A delightful spin on the tale of a young lady who must marry well to save her sisters from penury. I'm a sucker for anything that has even a hint of a Benedick and Beatrice-style relationship. This is a very solid debut novel and I look forward to reading more from Sophie Irwin.

First of all, I would like to thank #harpercollins and #sophieirwin for providing an #arc of #aladysguidetofortunehunting via #netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I'm not usually a fan of historical romances, OR third person narratives, but I really enjoyed this one. Hell, it doesn't have any steamy scenes at all, and I still enjoyed it. I was surprised this was Sophie Irwin's first novel, to be honest. The story is fun, and entertaining, the characters are quite the mixture of personalities, and the dynamic between Kitty and Lord Radcliffe was wonderful. Their bickering and banter was the highlight of the book, and I couldn't get enough of them. What I liked the most was Kitty's character. Sophie Irwin isn't the first author to write about a strong and independent woman in historical London, but she might be the first to write a character that has the mind of a con-artist, yet can still charm you.

Honestly, if you love historical romance, you need to pick up this book. I couldn't put it down, and I find myself wanting more.

When Kitty Talbot's parents passed, she inherits a great debt and the only solution is to find a rich husband to make the payment and keep her younger siblings together in their family home. With this responsibility on her shoulders, Kitty and her sister Cecily travel to London to secure a match. Kitty quickly sets her eye on the young and naïve, but wealthy Archie de Lacy. Everything is going to plan until Archie's elder brother, Lord Radcliffe shows up and puts an end to the blossoming romance. He sees through Kitty's conniving but they come to an understanding and he decides to help her find a worthy match. You can sort of guess where the story goes from there.
Although the story was predictable, I still enjoyed reading it. It had some chaste Bridgerton vibes and I was entertained by the witty banter and secondary characters.
This was a great debut romantic novel and I look forward to Irwin's future work.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

In this Historical Romance Kitty, our witty heroine is on a mission to find a husband with enough money to pay off the family's debt left behind by her father. Kitty is unapologetic and will do anything it takes to blend into the London society that her parents we're rejected from.
I enjoyed the back and forth banter between Kitty and Lord Radcliffe.

I felt like it was slow in parts and lacked some actual romance like tension or brief touching between the two. The action really didn't happen until the very end.

If you like the Bridgeton setting and closedoor, brief kissing only then this book is for you.

Thank you to netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kitty Talbot is left with the responsibility of securing her and her four sister’s futures after their parents die. After her engagement to a wealthy suitor falls through, Kitty heads to London to find a suitable match with a fortune big enough to pay off their debts and give them a future.

This was a fun, easy read if you like historical romance. There was a few moments where I actually chuckled. The first half started off a little slow but I flew through the latter end of the book. Although predictable, I was still wanting to see what happened with all the characters at the end. I know this is the author’s first novel and would like to see more of her work in the future.

This is a fun historical rom-com. Kitty is forced to find a rich husband for her family. Lord Radcliffe tries to stop her from going after his brother. Of course they fall in love.

I enjoy the witty banter between Kitty and Lord Radcliffe. I always enjoy the enemies to lovers trope so I knew I would like them right from the beginning. The only minor complaint is that it took a while before James and Kitty actually met. But the ending was so romantic and funny that it made up for it. . I love Radcliffe's big love speech.... :) The younger brother is especially silly in the most adorable way at the end. A great light fun read with the happiest ending. .

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

A fun, hilarious, banter filled debut regency historical romance. With many nods to Austen's work, and tackling some more serious topics, this was definitely a delight.

The book starts with our heroine Kitty. Kitty is the eldest of 5 daughters who have all been left orphaned and with a mountain of debt. Kitty has a finace who just called off their engagement and has left her scrambling with how to support her family. In order for her and her sisters to have a future she packs up with one of her sisters and goes to london with the last of their money hoping to land herself a husband with money. She schemes, lies, and acts her way into high society. In her way is Lord Radcliffe will she succeed, or will her lies and situation hold her back.

