My first Virginia Heath read. Historical romance is one of my favorite genres and this book didn’t disappoint! It was funny and whitty but also emotional and sweet. I really enjoyed it and want to read the rest of the series!

All's Fair In Love and War by Virginia Heath is a regency romance that is sweet, humorous in some places, and endearing.

Georgina is a protégé of Miss Prentice school for governess and Harry, is in urgent need of governess for his nephew and nieces. Both Georgina and Harry have reasons not to pursue a romance with each other, but all's fair in love and war.

This story was endearing in so many places. The children and their relationship with both their uncle and Georgina was the highlight of this book. I loved reading this story and look forward to the second book of the series.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press, for this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Virginia Heath for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for All's Fair in Love and War coming out May 28, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I’ve read several books by this author. I really love her writing. She always has fun historical romances. I really enjoyed this story. It felt a little like Jane Eyre with Georgie’s backstory. I thought she was an interesting character. Harry was also fun and well-rounded. The only I didn’t really care for was around 75% of the book. It always seems like the couples in regency romances get into a big fight after they’ve spent the night together. I’m not really a fan of that trope. But overall, I loved it and I’m definitely excited for more books in the series.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys regency romances!

Georgie grew up as an army brat, constantly on edge from the frequent moves and rigid and exacting rules of her stepfather. As such her teaching/ governess style is a bit unorthodox but everything she always dreamed her childhood would be, to bad no one wants to hire her to test her theories. Harry is Georgie’s opposite. Having grown up with slightly bohemian parents he seemed to revel in the standards and routines of the navy (except for that one time anyway). Having his sister suddenly thrust her “little monsters” in his care is the last thing Harry needs, especially now so he hires Georgie with speedy expediency, not realizing their opposite views on life. But as the saying goes, “opposites attract.” Georgie and Harry truly are night and day in character from each other but their love and support of the “terrible trio” unite them. I’ll admit at first I thought Harry was stuffy and a bit insufferable but his heart is in the right place and you soon see he is a “good egg”. Georgie is quite modern in her thoughts and deeds and definitely is not your typical demure historical miss. The humor, especially involving situations with the kids, is definitely high in this book, but the heat is quite low, as both Georgie and Harry don’t really seem to like each other for more than half the book. Still it is a nice quick summer read (I just wish there was a bit more simmering between the two.) 4 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. All thoughts are my own.

Title: All's Fair in Love and War (Miss Prentice's Protegees, Book #1)

Release date: 5/28/24, read 5/24/24

Author: Virginia Heath-I read Never Wager with a Wallflower (The Merriwell Sisters #3) and gave it 5*

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Format: e-ARC

Page Count: 380

POV: both h&H Georgie and Harry

Setting: England

Genre: Historical Romance

Tropes: opposites attract, enemies to lovers, slow burn, employer/employee, strict military stepfather/H''s grandfather

Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Source: Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC🩷 ! I voluntarily give an honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Quick summary: Georgie needs a job as a governess, but interviews badly because she can't bite her tongue. As one of Ms. Prentice's mentees she was handpicked to go to her school, without a dowry or any connections to the ton. Her mother passed when she was a child, and her strict military stepfather the Colonel wanted to unburden himself of her. Harry's flighty sister Flora leaves her 3 kids with him along with their dog Norbert. He's a Captain looking to get promoted to Admiral, and has no clue what to do with kids. Desperate, he takes on Georgie as governess.

🎭Characters: Main and Minor
Georgina "Georgie" Rowe- 23. was send to Ms. P's school at 16 by stepfather. She hates pointless rules, injustice, rebellious, and has independent thought
Henry "Harry" Kincaid-30, Captain who works at the Admiralty & wants a promotion to follow in his grandfather's footsteps.
Charlotte, Portia, and Kitty- Georgie's BFFs and were Ms. P's students
Ms. Prentice-proprietor and benefactor of her own school for young women to become governesses
Flora Pendleton-Harry's sister
Felix 10, Marianne 9, and Grace 5- Flora's kids
Elizabeth-Harry's ex-fiancée 4 years ago who reappears

Review: I had so many laugh out loud moments with Harry, Georgie, the kids, and the dog's hijinks. Harry has a hilarious wardrobe malfunction that Georgie tries to help with. There's also the dog Norbert and his "son." Georgie and Harry are attracted to each other but it's a battle of wits, until Harry couldn't take it anymore. I loved the passion between them and how Georgie finds a home and found family.

