Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Geographer's Map to Romance by India Holton Narrator: Elizabeth Knowelden
Series: Love's Academic #2
Published by Berkley, Penguin Audio on April 8, 2025
Genres: Fantasy Romance
Pages: 364
Length: 10 hours, 19 minutes
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
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Professor Elodie Tarrant is an expert in magic disasters. Nothing fazes her—except her own personal disaster, that Professor Gabriel Tarrant, the grumpy, unfriendly man she married for convenience a year ago, whom she secretly loves.
Gabriel is also an expert in magic disasters. And nothing fazes him either—except the walking, talking tornado that is his wife. They’ve been estranged since shortly after their wedding day, but that hasn’t stopped him from stoically pining for her.
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.
The Dangerous Damsels series began this world with its witty, hilarious antics. The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love continues the tradition in a new series in the same world, Love’s Academic. It isn’t necessary to have read the previous books as they are not mentioned at all. Those books are so fun I wouldn’t miss them, however. I really appreciate the magic of strong women in a historical setting. The plots are rather nonsensical, but the dialogue is exceedingly clever and often humorous. The books are romances.
The Geographer’s Map to Romance is the next in the series. Our main characters are Dr. Tarrant and Dr. Tarrant, married professors. They married for convenience, although secretly attracted, and then the separated when the “convenience” didn’t work out. Elodie and Gabriel are rather opposites, the sunshine / grumpy pair.
Geography is quite different than my experience as it is more the magic of the fae they are mapping, tracking and countering. Dr. Tarrant is called to go to a flare up and both of them go, as they are both Dr. Tarrant. Elodie is fearless in her study and fight to defeat the dangerous magic flares. Gabriel is more cautious but also knowledgeable. I have to say he spends most of his time watching Elodie, or protecting her or trying to rescue her.
“He’s fine. He’s just having fun with geometry.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard those two words used in the same sentence.”
I do enjoy math but there really wasn’t much utilized here. Their hijinks are ridiculous but fun. I always enjoy the clever banter. Their eventual outpouring of love was romantic.
Narration:
The narrator has done all the books in the series and I really enjoy her performance. The voices for the characters felt authentic. Nearly all the speaking was done by Gabriel and Elodie, or the thoughts in their heads, so it was easy listening. I was able to listen at 1.7x speed, a bit faster than the previous books.
Listen to a clip: HERE
Excerpt:
“Much obliged.”
But Motthers had not done with trembling. “There’s, um, a small problem.”
“Oh?” Elodie asked, not really listening as she inspected the ticket. It provisioned her with a second class seat from Oxford to Aberystwyth, after which she and Motthers would take a hired carriage to Dôlylleaud. This was altogether a journey of several long, dull hours, but Elodie didn’t mind, feeling that tedium was best described as an opportunity for imagination.
“Just a very small problem,” Motthers persisted. “Which is to say, quite large actually, and-and-problematic.”
“Uh-huh.” Elodie experienced so many problems in her profession that they had to be literal disasters before she started worrying. Motthers, however, was only a master’s degree student, and had not yet been caught in a raging flood, let alone outrun fiery boulders that chased him uphill. He needed several more catastrophes under his belt before he developed perspective. As a result, his voice tried to hide behind his tonsils when next he spoke.
“You recall how the telegram yesterday requested aid from Professor Tarrant?”
“Sure,” Elodie said, barely listening. Suitcase in hand, she began striding through the station building toward the platform, the heels of her sturdy half boots knocking against the ground as if to announce to other travelers that a professional heroine had arrived-although apparently this was not clear enough for Professor Palgrave, who was forced to leap aside, muttering about “sinful blindness.”
“Um,” Motthers said, scurrying to keep pace despite his legs being several inches longer than Elodie’s (which prompted him to wonder if he should mention the knotted-up skirt, but his courage failed). “It’s just, well, it seems a copy was made of the telegram, and someone who shall go unnamed [Ralph Salterling] delivered it to a second office.”
