Cover Image: Never Rescue a Rogue

Never Rescue a Rogue

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Member Reviews

I read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book had some interesting plot twists, with the focus being on the mystery more than on the romance. It kept the story fast paced and easy to read.
Diana was headstrong and intelligent, and I liked her and Giles as a couple. Dalton was an amusing addition.
I'm hoping the next novel will be about Galahad and Vee.

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One of the best things about Giles and Diana from Never Fall for Your Fiance was their banter. Diana was quick to call Giles out on his reputation, and Giles wasn't just going to sit and take it. And unfortunately, Never Rescue a Rogue pretty much skipped to where Giles and Diana have come to a mutual understanding of the other being a part of their lives. They've even made it far enough in their relationship to already have regard for each other. So I felt like we missed some of the best opportunities that come with an enemies-to-lovers story.

The first time I read a book where the scoundrel turned out to have a reason for his reputation I thought it was super clever. And then I read another story and another story. And now the idea isn't as original as it once was for me. Yet, I've also read more than one story where the rake was truly uninterested in his reputation or a lady's before where the story begins. Giles was somewhere in the middle of these two. Giles has a reason for keeping distance between himself and eligible single ladies who are pursuing a husband. Yet he also is not innocent.

Diana is sassy and determined to follow her dreams. Husbands and men, in general, tend to let you down and try to control you. Or at least that's her experience with them up until her sister Minerva marries Hugh. And Giles doesn't easily fit into the category that Diana once assigned him. No matter what, she isn't interested in giving up her career or her freedom. She took much longer to come around to the idea of a relationship with Giles.

The mystery these two set out to solve was interesting and not entirely predictable while also not being entirely unfathomable either. As always, the mysteries/story always takes a backseat to the relationships in my preferences. Never Rescue a Rogue straddled the fence of being both relationship and story-driven.

A small pet peeve is that Giles and Diana ultimately followed the exact journey in their relationship that Hugh and Minerva did. I don't see why these two couldn't have forged a slightly different path. I suppose that would require too much time in the storytelling to get two people properly married before they could get to the physical stuff since I guess Virginia Heath is more of a romance writer? I'm guessing there. Just a smallish pet peeve. I don't remember there being an abundance of physical descriptions, but I'm writing this review exactly one month after finishing the book so my memory isn't the best.

Favorite quotes:
-"You continue to linger on the periphery of my life like a bad smell."

-"One of those teas is for drinking and the other is for dunking." To prove that, he picked up a shortbread finger and plunged it into Diana's cup. "That way, all the dunking sludge remains in this cup while the other is sludge-free. Don't you just hate a chewy beverage?

I had another favorite quote but it was long and spoilerish. Anyway, Never Rescue a Rogue was such an enjoyable book. I do think there was a missed opportunity with Giles and Diana being on much more friendly terms when the story started than I expected. We still get some funny quips, but most of the hatred-to-friends piece has already taken place before this book began. I enjoyed the mystery, but I always enjoy the relationship even more. Overall, I really liked Never Rescue a Rogue, but I think my expectations might have been a smidgen too high. Either way, Never Rescue a Rogue gets 4 Stars. And I'm looking forward to book 3. Have you read Never Rescue a Rogue? What did you think? Let me know!

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Book Review #bookreview #netgalley #griffin #virginiaheath #neverrescuearogue

I absolutely adore a hero falls first romance, and this novel definitely delivers. This is the second installment in the Merriwell Sister’s series by Virginia Heath. This banter filled novel is a delightful frenemies to lovers romance full of mishaps and reveals, and an absolutely wonderful hero. Heath’s writing is fun and accessible and the pacing is well planned keeping the story moving along from page one. If you are looking for a charming read with an equally charming hero and a heroine who can stand on her own, definitely check this book out!

Diana and Giles only tolerate each other for their family’s sake, but every one believes they are meant to be together. Diana loves the freedom she has working for the newspaper and Giles loves the freedom his bachelor life provides. But soon these two learn they will have to work together to keep secrets hidden that they can not let escape.

Their is definitely a fine line between tolerance and attraction and Heath does a lovely job exploring this with Giles and Diana. I always enjoy watching the journey that both hero and heroine must go on to truly understand their feelings towards the other. I think a great strength in this book is that under all the barbs and disdain, these two actually respect and see the true worth in the other. Once they arrive at a mutual understanding it is very obvious how easily they work together and how open and comfortable they can be with each other. Plus, Giles is just absolute gold, I will always adore a hero who says he is one way but is really deep down one of the most caring and considerate and observant people. These two together are really just an absolute delight, they are both professional and smart, they weigh their options and make smart and well thought out decisions. This book in terms of sensuality and steam is a bit on the lighter side, their true chemistry spurns from the ways they test each other and trust each other.

