A Regency period romance with a slow burn and a bit of heat? Count me in!

When a governess who despises men in the military has no choice but to care for a Naval officer's nieces and nephew, chaos is bound to ensue. Georgie and Harry's differing views on how a governess educates and disciplines children show them how close the line between love and hate truly lies. With funny moments that lead to the "will they won't they" tension, we love to see. "All's Fair in Love and War" is a fun "opposites attract" trope read with some spice.

The beginning was slow but picked up once our two MCs started interacting. I had a ton of fun reading this one and I'm so glad I found it!

I am looking forward to future books with the other governesses and some background on their training and the fun they had! I will also have to check out Virginia Heath's other books because this was a fun, quick read!

I loved the Merriwell Sisters series so I was thrilled to be offered the e-ARC of this book and it did not disappoint. A fun romance between a Governess and a Navy Captain that was good from start to finish. I cannot wait to continue this series (I have a feeling Lottie's book is going to be good).

All's Fair in Love and War
by Virginia Heath
Pub Date: 28 May 2024

A new Regency romp of a series, about governess who believes in cultivating joy in her charges, clashes with the children's uncle who hired her, only to find herself falling in love.

When the flighty older sister of former naval captain, Henry Kincaid, decides on a whim to accompany her explorer husband on an expedition to Egypt, he finds himself unwittingly left in the lurch with her three unruly children and her giant, mad dog. With no clue how to manage the little rascals, a busy career at the Admiralty that requires all of his attention, and no idea when his sister is coming back, Harry has to hire an emergency governess to ensure that everything in his ordered house continues to run shipshape. In desperation, he goes to Miss Prentice’s School for Girls prepared to pay whatever it takes to get a governess quick sharp to bring order to the chaos.

Thanks to her miserable, strict upbringing, fledgling governess Georgina Rowe does not subscribe to the ethos that children should be seen and not heard. She believes childhood should be everything that hers wasn’t, filled with laughter, adventure, and discovery. Thankfully, the three Pendleton children she has been tasked with looking after are already delightfully bohemian and instantly embrace her unconventional educational ethos. Their staid, stickler-for-the-rules uncle, however, is another matter entirely.

Georgina and Henry continue to butt heads over their differences, but over time it seems that in this case, their attraction is undeniable, and all is indeed fair in love and war.

Virginia Heath does it again. All’s Fair in Love and War is a regency romp full of heart and snarky comments. Virginia Heath’s combination of rom - com meets regency is a delight. The governess trope sometimes feels … sticky. I enjoy the book less when it feels like the power dynamic is exploited. Here, it didn’t bother me and didn’t detract from the characters relationship and dynamic and didn’t pull on your modern day conscience. Throughly enjoyed and can’t wait for the next in this series.

I loved the story line and the characters'. The grumpy Capitan and the crusader governess. They were awesome. I loved them as a couple. I loved ALL the side characters. The children, sister, Butler and anyone who they interacted with. She does such a great job at all the characters. But there were issues. I wish I would have gotten more interaction with all of them. I wish the main couple would have formed a friendship that we got to see. It felt like one day they never spoke and then all the sudden they were making out hard core! So odd. I also did not like the long drawn out thought monologues. Way too many. I wish there had been more conversations between anyone!
This is an adult novel. It has a sex scene and make out scene. It has some crass talk.

Georgie, who has had a hard time finding a position, gets her first job as the governess to Harry's nieces and nephew. She and Harry clash due to his strict expectations for the children. Georgie has had a negative experience with the military growing up and Harry is fully absorbed with his Navy career.

The conflict between the two is a little oversold but it was an enjoyable, slow burn romance.

4.5⭐️

I’m anticipating more books in this series—hope we get stories about all her friends too 🤞🤞

I was dying of laughter whenever it was Henry’s pov and how he was describing things.

I loved the pacing in the beginning and the end. I think somewhere in the middle it started to lag a bit, but I still finished this book in a day.

Super fun. Highly recommended.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It’s been several years since I’ve read historical or regency romance so this was a new author for me. I really enjoyed Georgie and Harry’s story. Georgie is a well trained governess who has strong opinions and isn’t able to get through an interview without sharing them. Harry is an overworked uncle suddenly in charge of his nieces, nephew, and their dog. I’m hoping Georgie’s friends get their own books.

