I loved this book! I’ve started watching Downton Abbey (I know, I’m 10 years late to the party) and am a bit obsessed with period dramas at the moment. I was getting a
Bit bored of the usual chick lit that is constantly coming on the market and this was a breath of fresh air. If this is the author’s debut novel then I look forward to her other offerings! Brilliant novel!

Oh my god, I wasn't expecting to love this book as much as I did! I devoured this is one sitting, I loved it that much! Perfect for fans of regency romance and Bridgerton.

This book is such thinly disguised Bridgerton fan fiction I'm certain it will a) do brilliantly and b) spawn a succession of equally readable sequels, all as totally lacking in originality as this. It's well written, so I hope the author branches out in future!

After watching Bridgerton and reading Jane Austen I find myself drawn to the regency era vibes and look out for any book set during this time. This read definitely meets this expectation with the drama, intrigue and high society lifestyles. It was quite a predictable storyline but I found it incredibly relaxing for a chilled out Saturday afternoon. Would definitely recommend picking this up!

‘The season is about to begin – and there’s not a minute to lose... ‘

My thanks to HarperCollins U.K. for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting’ by Sophie Irwin in exchange for an honest review.

This proved a charming Regency romance very much in the tradition of Georgette Heyer and Julia Quinn.

It’s 1818 and following the death of their parents the five Talbot sisters find themselves in a dire financial situation and only have twelve weeks until the bailiffs call. The eldest sister, Kitty, realises that their only hope is for her to launch herself into London society

Kitty must use every ounce of charm, cunning and ingenuity that she possesses to climb the ranks and quickly secure a husband with a fortune. She is accompanied to London by her sister Cecily and they run into Cecily’s school friend, Lady Amelia de Lacy. The family is very wealthy and the younger son, Mr. Archibald de Lacy, is clearly drawn to Kitty.

There is one obstacle to Kitty’s plans. The elder de Lacy son, Lord Radcliffe, is determined to protect his brother from falling into the clutches of a fortune hunter. So amongst the balls and soirées of the London season, Kitty is determined that no one - not even a Lord - will stand in her way.

While there is a certain predictability to this kind of historical romance, it was no less enjoyable for that sense of familiarity. I was quite impressed that Kitty was undertaking such an endeavour as it was clear that she lacked the social background to impress London society given their strict codes. I certainly was cheering her on throughout.

‘A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting’ was a delight and Sophie Irwin clearly is very comfortable writing of the Regency period. I found this a confident debut and I look forward to news of her future projects.

This book definitely had Bridgerton vibes, it was such a comforting read. I started reading it after knowing little about it, I was pleasantly surprised by it. The story moves fairly quickly, it’s a simplistic storyline which made it all the more relaxing to read. It was great to read some historical fiction from the regency era, hearing the do’s and dont’s of polite society was very interesting. Overall this was a feel good, lighthearted read I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I absolutely loved this book. I rarely read romance but this was the perfect escapism read, set in Regency England, it's well researched, wonderfully written and has the most fabulous leads in Kitty and James.

Yes, reminicent of Pride and Prejudice , it has the expected 'loathing to love' story but it's really well done and utterly charming, capturing the difficulties of navigating the snobbish elitism of the aristocracy and the precarious position of women without the protection of title or fortune. The characters are wonderfully drawn, the descriptions throughout are superbly evocative and the battle of wits between Kitty and James was so entertaining that I finished it in a day!

