This book is a delightful, banter-filled slow burn historical romance. Overall I found it really enjoyable and fun. Kitty is a strong and clever heroine that surprised me at every turn. I loved how much she fought for her family and how she always stood her ground when it came to them. This book also does a good job exploring themes of class disparities and does so in a refreshing way that isn't often seen in this genre. Another thing I enjoyed was the banter and the subtle romance between Kitty and James (Lord Radcliffe) and how much they challenged each other and made each other think. Their dynamic really reminded me of Darcy and Elizabeth! Definitely give this book a read--especially for the climax of the story, which made me laugh out loud even as I was on the edge of my seat.
The only issues I had with this book were that it was a very slow burn and got off to a slow start overall. I expected more romance, but that's an issue of my own expectations. It was also really hard at some points to read through parts where Kitty is learning about high society and all of its rules--it felt like the author was flaunting the research in several places and it was hard to get through a couple of times.
However, none of this overshadows that this book was fun, funny, and a very satisfying enemies to lovers romance in the vein of Pride and Prejudice. I definitely recommend it!

A fun and enjoyable read! I have read many historical romances, but this book took a common trope (poor FMC needs to wed a well off MMC) and adds a bit of a twist. Kitty is the oldest of the five Talbot girls. Both parents have died and the girls are left with little money, significant debt, and a cottage in need of repair. Kitty hoped to marry a local squire, but it fell through. She decides to travel to London in hopes of having a greater chance of finding a moneyed gentleman to wed and save her sisters from losing their home and possibly splitting up the family.

Kitty methodically makes plans to put herself and her sister, Cecily, in situations to meet potential well connected men. She enlists the help of her Aunt Dorothy to aid in helping her to meet the "right" people. Kitty is unapologetic about marrying for money in order to save her family from financial ruin. While she would prefer to marry for love, she feels this is her only option given the short time before creditors are knocking at her door.

The story moved along at a good pace. The multiple POVs were easy to follow and added to the enjoyment of the tale. It was easy to root for Kitty to find a husband who could help her and her sisters. Sophie Irwin wrote a fun and enchanting story that I can add to my favorite regency romances.

I would like to thank Sophie Irwin, Pamela Dorman Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

I have posted my review to Goodreads, Instagram, and StoryGraph.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was funny and smart. There is a definite Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice feeling to it as well. I enjoyed the characters and the twists and turns.

I really liked this book! It certainly does not reinvent the wheel when it comes to romance or regency romance specifically but what an incredibly fun rom-com.

The characters are in turn likable and frustrating, when the story calls for it. The story moves at a solid, steady pace. The writing is well crafted and the dialogue is witty and feels very natural. The POV alternates between characters at irregular intervals, but Irwin navigates it perfectly- I was never lost in the POV switches or confused about who’s eyes we are seeing through. I loved that the main character was unabashedly ambitious, manipulative, and cunning while still at the same time being likable and relatable.

This book has shades of all of your favorite regency stories, and does it with a modern tilt that works very well. No spice in this book, but it does not lack for that.

5 stars- I definitely recommend this one.

Perfect summer read for Bridgerton and Jane Austen fans! It's a frothy Regency era summer read that kept me entertained for every page. It's simple, but so pleasant. Even though you could smell the enemies turned lovers trope from miles away, it still somehow felt fresh and a little surprising. I really liked the main characters, who seemed three-dimensional and quite well-developed.

I almost wish I had saved this for a beach vacation, but it's definitely got me craving a rewatch of Emma or Pride and Prejudice! One note for those that live for the steamy scenes in Bridgerton - you won't find those here, but I think it works perfectly as is.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for the advance copy.

