The Fortune Hunter's Guide to Love

by Emma-Claire Sunday

Will this cynical fortune hunter find her true match? Find out in this enchanting sapphic historical romance

How can Lady Sylvia save herself from financial ruin?

Step 1: Move to the seaside for the summer, where there will be no shortage of wealthy bachelors holidaying.

Step 2: Strike a deal with local farmer if Hannah can help Sylvia bag a rich husband, Sylvia will fund Hannah’s dream of opening a cheese shop.

Step 3: Charm her way into luncheons, parties and exclusives balls, but do not start to confuse friendship with romantic feelings for Hannah.

Step 4: Focus on her fortune hunting scheme and not let her heart get carried away by her unexpected and magical kiss with Hannah!

Genres: Lesbian, Romance, Historical Romance, Queer, Historical Fiction, Harlequin, LGBT

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published July 29, 2025

Reviews

[Nev · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very sweet, low stakes historical sapphic romance. Sylvia’s family has lost all of their money and status in society after the death of her father. When they have to move to her mother’s childhood small town she meets Hannah, a local farmer and cheesemaker. Initially they don’t get along, but once they start becoming friendly will other emotions get involved as well?

I had a good time reading this. I liked seeing Sylvia’s journey of learning to have to fend for herself now that she doesn’t have money and servants anymore. She ends up learning so much through her interactions with Hannah. I also enjoyed Hannah’s story about learning to let herself want someone for the long haul instead of just having quick flings. Emma-Claire Sunday’s writing was beautiful, I really enjoyed the descriptions of Sylvia understanding what her feelings for Hannah were.

For the most part this is a pretty breezy, low stakes read. Which doesn’t always work for me in queer historical romances. Because it can sometimes feel like it’s ignoring harsh realities of the time period. So while I did really enjoy the book, there were also times where I was left feeling like things were just a bit too easy for the characters. But overall this was a nice queer romance with good chemistry and excellent character development.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for love, I guess.

The premise and title of this one don't quite convey the real tone and story which is much... cozier? Very cottagecore lesbians but make them Regency.

Anyway, I read it when I was in a pretty depressed mood so that may have impacted how much I adored it (lol).

[r.j. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Harlequin and Netgalley for this eARC!

This was such an adorable little read. I ended up reading it all in one evening after telling myself I wouldn’t just sit and read a whole book in a day, but it really drew me in. It’s not very long, which is standard, and so there’s not much in the way of a structured plot, but it’s a very sweet, cozy, historical queer romance.

I really loved the characters – Sylvia’s family were well flesh-out and made me want one of those family romance series’ with each of their romances!

The people saying there’s a lot of cheese in this book aren’t lying and my dairy-allergic self was suffering with the craving for cheese the entire book, so I guess I’ll have to shell out for some of my fancy dairy-free stuff lol.

I really loved the friendship and romance in this book, and both characters were very compelling and sweet, leaving me with a nice, warm feeling at the end of this book.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

1824, Southern England.
Sylvia Queensbury had everything. Had being the operable word. When her father died, everything went to her uncle. Now she, her mother, and her sisters are forced to move to Heene, a small town near-ish to Brighton, where instead of being fashionable tourists, they'll have to work for a living. She and her sisters have no skills - all of Sylvia's worth has been tied to her success on the marriage mart. The place where Sylvia lands is a dairy farm run by a Quaker family, where Hannah Wickersham dreams of becoming a preeminent cheese maker and owning her own shop. Hannah has a habit of falling into bed with the daughters of traveling vicars, and other young women who won't stay in town long, so when the spoiled Sylvia crosses her path, romance isn't on her mind. Sylvia concocts a plan to land a rich husband and in exchange for Hannah's help, she'll front money for the cheese shop. But maybe a rich husband isn't worth the cost of losing love.

I really enjoyed this sophomore book from Emma-Claire Sunday. Her writing has a sweet and gentle quality to it that I find really appealing. It's tender and full of yearning, and yet low angst. She takes an incredibly common plot in historical romance - that of a main character needing to marry rich to save the family - and gives it a queer twist. A queer awakening doesn't always work for me in a historical setting, but Sylvia lacks the vocabulary and experience to know a husband may not be her path to the love match she desires, and Sunday portrays her awakening well.

