A fun historical romantic fantasy that was filled with banter and ridiculous (in the best way) world building. This was such a fun book to read although the miscommunication got on my nerves and had me screaming at the FMC and MMC far more than I would have liked. The plot and general premise are wonderfully quirky and whimsical. I love that there are more additions to the academic fantasy that doesn't focus on the students - more please - and having them be professors in the same department I think adds even more. I do that this one was a bit more focused on the fantasy science than the previous one which I found a bit eye-glazing at times, but generally was too fun to find much fault. I find living in this world to be too delightful to hold much against it.

This was a moving historical fiction romantasy featuring rival professors who have been estranged since their marriage of convenience went horribly wrong. I loved the we need to save the world from a magical disaster vibes and thought it was great on audio. Highly recommended for fans of the Emily Wilde series or authors like Elizabeth Everett and Evie Dunmore. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

India Holton manages to write some of the wittiest, most outlandish historical romances. Her sense of humor in these stories makes me giggle throughout. I always enjoy magical realism and she writes it so well. This book series is so wholesome and I just absolutely adore these geographers just as much as I did the ornithologists. The magic in this world is so fun and interactive and I love these geographers and the ridiculousness of it.

Elodie and Gabriel are some of the most oblivious geniuses. They are so fun because of their passion for geography. Yet they literally misinterpret anything and everything emotional. Every assumption, every presumption, every inference was literally the opposite of reality. This book was so outlandish and fun, that as frustrating as you think that would be, you don’t really even notice, because it blends so well together with the magic and the other characters.

This story has marriage of convenience, forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine, one bed, and delivers all these tropes in such a quirky way. I enjoyed every second of this story. I will say I do think I love ornithology slightly more. No matter, I can’t wait to read the next installment of this series.

Thank you India Holton and Berkley for an earc. All opinions are my own.

5 stars. Obviously. There is so so so so so much to love about India Holton's books, and this series in general. They're historical romance meets cozy fantasy/pnr meets romantic comedy and it's honestly the perfect combination that I want to read over and over again. I love that Holton's heroines are so very modern, which should feel anacrhonistic given the time period of the book, but just makes me love them more. As with other books from Holton, The Geographer's Map to Romance is hysterical. You've got banter for days with so many fun one-liners. But the best part... THE BEST PART... is that this is marriage of convenience. But not just any marriage of convenience. No- these two bozos actually are head over heels for one another, but didn't realize it when they got married, and because they're bozos, they let things get carried away and refuse to acknowledge that they have any actual feelings for one another, and oh yeah, they're fellow geography professors at Oxford who find themselves in the field together with only one bed and damn is everything about that scenario delicious! The first book in this series was my intro to Holton's writing, but this book has officially cemented me as a fan. I cannot wait for the next book in this series, and I will 100% be reading her earlier books.

Thank you so much to Berkley and netgalley for the ARC. This one truly had me smiling the entire time.

The Geographer’s Map for Romance was a whimsical, cozy time with Emily Wilde vibes mixed with a unique mix of historical romance and magical realism. The hijinks Elodie and Gabriel get caught up in had me giggling and gasping in shock. I adore this style of writing and think this is a must read for any romance lovers! The only reason I didn’t rate this five stars was that the strife between Gabriel and Elodie was solely miscommunication. As someone who doesn’t usually enjoy this trope, I found myself wanting to pull my hair out in frustration. However, the pining was top notch and I loved the added back story we get on both characters.

Thank you to Berkley Romance, NetGalley, and the author for sending me an early copy!

The Geographer's Map to Romance by India Holton is a charming and whimsical adventure that blends romance, humor, and a touch of fantasy. The story follows an unlikely pair who embark on a journey guided by a magical map, with unexpected twists and sparks flying along the way. Holton's writing is witty and engaging, with strong character chemistry and an imaginative plot that keeps readers entertained. The mix of lighthearted romance and adventure makes this book a delightful read for fans of quirky, feel-good stories.

