After enjoying Gill Hornby’s Godmersham Park, I was pleased to go back to the Regency period with my next read, A Lady’s Guide To Fortune-Hunting.
A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting is the debut novel by Sophie Irwin, published 2022.
Regency romances seem to have a surge in popularity recently, most likely due to the success of the Bridgerton series that has been adapted for Netflix, and Sophie Irwin is set to be the next big name in historical romance.
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Plot
After both her parents died and left them penniless and alone, Kitty Talbot and her sisters are worried for their future. Kitty, the eldest sibling, knows that in order to secure their financial future, she needs to find a rich husband. With only 12 weeks until the bailiffs come knocking, Kitty needs to quickly ingratiate herself into London society and bag herself a man with a fortune.
However, when Lord Radcliffe sees Kitty set her eyes on his younger brother, he is instantly suspicious. Who is Kitty Talbot and what does she want with his brother? Radcliffe is determined to thwart Kitty’s plans while she will stop at nothing to protect her sisters.
A Lady’s Guide To Fortune-Hunting Book Review
I really enjoyed this book. Kitty was a fantastic character. She wasn’t the meek and mild heroine expected of the 19th century, she was brave, brash and bold. I loved her feistiness and her willingness to do anything to secure her family’s future.
No one will ever compare to Elizabeth Bennet, my all-time favourite heroine, but Kitty had the same wit and love for her family that Lizzy displayed in Pride and Prejudice. She also could see through the pomposity of these preening, pretentious men, despite not knowing exactly how to conduct herself in polite society. I loved how she slapped down one of the main characters to protect her sister, much to the horror of ‘the ton’.
As with Anne Sharp’s predicament in Godmersham Park, Kitty’s financial situation perfectly highlights the position of women in society and how financially dependent they were on men.
Kitty’s interactions with Radcliffe sparkled and the sarcasm and irony that dripped from the dialogue was very Austen-esque. I loved that Radcliffe matched Kitty in wit and how she encouraged his more mischievous side to come out.
It was a fast-moving, joyful romance and I really enjoyed it. I’ll definitely be looking out for more books by Sophie Irwin.
What to read next
If you enjoyed A Lady’s Guide To Fortune-Hunting, I would definitely recommend her second novel, A Lady’s Guide to Scandal. It’s another witty, heart-warming historical romance.
If you’re looking for a regency romance with a bit more spice, you might want to read the Bridgerton series or any other books by Julia Quinn.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. For more information please see my disclosure policy.