If you’re a fan of historical romance with a twist of intrigue, "Never Gamble Your Heart" by Lindsay Lovise is your jam. This Victorian-era tale sparkles with chemistry, cleverness, and danger.

Frankie Turner, a brilliant but impoverished mathematician, becomes entangled in a mystery when her impulsive sister goes missing. Her search leads her to the doorstep of Jasper Jones, the rakish owner of a notorious gambling hell. As Jasper’s new governess, Frankie finds herself teaching his spirited niece and poking into his business, all while unraveling a scheme targeting young women with large dowries. Frankie’s sharp intellect and neurodivergent coding make her stand out in the HR genre. Jasper, with his charm and working-class roots, is an irresistible counterpart to her. Jasper’s lively niece also adds some humor and warmth.

Perfect for: lovers of slow-burn romance, Victorian intrigue, and fiercely intelligent heroines.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Thank you netgalley and publisher for this ARC.

This is the second installment in the series, but does read as a standalone if you haven't read the first.

We were introduced to Frankie in the first novel. She joins part of The Dove's governess spy network in order to help find her missing sister. Frankie joins Jasper Jones' house to govern over his niece. He has 2 rules don't go into his study and don't fall in love with him.

Frankie and Jasper have near death experiences and effectively save each other's lives all while uncovering the people behind the dowry thieves.

I really enjoyed this read. I love a book where the conflict in the story isn't between the romantic love interests but instead external factors. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

5 🌟
3 🌶

I enjoyed this book. It was really easy to read, it took me two days to read it. It was fun, wasn't weighed down by the writing style and I loved both main characters. The chemistry between them was excellent. Looking forward to reading more books by this author.

This is my first book from this author and it’s safe to say I’m hooked. Lindsay Lovise does an excellent job creating an exciting mystery, and sprinkling a healthy dose of romance on top.

In this book Frankie is determined to save her missing sister. Though her sister has vanished, there are enough clues to suggest her disappearance may have something to do with a dastardly scheme that’s been plaguing the ton. She’s been entrusted by The Dove with the job of infiltrating a rake’s household as his niece’s new governess. There’s a chance that he knows who is trapping woman with large dowries into marriages, and Frankie must go undercover to gain information.

Jasper Jones knows there’s something fishy about his new governess. She is unlike any woman he’s ever met. The doesn’t bend herself to societal norms and is outspoken. She’s whip smart and makes mathematics look like a breeze, but doesn’t seem to completely excel at her duties as a governess. He’s expected to trust her with his niece, but he can’t even trust her inside his house. He wants Frankie gone, but he’ll have to tolerate her until she can be replaced.

I loved this book. It was incredibly easy to read and I was flying through it. Sometimes historical romances can feel a little weighed down by the writing style, but not this one! It felt fresh and fun. I loved the way we got a look inside both our main characters heads. The energy between them was so entertaining. Despite wanting nothing to do with Frankie, Jasper can’t deny his attraction to the beautiful governess. Meanwhile Frankie’s trying her hardest to stay focused and find justice, but keeps getting thrown off her game by her insanely handsome boss.

I was giggling like a school girl at their funny interactions. And then adding his wild niece to the mix led to many hilarious moments. I was laughing out loud at times. This book is filled with humor and so much heart. Poor Frankie’s self esteem was a mess, and if she could only hear Jasper’s internal monologue. I loved how this man was so down bad for his governess. If you need a little heat to keep you entertained, this book had it. It’s a fairly slow burn, but held my attention. I think both the open door and closed door connoisseurs alike can enjoy this book and it’s most delicious tension!

This book came with a healthy helping of mystery and intrigue. Frankie is trying valiantly to save the girls of the ton, and doing excellent detective work. She felt very much like a Sherlock Holmes. The way her mind worked and put together information was a lot of fun. I found myself trying to put together the clues she had gathered, and figure out who was leading the cruel scheme. I was still shocked when the big reveal happened! Friends who love historical romances and mystery, will enjoy this book.

I want to thank Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me with this widget. I’m already desperate for more! The last chapter has me so excited for the next couple.

A slow burn romance heavy on the suspense and mystery - an almost marriage of convenience, except Frankie definitely loved him because WHO WOULDN'T. I loved Jasper from the moment he stepped on the page.

Thanks to the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my review.

This is the 2nd book in the Secret Society of Governess Spies - I'll go back and find the first one and look forward to more. It's an interesting idea and was a great story.

Frankie is looking for her missing sister and The Dove places her in a governess position to help spy on Jasper, the owner of the local gambling hall.

I loved how Frankie just moved into his house and took over, threw him offguard and it was sweet to watch him come around to her. This was a fun
story and I'll watch for more in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

I really liked this book! I read the first one and enjoyed it, so I was happy to read the second book and it didn’t disappoint! I liked the main characters Frankie and Jasper. I also really liked their characteristics- Frankie is smart and different and Jasper is secretly kind. Great storyline, I liked the mystery part too- had me guessing until the end. A must read!

