This should be a shoo-in for a Netflix period drama! I loved it: intrigues galore. Fans of Bridgerton will love the sassy heroine and her come-backs!

I requested A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting on a whim and ended up with probably what will be one of my favourite reads of 2021, and definitely what is one of my new favourites full stop. It’s more on the romcom side of things than a full on romance, lighthearted for the most part, and with a cast of characters you’ll love.

The book opens with Kitty Talbot being jilted by her fiance. Kitty being Kitty, she decides that the thing to do in response to this, is to go to London for the season and find herself an even richer husband, so that she might pay off her father’s debts and support her four younger sisters. There, she meets Archibald de Lacy, who seems a perfect fit for her plans… but for his older brother James, who sees right through her.

Right off the bat, Kitty is a character you will love. She’s headstrong and willing to do anything for her sisters. She doesn’t back down from a fight, and she’s definitely not willing to let James have his way. Unless it’s also her way. Frankly, I loved her from the very first page. She’s probably quite a morally grey character, willing to scheme and manipulate so that she gets her way. But it’s all so that she and her family might live comfortably—she puts them above all else. She’s probably one of the most compelling characters I’ve read in histrom.

And then there’s James. Initially suspicious of Kitty, perhaps rightfully, he doesn’t quite expect her to bite back. They’re not quite hate to love, more like mutually suspicious to love, but the way they grow on each other, slowly but surely, is very well done, and feels very natural. James in his own right is also a great lead. I feel like I read a fair few historical romances where the male lead is either alpha male, or alpha male adjacent, very virile and more than a little obsessed with sex (and occasionally, an objectifier of the female lead), but James was none of that. He’s a refreshing protagonist to read about in that respect. And also because he has such a good dynamic with Kitty.

They’re not the only characters you get POVs from though, although they are the most prominent. But even the characters who don’t get POVs are vibrant and compelling. Each and every one of them jumps off the page. Each and every one has tantalising hints into their own stories, hints that make you want to know more about them all.

And the best part about the book? The growth of James and Kitty’s relationship feels entirely realistic, entirely natural, and there’s no third act break up. Yes, there is angst, yes, there are miscommunications, but it’s all dealt with well. It feels like one of those relationships where each character respects the other, knows the other well enough to know what the other feels they have to do. I’m not explaining this at all well, but just now I love it. I love it so much.

So I guess now all I can do is wait however many months for everyone else to catch up (at the time of writing that’s something like… 7 or more? Ha. Haha).

Having just ended a fictional crime spree, Sophie Irwin's debut was a breath of fresh air. A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting contains everything I love in a romance - historical setting, a determined heroine and an equally determined hero. The debt plague Kitty infiltrates London society to find a rich husband and save her sisters. I loved that Kitty wasn't afraid to go after what she wanted. I also loved her dynamic with James who's determined to stop her fortune-hunting attempts towards his brother. The romance between them plays out nicely and I enjoyed the deep characterisation of both characters. I also liked the subtle humour which had echoes of My Fair Lady. Perfect for fans of Bridgerton and Lisa Kleypas.

Kitty Talbot’s parents have died leaving her with four younger sisters, a pile of debt and a cottage that’s falling down. When things couldn’t get any worse her fiancée dumps her so if she wants to keep her family together and roof over their heads she must find a rich man and marry him before the baliffs take everything. Easy right.
This was a fun, light read. It’s not complicated, it’s a modern regency romance so there’s a good sprinkling of historical inaccuracy, anachronisms and modern sensibilities but that’s fine. (Although right at the beginning there’s mention of ‘tomato beds’ so many things wrong with that it nearly put me right off). The characters are strong, I liked Kitty and I liked that she was fighting her parents disreputable background, that’s not something that’s explored a lot in these types of books.
The central relationship however, was a bit luke warm and I never got the sense that they fancied each other very much until the very end. They had some deep and meaningfuls yes, but attractions not so much. And little brother Archie is lifted straight from the Georgette Heyer play book which isn’t a particularly bad thing. Anyway it all works out well which is the main thing.

A fabulous Regency novel, in which Kitty and Cecily set out for London, to reside with Aunt Dorothy in search of a fortune, a man rich enough to pay off their debts. Kitty is willing to do the deed for the sake of her family, and Cecily less so, although she admits the necessity for Kitty to sacrifice herself for her sisters. She is introduced into the ton, and I will not reveal any more for fear of spoiling the novel. This was a hugely enjoyable novel, and once begun I could not put it down until I had finished. Highly recommended.

I received an unedited arc via Netgalley. There were a few spelling errors and characters names mixed up, however I am sure these will be corrected before publication.

I enjoy Regency Romances, and this one has a twist with it, in such that it does not involve an innocent lady finding herself suddenly engaged to a man through scandal.

Kitty is a strong heroine who cares for her family but is placed in a position where she needs to find money, fast. She decides that she must go to London to find a rich husband to save her family. But will she find one?