Love and Conductivity

by Erin S. Nieto

Love and adventure don't mix, or so thinks Eleanor Morgan, a poetry teacher in 1918 Oklahoma. And she's heard the call to adventure all her life: through books, through histories and fairy stories. This kind of imaginative escape has given her life some of its most bright and shining days. And now, as a grown woman, she's desirous of early twentieth-century life's real adventures, and a future with no thought of romance.

But sparks fly - both literal and figurative - on the night she meets Erwin Phipps, a chemist-turned-lieutenant, on his way home after the Armistice. Their chance encounter is brief but electric, one she's not able to forget, as much as she tries. But is she brave enough to let love in?

-Wartime romance

-A fiercely independent heroine

-Love letters & second chances

-Poetic charm & chemistry (the real kind!)

-A journey of the heart across time and distance

Told in rich detail, this enchanting story, inspired by a real, early 20th-century correspondence, is about longing, lightning, and life's most unexpected journeys. Perfect for fans of Lessons in Chemistry and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

If you like your love stories intelligent, wistful and heartfelt, this is the one to add to your cart today!

Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Historical Romance, Fiction, Historical

338 pages, Paperback

Published February 11, 2025

About the author

Erin Nieto lives in Champaign, Illinois, with her husband, two sons, and a small menagerie of cats. Like Erwin and Eleanor, she prefers a hike through nature over a tea party any old day. Follow @erinnieto on Instagram or visit www.esnieto.com.

Reviews

[Erin Lindsay McCabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this gorgeous novel so much! If you adore love letters and literary references and being transported to another time, this one’s for you.

[Devon · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s just after the end of WWI, and Eleanor Morgan has been a part of the Brotherly Adoration Society with her friend Helen Phipps, clinging to a ritual that involved putting their brothers’ photos up and speaking about them in front of the pictures in the hopes they would make it through the war. When Eleanor meets Helen’s brother Erwin at a party, sparks fly, but they go to separate parts of the country. A letter, however, creates a wonderful correspondence.

Love and Conductivity by Erin S. Nieto is a delightful long-distance romance made longer by the lack of the technology we now possess. Erwin and Eleanor concoct reasons to write to one another (writing on holidays and turning to more obscure ones to keep their pens a-flowing) and eventually grow closer over months—years, in fact. It’s slow, and it’s very sweet. It’s also chaste as a romance (which makes sense given the time and the epistolary nature). The science talk from Erwin (he’s a chemist) might cause some people to shy away, but Eleanor gives back her own expertise in the form of quotations of poetry and literature. Eleanor and Erwin also have a similar voice in speaking, especially in letters, which makes it a little difficult to differentiate between the two.

However, the end reveal that this was all based on a true story and the couple kindled a love from a single encounter with only a few meetings over the years made my heart sing. I AM GNAWING THE WALLS (in a good way).

I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tropes:
historical fiction
chemist MMC
English Lit teacher FMC
mutual pinning

Love and Conductivity was a cozy historical fiction story about the chemistry of romance between two people who only met once. At the end of WWI, Eleanor is currently in a temporary teaching job in Oklahoma- she's essentially holding the spot until her brother comes back to resume his tenure. It's here, at the school, that Eleanor meets her roommates brother, Erwin, who has come to visit his sister. They have one night of enjoying each other's company at a tea party before Erwin must leave to go back home to Texas.

By fate, perhaps, Erwin Eleanor eventually strike up correspondence with one another over the span of a few years. While they've only met the one time, back in 1918, through their letters, they've developed a friendship that morphs into romance, and by 1923, could they have met again? Is there love able to withstand time, distance, and obligations?

What I really enjoyed about Love and Conductivity is that the author based this story on real-life letters of correspondence between two individuals who had a similar love story. They wrote for years, only seeing each other a few times before living happily ever after in the end. It made the story more romantic to me!