Don't mistake gentle for low stakes here! Sylvia believes her family's ability to eat rests on her ability to find a wealthy husband! But whole the overall gentleness is pleasing to read, the relationship slides from friendship to courting to love so easily you may blink and miss it. I wanted a little more of the act of falling in love, rather than the state of being in love. In the long run, though, this fulfilled my desires to see Sylvia and Hannah find their queer HEA suitable for 1824.

Thank you to Harlequin for an eARC. A Fortune Hunter's Guide to Love is out 7/29/25.

[emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

rating — 3.5 out of 5 stars.

historical romances are a comfort read for me for a reason — they’re so dependable and familiar, like a favorite blanket. when i’m looking for a quick, sweet read, they’re exactly what i reach for, and this falls right in line with my expectations. as a bonus, it’s sapphic! i’m really grateful to see more sapphic entries in the world of historical romance.

the development of the romance was a bit quick for me, but to be fair, that’s pretty much a staple of the genre. i personally prefer more of a slow burn, but the romance was still believable. i enjoyed the fact that this involved characters not from the ton, which isn’t as commonly seen from stories like these. it gave it a different flavor, and i liked it! i’ll definitely be picking up this author’s debut after reading this one.

thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Emmaline Savidge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generally a pretty cute regency romance. It's not very often that I find regency romances that center on common people and not the aristocracy. I definitely prefer Sunday's first book with Harlequin and I think that's largely due to Sylvia's character. She's a vain naive aristocratic girl who has been forced into joining the working class and that leads to entitlement that I didn't love. It's a very intentional choice, but I think that it's a type of character that's just not for me. I couldn't help but think of the dcom Cow Belles which has some similar elements. As a kid I hated that movie so I think it's just a character journey that has never worked for me. Sunday is still a solid writer though so I was able to enjoy the silly regency fun. I'm excited to see what fun sapphic romance she writes next.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Lola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a tender and cozy sapphic historical romance! I loved seeing a cheese-loving-maker Quaker heroine gently teach a haughty lady her true worth. I love historical romances that center on common people and not all about dukes.
Quaker principles were newish to me, it was interesting learning about more of it through romance/fiction.
And now I really want to read the author’s other book.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[tillie hellman · Rating 5 out of 5]

quite enjoyed this! an absolutely ridiculous amount of italics, but i got used to it. i loooooved the cheese stuff (MADE ME SO HUNGRY FOR CHEESE THO) and the farm stuff! both characters were very distinctive and loveable but complex (esp sylvia for the latter). pretty low stakes story with very easy resolutions but i thought that was vibes. really nice metaphorical work. the ending had a couple cheesy paragraphs but i liked the end results. vibes!

[rachel x]

"Will this cynical fortune hunter find her true match? Find out in this enchanting sapphic historical romance"

[Christin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fortune Hunter’s Guide to Love follows Sylvia Queensbury, a former member of high society (the ton) in London whose recent loss of her father and his fortune at the hands of a greedy uncle has her whole family packing up and moving to her mother’s quaint and unassuming childhood town of Heene. Sylvia is pretentious, spoiled, and ignorant to the daily life of those of the lower classes and does not take well to a simpler, hardworking way of life. It’s no surprise that she does not adapt well, initially, when she starts working as a farm hand for the Wickershams. There we meet Hannah Wickersham, the daughter. She’s an aspiring cheesemaker who does not react well to Sylvia’s behaviour and attitude. However, as Sylvia expands her views of the world and her own values and Hannah allows another person to get close to her, their initial tumultuous relationship grows into so much more. Soon, Sylvia must decide with she still set on finding a rich husband or if her budding relationship with Hannah is enough to keep her in Heene.

