Earls Trip

Clem is my favorite heroine in some time. She loves nature, her family and her dear friend Archie. I had so many personal touchstones to this book, and the discussion with Archie's mom in the garden truly made me cry. I didn't want it to end and look forward to the next book focused on Effie. I have one tiny note, which was that I wish there had been a reference to Archie's mom discussing their children with Clem's mom. I feel like Clem could have gained clarity in that moment as well if it had been the wish of both their mother's they married.

”Tis merely a flesh wound.”

CW: dementia/memory loss, domestic violence (off screen)

THE GOOD

♡ The author has a way of making the brushing of hands or exposure of an ankle feel intimate and steamy, which makes for a delightful build!

♡ My favorite aspect of the book was watching Olive and Clementine's relationship build — I never had a sister, but I gained a sister-in-law in my 20's, so it's sweet seeing women my age build that sisterly relationship~!

♡ This was a super fast read for me (less than 24 hours), I think because I was invested in the concept and in the mood for this type of book. I saw other reviewers saying it took them a while to get through it, and I can definitely see how if I read this at a different time, parts of it might feel slow or meandering.

♡ I loved Archie's relationship with his mother and his journey coming to terms with/managing her memory loss. It's never named explicitly, but I could relate a lot of it to my own experiences with family members experiencing early onset dementia. The author brought to light the mental and emotional load of caretakers and how hard it can be to balance your own need to recharge vs your commitment to your loved ones.

♡ Another thing that isn't explicitly named but feels very present is Archie's struggle with reading — I definitely interpreted it as dyslexia, but I would be curious to hear from folks with dyslexia/other learning disabilities what they thought of this depiction.

♡ For me, Clementine's vegetarianism was handled well — she was strong in her convictions but never pushed her beliefs onto others, instead inviting people to learn when they showed curiosity. As a former vegan, it was interesting to read about animal welfare through a regency lens.
THE BAD

♡ The plot and pacing were confusing for me — we start with a ton of action, then simmer down to a feel-good vacation with little real conflict. Most of this book felt like them just hanging out, which allows for some great character development but not a whole lot of plot. It's not a bad thing to be character driven, but I think that might be why it felt slow for a lot of readers.

♡ The marketing for this book was misleading. I picked it up initially because I saw a tagline calling it “Ted Lasso meets Bridgerton for a 19th century spin on The Hangover.” I expected tomfoolery, I expected scandal, I expected drama. Instead, for most of the book we're sitting around embroidering handkerchiefs, eating mushroom pie and entering turtle races. I still enjoyed it, but other than that initial BOOM of action in the beginning, the book is very low-key and nothing like The Hangover.

IN CONCLUSION

♡ I had a good time, but I'm left confused over the marketing and wish there was more of plot to move the characters along. I don't see myself rereading this title or picking up the subsequent books in the series, but I also wouldn't discourage anyone read this book. I think you'd enjoy Earl's Trip if you like character-driven stories, light spice, and a wide cast of characters.