 first, and I'm really glad I did. I do feel like I got more out of this book and knew more/could appreciate Effie's eccentricities MUCH more than I would have without book 1.

I really enjoy Jenny Holiday's books- and I will probably ALWAYS read them (especially her Winter Romances!) but I'll admit this one moved a little slow for me. I did very much like the exploration of queer identity in the 1800s, class, the peerage and found family! And will I read Simon's book? Sure stinking will. I read 200+ books a year. Give me another.

Narration was very well done.

⭐️⭐️ 2/5 Stars (Meh)
Setting: Regency Era England
Genre: Historical Romance; Rom-Com

I really wanted to like Manic Pixie Dream Earl by Jenny Holiday, but this one just missed the mark for me. I found it slow and honestly a bit boring. The plot felt quirky in a way that didn’t quite land, and the style just isn’t my genre. I wasn’t expecting the level of sexual content either—it felt out of place and distracted from the actual story. I can see how this book might appeal to others, but it’s not one I’d recommend or revisit.
#netgalley #manicpixiedreamearl #booked_this_weekend

Light, cheeky, and full of charm, Manic Pixie Dream Earl leans hard into the regency rom-com vibes — and for the most part, it works. The friendship between Effie and Julianna was a highlight, and I loved the pen pal angle woven through the story. It was definitely predictable and dragged a bit in the early chapters, but the humor and heart kept me curious enough to stick with it. Once it found its rhythm, it had that cozy, satisfying feel I was hoping for. If you’re into historical romance with a modern voice and a sprinkle of mistaken identity, it’s a fun, easy pick.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5 stars
Rated PG for mild language, light romance, and a few swoony misunderstandings.

🎧 Title: Manic Pixie Dream Earl-Earls Trip #2

✍🏾 Author: Jenny Holiday-I read Earls Trip and gave it 4*

📅Publication date: 5/27/25 | Read 5/22/25

🗣️Narrator: Harry Frost voices all the characters with standouts from Effie, Jules, Archie, and Simon. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along.

🏃🏾‍♀️‍➡️Run Time: 10:35

Genre:
*Historical Fic
*Romance
*Adult Fic

Tropes:
*secret identity/gender bending
*classism
*sexism
*age gap
*road trip
*LGBTQIA+ rep

👆🏾POV: 3rd person, dual

⚠️TW: cruel parent, secret love child-not H/h, parental death


🌎 Setting: England 1822

Summary: Edward/Viscount Featherfinch must marry to inherit his earldom. He is already secretly involved with Julianna through personal correspondence. When his friends plan their annual holiday to Brighton, Julianna wants to surprise Euphemia Turner-Effie's alias. She meets him and he confesses that he's a man of ton, while she is a working woman not of the aristocracy.


👩🏾 Heroine: Julianna Evans-38, works for a magazine her father owned. Her stepbrother controls it now

👨🏾 Hero: Edward Astley "Effie"-28, on the marriage market, but he's secretly in love with a commoner after penning content for Julianna's women magazine under a female alias.

🎭 Other Characters:
*Amy-Julianna's younger sister
*Mr. Henry Glanville-Julianna's stepbrother
*Artie and Simon-Effie's BFFs
*Ezel-Effie's father
*Kinver Nancarrow-Edward's steward


🤔 My Thoughts: The title was intriguing-Manic Pixie Dream Girl- which is "a stock character type in fiction often depicted as young woman w/ eccentric personality quirks who serves as the romantic interest of the male protagonist." They are carefree, whimsical, and impulsive-which described Effie. Julianna had to work and was serious about her magazine. She didn't want to marry or have children, which I'm not mad at, but who could have resisted Effie's zest for life. I liked Olive Morgan-Clementine's younger sister- because she had spunk. I hope she gets her own book, but first we've got to find out why Simon was reading Jane Austen books.

Rating: 4/5 ✨

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Tantor Audio, and Jenny Holiday for this ALC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

Manic Pixie Dream Earl gives a good mix of romance and comedy, and while it was predictable, it was enjoyable. I was especially curious to see how Effie’s story would play out, and I liked the premise and characters. The pacing was a bit off, with it being slow in some parts, particularly through the first 25%, but otherwise picked up towards the middle. I like Julianna and Effie's relationship/friendship as pen pals and liked how the book ended.

