3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

I liked the classic yet with a twist storyline. Both leads are interesting and loveable. I liked both of them, their bickering and more personal conversations. Both are resourceful and are used to get their way. The secondary characters start out slim but I found myself hoping that I will get to read Cecily’s view and story, also Archie’s and Aunt Dorothy’s.

A good first novel.

Sophie Irwin's debut novel, A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting, is a fast and fun read. It's a Regency Romance filled with wit, humour and captivating characters. I loved its nod to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (which I coincidentally had just finished reading).

Alongside the hilarity, Irwin blends in themes of sexism, patriarchy, prejudice, family dynamics, snobbery, double standards, and a woman's negligible options for financial security in the early 1800s.

My only criticism of this novel is that, at times, the characters' speech and expressions seemed not to fit the intended era. However, as this is an extremely unputdownable read, I quickly let myself get swept away and greatly enjoyed the ride.

If you are a fan of Jane Austen, romance, strong female leads, or just witty banter, I highly recommend this novel to you.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reading copy in exchange for this honest review.

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

A Regency Romance where the eldest daughter of a family of five girls must marry for money or she and her sisters will be homeless. All things seem to be going her way until a veteran of Waterloo catches wind of what she might be plotting. For all the bystanders, the London Season might just be interesting after all.

It was a cute romance even if I sniffed the ending from the moment the male protagonist was mentioned in conversation. Although Kitty did manage to get herself into a few London society mishaps that made 21st century me blush, I was definitely cheering for her all the way. Though I think that it didn't have to be quite so drawn out to get Kitty and her male antagonist(🤣) on the same side.

A good debut that has me anticipating if we shall see this become a series since there are still 4 sisters to be married.



Expected Publication Date 12/07/22
Goodreads review published 09/07/22

Thank you #netgalley and #PeguinRandomHouseCanada for the e-arc in exchange for a review.

A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting is a historical romance featuring an orphaned group of sisters who are quickly running out of time to pay off their debts so they can keep their house. So, the oldest sister, Kitty, goes off to London in search of a rich husband who can help.

What worked for me:
- banter. Some good banter and headstrong women.
- hijinks and shenanigans. There were many different schemes throughout - though not necessarily ill-thought or malicious.
- risk-taking in the name of family security and loyalty.

What didn’t work for me
- unfortunately many of the characters were flat, one dimensional. Yes Kitty was searching for a rich man to make her husband but that seemed to be all that was to her. I would have liked to see more depth.
- drawn out at times. I felt like the story could have moved along a little better and been a bit smoother as it seemed like some of the situations were drawn out and didn’t effectively lead to the end result.

Overall it was a good read but I just wanted a bit more from it.

This historical romance had quite a Bridgerton feel to it which was fun to read more about another “ton” and all the scheming and politics that followed. The main characters were both loyal to their families and very clever and I enjoyed how their relationship blossomed even tho it started off rocky and there were many hiccups along the way to keep it all very intriguing.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the arc copy of A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting!

I’m always down for a historical romance, particularly when it’s enemies to lovers. Thank you to my mom for forcing me to watch Pride and Prejudice as a kid until I loved it - you were right. A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting is a sickeningly charming romcom about Kitty, who’s parents may have had an absolutely titillating love story but not so much good money sense; and Lord Radcliffe, a much put-upon older brother who’s determined to stop Kitty from her gold-digging ways.

This entire book is basically a romcom version of Florence Pugh’s speech about marriage being an economic proposition for women in Little Women. Kitty is the eldest sister and is determined to save her family from certain ruin, but the only way for her to make enough money to do so in her society is to marry rich. For some reason Radcliffe thinks this is extremely distasteful, even though he has more money than God, is the product of a non-love match marriage, and an aristocrat. Is literally any aristocratic marriage truly a love match? I think not good sir. Kitty continually calls him on his shit, which is good because his hypocrisy might keep him from being charming if it was left unchecked. Kitty and Radcliffe challenge and force each other to grow into more open-minded and caring people over the course of the novel, and I liked that it was a two-way street between them. Each had something to learn from the other, and their relationship felt more reciprocal and equal as a result.

