By: Sophie Irwin

I loved this book. The writing and story felt fresh, but in a comforting way that you knew where the story was headed. I read through it in a few hours. It reminded me that when a book is good, and I mean GOOD, I experience such joy from simply reading it. My heart starts beating a little quicker when I realize that this one is going to be worth my time and that I have maybe found a new author to follow.  I think I read a lot of totally fine books, but when a gem comes along, it makes you remember why you loved reading in the first place. This was more Pride & Prejudice passion than a historical romance novel, but it was all lovely. 

Kitty Talbot has a huge problem. Her parents have recently passed away and her father mortgaged the house, leaving Kitty no money to repay the loan. As the eldest of five sisters, and with no marketable skills, she knows that she must snare a rich husband to provide for her family and to keep their home. Complicating her scheme, however, is that her parents’ marriage caused a large scandal. Her gentleman father married his mistress, her mother, so her father was disowned by his family. This background is a huge mark against Kitty in London society, so she enlists the help of her mother’s former best friend, now answering to the name, Mrs. Kendall, to help her in her quest for a rich husband. 

Luckily, Mrs. Kendall or Aunt Dorothy, is very motherly to Kitty and Cecily, the one sister Kitty brings with her to London. She attempts to rein in some of Kitty’s bolder plans and to encourage Kitty to be realistic in her choices. Through one maneuver after another, that the Reader knows is due to her love for her sisters, as opposed to personal avarice, Kitty is able to become acquainted with a high ranking titled family, the de Lacys, lead by the oldest son, the Earl of Radcliffe.  Kitty sets her sights on the younger brother, Archie, in hopes that she can manipulate him into a marriage proposal. Unfortunately, his older brother, James, Lord Radcliffe, realizes that Kitty does not love his brother, but is enamored with his fortune. The two, however, come to a blackmailing arrangement where Kitty will stop her pursuit of Archie, if James can assist with integrating her into Society. James basically agrees to this for REASONS. 

Since he knows her secret, Kitty is able to be brutally honest and her complete self with James, which allows him to see that while she is hunting for a fortune, it is not for selfish reasons. James, even though an eldest son, served at Waterloo. Witnessing such a terrible tragedy marked him, and he has a hard time participating in the frivolity of high society. Watching Kitty and her various antics helps bring James back to himself and his family. 

The one downside is that the villain was a little too villaney- until he was easily dispatched and I wish Archie was a little less bumbling. I know he is portrayed as  young, but he is older than Kitty and it made me think less of James, honestly. But those are minor issues and I whole-heartedly recommend this book. I cannot wait to read whatever Sophie Irwin writes next!

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0593491343/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-ladys-guide-to-fortune-hunting-sophie-irwin/1140356722

Or an independent bookstore. Try Books Are Magic in Brooklyn: https://www.booksaremagic.net/item/ymASTSSKIbaGGcGALsx7xg