The perfect read ( or listen in my case) for lovers of Jane Austen and those with a Bridgerton gap in their lives. It was funny, sad, clever and delightful.
Highly recommend.
Thank you for the opportunity to listen to this book.

An utterly brilliant book. A modern take on regency romance with strong female MC and a growing sibling relationship to enjoy!

The narrator was great for this book and really suited the characters and the story. I would listen to a book by this author and narrator again.

I can see why people are in love with this one - Pride and Prejudice meets Bridgeton really is an excellent description for it, but I'm sorry to say that I wasn't able to finish this one in the end. It felt a little /too/ drawn from other works to feel like I was reading anything original, and while I think the author did a great job matching the regency era atmosphere, I just didn't find the plot engaging or original enough to find myself wanting to read on. Kitty is a great protagonist, I just wish the plot had a little more daring for me.
That being said, I do think this is very much an 'it's not you, it's me', situation, and if you don't mind your books running along lines that can be a tad predictable, I think you'll have a good time with this light-hearted romance.

Than you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for sending me an audio ARC to listen to in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very stereotypical regency era story. The author seemed to have done a lot of research and preparation to write this story- a lot of the places, hierarchy details and personalities of people of the time were accurate. The characters themselves were engaging and likeable, albeit a little predictable. The enemies-to-lovers trope between Radcliffe and Kitty was very Elizabeth/Darcy but in a more immature and playful manner.

A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting is a fantastic debut regency-era romance! I don't usually enjoy historical romance and so my expectations were low for this book, but it turned out to be an absolute treat!

My favourite part of this novel was undoubtedly Kitty! As a main character goes, she was charming, clever and witty. She was also confident, and headstrong and knew precisely what she wanted and the lengths she was willing to go to. Don't get it twisted though, Kitty is still flawed and yet is incredibly relatable! I absolutely adored her and she made the story a delight. I particularly loved how cunning she was with the men of her era and how determined she was to support herself and her family.

The other character of note is of course Lord Radcliffe, a worldly regency man who isn't ready to settle down and take on his responsibilities. He was equally as interesting as Kitty, but the real gem of this story was their connection! The two characters played off each other exceptionally well. Their snide remarks, bickering and battles of wit were so enjoyable to read! I loved how they recognised each other for what they were and there were no pretences. Their connection was so fun and I was desperate for them to have more scenes together!

This story is a wonderfully written historical romance that takes the traditional elements of the genre and makes them fresh and exciting. The narrator of this audiobook was also fantastic, she really added an extra layer to this story. Utter perfection!

I was apprehensive about this book as, unfortunately, there is a great deal of poorly written historical fiction around at the moment but A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting was a pleasant surprise. The characters were well written and the comedy helped to move the story along nicely. A lovely read for the summer!

A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin.

This was an audiobook version, with narrator Eleanor Tomlinson given to me for an unbiased review from Netgallery UK.

My sister and I grew up with Georgette Heyer books surrounding us! I immediately thought this sounded promising and in a similar vein.
This indeed was the case. Some of the prose wasn't quite from the era as you might expect, but it didn't detract.
The basic premise is Kitty, as the eldest of 5 daughters, discovered the estate they believed they would be inheriting, is in fact heavily in debt. Unless she can secure a wealthy husband in a set timescale they lose it all. The man she believed she would be marrying, ends the rather informal agreement in place that he would marry Kitty.
Kitty and her sister Cecily head to London, where they are welcomed by 'Aunt' Dorothy, who herself reinvented her life to now be accepted within polite circles.

The story is pretty much what you'd expect. While out walking with Kitty, Cecile sees an old friend Amelia, and with her is an unknown man. Kitty takes it upon herself to engineer a trip, so they are stopped and help Kitty.
Once they meet, Amelia introduces her brother, Archie. Needless to say, Kitty takes it upon herself to become his bride by whatever means necessary.
It was going smoothly until their brother Radcliffe arrives in London.
He and Kitty are at odds from that moment on.
I loved the interactions between them. One particular one had me giggling.

'They paused there for a beat, looking at each other with mutual calculation. It occurred to both then, though of course they did not know it, that they might equally have agreed to pistols at dawn.'

The story doesn't have any real surprises and it all developed as I expected from start to finish.

This was a light, fun read. It is definitely one I'd recommend if you want to either try your hand at some historical fiction, or if you love Georgette Heyer as much as I do. I'm certainly hoping for more like this from Sophie Irwin, particularly as there are more sisters. A series around them wouldn't be far fetched at all. Cecily has a potential story already set up if this does occur.

The narrator is good and solid for the audiobook. Nothing too much that stood out for me but someone who delivered it all well enough.

A solid 5 out of 5 stars for me.

I went in with zero expectations and was pleasantly surprised. The structure is more akin to traditional regency and Heyer-style romances: 1) no sex, only a few kisses at the end, 2) no active relationship or confession of love until the end, 3) battle of wits dialogue that reluctantly turns into mutual admiration, and 4) the antics of headache-inducing relatives. Unlike Heyer, there is no on-page bigotry, thankfully (though the world is very white and straight, like most trad pub historical romances).

Basically: this doesn't reinvent the wheel for Regency Romance nor does it want to. I had a fun time, it was well-written, and I'll read Irwin again. What I liked most was the constant emphasis on money and the heroine refusing to be apologetic about fortune-hunting. Kitty is fantastic and unrepentant and manipulative — more heroines like that, please.

We featured A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting as our February Caboodle Firsts, thank you!

"We're giving 100 Caboodlers the chance to get a copy of Sophie Irwin's irresistible Regency romance, A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting, before it's out in May."

