The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love by India Holton

Title: The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love (Love’s Academic #1)

Author: India Holton

Publisher: Berkley 2024

Genre: Romance

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf RC; She Reads Romance - Only One Bed (repeated!)

Where I Got It: Book of the Month September 2024

Beth Pickering is on the verge of finally capturing the rare deathwhistler bird when Professor Devon Lockley swoops in, stealing both her bird and her imagination like a villain. Albeit a handsome and charming villain, but that's beside the point. As someone highly educated in the ruthless discipline of ornithology, Beth knows trouble when she sees it, and she is determined to keep her distance from Devon. 

For his part, Devon has never been more smitten than when he first set eyes on Professor Beth Pickering. She's so pretty, so polite, so capable of bringing down a fiery, deadly bird using only her wits. In other words, an angel. Devon understands he must not get close to her, however, since they're professional rivals. 

When a competition to become Birder of the Year by capturing an endangered caladrius bird is announced, Beth and Devon are forced to team up to have any chance of winning. Now keeping their distance becomes a question of one bed or two. But they must take the risk, because fowl play is afoot, and they can't trust anyone else—for all may be fair in love and war, but this is ornithology.

A new series from India Holton! I must have it immediately! And thankfully this one was just as delightful as her previous series. In here, we get a colleagues and competitors to romance story. It’s not quite an enemies-to-lovers tropes but a bit more gentle than that. Devon and Beth are thrust together by their own choices and the machinations of a pair of black-clad gentleman for a madcap adventure to capture a rare bird. Along the way we encounter some peril, multiple one-room-in-the-inn situations, competing ornithologists, some protective French fisherman, and a whole lot of swoony moments. I loved seeing Beth and Devon succumb to their mutual admiration and attraction. Overall, a delightful adventure romance with equal parts. I can’t wait until Gabriel’s story!

Love’s Academic

• #1 The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love

• #2 The Geographer’s Map to Romance

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Secret Service of Tea and Treason by India Holton

Title: The Secret Service of Tea and Treason (Dangerous Damsels #3)

Author: India Holton

Publisher: Berkley Books 2023

Genre: Historical romance Fantasy

Pages: 368

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Post Office (Set in a different country)

Spice Rating: 4

Known as Agent A, Alice is the top operative within the Agency of Undercover Note Takers, a secret government intelligence group that is fortunately better at espionage than at naming itself. From managing deceptive witches to bored aristocratic ladies, nothing is beyond Alice’s capabilities. She has a steely composure and a plan always up her sleeve (alongside a dagger and an embroidered handkerchief). So when rumors of an assassination plot begin to circulate, she’s immediately assigned to the case. 

But she’s not working alone. Daniel Bixby, otherwise known as Agent B and Alice's greatest rival, is given the most challenging undercover assignment of his life— pretending to be Alice’s husband. Together they will assume the identity of a married couple, infiltrate a pirate house party, and foil their unpatriotic plans. 

Determined to remain consummate professionals, Alice and Daniel must ignore the growing attraction between them, especially since acting on it might prove more dangerous than their target.

The third in this delightful witty series snuck under the radar for me. I didn’t even realize that there was another in the series until another blogger randomly posted about it. I jumped on adding the book to my library holds. In this volume, we revisit two characters that previously appeared in other volumes. Alice and Daniel were intriguing small side characters in those books and I was excited to see them get their own romance story. The romance itself is very stilted at times, but only because we get to see two very different types of people than th usual romance leads. At many times, I really felt for Alice’s inability to understand the people around her. I loved getting the glimpse into her own thought patterns as we see her wrestle with the case and her complicated feelings toward Agent B. I sped through the volume loving every single page of it. I only wish that we had a bit more spice and maybe some more banter.

Dangerous Damsels

• #1 The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels

• #2 The League of Gentlemen Witches

• #3 The Secret Service of Tea and Treason

Next up on the TBR pile:

The League of Gentlewomen Witches by India Holton

Title: The League of Gentlewomen Witches(Dangerous Damsels #2)

Author: India Holton

Publisher: Berkley Books 2022

Genre: Historical romance Fantasy

Pages: 352

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Miss Charlotte Pettifer belongs to a secret league of women skilled in the subtle arts. That is to say—although it must never be said—witchcraft. The League of Gentlewomen Witches strives to improve the world in small ways. Using magic, they tidy, correct, and manipulate according to their notions of what is proper, entirely unlike those reprobates in the Wisteria Society.

When the long lost amulet of Black Beryl is discovered, it is up to Charlotte, as the future leader of the League, to make sure the powerful talisman does not fall into the wrong hands. Therefore, it is most unfortunate when she crosses paths with Alex O’Riley, a pirate who is no Mr. Darcy. With all the world scrambling after the amulet, Alex and Charlotte join forces to steal it together. If only they could keep their pickpocketing hands to themselves! If Alex’s not careful, he might just steal something else—such as Charlotte’s heart.

Charlotte is not the easiest person to love and yet I totally fell for her in this novel. I loved the prickly not-witch and her adventures with dreamy pirate Alex. As soon as Alex showed up in the first book, I knew I wanted to read more of his story. Thankfully Holton took my desire seriously and made a whole other book featuring Alex. The swaggering pirate and the buttoned up not-witch make a perfect pairing in this chase adventure across England. I loved all the references to Austen’s (and Bronte’s) works as Charlotte attempts to understand just what situation she got herself into and how exactly it’s going to play out. I laughed out loud so many times at the witty one-liners and rejoinders. I swooned every time Alex stared and smirked at Charlotte. I hoped that we would get a HEA but only if the two actually came to an intellectual agreement. This may be my perfect light and fun romance book.

Dangerous Damsels

• #1 The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels

• #2 The League of Gentlemen Witches

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton

Title: The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels (Dangerous Damsels #1)

Author: India Holton

Publisher: Berkley Books 2021

Genre: Historical romance Fantasy

Pages: 324

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR

Cecilia Bassingwaite is the ideal Victorian lady. She's also a thief. Like the other members of the Wisteria Society crime sorority, she flies around England drinking tea, blackmailing friends, and acquiring treasure by interesting means. Sure, she has a dark and traumatic past and an overbearing aunt, but all things considered, it's a pleasant existence. Until the men show up.

Ned Lightbourne is a sometimes assassin who is smitten with Cecilia from the moment they meet. Unfortunately, that happens to be while he's under direct orders to kill her. His employer, Captain Morvath, who possesses a gothic abbey bristling with cannons and an unbridled hate for the world, intends to rid England of all its presumptuous women, starting with the Wisteria Society. Ned has plans of his own. But both men have made one grave mistake. Never underestimate a woman.

When Morvath imperils the Wisteria Society, Cecilia is forced to team up with her handsome would-be assassin to save the women who raised her--hopefully proving, once and for all, that she's as much of a scoundrel as the rest of them.

Oh this was just delightful! We get a mix of pirates, romance, historical capers, modern humor, and even a few steamy scenes towards the end. I loved every single page of this story. Cecilia isn’t necessarily my favorite character, but her relationships with other characters were just such fun. I loved the back and forth with Ned and the back and forth with her Aunt. The villain was appropriately over the top and full of cheese and yet still very dangerous. The houses are delightful extra characters as they battle it out over the Moors. And the rest of the Wisteria Society adds the layers we need to understand this world. I sped through this one and cannot wait to get my hands on the second book. I can’t wait to read Alex’s story.

Dangerous Damsels

• #1 The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels

• #2 The League of Gentlemen Witches

Next up on the TBR pile: