I enjoyed this charming book. There was a lot to like about this one and the story was really entertaining. It did feel very predictable, but that didn’t detract from the story at all.

I couldn’t help but comparing this to Brigerton, with that being the only other similar book I’ve read period wise. It was a lovely easy listen though and the whole story was easy to become embroiled in!

An easy 4 stars for me!

📚review📚

a lady’s guide to fortune hunting - sophie irwin

in the immortal words of jane austen: “it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” similarly, a single woman with no fortune is most definitely in want of a husband and a rich one at that. enter kitty talbot, a young woman who has inherited a tonne of debt, a dilapidated family home that is mortgaged to the hilt and four younger sisters to support. kitty needs a rich husband and she has just six weeks to find one.
what follows is a joyous romp through georgian london’s dating scene, full of heart, warmth and hilarity all brilliantly complimented by eleanor tomlinson’s narration.
each character is wonderfully brought to life and listening was such a truly immersive experience - it felt like i was right there with kitty plotting to snare an eligible batchelor. if you’re still looking for something to fill that bridgerton shaped hole in your life or are looking for the next jane austen, grab a copy of this - it’s out now!
many thanks to @netgalley for the audiobook.
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The title of this book grabbed me as soon as I saw it and I knew it was one I’d enjoy.

I instantly took a liking to the protagonist Kitty Talbot, and particularly liked that she was morally grey which gave her a lot more interest than some heroines. Although her aim is to marry a wealthy man so she can provide for her younger sisters after their parents die leaving them with huge debts, at first it seems she will stop at nothing to achieve that. As the story progresses and we learn more of Kitty’s character and her family’s history, we meet her antagonist Lord Radcliffe. Deciding she is nothing but a fortune hunter, he determines to stop her marrying his brother.

The chemistry between Kitty and Radcliffe was electric and although the main storyline was pleasantly predictable, there were twists and turns along the way involving side characters that keeps the reader guessing.

A perfect read for fans of Bridgerton and Reputation, this is a historical romance with a twist and strong female characters.

The narrator was perfect for this book and made it a very enjoyable listening experience.

Having not read much historical fiction, I felt it was time to broaden my horizons, so when I saw A Lady’s Guide audio arc via NetGalley, I couldn’t resist hitting that request button.

I must say (said in my poshest voice) one had a most delightful time reading, or rather, listening to this jovial regency romance novel, and honestly cannot wait to read more, especially by the exceptionally talented Sophie Irwin.

(Back to my normal voice. Lol) I adore unapologetic heroines, and that is what Kitty is. However, she is so much more than that!
She is brave, kind, and selfless with a heart of pure gold. Whatever you think of her manipulative ways, her motives are as pure as her heart, willing to sacrifice her own happiness for that of her sisters.
A beautiful story of love, not boy meets girl, but love for one’s family.
But fear not, there is plenty of romance and the most delicious enemies to lovers, too.

This book’s bursting at the seams with humour, wit and brilliant banter. I loved this more than I expected I would.

Why only four stars? Because of the idiot listener (aka me lol). As I was listening and didn’t have a physical or even ebook to read along with, in the beginning, I did get a little confused with all the character names, so it left me puzzled a time or two.

Thank you so much, NetGalley & Harper Collins Audio, for the gift of the audiobook in return for an honest review.

Kitty Taylor is in a precarious position. Her parents have passed away and she is in debt and is in charge of her four sisters. Now this is Regency England and there is one way for Kitty to secure a decent future for her and her sisters and that is to secure herself a husband with a decent size fortune attached to his name! This is a fabulous romp through Regency England and the fancy balls and tea parties Kitty attends to try and complete her mission. This upbeat and fun debut is charming and alluring and is a must read for any Bridgerton fans out there!!! Eleanor Tomlinson, of Poldark fame, leads us an excellent caper through Londons society life. This audiobook is out now. Thankyou to Harper Collins and Netgalley for my copy.

A wonderful, wonderful story. Kitty is determined to marry for money, she has no choice, she has debts left by her father and four sisters to support. With the help of a close family friend, Kitty and her sister enter London society with one purpose in mind. The resulting story is entertaining, sometimes hilarious, and completely engaging. A absolute triumph.

I do not typically pick up romances from the shelves - it just really isn't my thing because I very very very rarely invest in the actual romance at the heart of a story. However, I could feel myself wavering on the verge of a burnout, and the best way I've found to nip that in the bid is to find something in a completely different genre to what I'd usually read that ends up being a great read (that last bit is usually the tricky bit!)