Following a broken engagement, Kitty has been left with four sisters and her father's gambling debt that she has less then a few months to pay off. Determined to pay off the debt and make sure her sisters still have a home, she takes off with her sister Cecily to the London season, planning on nabbing a husband with a fortune. Their mother's friend, Aunt Dorothy, hosts them and plans to help Kitty succeed in her goal, but thinks she might be setting her sights too high in the Ton.
Quickly the sisters become aquatinted with the De'Lacey's and Kitty starts courting Archie De'Lacy, scheming to get into the good graces of his family. Unfortunately, Archie's older brother, the Earl of Radcliffe, sees past her plan and tries to find a way to separate the two. Kitty finally relents as long as Lord Radcliffe promises to help her and Cecily enter into his high social circles in order to secure a match with a good fortune.
As Lord Radcliffe begrudgingly helps Kitty, they find themselves arguing and also helping one another out. Kitty quickly becomes a part of the Ton and finds many perfect suitors, all determined by their fortunes. Under her time crunch, Kitty finds clever ways to impress the Ton and keep her family history both transparent and hidden, fully determined to do everything she can to protect and care for her family. While a heroine, Kitty still has her flaws and she can't always see past her plan.
While Kitty's story is the main thread of the plot, there are many side-plots including Cecily, Archie, and Aunt Dorothy that help tie it all together.
Told in Kitty and Lord Radcliffe's point of views, this historical romance is a delight. I have to agree that if you enjoy Bridgerton and Austen, you'll likely enjoy this tale. It falls into the enemies-to-lovers trope, but is also a clean romance. I am impressed by this debut and will likely pick up whatever Sophia Irwin writes next.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I’ve been obsessed with the Netflix series “ Bridgerton” for two years. So when I requested this book from the description that it was a cross between Jane Austen and the Bridgerton series, I knew I had to read it! Dear readers, it did not disappoint. There’s a slow burn romance, scandal, humor and family honor! I loved the two leads and their family dynamics. I loved the sketchy past of the aunt and how Kitty maneuvers her way within the ton. This book is well worth your time!

It was exactly what I needed after finishing Bridgerton and wanting something from the regency era. Kitty is outspoken and goes out knowing exactly what she wants. First couple of chapters are admittedly slow, but once I was some pages in I was invested. It was fun, simple, and had some cliches that I love.

I loved the hell out of this book. It is smart, witty, engrossing, and steamy hot. I read this on a really long, boring journey from the US to the UK and I was distracted from my aching back and tired eyes enough to help the time pass. I haven't been a romance reader for a while and I tried the Bridgerton hype but those books just didn't pull me in. This one, though, made me feel as if I was being challenged and really placed my mind in a good spot.

Highly recommend, especially if you are trying to get into or interested in reading romance (again).

Kitty Talbot has a time-sensitive problem. Upon the death of both of her parents, she has to discharge their enormous debts in order to have her family home and to keep her sisters together. With only twelve weeks to conquer the London social season and to make a wealthy marriage, Kitty and her sister head to London to stay with an old friend of their mother's. As Kitty enters the social scene, she makes a deal with Lord Radcliffe to refocus her attentions on another suitor and not his brother and try to to help ease her way into polite society. As the season continues on, Kitty comes to develop a friendship with Lord Radcliffe as he reluctantly helps her navigate the insular world of upper-crust London. Full of humor and heart, this is a delightful read!

I suggest you escape reality for a bit with this delightful regency romp. Kitty Talbot's father married for love but did not leave his offspring in a position to do so. Kitty needs to marry for money. Fortunately she has looks and some connections. So she takes her prettiest sister and heads to London to snag a rich husband. Kitty is also clever and it is fun to see her working her whiles on London society. Of course there is a skeptical lord to get in her way, Lord Radcliff to be exact. Enjoy!!
This is a review of an eGalley provided by Netgalley.

A mischievous, fun tale of a young woman left to care for her 4 sisters and cover her late parent's considerable debt. She truly has no other choice than to head to London for the season in search of a rich husband. The problem, the young man she has chosen happens to have an older brother with absolutely no interest in allowing someone with no feelings for his brother at all to join the family and have access to their fortune. We get all the witty banter and scheming of a traditional enemies-to-lovers plot. Radcliffe plots to keep Miss Talbot away, and Kitty Talbot plots to secure a proposal. When Radcliffe finally finds some dirt to blackmail Kitty away from his brother, she turns the tables, and the two strike an unlikely truce. Now Radcliffe finds himself coaching Kitty through the season as she works to secure a different proposal and save her family. Getting her away from his family was the goal all along, so why does the idea of someone other gentleman proposing to her bother him so much. And Kitty has long known she wouldn't be marrying for love, so why is the idea bothering her so much now?

I love the banter and camaraderie between the two. Their singular focus on their own problems means they are blindly ignoring their siblings. This does lead to a wonderful, exciting, and slightly exasperating climax for the novel. The descriptions of the balls and dance sequences are delightful. The story also explores family dynamics and the responsibility that lies on the shoulders of older siblings. A fun, easy read. Perhaps a tad long in the middle, but forgivable due to the building of mutual respect and inclusion of humor between Radcliffe and Miss Talbot.

