This was adorable! I really loved this utterly delightful historical romance! As usual, Virginia Heath's writing is humorous,witty, and filled with fun characters.

All's Fair in Love and War is a governess romance, and I always enjoy them! This one was particularly well done. The children were endearing and lovable little hellions. The relationship between Georgie, the governess, and Harry, the naval captain and uncle, was fantastic! They, of course, start off butting heads and end up madly in love. I truly loved all of the silly naval puns. They were a super cute addition to the story.

I can't wait for more charming governess romances to come in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinion are completely my own.

Although the premise of the story and the characters entertained me, I found the story itself lacking. I believe the writing style is putting me off. It's not over descriptive or immature, it just seems wordy.

virginia heath never misses. i fell in love with this family from the very start. something about a governess love story just sets my heart ablaze

Harry Kincaid's sister decided to join her husband in Egypt and leave her children in Harry's care. With a busy schedule, he he goes to Miss Prentice’s School for Young Ladies prepared to pay whatever it takes to hire an emergency governess. New governess Georgie Rowe believes childhood should be full of joy, games, and adventure, everything she didn't have as a child herself. While the children embrace that wholeheartedly, Harry does not. The two clash over the children, and sparks fly.

Georgie had been hand picked to receive one of Miss Prentice's scholarships, and was left there on her sixteenth birthday after years of a terribly strict stepfather who never cared about her feelings. Seven years later, in May 1820, she was finally chosen as governess after thirty-three failed interviews because of her outspoken belief that "spare the rod, spoil the child" was a terrible thing to do. She gets this current job with Miss Prentice leading the interview, as well as with Harry's desperation. Working with the Admiralty, he's used to order and following a strict timetable; the one time he followed his heart it was for an engagement to a fickle woman that left him as soon as possible. Being rigid in his work life had earned him promotions, though he continued to have reminders of the "one blemish" on his otherwise spotless record.

Both have their ghosts behind them, and share affection for the three children in Harry's care. This leads to continual proximity and hijinks that allow them to see past the surface of each others' lives. It's further complicated by the family dog, an adorable puppy, and Harry's potential promotion even as the two are attracted to each other. The final third has a bit of a farce added to the story, adding even more hilarity to an already fun story. This is a great start for a new series of romance novels.

I'm so sorry. I had to DNF. I think Regency may not be for me. I found this to be dry and I had a hard time picking it up and finishing it.

There will be no review or positive star rating on this published book until SMP Marketing boycott ends........

Thank you to NetGalley for the ebook.

I really enjoyed Virgina Heath’s Merriwell sisters series and when I heard she had a new regency romcom series I was on board! 🛳️ see what I did there? 😉

Georgina is trained to be a governess but when it’s been years without any jobs, she’s starting to panic and perhaps she’s a bit unconventional in that she speaks her mind. Weird employers don’t want to hear her thoughts 😆

Harry is living the busy bachelor life in the Navy and his life is on track until his sister drops his 3 nieces and nephew + wild wolf dog at his house without so much as a “please and thank you”. So nice 😬 He needs a governess fast!

I love the cover, see the wild kids in the background? This book checks all the boxes! Hearing it’s a retelling of “The Sound of Music” 😍

Plus it has grumpy/sunshine, different worlds, lovable rambunctious animals and children, impossible HEA, governess, enemies to lovers, touch of fake dating, and HEA with steamy scenes 💜

This book released last month. Thanks to the publisher for the earc. These are my own thoughts and opinions and I can’t wait for the next book.

Firstly, I want to thank NetGalley for the arc!
This book was fun and sweet, with a charming cast of characters!
We follow Georgie who is a governess in desperate need of a job. In comes Harry who is in desperate need for a governess! After being left with his nieces and nephews unexpectedly, Harry hires Georgie to be the governess.
There’s a fun back and forth with Harry and Georgie, it’s opposites attract, until they pull back some layers and realize they are a better fit to each other than they initially thought.
Georgie is feisty and independent and sure of herself and Harry is orderly and neat, and proper. But as they come together, they begin to blend together a little bit. Harry’s humor comes out, and Georgie begins to take his regiments a little more seriously for his sake.

I loved seeing this slow burn come together and the chemistry between Georgie and Harry felt real and believable.

I feel like the ending was maybe a little rushed. I also wish we saw Georgie tell Harry she loved him. He declared his love for her multiple times and we never see her return the favor, which I didn’t really like. Other than that though, I enjoyed this read, I think it’s perfect for a palette cleanser or for those who love the historical romances!

