The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love

By: India Holton

Narrated by: Elizabeth Knowelden

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.

©2024 India Holton (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"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

India holton is the best!!!

India Holton never disappoints—I absolutely love her books! Every single one is amazing. The audiobook narration for this one was absolutely perfect.💕💕💕

Playful and charming

India Holton has a knack for weaving absolutely charming stories with characters that make you grin and chuckle. The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love is no different — it is twisty, whimsical, and will put a grin on your face page after page.

Fun love story

A great, silly, uplifting love story. A fun story on finding love when least expecting it.

Great academic regency romance with tongue firmly in cheek

Loved this tour de force send up of romantic tropes and the academic frenzy surrounding a search for a magical bird in Victorian England and France. Featuring well-drawn characters and a neurospicy brainy heroine, a gallant and charming hero, and horrible bird snatching bad guys and a passel of moral-free journalists.

An excellent performance as well.

Well done!

felt like a hug

The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love is an absolute joy to read! Though not a long book, it masterfully captures the slow, steady growth of love in a way that feels both natural and deeply satisfying. The narrator adds so much charm, offering witty insights into what the characters are truly feeling—especially when they’re trying to convince themselves otherwise. The warmth of the story wraps around you like a cozy hug, and the creativity woven into the bird themes adds an extra layer of delight. It’s the perfect book for anyone who loves romance with a touch of humor and heart. I had a great time!

Delightful joy

A story of most tender love wrapped in fun and smartly silly language. Read by the most astute narrator.

Clever and sweet

I love India Holton’s books and this might’ve been my fave. I giggled out loud so many times and thoroughly enjoyed Beth and Devon’s adventure.

Plus, as an academic, I loved the poking fun at the institution. Tenure!

The narrator is outstanding and does a great job distinguishing voices and characters.

Birding Magnific

A charming and thoroughly entertaining book of whimsy and heart rendering magic. A story that does what is always sought in a good book, a departure from the weary world. Marvelous dialogue that soared the Heart with a titillating love story between a dashing male and sublime femme. Outstanding reading!

India Holton and Elizabeth Knowelden are a perfect pair!!

I love these books. The League of Gentlewomen Witches has been my favorite since the first few minutes of listening to it. I ADORE it. When this one was FINALLY released I was worried about it because it is a different storyline. No need for that. My heart is so happy right now. I loved it. I love the fun quirkiness of the characters, the love story that builds between them, their relatable struggles and how it all mixes together. I really love that this book was significantly more mild with the smut. India Holton is one of those writers that I constantly go back to when I need to laugh and my heart to feel all warm and fuzzy. It is the perfect humor for me. I am not a fan of cheesiness but I love quirkiness. India Holten hit GOLD with this one (in my humble opinion). But here’s the cherry on the Sunday for me. Good books can be made great or destroyed by the narrator. Whoever hired Elizabeth Knowelden to read these books is brilliant. I don’t know how much she was paid but Elizabeth needs a raise. She is fantastic. The writing and the reading are a perfect combination. I’m so so so pleased that she has read all of India’s books. I truly believe she makes them come alive.

Now that that is said, I will unfortunately be miserable now. I finished it minutes before writing this and to my dismay have never found books that are similar enough to take the edge off of the book hangover. So I will be in a book slump for the foreseeable future.

If Mary Poppins and Sherlock Holmes fell in love

I have been such a fan of India Holton and was delighted to read this book and know she’s continued in the same lane as the Damsel series, but with a whole new kind of tale. Her writing is quirky and funny and so endearing. The way she normalizes the magic in the world building is refreshing. More like the way a lighting specialist brings a film to life but isn’t the main thread driving everything.

The lead characters become so near and dear and the chorus of comedic characters that surround them are just as entertaining. Can’t wait for more!

Also - the audio reader is PERFECTION.