The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love - Love's Academic by India Holton Paperback

About the Book

"Beth Pickering is on the verge of finally capturing the rare deathwhistler bird when Professor Devon Lockley swoops in, capturing both her bird and her imagination like a villain--albeit a handsome and charming villain, but that's beside the point. As someone highly educated in the ruthless discipline of ornithology, Beth knows trouble when she sees it, and she is determined to keep her distance from Devon. For his part, Devon has never been more smitten than when he first set eyes on Professor Beth Pickering. She's so pretty, so polite, so capable of bringing down a fiery, deadly bird using only her wits. In other words, an angel. Devon understands he must not get close to her, however, since they're professional rivals"--

Book Synopsis

INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER!

"So riotously clever it almost defies description...an alchemy of romantic elements held in perfect harmony."--NPR

Rival ornithologists hunt through England for a rare magical bird in this historical-fantasy rom-com reminiscent of Indiana Jones but with manners, tea, and helicopter parasols.

Beth Pickering is on the verge of finally capturing the rare deathwhistler bird when Professor Devon Lockley swoops in, stealing both her bird and her imagination like a villain. Albeit a handsome and charming villain, but that's beside the point. As someone highly educated in the ruthless discipline of ornithology, Beth knows trouble when she sees it, and she is determined to keep her distance from Devon.

For his part, Devon has never been more smitten than when he first set eyes on Professor Beth Pickering. She's so pretty, so polite, so capable of bringing down a fiery, deadly bird using only her wits. In other words, an angel. Devon understands he must not get close to her, however, since they're professional rivals.

When a competition to become Birder of the Year by capturing an endangered caladrius bird is announced, Beth and Devon are forced to team up to have any chance of winning. Now keeping their distance becomes a question of one bed or two. But they must take the risk, because fowl play is afoot, and they can't trust anyone else--for all may be fair in love and war, but this is ornithology.

Review Quotes

"India Holton infuses the story with wry wit and meta inside jokes. Every sentence is positively vibrating with the kind of charm that will have you pressing your lips together with laughter. And yet amid all the outrageous and camp fun, Holton also succeeds in building a genuine love story - between two people who have kept the world at a distance for years but somehow find a home within each other. And if that doesn't sell you, then you should at least know this book has one of the funniest twists on the 'one bed' trope I've read in a long time."--NPR

"Holton continues to be the world's leading engineer of the romp. The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love is positively confectionary: a sweetly earnest love story wrapped in layers of sharp word-play, deadly magical birds, and cheeky narrative awareness."--Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of Starling House

"Holton's prose winks and sparkles with wit and magic, flitting expertly between laugh-out-loud hijinks, swoon-worthy romance, and adventure filled with fowl play. The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love is pure, rollicking fun--and will set your heart aflutter."--Allison Saft, New York Times bestselling author of A Fragile Enchantment

"No one writes banter and charm like India Holton. Beth and Devon's love story isn't just entertaining and educational--it's swoonworthy. The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love is an un-put-downable academic adventure."--Raquel Vasquez Gilliland, USA Today bestseller of Witch of Wild Things

"By Jove! ORNITHOLOGISTS is a delightfully madcap rivals-to-lovers romp featuring India Holton's trademark wit, genteel ladies who enjoy tea with their fisticuffs--and of course, oodles of magical murder birds. I was charmed from beginning to end!"--Jenna Levine, USA Today bestselling author of My Roommate Is a Vampire

"I adored India Holton's latest historical fantasy romance! My heart must be a bird, because Professors Beth Pickering and Devon Lockley have captured it. Holton writes with wit and whimsy, building a tender and sensual romance while sending her characters on a madcap adventure dotted with exotic birds, ruthless ornithologists, and a gaggle of very concerned French fishermen. The story is charming, swoonworthy, and delightfully nerdy, and Holton's prose sparkles with both sly humor and gorgeously rendered descriptions. This is a magically romantic delight."--Sarah Hawley, author of A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon

"India Holton's writing is not only the most vibrantly unique I've ever read, but also the tears-in-your-eyes funniest. Her characters--from the rivaling heroes to their colorful supporting cast--all sparkle with pure wit, swoon-worthy charisma, and magical warmth. I want to dive headfirst into The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love and live forever among the feathered creatures and charming academia."--Kate Golden, author of A Dawn of Onyx

"Few things are as delightful as an India Holton book, and every time I get the chance to read one, it feels like Christmas morning. Clever wordplay, gorgeous prose, adventure, and romance that made my heart happy-sigh over and over--The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love has EVERYTHING that I want in a novel and the reading experience was like sitting in a magic cauldron, bubbling over with joy. I want to read about Beth and Devon and magical birds forever. I want a nine hundred page sequel about these two lovebirds (!) ambling all over the world. I knew before opening this book that it was going to be tremendous fun, and IT WAS."--Sarah Hogle, author of Old Flames and New Fortunes

"Holton's newest romantic fantasy is an absolute delight, perfect for fans of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries and Holton's previous Dangerous Damsels series. I could not stop smiling as I read it."--IGN

"What's not to enjoy about this new series? Absolutely nothing and if you are looking for a witty cozy with a dash of magic, you will not be disappointed."--Locus Magazine

"Dueling bird experts spar as they try to uncover the truth behind a legendary magical bird in this lively romance novel."--Seattle Times

"India Holton's characteristic humor and creativity shines throughout the book just as it did in her Dangerous Damsels series. Her books are lighthearted, fun, and adventurous just much as they are romantic and dreamy. Her characters are so wonderful and feel so real! I felt exactly like I was an ornithologist tramping across the country in search of the deathwhistler alongside Beth and Devon."--HerCampus

"This upcoming release from India Holton, author of the Dangerous Damsels series, cements her as a queen of whimsical historical romantasy. With charming prose, a fast-paced plot, a swoon-worthy romance, and a healthy serving of magical birds, this book shines as a joyous beacon of the light academia genre. The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love is a ridiculous romp of a romance, perfect for fans of the Emily Wilde books."--Bookstr

"Bestselling author India Holton is adored for her unique romantic stories filled with charm and whimsy -- and her latest novel follows suit!...A fun, magical rivals-to-lovers tale that will delight any romance fan!"--Woman's World

"Setting her novel mostly in England, using slapstick humour and nonstop witticisms, Holton presents a thoroughly unorthodox cast of vividly imagined characters...This is a great start to what I hope will be more kooky adventures with equally hilarious and deranged casts."--Historical Novel Society

"This is one of the most enticing love stories I have read of late."--GeekMom.com

"Holton opens the Love's Academic series on a gloriously madcap intellectual adventure tinged with a hint of whimsical fantasy."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Watching Beth and Devon navigate each other as they tromp across Britain, as all around them birders and press agents plot and plan, is a fun spree."--Library Journal

"The new series will delight [Holton's] fans and serve as a great place for readers who haven't yet discovered her to plunge in." --Booklist

About the Author

India Holton lives in New Zealand, where she has 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 uppity women and charming rogues, and drinking too much tea.