The Fortune Hunter by Daisy Goodwin
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Title: The Fortune Hunter
Author: Daisy Goodwin
Published: July 29th 2014
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Pages: 473
ISBN: 1250043891
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Synopsis:
Beautiful, athletic and intelligent, Sisi has everything - except happiness. Bored with the stultifying etiquette of the Hapsburg Court and her dutiful but unexciting husband, Franz Joseph, Sisi comes to England to hunt. She comes looking for excitement and she finds it in the dashing form of Captain Bay Middleton, the only man in Europe who can outride her. Ten years younger than her and engaged to the rich and devoted Charlotte, Bay has everything to lose by falling for a woman who can never be his. But Bay and the Empress are as reckless as each other, and their mutual attraction is a force that cannot be denied.
Full of passion and drama, THE FORTUNE HUNTER tells the true story of a nineteenth century Queen of Hearts and a cavalry captain, and the struggle between love and duty.
My Review:
“Sisi knew that it was hopeless to live up to the fairy-tale princess with stars in her hair of the Winterhalter portrait, an image that sold everything from chocolates to liver salts in Vienna, but she found it impossible not to try. Beauty was her gift, her weapon and her power, and she dreaded its passing.”
I loved this story based loosely on historical fact and characters. The story is a fascinating peek into British society. Ms. Goodwin engages her readers in the time period and captures the elegance and magnificence of the Victorian era complete with a few chapters containing appearances of the Queen and her Court.
There were three main characters, Empress Elisabeth (“Sisi”), Bay Middleton, and Charlotte Baird. Charlotte Baird is a sweet, innocent heiress. Unusual for her time, she is very interested in photography. When Charlotte meets and photographs Bay Middleton, she becomes smitten. A handsome man with a reputation with the ladies. However, Charlotte in her mind does not see his reputation, lack of fortune or title as an obstacle as her brother and aunt does. The two are close to becoming engaged when Elizabeth, Empress of Austria arrives in England for the legendary hunt organized by Earl Spencer. The greatest horseman of England is presented to the Empress as her navigator, Bay Middleton, and while Charlotte keeps her time with a fascination for photography, Bay is preoccupied with Sisi. His desire for both women has him questioning himself. Who will Bay choose? Will, he chose the empress? Or will he choose the Heiress?
Summary:
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