I also like how Nieto draws in women's rights into this 1920 story. She talks about suffragettes, happily-single women above the age of 30, women with the ideas of adventure/traveling vs settling down. I really enjoyed it. Also, if you're into Chemistry, you may learn a few things there too lol.

[MJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Erin Nieto for the ARC!

4.5/5 stars

Nieto did an excellent job of creating a story that felt historically accurate in relation to the characters’ places in time, while keeping it compelling for the modern reader. Well written and sweet, this was a great dip back into historical fiction for me. Her incorporation of letters was done quite well, they built on the characters’ relationship without just feeling like a way to advance the page count. I also quite enjoyed the style of the letters and how they showed Eleanor and Erwin’s growing feelings for each other. They were believably historical in prose, and added a twist to traditional narrative. A truly enjoyable read, with a lot of familiar settings that made it fun for me.

[aishareadsnrambles · Rating 3 out of 5]

BOOK: LOVE AND CONDUCTIVITY
AUTHOR: ERIN NIETO
PUB DATE: JANUARY 2025
👩🏼‍🏫👨🏼‍🔬
REVIEW
I liked the main characters, Eleanor and Erwin. They were wholesome and my favorite part of the book. Both of them were perfect for each other and i admired their zeal for what matters to them, Eleanor's poems and her teaching job and Erwin's practicals.
👨🏼‍🔬👩🏼‍🏫
That being said, this book was unnecessarily long and slow. The MCs were in a long distance relationship, separated by thousand of miles. They communicated through letters and letters and letters. So, 40% of the book are letters. They showed progress in their relationship from friends to lovers.
👩🏼‍🏫👨🏼‍🔬
For me, this book is okay. Although i would have liked it better if the book was a hundred pages lighter and faster. It just kept dragging.
👨🏼‍🔬👩🏼‍🏫

[Librosentrelazos · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a while since I've read Historical Fiction, and I'm so glad that I picked up this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and completely recommend it.

This book tells us the story of the long-distance relationship between Erwin and Eleanor. I loved the connection between the characters and the way they went to great lengths to keep communicating, even though the events of the time made it difficult. The bond between them was strong, although they only met a couple of times during the years.

I'm a complete goner for books with letters incorporated, and on top of that, being so historically beautiful, it just captured my heart.

Thank you so much, Love Books Tours and Erin S. Nieto, for the gifted copy of this book!

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

READ THIS BOOK. SERIOUSLY. Sobbing tears of joy as I finish it. Just don’t read anymore of this review if you don’t want to know the ending. Although, it was pretty obvious … do yourself a favor and get this book!!


*****


*****


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*****


*****


Sobbing tears of joy at the beautiful ending to Erwin and Eleanor’s story. Im convinced that the best fiction is always based on truth and real life stories. Finding out that their love story and correspondence was real? My heart burst with happiness at their sweet romance, 100 years ago.

May we all find our own Erwin/Eleanor. Theirs is the love of fairytales: long suffering, kind, understanding, patient, and sacrificial. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

You won’t regret reading this book. The historical accuracy, the quality of the writing, the realistic characters for the time… cannot recommend enough! Absolute tears of joy. Thank you to the Phipps family for sharing your beautiful family with us readers. It brings hope to those of us still waiting on our lifelong companion.

[Tony Heck · Rating 5 out of 5]

“How uncommon it really was to find intellectual companionship and perfect sympathy. If she didn’t realize the rarity of it before, she knew it now. And how slender the thread of chance that brought them together. How wide the distance keeping them apart.” The novel, Love and Conductivity, by Erin Nieto explores a budding relationship in a time of simplicity and hardship in communication, namely letters. Beginning in 1918 and years after, the main characters, Eleanor Morgan and Erwin Phipps, both with their own evolving careers and personal desires, develop a rare connection following a chance encounter that leads us through the highs and lows that distance can place on any passion. Erin Nieto’s use of vivid language, in the context of the time period, carries us into the novel's world, while captivating us to the central romance. Recommended read.