What did not work for me in this one was it was a clean romance, a lot of the secondary characters were just caricatures. A few scenes and events were a little unrealistic, and that nothing was really surprising with the plot and direction of the story.

A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting is quite a solid debut for author Sophie Irwin. Featuring a very determined young woman with the fate of her sisters weighing on her mind and a protective older brother determined to save his younger brother from a loveless marriage, the bulk of the story hinges on Kitty's efforts to find a suitable suitor. She casts a wide net through London society!

I found the early chapters a bit hard-going. The sisters aren't presented in the most favorable of lights, making it a little harder to root for them, and Kitty is herself presented as quite practical and needfully mercenary and manipulative. The manipulation was a bit hard for me, but as the book unfolds, she grew on me. I very much enjoyed her growth and came to appreciate how forthcoming and logical she was about what she had to do. I also appreciated the conversations between herself and James, the opportunities for them to support and irk each other throughout the book were the bulk of the courtship. They grew on me throughout the book, and I found the plot payoff at the end quite satisfying! Definitely worth pushing through my early uncertainties!

The book itself is quite chaste as far as romances go, so if you're looking for heat, go elsewhere. But if you'd like to read a charming historical romance featuring a heroine outside of the ton and with genuine stakes (i.e. impending loss of home due to crushing debts), read on!

Overall a great read! Felt fresh to me despite having read a ton of these regency era stories lately. Would be perfect for those looking to dip their toes into regency romance.

The story is very witty with some laugh out loud parts. The main relationship is enemies-to-lovers but had an evolution that felt very real and natural as the characters get to know each other.

I found the characters a bit hard to get to know initially. They all had their unlikeable moments but that's what made them relatable and interesting in the end. I did end up caring and rooting for them all.

This is also one of those rare books in which the secondary characters are well drawn out.

I wish that there was a bit more steam, but the story was by no means prudish. I would just prefer a bit more steam.

I'm hoping this is a series focussing on the other siblings. Regardless, I look forward to this author's future releases!

Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Calling all Bridgerton and Pride and Prejudice fans, this is a book you will want to pick up!

I was sucked in right from the beginning with Miss Kitty Talbot. I loved her no holds barred attitude towards her situation and wanting to ensure she protects her sisters and their future.

Set in Regency England, Kitty throws herself into the London Season to try to find a wealthy husband and save her family from ruin and she has no time for love. Not everyone is welcoming of Kitty, especially Lord Radcliffe.

I absolutely loved the banter between Kitty and Lord Radcliffe. They bring out the worst and best in each other and I just enjoyed all the scenes they were in together.

I loved that this story and writing, while set in the Regency era, felt a little modern and the writing just flowed so easily.

My main complaints are that I think this story could have used a little bit more spice with a little bit more tension and build up to the romantic feelings. I also felt that it ended rather quickly and would have loved an epilogue.

I really enjoyed this debut novel by Sophie Irwin and I hope there may be another book as I’d love to see more about Kitty and her sisters!

True rating is probably closer to 3.5 stars.

This is your typical regency romance story. It reminded me a lot of a gender bent version of Kate and Anthony's story from Bridgerton but without any spice. In this book, Kitty is desperately in need of a rich husband after her parents died leaving her and her four sisters in a pile of debt. Heading to London, Kitty sets her sights on Archie de Lacy. Unfortunately for her, his older brother, Lord Radcliffe, figures out her game right away. They quickly strike a deal: that Kitty will stay away from Archie and Radcliffe will help her find a wealthy husband.

This book was quite enjoyable, easy to read and stay engaged. Kitty's ability to manipulate any situation was very entertaining. There was slow burn romance and you could see the nods to Pride and Prejudice, but I felt that romance did not actually seem to be the main focus of the story. Overall this was my biggest issue, that there was not a lot of tension or longing between the main couple and things get resolved rather quickly at the end. I think this is quite typical of the regency romance genre, so if that is something you enjoy, then I think you will probably like this one as well.

