#sophie irwin

[edwardslovelyelizabeth]

A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin

“And little though you may care,” he added severely before he shut the door, “in polite society, it is considered highly inappropriate for an unmarried woman to be seen visiting an unmarried man’s house, maid or no maid.” She gave an extravagant roll of her eyes. “Dear lord, city dwellers are easily so scandalized. Do you think it’s the lack of fresh air?”

[mercerislandbooks]

Book Notes: A Lady’s Guide to Scandal

Following Becca’s blog on what makes a good summer read, Sophie Irwin’s new historical romance, A Lady’s Guide to Scandal, fits each specification on Becca’s list and then some. I readily admit that a historical romance set in England is hard for me to pass up, but I was also very interested to see how Sophie Irwin would follow her debut novel, A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting, which I’d thoroughly enjoyed last summer. In A Lady's Guide to Scandal, Sophie Irwin has surpassed herself, delivering a Regency romance with all the traditional elements, while making it so much more.

Lady Eliza Somerset, having married a much older man to oblige her family and not her own heart, finds herself widowed ten years later and unexpectedly in possession of quite a large fortune. Unfortunately said fortune comes with a morality clause and the reappearance of her first love, Oliver. Because of course Oliver's uncle is the man Eliza married for duty, and having had no children, the estate and the title pass to Oliver as the new Lord Somerset. Given these challenging circumstances, Eliza takes the opportunity to escape her overbearingly ambitious family and take up residence in Bath. With her cousin Margaret very properly as chaperone, Eliza intends to finish out the last three months of her mourning and snatch at some measure of freedom for the first time in her life. As Eliza is not of Jane Austen’s mindset when it comes to Bath (Jane was not a fan), she takes to city living immediately -- going to concerts, taking the waters, making new acquaintances, and privately taking up her old passion of painting. But when the scandalous and handsome Lord Melville comes to town, followed shortly by the new Lord Somerset, Eliza’s recently discovered liberty is threatened, as well as her heart.

At first I thought I was getting a redo of Persuasion, when we started off with the love given up for duty returning, from the sea no less. It soon became clear that Irwin was interested in doing more than simply reworking Austen. Her cast contains a diversity that isn't just for show, but rather explored thoughtfully within the time period. She doesn't shy away from calling the marriage mart what it is, bartering young women for social and monetary advantage. All the while she grows the character of Eliza from a dutiful and repressed daughter to a woman aware of her own desires. It was delightful to see the pleasure that Eliza takes in each small rebellion against the strictures she’s lived with her entire life. Every time she makes a choice simply to please herself I wanted to cheer. Playful language, an undeniable humor, and poignant self-discovery all made A Lady's Guide to Scandal one of my favorite reads of the summer!

— Lori

[wearethekat]

December Book Reviews: A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin

Picked up this regency romance because it had a very pretty cover (I'm a sucker for pretty covers). After the death of her parents, Kitty Talbot is left with four younger sisters-- and a mountain of debt. In true Regency style, she plots to infiltrate high society and snare a rich husband. Will she manage to convince the earl's naive younger brother to marry her-- or will his suspicious (and handsome) older brother manage to discover her lies and plunge her into scandal?

This is not a particularly surprising nor innovative book (regency romances usually aren't.) But it executes familiar tropes well, and with a charm and sparkle that makes it stand out from its peers. Also, I like Kitty's mercenary ruthlessness. She's in a genuinely terrible position and she should be allowed to lie and maneuver and backstab to get out of it. Georgette Heyer would never, but she was, of course, a notorious snob. I did wonder, from a period-accurate perspective, where the male guardian for the younger girls was, because I don't think Kitty would have been left as legal guardian. Minor quibbles though.

A fun and frothy, although predictable, read.

[morgan--reads]

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

Summary: Desperate to save her family home and provide for her sisters, Kitty travels to London with a single goal: to marry a wealthy man. Her early successes in society attract the unwelcome attention of Lord Radcliffe, who recognizes her as a fortune hunter and is determined to ruin her plans. 

Quote: “I will always choose my sisters. I will choose their need more than my want every day. But I want you just as much as I need money. You see me, in my entirety - the worst and the best of me - as no one else ever has.”

