I would like to thank and Boldwood Books for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest of the book.

This was another enjoyable tale, that reminded me a little of Emma. I don't think the third act break up was needed.

Just what the doctor ordered: light, dramatic historical romance reminiscent of Mary Balogh and Jane Austen, perfect to get you out of your reading slump!!

This book was SO FUNNY, like laugh out loud at multiple point throughout the book funny. The humor was witty and sly, and fit perfectly into the family drama style of the book. The Countess of Bucklebury was SO messy but hilarious 😂 I also liked both of the main characters, Alistair and especially Leonora, and although I wanted to see more of their relationship development, I did root for them and believe in their lasting connection. The plot of this book also had its fair share of twists and turns, and the plot twist near the end felt like something out of a TV show, it kept me on the edge of my seat!

Overall, if you're looking for a book that will take you places you never expected it would go, and have tons of laughs along the way, I'd highly recommend this book!!

4/5
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Resigned to her future as a spinster, Leonora Appleby, is content to live at her beloved manor in the pretty village of Hasterleigh. However, soon Leonora’s home will be given over to the new owner of the manor, Mr George Lockwood, and Leonora must adapt to a very different way of life. A chance meeting with the enigmatic Earl Rokeby, owner of the nearby Rokeby Abbey, and newly returned from the Napoleonic War, turns Leonora’s life upside down and in so many ways her quiet life is about the be changed forever.

This is a really lovely story with all the trademarks of Regency life which this author describes so very well. The characters soon steal their way into your heart and you can’t help but want everything to work for all of them. I especially loved Leonora, who deserved such happiness, and also her young friend Charlotte whose exuberance for life is about to be so challenged with news that will change her life forever. The sensible Nanny Priddy made me smile and I so wanted to see the finished result of her interminable knitting as she acted as chaperone to the young ladies.

From the gentle peace of an English country village, to the excitement of the grand salons of Regency London, A Lady’s Fortune is another Regency masterclass from this talented writer who brings us history, and gentle romance, in a story which lingers long in the imagination.

The life of self-proclaimed spinster Leonora is upended by the unexpected return of the presumed-dead Earl Rokeby. Thrust into the whirlwind social season of London alongside her best friend, Leonora must navigate balls, gossip, and the secrets of the enigmatic earl as she determines her own future.

This novel presents two interwoven romance stories. The tone is formal and the pace leisurely. The heroines don’t always behave in a circumspect way, which accounts for most of the conflict in the story.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Wonderful regency romance

I have read all of Jane Dunn's regency romances and thoroughly enjoyed each of them. The Lady's Fortune is a real winner, well written, feisty female heroines, a variety of heroes (and villains) and a twisty plot. You really have to read this author, she is the best!!!!

Thank you to the publisher who lent me an e-arc via Netgalley. This review is optional and my own opinion.

Lenora Appleby is preparing to give up her childhood home to the new incumbent George Lockwood after her father’s death. Firmly on the shelf at the age of twenty seven she is happy to retire to a quiet life in the country with her beloved nanny.
But when the return of the brooding Earl of Rokeby brings with it surprises and twists in her own life, Lenora has to prepare for a season with her best friend Charlotte Blythe. In the excitement of her new situation, Lenora finds that she much prefers her life in the village – especially if a certain Earl is in the vicinity.
This is a likeable story with a strong plot which is well paced and keeps the reader interested with a couple of unexpected twists. The writing is excellent and is very in keeping with the period. The characters are well fleshed and really likeable. I loved Lenora and Alistair, Charlotte and George and rooted for their happy ever after.
I received an advanced review copy via Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I enjoyed this story's classic Regency romance style. The characters are believable, and the detailed historical setting is easy to envision. I like the storytelling and the socio-political ethos that the author creates, leaving the reader in no doubt how vulnerable women were in Regency society. The two female protagonists push the boundaries of society, and the plot has an engaging combination of good and evil, romance, mystery, humour and poignancy. It's an absorbing and entertaining story.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I definitely enjoyed reading A Lady's Fortune by Jane Dunn. While I regularly read Regency novels in the past, in 2019 I turned my attention to novels set in the WWII time period and have been reading novels about that time period for the past 5 years. However, A Lady's Fortune, a Regency novel, caught my eye and I felt ready for a change in time periods and writing style again.
It was a delight to discover the writing of Jane Dunn. While there were a number of similarities to many Regency novels I've read I appreciated Jane Dunn's approach to developing her characters. Each character was fleshed out in a way that I could see them as real people - whether they lived in 1815 or 2024 - and each one had their own unique mannerisms and attributes.
I particularly appreciated how the author presented the main character, Miss Leonora Appleby. Leonora was not just a typical Regency beauty in search of a worthy man - she was a mature woman who had an established life within her community and had serious thoughts about the differences of life in the country versus the lifestyles of those in the big city of London. She also took time to reflect on the serious wounds - both physical and emotional - that the Napoleonic wars had on the returning soldiers at that time.
The book is by no means overly serious - it does have the usual elements of a Regency novel - including twists and turns that kept this reader's interest. I definitely recommend A Lady's Fortune for anyone who enjoys novels set in the Regency period with well-developed characters.
I received an advanced readers copy of this book but all opinions expressed are my own.

I just loved the characters in this book, particularly Lenora Appleby. She was such a kind and caring soul and at the age of 27, didn’t think she would marry. There are a good number of likeable characters and a special village feel about the place where they lived. Mrs. Prissy or Nanny P as she was affectionately known was always on hand to offer her sage advice when needed. She also knew everyone in the area, which came in handy day on a few occasions. There is also a time spent in London for the season. Alistair, Earl of Rokeby, has a number of issues, not the least being his injuries sustained from the war, physically and mentally. There are a few surprises and one or more romances. This was a very enjoyable read that left me with a smile on my face. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own. However I did preorder my own copy.

This is an enjoyable easy read. It's a clean romance. Two best friends Leonara and Charlotte both have romance stories in this book. There are some upsets along the way but they both have their happy ending.

A Lady’s Fortune was a captivating and immersive regency romance, perfect for fans of Bridgerton.

I really enjoyed the Pride and Prejudice feel of the story, with the wounded and dashing Earl Rokeby, and the kind and gentle Lord Lockwood. The friendship between the Leonora and Charlotte was layered and moving, and I loved the way Charlotte’s social status was portrayed. With plenty of swoon-worthy moments (and even though I suspected the ending early on), what I loved most about this story was the journey. The author did a wonderful job of building an immersive country community, and creating characters with depth and tension, making the story a wonderful escape and a compelling read.

Thank you Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

Miss Leonora Appleby’s life is about to change. Following her father’s death, she will be moving out of the Manor that’s been her home her entire life, and just hopes the new heir cares for her home as much as she had. But there’s more than one new arrival to Hasterleigh, and the new Earl Rokeby, long presumed dead, but newly arrived home from war, is setting the town ablaze. He’s brought more than just war wounds, and some newly revealed secrets are going to change the lives of them all.

When I saw this book on NetGalley, I knew it would be a book for me. I really enjoyed the chemistry and development of the relationship between Leonora and Alistair. It was not an easy love story, and the added side stories surrounding Charlotte, and Alistair’s history, were great. The writing style did take a little getting used to, but one I was a few chapters in, I was hooked. There’s definitely a Pride & Prejudice vibe to the book, especially with the plot line surrounding the ‘baddie’, and the ending nicely tied all the plot lines together. A great Regency romance.

A heartbreaking story about a wounded war hero with a sad past and a intrepid spitfire woman with the kindest of hearts that found each other in the same town they have lived all their lives but never met until now.

Leonora Appleby has lived her whole life cared by the same people. Her best friend Charlotte Blythe, is like a younger sister to her, so when her destiny is alter after years of yearning to know for her real parents is Leonora who will carry the torch and accompanied her in this new adventure to London to attend a season.

This is a story about wounded and kind heroes, those who carry a burden for years and others who keep their light on in spite of life cruel twists. The fact that you get two romance stories instead of one is a nice bonus.

I personally enjoyed this book, found their characters charming and the narrative engaging.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC

I've read all of Jane Dunn's Regency romances to date, and they are all fabulous. A Lady's Fortune is a delightful addition to her books.

