A review by jencolumb0
Earls Trip by Jenny Holiday

adventurous lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I really wanted to be totally delighted by this book. Based on the publicity around it, I expected a flippant regency romp but the story is, instead, loaded with a bit more emotional baggage than that kind of story can bear. In the end, it’s a lovely story (with points for dyslexia rep) but the gap caused by my expectations put a dent in my star rating.

I found Archie, Clem, and Olive to be well-developed characters; Simon and Effie, less so, but it looks like they’ll be getting their own books . . . and I guess they will become more fully-formed characters therein. 

While the relationship between Archie and Clem is the marque pairing, I am impressed by the love letter to sisterhood that Holiday baked into this as well. Overall, once I made it through the semi-madcap events that open the story, the book settled into a gentle cross of Downton Abby and Evie Dunmore’s Bringing Down the Duke that, honestly, was a bit of a slow burn. I was at least 2/3 of the way through it before I really started to get engaged with the characters. On balance, I’m glad I hung in and finished it and I do look forward to checking in with Archie & Clem and learning more about Effie then Simon.
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