I find Jenny Holiday's style unique in sea of wonderful historical romances. She has a way of heaping humor and puns on early, so you find yourself laughing your way through the initial part of the book, but then the deeper story emerges and you root for her characters as they work their way to their happily ever after.

In Manic Pixie Dream Earl, the three earls we met in the first book in the series are about to embark on their annual Earl's Trip. Edward Featherfinch, Effie, is the sensitive poet of the group and he's relieved to be leaving London, where he fends off advanced from men and women of the ton (there's a funny scene with siblings that was cringe-worthy!). He's never felt much for anyone except the magazine editor he works for, with whom he has only corresponded for the last five years. Though the term "demi" wasn't around back then, Effie fits the current definition. He isn't attracted to anyone until he has a deeper relationship with them.

Julianna is the magazine editor who thinks she's been corresponding with another woman. Knowing her friend Effie is going to Brighton on a holiday, Effie uses precious funds to make the trip there and escape the frustrating situation at the magazine. While her late father intended for Julianna to run the magazine after him, a step-brother has control and exerts it. The magazine is an interesting secondary plot throughout the book.

One of the most beautiful parts of this series is the unconditional acceptance that the three earls have for each other. The other two thought Effie was gay, but happily and kindly advise him when he comes to them about advancing his relationship with Julianna.

The third act breakup in this one really got me, but we get our happily ever after in time.

This was beautiful done and the ALC narrator was fantastic.

I love a pen pal trope!

Jenny’s books are always like warm hugs to me. This one also didn’t disappoint. I loved the way she turned historical romance into an unpredictable mix up of tropes and classic devices and made it her own! I had a great time with this one.

Thank you Tantor Audio for the alc!

I LOVED this book! As a reader, I’ve been hooked since Earl’s Trip and was so excited to catch up with these characters. Holiday brings a light but impactful twist to the manic pixie dream trope and it was done wonderfully. If you’re looking for a new hist-rom for the summer, this is it. As an audiobook, the narration was excellent and kept me engaged the whole time.

Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for this ALC!
Only Jenny Holiday can make me read historical romance! I had such a blast with this story even though I did not read book #1.
Edward, a nobleman and secret poet, falls in love through letters with Julianna, an editor who believes he's a woman named Euphemia. When she surprises him on a trip to finally meet, both are stunned by the truth. Now they must navigate mistaken identities, class differences, and whether love is worth risking everything for.
Listening speed: 1.75X
Narrated by the incredible Harry Frost, what a treat! His rich voice and dreamy English accent brought this quirky story to life in the best way. Even if historical romance isn’t usually your thing, I highly recommend this one, it was charming, witty, and such a delight from start to finish!

Genre: historical romance
Brighton, 1822

Earls' trip, 1822. Every year, found-family-besties Archibald Fielding-Burton (Archie), the Earl of Harcourt and his friends Simon Courteney, Earl of Marsden, and Edward Astley (Effie), Viscount Featherfinch take a trip, and this year having confirmed that the King is not in Brighton, they venture to the seaside town. Last year, Archie ended up married. This year, Effie has a burning secret that he needs to share as soon as Earls Trip commences: he's in love...with a woman he's never met in person. Effie has been corresponding with Miss Julianna Evans, editor and publisher of a ladies' magazine to which he regularly submits poetry and writes an advice column. And while Julianna guesses he's aristocratic, she also thinks he's a woman named Euphemia... Much to her surprise Effie is entirely different, and yet entirely the same as she expects, when she encounters him in person.

Like the first book, this book was also an absolute delight. The tone of this is entirely rom-com with contemporary language, and yet the 1822 setting never feels like wallpaper. The problems and conflicts that Effie and Julianna face are dictated by 19th century constraints in a blend that works surprisingly well.

There are a few things that stand out in this book that makes the story unique and the characters genuine. At 38, Julianna is ten years older than Effie, and if that wasn't a hard enough gap to cross, the class difference feels insurmountable, especially since Julianna chooses to work hard for a living. Both characters are frank about their sexuality. Julianna has had both male and female lovers, and in a way that feels era-authentic. Effie is demisexual. Often, I find that demi-coded characters are harder to decipher in historical romance because sometimes societal rules mask romantic love or even sexual desire. With Holiday's tone and style though, she has the ability to be more overt with Effie's internal monologue as he unwinds the understanding of his desire.

The historical rom-com tone may not be for everyone, but I think that Jenny Holiday does it better than most other writers attempting it. The audiobook is narrated by Harry Frost, who manages to convey both whimsy and gravity befitting Effie and Julianna's journey.

This book had a lot of potential. It featured fun characters, probably my favorite book title of all time, and a beautifully described setting. Sadly, something just fell a bit flat for me. I'm not sure if it was due to the fact that much of the correspondence between Effie and Juliana took place through letters, which created a sense of emotional distance between them. The pacing also felt uneven throughout, and at times I wasn’t quite sure what the story was trying to accomplish. Overall, while the potential was definitely there, the book didn’t quite deliver