Our two main characters, Leonora and Charlotte, are refreshing in their outlook on life. Leonora is happy with her rural existence, while Charlotte expects little because the nature of her birth is a mystery. Both women flourish outside the constraints of the expectation of a London season, but are to be plunged into it, eventually, for much of this book takes place in their rural idyll, where our author is able to draw on her love of gardening and the outdoors (I follow her on X) to enrich the storyline - and this is coming from someone who can just about name a daffodil or a rose.

What I loved about this book is that we, the reader, really do know much of what will happen, but it unfolds in the delightful and charming way that Regency romances should - I read the last 30% in one sitting, unable to put it down.

Leonora, Charlotte, Earl Rokeby and George Lockwood will surely delight readers of the genre. 5 stars from me.

This was my first book by Jane Dunn and I did really enjoy it! Beautifully written, it has everything you could want from a regency romance.

It starts off with Leonara Appleby a 27 year old “spinster” who is considered too old and unlikely to marry. Her home Hasterleigh Manor is soon passed over to the heir with Leonara needing to move into alternative accommodations. Nearby though Earl Rokeby has returned from the war, scarred in more ways than one with some news of others in the village. Without spoiling anything lots of drama, tension and romantic moments.

My main criticism though was how Leonora was portrayed with not being able to make up her own mind and often easily swayed by others comments and views.

Two sweet romances in one, this was pure fun.

I’m a long time Jane Austen fan and I love regency romances - contemporary ones that are well written, I am extremely partial to. After reading a couple of more hard-boiled stories, A Lady’s Fortune was a pleasure to read and I easily lost myself in the story, while appreciating Ms Dunn’s attention to historical detail and engaging plot.

This would be great to listen to curled up on the couch one night, crocheting, with a hot mug of ginger tea.

This was my first book by the author. I will definitely read more of her work.



Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the DRC

This was good although I've enjoyed other books by this author more. What stopped this from being as good as others (for me) was how Leonora couldn't trust her own judgment. It was infuriating! But I liked Chartotte and the other characters and the story progressed nicely. Give it a try if you like regency romance!

A Lady's Fortune comes out next week on August 5, 2024 and you can purchase HERE.

As she lay in a deep feather mattress, her gaze travelled around the palatial bedroom, the details just visible now the pale light was beginning to seep through the curtains. Her four-poster bed was hung with silk curtains frayed into ribbons at the edges but once beautiful. Pale yellow and embroidered with flowers and bees, they looked too fragile to pull closed and she feared she'd be enveloped in a cloud of dust if she did. The room itself was panelled and painted a pearl grey to which time only added an attractive smoky patina. It was restful to lie there warm and safe, and Leonora's mind returned to her beloved Hasterleigh and the Earl.

This beautifully written Regency story contained some of the most deliciously romantic lines I’ve ever read. In the tradition of Georgette Heyer, this reminded me of the books I used to read years ago. There’s a tall, dark and brooding hero scarred by war, a feisty and principled heroine whose hopes of love are past, a fun subplot involving a foundling, and a lovable nanny who mentors everyone.
With terrific characters, misunderstandings galore, heroic rescues and impassioned declarations of love, this has all the ingredients of a swoonworthy romance.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC which I received in return for an honest review.

I love a Regency romance… you hit this one out of the park, Jane Dunn.

If you’re a fan of Jane Austen or Charlotte Brontë, you will absolutely devour this one.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A wonderful book to read and get lost in. It tells the story of Leonora Appleby and the neighbours that surround her in the village where she grew up. Hasterleigh Manor, Nora’s home, is about to taken over by the new heir, George Lockwood, a strapping, sweet natured man. Nora’s good friend is Charlotte Blythe, who lives close to her with the Reverend Blythe and his wife.

The new Earl of Rokeby, Alistair has returned to the village having lost his older brother to the war and he himself is badly scarred following the war and wants to escape society.

A charming story of two souls who have lost loved ones and must learn to live and love again; to trust in themselves and each other. Brilliantly written and wonderfully descriptive that everything jumps off the page. A gem worth reading.

I received an ARC from the publishers and NetGalley and submit my voluntarily review.