If you have loved other Heath novels this is sure to delight you. I would definitely recommend this novel and Virginia Heath as a historical romance author you should read!

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THIS 👏🏻 FLUFFING 👏🏻 BOOK

When I read Never Rescue a Rogue back in October, it unexpectedly snuck up & broke me in the BEST way possible. My mind stayed stuck in the story & I couldn’t read anything else for days after, which never happens! I even ended up rereading the majority of the book again this weekend while working on this review!

NRAR is book two in Virginia Heath’s Merriwell Sister’s series. If you are new to historical romances, I highly recommend this series as a starting point! Both are hilarious, low angst romances with the most delightful cast of characters.

What I Loved:

•First & foremost, Diana and Giles’ characters are just PERFECT for each other. Diana is fiercely independent, highly intelligent & always with a sharp, well-placed barb on her tongue. After a difficult upbringing, she is highly suspicious, slow to trust but deeply loyal.

Giles uses his built up reputation for debauchery as wall to hide himself from the world. He “viewed the world through the same cynical, jaded lens as she did, adored the ridiculous, was fluent in sarcasm, and didn’t take himself too seriously.”

Their personalities complimented each other, making them a perfect fit. They have a playfulness to their sharp & witty banter that I love to see in relationships, both fictional & in real life. Plus, I’m just gone for a man who appreciates a smart mouthed woman 😉

•The slow burn pacing is so well done, on top of Heath’s clever writing & the mysteries to be solved weaved into the storyline. I couldn’t put it down just as much as I never wanted it to end!

•The secondary characters here completely did me in! From Diana’s family to Dalton - Giles’ pirate butler (yes, you read that correct 😂), they add all the comedic relief you could ask for through their lovable & unrelenting meddling.

Now, I’ll be waiting patiently for Vee’s story & secretly hoping for more bits of Diana & Giles in the process 🤞🏻🤞🏻

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While I was looking forward to the story between Diana and Giles, there were a few things at the beginning that made this a slow starter for me. Namely, the pair of them poking fun at a woman they thought Giles’ father intended to force him to marry. (To be clear, this was not done within hearing of anyone else, including the poor lady.) There was a lot of derogatory language used about this poor young woman who, by their own admission, was a harmless and kind person. It came up a few more times throughout the story, but not to the extent it did in the first chapter. I think I understand what the author was going for, but it just felt very mean-spirited and unnecessary to me.

In the long run, I’m glad I continued the story. Diana and Giles are great at denying their true feelings, but everyone around them can feel the chemistry they have. Their banter and nitpicking are fun instead of tedious. They are able to open up to each other far more than they can with anyone else. When it comes to the romance, I felt the story was spot on.

Giles’ valet. Dalton is such a hoot. He’s grumpy but loyal. Once he spends time with Diana, he becomes just as loyal to her as he is to Giles. He understands her mind and where she came from. Diana has a need to be independent and spending the majority of her life struggling to make ends meet she doesn’t understand the need for propriety. Dalton gives her far more leeway than Giles ever would, but it’s what is needed for her job and Dalton still makes sure she is always safe.

All of the characters, from Diana and her extended family and Giles and his staff, add a zany richness to this story. Not in an over-the-top way, but in an enjoyable comedic way. When it comes to the storyline and characters I really can’t complain. But there were times I felt the author needed to reach outside the box she was in. When describing facial expressions she often fell back on the same phrase and it stood out because it was an interesting phrase to use. It became much less interesting when used numerous times throughout.

I found that once I got into this story, I liked it even more than the first book. I can already see where the youngest Merriwell sister will find her love and it should be quite interesting.

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Never Rescue a Rogue is the second book in Virginia Heath's series The Merriwell Sisters. Never Rescue a Rogue is a lovely romance with a fantastic cast of memorable characters. I loved this book even more than the first one in the series. There is a believable romance in Never Rescue a Rogue and it has understated humor, mystery and witty dialogue which appealed to me.

The hero and heroine are first introduced in Never Fall for Your Fiancée. When Diana and Giles met and rubbed each other the wrong way but had obvious chemistry. I had hoped that they would be the main characters of the second book.

