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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
Loveable characters:
Yes
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"But first, I feel I must inform you that I come with four sisters, a badly leaking rood, and a veritable ocean of debt."
A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting was an absolutely charming read; one I highly recommend, especially for those who are newer to historical fiction. It had all the hallmarks of a typical regency read, and the slow burning, witty not quite courtship of these two adversaries, who became reluctant partners in mischief was wonderful.
Kitty, a parentified eldest sister, whose single goal is to snag a rich husband - to save her family from their crippling debt - was on principle someone I shouldn't have been rooting for. And yet, I did. She was flawed and conniving and manipulative, and yet I loved her. I rooted for her the entire time. Her loyalty to her sisters was her greatest strength and endeared her to me.
I surprisingly loved the stuffy and stubborn Lord Radcliffe - who in typical genre fashion we found out much too late is called James. He's a brooding, war-scarred stick in the mud who chose to hide away from his obligations in the country. That is, until Kitty enters the scene. Eventually, he becomes the first person to truly see Kitty and that's beautiful.
I'll absolutely revisit this when I want a soft read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, War
Minor: Drug use, Gun violence, Misogyny
funny
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
Very fast read and had a really good time with this, gave me a lot of Bridgerton vibes.
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting takes on some of the tropes in historical romance and pretty much turns it on its head. First, we have our ostensible heroine who may actually be quite the villanness indeed:
I have yet to meet a fortune-hunter that's been so favourably portrayed as in this book, as our protagonist Kitty redeemes all fortune-hunters in Regency novels. Typically, such roles are given to the villannesses, who are framed as the anti-thesis to our innocent, morally good female leads. Kitty is morally ambiguous, as she is pretty cutthroat in her goals: to marry a rich man, even if she has to pretend to be in love with him and even if this means having to mislead him. When Kitty meets the privileged de Lacys and manages to charm the second son, Archie, she believes that she's well on her way to achieving her goals.
At least, until his meddlesome older brother, Lord James Radcliffe catches wind of her plans:
Radcliffe and Kitty make for a formidable match, as they attempt to outwit each other in Kitty's manipulations of Archie and Radcliffe's subtle attempts to release his brother from her trap. Their interactions were witty and it was honestly, somewhat charming how Sophie Irwin develops their relationship from enemies to allies and then to a gradual understanding of the qualities that they admire in each other.
Moreover, I generally find that books like these about those fussy English manners of the Regency era are quite fun to read and even more so, given how Kitty easily manipulates them and gains gradual acceptance. Their hypocrisy and double-standards are laid out to bare; namely how every marital match in high society involves an economic bargain and that Kitty is simply trying to get the best possible bargain to save her family.
So what else is there to say? This novel was fun and witty and Kitty and Radcliffe's banter was hilarious:
"We have more than four months until the first of June," Kitty said firmly, moving away from the window. "That is just enough time, I believe, for us to achieve something quite extraordinary. In a town such as Biddington, I was able to ensnare a rich fiancé. Though he turned out to be a weasel, there is no reason to believe the exercise cannot be repeated, simply enough."
"I do not think any other rich men live nearby," Beatrice pointed out.
"Just so!" her sister replied cheerfully, eyes unnaturally bright. "Which is why I must travel to more fruitful ground. Beatrice, consider yourself in charge - for I shall be leaving for London."
I have yet to meet a fortune-hunter that's been so favourably portrayed as in this book, as our protagonist Kitty redeemes all fortune-hunters in Regency novels. Typically, such roles are given to the villannesses, who are framed as the anti-thesis to our innocent, morally good female leads. Kitty is morally ambiguous, as she is pretty cutthroat in her goals: to marry a rich man, even if she has to pretend to be in love with him and even if this means having to mislead him. When Kitty meets the privileged de Lacys and manages to charm the second son, Archie, she believes that she's well on her way to achieving her goals.
At least, until his meddlesome older brother, Lord James Radcliffe catches wind of her plans:
By contrast, Radcliffe, leaving the family home for his own lodgings on St James's Place several hours later, felt very certain of three facts. Firstly, that his younger brother and entire family were dangerously infatuated with Miss Talbot. Secondly, that Miss Talbot harboured no true romantic attachment to Archie whatsoever, beyond a fancy for his wealth. And thirdly, that it would be down to him to scotch the whole affair.
Radcliffe and Kitty make for a formidable match, as they attempt to outwit each other in Kitty's manipulations of Archie and Radcliffe's subtle attempts to release his brother from her trap. Their interactions were witty and it was honestly, somewhat charming how Sophie Irwin develops their relationship from enemies to allies and then to a gradual understanding of the qualities that they admire in each other.
Spoiler
I certainly didn't expect that Radcliffe would become her ally in trying to find her a match on the marriage mart, as long as it's anyone else but Archie.Moreover, I generally find that books like these about those fussy English manners of the Regency era are quite fun to read and even more so, given how Kitty easily manipulates them and gains gradual acceptance. Their hypocrisy and double-standards are laid out to bare; namely how every marital match in high society involves an economic bargain and that Kitty is simply trying to get the best possible bargain to save her family.
So what else is there to say? This novel was fun and witty and Kitty and Radcliffe's banter was hilarious:
She bristled in offence. "Are you in the habit of being this rude to everyone you encounter?"
"On the contrary," he said coolly. "I am considered rather charming by the entirety of the ton."
"Well, I'm sure we cannot blame them for that foolishness," she snapped. "So many of the ton being in the habit of marrying their first cousins."
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No