This was fine and didn't have anything massively wrong with it, I just could not get into the story. The Sounds of Music vibes were there and the kids were cute, but I just needed more romance between the two to get invested in the story. It was too much of a slow burn and after almost of month of trying to read this I just could not get into it and I'm done forcing myself to keep going.

I like a governess romance, but needed the couple to be on page together more. Historical romance can be so lush and romantic and while this wasn't bad it was just so boring to me.

Georgie is opinionated, which prevents her from receiving a placement as a governess even though she is a skilled teacher and protege of Miss Prentice. However, when Henry Kincaid is desperate for help with his nieces and nephew who unexpectedly came to stay, she is hired. The children are wild, but lovable, and she even begins to have feelings for their uptight uncle…

.

💭 Thoughts 💭

I enjoyed this one! A fun romance. Nothing truly unexpected but an easy read.

.

⌛️ Favorite Moment ⌛️

On Georgie’s first day with the kids, when Henry comes home from work he finds the classroom thoroughly trashed thanks to the kids gigantic goofy dog Norbert. This scene was laugh out loud funny!

All’s Fair in Love and War is a promising start to a new series. Why? Well great characters for one! I also enjoyed that the author took the time to set the scene so we could enjoy the story and let the romance unfold.

The main characters were interesting and I loved their interactions with the children. The hero is a military man, a formal, punctilious clock watcher who finds himself the guardian of his sister’s children. It was fun seeing him relax and enjoy himself.

I can’t wait for more books in this series!

If you are a fan of The Sound of Music combined with Regency romance, this book is for you.

All's Fair in Love and War is the first installment in a new series, Miss Prentice's Protegees. An adorable, funny, heartwarming story about a young governess who is too outspoken to get a job after her training, and the gruff naval captain who has suddenly been charged with taking care of his sister's children and their large pet dog. The story, quite appealing, charming, romantic and adventurous tries to prove single women back in the day could hold their own against any man. And do so comically.

Georgia Rowe has just completed her training as a governess at Mis Prentice's School for Young Ladies, but she can't seem to get a job, unlike all her friends who she met at the school. You see, Georgia just doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut when future employees begin to interview her. She has been told she seems to intimidate those who are questioning her.

Harry Kincaid is a no-nonsense former Navy man who lives alone. He likes his quiet and peace. But when he arrives back to his house, he discovers his sister has dumped her three young children on his doorstep while she and her husband decided to go on a trip to Egypt. Felix is the oldest, Marianne the middle child and Grace the youngest. And oh, did I mention their puppy Norbert who is larger than all three children?

So, after a few horribly exhausting days, Harry decides he can't do this, so he decides to seek out a governess for the duration of his sister's trip. And that is when Harry and Georgia's fate is sealed.

But their relationship certainly does not start off well. Harry does not appreciate Georgia's teaching style or methods which are filled with outdoor amusement, laughter and curiosity. His idea of school is a classroom indoors with learning its only purpose and absolutely no dog tagging along for the lessons! No matter how much Norbert dislikes being alone and barks!

As they agree to disagree on just about everything, the one thing they both seem to notice is each other. But both realize pretty much from the get-go that a relationship could never work out. Right?

As they attempt to base their relationship on the children, they become even more enamored with each other. Georgia can't see this ending well and Harry has too much baggage from his past. But All is Fair in Love and War, right? And there is a great deal of both in this wonderfully, light enjoyable read.

Thank you #NetGalley #St.Martin'sGriffin #VirginiaHeath #All'sFairinLoveandWar for the advanced copy.

Full of delightful characters, All's Fair in Love and War is a joy to read. Unconventional governess Georgie was trained at the prestigious Miss Prentice's School for Girls but she's having a difficult time finding a job. She believes in joy and laughter for children while they're learning. Of course she's against the "spare the rod and spoil the child" philosophy so many of her potential employers expect. When desperate Navy Captain Henry Kincaid appears needing a governess, Miss Prentice sends Georgie. Buttoned-up stickler Harry is suddenly in charge of his three unruly nieces and nephew after his older sister dumps them at his house and leaves for Egypt. He doesn't have time for this (his two pocket watches makes that clear) and the children make him twitchy. He doesn't approve of how Georgie is managing the children but her has to admit it seems to be working! Deep down Harry is a soft touch and loves the kids as much as they love him, he even loves trouble-making Norbert the dog. As he falls for Georgie, he has to decide how to fit this new person into his plans for the future.

I really love Virginia Heath’s novels and I was really curious about this new series. I wasn’t disappointed at all. This story is funny and lighthearted and I instantly fell in love with Georgie. She’s a great character and her romance with Harry is full of tender and banters.
Can’t wait for the other books of this series.