I was provided a complimentary copy and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

[Carol (Reading Ladies) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love and Conductivity is a character-driven, slow-burn, historical fiction romance enhanced by an epistolary format.

Eleanor lives in Oklahoma and is a poetry teacher. She dreams of big adventures. On the night she meets Erwin, a lieutenant on his way home after Armistice, she can’t forget him. She is on his mind as well, and he sends her a Valentine card one year later. Family life and obligations require them to begin a long-distance relationship. Will love fulfill Eleanor’s dreams for adventure?

The blooming romance in Love and Conductivity is sweet and lovely but exceptionally slow-burn! We gain a glimpse of their future commitment on the very last pages. I love that Eleanor and Erwin are supportive and understanding of each other’s obligations and professional goals. Even though Eleanor sets aside her happiness for a time because of family obligations, she is modern in her career aspirations. She and Erwin seem like they have a true partnership.

Eleanor and Erwin feel a tremendous obligation to their families at the expense of their dreams. Quite different from today where social media urges you to draw boundaries, think of your own happiness, and live your best life. I appreciate this glimpse into a world where priorities were different. I imagine, though, that many young people gave up a great deal to support their families.

The writing is lovely in this heavily character-driven story. The author provides a strong sense of time and place as well as describing women’s roles in the early 1900s. Most of the action happens as circumstances and family obligations separate Eleanor and Erwin. Approximately half the book is epistolary as the couple corresponds over a great distance.

Fans of quietly written, slow-burn early 1900s romance will appreciate this tenderly told story.

Thanks @BookSirens for a complimentary eARC of #LoveAndConductivity upon my request. All opinions are my own.

For more reviews visit my blog www.readingladies.com where this review was first published.

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

During the Great War, Eleanor Morgan was allowed to teach English in her brother’s stead at Oklahoma University. She and her roommate, Helen Phipps, bonded since each had a brother “swept away by the draft”. In letters to her brother Erwin, Helen described Eleanor as “well-read, adventurous and perfectly sympathetic.” In 1918, with the war ended, Erwin passed through Norman, Oklahoma for a short visit to see Helen before embarking upon his chemical research studies at Berkeley. Uncomfortably corralled into a tea party, Eleanor and Erwin were about to cross paths. Erwin’s thoughts: “With a bow to Tennyson…[Eleanor was] wearing all that weight of learning, lightly, like a flower.” “A spark of something quite unexpected…as though she knew him…drawing him in with a magnetic pull.” Eleanor’s thoughts: “He couldn’t have known he had already carved out territory inside [my] heart…but…Eleanor couldn’t fall in love.” She longed to “wander off and indulge her own curiosity about the world…most of her girlfriends seemed intent now on charting their courses toward marriage…she was plagued instead by a longing for something else, something more.”

Back to the reality of life in the early 1920’s. Eleanor had been a placeholder in her brother Lawrence’s teaching position. She found a teaching job at Mississippi State College for Women. The mores of the times dictated that the poetry she taught needed to be “in harmony with the life and teachings of a good home .” “An unmarried woman was no longer sanctioned to move about the streets without consideration for propriety.” Meanwhile, Edwin’s chemical research trials at Berkeley were filled with frustrating lab mishaps as he tried to “unravel some of nature���s tangles, be a scientist.”

It started with just a New Year’s Greeting, a formal line or two, then very occasional notes exchanged on major holidays. Long spells between correspondence were created for protection of inner thoughts, work schedules, post office glitches or changes of residence. “How uncommon it really was to find intellectual companionship and perfect sympathy…how slender the thread of chance that brought them together. How wide the distance keeping them apart.”

Besides the proprietary norms of the early 20th century, family responsibility was at the forefront. Often a family member was resigned to an unfulfilling life caring for another. The early death of a mother might encourage the “auntie” to marry the widower and raise the children. “Papa” was in charge of greenlighting an appropriate husband. One could be disowned for not complying.

