Never Blow a Kiss is the exact historical romance I love. It's a mix of romance with mystery and the heroine doesn't need the man in her life. She chooses to have him rather than need him out of societal necessity. Set against a backdrop that includes a killer who's going after sex workers (reminding me of Jack the Ripper), Emily is a governess who's doing more than watching after the children. Emily is also gathering intel from high society to give to The Dove, the leader of the Secret Society of Governess Spies, looking for a killer in their mist. At a ball, Emily makes the mistake of blowing a kiss to Zach, who works with the police, and he can't get her out of his mind. Zach and Emily end up working together to find the killer while Zach also pursues her heart.

Never Blow a Kiss is the debut novel from Lindsay Lovise and the first book in a series. I can't wait to read more from Lovise and go back into this series in the future. Earlier this year I talked about how I wanted more mysteries with romance. Luckily I found Never Blow a Kiss right after making that statement and my wish was made.

Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for a copy for review consideration.

What a fun read! Such a unique idea, having governesses hired to spy on their employers and friends and reporting back to the agency… sort of a regency era MI-6 network long before women were allowed to do anything of the sort.

Our excellent female character was extremely strong with her terrible background, but she’s built herself up and made her way in the world. She’s found her way into this brilliant network and fallen in with an inspector searching for a serial killer of “ladies of the night.” They seem to be somehow on the track of the same person and while Emily has to hide her past, Zach is digging deeper and is closer to finding out everything that could ruin her - if someone else doesn’t get her first.

So interesting and nothing like I expected going in - it was super exciting, a mystery thriller combined with a steamy regency romance and I loved it so much more than I thought I would! I appreciated the widget from Forever and can’t wait for Lovise’s next release… highly recommend it!

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and this is my honest feedback.

Never Blow a Kiss is a steamy historical romance featuring two strong main characters. Emily is resilient with a shady past. Zach has a strong sense of justice and is determined to solve his case as a detective with the Metropolitan Police.

Together they have great chemistry. I loved their banter, especially the notes they sent back and forth. The mystery element to the story also kept me turning pages. I read this novel in a day and really enjoyed it. Looking forward to the next in the series. Thank you to the publisher for my e-copy of this book.

I was pleasantly surprised by this debut. It’s not often a historical romance features not one but two blue collar, everyday protagonists. One is a woman on the run from her past, serving as a governess who also happens to be a spy and the other a soldier who turned his earnings into a fortune by investing in railroads, currently working for the Metropolitain Police.

Yes, I know–that seems like A LOT, but it really isn’t. This is a fast read. The chapters are short, and the pacing moves the story along rather quickly. Emily Leverton is introduced first, and she comes across as a no-nonsense woman who is making do by living under an assumed name and with fraudulent credentials. Her past is just that…her past. She is an average governess, working for impoverished families who aren’t going to ask too many questions. That turns out to be just what the mysterious leader of a group of governess spies needs.

Zachariah Denholm first sees her in London at a ball, skirting the edges of the room and cheekily winking at him when she sees him watching her. That stirs his attention, and his attraction never wanes from her from that point on. The romance between them is sweet, lighthearted, and playful. In fact, the first 75% or so of the book comes across that way, despite the mystery subplot that has Emily spying on her employers and Zach hunting the streets of London looking for a murderer nicknamed The Evangelist.

I really liked that Emily took control of her relationship with Zach, always conscious about her station in life and what would happen if anyone found out. She’s also honest with him about why she’s not exactly available for a long-term relationship with him. Zach is willing to accept pretty much anything from her, convinced he’s falling in love.

Then comes the last 25%, which is decidedly darker and for some reason the author threw some extra POVs. Emily’s traumatic past comes roaring back to present day, and she and Zach are put in a situation that they were trying to avoid. I will admit to wondering how this author would get Emily out of her “marriage to her dead husband” and give this couple an HEA–and was shocked at how she achieved it. I won’t go into specifics, but the last 20% or so is pretty wild.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading more from this author. Looking forward to the math whiz heroine who helped solve the murders by utilizing her skills and process of elimination.