I read this delightful little book in a few hours, even though I really ought to be asleep. Romantic, charming, and compelling- I hope there are more books planned following the futures of the other characters!

#ALady'sGuidetoFortuneHunting is a traditional Regency about Kitty Talbot’s quest to find a rich husband in 12 weeks, after her father’s death leaves her and her four sisters on the brink of destitution.

With creditors hovering after Kitty is jilted by a local swain, Kitty decides she needs to fish in a bigger pond and contacts her mother’s friend, “Aunt” Dorothy, who invites her and her sister, Cecily, to London for the season. Although Aunt Dorothy does not have access to the highest levels of society, Kitty manages to turn her sister’s acquaintance with a former schoolmate into an introduction that provides her entrée to higher society. Initially, Kitty targets Archie De Lacy, brother of Cecily’s former schoolmate and younger brother of an earl, as a potential husband. She is well on her way to succeeding in having Archie propose, when his brother James, Lord Radcliffe, shows up to thwart her plans. She coerces Radcliffe into helping her to fit into society and pursue other suitors, in exchange for her agreement to drop her pursuit of Archie. Radcliffe sees Kitty as a mercenary fortune hunter and Kitty understands that as a lord, Radcliffe is out of her league. The nature of their relationship allows for an usually frank level of discussion between the two.

Some clever dialogue is one of the highlights of the book. Unfortunately, interactions between Kitty and James seemed somewhat limited since 1) they don’t actually meet until the book is almost a third over, and 2) they are one of three couples. (Aunt Dorothy and Cecily are also courted.) The large cast of characters slows the pace to a certain degree. Nevertheless, this is a fun story of a young woman determined to use strategy and creativity to surmount the obstacles that stand in the way of making the marriage she needs to ensure her family’s welfare.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #VikingBooks for an advance copy.

A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting is a fun romp through Regency London for those of us who are still refusing to burst out of our Bridgerton bubbles. Kitty is a refreshing heroine as the author is very upfront about her needing to marry rich to support her family and yet she’s still able to make her endearing as a character. I enjoyed the “outsider” perspective as Kitty learned the ropes of the Ton and refused to let anything get in her way. Her ability to quickly shift from plan a, to b then c gave me extreme Virgo energy which I always appreciate.

I’m definitely hoping this is the beginning of a series as I’d love to see what happens to the Talbot clan and of course always want an excuse to dive back into the world of the Ton.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC, this was a 3.5 for me.

4/5⭐️

This debut novel was a well written regency era romance that gave me Bridgerton meets Pride and Prejudice vibes. I get nervous when I read historical romance because I really want to feel like I’m in that era and I think that’s something the author did very well. I loved how determined Kitty was to provide for her family against all the odds. I would have liked to see more banter and romance building between her and James, but what was there was good! Overall, I really enjoyed this book!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading “A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting” by Sophie Irwin. The first chapter reels you in with Kitty’s unfortunate broken engagement and subsequent need to dash off to London to try to find a wealthy husband. Kitty remained, throughout the book, a character I could sympathize with because even though she was a masterful planner she always maintained a certain amount of honesty in her dealings. I loved that she looked out for her sisters and was motivated by her love for them and wanting to protect them from the fall-out of their father’s debts. Lord Radcliff started out as very prejudiced against Kitty, but through their conversations you could see that he considered her words. The growth of the characters, the witty conversations, and the love story makes this a book I will highly recommend to my adult friends! Since I am at a middle school, I don’t see my patrons reading this title, but I will be recommending it to our high schools and my fellow Jane Austen fans!

Turning traditional Regency romance on it's head, the slow burn enemy to lover trope is highly enjoyable. That isn't to say the fortune hunting is not highly typical but that the honesty and mentor tor seeking was refreshing.

This book was entertaining and fast-paced, although not steamy whatsoever (for the romance readers who need that!). I enjoyed the frank discussion of money and gender roles, and the back and forth between the two MCs was also strong. This was not my favorite historical ever, but I liked a lot of the components.

Fun read about a fortune hunting lady who takes manipulation to new heights. Once Lord Radcliffe blackmails Kitty Talbot off his brother, he finds himself playing a reluctant Henry Higgins to the scheming girl who needs to marry a fortune to save her family. The banter is the selling point for this book; it's very clean read but both James and Kitty enjoy a good round of sparring and that makes it worth it!