Rating: Loved It (4.5 Stars)

This was such a fun book. To be honest, I was a little skeptical at the beginning because I wasn't sure how I felt about the writing style, but I ended up loving it! This is a fun historical romance that made me laugh out loud multiple times.

We follow Hugh, an Earl who has a mother nagging him to get married. His response? He made up a fiancee named Minerva. The only problem is that now his mother, who lives in America, is coming home to visit, and he has no fiancee to show her. Enter Minerva, a poor engraver who he fortuitously bumps into one night when he helps her wrangle a late payment from a customer. She agrees to pose as his fiancee in exchange for a sum of 40 pounds, and so begins the ruse.

I was surprised by how much I ended up liking the characters in this book! Minerva is a realist, but also a hopeless romantic. She cares for her two younger sisters, and I loved seeing her caring personality as she is pulled every which way by wanting to help everyone around her. Hugh is a really kind and caring human as well who tries to hide the deeper parts of himself behind the face of a charming rogue. I don't think I would have enjoyed this as much if we had a different MC. His mother and her husband are great side characters, and I loved seeing their interactions with our MCs. Minerva's sisters weren't as engaging for me. They have VERY flat, archetypal characterizations, and I don't know if I care about following their stories in later books.

The main trope in this one is clearly fake dating, which is probably one of my favorite romance tropes, so I loved that. However, we also got a LARGE dose of miscommunication, which was frustrating. I feel like that piece lasted a smidge too long, and is why this isn't a full 5 stars. I also wish there was a little more spice. We got two kisses and LOTS of longing that made the final sexy times just a little bit disappointing after all the build-up.

Overall, a fun romance that I read in a day. Great palate cleanser from the big fantasy tomes I usually read.

"I'm starting to think you might be a lunatic."

Hugh Standish, Earl of Fareham, has managed to put off his interfering mother with a fake fiancée...for two years!. But now she is demanding to meeting the fictional “Minerva” and Hugh is in a panic. When he meets a real young woman named Minerva, he’s convinced she’s the answer to his prayers and hires the struggling miss to pose as his fiancée. But, alas, nothing about this convoluted plan is going smoothly...

This is my first experience with a Virginia Heath book, and boy was it funny! Hugh continued to make the situation worse with his outlandish storytelling and I was here for it. I really liked Minerva, who didn't really want to go along with the farce, but needed the money to support her family. I felt like her character was well-written and empathetic. I would have liked a better balance of romance with the hijinks, and wish the fallout had taken place sooner. Overall, this was a fun, light read...historical meets Hallmark.

Tropes: Fake Relationship, Class Difference, Forced Proximity

This book was such a delightful read! I love fake relationship stories and this historical romance story amps up all the tension for this fake romance. Hugh has no desire to marry, but writes to his mother to convince her otherwise, inventing a nonexistent romantic interest in his life named Minerva. After writing to his mother again and again, Hugh declares that he has proposed to this figment of his imagination. Little does he expect that his mother will want to come and visit, leaving him in a bind since he's not really engaged.

Funny enough, he ends up finding a woman he can hire to play the part of his fiancé for his mother's visit to town and her name is Minerva. She brings her two sisters with her to his home, they have an actress playing the part of her mother and then tension and humor ensue as this unlikely crew end up forced into each other's company in one household.

I loved the tension and chemistry between these two main characters, which begins right at the onset of their first meeting. I was rooting for them and eagerly awaiting a way for them to find their own happily ever after, despite Hugh believing that he is doomed to repeat his father's mistakes if her pursues a romance of his own. Their attraction, the humor and the outrageous moments had me laughing and smiling time and time again throughout this book. A bit predictable at times but nonetheless a lighthearted and entertaining story, I'm so glad I gave this book a try!

Many thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

A very enjoyable comedy of errors. Great family dynamics! This is my first book by this author and it won't be the last. I received an early copy of this work from NetGalley.

Who doesn't love a historical fake dating romance? Hugh Standish has been lying to his mother in America for years about his imaginary fiancée, Minerva, but has to produce a real, live woman when his mother announces she's returning to England. Luckily, he meets a penniless Minerva Merriwell and her sisters, who he pays to pretend to be his fiancée, and to run off with his best friend. Things don't go according to plan, but it is a joy getting to the end!

This is a great laugh-out-loud romance that will really pick up your spirits. I loved the development of the two main characters and their relationship. I hope there's a follow-up between Giles and the sister.

Historical Romance has been a new genre for me recently, but boy am I loving it!

Never Fall For Your Fiancee is a regency era, fake engagement rom-com. And really, is there anything else you need to know? This was super fun and silly and I found myself finishing it in one sitting. I loved seeing how Minerva and Hugh's relationship grew and the hoops Hugh in particular had to jump through due to his attempts to keep his fake engagement under wraps.

Is the plot truly believable? Nope, definitely not. Is it still super fun? Absolutely! Probably 3.75 stars for me but bumped up to 4. I would be glad to read more books in this series!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for a honest review.

I LOVE the fake dating/engagement trope and Never Fall for Your Fiancée lived up to my expectations! I loved all the characters and can't wait to see what's in store for them in future books. At times the situation seemed a little too unbelievable but who cares because it was fun and super entertaining!

I came for the cover, but stayed for the story!
This was a fun fake relationship with a historical twist.
I really enjoyed the characters and their development over the course of the novel. I giggled my way through the pages, and some of the antics had me outright laughing loudly.
Would absolutely recommend.