My rating: 3.5/5.0   Goodreads: 3.93/5.0

Review: The romance is not the strength of this romance novel, which is something I’m noticing more and more in the genre. Kitty's determination and strength of character is what holds the book together and her practical, nuanced approach to life is refreshing. The very real pressure she’s under to marry well and quickly means that the book never manages to be totally light and breezy, despite the fun banter and some humorous moments. The happy ending is a little rushed, but the way Kitty and Radcliffe’s strengths and values are highlighted is moving and it’s a relief to have the tension of the plot disperse into a happily ever after.

[tudorblogger]

Monthly Reading Summary – April 2024

[chasingmywords]

a ladys guide to scandal by sophie irwin

[blogmollylane]

Half way finished: A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting by Sophie Irwin 🪭☕️🎩

[beckysbook5]

A Lady's Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin - ARC Review!

When shy Miss Eliza Balfour married the austere Earl of Somerset, twenty years her senior, it was the match of the season–no matter that he was not the husband Eliza would have chosen. But ten years later, Eliza is widowed. And at eight and twenty years, she is suddenly left titled, rich, and, for the first time in her life, utterly in control of her own future. Instead of living out her…

[arcane-demesne]

I need more people to read A Lady's Guide to Scandal.

Just got to the reveal.

[edwardslovelyelizabeth]

A Lady's Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin

“Was she really to allow any man to make such demands of her, anymore? Allow her life to be ordained, in perpetuity, by their high-handed judgements or capricious moods?”

[whenlovetriestoleave]

"star signs" : anastasija kondratjeva by matt irwin for vogue russia dec '09 styling by simon robins, makeup by petros petrohilos, hair by nicolas jurnjack, nails by sophy robson

[emjee]

Extremely random question but I love to ask librarians this: what have u read recently that’s stuck out? Do u have any book recs for 2023?

And I, a librarian, love being asked this!! Here are my favorite books from this year:

Little Thieves by Margaret Owen - actually picked this one up because of an excellent rec post here on tumblr. It’s loosely based on The Goose Girl fairy tale so I pitch it as “it’s a beautiful day in fantasy Germany and you are a horrible goose girl.” The sequel also came out this year and is every bit as good.

When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb - This one was actually my pick for Best Book of My Year at work. It’s incredible. An angel and a demon who are study partners leave their shtetl to go find a local girl who immigrated to America and hasn’t been heard from since. It’s gorgeous.

Ask a Historian by Greg Jenner - I love Greg Jenner and his podcast You’re Dead to Me and I listened to the audiobook of this one, which was wonderful.

If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio - the very very rare internet darling that I felt lived up to the hype. Insufferable theatre students at conservatory do a murder. Lots of Shakespeare.

The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan - Not only did he write a new Percy book, but it had the audacity to be good???

A Lady’s Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin - One of the best romance novels I read this year. I haven’t swooned that hard over a heterosexual pairing in a traditionally published book since I don’t know how long.

A Rome of One’s Own by Emma Southon - a history of Rome in 21 women. I love Emma Southon—she’s funny and rigorous and so insightful. And she makes me care about the Romans, who I generally hate.

The Secret Service of Tea and Treason by India Holton - I love the entire Dangerous Damsels series and this one was no exception. The balance of humor and deep emotion is my favorite thing about these books.

These are just the highlights of a long list—I also read a lot of children’s lit for work, lots more nonfiction, and things like scriptural commentary and saints’ biographies. Thank you for this question!

[acotars]

books read in 2024

⋆ ⭒˚.⋆ january ⋆.˚⭒ ⋆

one dark window (the shepherd king #1) by rachel gillig

the murder on the links (hercule poirot #2) by agatha christie

pageboy by elliot page

house of sky and breath (crescent city #2) by sarah j. maas

rogue protocol (the murderbot diaries #3) by martha wells

cult classic by sloane crosley

malibu rising by taylor jenkins reid

the beauty of your face by sahar mustafah

exit strategy (the murderbot diaries #4) by martha wells

animal farm by george orwell

everyone in this room will someday be dead by emily austin

carrie soto is back by taylor jenkins reid

a court this cruel & lovely (kingdom of lies #1) by stacia stark

the rules do not apply by ariel levy

poirot investigates (hercule poirot #3) by agatha christie

yellowface by rebecca f kuang

every heart a doorway (wayward children #1) by seanan mcguire

house of flame and shadow (crescent city #3) by sarah j. maas

read: 18

* · ✦ · * february * · ✦ · *

beautyland by marie-helene bertino

bride by ali hazelwood

network effect (the murderbot diaries #5) by martha wells

fugitive telemetry (the murderbot diaries #6) by martha wells

faebound (faebound #1) by saara el-arifi

the raven boys (the raven cycle #1) by maggie stiefvater **

read: 6

.✦.· *. march .*· .✦.