Harry falls first and falls madly in love with the tempting siren of a governess that he is forced to hire when his adventurous sister takes off for a few months and leaves her children behind with her brother and the children's favorite (and only) uncle. 

If you adore slow burn, opposites attract, and forced proximity where both characters take on the traits of grumpy-sunshine, then please give this one a read!

Heath has quickly become one of my favorite writers for historical romance, as I've previously read her other series (The Merriwell Sisters) and fell in love with the way she writes her characters and the banter between them, and I cannot wait to see where she takes this new series!

My only complaint is that there is a part of the story that, in my opinion, seems unnecessary, which is the formal navy ball Harry takes Georgie to, as well as the interaction with Harry's ex-fiancée Elizabeth. In the end, I found the rest of it enjoyable, even with the slow start we're given. 

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺.

I just love well-written Regency romances, especially when they are part of a series because we get to meet wonderful characters, revisit wonderful characters and try to predict what will happen to those wonderful characters. And all of that is just so much fun.

Both Georgie Rowe and Harry Kincaid had difficult childhoods that molded them into the adults they now are. Georgie’s childhood was rigid and she was sad and miserable almost every day until she managed to get away. Harry’s childhood was unstructured and chaotic until his grandfather – better known, always known, as The Admiral – stepped in. Their responses to their childhoods left them with radically different approaches to life. Georgie is all for natural, go-with-the-flow, and children should be seen AND heard. Harry firmly believes rules are what save you from disaster, make you successful; everyone must behave well and there is no coloring outside the lines.

So of course when these two opposites get together we know we are in for some hilarious head-butting – and naturally some unwanted, impossible-to-ignore attraction and seriously steamy thoughts (and actions – think about ‘shore leave.’). The restrictions and confines of the Regency ton add to the magic. And the empathy and understanding about those hard-to-survive childhoods make your heart swoon.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Publishing Group for providing an advance copy of All’s Fair in Love and War via NetGalley. It was a wonderful read: romantic, funny, sometimes a little sad, and with just enough suspense to keep you flipping pages. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait to see who’s up next in this series. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

All's Fair in Love and War is a cute start to a new regency romance series. The pace was a bit slow at times, but then felt rushed in others. But it wasn't so bad that I didn't enjoy the story overall. The two MCs are charming together, with opposite attract and forced proximity as the main tropes. The Sound of Music vibes with the governess & naval captain falling for each other. Overall a fun historical romcom!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I'm a huge fan of spunky and spirited female MCs and Georgie fit this bill to a tee. Harry was a good male MC foil for her. Harry's nieces and nephew were adorable and Norbert was one of a kind. Everyone needs a Norbert in their life to keep them honest and on their toes. This is a fantastic regency romance, and I highly recommend reading this one!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy, and I give my review freely.

This was my first Virginia Heath book and it was enjoyable! The slow burn was very slow but I enjoyed getting to know the characters and seeing the relationships develop. The banter was cute and I found myself giggling a couple times. The story was a bit slower than I would have liked but it was still an enjoyable story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Are you a lover of Regency romances? Would your day be enhanced by a frothy and fun read? If yes, take a look at this first title in a new series by Virginia Heath.

The premise is that a rather uptight uncle and employee of the Admiralty has suddenly become responsible for his sister’s three children, said sister being off on an adventure of her own. Needless to say he does not relish the responsibility and is not perhaps fully capable either. So…he hires someone to do the job.

The children will like her very much. Will he? You may know but the fun will be in getting there. Watch Harry (he) and Georgie (she) as they come together.

Recommended to those who are fans of this genre and those who want to try it out. Many will be eager for the next installment.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press-St. Martin’s Griffin for this title. All opinions are my own.

I do love Virginia Heath and "All's Fair in Love and War" is an excellent example as to why. An unconventional governess and a staid military man make an unlikely yet somehow adorable pair. FMC Georgie is brought in to help MMC Harry temporarily care for his bohemian sister's children. He expects her to enact a strict schedule and hours of dour teaching. She instead eschews the clock and allows for chaos - and true learning - to ensue. Despite Georgie's severe dislike of military men and Harry's dislike of anything not rule-based, the pair find themselves attracted, physically and emotionally.