I laughed so much reading this book! The best laid plans etc. turn into such a farce. Our beamish boy, Hugh, is so optimistic that his fake engagement will get his mother off his back. Best friend and co-conspirator Giles is equally convinced it will all blow up in Hugh's face. And he can't wait to see it happen. Minerva reluctantly agrees to be the fake fiancee' as circumstances are dire and she has two sisters to take care of. I love the wit and humor, the absolutely ridiculous situations, and all the characters involved. Can't wait for the next Merriwell Sisters story!

What a cute story that doesn’t totally read as a historical romance.

I don’t think I realized this story was set so far in the past when I started reading it. Being one to not really like historical romance, I found this story entertaining.

I recommend this story to all who love romance or even just kind of like it. It’s quick, cute, and not disappointing at all.

Never Fall For Your Fiancee was a hilarious read and included all the ingredients that made it such a treat to read! The writing and characters were a hoot. I'm a huge fan of the fake dating/fiancee trope and all the shenanigans that result from it. This was a great addition to the category and it being a historical romance further elevated it! I cant wait to read more books by this author.

This book was a delight to read, engaging, sweet and hard to put down. Minerva is the pragmatic caretaker of her younger sisters after their wastrel father abandoned them. Currently experiencing harder times Minerva leaps at the chance to earn 40 pounds for her family by posing as Hugh's , the Earl of Fareham, fiancé.
Hugh has been lying to his mother about his fiance for 2 years when his mother decides to take the next boat to England to meet her herself when Hugh comes across Minerva. After agreeing to the farce Minerva and her family are whisked away to the Hugh's estate in the countryside. Twists and delightful turns abound in this quick read.

Enticing, humorous, and romantic!

Never Fall for Your Fiancée is set in the Hampshire countryside during 1825 and features the reliable, strong-willed Minerva Merriwell who may have unexpectedly found the short term answer to all her money woes, as well as the handsome, laidback Earl of Fareham, Hugh Standish, who may have conveniently found the perfect woman to put a stop to his mother’s meddling and keep her content and happy, at least temporarily.

The prose is witty and sharp. The characters are resourceful, feisty, and passionate. And the plot is a fulfilling blend of family, friendship, societal expectations, scheming behaviour, tricky situations, awkward moments, secrets, attraction, desire, and true love.

Overall, Never Fall for Your Fiancée is a charming, delightful, seductive tale by Heath that is a promising, enjoyable start to a series, The Merriwell Sisters, that I will definitely be keeping my eye on.

Hugh Standish is an English earl who is annoyed by the constant pressure his mother puts on him to marry, so he hatches a plan and tells her that he's engaged to "Minerva", who is definitely a pretend person. When his mother writes to tell him she's coming home from America and wants to meet the fiancee that he's being fabricating for over a year, he has to quickly find a real-life Minerva to pose as his true love.

This was a fluffy, light historical romance. It'll be a must-read for all of the "fake relationship" trope lovers. The novel was zany and far-fetched at times (the lying that went on to keep up the charade was a bit much), but I guess that's to be expected in rom com-esque novels. I think it'll satisfy readers looking for a quick romantic escape that's easy to digest. The story is fairly predictable, but that doesn't take away from the few hours of enjoyment that it might bring. There's plenty of flirting and tension, which is what I really look for when I'm reading romance. This is my first Virginia Heath book and it won't be my last. I'll definitely pick up book 2, which I'm hoping is about Minerva's spunky younger sister!

Thank you to the publisher/Netgalley for allowing me to review the e-ARC!

I wanted this book to work for me so badly, but miscommunication just never does. When I book can be completely altered with a conversation - I am out.

Thank you so much for letting me try!

DNF at 20%
I absolutely loved the cover and premise of this, but this book just ended up falling flat for me. The story didn’t seem super logical, and I was just let down.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved the colorful cover, that was what caught my eye.

I wasn't really a fan of the whole reasoning for hiring someone to be a fake fiance though. This seems more acceptable in young adult than fiction to me.

This book will probably work for others but for me it was just a two star rating since it fell short for me. Thank you Netgalley and publishers for allowing me the chance to read and review this.

The cover was what drew me to this book. Hugh hires a fake fiancee to try to stop his meddling mother from playing matchmaker. He is the Earl of Fareham and offers to pay Minerva to pose as his fiancee. Struggling to support her two younger sisters, she reluctanly agrees. What ensues is a series of amusing events.

The fake dating and forced proximity tropes made for an entertaining read. I felt the chemistry between Hugh and Minerva throughout the entire book. They had great banter and I liked the slow build up between them as their feelings became real. Some favorite scenes for me included their first kiss and dance.

Some parts dragged on and I thought the book could have been shorter. Although I really liked this couple, the historical romance aspect just didn't click with me. But I think if you are a frequent reader of historical romance then you would really like this book.

I read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hugh has been lying to his mom, who lives overseas, that he and his fiancee, Minerva, are happy and about to be wed. When Hugh's mom decides to finally make her way back across the pond to meet her future daughter-in-law and help plan the wedding, Hugh is struggling for a way out until he finds someone actually named Minerva who could use some of the money that Hugh is willing to play pretend. Minerva is a struggling artist with 2 sisters to look after and hesitantly agrees to help the earl. What happens during their little game are funny shenanigans, lots of pining and plenty of truths that will reveal themselves.

3.6 stars! i liked it though it was just a little slow moving for me. i think period pieces are cool but it’s just hard for me to wrap my mind around all of it. this one was funny though and i really enjoyed all the shenanigans they fell into! hugh and minerva seemed so well suited for one another and kept up with one another so well on the pages. the pining and miscommunication between them... i adored it!