Lindsay Lovise's debut 'Never Blow a Kiss' is an exciting new historical romance series featuring governess spies, serial killers and intrigue via a mysterious figurehead named The Dove. I was hooked from the first sentence.

Emily Leverton is a governess spying on the ton for The Dove, doing her best to move on from her past, and hoping her huge secret won't be uncovered. Zach Denholm is a millionaire detective constable for the newly formed Metropolitan Police trying to catch a serial killer dubbed The Evangelist. Zach and Emily are instantly allured by each other and find a shared connection with their impoverished pasts. I also adored the chemistry between these two. They're resourceful, can fight in an alley and both have a shared interest in justice for everyone, not just the wealthy.

As this book is the first of a series, it has the difficult job of overall world building plus balancing the budding romance, crime-solving and Emily's past coming back to haunt her. This did mean the pace started to drop off halfway for me. While I was still invested, some side plots (e.g. Mrs Hill's machinations) meant less time for the main mystery. I'd also liked to have seen more scenes with Emily and Zach working together. However when everything started to fall into place, the story started to really pick up.

I loved the ending which demonstrated how much Zach saw Emily as an equal. I would love a spin-off series with just Emily and Zach solving crimes. In the meantime, I'm really looking forward to Frankie's story next, as well as any future governesses we haven't met.

If you've enjoyed Manda Collin's 'Ladies Most Scandalous' series or Sarah MacLean's 'Hell's Belles' series, this is one to add to your TBR pile.

Thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was an intriguing start to a new series. I enjoyed the overall story and I liked the parallels between Emily and Zach. Their mutual lower-class beginnings and present upper-crust-adjacent positions made for a unique shared perspective and allowed them to understand each other in a way other characters could not. The mystery itself was complex and gritty. There were multiple intense scenes. Check triggers.

Tigger Warnings (There might be more, but these are the ones I remember): Abusive past relationship (not between MCs), toxic family members, kidnap, f0rced marriage, attempted a$$ault

Captivating, Intriguing, Dark!

How to fall in love with a feisty down to earth heroine, hiding earth shattering or maybe soul destroying secrets.
Emily Laverton has come up the hard way. From the school of hard knocks in Bethnal Green where thievery helped her survive. Now she’s a governess. Not your true blue governess but a young woman determined to lift herself out of the gutter.
Zachariah Denholm is a wealthy man, an ex Colonel in and honed under battle. He is an unpaid Detective Constable with the Metropolitan Police. When he meets Emily he’s knocked for six. Who was that creature who blew a kiss to him before departing the Ball given by the Commissioner’s sister.
Zac works tirelessly. He’s currently after The Evangelist, a man who’s been murdering prostitutes. He’s escalating. Zac thinks he knows who it is but …
Meanwhile he’s distracted by the altogether attractive Emily whom his soul calls to.
Can they work this puzzle out together. What of Emily’s other employer The Dove. The Dove employs a network of women who are witness to happenings that the Police can’t get access to, such as the Ton. And what of Emily’s fractured and dark past.
So good!
Great reading with some very humorous and some titillating sciences.
I loved every minute of this book.

A Forever (Grand Central Pub.) ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

When I’m in a book slump, as I was this fall, Shelly Laurenston is the author I turn to when I want to break it. That’s why I’ve already read Born to be a Badger twice. This book is a delightful continuation of the Honey Badger series. It focuses on Tock, with her fascinating family and fellow basketball playing honey badgers, and Shay, a Tiger football player. The sports talk is in short supply in this book which is mostly focused on the antics of the honey badgers, the development of a new poison and a conflict with lions. We also get introduced to another group of honey badger friends who are the future template of Tock and her team.

