A review by fringebookreviews
The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love by India Holton

4.0

✨A bird in the hand is worth two professors getting it on in a bush✨

TL;DR: Hmm the romance was great and Holton’s writing remains a national treasure, but I could honestly have cared less about the plot (sorry to the birds). While it’s not my favorite Holton novel, I have no egrets <3

✨

This book was fun and definitely classic India Holton™ bonkers, but I was just not as intrigued by the birds as I was by her pirates/witches/spies. Maybe it was because I’m terrible at picturing things in my head, but I was just like…what do you mean magical birds??? I felt like we got even less rules in this universe and my brain kinda hurt. My eyes were going a bit spiraly. I couldn’t really get lost in the world quite like I did in the last series. 

Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy the birds and the absurdity of it all, but I just wanted more romance and less plot. The way Holton writes characters falling in love is by far my favorite thing about her books. Was there much romantic tension because this was some of the instaest insta love I’ve ever read? No, not really, and I do think there could’ve been some more depth, yet I was SO CHARMED. Definition of romance. “Apologize to the lady for annoying her” is pure sex. 

While I did get a bit bored of the bird chasing, I was so invested in the“publicity” subplot. Basically there were some ornithologist PR agents trying to drum up public interest in ornithology by heavily promoting the Romance of it all. They kept calling reporters and orchestrating only-one-bed scenarios, which was GREAT fun. It was an endearing amount of farcical and kept me giggling and kicking my feet. 

After evaluation, The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love is most similar to The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels. They both do a lot of work as intros to series (and absurd magical worlds), the romances were set up very similarly (rivals to lovers pretending to be enemies to lovers who spend half the book being friends to lovers), and the romance took a lesser role to the plot. 

I also feel like book two is going to be my favorite of the series, the same way The League of Gentlewomen Witches stole my heart. The teaser for book two was somehow more interesting than this entire book. Like India Holton writing second chance???—former marriage of convenience, current (and estranged) marriage of inconvenience???—I am LIVING!!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️.5/5


I received an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.