Both Georgie and Harry are on voyages of self-discovery that enable them to find each other. Both are struggling to let go of ghosts from their pasts and both are trying to figure out the next right step. They do so in a love story that is funny and touching, with mild spice and a fantastic cast of secondary characters. I look forward to the next book in this series.

4 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and SMP for a complimentary copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

All’s Fair in Love and War is Virginia Heath’s first book in her new ‘Miss Prentice’s Protegees’ series and if this book is any indication, the entire series is going to be a winner! Miss Prentice is known for selecting girls and turning them into excellent governesses. Well, most of them anyway . . .

Georgie Rowe was unceremoniously left of the steps of Miss Prentice’s School for Girls. On her 16th birthday, her stepfather, who in a nutshell seemed like an uncaring pompous ass, deemed it was time she grew up and learned a skill. On the bright side it was also the day she met her first friends Lottie, Portia, and Kitty. And she learned the Four-Ds she would attempt to live by: duty, decorum, diligence, and discretion. These four women are the best of friends and quite a hoot! Although Georgie was Miss Prentice’s best student and became an excellent teacher, after graduating, Georgie was rejected from 36 interviews. She tried to do well, but usually ended up speaking her mind to the Lady of the house.

Captain Harry Kincaid is suddenly the guardian of his sister’s three unruly children and rather large dog. She and her husband left on “an adventure” and left Harry in charge. In desperation, Harry goes to Miss Prentice’s School ready to pay for a governess who can bring control to the chaos at his house. Miss Prentice chooses Georgie knowing this is probably her last chance at a job.

Harry and Georgie are definitely a case of opposites attract! Georgie radiates “get lost” and at first was prickly, sarcastic, standoffish, disdainful – everything he should not be attracted to. But he is! He is a naval captain who is strictly by the books, and she believes in teaching how children learn best. Harry couldn’t understand why his “shipshape” classroom would set Georgie on edge. Can they navigate to find a happy medium? Or are they bound to be at odds and end up ship-wrecked?

I loved the children’s introductions. They were so genuine! And Grace explaining about the tooth necklace and bug bracelet – who wouldn’t want those as gifts?? I was laughing out loud at Georgie and her friends’ reactions when they came across Harry and the children at Gunter’s. Brilliant!! And the poor frog when Norbert was getting his bath!

This cute, heartwarming, slow-burning Rom-Com comes with lots of love, adorable children, an overgrown clumsy dog (and a puppy who becomes his sidekick), just the right amount of angst, and plenty of laughs. I can’t wait to read more about Georgie’s wonderful friends and their experiences. Thank you to Virginia Heath, St. Martin’s Publishing, and NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy. I voluntarily read the story and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

*I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

A very fun regency romp! This is a promising start to Heath's new "Miss Prentice's Protegees" series. At times I did feel like the packing was off, and the end was rushed, but it sets things up very nicely for future books. Definitely a good read for fans of historical romance who are looking for a little fun in their stories!

I was thoroughly charmed by this first book in Virginia Heath's new historical romcom series. I love a slow-burn, adversaries-to-lovers, opposites-attract story. Throw in witty banter, high energy kids, a goofy lummox of a dog, and a couple perfectly matched - even if they are the last ones to figure that out - and I was more than eager to hitch a ride.

I love the balance of humor and emotion in Heath's books, facets that are on full display in this one. The characters are well developed, with complex layers, even the children. I enjoyed how the children are used to slowly unveil those layers, helping Harry and Georgie both begin to see that there is more to one another than first impressions may have indicated. I found myself laughing out loud many times during the story while also appreciating the depth of feelings that float to the surface, especially as the time nears for life-changing decisions to be made...and Harry makes a right mess of it.

As for the grand gesture? Well that elicited both laughter and tears (happy ones), a fitting conclusion for this couple, their extended family, and Georgie's best friend, who I hope we'll be seeing much more of in the next book of this series.

4.5 stars
ARC received from publisher via NetGalley
Fair and unbiased review

I'm a big fan of Virginia Heath and her Regency romcoms, including The Merriwell Sisters trilogy, and I always look forward to her new releases. All's Fair in Love and War was definitely worth the wait! I had to put all my chores on hold as I just couldn't put the book down.

