Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc of this book. all opinions are my own.

I will post my full review once SMP address the insensitive comments of their employee.

All's Fair in Love and War is the first delightful book in Virginia Heath's Regency historical series Miss Prentice's Protégés. I really enjoyed her previous series, The Merriwell Sisters, so I was eager to sink my teeth into this one. This book made me think of The Sound of Music, except here we had a grumpy uncle as opposed to a grumpy father. Well, and no singing. I absolutely loved all of the characters. My only reason for withholding one star was the overabundance of internal dialogue. Besides that, I was charmed.

Former Royal Navy Captain Henry Kincaid is busy working for the Admiralty, trying to get their newest flagship ready to sail. One thing he doesn't have time for is his flighty sister dropping off her three - let's call them lively - children while she and her husband sail to Egypt. And let's not forget their huge nutty dog Norbert, as if the children weren't enough! Harry knows he must keep his household running in an organized manner, so he goes to hire an emergency governess from Miss Prentice’s School for Girls. He'll pay whatever it takes to ensure order.. Governess Georgina Rowe had a miserable military upbringing as a child, so she believes childhood should be filled with fun, discovery and adventure. The children are all-in for this kind of learning. Uncle Harry? Not so much.

This was a fun, character-driven romp of a story. Harry is my newest book boyfriend; I just adored him! His grandfather, a Naval man himself, was a huge influence, not necessarily a good one, on his grandson. After losing his fiancee, Harry's entire life revolved around first the Royal Navy, and then the Admiralty as a problem solver. He was a stickler for organization; the man even wore two pocket watches! Before Georgie started as governess, Harry organized the classroom for her and the children. Everything was just so (until Georgie "fixed" it). He appeared quite staid, but it was obvious he adored his nieces and nephew. He spoiled them rotten, as the little Machiavellians, as he called them, knew just how to blackmail treats and presents from him. Georgie was also a fun, endearing character. She was a highly trained governess without a post, as she was a bit too opinionated when being interviewed by potential employers. She didn't like injustice, which brought out her inner Joan of Arc. When she was "interviewed" by Harry, she was told to keep her mouth closed by Miss Prentice, who did all the talking. Georgie's mother died when she was very young, leaving her with a stern and uncaring military stepfather. Therefore, Harry's Naval bearing and being a stickler for rules just rubbed her wrong. As she saw his love for his charges, she became more attracted to the tall, dark, handsome and aggravating man. Georgie herself was "compact" with wild orange hair. When she saw Harry looking at her oddly, she assumed he found her offensive to look at; in reality, he thought she was a beautiful siren! Their attraction kept growing, though they attempted to keep things professional. Most of their physical connections were sweet; when they finally let themselves go, there were some fiery moments. I found both leads adorably sweet and funny. The children were adorable, the manipulative little darlings! They knew how to play their loving uncle, that's for sure. Felix, at 10, was the oldest. He loved insects and cricket and hated mathematics. Marianne was 9 and fancied herself a ballerina and opera singer; she could be a little drama queen. The youngest, Grace, was 5. She had boundless energy and was always bumping into furniture and running into things. They thought they could manipulate Georgie, but soon learned otherwise. Other characters were also entertaining, especially Simpkins (who worked for Harry in the Navy and then as his butler) and Ada and Tom (employees of Harry's sister) who were charming. Of course, huge hound Norbert was the star of the show...until Cuthbert, Norbert's son, came into the picture! I laughed during most of the book, but the last quarter I spent in tears. We met two friends of Georgie's who were also governesses, so I'm looking forward to reading their stories, too.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

All’s Fair in Love and War is a delightful and fun Regency romance.

I love Virginia’s books, so I was incredibly excited to learn she was writing another Regency series. This book was an absolute delight to read, and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series. Now, I must warn those bookworms that if you don’t like your romances to have kids and animals in them, you should definitely give this book a pass. Harry’s nieces and nephews and Norbert, their troublemaker dog, play a prominent role in this story. I loved Harry’s nieces and nephews. They are mischievous, and their childlike excitement for all things is rather addictive. I adored how they had their Uncle Harry wrapped around their fingers. Norbert was the perfect comic relief, and anyone who owns a pet that has a larger-than-life personality will enjoy Norbert’s antics. There is definitely a lightness to this story. There are plenty of fun and dramatic antics taking place. Humour is woven throughout the story in such a way that one cannot help but be entertained. I loved it.

