What do readers think of The Fortune Hunter by Daisy Goodwin? Write your own review.

The Fortune Hunter is an engaging story of a passionate love triangle between the beautiful Empress of Austria, a handsome but impoverished cavalry captain and a wealthy English heiress. The story takes place in 1875 England during the reign of Queen Victoria. Included in the story are historical details, and a whirlwind romance. It is a fast paced novel that gives readers a good look at the late Victorian age in England. An interesting read that incorporates many historical characters and illustrates the development of the female role in society.

I enjoyed this book and thought the characters were well thought out if not a little one dimensional. After reading this book I was very glad that I did not live during the period this book takes place.
There was so little freedom and so many rules and standards that women of the upper class had to live with. First her brother and his snobby future wife were controlling Charlotte's inheritance but upon marriage her husband would control the money. It certainly made me appreciate that in today's world there is such a thing as a pre-nup.

Based on true historical figures The Fortune Hunter by Daisy Goodwin is a novel of good imagination. Charlotte Baird, the heiress of the Lennox fortune, meets Bay Middleton a soldier known for his skills with horses and women. While Charlotte finds herself falling in love with him, his attentions are shared with the Empress of Austria, Sisi. A love triangle of sorts ensues.

While I greatly appreciate historical fiction, I was not thrilled with Goodwin's novel. Once again, as in her first novel, The American Heiress, her writing gets bogged down with irrelevant details…. details of prancing and jumping horses and fox chases become way too much. She quickly establishes the "affair" between Bay and Sisi and honestly didn't need all the extras.

Characters of history can sometimes be boring but Goodwin's imagination prevents that from happening. Her characterizations are what drove me to continue reading. Every character was full of personality.

The author's enthusiasm for the subject is evident in her thorough research. In the end, I became familiar with someone I would not have known. I would recommend this novel to those that enjoy this genre. For me less would have been more allowing me to give more praise rather than less.

Having enjoyed Ms. Goodwin's first book I was excited to read this latest one, The Fortune Hunter. I enjoyed this one as well although not quite as much. I think it is because I viewed several of the main characters as selfish and self-centered with not many redeeming qualities. It is hard to make someone come alive on paper and Ms. Goodwin does a commendable job of that but the Empress was not one of my favorites. I think that some of the description of her life was to try and make her a little more sympathetic but I found her tedious and quite selfish and spoiled. I did enjoy the book, especially Charlotte and her photography hobby quite a bit and wish we had more information about her and her brother. All in all though this was a good read and a quick one for me so the story kept me interested enough to continue to the end.

Goodwin crafts a well written historical fiction love triangle with intriguing characters. The diversity of the characters gives this love triangle a certain amount of added punch.

I found myself playing armchair psychologist to the characters simply because Goodwin provides the reader with enough scant information you want to delve in and explore what makes them tick and explain their choices and actions.

Charlotte Baird is endearing, appealing and a woman ahead of her time. As much as Goodwin built up Charlotte's characterization, I admit I was surprised by her behavior as the story progressed. Let's just say the way Charlotte was presented left me questioning a few of her moves as well as a few unanswered questions I was hoping would be addressed but weren't. Empress Elizabeth wasn't revealed as much as I was hoping for, however Goodwin painted enough of a picture of the woman she was and the burdens she carried. Despite her station and marital status I felt empathy and fondness towards her. Bay Middleton, a gentleman with an affinity towards married women, at least it appears so. His indecisiveness, focus on beauty more than substance was a turn off. He came across too many times searching to be rescued, weak, a 'ladies man' - I wasn't quite sold. Admittedly, despite his many warts there is something about him that pulls at your heart.

Goodwin excels with creating a wonderful setting. She nails the era, social propriety, manners, language masterfully. Her research was complete but the alteration of facts didn't work for me. I understand this is a work of fiction, keep in mind drastically altering major historical facts diminishes the narrative and purpose.

The end caught me by surprise. I was convinced Goodwin would take a different path, her choice left me astonished. I felt the ending didn't fully match the characterization, perhaps this was her intent but I certainly caught me off guard.

Good story, if the historical facts weren't so manipulated the story would have been great. Goodwin demonstrates creativity, solid writing, intriguing characters and I look forward to her future projects.

Charlotte Baird is accustomed to the attentions of society bachelors. They are interested in her money. It is most unfortunate that the true object of her affections is co-opted by the Empress Elizabeth of Austria. Poor Bay Middleton, how is he to choose; the one with the money or the one with the title? Can either woman compete with his affection for his horse?

This is a predictable, but pleasant Victorian society romance. There are lush settings, interesting historical details and a stereotypical set of characters. Charlotte Baird, the underaged heiress, is saddled with an overbearing, greedy brother and a jealous future sister-in-law. She is more interested in photography than in finding a husband, but it will be some years before she will have the control of her own money. Captain Bay Middleton is an impoverished, cavalryman who has an unfortunate reputation with other men's wives. And, then there is the Empress who is truly a fascinating and tragic historical figure.

I enjoyed the details of the Victorian's growing interest in portrait photography. It was interesting to read about the challenges of the English fox hunt. But, it is a bit difficult to believe there could be any real attraction between the bluestocking heiress and the dashing Captain, even if historically, they were eventually married. Goodwin's portrayal of the Empress Elizabeth makes me want to look for a more complete and factual account of her life. It's unfortunate that such a fascinating character should end up in such a pedestrian book.

I don't usually like this type of novel--the story or the writing. But I was drawn in from the beginning and couldn't put the book aside for anything else. I liked all the elements of historical fiction, mystery, romance, and a bit of feminism in the main character (I don't know if that much freedom really existed at that time or not). The great thing is that I learned more about that time in history without reading works written during that time. I am a student of literature, but Victorian, actually a lot of early English literature is not my cup of tea. So The Fortune Hunter could use a bit of editing--it drags a bit in the middle--but it is a good read. And I think it would be a good book club offering. And the love of horses in it was very appealing as well. And the way the Queen is depicted--well you'll just have to read it. Like my title says I was pleasantly surprised and congratulate the author on an accomplishment fitting her obsession from childhood with good research filled in with good story-telling.

Daisy Godwin has written a novel about English aristocracy in the1870s. Charlotte Baird is an orphan who will come into her very healthy inheritance at the age of 25. She has taken up the new form of media, photography as a hobby as she finds parts of her life suffocating, with its expectations of behavior. She has several suitors, but only eyes for Captain Bay Middleton who has served in the regiment with her brother, Fred. The novel encompasses one season of fox hunting and culminates with the wedding of Fred and his well- born fiancée Augusta. The story is based on true characters, although Godwin has taken liberties with them, as little is known about some of them. It is an interesting, romantic story, but it could have been shorter as the second part dragged. It kept my interest, as I was eager to see how it ended.