The plot appeared quite straightforward (a young bachelor in a desperate need for someone to help him cope with his three incredibly unruly (but secretly adorable!) nephews and nieces meets a charmingly outspoken, feisty young governess, sparks fly, and after lots of banter and a reasonable amount of time they realise their first impressions weren't exactly right and this wonderful attraction isn't something to fear and resist, but quite the opposite. Sounds simple, and yet, the story and the characters felt refreshingly original, entertaining, and relatable.

If you are a parent/grandparent/uncle/aunt or a childcarerer, you will recognise the familiar dilemma and precarious balance of stimulating children's creativity and curiosity and ensuring they have a safe routine. Georgie, our female protagonist, is a wonderful teacher, committed to learning what her little charges are interested in and bringing the best in them. She clearly loves her job and isn't afraid of any challenge. Captain Harry Kincaid seems to be her opposite (of course, we see pretty soon how deceptive this strict facade is). Harry's desire to lead an orderly life stems from his difficult childhood and is a sign of being a responsible and loving person. You can't help falling in love with these two main characters and rooting for them. Strangely enough, for once, I could easily envisage the protagonists making different choices and never becoming a couple. Their lives would have been full of Miss Prentice's four D (duty, decorum, diligence, and discretion) and maybe they would have even been content, but happy? They obviously needed each other for that!
You can probably tell I had such a great time with the book- 5 stars from me, for sure! If you are looking for a happy, joyful, entertaining read, don't miss this first instalment in Virginia Heath's new series Miss Prentice's proteges. Looking forward to reading the next one!

This is a delightful historical romance, where you have two enemies who reluctantly must get together. There is banter, and I love the setting, and all of the characters are interesting. Really fun book to read when you want a light historical romance.

Charmed is an understatement. This book encapsulates everything I want from a rom com and the fact that it was a historical romance was the most delicious cherry on top for me.

Georgie is an unconventional governess tasked with caring for the three Machiavellian nieces and nephew of by the books Naval Captain Harry. He’s immediately enamored with her, and her fiery red hair, but that simply won’t do because he has a warship to prepare.

What follows is Pride & Prejudice meets The Sound of Music in this positively delightful romp where these opposites slowly, and I mean slowly, come to terms with the fact that they are actually perfect for each other.

This had the perfect mixture of romance and comedic elements. While children and animals are often a detriment to me in a romance novel these children, and that scabrous bag of fleas Norbert, had me falling for them just as hard as I fell for Georgie & Harry.

Absolutely loved this book. I’ll be buying myself a trophy copy for my shelves. This was such a breath of fresh air.

Tropes Include
🩷 Regency Romance
💛 Enemies to Lovers
🩷 Forced Proximity
💛 Slow Burn
🩷 Opposites Attract
💛 One Boat (!!)
🩷 Found Family

Thank you so much to St Martins Press, SMP Romance, and NetGalley for the ARC.

I’m not sure if it’s ever taken me as long to read a book as this one. I picked up an ARC copy from NetGalley. I was intrigued by the synopsis of the book. I have never read this author before so I was not sure what to expect. The story started out fine, learning the characters and their backgrounds. Georgie was forced to grow up quickly and stand on her own. She learned well and was bound to make a wonderful governance. Unfortunately, when she opened her mouth, she stuck her foot in it every time, so after numerous attempts to be hired, she failed. Then one day when a desperate Naval Captain was in search of a governess for his nieces and nephew, that had been dropped off at his door. Georgie had finally landed her first job. I was really getting into the story at this point in the game. A much too grumpy Harry was obviously miserable with his life. He took out his frustrations on Georgie. She could not do anything correctly in his eyes. There were some witty and enjoyable moments throughout the book, but it just started to drag. Unfortunately, for this reader, I am a closed door enthusiast, and this book is definitely open door. The more you read the wider the door opens. That’s what ultimately turned me off. I’m giving it three stars for the storyline and some of the witty banter. I hope that the Author made some major changes before the final product hit the press I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Something about this book did not connect with me, I really struggled to attached to the main couple as they were rarely in the same room for the first 50% of the book, and when they were Georgie was terrified of Harry and his reactions to her teaching. It felt like forever until her feelings were changed, and even then it was another 20% until we saw much of anything. The final 20% was fun, had a lot of pining, some spice, some drama, and more that I enjoyed, but not enough to override the slow pacing of the first half of the book!

I'm not sure if I will continue the series, but I have loved this author in the past, so I likely will continue to read them!