Like the previous books in this series, and in contrast to Laurenston’s Pride series, the romance between Tock and Shay is basically a subplot and not the overall focus. The action and over the top characters of the badgers and the Malone brothers are really the main focus. The series seems to be slowing down and I predict the next book will be the last with Keane and Nelle. There are moments of laugh out loud and turn the page actions as you’re amazed by the resilience of the badgers. There are also sweet moments, especially when Tock bonds with Shay’s daughter over math. I do really like the pairing of Tock and Shay and I just wish there was more page time devoted to their relationship. My favorite honey badger wrangler, Charlie, still continues to play a big role and I love any time she’s on the page. Overall, a great continuation to the series.

Emily is working as a governess, but is really a spy. Zach, a member of the police is looking for a killer, but him and Emily cross paths and things are never the same.

This story was a little busy for me. I don’t love a spy story with a lot of secrets. If you do not mind these things, you will enjoy this book.

I thought the chemistry was good, but the story itself wasn’t for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Never Blow A Kiss is an excellent start to a new series about a secret society of spies who also work as governesses. Just that description alone had me on board. The fact that it is a historical romance was just icing on the cake. Which leads me to finally learning something about myself: my favorite historical romances are the ones where they are solving mysteries. I will automatically be interested. Lovise has started a new series that is gonna be perfect for fans of Manda Collins, Evie Dunmore, and Erica Ridley.

Emily is a governess with a ridiculously sordid past who is recruited by a mysterious woman to work as a spy while governess-ing to solve the murders of what seems to be a new serial killer. Zach Denholm is on the police force leading the investigation for the same murders. When they meet at a ball after Emily pokes fun at Denholm and the women who are obviously throwing themselves at him for marriage, Denholm is immediately smitten, and the two end up being thrown together in multiple coincidental situations.

There are like, 3 or 4 little subplots going on, which I found wonderful. It wasn't convoluted and I enjoyed the story the entire time. Emily is a fun character, and the world that is set up here will be a fun and interesting one to revisit! Plus, I want to know more about "the Dove," AKA the mysterious ringleader of the governess spies!

Thanks to Netgalley and Forever Publishing for the e-ARC!

This exciting spy-drama/murder-mystery romance gripped me right from the start and it was difficult to put down.

Zach was this charming combination of sweet and a bit naïve, but also confident and highly successful. And once he decided to commit to Emily, he focused a lot of attention and energy on convincing her that he was worth the risk. Emily was understandably wary of trusting anyone, let alone Zach. She had to overcome so many hurdles to reach her current position, it made complete sense that she was very protective of it. And when her colourful past caught up with her, Zach was able to accept most of it. I think the mistakes they both made just emphasized the fact that sometimes their fears got the better of them. Zach had to find a way to reconcile his feelings for Emily with his sense of right and wrong related to his job as policeman. I liked the way their relationship developed, especially as Emily became more involved in Zach’s investigation.

At times the scenes with Mrs. Hill and her daughters felt a bit unnecessary. And that ending was completely unexpected. I liked The Dove and her collection of spying governesses, but they made far too few appearances. This definitely has a lot of potential for future books and I am looking forward to seeing it unfold.

I can highly recommend this if you like steamy historical romances with some mystery and intrigue.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Spies and lies and governesses...

I really liked the premise. It was clever to get a gang of governesses to spy on the ton.
That said, it did get slow and did deal with some pretty shady subjects.
Emma is a governess with secrets, one of which is that she's a spy. Great.
Zach intrigued by her. She's more streetwise and down for the steamy times.
Recommend.

A historical romance full of mystery, shenanigans, and so much more. Sadly, I don't think it was the right time for me to read this book. I loved both the leading lady and leading man and the mystery was fun...but it was starting to feel really drawn out. Both the idea of a relationship between the two and the big mystery they were both working towards sorting out...I ended up putting it down at the 65% mark...hoping to pick it back up in the future when I'm more in a historical mood. 🤞🏽

Holy cow! This book is FABULOUS and something I will be reading again and again.