Fans of Pride and Prejudice or Brigerton will lap up this delightful book - It was a breath of fresh air and I'm excited to hear that the next Lady's Guide is due next year :)

A Lady’s Guide To Fortune-Hunting
If you’re a fan of Bridgerton, you might pick this book up and while it’s set in the same era, featuring the same type of people you will probably be disappointed. This is a much lighter story, full of the usual cast of characters but much, much more Mills and Boon than anything else. Having said that, I did enjoy it even though the outcome was obvious from the start. So if it’s a nice easy read your after, set in London in the days of “The Ton” well this is the book for you. A pleasant story, I would give this book 3⭐️. Many thanks to #NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

A fun, light hearted and well written read of a young lady who goes to London to marry a rich man. Motivated by her family's destitute circumstances rather than greed, it's easy to get behind Kitty and wish her well. The story bounces along through the London season and Kitty's efforts to snag her prey. There's not much new to the plot and when her target's brother turns up on the scene and threatens to disrupt her plans, I had a very good idea of where the story was going, but the journey was most enjoyable and a lovely way to spend an afternoon.

I'd happily read more by Sophie Irwin, maybe Cecily's story? If you enjoyed Bridgerton, this is just the thing.

I found this book quite charming and read it in two sessions. It tells the story of Kitty and her siblings, who have been left all but destitute following the death of their parents, and their father's earlier gambling. Kitty assumes responsibility for them all and is determined to secure a solid future for them all by way of ensnaring a rich husband. She travels to London with one of her sisters, and the story unfolds from there. Kitty is feisty and outspoken, and finds it difficult to be accepted into the circle of the rich in London to secure a marriage proposal. I had guessed the outcome fairly early on in the book, but nontheless I still enjoyed this light hearted read.

This was a gamble for me; I don’t usually read Regency romances other than Georgette Heyer’s and I was worried that this book might be silly and derivative. However, I’m pleased to say that I found it entertaining, intelligent and thoroughly enjoyable. Although some elements of the plot undoubtedly draw heavily on Heyer and Austen and we have a heroine who in many ways resembles Becky Sharp from Vanity Fair, Sophie Irwin still manages to make the story feel fresh and engaging.

Kitty Talbot is the eldest of five recently orphaned sisters whose father has left them with a mountain of debt and in danger of losing their home. Having just been jilted by her wealthy fiancé, Kitty decides that the only solution is to find another rich man to marry – but unless she can do so within the next twelve weeks, Netley Cottage will be repossessed and the family thrown into poverty. So, accompanied by her sister Cecily, Kitty heads to London for the Season, determined to launch herself into society and find a suitable husband as soon as possible.

Once settled in London at the home of her mother’s old friend, Aunt Dorothy, Kitty sets her sights on young Archie de Lacy, who quickly succumbs to her charms. But just as Archie seems to be on the verge of proposing, his brother Lord Radcliffe arrives from his country estate – and sees straight through her plans. This is going to make finding a husband much more difficult than Kitty had expected!

Although I could predict from early in the novel how it was going to end, that didn’t make it any less fun to read. Sophie Irwin throws just about everything into the story that you would expect to find in a Regency romance: balls, dinner parties, trips to the theatre and the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, carriage rides, notorious gambling dens, elopements to Gretna Green and encounters with highwaymen. There are also plenty of interactions between our heroine and the man we can quickly guess is going to be the hero, allowing us to watch their relationship develop over the course of the novel.

Kitty is unashamedly open – at least to her family and friends – about her plans to marry for money. She’s ruthless and manipulative, yet it’s clear that everything she does is for the sake of her younger sisters and she is not motivated by greed or personal comfort. Even though you know that what she is doing is morally wrong, you can’t help hoping that she succeeds. I also hoped for some happiness for her sister, Cecily, who at eighteen is just a few years younger and has accompanied Kitty to London at their Aunt Dorothy’s suggestion. The bookish, intellectual Cecily is more comfortable reading poetry or visiting a museum, but she reluctantly tags along with Kitty to tea parties and dances and almost ruins her sister’s schemes by making one faux pas after another.

I noticed one or two words and phrases that don’t belong in a Regency novel (‘misgendering’ being the worst example), but the language is generally appropriate and the period is brought to life quite vividly. The book does have a lot of interesting things to say about wealth, the class system and why some people should be denied the same opportunities in life as others just because they come from a less privileged background. This gives the novel some extra depth and makes it more than just a light romance.