I really loved this! Jane Austen meets Bridgerton but without the steamy bits! We follow Kitty who has been left as guardian of her four sisters and their late parents crippling debt. Her only choice is to travel to London and find a rich man to marry! This is a very slow burn romance and it is quite obvious who she ends up with but it didnt deter from the story at all. I loved it. The choice of Eleanor Tomlinson as narrator was genius. She did an amazing job!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this book. A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting is a fun and comical romp through the golden age of English high society courtship. The book was hard to put down because of its humour, making the pages go by quickly. I am unsure if the book has series potential as nearly everything is tied in a bow by the end, but I'd enjoy revisiting these characters.

This was such a cute and fun historical romance. It had such well written characters and i liked how the book managed to balance the fun side with the more serious moments of drama. Kitty was such an interesting character to follow and the way she was presented made her seem more present and realistic than other romantic period heroines. I loved the relationship she had with her sisters and with Lord Radcliffe, and it was written so well i could see them as being able to have that same kind of relationship.

Following the death of her parents Kitty Talbot knows that the only way for her and her sisters to survive is if she can marry in to a fortune. With this in mind she heads off to London, with one of her sisters in tow, to find a husband. With the help of an aunt to guide her through the rules of society Kitty joins the season.

It would be extremely difficult not to listen/read this story and compare it to the likes of Jane Austen and Bridgerton. It contains all the same elements. Kitty is a feisty young woman who has little regard for the rules of high society in London, she is much more used to a quiet country life. Her outspokenness is frowned upon and at times is a barrier to some of the events.

When Kitty finds a gentleman she considers meets her requirements she goes on a charm offensive, knowing that it is important to have the mother's onside as it is the women who make the decisions as to whether individuals are a suitable match. Unfortunately the gentleman's older brother, Lord Radcliffe, does not agree with the match and puts an immediate end to the courtship.

Lord Radcliffe fits the mold of the distant, overbearing gentleman who clashes regularly with Kitty, even though we, the reader/listener, know that this is just an elaborate courting ritual and by the end of the novel they will be madly in love.

As you would expect there are lots of minor stories which pad out this tale while the major characters dance around each other. We have a dishonorable gentlemen who tries to swindle money, an elopement and an aunt with a dubious past.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this, the narrator does an excellent job and the time flew by. I felt as if I was fully ensconced in London society.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity of listening to this one.

I’ve not read/ listened to a book like this before but it certainly had all the Bridgerton vibes. This book is set in the 1800s and I loved all the drama!

In Dorset, Kitty and her 4 younger sisters have a problem, most prominently a mountain of debt left behind by their father and no way to pay it. When Kitty’s current suitor is no longer an option, she has no choice but to expand her horizons and take off to London in search of a suitable match.

In London herself and her sister Cecily are thrown into the midst of the Season. Can Kitty ensnare a husband wealthy enough to clear their debts and save their family home? And could she possibly find someone she might even learn to love?

I couldn’t stop listening to this, I just found it very enjoyable despite not being my usual type of book. This book is full of gossip and dancing and scheming!

Easy listening. I’m not sure why, but I was really expecting a little something more from this book. It was pleasant, but I think I was expecting a little bit of a twist on this classic genre, maybe a little wittier or punchy?
As I say, it was a nice, easy listen, but didn’t really grab me unfortunately.
Correct rating 3.5
** Audio ARC received, with thanks, from NetGalley in return for an honest review **

I really enjoyed 'A lady's guide to fortune hunting' by Sophie Irwin. Following the rise of Bridgerton, this regency take has come at a good time. I found it predictable, a witty young woman who isn't born into society and challenges men and eventually falls for the one man who drives her mad. Very similar tones to Bridgerton, particularly as Kitty Talbot is quite dry at times. I liked the take on a woman looking for a suitor and approaching high class ladies to get what she wants. Again, strong parallels can be drawn with the second season of Bridgerton.

Reread July 2022:
I adore this so much! Hands down, one of my favourite books! I would like a whole series ASAP please. Literally cannot recommend this enough! There are so few books I can reread within the span of a month and love just as much as I did the first time round, if not more.

First read June 2022:
This was so much fun! I loved the premise and the characters. This was such a breath of fresh air and I adored listening to this. I ended this wanting to reread it immediately, which I will be doing soon. I cannot recommend this enough if you enjoy Regency-era stories, historical romances, etc. Overall, I'm so glad that I picked this up!

A superb audiobook, I am delighted to have listened to. I am particularly impressed with the strong visualisation that I got from listening. This was a joint combination of Irwin's stella writing and the narration from Eleanor Tomlinson. She brought each of the characters to life for me superbly. It was a highly entertaining experience.
I shall be highly recommending both the story and audiobook to many.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for my review copy.

I've read a lot of historical romance books this year and this is my favourite by far. Books about sisters are always a draw for me and the way Kitty was willing to sacrifice herself to help her sisters was lovely. Reading about her finding love was just so amazing because you can tell how much it meant for her to do something for herself!

I can't believe this is Sophie Irwin's debut because it was just so incredible. I can't wait to read whatever she writes next!

The audiobook was also fantastic and I'd definitely recommend listening to it!!

This book was a hilarious regency romance with very little actual romance. Kitty our main character is spending the season in London trying to find a rich husband to save her family from debt. She uses her quick wit and cunning plans to climb her way up into the upper classes of London society where she meets her first target Archie. Though this is quickly cut short when his brother James comes home and quickly realises her true intentions. Kitty then must find another man to marry before it is too late but nothing is ever so simple…
I adored the originality of this book and would definitely recommend it.