There isn’t a whole heck of a lot of high-society drama or matchmaking in this book. The story focuses on Georgia and Harry and their interactions with each other as they care for Harry’s nieces and nephews. I really like Georgia; she is outspoken, kind-hearted, and very clever. She instantly dislikes Harry because he reminds her of her awful stepfather. Georgia’s outspokenness has gotten her into trouble in the past. But she is a great governess and knows how to bring out the best in children. Harry is that typical gruff and up-tight upper-class hero. He likes his world to be orderly, so when his sister leaves her children in his care, his world becomes utter chaos. Hoping that by hiring a governess, some order will return to his world, but the universe has other plans, and Georgia is a whole different kind of chaos that Harry isn’t prepared for. Harry is also very unhappy with his life. He doesn’t like his job but doesn’t know what he should do about his unhappiness.

I loved watching these two very different characters interact with each other. Georgia is a free spirit who doesn’t mind a bit of chaos in her world. Harry doesn’t know what to make of Georgia, but he knows that he is attracted to her. You will enjoy this book if you love opposite-attract, forced proximity, and governess/nanny trope romances. Virginia knows what makes a great historical romance. There are plenty of delicious moments where the tension between these two is leaping from the page. There is also this sense of forbiddance to the romance, which just makes their growing relationship even more addictive.

All’s Fair in Love and War is a fabulous start to a new swoony series by Virginia Heath.

This was an enjoyable Regency romance. We have a Cinderella story of Georgie, the poor orphan trained to be a governess, but too opinionated to get beyond the interview stage. We have Harry, a punctilious Navy captain overwhelmed by his work for the Admiralty and then suddenly burdened by having to care for his adorable nieces and nephew and their obstreperous dog. So he hires Georgie to care for them.

All proceeds as we might expect, with the only doubtful element is how will Harry reconcile his ambitions to command a new Navy ship with the love he has begun to feel for Georgie. The scenes with the children and dog and dialogue between Georgie and Harry add a very enjoyable aspect to the novel.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

I loved this book! To be completely honest this isn’t my usual genre at all, but the synopsis was cute and drew me in. I wasn’t expecting a lot, boy was I surprised! It was a delightful romp of a good time. Georgie won me over completely and Harry grew on me as the story unfolded. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I was so looking forward to this book. The beginning was promising. However, the pacing of the book was off. There were sections that drug and others that went too fast. The MCS felt immature for their ages.
This one just didn’t work for me.

Chaotic children and a stern and serious guardian make for a heartwarming set up in this one. Harry is a naval captain who is regimented and serious and is very busy with his work, but his flighty sister has left her three young children and dog in his care while she and her husband go off to Egypt. He needs a governess quite desperately to control the overactive (but lovable) kids. Lucky for him, there’s one available governess to hire who can start immediately. Georgie has been up to this point unemployable due to her outspoken nature and unconventional methods of teaching, but her mentor can smell the desperation from Harry, so it seems to be a perfect situation for her to finally get a job. The kids are totally rambunctious and have no sense of structure whatsoever, so it’s all delightful chaos. Harry and Georgie obviously disagree on methods of handling the kids, and Georgie assumes that Harry is rigid and heartless like her old stepfather. Except when she catches glimpses of him being wonderful with the kids. Harry is trying his best to focus on his career and not get distracted by the siren of a governess, but he’s not terribly successful at it. It was fun to see him bumbling along the way, in total opposition to his serious nature.

As I began my first Virginia Heath book, I wondered if I would be fully able to immerse myself in this story. I did! Poor Harry with all his rules in his exceedingly structured life has no chance when it comes to Georgie's unique skill at getting her way. The three children are wonderfully written and along with the delightful secondary characters, play a huge part in moving this story along to a very satisfying HEA. Sweet, romance abounds with the right amount of angst and steam to make this an easy book to recommend. Readers get excellent writing filled with smart humor delivered by Georgie and Harry's inner dialogue. I'll be looking to read more by this author.
WHAT I LIKED:; Entertaining-Romantic-Witty-Funny-Happily Ever After-Steamy-Wonderful Characters

I received a complementary copy of this book and am voluntarily providing my honest review.