interesting facts about space by emily austin

penance by eliza clark

the book that no one wanted to read by richard ayoade

pride and prejudice by jane austen

unlikeable female characters: the women pop culture wants you to hate by anna bogutskaya

the shame by makenna goodman

greta & valdin by rebecca k. reilly

read: 7

✷ · ✶ · ✧ april ✧ · ✶ · ✷

this spells love by kate robb

out on a limb by hannah bonam-young

gwen & art are not in love by lex croucher

a lady's guide to scandal by sophie irwin

the friendship study by ruby barrett

the boyfriend candidate by ashley winstead

the pumpkin spice cafe by laurie gilmore

business or pleasure by rachel lynn solomon

how to end a love story by yulin kuang

this could be us (skyland #2) by kennedy ryan

the honeymoon crashers (the unhoneymooners #1.5) by christina lauren

we could have been friends, my father and i by raja shehadeh

how to stop time by matt haig

how to fake it in hollywood by ava wilder

with love from cold world by alicia thompson

funny story by emily henry

love radio by ebony ladelle

old flames and new fortunes by sarah hogle

just for the summer by abby jimenez

don't want you like a best friend by emma r. alban

love interest by clare gilmore

the exception to the rule (the improbable meet-cute #1) by christina lauren

worst wingman ever (the improbable meet-cute #2) by abby jimenez

with any luck (the improbable meet-cute #5) by ashley poston

last call at the local by sara grunder ruiz

happily never after by lynn painter

the ex talk by rachel lynn solomon

i kissed shara wheeler by casey mcquiston

the love wager by lynn painter

morning glory milking farm by c.m. nacosta

will they or won't they by ava wilder

read: 31

.　° * ☆ may ☆ * °　.

when the sky fell on splendor by emily henry

on earth we're briefly gorgeous by ocean vuong

blizzard by marie vingtras

bright young women by jessica knoll

the age of magical overthinking: notes on modern irrationality by amanda montell

the flatshare by beth o'leary **

read: 6

⋆ ˚.⋆ june ⋆.˚ ⋆

not in love by ali hazelwood

the way of kings (the stormlight archive #1) by brandon sanderson

words of radiance (the stormlight archive #2) by brandon sanderson

read: 3

. · ☆ . july . ☆ · .

edgedancer (the stormlight archive #2.5) by brandon sanderson

blue iris: poems and essays by mary oliver

woman, eating by claire kohda

oathbringer (the stormlight archive #3) by brandon sanderson

a novel love story by ashley poston

chlorine by jade song

how to read now by elain castillo

please stop trying to leave me by alana saab

beautifully broken life by catherine cowles

the god of the woods by liz moore

edgedancer (the stormlight archive #3.5) by brandon sanderson

the dead and the dark by courtney gould

a most agreeable murder by julia seales

the murder of roger ackroyd (hercule poirot #4) by agatha christie

read: 14

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁august ݁. ⊹ ₊ ݁.

the bluest eye by toni morrison

more, please: on food, fat, bingeing, longing, and the lust for "enough" by emma specter

the ministry of time by kaliane bradley

system collapse (the murderbot diaries #7) by martha wells

emily wilde's encycolpedia of fairies (emily wilde #1) by heather fawcett

emily wilde's map of the other lands (emily wilde #2) by heather fawcett

catalina by karla cornejo villavicencio

roadside picnic by arkady strugatsky and boris strugatsky

read: 8

reading goal: 93/100

add me on goodreads !

[tudorblogger]

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

Genre: Adult Fiction – Historical Romance Published: 2022 Format: Paperback Rating: ★★★★ I enjoyed this book overall and I want to read the next one in the series. I wish we got more of the history of the parents to be honest, that sounds fascinating – maybe a prequel? I always love reading romances based around the haut ton and this is a clean one with no sex at all, and very minimal kissing…

[the-knights-who-say-book]

i always meant to make a final 2023 poll to wrap up all my monthly reading polls and uh. oops. well into 2024 now. better get on that

*aka: all these options are the books tumblr voted as the best one i finished each month