The Geographer's Map to Romance by India Holton
Love's Academic #2
Pub day is 4/08 🎉

Clever, witty, silly, perfect!

This series is fantasy + historical romance and both books made me so giddy the whole time!

From the synopsis: When magic erupts in a small Welsh village, threatening catastrophe for the rest of England, Elodie and Gabriel are accidentally both assigned to the case. With the fate of the country in their hands, they must come together as a team in the face of perilous conditions like explosions, domesticated goats, and only one bed. But this is easier said than done. After all, there's no navigational guide for the geography of the heart.

• India Holton sneaks a zillion literary references into her books, and they are truly so much fun to read! I'm so proud whenever I catch one, but since I know that they're frequently really subtle, I'm sure I'm missing even more than I catch! Caught a whole bunch of Jane Austen references in this one.

• I absolutely never miss an opportunity to remind you that my favorite trope is marriage of convenience with a huge side of obsessive, helpless, pathetic pining. I bring this up now, obviously, because this book HAS THAT and more. Professors Elodie and Gabriel are so in love that they simply cannot stand to be near the other!! 🤭

• A reminder (to myself and everyone else) that the benefit of starting the romance novel with the characters *already married* is that the hero starts saying variations of "my wife" and "that's my wife" *even earlier* in the book!

Loved it so much and highly recommend!

I really enjoy India Holton's books. They have action and adventure but also romance and humor.
This one is about a marriage of convenience between 2 professors, Gabriel (who is hoping to acquire lodgings) and Elodie (who wants others -men - to see her as someone smart and not to be looked down on). After one night and a little bit of miscommunication, the relationship ends, though they are still married. They are then brought together to go on a mission to figure out why magic is erupting in a small Welsh village.
I really liked both Elodie and Gabriel and their inner monologues about hating the other but secretly still being in love. Elodie was the epidemy of a sunshine character and Gabriel was the epidemy of a grumpy one. It was fun to see their relationship grow and how they came to trust one another. There were also some quirky and goofy side characters that made parts of the story other than the relationship really fun.
These characters trying to save England from erupting magic was entertaining. The way magic worked in this world was interesting and the way Elodie and Gabriel dealt with it was sometimes funny. A lot of the book was focused on their relationship, but this was a fun addition.
I really love India Holton's writing style. Since it is a historical era book, the writing is a little "fancy" which I think fits the story and era perfectly.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘔𝘢𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 is a scholarly, humorous romp through 1880's England - perfect for fans of 𝘌𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘦'𝘴 𝘌𝘯𝘤𝘺𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘢𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘰𝘧 𝘍𝘢𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴. It's a silly, short period escape featuring a pair of highly academia magical cartographers who entered into a marriage of convenience only to avoid all forms of sensical communication for a year. Their lack of discussion, especially for such a length of time, was slightly aggravating, but I kept reading for the vibes. However, I enjoyed Elodie's whimsical chaos in contrast to Gabriel's grumpy realism.

The overly embellished prose can become tiresome, and isn't for everyone, but this story was an appropriate length to support such vocabulary while simultaneously not exhausting readers. This is a unique, eccentric story perfect for fans of cozy fantasy and historical fiction, and it hits shelves April 8.

Coming from someone who read an ARC of The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love and LOVED it, I was excited for another unique mix of academia and fantasy.

I could quickly see why the author described Gabriel as a Mr. Darcy type and Elodie as an Anne Shirley type. I would normally prefer to come to that conclusion myself while reading rather than have it put into my head by the author’s instagram’s posts but I enjoy the characterization nonetheless.

This one is shy of five stars because it’s much of the same as the first book and that was a five star read because it took me by surprise with its uniqueness.

I laughed out loud but just not as much as with The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love. I love Elodie and Gabriel perhaps even more than Beth and Devon though.

I don't think I realized when I requested it that this was the second in a series. I haven't read the first, and it didn't affect the reading in the slightest-- perfectly ok to read this on its own!

