Lord Radcliffe realises that the money-minded miss has set her eyes on his younger brother, and makes a deal to protect him from her scheming.

A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin - Waterstones A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin - Waterstones

Kitty's sense of urgency and her constant worry are communicated very effectively, something I really appreciated about the book. It’s not my standard choice but it sounded fun and I (along with most of the rest of the country) had enjoyed watching Bridgerton last year so I thought I’d give a Regency book a go as well (yes I know I could have read Julia Quinn but I’m enjoying watching those instead). I absolutely loved following Kitty’s journey as she fought her way through the institution to find a solution to her family’s problems, save her sisters from destitution and by the end, find true love.I loved the enemies to lovers trope, it's one of my favourites and one that was executed tremendously by Irwin.

A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting - Madeleine Milburn A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting - Madeleine Milburn

While this is undeniably a romance book, it’s a romance with a good amount of plot and a wonderful heroine. 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. I loved that Radcliffe matched Kitty in wit and how she encouraged his more mischievous side to come out. Enlisting the help of an old friend of her deceased mother Kitty travels to London for the season to hunt for a rich husband. After Kitty’s father dies Kitty and her three sisters are on the point of destitution unless Kitty can by making an advantageous marriage clear her fathers debts and fully support her sisters, otherwise the family will have to be broken up and each sister go into service or become a governess.I loved the heroine, Kitty Talbot; it’s so refreshing to see an active female protagonist that takes no prisoners — every scene where she went tête-a-tête with the stubborn James Radcliffe had me flipping the pages as fast as I could.

A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting - Publishers Weekly A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting - Publishers Weekly

Kitty is in need of a fortune and this has no choice but to make her societal debut, and as you’d expect for a Regency Romance we soon get introduced to a man with said fortune. The odds are stacked against Kitty from the start, bankrupt, an outsider and hiding a family secret. If you’re looking for something to take the edge off your Bridgerton withdrawal symptoms then this is just the ticket!Kitty is strong, independent and savvy and I enjoyed following her journey as she navigated the unwritten and unspoken rules of the ton. Yes, you can probably guess the direction it is going in, but isn't that always the case with a romance? Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review. It presented a vivid image of dinners, ballrooms and interactions to be swept away by, as well as having genuine heart through Kitty’s relationship with her family. When her parents die and leave Kitty Talbot in charge of her four younger sisters and all of her father's debts, the smart young lady reasons that the only way that she can support her family's future is by marrying someone wealthy.

Home - Ladys Guide

After both her parents died and left them penniless and alone, Kitty Talbot and her sisters are worried for their future.Kitty struggles to understand the rules of Regency society, to keep her past hidden and look out for younger sister Cecily.