This was an interesting take on the genre. The heroine, Kitty was quite unashamedly mercenary. She also started out outwith the bounds of polite society and had to inveigle her way in. This made for some very cringeworthy moments where I almost couldn’t keep reading!

It was fairly predictable in terms of who would end up married to who. But I enjoyed the discussion around wealth and autonomy for woman in the 1800’s. The scene setting was well done and there were lots of nice period touches.

I definitely recommend this to fans of Julia Quinn although it was considerably less racy than Bridgerton.

I devoured this book. It was funny, heartwarming, romantic and just a wonderful light read.

Yes it was predictable, but did I care? Nope!

The story follows Kitty as she makes her way to London to hunt for a rich husband who would be able to solve her families debt problem. She is thrust upon Londons high society as she try’s and manipulate those around her so she can bag her rich husband.

Kitty herself as a main character was wonderful. Her dry sense of humour and distain for certain characters had me chuckling to myself. I would happily read further books around her story.

I have seen that book 2 is due to be released in July and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Set in 1818 in Regency London , A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting tells the story of Kitty Talbot who launches herself into London society life to find a husband with a fortune in order to save herself and her siblings from poverty.
This is not my usual genre but the positive reviews drew me towards it and I found it to be an entertaining, light and witty read. I loved the character of Kitty who is beautifully drawn by the author. Most of the other characters are more lightly drawn but this did not detract from my enjoyment of the story. I'm not sure how accurate the historical details were but I did enjoy the Regency setting and was able to immerse myself in this well plotted escapist novel.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.
3.5 stars.

Just what I needed after finishing a more weighty and time-consuming read, ‘A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting’ by Sophie Irwin propelled me along on a wave of flirting and social waltzing. And I gulped it down like a mug of hot chocolate on an icy day.
Kitty Talbot is in need of a husband, quickly. After the deaths of first her mother then her father, Kitty, as the eldest of five girls, is left with the financial and caring responsibilities of her younger sisters and a huge debt. With 12 weeks to pay the money owed or vacate their childhood home Netley Cottage, Kitty decides a husband with the right amount of wealth must be sought. The twenty-year old problem solver, always pragmatic, heads to London with bookish sister Cecily in tow, to stay with an old friend of their mother. Aunt Dorothy is not their aunt and, Kitty fears, her history may not withstand close examination. But Kitty’s plan is to gain admittance to the London season – specifically the circle of ‘the ton’, the wealthiest and most aristocratic of London’s social scene – and find a man richer than is available to her in Dorsetshire. He must wipe out the Talbot debt and ensure the financial security of the five sisters. Aunt Dorothy is the only person Kitty knows, despite never having met the lady, who might help them.
A combination of scheming Becky Sharp and witty Elizabeth Bennet, Kitty occupies the fine line between being a fortune-seeker, a flirt and a liar. She is sharp-witted, charming, eager to learn and brave. The latter quality comes in useful as she must enter ballrooms full of people she knows she recently offended due in part to her lack of knowledge of social conventions and in part to the delicate sensitivities and prejudices of the offended. The social mores of ‘the ton’ are unpredictable, difficult to predict and often silly. So she holds her head high and seeks help from the most unlikely places. Lord Radcliffe, the elder brother of one of Kitty’s first flirtations, becomes an unwilling mentor. In a deal to ensure Kitty will not engage with his younger, naïve brother Archie, Radcliffe agrees to give Kitty guidance on London’s social minefield. Neither is wholly satisfied with their deal. Kitty, because Radcliffe is often unable to give her the most helpful information [how deep or shallow a curtsey should be to people of differing ranks, for example] and Radcliffe because he fears he will never be rid of her.
Funny and entertaining, complete with unpredictable siblings who get into trouble, embarrassing beaux, flirtations and elopements, gambling and pistols, I enjoyed this immensely. The plot moves on swiftly and, though the language and detail sometimes slips from period accuracy, I decided to ignore that and go with the fun.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-reviews-a-z/

Actual rating: 3.5/5

Twenty-year-old Kitty Talbot isn't exactly having the best time of her life. Her father just died, leaving her and her sisters deep in debt, the bailiffs are ready to come knocking on their door, and her fiancé just dumped her. With no way to make her own fortune in 1818 England, Kitty needs a husband and a rich one at that. Armed with her wit and cunning, Kitty sets off to the only place where this can happen: London. Too bad Lord Radcliffe sees right through her plan and takes it upon himself to thwart her plans to marry his younger brother, forcing Kitty to change her course of action in a rather unconventional way...