The Pros:
- I enjoyed Sylvia’s inner thoughts as she comes to understand her attraction towards Hannah and accepts who she is.
- The easy way both protagonists and the protagonists’ families accept their sexuality was easier to digest and accept given how far from mainstream society they were.
- There was just enough angst and suspense to keep me around until the end without being too painful as more realistic sapphic historical novels can be.
- The midpoint between love at first sight and slow burn worked well for this story.
- I liked the backstory between both Sylvia and Hannah’s mothers (I even wanted a bit more about their history than was given, but I think what was included was adequate).
- Sylvia and Hannah had good banter and adorable, cheesy moments that were a joy to read.
- There was just enough spice for my personal tastes (but I understand that others may find it lacking).
- The resolution wasn’t super predictable and had me wondering how things would turn out up until the very end.
- Finally, I loved all the detail that went into the farm, the butter churning, and the cheese. There were also historically accurate references that helped keep the setting rooted in 1824, even if the dialogue was more catered to a modern audience.

The Cons:
- The start was slow moving and felt more dramatized than the rest of the story with Sylvia’s family’s fall from society.
- I could never get a good read on the people of the ton once Sylvia starts attending their events and intermingling.
- It didn’t seem like a clear line of reasoning to assume that if Sylvia married rich, her new husband would be okay with her giving Hannah money for her own shop.
- I was surprised Hannah acting as Sylvia’s Lady’s Maid did not create any tension between them.
- I would have liked to see more examples of how Sylvia’s charisma benefited both her and Hannah.
- Sylvia and Hannah’s relationship felt rushed at times with short expositions moving from one part of the story to the next. I would have appreciated seeing more in depth scenes once they start seeing each other.
- Without spoiling much, I wanted more of an explanation during the epilogue of how they came to be where they were presently.
- There were a few tense issues and typos that stood out but nothing egregious.

I received an ARC from Harlequin Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma-Claire Sunday is doing fascinating work with her Harlequin Historical novels, exploring parts of society that rarely appear in historical romance—much less in category romance. She did it with her first novel, which delved into the queer underground of the ton, and she does it again with The Fortune Hunter’s Guide to Love.

After her father’s death, Sylvia Queensbury’s world collapses. Her uncle inherits the earldom and takes everything from Sylvia, her three sisters, and their mother, forcing them to return to the small seaside village of Heene—her mother’s humble hometown. But this is not the life Sylvia imagined for herself. Raised to marry a titled man and live in comfort, she suddenly finds herself expected to haul water, cook meals, and seek employment for the first time in her life.

Meanwhile, Hannah helps run her family’s struggling dairy farm in Heene. She dreams of opening her own cheese shop in town, but with labor scarce and her family overworked, those dreams feel impossibly far away. When Sylvia is brought in to help on the farm, Hannah doubts she’ll last a single day because surely the pampered daughter of an earl won't make it mucking out stalls.

But Sylvia has a plan—one that doesn’t involve churning butter. She intends to catch a wealthy husband from the nearby seaside resort and return to the life she deserves. To do that, she needs Hannah’s help. In exchange, Sylvia promises to buy Hannah her longed-for shop with her future husband’s money. It’s the perfect bargain—until their carefully laid plans are upended by something neither of them expected: feelings.

The Fortune Hunter’s Guide to Love is a lovely category romance that explores a side of society we rarely see in historical romance. Instead of a working-class character ascending into the aristocracy, we have an aristocratic woman learning what it means to work for a living. Adding to that, Hannah’s family are Quakers, introducing a compelling contrast between the hierarchical world of the ton and the egalitarian life in Heene. I really enjoyed watching those differences play out.

It’s never stated outright, but I loved how Sylvia’s struggle with her family’s changed circumstances felt rooted in her position as the eldest daughter. She was already out in society when her father died and had been on the path to the life she always expected. There’s also the emotional burden she carries as the oldest, trying to find a way out for her family. I especially appreciated the dynamic between Sylvia and her mother—Sylvia recognizes that her mother knows how to live this working-class life but never taught her daughters those skills, yet still expects them to immediately adapt. Sylvia’s confrontation with her mother about this is my favorite scene in the book.