When Captain Harry Kincaird’s sister drops her three children at his door and sets out with her husband for an Egyptian adventure, Harry requires a governess to help with the children’s upbringing while he continues with his busy naval career. After several failed interviews and no other prospects, Georgie is the only one available to answer Harry’s desperate call for help. With his strict adherence to time and organization will Georgie’s alternative methods of education and petulance for chaos prove too much for the two to live under the same roof?

This may be one Virginia Heath romance but this one is not for me. For this first half of the book not much happens. It takes forever to establish the plot and a relationship between the two. The plot relies too heavily on inner monologue to have the reader both learn about who the characters are. Every inner thought is explained instead of shown, particularly in Harry’s case whereas Georgie’s interactions with the children offer up a small glimpse for the reader to see what makes her tick. I wouldn’t have even known Harry likes Georgie if it were not for him explicitly sharing his thoughts.

It just left a lot to be desired and the plot feeling rather stagnant for a lot of the book.

Also, what kind of mother just up and dumps her three children with her bachelor brother without asking? Then returns home and there is literally no discussion ever had between the characters about her actions or their effect on Harry and the children? I’m not so sure I buy that, even if everything ends up working out.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An enjoyable read. The main characters are likeable & despite each having a hard protective shell they're softies inside. Georgie had too much structure as a child & Harry didn't have enough. It comes between them in the beginning as they make judgements based on the exterior and have to get to know the person behind the facade. They manage to find middle ground and have a lovely HEA. The use of naval lingo and famous quotes is a nice addition. I recognized a few, some Sun Tzu from The Art of War.
The children are funny and such fiends at manipulating adults. Sweet, lovely & adored, they know it too, Uncle Harry is a sucker just waiting to be plucked. It's not ugly in any way, it's cute, the kids adore Harry too. Georgie has been trained by the best & doesn't take their drama to heart, she is kinda impressed though. You'll love the big shaggy dog, he's perfect & I want him to live with me.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance reader copy of this story. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#VirginiaHeath #Netgalley #All'sFairinLoveandWar #St.Martin'sGriffin #Miss Prentice's Protegees Book 1 #historicalromance #romance

After an unhappy and strict upbringing by her stepfather, Georgina “Georgie” Rowe does not agree that children should be seen and not heard. As a graduate of Miss Prentice’s School for Girls, a school known for turning out the best governesses, companions and secretaries, Georgie assumes she will have her pick of jobs as her three best friends and classmates did, but unfortunately her rather unconventional views on teaching and discipline do not endear her to potential employers. In fact, Georgie has had over thirty interviews and been rejected by every one of them – a school record, to the utter dismay of Miss Prentice. So when a very desperate Captain Henry “Harry” Kincaid comes to the school looking for a temporary governess to his nieces and nephew, Miss Prentice takes charge and before she knew what was happening, Georgie was hired! Too bad the captain is exactly like her stepfather, much too rigid, too organized, too regimented and too arrogant to be likable. Almost immediately upon meeting her new charges, Georgie wonders if she is out of her league. But as time passes, she finds her groove and to her dismay has to acknowledge that she was wrong about the captain. Very wrong, which can only lead to a broken heart since Harry has just been given a huge promotion and a flagship to command.

Henry “Harry” Kincaid’s upbringing was the complete opposite of Georgie’s, his parents were free spirits, disinclined to follow rules or worry about paying bills, taking care of their home or providing a stable environment for the children. His sister Flora thrived in this atmosphere and still lives her life that way, which is how Harry ended up being left with her three young children and one very large dog, while she and her husband took off for Egypt. Harry was taken under his grandfather, the Admiral’s wing early in life, and thanks to the Admiral’s training and guidance, Harry has a promising career in the Navy. He had a minor setback a few years ago, involving a woman, but thankfully that is all behind him now and he is back on track to make a name for himself. He has worked hard to get where he is and it is beginning to pay off, exactly as he planned. So why is he starting to doubt his choices? And why can’t he seem to ignore his new governess? She is everything he claims to abhor, but he can’t seem to stay away, which is a problem, since he is due to take command of his new ship in a few months and Georgie is definitely not the kind of girl who would be happy with an absentee husband. Maybe HEA isn’t meant for everyone…