Title: All’s Fair in Love and War
By: Virginia Heath

Genre:
Fiction, Regency Romance,

Red Flag Warnings:
Explicit Content in Chapter 20, 29-31


Summary/Review:
Miss Prentice taught her students the four D’s--, Duty, Diligence, Discretion and Decorum are qualities every successful governess must possess. Georgie, is teaching another class of students for Miss Prentice, however, she herself lacks employment as a governess. Much to her delight an emergency governess is needed, however, as Georgie quickly is thrown into her role she begins to question the four D’s of being a governess.

Captain Henry Kinkaid is very busy working at the admiralty when his sister unexpectedly drops off her three children and their dog to visit for a month while she travels abroad. In dire need, Henry abruptly finds himself asking Miss Prentice for a governess, at this point he will take anyone, and so begins Georgie’s first role as governess. Georgie and Henry have conflicting ideas of schooling, discipline, and overall parenting.

I love reading Regency Romance! This is my first Regency Romance by Virginia Heath. The beginning was slower paced than I prefer, but I really enjoyed Georgie’s character. I hoped for a little more dialogue and less character thoughts. Her teaching style is very similar to mine, hands on discovery and adventure. The children’s characters were perfectly displayed, and I enjoyed Henry’s self-reflection. This novel is a predictable, light, and humorous read. I did feel some of the content at the end was unexpected for me, and for that reason I knocked off a star. If you are a Bridgerton, or Pride and Prejudice fan, take a chance on this enjoyable new Regency Romance novel.

Thank you to Virginia Heath, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#reluctantreaderreads
#allsfairinloveandwar
#virginiaheath
#netgalley
#advancedreadereditions

Loved this story of a man who doesn't really know what he want and a woman who knows what she wants but is willing to walk away if necessary. From the moment that Georgina (Georgie) and Kincaid (Harry) meet, we can sense the attraction between them. In fact, everyone in Harry's family can see it, but Harry has committed himself to a course of action because "the admiral" wanted it! How these two work things out is fun to watch/read, and I highly recommend this romantic tale. Although I received an ARC, my opinion are my own.

POV: Dual
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

This was a fun romance that was giving major Sound of Music vibes (except she’s not a nun and there are only 3 kids + a dog)! I absolutely loved Harry with how great of an uncle he was and although he was stern on the outside he was actually a really funny character.

For me, the book was a little slow and hard to get into until about 60% in, so if it would’ve been like the last part throughout the entire book this definitely would’ve been a 4 ⭐️ read!

This Naval Captain has two pocket watches - like full order- on time and hates messy anything. His sister leaves him his 3 nephews and nieces while she goes on an adventure - so he has to find a governess to try to help get them in order plus add in a dog. The kids and dog bring light and humor to this story. Harry and Georgie butt heads from the start but have chemistry also from the start. This was a super slow burn but perfect for this story, we get forced proximity with a little employee/boss. We also get a lot of Navy- ships- and more ships!

This book is so cute! I need to read more of Heath’s backlist as I really enjoyed this and can’t wait for more of this series. The setting was fun and nice to get out of London for a bit.

📣 an independent governess & a starchy on the outside but mushy on the inside naval captain

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

📖 what would the autofill title of your book be: All’s Fair in _____

All’s Fair in Love & War by Virginia Heath took me on a merry adventure with a red-haired fiesty governess & a starchy Captain who wears two pocket watches & can’t stop thinking about her 👀.

Give me *all* of the uptight leads who have to figure out to handle when someone vigorously shakes them up 🌀. Also all of the working historical leads who are trying to make that money, honey.

Georgie & Harry are forced into proximity when he’s left to temporarily care for his nieces & nephew & hires Georgie to be his governess.

Their story is so often sweet (his apology!) but with a couple plot points that keep it from being a higher rating for me: the hero’s attitude toward a former love interest feels a little woman-shaming & I wish Georgie had higher self-esteem earlier in the book!

Still, this is a delightful romance & Georgie’s determination & know-how—& Harry’s lack of certainty about the path he’s been following—shine ✨.

4.25 ⭐️. Out now!

Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs.

[ID: Jess is wearing jeans and sandals & holds the ebook over a red & white dog & grass.]

Title: All's Fair in Love and War
Author: Virginia Heath
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

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…

Like all of Virginia Heath’s books, this was a fun and cute read. Georgie really made me laugh several times, and I loved how she interacted with the children. Henry was great, too. I think I enjoyed his flasher incident at the party the most, as I can only imagine how mortifying this would have been for him. This is definitely a fun weekend read.

Virginia Heath is from London. All’s Fair in Love and War is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)