Elfreda Marsden has been working under her father for years, assisting in his archeological research from the early medieval, and dreams of being inducted into the Albion Society of Antiquaries. Her neighbor Georgina Redmayne, longtime bane of her existence, has returned from a "frittering life" in London, and Elf is convinced its solely to annoy her. Georgie may have lived a high life on the stage, seeking adventure and diversion, but they've learned something important in the process: neither "she" or "he" fit their lived experiences, and "they" feels more freeing among close friends. And their bigger secret is that they've wanted to kiss Elf for a very very long time.

A Rare Find is a love story with a smaller slice of life plot, more focused on character development and the exploration of identity and self. While Georgie has a strong sense of who they are, they struggle with where they want to be and how they want to move to adulthood. Elf is certain of her archeological interests, but less certain about who and how she can love. It isn't until she sees two of Georgie's female friends kissing each other that Elf recognizes that it's a want she could even have, leading to a queer awakening.

Georgie and Elf go from enemies to tentative friends to lovers while navigating the challenges of inhabiting roles assigned to them by others based on their gender and perceived gender. While they use different vocabulary than we do today, Georgie and Elf's experiences mirror many contemporary queer experiences. Joanna Lowell reflects on this in her author's note, with a beautiful ode to the genre of historical romance, and its ability to reflect our own experiences through a historical lens. For the doubters of the queer historical experience, know that queer folx have always been here, even when they had to code their lives and their love to protect themselves and their community. Lowell's postscript does a lovely job highlighting this.

This book is a sweet, gentle romance about two people who grew up as neighbors finding each other again as adults. Having been “enemies” growing up, Elfreda (Elf) Marsden is not pleased to find out her neighbor Georgie Redmayne is back to live in the countryside for a while, having left London after a bit of a scandal involving a broken engagement and a duel. Georgie has grown into themself— now identifying as a nonbinary person in the Regency Era, with an androgynous appearance that Elf finds incredibly pleasing. Wait, WHAT?? She’s supposed to hate Georgie! Why is it every time they come near, her heart leaps and she feels all hot inside? She’s supposed to hate them and be focused on her archaeological research, trying to find a big site that would finally prove her mettle as an archaeologist and be recognized by the official society she’s dying to be accepted into. Georgie offers to help her, and once they agree on a truce, it’s hard to resist the growing attraction between the new friends, and things heat up as they work together…

This is a delightful, sweet, slow queer romance between a nonbinary person and a woman who has her sexuality awakened by them. It’s a Regency romance, so both characters struggle with the restrictions placed upon them in this time period— Georgie with their gender identity, Elf with her desire to be a woman in STEM in a time where that was simply unacceptable, and both of them with their sapphic sexualities. Their love story is so lovely and sweet and fun to read, with relatively low relationship conflict, so it’s just good, sweet, HOT fun as they both navigate societal expectations of themselves together. I adored reading this book and am so glad Lowell is publishing some incredible queer romances right now. I think it’s important to have stories like this, especially during the political turmoil of the US bringing out some of the nastiest forms of bigotry out in people.

I love love, and love seeing fellow queer people find that love. We all deserve a happy ending, regardless of gender or sexuality.

This is such a sweet book. I love it so much and will be recommending it to everyone once it is out.

From the very first page, it was clear that this book was written with the utmost care, not just for the characters, but for the readers as well. Joanna Lowell has a wonderful way of making even the simplest moments feel significant and full of emotion. (Looking at you scenes with a certain amulet)

Elf and George’s story unfolds in such a natural, believable way that it never feels forced and is filled wit and tenderness, and the character development is thoughtful. I found myself not just rooting for the couple but deeply invested in their individual growth. The challenges and realities of a queer couple are explored realistically and not glossed over; themes of vulnerability, trust are at the center. The pacing of the plot was perfect, balancing moments of intense emotion with light-hearted, joyful scenes that made me smile throughout and had supporting characters who were not only amusing but also important to the plot.

By the end of the book, I honestly found myself feeling a sense of warmth - resolution was satisfying, It’s rare find, indeed to read a romance that doesn’t just provide a temporary escape, but actually makes you feel better after finishing it.

A Rare Find by Joanna Lowell is a charming tale of enemies-turned-lovers set against the backdrop of an exciting treasure hunt. Elfreda, an aspiring archaeologist, teams up with her childhood rival, Georgie, to find Viking gold after their first discovery is lost. As they navigate their quest, the growing tension and attraction between them make for an irresistible romance.

Lowell skillfully weaves humor, adventure, and heartfelt moments into this historical romance, creating a delightful journey full of unexpected turns. The chemistry between Elfreda and Georgie is palpable, and their character development is both touching and satisfying. With its engaging plot, witty banter, and a slow-burn romance, A Rare Find is a captivating read for fans of queer historical fiction.

This is a gentle romance between Elfreda, dutiful daughter and accomplished archaeologist, and Georgie, not-so-dutiful sibling and dilettante. Georgie is kinda/sorta banished from Town after they unwittingly provoke a duel, where they run into Elf. Elf is painfully socially awkward and has resented Georgie for years, partially because of Georgie's effortless command of social situations and partially because she feels Georgie has been purposely mean to her. But really, Georgie has had a crush on Elf since forever, even though they think Elf is superior and patronizing.