One of the many things that I love about reading is coming across books that have the ability to blow my mind and have me obsessing over the world and characters that exist between their covers. Never Blow a Kiss is one of those books that rocked my bookworm world. I figured I would enjoy Lindsay's debut novel, but never in my wildest dreams did I expect to fall so in love with the story and characters that she has created. As you can see, I really enjoyed this book, LOL. I adored so many things about this story: its romance, this sense of mystery woven throughout the plot, and characters that are fun and complex. Never Blow a Kiss is the first book in a new series that is centred on this network of spies, who all just happen to be governesses. They are led by this mysterious woman called The Dove. Their mission is to bring to justice the upper-class men and women who think they are above the law.

Gosh, this book gave me all sorts of delightful feelings. I love the premise of the story. It was the reason why I requested this book on NetGalley. There aren't too many Regency romances out there with a decent and unpredictable mystery component to them. This book surprised me with three really great mystery secondary stories. The first is centred around a serial killer who is on the loose in London. This killer is murdering prostitutes, and the local law enforcement has no clue who the killer is. The second mystery is about Emily and her past. Throughout the story, she alludes to this dark secret that has been haunting her, which makes her hesitant to have a romantic future with Zach. The third mystery surrounds The Dove, the woman who is in charge of this spy network. These mysteries were all well thought out, kept me guessing, and, at times, at the edge of my seat. Lindsay did a brilliant job incorporating these mysteries with the love story she was telling. Neither the romance nor mystery aspects clashed with each other. They both worked beautifully together to help move the story along in a really entertaining way. The plot and all its details were well thought out. Lindsay leaves one mystery unsolved, which is the identity of The Dove, which is a great way to hook readers in and have them wanting to read the next book in the series.

The characters are amazing. Every character in this book added something to the story, whether drama, humour, or hooking readers in for future books. I loved Emily right from the moment I met her. She is street-smart, sassy, and knows how to take care of herself. I also loved the fact that she has impulse control issues because it often gets her into steamy and funny situations with Zach. What I also loved about her and Zach's characters was that there was this role reversal in the sense that usually, it's the hero who is a mystery, and we spend the story peeling back those layers to learn more about the hero. In this book, Zach is an open book; there are no secrets, and he isn't hiding anything from Emily or the world. We know who he is right from the ghetto. But Emily and her past are a mystery to us. As the story progresses, those walls Emily has built slowly come down, and we begin to learn about her. This story is told from Emily and Zach's POVs, which I loved. It's always great seeing inside the MC's heads and watching that internal struggle happen. I am a sucker for those moments in romances where a character's world is rocked, and they have no idea how to deal with these strong new emotions that they are feeling.

The romance was chef-kiss perfection. I devoured the banter between Zach and Emily. It was witty, fun, and, at times, very spicy. I always adore it when a hero gives the heroine a nickname, and the name that Zach gave Emily was perfect. There are plenty of delicious tropes found in this romance. You have forbidden love, dark secrets, slow burn, and insta-lust. Right from the moment Zach and Emily spotted each other from across the ballroom, the attraction they felt for one another was hard to ignore. Every interaction between Zach and Emily was delightful and addictive. There was this sense of playfulness in their interactions that really made me happy. If you like your Regency romances on the more spicy side, this book will be right up your alley. There are plenty of intimate moments between these two that are sure to get your heart racing.

Never Blow a Kiss is a dazzling and captivating romance and a great start to what is sure to be a fabulous series.

Rating: 2.5 Stars

CW: murder; domestic abuse; physical abuse; spousal rape; sexual assault; infidelity

I hate when a book you were super excited for turns out to be just okay. Unfortunately, that’s what happened with Never Blow a Kiss. This book was such a letdown for me, and I’ve been dreading writing my review since I finished reading it a few days ago. It just didn’t live up to what I thought it would be.

My reading journey with this was a mixed bag of emotions. I struggled to vibe with it early on, even though there was nothing I could pinpoint as to why. At first, I thought it was just me not being in the right mood for it, but as the story went on, it became clear that certain parts of it didn’t work for me.

