Miss Fortune by Albina Hume is an autobiographical account of Albina, a young girl from Ukraine. Born in a small village called Volchanovka, or present-day Novogrigorovka in Ukraine, Albina is one of several siblings raised in post-Soviet Union Ukraine. The story starts with Albina in her early twenties, about to get married to a sixty-year-old rancher from South Africa named John. John has left his city life behind him and semi-retired outside of Johannesburg where he has bought a ranch in order to offer sanctuary to and save the African rhino. We then learn about Albina’s childhood as she struggled with a speech defect as well as her teenage years and early twenties when she worked as an exotic dancer and stripper at various clubs in Ukraine and Greece. The story also explores her past relationships and various experiences that finally ended in her meeting John through a matchmaking service.

Miss Fortune by Albina Hume is a simply written first person account. The writing follows a sequential series of events for the most part. Most of the story is told simply and I was interested in reading about her various experiences growing up and then working as a stripper. I also felt that it was brave of Albina to write about extremely personal experiences, although I felt that the writing in some parts was a bit repetitive. The memoir overall is still intriguing as we follow Albina’s journey across the globe. All in all, an interesting read!

Miss Fortune by Albina Hume is an interesting biography about a woman who dares to dream. As a young girl in Volchanovka, a small village in Ukraine, Albina grows up believing in fairy tales, where after a series of seemingly insurmountable struggles, the princess gets to marry her prince. Born when her country was still part of the Soviet Union, she struggles with a speech impediment that makes her a target of bullying in school. When she is a young woman, Soviet Union falls apart and life in independent and democratic Ukraine becomes a struggle to make money and gain success in a capitalistic society. Driven by mounting debts to work as a dancer, Albina seems destined for a shady life in Greece. Deported back to Ukraine, she tries to pick up the pieces of her life and never stops dreaming of a better one.

Albina Hume’s memoir, Miss Fortune, is a modern fairy tale, except for the fact that it is, after all, a true story. What makes her narrative doubly fascinating is because it gives readers an insight into the life of a woman from the other side of the Iron Curtain. This is especially true for those who grow up in the West and other democratic and capitalistic countries. The book is an entertaining and easy read and, as we follow Albina in her life’s journeys, we realize that there is not so much difference between a Ukrainian woman and other women from different parts of the globe when it comes to aspirations and dreams. This is one of the reasons why we can easily empathize with her. She is as strong and as vulnerable as any of us, but she never gives up on her dreams. And this is what brings her to the position where she is now. This book should be an inspiration to all the women out there who have not yet achieved their dreams.

What a story!
It is a fascinating story of a young Ukrainian woman from a small village wanting to see more of the world, finding love, and doing what she had to do to get there. The book is well written and I enjoyed reading it. I think this memoir will do very well with women, especially younger women to give them hope.

I have just finished reading MISS FORTUNE and I feel that Albina's childhood fears and the way it may dictate one's life in it's entirety would resonate with most people who'll read it. I certainly enjoyed finding out about this Ukrainian woman's journey through life as I always appreciate non-fiction reading about personal journey. In a way Albina Hume has sparked a desire that I have quelled a while back, and that is to perhaps, one day write my own book. I think her book is great!

Miss Fortune is a great example, of how our dreams may come true. But the main thing that we must do for it is stop living in the world of our fears, and let our dreams lead us through all our life. Albina’s path to the happiness was very thorny and full of mistakes, and just after she understood, that she want to “be yourself no matter whatever they say”, everything fell into place. This easy-reading memoir book will be very interesting as well as useful for everybody, who likes stories that makes us think about some important things and sense of life.

This is a book written by a Ukrainian lady for whom English is the third language. If this is how well Albina Hume writes in English, if she ever wrote in Russian or Ukrainian, I would be tempted to learn those languages to read her books!
This is a book about hope, ambition, and determination. Along the way, we are exposed to the trials and tribulations of a young woman growing up in a nation struggling with poverty and corruption, while striving for independence.
Albina Hume courageously describes for us the anxieties and insecurities which most of feel in childhood, and how thoughtless, but cruel remarks of peers in school can leave deep scars. She also exposes the underbelly of humanity worldwide, in dealing candidly with the issue of illegal immigration.
But most of all, it is a book about determination. She reminds us that even when all appears lost, it usually is not. No matter what the circumstances, we should not give up on our hopes and dreams, and keep struggling mightily to achieve them.
Albina Hume takes us to the deepest recesses of her heart, and at least I came out impressed. I set out to read “Miss Fortune.” When I finished, I realized that I had read “Miss Determination, Miss Courage.” I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read accounts of success in the face of adversity.

Miss Fortune by Albina Hume is an incredible true story of a young woman who overcame obstacles that you only see in action packed fiction films, but her story is real. As I followed her adventures from childhood to the striptease stages of Greece, I was amazed. No holds were barred as she pursued the true meaning of love, finally discovering it with a man more than twice her age in the South African wilderness. I couldn't put the book down once I got started. This book should have no difficulty finding its way to the Hollywood film industry. A must read.

Powerful! Beautifully written with the voice of a dreamer.

I read this well written page turner and was continually enthralled with the eye opening accounts and lessons of the heart, strength and courage of this brave and exceptional Ukrainian girl that overcome incredible odds. This book will have the power to change a lot of peoples outlook on life with the lessons that it provides to the readers -if you brave enough to live your dreams they will come true.