Another strong outing from Emma-Claire Sunday! She’s officially an auto-buy Harlequin Historical author for me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5/5

Thank you to Harlequin and Netgalley for an advanced reader's copy of A Fortune Hunter's Guide to Love, by Emma-Claire Sunday. I loved this follow-up to her sapphic historical romance debut (and the little nod to book one's characters that we get on page in this unrelated, stand-along story!). Sunday's prose is gentle and descriptive and perfectly suited to this cozy homesteading story of one woman who desperately loves cheese and the woman who desperately loves her. This takes a classic historical romance set-up - genteel aristocratic family turned out by inheriting relative and forced to live in newly reduced circumstances turns to fortune hunting via marriage - and builds from there. Our fortune hunter suffers the perils of the hunt and must ultimately choose between love and status, but more than that, she has to learn her own worth, and who better to teach her than a Quaker cheesemaker who takes as religious principle the inherit worth of every person (even one as vain and haughty as Lady Sylvia).

This is one of few historical romances I've read that center a Quaker main character, and in contrast to the most memorable of these (Flowers from the Storm, by Laura Kinsale), we see how a country Quaker might have lived in the smaller, far-flung villages along the coast, removed from London society and its larger religious movements and more structured communities. We see Quaker principles reflected in dialogue and in practice, specifically the inward light, or inner light, discussed by Hannah and Amos as the foundation for her belief in the naturalness of her own love for women, the practice of (and comfort in) silent, expectant waiting/worship, the rejection of social hierarchies and a firm belief in the equal value of all people. As a Quaker, I loved seeing how Hannah's religious practice shapes the happily-ever-after, in particular, as it reflects Quaker ceremonies I've personally witnessed and participated in, and because it feels authentic to these characters and to the resilient joy of queer folks throughout history. I would note for Quakers that these characters do NOT use plain speech on page, as Kinsale's characters do, and honestly, I'm a-ok with this, because it's so hard for modern readers to contextualize it anyways.

I would also note these characters are young (19) and can feel immature at times, though I love how the narrative recognizes the inexperience of each and focuses on realistic character development. What a lovely story (that had me snacking on cheddar at midnight).

[Roxanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

After her father's death, Sylvia and her mother and sisters are disinherited and move back to her mother's hometown, but Sylvia is determined to get back to the sparkle of high society where she belongs. Hannah, a dairy farmer, longs to open her own specialty cheese shop, but she can't afford the rising rent on a store now that the upper class has discovered her seaside town's potential as a vacation spot. The two strike a bargain: with Hannah's help, Sylvia will find a rich husband, rescue her family from the working class, and fund Hannah's cheese-filled dreams. But things don't quite work out the way Sylvia planned...

I kept getting snagged on the reason Sylvia's in this predicament in the first place. With four daughters by a wife who brought no dowry, you'd think her father would have been on top of setting some money aside to support them. There are things he could've done even if the estate was entailed to a male heir. And even setting that aside, the uncle claiming everything and kicking his nieces out penniless seemed a little over the top. He was a plot device to get Sylvia out of the aristocracy, and he never got any comeuppance for being such a jerk, which was a little unsatisfying.

Once the plot logistics were out of the way, I really enjoyed the romance as well as the setting in a working-class town. The spice level was odd: a few good kisses and only one spicy scene, then basically closed-door for the rest of the book. I think it could have used a bit more spice (or, alternately, a little less spice in that one scene) just to have consistency. From a character perspective, I was deeply on board with Hannah's cheese obsession and rooting for her throughout; Sylvia was less compelling as a character, but it was still satisfying to see her get her act together. Overall, an enjoyable beach read of a book.

I received an advance copy of this book for my honest review. Thank you to the author and NetGalley.

[Mama Needs to Read Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

SIX Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sylvia and her family have lost everything. She has no choice but to reluctantly take up a position on a farm on the outskirts of a seaside village. Hannah, one of the farmers, offers to help Sylvia learn the necessary skills. They become fast friends and hatch up a scheme: Hannah will act as Sylvia's ladies maid and help Sylvia secure a rich husband, and in return, Sylvia will help Hannah achieve her dream of opening her own shop (with the money Sylvia gets in the marriage). The problem? Sylvia and Hannah begin to develop feelings...for each other!

This is now one of my favorite books...ever. Not one of my favorite historical romances. Not one of my favorite reads of this year. One of my favorite books...period. The writing, like warm honey. It needs to be savored, swirled around your mind, taken in slowly. The ways in which this author blended ideas about nature, spirituality, religion, and above all, love, was a revelation. This book isn't interested in being a cookie cutter historical romance. It's got serious issues with the status quo, shallowness, and classism. But it allows the reader to meditate on everything with curiosity, rather than cynicism.