Through correspondence, Edwin drew “fortitude from words…Poetry…the only true form of alchemy…his outlook improved, will strengthened…she had become his catalyst.” Eleanor discussed poetry and books. Teaching “shouldn’t mean that she [must] narrow her student’s thoughts…but [rather] expand…ideas.”

“Love and Conductivity” by Erin Nieto is an epistolary novel based upon the correspondence between Eleanor Morgan and Edwin Phipps between 1918-1923, letters author Nieto discovered in her professional capacity as Appraiser of Art, evaluating collections at estate sales. A thoroughly enjoyable novel. Highly recommended.

Thank you BooksGoSocial/Koehler Books and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Renée · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book by its intriguing premise. One chance meeting and two worlds collide. Eleanor Morgan is a teacher of poetry who craves a life of adventures. Erwin Phipps is a chemist-turned-lieutenant fresh from the war. It seems as though the sparks from their encounter amount to nothing. Yet, when Erwin sends Eleanor a Valentine's Day greeting a year later, a tender correspondence begins. Despite being a continent apart, their letters become the lifeline that keeps them connected, as they navigate the complexities of a long-distance relationship, torn between familial obligations and the tender threads of their love.

The fact that their characters were inspired by real-life couples made Eleanor and Erwin's story much more lovely. While I typically dislike insta-love, it worked well in this context, and Helen's unintentional role as Cupid was delightful.

The story starts off slowly, taking its time to develop the characters. At first, I found myself eager for the pace to pick up. It was not particularly exciting or swoony but still, it was satisfactory and calm, like a quiet evening walk. However, as the story progressed, the pace began to drag, and I felt like nothing significant was happening. The book's tranquil atmosphere, which initially felt cozy, eventually became tiresome.

Despite this, I appreciated the author's poetic writing style, which was a highlight of the book. I also enjoyed the fact that through Eleanor, the author highlighted some of the difficulties faced by women in academia in the early 1900s, especially the subtle yet pervasive sexism.
Unfortunately, I think the execution fell short of the premise's potential. Not to mention, the issues within Eleanor's family were left unresolved.
Overall, the book had moments of beauty, but its pacing issues held it back.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the ARC.

"So many things Erwin wanted to say to Eleanor at that moment, but his mind could not form the words. That her presence energized him, and he wanted to know her. That, in her weightlessness, he had gone a hundred miles away and stayed a hundred years."

As a big lover of literary fiction and romance, this book was a wonderfully written combination of the two. In this genre it's not always about moving a plot forward specifically, but about giving you a better sense of the characters as it progresses. I thought Eleanor and Erwin were fantastic characters who prioritized their goals for themselves but also *for* the relationship they were building together. Finding out about the letters and their true nature in the acknowledgements was a very tender touch! You just root for them both in their endeavors both separately and romantically.

I am a sucker for this format, and this book is no exception. I loved reading each of the letters, and I thought the flow of everything was nicely done. It has a great feel of the classic romance novels without the language being overly flowery.

Some portions got a little *too* science heavy for me personally, but overall I enjoyed this very much! This will be a fantastic book to curl up with on a release date so close to Valentine's Day. Looking forward to any future works from this author!

[Sav · Rating 1 out of 5]

I usually enjoy period pieces, so I went into this book with high expectations. Unfortunately, it didn’t meet them at all. The narrative structure was incredibly confusing, with awkward jumps in perspective that left me disoriented. It was often difficult to tell which character was being addressed or whose thoughts we were following, which really hurt the flow of the story. These perspective shifts made it feel disjointed, and I was often left wondering what was going on or who the focus was supposed to be.

The characters were also a major letdown. They were poorly developed, and I couldn’t connect with any of them. There was no depth to their personalities, and they felt more like placeholders than fully realized people. Because of this, it was hard to care about their motivations or decisions. The relationships between them lacked any real emotional substance, and I found myself not invested in the outcome of their stories.

