The Geographer’s Map to Romance

Holton’s effervescent second Love’s Academic romance (after The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love) returns to a supernaturally infused alternate Victorian England—but its true magic lies in the whirlwind love story and wonderfully witty wordplay between its leads. Geography professor Elodie Tarrant, avatar of academic chaos and “one of England’s foremost specialists in exigent thaumaturgic geographic dynamics,” has been married to her straitlaced husband, professor Gabriel Tarrant, for a year. Despite once having seen potential for a real bond, their match was born of convenience rather than love, and since the wedding they’ve led separate lives. When a magical fault line emerges in a small Welsh town rife with paranormal tourism, both of the Tarrants are called in to assist. They take vastly different approaches to the problem, with often hilarious results, especially as, while working to stop the supernatural threat, they also dance around their rekindling feelings for each other. Holton ratchets up the whimsy in her worldbuilding and her characters leap off the page, especially taciturn Gabriel, who manages to imbue myriad meanings into a simple “Hm.” The result is a delicious, feel-good romp. Agent: Taylor Haggerty, Root Literary (Apr.)