There is light spice but deep love...deeper than most romances I've read. Selflessness, the choices we make, and the value of a human being are all ruminated over. I balled my eyes out towards the end. Such a moving and satisfying ending. I want this to be considered one of the classics. This will 100% be a comfort read for me going forward. Emma-Claire Sunday is absolutely marvelous, and I hope, if you're reading this, that you give her a chance! 🥰

Trigger warnings: stress over financial matters

I'd like to thank Emma-Claire Sunday, Harlequin and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts <3

I fear I have to move to a coastal town and open a cheese shop now. In all seriousness, this low-stakes, cozy, beachy, sapphic historical romance was just the cutest. It centers a working class community seaside community that is trying its hardest not to be swallowed up by the neighboring seaside resort town. The FMCs are opposite in every way. Sylvia is a down on her luck, lady from the ton whose uncle has taken away her families wealth following her father's death. Hannah is part of a multi-generational farming family and just wants to open the cheese shop of her dreams. Much to their dismay, Sylvia and Hannah are forced to work together after a disastrous first meeting that left Hannah with a sour taste in her mouth.

These two hatch a bonkers plan to get Sylvia married off to a rich suitor so she can reclaim her status and also buy Hannah that cheese shop. Of course, along the way, feelings develop. Sylvia hasn't felt so much as a flutter at any of the men she's pursued, but she begins to wonder if that exciting feeling she gets around Hannah is more than friendly. I enjoyed their relationship especially after they began to realize the other may be their person. There's so much chemistry and trust between these two. I could feel their love story in the pitter patter of my own heart. The epilogue!!!! I will never be the same!!! Gah I just love them!!!

I look forward to reading more from Emma-Claire Sunday after enjoying both her debut and The Fortune Hunter's Guide to Love.

[Jess (JustMaybePerfect) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The classic HistRom trope - pretty rich girl loses everything, is forced to return (without her jewels or gowns) to the “miserable” town her mother grew up in, and decides to find herself a wealthy husband - but this time the potential husband isn’t her true love, it's the coconspirator.

It’s June 1824. Sylvia Queensbury and her mother and sisters have moved to the “dreadful” town, Keene, their mother left to marry their father. Unlike that triumphant leaving, this return is hampered by grief and financial ruin. Their father has died and his heir has refused any financial assistance to the Queensbury women. No more gorgeous gowns, no more jewels, no more ton, just life in a small town near a burgeoning seaside resort.

Hannah Wickersham loves Keene. She loves her neighbors, (most of) the business people, her family, her family’s farm, and cheese, fancy, interesting, delicious cheese. She has big dreams to open her own shop right in Keene, serving her neighbors.

After the reality of their new circumstances wears off, the Queensbury women set out to find work. Two sisters end up in the kitchen at a resort, another gets a position with a modiste, and Sylvia finds work at the Wickersham farm.

At first, Hannah is not impressed. She can’t imagine a nob (no matter the fact that she’s distractingly pretty) will be all that much help. Sylvia can’t figure out what she thinks, but she does notice a lot about Hannah.

As the weeks go by, they become friends, they protect each other, they eat cheese together, and they come up with a plan: Still feeling desperate for her old life, Sylvia decides to venture into the neighboring resort town to catch herself a husband and Hannah agrees to help, in exchange for that cheese shop.

All the while through, Sylvia and Hannah are becoming more than friends. There’s a practice kiss, even more practicing, queer awakening, romantic walks, cheese making, late night honesty, afternoon delights, villains rebuffed, scandal avoided, and some Very Good ParentsTM.

Hannah and her family are Quakers and throughout the book you see how their faith grounds them in their community and how it bolsters their approach to Hannah and Sylvia’s relationship.

I liked Sunday’s debut quite a lot but I think she’s really found her voice in this book. Really looking forward to more.

Thanks to Sunday, NetGalley, and Harlequin for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Romantic.Rainbow.Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adored this tender and soft romance, and I highly recommend it.

Sylvia is searching for a wealthy husband after her father’s death has left her family in dire financial straits. She enlists the help of Hannah, a local farmer who dreams of opening a cheese shop. Sylvia is ultimately forced to choose between her love for Hannah and the wealth and status that would come with marrying a man she doesn’t love.