This is a fun adventure story with a romance subplot. The heroine is a loveable whirlwind. The hero is set up as a stodgy, brooding, historical alpha, but the story teases this apart and reveals him to be a real person, also very loveable. There's definitely grumpy-sunshine energy, and the characters could be ND-coded-- especially the hero.

The paranormal universe is a little generic-magic with a touch of steampunk. I kept finding myself thinking how much the main characters would love to have been in on any of Rincewind's unwanted adventures.

eARC from NetGalley.

This book was a delightful, entertaining, swoony read!!! Truly top tier wit, banter, angst, tension, and yearning!!!

I often have issues getting invested in cozy romances because it often feels too insta-love, but not at all with this book. I was completely enthralled within the first 10% of this book, and it kept my attention the whole way through. It had me smiling and laughing out loud multiple times and I was just completely enamored with the writing and the story. Second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes and when I got to the page where we find out THEY'RE MARRIED (it's like 2 pages in hahaha), I was all in. Idiots in love does not always hit for me, but it 100% worked for me (probably because of all the tension and yearning and banter).

This is a rare time where I was like...maybe there was TOO MUCH plot (which was so entertaining, honestly!!!), but I wanted to get back to the incredible romance. Elodie and Gabriel were simply perfect characters that you couldn't help but love and root for. I loved how they accepted and understood eachother so earnestly, and it was such a juicy "opposites not only attract, they thrive!!" vibe. The dual POVs really worked for me, without being repetitive (which is often my complaint about dual POVs).

So yes, I loved it!!!

*3.5

Thank you Berkley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Are you looking for a cozy fantasy with a sweet & angsty romance? This is the book!

Filled with an adventurous case, Professors Elodie and Gabriel Tarrant (who's marriage is solely of convenience ;) work together to save England from a magical and dangerous eruption.

You can't help but root for Elodie and Gabriel as you see them fall in love and save England together.

Truly a treat of a book!

I loved this book! It’s so whimsical and fun and the romance was delightful. The storm chasing stuff was really cool to read. India Holton is great and I really like her books. Definitely pick this one up!

to quite literally no one’s surprise: India Holton HAS DONE IT AGAIN🥲

her writing never fails to make me swoon and giggle and melt and kick my feet through every single chapter! Gabriel and Elodie, and their marriage of a very inconvenient nature, were absolutely no different🤭

the two professors of (magical) geography (who have ignored each other at all cost for a year, after their marriage of convenience was no longer needed for, well, convenient’s sake) are forced to team up to save a town from certain disaster.

and let me tell you from then on out….! the banter? the pining? he puts on her shoes? there’s only ONE TREE? “don’t speak to my wife like that”?!?? i’m going to float away all over again just talking about them!!!

read if you love:
+ marriage of (in)convenience
+ “it’s always been you”😭
+ grumpy sunshine (ultimate)
+ whimsy and magic!!!
+ opposites attract
+ “are you happy to see me or is that a telescope in your pocket?”🤭
+ effing the patriarchy! (girls rule, esp. Elodie!)
+ academic rivals to lovers to enemies to lovers
+ pinkies. brushing. 🫠

i will never (never!) take for granted the absolute joy and honor it is to read these books early. ty forever ever, Berkley.

This was a really fun book that I truly enjoyed. I loved the characters, the setting, all of the tropes, and the romance was just about perfect. The magic system was a bit more prominent than the first book which made this alternate victorian world work a little bit better. But best of all was the humor and the banter between the characters. I had a smile on my face and often laughed out loud while I was reading it. This novel has the perfect mixture of adventure, romance and magic.

Both Elodie and Gabriel will capture your heart, just like they did each others. They have both been in love with each other since they met, but both struggle with telling each other. I loved the marriage of convenience storyline, but even when they spend the wedding night together they can’t admit how much they love each other. I loved Elodie’s carefree attitude and not really caring how others perceive her, except for Gabriel. Gabriel is such a grump and I loved his inner dialogue pining after Elodie. They played off of each other perfectly and it was so fun to watch.