This is Sophie Irwin’s first novel, but I’m already looking forward to her next one.

A really engrossing Regency romance
4 stars

I’m always keen to read a new historical romance and this debut from Sophie Irwin sounded exactly my cup of tea. A woman who needs to marry well in order to secure the future of her sisters and is determined to use every trick to accomplish her goal, meets a grumpy, staid lord who not only sees right through her scheming but has the power to make or break her plans. Gah - gimme!

Kitty is in town for one reason and one reason only - to make a match that will secure the future of her younger sisters. And so, we see her using her wiles and manipulating men to think themselves in love with her then hopefully make an offer for her hand. Understandable but maybe a teeny tiny bit unethical. And yet, I couldn’t help but like her. She wasn’t without feeling and her heart was in the right place. I also can’t help but feel I would attempt the same subterfuges if I was in her position. I mean, what other choice did she have? Plus, we always get the counterbalance - and to see her true nature - in her relationship with Radcliffe.

Radcliffe himself is the kind of hero that I always enjoy. He’s a straight-laced, upstanding and fairly staid man who is very irritated to find himself the ringmaster of a circus he doesn’t feel is his own. His exasperation, aggravation and general bafflement at Kitty and her shenanigans is hugely entertaining. And through their sparring and close moments, you can definitely see his feelings begin to change - even if he fights it at first.

I really enjoyed Sophie Irwin’s writing style and the slow and subtle evolving feelings between James and Kitty was a joy to observe. It wasn’t action-packed but definitely kept moving and I even laughed out loud, especially towards the end. As I read, I found myself drawing a comparison with the storytelling of Jane Austen herself. There were lots of little stories, characters and intrigues that all wove together to build the bigger picture. It meant that while James and Kitty were the centre and core of the book - they weren’t always the focus. This meant there was a lot of world and character building towards the beginning of the novel which definitely slowed it down some - but once things were truly set in motion and James and Kitty truly started to interact and fall in love - that’s when things kicked up a gear and I was truly invested.

This is a closed door romance which definitely fits in well with the tone of the book. There are only a couple of kisses and even then they’re not overly descriptive.

All in all, this book struck me as much more English than most of the other historical romances I’ve read. The speech was correct, the nuances were on point and it reeked of the upper classes that Ms Irwin was depicting. While a strong setting is NEVER a bad thing - especially in a historical romance - I didn’t much enjoy the hero taking snuff or the “old boy”, “dear chap” business - but that was just a personal preference. I absolutely want things to be historically accurate (and massive kudos to this author for a fantastic job in that regard) but I don’t need everything that they did in the Regency to be highlighted.

I had a major book hangover after this story and I wanted to still be in this world. Part of that might have been the lack of epilogue (oh, I was so mad!) but also because I became really invested with the characters and their lives. I really hope Ms Irwin writes more books to make this a series. I will be first in line for any future books she writes. 4 stars for this one but mainly because of the time it took to get the romance really going. After that it was a solid 5 star read.

Oh my goodness, what an absolutely delightful book!!! A frothy, fizzing, fabulously fun romp from beginning to end. The characters are quirky and endearing – and I look forward to seeing more of them in the next book! This book manages to be fun and charming without being twee or insipid. With a healing helping of razor sharp wit, pretty gowns, clever heroines and surly yet dashing men, A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting is exactly what you need to fill the Bridgerton-shaped hole in your life!!

Oh this is utterly glorious. Laugh out loud funny, witty, clever and highly entertaining. I loved the heroine Kitty, despite her being a "villainous barnacle". I absolutely loved every page of it.
This will make a fantastic TV adaptation, it is so full of colour and fun. Perfect for lovers of Jane Austen and Downton Abbey.
I was lucky enough to be sent an advanced copy but I have also ordered the physical copy as the cover is so beautiful, it's one I want in my collection to look at as well as read.

Thank you so much to all for my advance copy.

A pleasantly enjoyable rengency romance debut book by Sophie Irwin.

