Fortune Hunter by Ava March (Brook Street #2)
Historical M/M Romance
April 9, 2012
Carina Press

Reviewed by Mandi

Julian Parker has spent the last 10 years in Philadelphia. Born into the "other" Parker family, his parents were not the wealthy, socially acceptable Parkers that the London ton loves and adores. His family had problems with scandal and debt, and escaped overseas when he was a young man. All Julian wants is to marry a wealthy heiress so he can be in society’s good graces again and not have to worry about money or status. Even though he prefers men, he is willing to spend the rest of his life married to a woman if that means he can live comfortably.

In London, he meets up with his cousin Benjamin (from the wealthy Parker family) whom he hopes can introduce him back into society and to the many eligible females. But who he first ends up meeting is Oscar Woodhaven. Oscar is extremely wealthy, having inherited his parents’ fortune upon their death. But as Oscar has learned, money does not buy you happiness. Lonely, with no one to spend his money on, he meets Julian at a ball. They become friends after a card game, and Oscar volunteers to escort Julian around town and invites him to stay at his townhouse during his visit. Julian accepts, and after a short time, they both discover they have similar interests in each other. While they explore an intense physical relationship, Julian still is on the hunt for a wife.

Fortune Hunter is the second book in Ava March’s Brook Street series. I didn’t like this one quite as much as the previous one. I had a hard time connecting with Julian. I feel as though we are told, more than shown, how he is after an heiress. He comes across as so mild-mannered and warm that it was hard to relate to the side of him that is heiress-hungry. At the same time, I also had a hard time believing in his true love for Oscar. He always felt a bit aloof and removed from him.

On the other hand, I loved Oscar. He’s extremely wealthy, yet unloved by his relatives, and his loneliness comes through so well. He is always looking to help people, always ready to share his wealth and his good nature. For this reason, people take advantage of him. Oscar mistakenly takes their interest in his money as interest in him. He is in constant need of reassurance and I felt sad for him, yet happy when Julian entered his life.

The end felt rushed. I like how we move into the future a bit. I think that is necessary to show Julian’s growth, yet I wish we could have had more time with them so I could reconcile Julian as more mature and ready for love.

I will say I am very excited for book three, featuring two characters we meet in this book, and I can’t wait to see how their love story unfolds. WhileFortune Hunter didn’t impress me as much as the first book, Thief, did, I still recommend this series.

Rating: C+

Recent Reviews:
Under The Covers – 4/5
Love to Read for Fun – C
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Note: This review first appeared at USA Today’s HEA Blog.