The secondary characters were also quite fun and at times played into the various tropes and shenanigans that were occuring throughout the story. The setting of a small village in Wales was also a nice touch. I loved how the villagers turned living near a magical ley line into a profitable tourist attraction. Some of the tourists were hilarious.

I am not a huge romance reader, but I do enjoy a good romcom. I was frustrated at times that Elodie and Gabriel didn’t figure out what was so plainly obvious about their feelings for each other. But I did enjoy the inner dialogue of both. I also really liked how the author explained some of Gabriel’s issues. You could tell that he was neurodiverse, and all of the struggles he had with that, which of course played into some of his reasons why he didn’t tell Elodie about his feelings. Elodie’s feelings of inadequacy because she was a ‘woman doing a man’s job‘ also was nicely done. I also loved how impulsive she was and how that impulsivity was what saved them from many of the situations they found themselves in.

I loved this author’s writing style and how she writes dialogue. I will definitely be looking into some of her previous series. The pacing of the story was also just right, and the pseudo victorian world was well done. The magical system is a bit hard to get a grasp on, but it isn’t super important to the world and the story, so I can forgive that.

If you loved The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love then this is a must read. It is just as delightful and fun and you will fall in love with the characters. You also don’t have to have read the first book in order to enjoy this one. They both work well as stand alones. If you are at all a romance fan this is a series that you want to have on your TBR.

India Holton is a treasure. With her books you know you are going to get big laughs, cozy vibes, a raucous adventure, excellent feminism, and joy from first page to last. The Geographer’s Map to Romance hit all those points and more. Elodie was marvelous and you just wanted her to get her every wish, even if that included the Grumpy Gabriel. She was way too good for him and he didn’t appreciate what he had! I highly recommend, especially for any vacation and travel. You can never be mad or upset when you have an India Holton book keeping you company. And the jokes in this one were pristine. I always appreciate academic-related humor.

Both Elodie and Gabriel are brilliant, professional geographers, except when it comes to each other. A year ago, they entered a marriage of convenience, but about three days after the wedding, they were no longer speaking. Now they've both been assigned to the same emergency response team set to investigate a catastrophe in a small Welsh town.

It's the second book in the Love Academic series, so it's set in the same world but with a different cast of main characters with some slight overlap. Devon, from the first book, is Gabriel's cousin and Devon is mentioned in passing. You don't need to read the first one to read the sequel, but I enjoyed those quick moments of overlap.

Just as cozy and romantic of an adventure as the first book, but I prefer this couple. I loved Elodie's whimsical inner thoughts and her joyful spirit! Gabriel was less pushy (romantically) which I appreciated. There was less focus on tea in this book, which I missed, but it was still cozy and academic.

I received a free advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley.

It was fine.

I haven't read the first book in this series, so this was my first taste of Holton's writing. Much of it was delightful, with incredible characters and a great idea. It was a fun, quick read. However...

I did feel like there was far too much purple prose. There were times where I was convinced the author wrote this book with a thesaurus open. There were also moments that were a little cheesy and I felt that the author leaned too heavily into the marriage of convenience trope highlighted by them both being absolutely in love with each other while simultaneously refusing to say as much and, therefore, believing that they actually hated each other. For me, all of this detracted from what was already a well-written story. Sometimes less is more.

What was done well was the sunshine woman and grumpy man trope. It wasn't overdone and felt like a realistic amount of difference between them.

Overall, a decent read that I won't hesitate to recommend to the right reader.

An absolute DELIGHT. This book perfectly captures the whimsical & magical aspects of this series with a new batch of love interests.

Grumpy x Sunshine professors that have a completely different style - serious & careful versus carefree & daring.

To make matters more interesting - they got married a year ago to land an upscale apartment that ended up getting rented to someone else. So now their “fake marriage” is legally binding and they avoid each other at all costs!!

As a reader that typically sticks to contemporary & romantasy - this book is the perfect combination of magic, action, & romance. All in a Bridgerton-esque setting.

Absolutely adored this.