First, I feel some of the marketing around the book was a bit misleading. I initially added it to my TBR because it was described as having Miss Scarlet and the Duke vibes, but it didn’t give that vibe off to me AT ALL. In my book, Miss Scarlet and the Duke is the pinnacle of slow-burn detective romances, but Never Blow a Kiss was more in the instant love category, with very little actual sleuthing. This book also felt like it was trying to be a bit like Sarah MacLean’s Hell’s Belles series with its secret society of governesses determined to spy on the ton to bring justice to those frequently held to a different standard, but it was missing the strong female friendships and characters that MacLean’s series has.

This book leans hard into the spy/detective plot in its marketing, but it felt like an afterthought in the book. While there is a serial killer called the Evangelist on the loose, both Zach and Emily barely put in any effort to find the killer. Like he abandoned his stake-out duties to hang out with her and I was just like, what? Midway through, I even forgot about the murder mystery plotline as I focused more on Emily and her Big Secret (capitalization of phrase courtesy of the book). The Emily’s Big Secret storyline overshadowed all other storylines, making me feel like I was sold the wrong story based on the blurb and marketing. There were also a lot of other miscellaneous subplots, including the framing device of The Dove’s collection of governess spies and the whole plot involving Mrs. Hill trying to trap Zach into marriage, that didn’t add much to the story.

Speaking of The Dove and her collection of governess spies, I wanted to see more of that as there was so much potential! We never really see the organization of spies, and Emily barely interacts with other characters outside of Zach. I would have loved to see her working with a collection of other governess spies to bring justice to the ton, but we barely see Emily talking to any other female characters besides small interactions with the Dove and another random governess named Frankie Turner. I wanted more female friendships and interaction.

On the romance front, I was expecting a totally different kind of story. I thought this would be a slow-burn romance – my favorite, especially when tied to a mystery plot. But, this book was very much insta-love. Ugh, I was so disappointed by the lack of development in the romance. Don’t get me wrong, there was chemistry between Zach and Emily, but they had three interactions before one thought, “I love you,” and I couldn’t help but think YOU BARELY KNOW EACH OTHER. I wanted more tension, more deep conversations, more build-up. They kissed very early (their second meeting), which didn’t do it for me. I also really did not like the nickname Zach gave Emily. It is supposed to be cute as it ties into their first meeting, but every time I saw “Noodles’ ‘ I cringed a bit. There is also the Big Secret of Emily’s hanging over this romance, and, of course, Emily doesn’t tell Zach when she has the opportunity to, so it blows up into a big deal right at the end of the book.

This book’s characters didn’t do it for me, either. Both Zach and Emily felt very two-dimensional to me. I liked Emily and admired everything she’s gone through to get to where she is today – she’s got grit, intelligence, and determination. But something was missing to make me click with her. Zach, on the other hand, felt very flat to me. His character had so much potential – he’s an ex-soldier turned railroad magnate who works as a detective because he loves the work! – but everything felt very surface level. I wanted to know about his backstory and what drives him to feel a real connection with him. I also hated that the gist of his detective work was just sensing things.

The writing in this was a bit hit or miss. I loved the epistolary elements in the story – they were super cute, and I felt those were the only times we got to see Zach and Emily’s playful, flirty side come out. That helped give this story a bit of a lighter, cutesy vibe to balance out some of the heavier elements of the plot. The chemistry between Zach and Emily was also great – I did feel like they had a major attraction. But there were also times when some awkward, modern phrases, like “cramping her style” (a phrase which didn’t become popular until the early 1900s) or it’s 90 degrees outside, would make their way in that took me out of the story a little bit.

The pacing also felt uneven throughout the story. There were a ton of loose ends at the 90% mark that still needed to be wrapped up, so the end felt rushed, without a satisfying conclusion. Certain storylines were given a lot more weight than others, and some that felt like they should have been more important were brushed aside, making things feel unbalanced.

Despite all this, I don’t think this is a bad book. If I set aside my expectations for it, I think there is an enjoyable story here, especially for those new to the historical romance genre. Lindsay Lovise is also a debut author, and I feel she has a lot of potential! Some plotlines and characters are being set up for book 2 that I’m intrigued by, so I’m curious to see what she does with them.