It is hard for me to put into words how much I enjoyed this romance. The writing is beautiful on a sentence and paragraph level. I thought the author’s word choice and style perfectly fit the story. I truly felt transported to a small seaside English town and Hannah’s farm. I enjoyed the descriptions of all the natural rhythms on the farm, as well as learning about the artistry and creativity that goes into cheese-making.

Sylvia and Hannah both take comfort and hope in knowing that queer women before them have loved and thrived. It is a beautiful reminder that queer love has always existed and always will. Sylvia and Hannah also find support and acceptance from their family and community in a beautiful way.

This is the first book I’ve read with a Quaker main character I appreciated learning more about Quaker principles, such as the rejection of social hierarchy and the belief in the inherent value of all people.

Thank you to the publisher for a free copy of this book!

Highlights:
- sapphic historical romance
- Quaker love interest
- making cheese & searching for a husband
- tender & gentle romance
- practice kissing

[Mariah Wamby · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘I think it’s wonderful, to question something for the first time, something that has been as normal as the air you breathe. It’s brave, even.”

I received an eARC of The Fortune-Hunter’s Guide to Love by Emma-Claire Sunday in exchange for an honest review. Here are my thoughts.


🧀 Lady Sylvia is used to the high life of balls and oysters, but all of that is lost when her father’s death leaves her remaining family destitute. Hannah’s life on a dairy farm is just about perfect, but doesn’t leave much room for her to experiment with the more complex cheeses she loves. When Sylvia’s family comes to Hannah’s seaside town, the two end up joining forces to help Sylvia find a wealthy husband that could help fund Hannah’s dream cheese shop and return Sylvia’s family to their former glory. But now Sylvia’s feeling flutters in her stomach she’s never experienced before and Hannah’s realizing maybe she wants more than just fancy cheeses. Can the two find a way to fund their dreams and also let their budding romance bloom? 🧀

I finished this book less than a week ago and it was my first book by Emma-Claire Sunday. That’s no longer true. Basically, I loved this low stakes sapphic historical romance so much I knew I wanted to keep an eye out for more from this author.

In The Fortune-Hunter’s Guide to Love specifically I loved the emphasis the story had on the importance of community and how those with the least are the ones who give the most. There was also some good exploration of learning one’s self worth and some great depictions of cheeses. Ya girl def was left wanting to read more queer historical romance while snacking on a charcuterie board!

If you’re a fan of soft and sweet meandering sapphic historical romances then I def recommend checking out The Fortune-Hunter’s Guide to Love by Emma-Claire Sunday when it’s released on July 17th. If that’s too long of a wait then The Duke’s Sister and I is out already.

[Christine Sturman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life can be hard when everything suddenly changes on one. Especially when one doesn’t want the change. When Sylvia Queensbury’s father dies unexpectedly with no male heirs, his brother moves in and Sylvia, her mothers and three sisters have to move from London and all of its high society events to Dowager Countess Ella Queensbury’s birthplace of Heene, a small bucolic seaside village. Having sold all of their belongings to make the journey to Heene, Sylvia and her sisters have to find work to survive….. unless Sylvia can find a husband among the visiting gentry in nearby Worthing.

This book follows the form of a Regency Historical Romance with a LGBTQIAP+ twist. It’s slow reading at first, but picks up speed towards the end of the book. I enjoyed learning a bit about cheesemaking while reading this story. This romance is a relatively quick read that leaves one with a good feeling at the end.

I want to thank Harlequin - Romance for providing this book and selecting me to review it on NetGalley. All opinions shared here are my own.

#thefortunehuntersguidetolove #harlequinromance #lgbtqiap+ #regencyhistoricalromance #netgalley

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the early 1800s, Lady Sylvia’s family loses everything after the loss of her father. Sylvia is used to life in society, and her life is uprooted when her family has to suddenly leave London and move to the seaside town that her mother grew up in. She devises a plan - meet an eligible bachelor at a ball & get engaged, and she’ll have her old life back. Easy enough, right?