This was my first time reading a historical romance and it was a very good book to introduce me to the genre. I’d recommend it to others!

"All's Fair in Love and War" by Virginia Health is a delightful and heartwarming tale that explores the unexpected journey of love and family amidst chaos. Set in a time when societal norms dictated rigid order and discipline, this novel takes readers on a captivating adventure filled with laughter, adventure, and the challenges of finding harmony in the most unconventional circumstances. The story revolves around Henry Kincaid, a former naval captain, who finds himself in a predicament when his flighty older sister leaves him stranded with her three lively children and a giant, unruly dog. With his demanding career at the Admiralty and no clue of his sister's return, Henry reluctantly seeks help from Miss Prentice's School for Girls, desperate to restore order to his chaotic household. Enter Georgina Rowe, a fledgling governess whose upbringing has shaped her belief that childhood should be filled with joy, exploration, and freedom of expression. Unlike the strict norms of the time, Georgina encourages the Pendleton children to embrace their individuality and embarks on a journey to create a nurturing environment for them. However, her clash with Henry, a stickler for rules and discipline, adds a layer of tension to their relationship. As the story unfolds, readers witness the gradual transformation of the characters. Georgina's infectious spirit and genuine love for the children begin to thaw Henry's strict exterior, revealing a softer side to him. Despite their differences, an undeniable attraction blossoms between them, blurring the lines between love and war. Virginia Health skillfully weaves together a charming narrative that not only paints a vivid picture of the time period but also explores themes of family, love, and personal growth. The characters are well-developed, with each having their unique quirks and personalities that add depth and authenticity to the story. The author cleverly uses humor and wit to lighten the plot, making it an enjoyable and engaging read. "All's Fair in Love and War" is a testament to the power of love and the resilience of the human spirit. It reminds us that sometimes, the most unexpected circumstances can lead to the most extraordinary connections. Whether you're a fan of historical romance or simply looking for a heartwarming tale, this novel is sure to captivate and leave you with a smile. In conclusion, Virginia Health's "All's Fair in Love and War" is a delightful and captivating novel that transports readers to a bygone era. With its endearing characters, witty dialogue, and a heartfelt exploration of love and family, this book is a must-read for those seeking an enchanting escape into a world where all truly is fair in love and war.

I feel like this book is more of a 3.5 star rating for me than just a 3 star book. Overall I really liked the plot and the chemistry between Georgie and Harry. I do wish the book was a bit longer and we saw more of Georgie’s relationship to the children than just being their teacher. I also wasn’t the biggest fan of Harry talking about working on ships and his navy career. I feel like I had to refrain from skimming those parts. Overall very cute book!

Virginia Heath is a master of regency romcoms, both her category romances and more recent mass market books- her newest adventure is an excellent addition to her repertoire, featuring two great main characters that have believable difficulties overcoming their pasts to give into their obvious attraction, admiration, and eventual love for each other.

Georgie grew up with a cruel colonel stepfather so abhors rigidity and anything military. Harry, the naval captain who hires Georgie as a governess for his nieces and nephew, sought military structure after a dissipated chaotic childhood. Harry does nothing by halves, and has been a superstar rising up the naval ranks, but having a slow burning existential crisis on what he actually wants from life/is the navy for him/or was this just a solution to escape chaotic childhood (ding ding!). He holds himself back from love of Georgie because military marriages are hard, and he wouldn’t want to be gone for months/years from the woman he adores.

As these two go along their existential journeys to a HEA, lots of hilarious hijinks with Harry’s nieces and nephew ensue. I love that Virginia Heath writes believable children that continue to misbehave even with a super talented governess, but they’re fully fleshed out humans with their own age appropriate intelligence and choices.

Overall a really wonderful book that brings character depth to the romcom genre, and a very satisfying and swoony love story at the heart.

This book was enjoyable and moved at a slow but detailed pace. However, the age gap, despite the time period, and the comparison between the love interest and Georgie’s step-father was uncomfortable. Overall, the writing was good and as historical romance isn’t my preferred genre, I enjoyed this book!

All's Fair in Love and War by Virginia Heath is an entertaining historical romance that is the first in a new series.

Henry and Georgina were fun and enjoyable main characters and played off one another quite well. The banter, wit, humor, and over the top scenarios and events made this Regency historical romance fun, playful, and a quick read.