I liked this story, but I am going to have to agree with other reviewers who have said that the story dragged. I was never really pulled into this story and found it very easy to put down, that doesn’t make it bad, but it wasn’t the quick, easy read I was expecting. Aside from the slow pace, I found Georgie hard to like at the beginning, but eventually she grew on me. Harry on the other hand won me over immediately and was the shining star of this book. This is the first book in a new series and if you are a fan of the opposites attract trope, like children and animals in a story, or enjoy a slow burn/low steam romance, this book is for you.

3.5 stars

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. *

This was a sweet, opposites attract, Regency rom-com. Our main character is the young Georgie who, after studying to be a governess, is struggling to find her first position because she has unconventional ideas about how to educate children. Enter, Harry who suddenly is in charge of his nieces and nephew and doesn’t enjoy his routine being disrupted. What ensues is a lovely tale with humor, heart and a dose of hijinks. I found the characters to be charming, especially the precocious children. This is the first in a series, and I look forward to the next book. Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read an early copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Governess and employer falling for each other is one of my favorite tropes and I really enjoyed the way it was done in All's Fair in Love and War.
Georgie is a lovely young lady who while the best student Ms. P has ever had in her governess school has yet to get a job. Her ideals are a little strong when it comes to her potential charges and she doesn't shy away from telling the parents exactly what she thinks.
Thankfully Harry is in desperate and I mean that literally, for a governess after his sister and her husband drop off her three kids, and their dog at his home with no notice.
I loved that Harry comes off as this super strict dude who loves rules and having everything in its proper place, but yet has a marshmallow center when it comes to his nieces and nephew. Georgie at first is a bit stifled but when she finds her rhythm both she and the children thrive. And when they are happy it makes Harry begin falling for her and falling hard.

I really enjoyed not only their romance but the way they were together. The children are delightful and full of vim and vigor that keeps everyone on their toes and makes it near impossible not to love them.
This is an excellent start to a new series and I can't wait to read the next book!

I loved the characters. They are so much fun. Georgie has had enough of the regimented life and thinks children should be taught in a way that will engage them. Even if it means holding classes outside. Harry is Navy all the way. He had such a willy nilly life growing up until his grandfather taught him about regimenting everything. He likes order. How can a free spirit woman and a regimented man find common ground? When Harry's sister drops off her children for him to watch for a couple of months, he is at his wit's end. They are so unruly, and he can't stand all the chaos. He needed a good governess to keep them in line so he could continue his work. Then Georgie happens. She doesn't do anything the way he thinks she should, but she seems to keep them in order. How can he be so attracted to someone like her? He has his career to think of but all he can think of is this wild-haired siren. What will they do?

Overall, this was a cute read but I found the pacing to be slow. If I hadn't been reading it on vacation, it felt like it would have taken me ages. I kept searching for something else out of this book but I can't put my finger on what. Just that something was missing. I did really enjoy the scenes with the children and am curious where this would lead for other books.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I’m so happy Virginia Heath has started a new series. She is one of my go to historical romance authors. Everything she writes is delightful and quirky and right up my alley! I can’t wait to read about the rest of the governesses getting their shot at an HEA.

Thank you #netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Naval captain Henry Kincaid has been placed in charge of his nieces and nephew. He is not prepared to take care of them so he hires a governance to help him care for them. It has a bit of a sound of music vibe with henry being very militant and Georgie is a free spirit who wants to teach the children based on what works for them. this book has lots of very funny moments but it seemed to move very slow and was filled with lots of inner monologue.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this arc.

I have a soft spot for a governess romance so I thought I’d give this a try. I believe it’s my first of your books. All’s Fair in Love and War begins with a prologue of Georgie Rowe arriving at Miss Prentice’s School for Girls after her military stepfather sends her away. The book picks up some years later, when Georgie has finished her studies but has still not found employment – she doesn’t get past the interview because she’s too outspoken. Fairly miraculously in the circumstances, Georgie is occupied at the school teaching some classes and still lives there. It’s a very unusual school. Captain Henry (Harry) Kincaid is most put out when his flighty sister and brother-in-law decide to travel to Egypt to try and find the source of the Nile and before doing so, deposit their three children and very large dog in Harry’s care.