I went into this book without any expectation and I was actually pleasantly suprised by its quality. It is a well researched book which definitely made you feel as if you were in the room with the characters.

The only thing I was there was more of was the relationship and dialogue between Kitty and Lord Radcliffe as I would have loved more of it. The witty conversation was there I should felt there could have been more to develop the relationship a bit more.

Overall, a really enjoyable read and would definitely recommend for someone looking a lightheart and cozy ready.

Thanks to HaperColins and Netgallery for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free ARC in exchange for a review.

I loved this book! Irwin really scratched my historical enemies to lovers itch with this one.

Kitty is awesome. She is a flawed woman with a deep sense of loyalty and love to her sisters, whilst realising that she wants to be kind as well as ambitious. Watching her machinations around the ton was amazing, and love for her sisters, even Cecily who she professes to not understand at all was beautiful.

James and his family were lovely as well. We didn't get to know Amelia as well as Archie, but Archie was just so cute. Easily lead astray but so eager for James' love. And James, dealing with the trauma of Waterloo and his father's memory, while realising that the villain he's been fighting may actually be the woman he wants is inspired.

Aunt Dorothy was also the source of a lot of joy for me, as well as James' long suffering friend Hinsley, and his often "ill" mother, Lady Radcliffe. I loved the cast of characters, and I'm really hoping we'll get to see them again!

Five stars.

I really enjoyed this book, which was a real tonic in these stressful times. It is a witty, light-hearted and very entertaining romp through Regency Society in the company of some great characters. There is genuine historical background underneath the froth though, which makes the book even more enjoyable. Definitely one I would recommend.

Witty. Scandoulous and Utterly captivating.

Kitty Talbot is a young woman in dire need of financial salvation. Her parents have died leaving her with four younger sisters and a mountain of debt, so what is a young lady to do but launch herself into the social whirl of the London season. Where she discovers the road to true love and financial security never do run smoothly.

A refreshing take on the period romance genre. I adored Kitty’s matter of fact practicalness, her determination and craftiness. The supporting characters were also interesting and I loved the way the darker aspects of high society living were woven into the story.

This deserves to be the smash hit of the season!!!

My regency romance loving heart was ecstatic when I received an advance copy of this debut novel from Sophie Irwin and, let me tell you, I was not disappointed!

Kitty Talbot is in need of a rich husband, and fast! In order to save her home and her sisters from poverty Kitty travels to London to throw herself into the upcoming season. With no idea of how Society operates in the city, Kitty is vulnerable to the critical assessment from the 𝑡𝑜𝑛 and must use every weapon in her arsenal to secure a proposal from a wealthy suitor before the bailiffs come knocking.

Can Kitty con the ton into believing she is worthy? Or will they see her for the fortune hunter she is?

A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting is a must for those with a Bridgerton shaped hole in their life. Kitty is a brave, practical, formidable protagonist, immune to the swoons and fancies of love that surround her. She thinks only of providing for her family and is truly a modern regency woman.

Thank you to Netgalley for a free copy of this book so that I can provide an honest review.

Charmingly addictive and a real treat. A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting has the best of Heyer and Quinn combined to create a remarkably original regency heroine who takes the ton by storm.

The London season doesn't know what's hit it when Kitty arrives with the sole aim of landing a rich husband in order to settle her family's debts. The scheming and machinations that go on behind the scenes in order to present a passable facade to high society are humorous and witty. I loved watching Kitty convince the ton to accept her and her family to the fold. The banter between Lord Radcliffe and Kitty as she embroils him unwillingly into her scheme makes for delightful reading. The pair are reluctant allies and they spend more time riling each other up and quarrelling than finding Kitty a suitable match. Archie and Cecily's dramas were as equally entertaining as Radcliffe and Kitty's scenes. I also adored Mrs Radcliffe, a Mrs Bennett type of character who only has the best interests of her children in mind.

A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting is an uproariously good read and I'm excited there's a talented fresh new voice in regency romance.