A rare find

Elfreda "Elf" Marsden doesn't care what anyone else says: she is an archaeologist. The Alban Society of Antiquaries, however, does not accept the idea of welcoming female members. Elf thinks she may have finally found what she needs to establish her professional bona fides with the antiquarians, however, when she uncovers a Viking amulet near her home in Derbyshire. Unfortunately, the artifact is quickly lost when Elf bumps into her childhood frenemy, Georgina "Georgie" Redmayne. Hoping to mend fences with Elf, Georgie offers to help her search for the Viking treasure rumored to be buried somewhere in the neighborhood. But can Elf really work with Georgie when she proves to be so distracting in so many different ways? Lowell (A Shore Thing, 2024) switches things up with the Regency-era setting of her latest impeccably written, dryly witty historical romance, but readers will be delighted to know that the nuanced characters, as well as the thoughtful exploration of the fluidity of gender identity and transformative power of love, are everything they have come to expect from this extraordinary author.

Lowell (A Shore Thing) serves up a sumptuous queer friends-to-lovers romance set in Regency Derbyshire, England. Elfreda "Elf" Marsden is a frustrated aspiring archaeologist cast in the role of sister/parent to her three younger sisters by her father, a grossly misogynistic academic. When her infuriating, gender role--flouting neighbor, Georgina "Georgie" Redmayne, returns to the countryside on the heels of a scandal in London involving a duel and a carriage accident, Elf's quiet life is turned upside down. Georgie accidentally collides with Elf, causing her to lose a critical artifact that could prove her theories regarding Norse inhabitants in the area. Contrite, Georgie offers to help her find more evidence, kindling a tenuous camaraderie rooted in shared history, current alliances, and family secrets. After a slow start, the story hits its stride, with haughty Elf and saucy Georgie growing and changing together. Though some subplots are left dangling, Lowell's deep dive into Regency era conceptions of gender and propriety adds depth and stakes to the central romance. This is a charmer. (June)

Few romances tell a tale of self-discovery and self-actualization as well as Lowell's latest historical romance. The book features archaeologist Elfreda Marsden, a woman waiting for her widowed father and his antiquarian colleagues to respect her, even as she keeps house and raises her younger siblings. Into her life walks Georgie Redmayne, her nemesis and neighbor, sent to the country after causing a scandal in London. As the pair spend time together, Elf's dislike of Georgie begins to take a different shape, and living in the country ends up holding more charm than Georgie expected. Soon, the pair are going on adventures together, seeking Viking gold, and attempting to get Elf the respect she deserves. Much like her delightful Victorian-set A Shore Thing, Lowell has crafted a charming, joyful, and utterly romantic queer romance, based, she notes, on real-life people who lived and loved in the Regency period. VERDICT Lowell gives readers another entertaining, emotional, and educational romp with a romantic pair that is easy to fall in love with.--Jenny Kobiela-Mondor