And that’s how Georgie comes to be the governess of the Pendleton children in Harry’s care. Miss Prentice has long since been urging Georgie to keep her mouth shut about her progressive ideas on education and go along to get along. As trust builds between her and her employer (or as her employer ignores her after a while, whichever comes first), she can then implement her educational strategies quietly behind the scenes. Georgie, desperate to actually get a job after years of searching, determines to bite her tongue. A lot.

She is immediately challenged by the strict routine Harry has crafted for the children and the exacting standards he appears to expect. Her own experience with a rigid and unloving military stepfather also impact her initial feeling for Harry but over the course of the book, Harry relaxes and Georgie, while getting her way in most all things, comes to understand why Harry is the way he is.

There is increasing accord and attraction between Harry and Georgie, who are aided by benevolently interfering servants and friends to help them find their HEA. Along the way, there are also various hijinks involving the children and the dog.

Harry is ultimately, a big ole’ softie and, it turns out, much of his rigidity came from fear and also from learned behaviours from his strict and exacting grandfather. Georgie’s ideas aren’t all that radical (albeit they may have been for the time); make learning fun, use the outdoors and art and excursions to add interest, no corporal punishment, treat the children well, etc. Ultimately, there’s nothing there for Harry to disagree with.

There’s a certain humour to the book which I think will mean that some readers will love this and others, not as much. For me, I fell somewhere into the middle ground. I enjoyed the book well enough but I found the comedy of it a little too cute most of the time, based as it was on too-tight breeches, unruly nipples and set pieces involving the dog, frogs and bathtubs. The cover, gives a very good idea for readers about what to expect from All’s Fair in Love and War actually.

Great start to a new series!

A wonderful tale filled with sass and hope.
Georgina (Georgie) Rowe has trained to be an exclusive governess, a protégé of the estimable Miss Prentice of the four “D’s” of governessing. Duty. Decorum. Diligence. Discretion. And now in Georgie’s case, Miss Prentice added diplomacy. The problem is that Georgie keeps being ‘let go’ when her educational St. Joan’s philosophy clashes with her employers views on education.
This next assignment is somewhat of a last gasp, her last chance to make good.
I hooted with laughter at so much in this book
Georgie’s employer, Captain Henry Kincaid, (grandson of a famous Admiral), and Harry to his friends, works for the admiralty overlooking the building of the warship Bodescia, ensuring its on time, on cost, and up to scratch. Logistics are a huge part of Henry’s talent. (Georgie acquaints us with a few other aspects where he might be talented! As do her three friends she’d trained with! More about them in later stories!)
When Henry’s sister sails off to follow her husband to Egypt leaving her children with him he has a fit. He actually didn’t discover them until he came home that night. Hence the need for a governess.
The three children are incorrigible, masters at getting their way, and wonderful at sidetracking the conversation. Ably supported by their galumphing big and ungainly dog, Norbert.
Of course Georgie and Henry become aware of each other the more they rub elbows. Hmmm!
The last thing Georgie wants though is to lead a life of wandering from naval base to naval base. Georgie has some history here. It seems the only thing Henry wants is to be the youngest admiral ever.
A touching humorous story that had me grinning all the way through.

A St. Martin’s Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

*I received this book (Via eArc by Netgalley) for free from the Publisher (St. Martin's Press / St. Martin’s Griffins ) in exchange for an honest review*

I stumbled across this book and I found it quite endearing and a fun fluffy read and I quite enjoyed the banter and the blossoming romance. I know that this may be a series and I to think it would be fun to read more with these characters. I overall think it was quite interesting and it kept me highly entertained when I need a relaxing time as well as a way to decompress from real life problems. It was just what I needed and I hope to explore more into this world and see how it plays out.

RELEASE DATE: May 28, 2024

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press / St. Martin’s Griffins and NetGalley for the ARC and I am looking forward to when it releases.