Synopses & Reviews
The Fortune Hunter, the New York Times bestselling novel by Daisy Goodwin, is a lush, irresistible story of the public lives and private longings of grand historical figures.
Empress Elizabeth of Austria, known as Sisi, is the Princess Diana of nineteenth-century Europe. Famously beautiful, as captured in a portrait with diamond stars in her hair, she is unfulfilled in her marriage to the older Emperor Franz Joseph. Sisi has spent years evading the stifling formality of royal life on her private train or yacht or, whenever she can, on the back of a horse.
Captain Bay Middleton is dashing, young, and the finest horseman in England. He is also impoverished, with no hope of buying the horse needed to win the Grand National—until he meets Charlotte Baird. A clever, plainspoken heiress whose money gives her a choice among suitors, Charlotte falls in love with Bay, the first man to really notice her, for his vulnerability as well as his glamour. When Sisi joins the legendary hunt organized by Earl Spencer in England, Bay is asked to guide her on the treacherous course. Their shared passion for riding leads to an infatuation that jeopardizes the growing bond between Bay and Charlotte, and threatens all of their futures.
Review
“Goodwin uses finely drawn characters and intriguing plot lines to create numerous memorable scenes such as when the empress, accompanied by Bay, visits and exchanges polite but pointed barbs with Queen Victoria. Although readers who enjoyed The American Heiress will be first in line to savor Goodwin's new novel, they will be followed quickly by others who appreciate engaging and thoughtful historical fiction.” —Library Journal (starred review)
"Goodwin manages to take the reader deep inside the characters longings and flaws in a way that makes the reader root for them. An enchanting, beautifully written page-turner." —Publishers Weekly
"Goodwins second novel is a luxurious indulgence for romantically inclined readers....Mingling historical fact with imaginative fiction, Goodwin writes with effortless grace, and her dialogues subtle wit is delightful. Each of her three protagonists commands attention and sympathy, which heightens the storys poignancy. Charlottes levelheaded personality remains unaffected by her wealth or her relatives dependence on it, and Bay is movingly torn between duty and his sense of self-worth. Finally, despite her outlandish regimen for maintaining her complexion and ankle-length chestnut tresses, Elizabeth is never less than beguiling." —Booklist
"With its witty dialogue, intriguing research and cameo appearances by Queen Victoria and other royals, Goodwins latest is a pleasurable excursion into Downton-land complete with high-society weddings, lavish balls and an exciting, all-or-nothing horse-racing finale." —Kirkus Reviews
“A sumptuous, scrumptious confection, with country houses, Austrian Empresses and Victorian glamour galore.” —Lucy Worsley, Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces
"Daisy Goodwin has triumphed again. In The Fortune Hunter she weaves a rich and textured tale of desire and ambition. Sizzling with energy and passion on every page, Goodwin's characters compel the reader to fall in love with them." —Amanda Foreman, author of the New York Times bestsellers Georgiana and A World on Fire
Praise for THE AMERICAN HEIRESS:
"Anyone suffering Downton Abbey withdrawal symptoms will find an instant tonic in Goodwin's deliciously evocative novel."
—Allison Pearson, author of New York Times bestseller I Don't Know How She Does It
"Goodwin...writes deliciously."
—Janet Maslin, The New York Times
"Top-notch writing brings to life the world of wealth on both sides of the Atlantic. This debut's strong character development and sense of place will please fans of historical romance, including book club members."
—Library Journal (starred)
"A shrewd, spirited historical romance…Superior entertainment."
—Kirkus Reviews (starred)
Review
“Beautifully narrated by Claire Corbett… a special and utterly engaging audiobook experience.” - AudioFile Magazine
Praise for the Audiobook Edition of The American Heiress:
“Dripping with acerbic affectation and perfect British and Newport upper-crust accents, Katherine Kellgren deliciously portrays wealthy, beautiful, naïve Cora Cash…This story is filled with a full cast of unlikeable characters…Kellgren delivers each perfectly and convincingly conveys the worst that lack of character has to offer on both sides of the pond.” —AudioFile Magazine
“Ketherine Kellgren, a truly accomplished voice actress, affects a la-di-da intercontinental accent for the narration of this puree of Edith Wharton, ‘Downtown Abbey and pulp romance.” —The Washington Post
“This audiobook is full of historical detail about the lives of the rich and famous at the turn of the last century, from fashion and food to living spaces and manners. I think I listened to the descriptions of Coras Parisian-made trousseau about five or six times so that I could picture each sumptuous, amazing gown clearly in my mind.” —Star-Telegram
“This audio presentation, narrated by Katherine Kellgren, who moves with effortless authenticity from the haughty Mayfair drawl of the Prince of Wales to the self-important, Southern tinged cadences of a rich American society matron, is bound to top the list of super-summer-beach listens.” —BookPage
“The characters are varied and lively and brought to life skillfully by narrator Katherine Kellgren. Those who read Daphne de Maurier and other authors in the genre will enjoy this title. Recommended.” — Library Journal
“From the first plummy tones of Katherine Kellgrens voice, you know youre in for a guilty pleasure…This is ‘Upstairs/Downstairs, ‘The Age of Innocence and ‘Downton Abbey rolled into one.” —The Winston-Salem Journal
Synopsis
Empress Elizabeth of Austria, known as Sisi, is the Princess Diana of nineteenth-century Europe. Famously beautiful, as captured in a portrait with diamond stars in her hair, she is unfulfilled in her marriage to the older Emperor Franz Joseph. Sisi has spent years evading the stifling formality of royal life on her private train or yacht or, whenever she can, on the back of a horse.
Captain Bay Middleton is dashing, young, and the finest horseman in England. He is also impoverished, with no hope of buying the horse needed to win the Grand National until he meets Charlotte Baird. A clever, plainspoken heiress whose money gives her a choice among suitors, Charlotte falls in love with Bay, the first man to really notice her, for his vulnerability as well as his glamour. When Sisi joins the legendary hunt organized by Earl Spencer in England, Bay is asked to guide her on the treacherous course. Their shared passion for riding leads to an infatuation that jeopardizes the growing bond between Bay and Charlotte, and threatens all of their futures.
The Fortune Hunter, a brilliant new novel by Daisy Goodwin, is a lush, irresistible story of the public lives and private longings of grand historical figures.
"
Synopsis
A novel of Aemilia Bassano Lanier, the first professional woman poet in Renaissance England, and her collaboration—and star-crossed love affair—with William Shakespeare
About the Author
DAISY GOODWIN, a Harkness scholar who attended Columbia Universitys film school after earning a degree in history at Cambridge University, is a leading television producer in the U.K. Her poetry anthologies, including
101 Poems That Could Save Your Life, have introduced many new readers to the pleasures of poetry, and she was Chair of the judging panel of the 2010 Orange Prize for Fiction. She and her husband, an ABC TV executive, have two daughters and live in London.
The American Heiress was her first novel.