I'd heard so much about this book, and a funny, very (very) low-heat, slow-burn regency romance seemed like it had a decent chance of being fun. And it was. (And I really hope it's done the burnout trick too!)

Admittedly, I don't have the largest experience of romance novels, but the romance did not seem like the driving force behind the book. The promise that they would fall in love by the end was there from about 25% in (it takes a while to meet him, and then longer for anything to even start between them) so you knew it would end up well. But for most of the book, it felt like a historical, an Austen-esque semi-satire on the upper class of Regency England.

That, I think, is why I enjoyed it so much. I didn't have to invest in the romance in order to enjoy the story - I could invest in the fun (and hypocrisy) of Kitty taking on the ton militantly. The romance is very much a slow-burn, as Kitty keeps imposing herself on Radcliffe for help (having trapped him at maybe the 30% mark into not exposing her.)

A LADY'S GUIDE TO FORTUNE-HUNTING was hysterically funny at times. Kitty has such a sharp wit that I was cackling to myself (and stayed up rather too late reading.) And her and Radcliffe do spark off each other so well with their antagonism to reluctant allies to friends and so on. That repartee makes for very good scenes.

There's also an awful lot more going on around just them (hence it doesn't feel like their romance is in anyway driving the plot.) It's rather impressive how much is packed into a 330 page book, a whole bunch of different subplots that weave together into the finale.

This is apparently the first book in a series, so I'll be keeping an eye for the next one (and I think we might have a good hint about what the plot will be from this book!)

A huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this eArc!!

This was incredibly nostalgic!! I adored this and I reckon it’ll become a favourite of mine for this year! Reminiscent of pride and prejudice with the enemies to lovers vibe the main pairing had, but a compelling plot that had you rooting for the characters (despite their morality being grey at times).

A fabulously witty take on a Regency romance, with a relatable and practical heroine and fabulously read by Eleanor Tomlinson

Due to tragedy and setbacks in her future plans, Kitty needs money to support herself and her sisters, and who holds the money in Regency England? - why the men of course! So Kitty sets out to get herself one of those, a man with money.

What I absolutely loved about this book is that Kitty is completely understandable, she is not pushed into marrying money by a social-climbing obsessed parent, she is not being sold off for property, or selling herself for property, she is not frivolous or a spendthrift, her need for money is entirely realistic, practical, with consideration for her dependents - her sisters, and relatable to most women for centuries. I was really struck with how different a heroine she was, and how she was never mercenary about her husband-hunting, despite her need, she remains a kind, compassionate, and therefore utterly understandable and relatable main character. She never rises to any accusations of gold-digging, but the facts speak for themselves - men created a world where women had no property or independence, but still managed to resent any female who then presumed to pursue them for a share of that property and support.

The book is so well written, light-hearted and funny, without making light of Kitty's situation, the time constraints she was under meant that the plot moved quickly, and the sense of urgency really adds to the stakes.

The main male character is not a stuffy wealthy type or a ridiculous alpha male either. He is aloof at first, not for aloofness' sake, but with good reason, and with sense and wit of his own, which meant that I could actually believe in him, both as a character, and as a potential match for Kitty. I love the fact that there is no contrived conflict either, relationships develop between characters as they find things they have in common, and that is true of side characters as well.

This is a great novel for an escape, a laugh, and is a perfect choice for getting out of a reading slump, and I definitely recommend the audiobook as well, I listened to the audiobook after having read the book, and Eleanor Tomlinson perfectly captured Kitty's spirit, and the tone of the book for me, she puts a lot of personality into her reading, I loved listening to her.

I rated it a very high four stars - borderline 5, so have rounded up because I will be re-reading this, and will definitely look out for more from Sophie Irwin - love her style!

Move over coho I think I may have another favourite author to rival you!
Firstly thank you to netgalley and harper Collins for the preview copy.

I thought that given the title and my love of Bridgerton and downtown abbey I might like this but I never expected to love it as much as I did. This is regency rom com at its best for me.
This was a genuinely fun and lighthearted read that I devoured in just a couple of days.

The book is fast paced and fantastic narration and I adored how our leading lady kitty was so strong, fierce, quick witted and easy to fall in love with.

The vivid imagery was also amazing , I felt completely immersed in a world of beautiful balls, dinners and promenades.