4/5 stars

Thank you NG and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 5/28/24.

The start of another great series by Virginia Heath!

Georgie is used to the military brat life -- and she hates it. Dumped at Ms. Prentice's School for Governesses at sixteen by a cold and uncaring stepfather, she finds new friends and a new home among the other selected students. The only problem is she can't seem to find a job.

Captain Kincaid is as desperate as a man can get. Saddled with three rebellious young children, his nephew and nieces, while his sister and her husband are off on another adventure, he needs someone to restore order and decorum to his home. Because there is nothing he values more than order and decorum. He gives Georgie her first post as governess -- and immediately realizes they have very different philosophies about educating children.

On paper, they are as different as could be. But the Captain has been feeling a discontent with his surging Navy career for quite some time, and the siren that is Georgie might be the thing that convinces him to take a leap of faith into something new, if he can find the courage to dream a new dream.

Had some serious "Sound of Music" vibes and Virginia's signature style of chaos, comedy, and excellent characters. The children and all of the other players in this love story were fantastic additions as well. A bit long at points and I do wish the captain would haven spoken less of "sowing his wild oats" but overall the start of a very enjoyable new series from an excellent author!

A charming romance between a governess and a former naval officer. Georgie is a highly trained governess with no practical experience. Harry is an orderly, regimented workaholic whose life is interrupted when his sister temporarily leaves her three rowdy children in his care. Georgie and Harry seem to have nothing in common but find themselves slowly falling in love as they work to ensure Harry’s two nieces and one nephew get a good education.

This was fun, I do wish there was a little less of the instant love/attraction element on Harry’s part but found him and Georgie to be a lovely match. For fans of opposites attract and Regency romance.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

This was a great start a brand new series by Virginia Heath. This story did start off pretty slow to me and it did feel repetitive at times, but I did enjoy this overall. The banter between the MCs was top notch and they were both likeable and unique. I love when characters have good development. I’m looking forward to the next books in this series.

Many thanks to Netgalley and to the publishers for granting me access to this eArc in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
⭐️⭐️⭐️

A few of the scenes in the novel were greatly crafted. I found that the first half of the book was really good and then it kind of lost steam in the middle, but then it picked up again, closer to the end of the book.

I really liked the main girl character in the story, but I found the love interest, super insufferable. I found his point of view extremely annoying and this is just personal preference but I found his personality not a great fit with the main girl character. I felt like she had to put herself into his box so that he could love her and even at the end there was a misunderstanding and I felt that he still did not learn his lesson from that misunderstanding so it made me not feel as connected with the characters. I felt that he had no development as a character.

Personally, this is a very specific type of romance book that you have to be a fan of to really enjoy like if you love really flowery speech, as well as Victorian era talk and descriptions, then this is the book for you, but I found a lot of the times that it was just going on and on and by the middle of the book I felt like nothing happened.

Overall I enjoyed aspects of this books, the main woman character and the children.

This is my first book by Virginia Heath, but it was enjoyable enough that I will go back and read some of her backlist for sure. I love a good Regency Romance, especially one with enemies to lovers elements, and I LOVE an awkward hero/heroine combo. I liked a lot about this one - the kids were a fun addition, not grating at all. The traveling aspect kept things moving along. And I love a dual POV in 3rd person.

What I didn't like came towards the end - there was so much build up to Harry and Georgie getting together and then it was all told and then we're at the end! Kind of irregular pacing, IMO, which definitely impacted my enjoyment.

All in all, it was a fun read! 3.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I’ll rate this one 3.75 stars. I do love how historical romance slows the burn of relationships and even though this book’s not a prime example of this aspect, I had a nice time reading it.

My biggest issue with this book was the writing style. The author spent too much time repeating information in long paragraphs, with overemotional reactions from the characters (especially the male protagonist) to minor complications. And this time spent going around in circles with the characters’ musings was costly to the development of the story, taking up space in the pages that could’ve been used to better explore the conclusion of the main conflict.

Apart from that, I really enjoyed all the banter between both protagonists and the supporting characters. The female protagonist was genuinely nice and interesting, while the disproportionate explosive temper of the male protagonist made him a bit annoying (even though his character arc was quite interesting, albeit poorly developed). All things considered, it’s an entertaining story with compelling characters.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.