“Oh?” Elodie stopped near the edge of the platform and shielded her eyes with her free hand from the limpid morning sun as she peered along the tracks for a glimpse of a train. Incredibly, she had managed to arrive early.
“To be fair,” Motthers continued, “we’re not exactly sure who the message was meant for in the first place, you or . . . the other Professor Tarrant.”
Elodie continued gazing out beneath her hand at the horizon, mainly because she had frozen. Then, very slowly, she turned to look at the small crowd on the platform.
And there he was.
“You,” she muttered with such ferocity, it must be cause for amazement that the gentleman did not spontaneously combust. He did not even so much as flinch, however. Indeed, he might have been a statue erected in honor of Elodie’s worst memory. All the familiar details were present: tidy black hair, almost-black eyes, olive skin, suit so immaculate he could have worn it to meet the pope, were he not an agnostic. Absent was any human warmth. Behind him, a graduate student fussed with their emergency response kit, but he ignored them, ignored the entire world, staring instead at a small, oblong wooden block in his hand with an expression so stern it made a rock seem like quivering jelly.
Yet Elodie knew that he’d seen her, without a doubt. He saw everything.
Gabriel.
Professor Tyrant to his students (and several members of the faculty when they thought no one could hear them).
Her husband.
Elodie’s face blazed. She thrust the suitcase at Motthers without looking, turned on a heel, and began striding back toward the velocipede.
“P-Professor!” Motthers cried out, but Elodie ignored him. She had to get away . . . even while her mind ran headlong into the pit of memory.
She’d married Gabriel on a Monday afternoon in September, almost exactly one year ago. It had been an accident.
Excerpted from The Geographer’s Map to Romance by India Holton Copyright © 2025 by India Holton. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved.
About India Holton
India resides in New Zealand, where she’s enjoyed the typical Kiwi lifestyle of wandering around forests, living barefoot on islands, and messing about in boats.
Now she lives in a cottage near the sea, writing books about unconventional women and charming rogues.Think slow burn romance with literal explosions.
India’s writing is fuelled by tea, buttered scones, and thunderstorms.
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 25-Audio
- 25-COYER
I’m excited to read this. I hope I can squeeze it in this month, but if not it might get pushed to May. I’m glad you had fun with it😁
These are always so fun Tammy. It’s not necessary to have read others in the series. They can be read as standalones.
I love the sound of this one! Though I still need to read the first one, but I have it on hold at my library so hopefully soon. 😀
These are just so much fun. I hope you enjoy it.
I’ve had my eye on her books and do plan to read them. Love the blend of historical and magic. Sound like fun!
Sophia I think you would love these! The Dangerous Damsels series (set in the same world are a bit more connected than these) You don’t have to read that series to read this one and the two in this series can be read as standalones. I can also highly recommend the audio.
The series sounds like a lot of fun. Great review, Anne💜
They are very fun. I like the science in them. This one doesn’t do the science as well as the earlier ones.
Fun excerpt! Thanks for sharing!
yes you can see how clever it is.
I guess I didn’t realize the two series were related. I just figured it was another new world. Anyhow, I was disappointed with this one, after LOVING the first book (and the previous series). But it could have been a mood thing. I’ll keep reading the series because I do enjoy the world and writing.
yes Jen I understand why you were disappointed after reading your review. This was my least favorite because not enough geography and math.
This looks so good! I didn’t realize it was part of a series -even if they aren’t really connected. I’ll have to pick up this one and the first book.
I enjoyed the first book more than this one. And the first series Dangerous Damsels are more connected. I loved those too.
I agree, the hijinks were ridiculous but fun! I also liked the banter. I’ll have to look up her back list!
The first trilogy is much more connected with characters in the 3 books. I really liked the Ornithologist book a lot, even more.
I do love the covers on this series and they do sound good. Great review!
This author writes such great historical romantic comedy. You should try one. The Ornithologists are hysterically funny.