If you like the regency-era romantic comedies (with a modern twist) that blend humor, levity, and a touch of mistaken identity, then this is for you!

Note: I received an audiobook ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is fabulous! Hooray for Effie and Jules, and their unconventional, age and class gap romance.

It's not historically accurate (perhaps the title is a giveaway 😉), but it is so beautifully written, with language reminiscent of its time - 1820s maybe? It's very queer, and funny and heartfelt. Narrated by Harry Frost who is excellent – he manages to be believably everyone, including a ridiculous parrot, a Viscount, two Earls, our heroine Julianna Evans and sundry others.

This is essentially a romp, but with a heart that visits parental cruelty, and neglect, disappointment, the lack of rights for women, the growth of magazines and even the delights of swimming. Lyrical and lovely!

Thank you Jenny Holiday and Tantor Audio for the ALC. Opinions are my own.

‘Manic Pixie Dream Earl’ by Jenny Holiday tells the story of Edward “Effie” Astley, Viscount Featherfinch - poet, hopeless romantic, and man-about-the-“ton”! As heir to his cruel father’s earldom, he knows he needs to find a wife, but unfortunately he’s in love with someone he could never marry for a multitude of reasons… not least because Miss Julianna Evans - a magazine editor who features his “Advice For Married Ladies” column in her pages - thinks he is a woman based on their correspondence! When they meet in Brighton, their connection blossoms, but what happens when the holiday is over?

I laughed so much at the title of this book, and found the story warm and hilarious! I especially enjoyed the beautiful and genuine friendship between Effie and his BFFs Simon and Archie. Their annual tradition of taking an “Earls’ Trip” was an absolute hoot, and their emotional openness made the book a total gem. The audiobook was well-narrated by Harry Frost, who captured Effie’s wistfulness, insecurity and hope so well.

Overall, I really loved this one, and immediately want to read the first in the series! Giving this 4.5 stars and would recommend to anyone who enjoys lighthearted historical romance. I’d describe it as a cross between ‘Bridgerton’ and ‘The Bromance Book Club’.

I received an Advance Listening Copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

4.25/5

This book series has just the best found family! The friendships and bonds in this book are so good. Friendships are such a key thing that's often missing in romance novels. Jenny Holiday does such a good job at weaving these stories with fantastic friendships and well-developed side characters that have depth before their turn to be the main character.

Harry Frost did a fantastic job narrating this story.

This novel was ADORABLE! I did not read the first novel in the series and don’t feel I missed out as a result. You can easily come in blind.

Pros: an older FMC (38!) who is confident in herself, a demisexual coded MMC, an age gap that didn’t feel creepy or predatory.

Cons: pacing lagged, especially in the second half

A fun breezy tale narrated with great charm by Harry Frost.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Another September. Another Earls' Trip. This time the three gentlemen are off to visit Brighton for a fortnight of being together, talking, sightseeing, maybe some sea bathing. Like the last Earls' Trip, things do not go completely according to plan, when Effie meets his pen pal Miss Juliana Evans.

Effie and Juliana have had a longstanding epistolary relationship. They both have feelings for each other. Yet, a happy ending for them doesn't seem to be possible, there seem to be too many insurmountable obstacles; starting with Effie's gender and not ending with an age gap.

It takes the protagonists some time to work out how a happily ever after might work. This process feels natural; they don't rush, they weigh the options, they seek the help of friends and family, they listen to their instincts.

I like the slower pace of the novel and the friendship between Simon, Effie and Archie, which turned into a found family which supports its members. Since the earls have already planned next year's Earls' Trip, I am looking forward to reading about how nerdy Simon is going to woo the woman of his dreams.

I got the chance to review an early audiobook copy of the novel. Harry Frost, the narrator, does an excellent job. The characters all get their individual voice and it is easy to distinguish them from each other.