The setting, which should have been a highlight in a historical or period piece, was also underwhelming. The book didn’t do enough to establish the time period or the environment in a way that felt immersive. The world-building was lacking, and the setting never became a character in its own right, which was a real missed opportunity.

In the end, I found myself struggling to push through. The lack of clarity in the narrative, underdeveloped characters, and weak setting made the reading experience frustrating. Unfortunately, I had to put the book down unfinished, which is always disappointing. It just didn’t live up to what I was hoping for. That's which I'm giving this book 1 aka 0 ⭐.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy!

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the end of WWI, we see the beginnings of the story of a very long distance, slowly evolving friendship turning to love between Eleanor Morgan and Erwin Phipps, Eleanor's roommate's (Helen's) brother. They meet at a tea party held at Eleanor and Helen's rooming house and while sparks did fly, it was 'unseemly' for the romance to progress at that point. They end up on opposite sides of the country, with different life goals, but it is the start of a long progression of letters between the two. The letters are the vehicle by which the romance blooms and thoughts and ideas are exchanged.

This is a lovely story and I wish I could say that I was enamoured with it. However, I recognize that I am not the intended audience. Love and Conductivity is clearly a romance novel in the purest sense of the word (and I am not a romance novel lover), and therefore the characters are shallow and not as developed as I'd hoped. It was once explained to me that this is a common feature of romance and I see that clearly now. My opinion is that this is a well written story with interesting facts revealed along the way, but it's too long for the kind of story it is. Trying to balance my pros and cons, I settled on 3 stars. If you love romance novels, you can interpret that rating as much higher!

This ARC was provided by BookSirens and the publisher, the opinions expressed herein are strictly my own.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25/5⭐️

I really hoped to enjoy this book more than I did. While the “love at first sight” trope can be wonderful done well, this particular one (after the “first sight”) proceeded to evolve so slowly that I almost gave up on it.

Since the mains spend the majority of the books on opposite sides of the country, the book is majorly comprised of letters between the two. Letters between lovers can be an effective tool for both developing character profiles and building a bit of suspense for the big reveal of finally coming together. But here the letters felt a bit overdone in their flowery language especially since they had only met once. And as such I didn’t feel I got a good feel for either character, and with the repetitiveness of the sentiments they came off too shallow and cliched for me.

Overall, it had its good moments, and I did find it interesting that it was based around a real love story, but I wished for either a shorter book or more character development.

My thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the free early arc of Love and Conductivity for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this sweet book and it was made even better having learned that it is based partially on a true story. The gradual story unfolds through letters between Eleanor Morgan and Erwin Phipps. The writing style and prose is very evocative of a bygone era, which is further beautifully illustrated by the use of writers and poetry of the time. Yet the story is not stale, old fashioned or overly flowery in the least. Eleanor is quite modern in her desires as is Erwin in his support for the women he loves to be fully educated and realized as their own individuals.

I quickly devoured this lovely novel and while it ended in a satisfying manner, I wished to stay just a little longer in the world of Eleanor and Erwin; a true testament to the author and a wonderfully written story. I look forward to future titles by this author and highly recommend this book, especially to those who enjoy historical fiction and chaste romance.

Thank you to BookSirens for the free advance review copy I received. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review this book and I do so voluntarily.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet love story that is told primarily through letters. Based on the real life correspondence and love of Eleanor Morgan and Thomas Erwin Phipps it is a story of combining poetry and science. Both Eleanor and Thomas are scholars that are trying to achieve the life they want and are taken by surprise by the instant connection. Over time they learn about each other and reveal their true selves to the other. Eleanor longs for adventure and to escape the tradition and expectations towards women in the South in the early 1900’s. Even after escaping to earn a degree and teach she finds her life restricted. She was a character that I wanted the best for and my heart ached for all that she endured. Her connection to Erwin was instant and I enjoyed watching it grow. The letters and book are filled with literature and science which adds depth to the story. I recommend this book to readers of historical fiction or sweet historical romance.