Sylvia finds herself working on a farm, alongside Hannah, the cheesemaker. What starts off as a scheme to benefit both women in the future, turns into something more. Will Sylvia follow through with her plans, or will she follow her heart?

The Fortune Hunter’s Guide to Love is great for fans of Bridgerton, but with a sapphic twist. It’s a cute romance story full of cheese (literally), but it’s definitely not habanero cheddar. It’s more of a mild cheddar, with minimal, but pleasingly descriptive spice. I anticipated the sapphic scenes to be a little bit more frequent and of a higher intensity in a Harlequin novel. Overall. It was a cute, feel good lesbian love story, but I don’t think it will win a Pulitzer.

[PlotTrysts · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really great sapphic historical category romance. It unites a cheesemaking Quaker and a Society debutante whose family lost their money upon the death of her father. Sylvia (the debutante) takes a job as a farm hand to earn some money. But the real reason she needs the cash is so she can marry a rich man. Hannah (the cheesemaker) actually decides to help Sylvia in return for support in buying a shop in town. So they're in on the fortune hunting together. Unsurprisingly, though (this IS a romance) they end up falling for each other while nominally trying to find a husband for Sylvia.

I loved Sylvia's slow character growth and the way Hanna slowly thawed toward her. This isn't closed door by any means, but it's not high heat, either. Definitely recommended! I read Sunday's debut last year and it was not bad, but this is a real step up in terms of emotion and craft.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

[Melanie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC of The Fortune Hunter’s Guide to Love.

A cute, quick read in the Austen-but-make-it-sapphic universe. Interesting FMCs that I was rooting for throughout. The town of Heene and its inhabitants added to the storyline and made it feel like the best town for both Sylvia (although she doesn’t see it at first) and Hannah. Male suitors that are gross and not worthy of Sylvia at all, but we know deep down she isn’t going to choose them. A decision that gets made nonetheless that could tear Sylvia and Hannah apart. But it’s all good. Happily Ever After loading for our girls. We love to see it.

[Mindy B (reader_of_the_lost_arcs) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very sweet romance with a class difference. Sylvia relocates to a small rural town after her family becomes destitute. She and her sisters are required to look for work. She finds a job on a farm. Hannah's family owns the farm. She also is a talented cheesemaker, and has a dream of opening her own shop.
I really liked both characters and I was happy to see them fall in love. Both of them brought out the best in each other. I'm also glad the author resolved everything so satisfactorily. A well deserved HEA.
Thank you to Harlequin for the copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

[Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. May Emma-Claire Sunday forever bless us with Sapphic historical romances for Harlequin! Obsessed.

This wasn't as angsty as Sunday's first book and I did not mind that at all. There were some emotional moments of course but overall this was a really light and romantic read. I love the writing, it's paced well, and the romance between Sylvia and Hannah was so tender and swoon-worthy. Both characters are wonderful and I liked how they started off on the wrong foot with each other. I loved this and I can't wait to see what this author does next.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank you netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this arc in exchange for my honest review.

dnf 33%

idk, something about this book just didn’t hit for me. i didn’t see myself reaching to finish it. the way it was constantly hopping from pov to pov in one chapter was a bit overwhelming.

i really tried to give this book a shot, and kept the possibility that maybe it was just me and that i could come back to it later and finish it but i didn’t.

not to mention sylvia just kind of gave me the ick for the portion i read.

[Renaissance Kate]

The Duke's Sister and I was one of my favorite reads of last year so you know I’m very excited for this!! 😍

Thank you to Harlequin via Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 stars -- This was a sweet regency romance without so much of the regency, which I much preferred! Loved the sapphic elements and generally vibe of Heene -- cheese! But I will say the randomly added Bible quotes kept giving me jump-scares and making me check if I was reading a religious romance somehow.

[Andrea (looseleftlesbian) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty low stakes, Sylvia was hard to like throughout the story with how naive and selfish she was. I would’ve liked more of a detailed epilogue when it came to certain situation with a business (don’t want to spoil)

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

[Tia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A late contender for my read of the year - my first Mills & Boon romance. Sweet, tender, and achingly romantic- everything this genre should be! Definitely looking to read Emma-Claire Sunday’s other works.

[Leslie Alfieri · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good fun read.