I had a ton of fun with A Lady's Guide to Fortune-hunting! The plot is quite simple and moves smoothly, with no big surprises along the way. I enjoyed all the nods to Pride & Prejudice along the way but yes, if you've read P&P (or are just vaguely familiar with any other romance really), you won't be shocked by anything in this book.

The best things about this book were definitely its main characters. Kitty is smart, determined and ready to do whatever it takes to save her sisters from poverty. She is unapologetic and ready to call out society's failures and hypocrisies, but we also get to see and appreciate her more vulnerable side and her many qualities, such as her love and devotion for her sisters or her kindness. Lord Radcliffe was also an interesting character, and I appreciated seeing some of the story from his point of view, as it helped to show the pressures and constraints that men were subjected to as well as women. The banter between the two of them was always a pleasure to read, and I really liked seeing their relationship evolve from profound dislike to begrudging admiration.

The secondary characters were, sadly, not as well drawn despite a very promising start. Kitty's sisters were quickly forgotten, fading into the background, and most of the other characters came across as very one-dimensional. I did enjoy the atmosphere and was delighted to find some ball scenes, since I do love a ball! I'm not sure how historically accurate any of this was (some parts didn't really feel like it), but I didn't much care about that aspect so it wasn't an issue for me.

There are a lot of quick wits and plenty of humourous moments, which was just the vibe I was looking for when I picked this up, so this book hit the mark for me in that. I also liked some of the stabs at deeper themes being inserted here and there, especially those on gender inequality and class, but they didn't have a lot of space - nor did they need to, in fairness.

Overall, this was a very pleasant and light read and certainly a great debut: I'll be looking out for the author's next book! It's not groundbreaking and doesn't try to reinvent the genre, but it plays with tropes and stereotypes in a smart and fun way.

“And there is not a day to lose - the Season is about to begin.”

As soon as I heard about A Lady’s Guide To Fortune Hunting I was desperate to read it. My two beautiful editions sat taunting me from my shelves for months, so this was an obvious choice to put on my 12 backlists books to read in 2023. I couldn’t wait to finally read it.

The year is 1818 and Kitty Talbot is in need of a fortune. Or rather she needs a husband who has one. And with just twelve weeks until she and her sisters are made homeless, there is no time to waste, so she heads to London to find a suitor. It is there that she meets Lord Radcliffe, a man equally as determined to thwart Kitty’s plans as she is to make them succeed. Will he win this battle of wits or will Kitty triumph and capture her prize?

Sassy, spirited and simply swoon-worthy, A Lady’s Guide To Fortune-Hunting feels like Jane Austen with a dynamic and modern flare. My only regret about this bingeable debut is that I didn’t read it sooner. Debut author Sophie Irwin is a magnificent new talent who I’m adding straight to my auto-buy list. From the first page I was in love and wrenched out of my own reality and into the world she created. And what a world it is! Richly drawn, evocative and full of ebullient, colourful and multifaceted characters who leap from the page, it was like stepping into an episode of Bridgerton.

“Becoming a gentlewoman, Kitty soon began to appreciate, was to contain one's self so tightly that one could not breathe - your whole body had to become a corset, with indelicacies, gracelessness and character kept strictly within.”

One of the things that make this book so special is its fabulous heroine, Kitty Talbot. Feisty, gutsy and bright, it was easy to root for her as she takes on polite society in her pursuit of a rich husband. I loved that she was a complex and layered character, rather than simply an airhead looking for a fortune. It certainly made her more relatable and compelling to read. She and Lord Radcliffe were formidable opponents and I loved their dynamic. The banter was sharp and witty, and it was entertaining to watch as plotted and schemed to try and outsmart each other. Lord Radcliffe himself was a great character that I found myself warming to more as the story went on and the layers to his character were revealed.