The heroine Diana Merriwell is the middle sister and she is such an interesting character. I love Diana's skill set and the way she handles family and professional situations in her life. Diana behaves in a manner that makes sense to me and I was thrilled with her development throughout the book. I like her spunk and determination. Her relationship with Giles develops in a believable way.

Giles Sinclair is the best friend of the hero from book one and he is a man with a reputation or is he? Giles has his reasons for his outlandish behaviors and the reader gets to discover the truth of the matter along with Diana. Giles is protective without being stifling and I enjoyed his character very much. I always end up adoring Virginia Heath's heroes and Giles is no exception.

There is intrigue, passion and humor along with the standard wit and character development that Virginia Heath consistently brings to her writing. I really liked how visual this book was for me and Virginia's descriptions brought the locations, history and situations to life. Never Rescue a Rogue a definite must read .

Reviewed by Gayle

ARC provided by St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin

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As a lover of “Never Fall for Your Fiancée” I had high hopes for this book. And for the most part I would say it delivered.

The couple was cute and had good chemistry. They both had a lot going on but that somehow added to the romance instead of distracting from it. Loved their dynamic.

This book was exciting and romantic and had just the right amount of everything I like.

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I really enjoyed this book. I loved that included found family, He falls first & frenemies-to-lovers. The romance between a newly-inherited duke and his BFF's younger sister-in-law.
This was a quick and easy read that I feel lots of romance readers would enjoy. Diana and Giles the banter between the pair was so cute and funny. If you love watching Bridgerton and shows similar then I would recommend this book! its so cute

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"He's my fungus."

"And I am the fly in her ointment"

The romance between Diana and Giles was PERFECT. The bickering, the independent woman/head over heels man, and the meddling family; all of it made reading this book such an immense pleasure!

I loved that book had a mystery element in it as well. Cause who doesn't love falling in love while trying to figure out the mystery of your birth? This plot reminded me of It's in His Kiss by Julia Quinn and The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - a romance that has you kicking your feet and some fairly shocking plot twists.

Some amazing scenes to look forward to:

🐝 Accents - cockney in particular

🐝 Overheard trysts in the garden

🐝 An faithful butler (who plays a surprisingly large role in both the book and in my heart)

🐝 Steamy, female dominated scenes 😉 (we love a girl who knows what she wants)

This romance is also a slow burn, like the first of the series was, but the bickering and longing glances made up for it in tenfold. I do love a good angsty longing glance. Vee's story is next and I did enjoy how it was set up in the end of this book. I gotta admit, Vee wasn't my favorite character but I was glad to see her mature more in this book and I'm so excited to read her story next!

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The hero falls first...

The heroine is convinced marriage isn't for her. The sacrifice is too great. She has a profession she loves and her words wield the power to right wrongs and deliver justice.

The hero is convinced that she's the devil's advocate. He's always noticed her beauty, but he's been the victim of her sharp tongue one too many times.

They aren't exactly enemies, but they harbor a mutual disdain. In a turn of events neither of them expected, they confess some of their deepest secrets. They are drawn together because they are trying to discover who is blackmailing him. The forced proximity of their sleuthing leads to kisses in the brambles and cognac by the fire.

They are in the middle of it before they even know they've begun.

But his title is at stake and there is every likelihood he could end up imprisoned. He can't offer her a secure future.

She's beginning to believe she shouldn't rule marriage out. Especially if it's with him. But he's a duke and she's a forger's daughter.

Tropes: enemies to lovers, opposites attract, joint mission, hero falls first, cinnamon roll hero

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The perfect regency-era romance to recommend to readers who like some mystery with their romance. This is the second in a series, although it totally stands alone, but readers who read the first will enjoy this story of the other sister. This will appeal to readers of Evie Dunmore, Deanna Raybourn, and Dianne Freeman, to name a few.

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This was a fun read.

I admired both Diana and Giles! They both had spunk and were complex characters. Their banter was topnotch and I really liked that we saw so much of Diana's family from the first book.

The author did a nice job of balancing the mystery and issues with the slow-building romance.

A huge thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

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Never Rescue a Rogue by Virginia Heath is book two in the Merriwell Sisters series. This is the story of Diana Merriwell and Giles Sinclair. Diana and Giles are perfect for each other and everyone knows it but them. This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fun, clever, sweet, steamy, and fast-paced. I didn't want to put it down. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author. Who knew historical romances could be so good?!?