Thanks to the author and Love Book Tours for the gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Caroline Abreu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I truly loved this period piece from the early 20th century after WWI. It is a gentle love story and also a tale of creativity and self-exploration during a time of social strictures and expectations that didn't always allow for freedom of expression or opportunities to communicate regularly and freely, especially in person. It also speaks to the deep longing many women had in that period, when there was still a lot of traditional pressure on women to marry and "settle down", usually losing their capability to travel freely and widely, pursue further education, have a career, or choose to not have children. It's a little window into the mindset of yearning before the 20s came along and with it a shake-up of social norms that continued in fits and starts for the rest of the century. I enjoyed the pace of this novel and would recommend it to people who enjoy historical fiction set in the early 20th century for average people in the United States.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whenever I read ARCs or KU books without a lot of reviews, I'm always hoping for a hidden gem, and I finally found one! I saw the author's post on Bluesky and decided to download this one.

This was a beautifully written historical romance that felt accurate to its time but still engaging. Although a different time and a very different story, it reminded me of my grandmother's life when she left home and lived in a men's dormitory during World War II before following my grandfather to North Carolina. It was lovely to feel a bit of her in this story.

This is definitely a sweet slow burn, and different than what I normally read (last book was Deep End by Ali Hazelwood!). But I enjoyed it tremendously, and it was a good change of pace for me.

Nieto has a beautiful writing style, and I look forward to reading more!

[The Book and Bubble · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ Book Review ✨
📖 Love and Conductivity by Erin Nieto

This beautifully written historical romance opens just after World War I, where Eleanor meets her best friend Helen’s brother, Erwin, at a party. From that very first meeting, there’s an undeniable connection. Erwin, a chemist, soon returns to his job across the country. What starts as a simple exchange of letters slowly blossoms into a deep, meaningful friendship. 💌

Over the years, those letters become more frequent, more personal… until friendship quietly turns into love. And when life takes a difficult turn for Eleanor — losing her job and falling ill. Then, fate finally brings them back together. The ending? Let’s just say wedding bells might be involved. ✨💍

The best part? It’s based on a true story. A real couple who fell in love through letters after one meeting.

[Hopey’s Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love and Conductivity was an intriguing historical romance which was post WWI. Diving into the book had such unique writing and description during the time it was taken place. I adore the growing love between Eleanor and Erwin ( Her Best Friend Helen’s Brother) From the first meeting at a party to letters written as friends. That friendship blossoming to a growing love. I enjoyed this slow burn and loved how it was based on a true story of a couple falling in love through letters. Definitely enjoyed Erin Nieto’s writing style and can’t wait to read more of her work.

[Rachel Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love and Conductivity evokes a bygone era in full colour through tender prose and elegant description. Nieto deftly executes the epistolary format to illuminate the tension of dreams bigger than the space allotted to them, the power of words to transcend convention, and the electric warmth of a love that seeks not to change, but to simply be embraced. A wonderful read.

[Isabella · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful glimpse into an evolving love story in the 20s. This relationship felt like it was captured beautifully and tastefully. I loved that the story and characters was based on real letters between the two sweethearts.
A small taste of what life was like in that time after the first world war for young people, and for women during the suffragett movement

[Karyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous, gentle, unfolding epistolary.

The United States, 1918, Eleanor Morgan planning a life of adventure, working as a teacher and making the most of the opportunities afforded to her during WW1. A passing meeting with Erwin Phipp, where sparks fly between them.

We follow the story of their lives, challenges, and love into the 1920s. A beautifully written story, perfectly delivered by the author. As the reader you are Eleanor, you are Erwin.

Even more delightful was to find this novel is based on the letters exchanged between Eleanor Morgan and Edwin Phipps across 1918-1923.

Thanks to Book Sirens, the publisher Koehler Books and the author Erin S Nieto for the ARC in return for an honest review.