Witty, outrageous and utterly glorious, I have no doubt that this will be one of my top reads this year. I was bereft at saying goodbye to the characters so I was delighted to learn that this is going to be the first in a new series. I’m already counting down to book two this summer. Fans of historical fiction or romance need to read this one ASAP.

I was expecting to love this novel and it didn’t disappoint. From the very first page, there was a liveliness to the voice and an irreverent charm that won me over. A great holiday read.

Kitty Talbot is in dire need of a fortune in order to save her family, especially her beloved sisters. The only remedy it seems is to find herself a rich husband, and it is with this in mind that she sets off to London for the Season to ensnare herself a husband with a fortune. Only Kitty doesn't reckon for Lord Radcliffe, who is determined to thwart her from entrapping his brother. As the Season plays out, these two enemies begin to see each other in a new light.

Starting in her home in Dorset, we quickly follow Kitty to London where she soon finds her self on the hunt for a rich eligible bachelor. The story flowed from the first page and I soon found myself engaged in this delightful read!

Kitty was a wonderful heroine; fiercely loyal to her sisters, she was full of cunning and vivacity. She isn’t a perfect person, as you can tell by her eagerness and plans to make such a mercenary match, and it could have been quite easy to dislike her. However from the beginning this was never the case. It’s very clear Kitty is doing this for her family and her love for her sisters is her motivation throughout. As the eldest sister myself, I loved seeing this devotion! There were few options that women in the era had to ensure their own security and this is cleverly highlighted throughout. Kitty’s tenacity and desire to make her own way for herself and her family only made you love her more!

She is bold and capricious and her wit was my absolute favourite! A force of nature, she immediately clashes with Radcliffe and I could not get enough of their interactions!

There’s a very dry sense of wit and humour from Radcliffe that instantly made me love him. From the beginning he is suspicious of Kitty and quickly attempts to thwart her plans to ensnare his brother and their interactions are filled with sarcasm and tension.

His backstory was well written and like Kitty you knew his actions were made with a love of his siblings in mind. The theme of family and the different dynamics a family can have was one of the strongest points of the book and it was really well handled.

Overall, I loved this book! It was a vibrant and easy read filled with wit, humour, strong female characters and an enemies to friends to lovers romance that I just adored. A little slow in places, there were twists and turns that kept you on your toes and the blossoming relationship between Kitty and Radcliffe was so fun to read! I can’t wait to see what Irwin writes next!

Huge thank you for the chance to read this for an honest review!

4.5 stars!

This is a fun light-hearted rom-com that I really enjoyed, but if you’re coming to it from fairly standard historical romance, be aware it’s a bit more loose with the format than many – there are multiple POVs, for example! That being said, it’s still a very funny and fluffy read, so I definitely recommend it if you’re after something light and fun, more like a modern day Heyer, and I’d definitely read more from the author.

Every now and then I pick up a book where I'm surprised how much I enjoyed it - and this was a great example. Sassy and practical heroine Kitty realises that she needs to get married urgently (that classic Regency heroine situation) and spends all her last pennies trying to launch herself into society. She has one season in which to bag herself a husband - but none of the connections. She does have the wits though, and the story focuses on how she uses them to get not only what she wants, but what she needs.
It was fun to read a slightly different take on a regency romance but which had so many of the modern tropes - enemies to lovers, mistaken identities etc - and I found myself really rooting for our heroine despite her wily ways. She's a far more likeable version of Becky Sharp from Vanity Fair, but without the slightly sappy friend!

(copy provided via Netgalley by publishers)

this is a fun and fresh take on a period romance, and i loved it. though it is a little slow in places, the characters were so lovely and interesting that that didn’t matter too much. the writing was wonderful and i can’t wait to read whatever’s next from sophie irwin!!

This is a fun, enjoyable read, set in Regency England.

Kitty decides the only way to save herself and her siblings from ruin now that they’re orphans, is to marry into wealth. And nothing will stop her - certainly nothing as inconsequential as social class or money (and these things REALLY mattered then!).

