A Shore Thing

By: Joanna Lowell

Narrated by: Ros Watt

"Glorious.... Every scene in this book is a treasure."—The New York Times

“A Victorian queer love story that will have you giggling and blushing… This book is full of charm and low-stakes adventure, just the warm and soft romance many of us are looking for.”—NPR

An NPR Best Book of 2024 • Named a Best Romance of the Year by The New York Times and Parade

A delightfully queer Victorian love story, featuring a boldly brash trans hero, the beguiling botanist who captures his heart, and a buoyant bicycle race by the British seaside — from the author of The Duke Undone.

Former painter and unreformed rake Kit Griffith is forging a new life in Cornwall, choosing freedom over an identity that didn't fit. He knew that leaving his Sisterhood of women artists might mean forfeiting artistic community forever. He didn’t realize he would lose his ability to paint altogether. Luckily, he has other talents. Why not devote himself to selling bicycles and trysting with the holidaymakers?

Enter Muriel Pendrake, the feisty New-York-bound botanist who has come to St. Ives to commission Kit for illustrations of British seaweeds. Kit shouldn’t accept Muriel’s offer, but he must enlist her help to prove to an all-male cycling club that women can ride as well as men. And she won't agree unless he gives her what she wants. Maybe that's exactly the challenge he needs.

As Kit and Muriel spend their days cycling together, their desire begins to burn with the heat of the summer sun. But are they pedaling toward something impossible? The past is bound to catch up to them, and at the season’s end, their paths will diverge. With only their hearts as guides, Kit and Muriel must decide if they’re willing to race into the unknown for the adventure of a lifetime.

Surprisingly lovely!

I grabbed this book because it was on sale. At first, it didn’t suck me in too deeply, but I’m going to attribute this to my lack of being able to focus.
As the story went on, I found myself relating to Kit on so many levels that I couldn’t stop listening. Both MC’s we fleshed out so intricately that it made them both endearing and relatable.
The book deals with so many facets of the struggles queer folx face, and also highlights how amazing it can be to have that moment of clarity where everything pulls together in a perfectly squiggled line.
The struggles make the wins so much sweeter, and I am ecstatic that these two decided to take the plunge.
I’ll definitely put this in my re-listen list.

The narration was perfect!

Joanna Lowell’s writing is like an unexpected bite of icecream after long days of perfectly lovely, but ordinary, meals.

I loved every moment of this book from the authors note to the final word. Charming, dynamic characters, unique historical detail, and imagery that makes you feel like you are sitting on a bike with the wind whipping through your hair beside the MCs, this story is just sublime. It’s my hope that a throng of readers who have only ever read “traditional” romance, fall in love with Joanna’s writing and take a chance on something a little different because this is an achingly beautiful glimpse into how it might have felt to be queer in a more rigid time in history…. And we can all do with a little more empathy.

I can’t imagine anyone not falling in love with Kit and Muriel. 💕

Do not miss this GEM

I never wrote a review before, but this book must be celebrated and SHARED. It is the essence of what romance should be: selfless, honest, raw.

Kit is the epitome of dashing charm, his every word and action leaving you breathless. And Muriel, oh Muriel. She is bold, generous, intelligent, brave, tenacious.
Both souls beautiful in their imperfections, and humanity. Honest in front of each other.
This is me, if you decide to love me,
I won't compromise.

I rarely read such a perfect romance book. Written wonderfully, fun, engaging, where all the feelings felt real, where the protagonists never act foolishly for too long without SPEAK to each other (there is actually a beautiful passage about this).

Lowell has crafted a world so vivid and touching that you can't help but fall in love with *every single character*. They are all so relatable, three-dimensional. And you kind of wish to step into their story and hug every one of them.