I really, really loved this book. Manic Pixie Dream Earl by Jenny Holiday (audiobook edition) is the second in the Earl’s Trip series, and just like the first, it’s funny, full of heart, and so incredibly satisfying. I adored the first book, and this one didn’t just live up to my expectations—it pranced right past them with a dreamy sigh and a flourish of poetry.

The titular “Manic Pixie” is Effie, Viscount Featherfinch—honestly, the sweetest summer child you’ll ever meet. He’s one of three aristocratic besties who take an annual holiday together, and their friendship? Solid gold. These guys are tighter than a corset at a Regency ball. Effie’s the poetic soul of the group, secretly penning content for a women’s journal. And in a glorious tangle of mistaken identity and heartfelt prose, he falls in love via letters with the magazine’s editor, Julianna Evans—who just so happens to believe he’s a woman names Euphemia.

Cue the Brighton meet-cute! When Juliana and Effie cross paths in real life, she’s understandably stunned—but the connection between them is so genuine, so pure, that the initial shock melts away. What unfolds is a beautifully written story about love, identity, and self-acceptance. There’s such a tenderness in how Effie and Julianna navigate their feelings—yes, there’s swoon and angst and all the good stuff, but there’s also something really authentic and affirming about how their relationship grows.

The book doesn’t shy away from deeper themes either. Mental health, particularly PTSD and repressed trauma, is explored with care and nuance. There’s commentary on class, queerness, gender roles—all seamlessly woven into the narrative. And let me just say, Brighton practically struts across the pages—it’s a vibrant backdrop that gives the reader and sense of time and place.

Julianna, in particular, really stuck with me. She’s been burned before and has built up some serious walls. It’s frustrating at times to watch her resist vulnerability—especially when Effie is just standing there being the emotionally intelligent marshmallow that he is—but it’s so well done. You want her to get there. And when she does, it’s deeply satisfying.

The title is relevant - there’s a lovely undercurrent about dreams—how they reflect our deepest fears and hopes, and how they can serve as a subconscious nudge towards healing or truth. It adds this whimsical layer to an already rich story.

Also? Harry Frost is a dreamboat of a narrator. First class, NO NOTES. His performance brought this story to life in the best way, and I can’t imagine anyone else voicing Effie.

Five stars, without hesitation. Bring on the next—I’m so ready. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced audiobook. All opinions, gushing and otherwise, are entirely my own.

I read the first book in the series and was curious how the rest would shake out, and I loved the premise of this book but sadly the writing style, matched with the narration made it very difficult to stay focused. After pushing myself through to the 35% point I realized I just wasn't viking with this book enough to finish.

3 stars ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆

genuinely so surprised by this. i didn’t think I’d like this as much as I did.
I do feel like this novel had a bad habit of talking about events that happen to characters when it would have been more influential to actually witness them along with the characters even if it was just a memory.

the narrator harry frost did an amazing job at performing this novel, he kept it captivating and engaging.

I received a free advanced copy of this audiobook for review. This is my own opinion. Thank you to Netgalley and Tantor Audio for the opportunity to review!

<b>Genre:</b> historical romance

<b>Tropes:</b> mistaken identity

<b>Spice Level:</b> 1/5, there are a couple of scenes but they're not super descriptive

<b>Content Warning:</b> past parental abuse, past death of a parent, time period accurate misogyny and homophobia

First, re: narration. I enjoyed the narrator, but I think this would've benefited from dual narration as its dual POV.

Gosh, this series is just so much fun. Our characters have some sort of trauma and it's addressed, but this feels like a frothy, fun miniseries. It's interesting to see neurodivergence portrayed in a historical setting, or at least that's how I'm interpreting some of the idiosyncrasies of these characters. But it's still very cute and light while dealing with difficult topics. Also, this is one of those with characters who come to some pretty intense realizations that real people usually don't experience unless there's tons of therapy involved. So. Good for the author on that.

I really enjoyed this one! If you liked the previous installment, or if you enjoy Alexandra Vasti's series, you'll enjoy this.

I absolutely loved this book! I was a huge fan of the first book and had high hopes for this sequel, and it exceeded my expectations. I found both Effie and Julianna to be well written and interesting characters who were both very relatable. I am looking forward to the next book!