With a pile of debt left by her parents and four sisters to take care of, Katherine “Kitty” Talbot needs a rich husband to solve her problems. However, she’s not going to wait around for one to come to her, but rather she heads to London to hunt for her fortune. As she mingles and sometimes clashes with high society, she’s ready to do what it takes to come out on top.

This historical enemies-to-lovers romance will keep you wholly entertained as both main characters are strong willed and smart as a whip. I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s writing style and really felt like I could see the drama unfolding in front of me.

If you enjoy the likes of Jane Austen but could do without all the old timey language this is the book for you.

Thank you NetGalley, Viking and Penguin Random House Canada for access to an advance copy to review.

✨Book review✨
The Lady’s Guide To Fortune-hunting
By Sophie Irwin

This is very outside of my usual genre, but I was really pleasantly surprised with this book!

I’m 💯 here for Miss Kitty Talbot, she was amazing and I really loved this character. It was hard not to fall in love with her!

After reading this book, you’d never guess it was a debut novel! Irwin has a true ebb and flow when it comes to writing. I couldn’t put it down!

My only wish would be that there was more 🌶!!! That’s all I felt I needed to give this 5 stars!

Hoping there is another book in the future as I feel there is so much more to Kitty and her sisters, that has been left untold!

Thanks so much to @tandemcollectiveglobal and @penguincanada for putting together this wonderful read along! It’s truly been such a fun experience!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars
Go get yourself a copy of this book and read it now!

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Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

Enemies-to-lovers Regency romance. Kitty Talbot, the oldest of four orphaned sisters, must marry a fortune in order to save the family home from being repossessed by creditors (from her rakish father’s gambling debts). When Lord Radcliffe, the older brother of her prime target, discovers she’s a gold-digger, they reach an arrangement that she will abandon the pursuit in exchange for his assistance in social climbing and finding a worthy alternative. The focus here is all on witty repartee, with almost no reference to sexual desire, let alone encounters. The best parts of the repartee are Kitty’s spirited defenses of her strategic flirtations when she’s criticized by Radcliffe. She makes a convincing argument for Radcliffe’s (and elite society’s) hypocrisy (no duh). But I found Radcliffe’s criticisms of Kitty too mean to forgive. There’s an element of “negging” in the romantic storyline: Radcliffe’s put-downs of Kitty make her like him, or at least create the intimacy between the leads. Not my favorite dynamic. A rivalry born from misunderstandings is one thing, but a love-interest who persistently says horrible things about the protagonist is not my cup of tea.

Thoroughly delightful. This can genuinely be termed in the spirit of Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen, unlike other regency pastiches which, however entertaining, are riddled with anachronisms. Perhaps because the author is English, the language and overall tone was much more appropriate to the period than other recent works. It has all the tropes (elopement! gambling debts! misunderstandings!!!) and is, of course, entirely predictable (if you don't know from about chapter 3 whom Kitty is going to end up with, you've never read another romance novel). Predictable, perhaps, but also entirely satisfactory. Call me old-fashioned, but I enjoyed it very much.

I really loved A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting! The characters were well developed and relatable, and had more depth than in a lot of historical romances. The plot line was intriguing and I definitely did not see all of the twists and turns. I would love to see future books about the other Talbott sisters, so really hoping this is the start of a series!

I was interested to read this book because somebody compared the writing to Georgette Heyer. Georgette Heyer is one of my favourite authors ever (tied with Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte and Lucy Maud Montgomery.) And there were similarities to Heyer - this is a clean historical romance set in the Regency period in England. The plot - a woman goes to London to secure a wealthy husband to help save her home and support her younger siblings - reminded me of Heyer’s novels Cotillion and Arabella. The cover is absolutely beautiful too!

