The Absinthe Earl by Sharon Lynn Fisher | ARC Review

Series: The Faery Rehistory, #1
Tropes & Traits: titled hero; scholarly heroine
Genre/Setting: Historical Fantasy, Ireland
Publication Date: 10.15.19
Heat Level: 3.5/5
Rating: 5 stars!

As a scholar of Irish mythology and the anthropological signs of fairies, Miss Ada Quicksilver is spending her Christmas holiday in Ireland hoping to finish her thesis. She begins her research in absinthe bars, hoping to examine a hypothesized connection between the consumption of the spirit and the ability to see fairies. It is in such a bar that she meets the very attractive Irishman Edward Donoghue, more properly the Earl of Meath. She is intrigued to learn that he's visiting a ruin near Dublin on behalf of his cousin, Queen Isolde, so when he invites Ada to join him, she eagerly accepts in hopes of furthering her research.

Edward relies on nightly doses of absinthe to alleviate his sleepwalking and Ada wants to learn of his own experiences with fairy sightings. She longs to ease his suffering even as she is leery of growing too attached to him. Soon it becomes apparent that Edward is torn between two worlds and can no longer fully suppress this other side of himself. Unbeknownst to either Ada or Edward, their fast-growing friendship and developing passion lead them to a different world and a battle that could change Ireland and its people forever.

This book was very different from anything I've read before and I really enjoyed that. I loved the re-imagination of history and the incorporation of so much Irish folklore. It's left me wanting to learn more about Celtic mythology now. I think this book definitely warrants a second read just because there was so much going on that I feel like I probably missed some things. Either way, this turned out to be a beautiful love story full of lovely, flawed, relatable characters, plus action, adventure, and fantasy. This was way out of my normal comfort zone and I'm glad I decided to give it a try. I'm looking forward to the future installments in this new series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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