I’ll admit, I was kind of hoping for a little more romance in this one. There isn’t really any romantic vibes or tension between the two leads until the last third of the novel. This makes sense for their relationship and I always appreciate a slow burn, but my personal favourite part of a historical romance is when the characters can’t help but <i>notice</i> each other, even when they don’t want to. Kitty and Radcliffe don’t even really seem to register each other as a potential interest until late into their relationship. Again, it fits their arc but I’m a thirsty scholar so…

Anyone who is a fan of historical romance or who can recite Amy’s speech from memory should definitely check this one out on July 12!

This was a splendidly fun Bridgerton-esque novel that left me constantly intrigued. It was an easy read to get through with fast-paced, short chapters.

Kitty and Radcliffe’s dynamic left me smiling, frustrated and all the other emotional elements a good enemies to lovers arc has.

I look forward to what else Irwin has to offer.

An ARC of this novel was sent to me by NetGalley for reviewing purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I wasn't a fan of this book. It was predictable, and the characters lack growth.

A LADY’S GUIDE TO FORTUNE-HUNTING is a charming and delightful debut novel by Sophie Irwin, set in Regency period in London, England.

Catherine - aka Kitty - is the character we follow throughout this novel, for the most part, with small sections following Lord Radcliffe. The novel is told in the third person. Kitty is the eldest of five sisters and following their father’s death is found to be in a mountain of debt with debt collectors hounding them for payment. She throws herself into the London Season in hopes of ensnaring a wealthy husband who can settle the family debts.

As I am concurrently reading Jane Austen’s PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, I can see certain similarities in both stories that provided several Easter eggs in this read!

I found Kitty to be hilarious in her scheming and found myself laughing aloud at some of the ideas or dialogue she put forth. She is unrepentant and overtly manipulative in her search for a fortune, making her a strong, albeit unconventional, main character during this time period.

The romance is chaste, as is most Regency-era romances I’ve read. The banter between characters, particularly between Kitty and Lord Radcliffe, is so witty. I absolutely adored each and every scene these two characters shared! Their true love-hate relationship added loads to the story.

Overall, I had a great time reading this novel and would without a doubt recommend it to those who enjoy historical fiction and tame romances. I will be keeping an eye out for Sophie Irwin’s future works!

<i>I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Pamela Dorman Books, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions expressed are my own. Upon publishing of this novel, I will also be posting my review to Amazon Canada.</i>

I was mildly disappointed in this historical Georgian romance. It is the story of the eldest sister with four younger than her. They had lost their parents and landed on hard times. Kitty decided to go to London, join The Season, and find a wealthy husband.
I found I was unable to engage with Kitty from the start — she simply didn't work for me. There were small errors that annoyed me too, such as using "lay" instead of "lie" and some vernacular that was inappropriate.
I can't recommend this time.

I quite enjoyed this book not having any idea what the story would unfold turning its pages. It’s a regency era book, Kitty has lost both parents and is left with raising 4 sisters and a mound of debt to be paid off. Kitty and her sister Cecily head to London where she has hopes of becoming accepted into the world of lords and lady’s and finding a match for marriage in wealth only. The story follows their journey and all the characters they meet along the way. The story is fairly predictable in outcome but has some laughable moments and quick wit throughout the pages. I enjoyed that it was not full of sexual scenes but rather revelling in chaste kisses, stolen glances, the touch of a hand and conversations.

I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I would recommend this book to friends and family and also my book club

Rounding up from 3.75
This book was very enjoyable, although hard to get into. The tone seemed to shift in the first few chapters from modern to regency voice, but when the author hit her stride it was fantastic! I loved the romance between Kitty and James, although it was hard to empathize with her at times, as her manipulative nature seemed to outshine the love for her sisters. This was not always the case but I think if other emotions came through the novel would have been 5 stars.

Following the death of her parents and the termination of her engagement, Kitty leaves her younger sisters behind to travel to London to find a wealthy husband who can help the family out of debt. Kitty sets her eyes on Lord Radcliffe’s brother, a young and naive mark. Lord Radcliffe has been hiding at the family’s country estate for two years since his return from the Battle of Waterloo. What Kitty never expected was the return of Lord Radcliffe himself to London and how formidable of an opponent he makes.

Sophie Irwin, HOW DARE YOU?! This was the slowest, slow burn in the history of slow burns. I’m talking worse than The Wall of Winnipeg and Me (IYKYK). This wasn’t a romance, this was torture, but one I couldn’t stop nor did I want to.