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I just adore The Merriwell Sisters!!!

After reading Never Fall For Your Fiancé (Book 1 in this series), I jumped at the chance to read book 2! This story focuses around Diana and Giles - who are perfect for each other and everyone knows it but them 😊

🌸 historical romance
🌸 witty humor
🌸 a side mystery plot that will keep you intrigued
🌸 slowwww burn & closed-door
🌸 great tension and chemistry between our MCs

This book was just a delight and it was hard to not root for Diana and Giles to get together! Definitely recommend if you’re looking for an engaging and fast paced historical romance!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Diana and Giles don’t seem to like each other, but they tolerate each other because her sister is married to his best friend. Those close to them believe the two are attracted to each other and just don’t know it. Diana has a budding career in journalism, but of course it is a secret (or so she thinks). She is actually quite adept at investigative journalism. Giles has never had a very good relationship with his father, and it seems his parentage may be in question. When his father dies, his right to the title is threatened. He reluctantly turns to Diana and her investigative skills for help in finding the truth of his parentage. While they search, they find that maybe they do feel something for each other. This is a well-written captivating story with strong characters, action, mystery, danger, and romance. Giles is a smart and protective biscuit-eating hero, and Diana is and intelligent, independent, feisty heroine. Dalton does his share to add some humor, or at least some snarky comments when needed, and Giles’s cousin is a surprise. Great story, interesting ending, and a happily ever after!
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily reviewing it.

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Oh how we love an angsty duke. Giles is perfection (aside from the name because Giles is 100% the butler from the Nanny, just sayin’) as his relationship with Diana, our heroine, unfolds. Diana- i could take her or leave her tbh, but the banter and shenanigans the two go through together are really what makes the book so damn cute! I love all the meddlesome side characters, and I love the mystery driving plot, which doesn’t detract from their relationship development. The slow-burn was maybe a tiny dragging for me, but Giles made it easy to push through and swoon over. 4 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley & the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

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Never Rescue a Rogue by Virginia Heath, book two in her Merriwell Sisters series, is the story of Diana Merriwell and GilesSinclair. Everyone believes that Diana and Giles are meant to be together, except Diana and Giles. Diana, who has no desire to marry, is working for a newspaper; keeping her specific role a secret, even from even her family. Upon the unexpected death of his father, the Duke, Giles becomes the new Duke of Harpenden, while trying to straighten out the mystery surrounding the circumstances of his birth. Giles asks Diana to help him save his dukedom by using her investigative skills. As they work together to uncover the truth, they grow closer, no longer able to deny their feelings. The sparks and sizzling chemistry increase to the point where they can no longer deny their attraction and feelings; realizing they belong together. These one-time enemies, who love to banter, being too quick witted for their own good, are perfect for each other.

Ms. Heath wrote a humorous, clever, entertaining and amusing story that is not to be missed. She provided a tale rich with escapades, clever banter, sizzling chemistry and endearing characters giving Diana and Giles a chance to fall in love. I highly recommend Never Rescue a Rogue to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

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Sometimes those who seem to dislike each other the most, are only trying to fend off a real attraction that cannot be denied!

Wonderful characters, witty banter, mystery and an attraction that will not be denied bring this story full circle!

He has a secret that needs to be uncovered and he turns to her for help.

She has her own secrets but works to help him.

What could be better? As usual, the author pulls out all the stops to make you fall in love with her writing!

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I forgot how much I enjoyed reading historical romances until this book!

Never Rescue a Rogue is the second installment in The Merriwell Sisters series but can also be read as a stand-alone which is how I read it; however, if you have read the first book, I think you would enjoy it even more as the couple is often featured in the story!

One of my favorite parts of this novel was how strong and independent the female main character, Diana Merriwell, was portrayed, especially considering the era it takes place in. Rather than being described as weak or subservient to her love interest, she is her own person and powerful, following her own passions and fighting for justice on the side.

The whole ploy was also so interesting as Giles and Dianna must work together to uncover his family's secret past, including secrets that could potentially come back and hurt him. The whole process of figuring out the secrets and seeing the two connect was so fun and intriguing.

If you are looking for a fun historical romance, I would definitely suggest picking this book up. With great banter between the main characters, an engaging plot, and a strong female heroine, this book was such an interesting read and perfect for fans of Evie Dunmore's books!

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This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fun, clever, sweet, steamy, fast-paced and I didn't want to put it down. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

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