Is this really a new story and it is so inventive that one should recommend it.

For myself, I always get suspicious when a new age writer tries to write something historical - Ken Follet for example. For instance here I was using The English dictionary to look up many terms considered old English since I did not want to miss the nuances of what I thought they might mean. Thus concluding I would miss something if I did not. This tripled my reading time and detracted from my enjoyment. It turned out for 98% it was not necessary, but how is one to know. The story of itself was enjoyable; the fact that it was based on some true historical characters is what to me makes historical novels special. You get to learn something while reading a pleasant tale.

The unhappiness of royalty, women not being able to do what their heart desires, a patrimonial society, and people's vanity rings true today but on a more complex level-that's the way it was.

I found the use of photography very fascinating-a camera catches emotion in real life that a painting cannot. Its story is as dense and complicated as even the most beautiful Titian.

All in all I liked the book, but would never have bought it on the review or the author's comments.

A new story? For me, it added to whole mystique of historical England that I admit fascinates me. I love Downton Abbey, Upstairs Downstairs etc. and I wouldn't hesitate to suggest this book to those who feel same. It's interesting that I finally decided I really do need to learn more about the history that produced such fascinating characters. Can that be the value of good historical fiction?

I too found the whole photography story line fascinating.i know professionally women entered the field later. I read a story based on the first American female photographer in wartime and the war was Vietnam. In the Fortune Hunter, photography certainly carried much of the story line. I do believe it factual.

One thing I will add is I'll suggest to some just because it was a good read! What better for a rainy stormy day?

I enjoyed the book and would recommend it. It is not a thriller or mystery or anything like that. And it is kind of predictable, but it was an enjoyable read.

I enjoyed the book but didn't find it was a new story. It's well written, well researched historical fiction with added spice of royalty. I did like the introduction of photography as a popular hobby for well-heeled young Victorian women. This novel should definitely appeal to anyone who enjoys Edith Wharton's novels or likes series like Downton Abbey, Upstairs Downstairs and other similar television programs and books. Good writing never goes out of style and the characters are fascinating.

I am new to historical fiction so in that sense the novel as opposed to the story line was new to me and I liked the fact that some of the characters did exist. I've read nearly everything written by Edith Wharton and do enjoy Downton Abbey so I would heartily recommend it to people with similar likes. Having just finished "The Nightengale" which was a good read but had characters enduring unimaginable pain, Daisy Goodwin's books came as a pleasant and fun alternative. American Heiress is a good read.

I don't think the story is all that new. The fact that it was historical fiction made it more appealing to me. That period of history is pretty familiar to all of us with all of the BBC specials. But I found it an easy read that held my interest. So I enjoyed it.