All kidding aside, I’d say this is more of a historical fiction than romance per say. While romance plays an aspect, the book actually focuses more on Kitty’s infiltration of polite-society. It is extremely sharp in terms of dialogue and Kitty and Radcliffe’s (mostly Kitty’s) antics to outwit each other were unexpected and immensely entertaining. I will note this features a clean romance.

There is nothing I love more than a morally grey heroine (and in romance?!? so rare!), witty and fast dialogue, and an enemies to lovers story, so by my standards this book was fantastic. This is Sophie’s debut novel and I can’t wait to read what she writes next, fingers crossed though for earlier gratification.

My thanks to Penguin Random House Canada, Viking and NetGalley for providing an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

After the deaths of both parents, Kitty Talbot is in the difficult position of being the elder sister who feels responsible for the futures of her sisters. Faced with mounting debts, and a recently broken off engagement, Kitty initiates the only plan she feels has any chance of succeeding. With the help of 'Aunt' Dorothy, she and her sister Cecily head for London just ahead of the season in hopes of finding a suitably rich candidate to marry so as to save the family from ruin.
A great period piece with wonderful details about the London 'Season'. Features a hero and heroine who are fiercely protective of family and who enjoy wonderful repartee that engages the reader in this page turner.


Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting is a sweet, charming romance novel set in Regency England. The main character, Kitty, is scheming to marry a wealthy man, having been left penniless, along with her four sisters, by the death of her parents. In spite of her manipulations, I rooted for Kitty, a strong, likeable character, to succeed as that was often the only path to survival for women in the 1800s, particularly for women of no wealth. The story unfolded at a steady pace and there was enjoyable witty banter between her and her seeming nemesis, James, the wealthy Lord Radcliffe. The setting - London during the ball season - was so engaging and I felt pulled into the story throughout. I really enjoyed this charming, heartwarming read.

Thanks to Penguin Random House Canada / Viking and Netgalley for an ARC of this novel. This review reflects my honest opinions. This novel is out on July 12.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting by Sophie Irwin in exchange for an honest review.

This novel is set in England at the beginning of the 19th Century, a time when women had few opportunities for advancement other than finding a rich husband to marry. Kitty was particularly desperate in this search as her suitor has dumped her, her parents have died, her family home is severely mortgaged with creditors having given her twelve weeks to find the funds they need, and her four younger sisters depending on her to keep a roof over their heads.

And so, she does what anyone in her situation would: she spends all available money and brings one sister to London with her to participate in the annual marriage fair of the London Season. With the help of “Aunt Dorothy”, a friend of her late mother with a questionable past, Kitty and Cecily travel to London with the mission of capturing a rich husband who will solve all of their problems.

Love does not enter the picture. The only thing that matters is the potential suitor’s bottom line! Kitty is so focused on achieving her goal that other matters—such as her sister Cecily’s situation—escape her. She tries to avoid anything that could stop her from reaching her goal, but needs to enlist the help of an adversary—someone who has seen through her—to navigate the unknown rules of high society that are meant to keep out outsiders like herself.

I didn’t start this book with high expectations at all. However, I did find myself drawn in! It is truly light reading but if you enjoy some diversion, this could be a book you enjoy as well!

A YA Regency battle of wits that was a delight to read. A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting follows Kitty as she leaves her her cottage and siblings, where her goal is to find a rich husband that will save her family from debt. The enemies to lovers trope had a wonderful pacing to it that kept me flipping pages. I found the characters to be a fresh and modern approach to historical tropes. My one complaint about the book is that there are a handful of characters - the Captain, their siblings.... that I would have wanted to more about. Perhaps we can expect a sequel or even a series...? Sign me up!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review.

(thanks to netgalley for the arc!)
positives:
- this book had a nice cover
-fast pacing and a quick read
not-so-positives:
-2D characters
-unlikeable main characters
-predictable plot (it was basically all told in the synopsis)

Such a. Delightful book with a wonderful and headstrong main character. I liked her from the beginning, willing to give up her happiness for the safety of her sisters. She found the perfect sparring partner in James and I loved the humour they brought to the book. It is mind blowing the hoops women had to jump through to procure a marriage in that era in high society. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the setting, the characters and the escapades they got into.

Many thanks to Penguin Random House Canada for the opportunity to read this amazing book.

THIS IS NOT A REVIEW -- I WANT THE AUTHOR TO REALIZE THAT AS GOOD AS THE BOOK IS WITH THE HORRIBLE FORMATTING PEOPLE WILL NOT READ THIS