Kitty has four months, the duration of the season, to bag herself a man - and she’s determined.

This is a lovely read. There are some interesting historical details, mainly about rich, snobbish people, and a great, fun character in Kitty.

It’s a light, easy read, and just what I needed!

What a great read - and a debut novel! Can't wait for the next book.

I didn't want it to finish and couldn't put it down either. A delightful, laugh out loud, witty Regency romp with a main character, Kitty, who is determined to secure a rich husband to sort out all her financial problems and secure a future for her and her sisters. It was a delight to read - and I thoroughly recommend it.

Loved the writing and character-building. One of my favourite things was how despite classical English being used, it was fun and quick to get through.

A very Bridgerton-esque book, and I loved it just as much as I loved the Bridgertons series.
Kitty Talbot must find a husband, a rich one, or she faces losing her home and her sisters being split up from her. After her father’s death, she has acquired his substantial debt and can no longer put off paying it. After selling most of their belongings, she has nothing left to sell and time is running out. This is when she comes up with a scheme that will solve all: she will go to London and have a season with the ton to find a rich husband to pay off her debts. She asks for the help of her mother’s best friend who insists that she brings along her prettiest sister. Kitty and Cecily set off for London with the hope of fixing all their problems.
Once there, Kitty comes up with various different schemes to catch the eyes of the gentlemen of the ton, such as falling and letting her slipper fly off on a walk just in front of a gentleman by the name of Archie de Lacy, whose sister Cecily went to school with. Kitty thinks this is the answer to all her problems, that is until his older brother Lord Radcliffe comes back from the country and forbids Kitty to marry Archie after seeing straight through her schemes.
The rest of the book has you rooting for Kitty to find her husband, whilst also wanting Kitty and Lord Radcliffe to realise how they truly feel about each other.
This was an easy read, and it was fun to revisit the ton and the Bridgerton era but through the eyes of a different author. I think Sophie Irwin wrote a fantastic book and I look forward to reading her next book!

Kitty is in despair- she needs money and fast so really she needs a rich husband. Set in the early 1800’s the only way to do this is enter high society and snag herself a man before it’s too late.

This book gave me massive Bridgerton vibes - the lords and ladies and how everyone got coupled up. I enjoyed the writing style and how everything was explained really well. This was a read that I got lost into and really enjoyed. I can’t wait to read more by this author

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

Miss Kitty Talbot is in a quandary. Left to look after her sisters, the family only have enough money to hold off the bailiffs for so long. At least one of them needs to marry well, and quickly, or else they'll be out on the streets. Kitty's plan is simply - head to London with one of the sisters, Cecily, and take the marriage mart by the horns, and all in less than 12 weeks. Reinventing themselves as respectable young ladies, who's chaperone was not once an actress and renowned mistress, Kitty seems to have a husband within her reach. The only spanner in the works is his elder brother, Lord Radcliffe, who thinks Kitty is a charlatan, and he'll stop her, no matter what - even if it means marrying her himself.

When this book was first announced, I thought it was a YA historical romance, and I'm going to be honest, there's times when it reads like one. It also reads very much like someone has taken parts of much beloved regency romances *cough*Pride and Prejudice*cough*, and changed it to fit the story. That's not to say I didn't like A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting, but I always felt like something was missing. Kitty was one of five sisters, and she and the next eldest - and the prettiest - go to London to marry and make their family safe. The other three sisters, I can't even remember their names. They're off the page for so long, that you kind of forget they exist? I also found that though Kitty and Radcliffe are a couple you are rooting for, they weren't very memorable. All in all, a decent Regency romance, particularly for people new to the genre, but nothing that really blew me away.

Thank you to NetGalley for this copy. This is a really good book, kept me entertained throughout and I would thoroughly recommend to all.

I loved Kitty and Lord Radcliffe and seeing more of their personalities come through as the book progressed. They were multi-layered, and multifaceted, and I really appreciated this from the author. A very well written and enjoyable read.

Great book, really enjoyed the audiobook version.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access this book in exchange for my honest feedback.