Note: I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley

Some Regency romances start off by establishing the scene, gently acquainting you with the main characters around a pianoforte, and then introduce the main story problem once you have settled in with your teacup and a biscuit. Not so Lady's Guide. Within the first few paragraphs the problem facing our heroine is as thoroughly in our face as it is in hers. And yes, there's effective scene-setting, including the pianoforte. It is a quick and effective hook rendered in decisive, character laden language that feels appropriate to the era.

Having cut my teeth on Georgette Heyer's groundbreaking Regency romances, I am not an easy mark for modern clones. But this book, which in some ways seems an homage to that august author’s classic tale of a managing elder sister and beautiful younger, has held my attention and defied a direct comparison. There's also a nod to that most famous of all Regencies, Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, in the family with five dowerless daughters at risk of losing the only home they've ever known.

The main characters are consistent, their dialogue witty, and the situation comedy more than entertaining enough to allow the relationships to develop in an authentic manner almost in the background. By the halfway point I was compelled to keep reading even though, as usual with romance , the outcome was already clear. My commitment was rewarded by a most satisfactory new complication that involved deep games both social and monetary.

A few small elements marred my overall enjoyment. Since when is it necessary for every elder brother to have a sad or tragic past event repeatedly dragged up when it's not truly needed to explain a later choice? (I know, I know: since Season 1 of Bridgerton hit the streaming services). At another point, when the reader is already quite sure what’s going to happen, the author feels the need to foreshadow it with an unusually heavy hand. The early thorough grounding in setting became slightly spongy in later scenes, and some threads that early on promised a fair bit of drama in their conclusion were rather quickly and tamely wrapped up.

But these are small flaws indeed in what was an otherwise most enjoyable read, with balls aplenty, scheming matrons, sweet side romances, and a primary relationship with snap and crackle of the non-steamy variety, its dialogue more enjoyably witty than sappy. If you like your heroines to give as good as they get, and your heroes slightly flawed, this is a great way to spend a weekend.

Recommended.

Calling all Bridgerton fans! 📢 A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting by @sophie.irwin must be your next read. This book tells the story of Kitty Talbot, who lives with her four sisters in the English countryside. The family has been down on their luck, and debt collectors are breathing down their necks. As the eldest sister, Kitty has only one solution to their dire financial problems - marry rich, and fast! She travels to London for the upcoming Season with plans to quickly find a match. However, not everyone is quick to welcome Kitty into this exclusive world, especially the charming but suspicious Lord Radcliffe. This book is funny, well-written, and refreshing. Kitty is a feisty and loveable main character, and the witty dialogue between all the characters, especially Kitty and Lord Radcliffe, is top notch. Thanks so much to @netgalley and @penguinrandomca for the advanced copy. It just came out July 12th. I loved it and highly recommend it!

Question of the day: Do people call you by your full name or a nickname?

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Release date: July 12

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting ebook from NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Kitty Talbot is on a mission! After both parents pass away quite close together, Kitty discovers a mountain of debt her father has left her and no way for her or her 4 sisters to pay it off. Thankfully, Kitty is engaged to the wealthiest bachelor in town…..until she isn’t!

With no husband or prospects in her little village, Kitty heads to her aunts in London along with one of her sisters just in time for the London season of balls and parties where Kitty is destined to find a rich husband that can save them. Kitty’s goals are very practical in nature and love is not a consideration, only an opportunity to settle her sisters futures.

Unfortunately, love gets in the way which is most unsettling for Kitty. Can she save her home, her sisters future and fall in love?

I was really excited for this book! I love me some historical fiction and one that takes place at the height of the “season” in London was even more interesting! This was a slow burn, maybe even a bit too slow for me. I found myself losing interest. It becomes quite obvious how the book will end so I was disappointed that there wasn’t more time spent on the final relationship. I can’t say much more without sharing spoilers so I’ll end with, this is a solid 3 stars. I would recommend for fans of historical fiction, historical romance, etc.

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