Ultimately, this book was a case of mismarketing, which set false expectations of the type of story we would get. I wanted so much more than what the story delivered! If I set my expectations aside, this would be a decent historical romance with some mystery elements. It wouldn’t be my all-time favorite, but it would be a solid read. I know a ton of readers absolutely loved this story, so give it a go if it seems interesting to you!

Thank you to Forever/Netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts, ideas, and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

In this debut historical romance, Lindsay Lovise introduces a new series, The Secret Society of Governess Spies. Emily is a governess hiding her identity when she is recruited by the Dove to also be a spy. Zach is a wealthy police detective searching for a serial killer and is immediately intrigued by Emily in a chance meeting.

The book featured fascinating characters, both of whom have moved up in the world and question class boundaries. I also loved that Emily can hold her own with pickpockets and in a fight. I'm always a fan of strong women. Taken together, this was a neat romance that raised interesting questions about history.

I quite enjoyed the efforts to solve the murders. But I would have loved a bit more of the secret society as well. Though the spy society gets introduced, it felt much of the detective work was more focused on the police in this book.

I think Lovise will be a great new voice in historical romance. She sets the stage for a new series and great mastermind, the Dove. So I am excited for more from her and specifically more focusing on governess spies I am hoping Frankie's book is next; she's a mathematician who seems likely to do really neat spy work.

Never Blow a Kiss is the kind of historical romance I love! Witty banter, spunky heroine, swoony hero, and maaaaajorly romantic. It’s also got an underlying mystery and suspense, which I love and rarely see in historical romance. Lisa Kleypas does this in some of her books and I LOVE these aspects of her stories, so I am always looking for more historical romance novels that incorporate mystery.

I loved Emily. What a heroine to root for! She’s had to fight against so much opposition and so many obstacles in her life to get herself to where she is today. She’s worked so hard to not be defined by her past and to climb out from under the pile of garbage dumped on her as a child. She’s strong, plucky, independent, smart, and very sweet. She’s so cute with children she’s hired to take care of. Zach is also on the outskirts of society, but is respected because of his money. He doesn’t have to work, but does because he wants to be useful. So he works for the Metropolitan Police. I loved his strong, protective ways, and I also loved that he let Emily shine on her own. He knows she can take care of herself and he values and cherishes every part of her and where she came from. The romance between the two of them happens very quickly, but it felt so believable and realistic. I loved their flirting and their gentle ribbing of one another. Zach calls her Noodles, and I think it’s the cutest pet name. They have such a playful relationship that is also deep and meaningful. When they open up to one another about their pasts and can empathize and offer comfort and support to one another I did a chef’s kiss in my mind. Oh, and did I mention that he falls first and is a total puddle around her? Perfection.

The serial killer plot line kept me so interested. A person the press calls the Evangelist is murdering prostitutes, and there are some intense, action-filled scenes sprinkled throughout the book related to this story. Zach and Emily are both working to catch this killer, although he doesn’t know how invested she actually is. When she’s recruited to this secret society of governess spies by a woman known only as The Dove, she’s instructed to pay attention to any talk that might lead to catching this killer. The Dove is an anonymous informant who has used the information her governesses send her to help the police solve crimes. I am so interested in who this woman is, and hope that we learn more about her in future books in this series. We also meet another governess named Frankie, who is extremely smart, and I am pretty positive she will be recruited and be the main character in the next book. I’m very excited about that possibility.

Lindsay Lovise’s writing is lovely! Her descriptions are rich and placed me right in the middle of those Mayfair streets. The steamy scenes were sultry and romantic without being too much. The light banter balanced out the darkness of the Evangelist, and I couldn’t stop reading once I got invested. The ending surprised me! I had no idea who the killed was! The author has set this up to be such a fun and exciting series and I can’t wait to see where it goes!

This book has a ton of stuff I love, so I thought I'd like the book more than I did. I am not a stickler for historical accuracy (e.g. I will take a non-racist MC any day over a more "accurate" bigot), but unfortunately I never felt that HistRom "magic" here.