I have been a fan of Joanna Lowell's since her debut. Her first three books each took a "bonkers" historical romance setup (sketching a naked duke in the street! taking on a convenient fake identty to get out of your honeymoon!) and the treated it as though it were a really serious situation. This book doesn't do that; instead, it's very much a "slice of life" kind of plot, as Georgie and Elf slowly become friends and then slowly become more than friends. I've talked before about how I really want a plot in my books, and I personally found that aspect a little lacking in A Rare Find. Give me some OTT elements any day!

If you like softer, gentler romances without too much relationship conflict, I think you'll like this one. In addition, the author's note was superlative: a little essay about historical romance, historical accuracy, and the different historical tidbits included in the book.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

📣 so good from the beginning to the end! Loooved it.

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

📖 how are you relaxing this weekend? I’m enjoying quiet night on the couch! But I’m about to do the dishes 👎🏻.

A Rare Find by Joanna Lowell is amazing. There’s one quote in particular that had me wondering how anyone could possibly denounce romance as a genre. Like, seriously, how.

Elfreda Marsden (she/her) is archaeologist who wants to find something huge & also win acceptance by an all-male antiquarian society. Georgie Redmayne (they/them) has been sent to the countryside to mull over their bad behavior & can’t help themself from needling Elfreda. Things get more interesting when they go on a treasure hunt together.

This stunning book left me feeling like I could hug my Kindle—watching Elf & Georgie realize how they’ve unfairly judged each other & seeing how they put themselves out there for each other is really fantastic. I just want to read more books about people falling head over heels & finding a million things to appreciate about someone.

5 ⭐️, out 06/10.

[ID: Jess wears a gray shirt with a tied ribbon & a red blazer & holds the ebook while standing in a yard.]

CW: Misogyny, Parental Neglect, Poverty

Lowell’s research and writing in her most recent historical romance remain top notch. Elfreda, one of our MCs, is a great researcher who is determined to make her name, and prove her Grandmother’s work was more than mere novel writing. Georgie, the other MC, is a non-binary thespian with a zest for life, practical jokes, and teasing Elfreda. I liked them both as individuals. I also liked the plot and the importance placed on women’s stories, experiences, and struggles in a misogynistic academic world.

Unfortunately, I didn’t like the romance itself. I thought Elfreda and Georgie were more interesting as individuals than as a pair. When they worked together on the archaeological mystery in the book, that was a lot of fun. But whenever they began to get romantic, I just didn’t feel it worked. Nothing wrong with Lowell’s writing here, and other readers may disagree with me.

I first encountered Joanna Lowell’s historical romances with “Artfully Yours,” a delightful Victorian comedy that pits a reluctant art forger against a devastatingly handsome but alienated aristocratic art critic known for his ability to spot a fake. I then read the two previous books in the series in preparation for interviewing Lowell for the New Books Network (link below) in reference to last summer’s “A Shore Thing,” which featured a trans male who appeared (in trousers) as a female artist in those earlier novels. “A Rare Find” picks up the theme of gender diversity and expands on it while moving the action back in time by around sixty years, to Britain’s Regency period.

Romance novels tend to follow tropes, even more than most novels do, and this one is explicit about its enemies-to-lovers theme. Elfreda (Elf) Marsden and Georgina (Georgie) Redmayne have lived on neighboring estates all their lives, but their families have been feuding for decades. Since Elf is a repressed academic and would-be archeologist, while Georgie lives for parties and other social events, the two have little in common even before Elf finds a treasured Viking amulet that will win her respect among the sexist male archeologists of her day, only to lose it when Georgie tosses Elf in a pool as the result of a misunderstanding. Things go from bad to worse, but nonetheless sparks fly, and the need to find alternate ways of proving Elf’s argument about the Norsemen keeps the two interacting.

The novel has one of the cutest, most appealing openings I’ve encountered, and it is full of complicated and often funny characters, interactions, and conversations. It moves at a fast clip and clearly represents a labor of love for the author, who states explicitly that the issues explored in the book grow out of her personal experience. If you love hot romances set in nineteenth-century Britain, especially those that explore nonbinary identities, this is definitely a novel for you.

doth my eyes deceive me???! i truly believe i have just read my first historical romance with a non-binary lead 🥹 this sapphic romance was so perfectly sweet and steamy- i adore joanna lowell for the representation ALWAYS SERVING in these historical romances and this was exactly what i needed 😫 i’m already gnawing on the bars of my enclosure for her next book!!

A Shore Thing is one of my favorite historical romances ever, and this follow-up is just as brilliant! Genuinely funny and full of vivid characters to adore. As far as I'm concerned, Joanna Lowell can do no wrong. Many thanks for the opportunity to read and review!

This book is a delightful rollercoaster of enemies to lovers, set against a backdrop of adventure, and the kind of sexual tension that makes you want to scream (in the best way). I loved how their connection deepens throughout the book. It’s one thing to have a strong, snarky banter, but this book actually lets those moments of vulnerability shine through, and that’s where the magic happens. The setting is just perfect. The plot keeps you guessing with surprises around every corner, and I loved how the treasure hunt wasn’t just about finding gold, it was about discovering something deeper between Elfreda and Georgie. This book is a whirlwind of tension, romance, and I couldn’t get enough.

This was beautifully written and the pacing kept me hooked from beginning to end, and the emotional depth gave the romance a richness that made it all the more satisfying. It’s a rare book that combines heart, humor, and passion so seamlessly, and A Rare Find does it with grace. I thoroughly enjoyed every page!