I liked:

It's a historical romance with a touch of mystery;
The starchy MMC lawman reckoning with his place in police bureaucracy;
The FMC with a shadowy past and a job spying on the ton.

I was more meh on:

The modern idioms peppering all of the dialogue;
The extremely quick progression of their relationship with no regard for social approbation;
The framing story of "The Dove," the FMC's spymaster (spy mistress?).

I think this might work better for someone new to historical romance and its conventions.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

OMGoodness! I have found a great new author to add to my ‘must-read’ list. This, her debut book, has romance, sacrifice, murder, intrigue, passion, and a unique premise along with a to-die-for HEA and an Epilogue. In books, we often see groups of men banded together for a common goal – but rarely do we see women band together. That is the reason this book's premise is unique. Just picture it. Nearly every ton household has a governess for their children. Now, what if all of those governesses were gathering information – not just about the families they serve, but all of the ton – and then passing that information along to a central repository known as The Dove? That information is sifted through, patterns are discovered, and anonymous tips arrive at the new Metropolitan Police headquarters – thus bringing justice to those in the higher echelons who are normally immune. What a unique and great idea.

Emily Leverton is a terrible governess – and she knows it – but her charges all seem to love her. Why is Emily a terrible governess? Well, because she is not who she says she is and has never, ever, been exposed to embroidery, watercolors, or any of the other genteel things a lady of the governess class would have learned. Because she is not of that class. She is the base-born daughter of a marquess and her mother is a prostitute as is her younger sister. Emily wanted more – she wanted safety, gentility, and respectability. Not money, though it would help. She worked hard to put a horrid past behind her and learn to speak and act properly. Then, she forged a reference that got her the job of governess to a rural, gently impoverished family. It also brought her to the notice of The Dove who offered to send her to the most prestigious governess school in England and ensure she had good job offerings. All she had to do was accept the offer and agree to provide information she might pick up to The Dove who would also be paying her as well as the family for whom she was working. Win-win!

Mr. Zachariah (Zach) Denholm is a self-made man in every sense of the word. He was born in the slums of Whitechapel to a butcher who couldn’t even afford to feed his family the meats he sold to his customers. Zach and his family knew poverty and deprivation – but he left that all behind. He is now one of the richest (perhaps the richest) men in England and even the ton grudgingly accepts him. Never one to be idle, he spends his time working at the New Metropolitan Police – without pay, of course. He is a puzzle solver and cannot leave a puzzle unsolved if he comes across it – and he has a huge one now. He is in charge of finding The Evangelist who has been murdering prostitutes.

I loved Emily and Zach separately, but together, OMGoodness – they were wonderful. She was saucy, intelligent, determined, and secretive. He was witty, determined, intelligent, and resourceful. Yes, they were made for each other.

I loved this new author’s writing style and cannot wait to read her next addition to this series – Never Gamble Your Heart coming out in February of next year. I haven’t seen a blurb on it yet, but I’m sure it will feature Frankie Turner a governess we met in this book. I like her already! The author also has a paranormal releasing this fall if you like those.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Emily Leverton has been hiding from her past quite successfully and is working as a respectable Governess when she is recruited to join a secret network of Governess spies. Meanwhile, Zach is living as a new member of the upperclass, as he is an ex-soldier who invested well, though his true passion includes hunting criminals for the London police. While avoiding the eager-eyed mothers of the Ton, Zach spies Emily, and the two begin a fast friendship that weaves a working relationship with a romance of two people straddling two worlds.

I love a romance with a bit of a mystery and this one includes a thrilling climax! Some elements seemed a little over the top or too convenient, but I enjoy seeing characters in a historical romance who aren’t exclusively members of the upperclass. At a certain point I was just ready to see them open up and be honest, both about past secrets and feelings, but we got there eventually. Emily is smart and sassy, Zach is measured and determined, and they make a great team to follow in this dual POV story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the opportunity to read and review this book!