This book does an excellent job of mixing a gripping mystery with a slow-burn romance. You’re not just watching them solve a crime, you’re watching them navigate their way through emotional walls, secrets, and unexpected feelings. The tension between them keeps you on the edge of your seat, and by the end, you’ll be hoping for more of their witty, passionate dynamic. I loved it.

The characters were very memorable and likeable. Most importantly, we have Frankie - a plain spoken, no nonsense, brilliant governess /spy. Next is Jasper, a dangerous yet very kind (if you aren't a bad guy), rugged, hot gaming hell owner. Then Cecelia, Jasper's 15 year old niece who is smarter than she appears. I enjoyed being with these characters. The only drawback I had was the plot sometimes was over the top and hard to follow.
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Never Gamble Your Heart by Lindsay Lovise is an engaging historical romance with a unique twist. Set in the Victorian era, it follows female spies who pose as governesses to infiltrate aristocratic homes and expose corruption. Frankie Turner, a brilliant mathematician, is sent to spy on Jasper Jones, a man linked to a scheme trapping wealthy women into undesirable marriages.

Frankie’s unconventional teaching methods—like using card games to teach math—are both intriguing and frustrating to Jasper, and their slow-burning romance is full of chemistry. Frankie is a refreshing, endearing character, possibly neurodivergent, which makes her stand out in the historical romance genre.

The book is fast-paced, with mystery, romance, and danger, and includes lighthearted moments from Jasper’s charming niece, Cecilia. The overarching mystery involving The Dove, the spymaster, adds extra intrigue.

Overall, Never Gamble Your Heart is a fun, fast-paced read with a strong heroine, a compelling romance, and an exciting mystery. A solid 4-star book for fans of historical romance with a bit of espionage.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing team for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Frankie piqued my interest in book 1 and she’s great here too. She’s neurodivergent coded and these rivals to lovers worked well together, but it was hard to suspend belief a few times, like that someone as shrewd as Jasper wouldn’t have confronted Frankie sooner.
The anachronisms made me roll my eyes and I actually snorted when a character referred to themselves as living in Victorian times. And I started counting the times I read “Holy Queen V”. I was disappointed the epilogue only set up the next book and the MCs didn’t appear, so the ending felt rushed.

It’s fast paced with likable main characters and the mystery plot caught my interest. It was a little too insta lust for me and the supporting characters were caricatures, but I’m on board for the next book.

3.5 stars,

As I wrote in my review for the first book of the series, Ms Louise very obviously enjoys romance novels and it shows in her writing, making for an entertaining and enjoyable read for readers who also enjoy romance.

*I adored Frankie and thought she was a terrific MFC
*the connection between Frankie and Jasper is well written and there’s a lot of buildup, but I wouldn’t consider it a slow burn
*though Frankie is in Jasper’s home as a “governess”, the mission seems secondary (it did to this reader, at any rate)
*nicely paced

My issues:
*the way the characters spoke was off-putting and not what I was hoping for, given the time period
*the mystery, its culmination, and resolution were executed in such a way that struck me as both implausible and oddly anticlimactic

**this was an ARC, so hopefully these will be corrected before the book is available but some of the spelling errors really bothered me - “baited breath” for example (I’ve seen this before and it wildly irks me each and every time 🤬)


Despite my issues, I did like this and look forward to the next title in the series.

You’ll want to suspend your disbelief but this was a very fun read.



Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the DRC

there was nothing wrong with the plot of the book. it seemed very interesting except i couldn’t get very far. i just hated the characters. the way the two main characters interacted gave me the ick. especially the man. i think he just hates women.

Never Gamble Your Heart is an entertaining and swoon-worthy historical romance that follows Frankie as she works as a governess/spy after her younger sister ran away. In exchange for spying on Jasper Jones to investigate his involvement in a nefarious plot among the ton to marry young women with large dowries to older, cruel men who want to squelch their opinions and passions, the person who tasked Frankie will help locate her wayward sister. The wealthy owner of a popular gaming hell, Jasper has a scandalous reputation, but Frankie quickly learns there’s more to the man than meets the eye.

Jasper and Frankie have such a swoon-worthy romance. Hired as a governess for his ward, Frankie is a breath of fresh air with her honesty, boldness, and genius in mathematics. In Jasper, Frankie finds a partner who respects her and treats her like an equal. He has very progressive beliefs, much like Frankie, and they complement each other well. But things don’t start off with rainbows and sunshine. They antagonize and challenge each other, which both end up really enjoying. The banter between them is fantastic, as are their growing feelings for each other.

The mystery is also really interesting, and I like how the author weaves themes of equality, empowerment, corruption, friendship, and more throughout the story. And a special shout out to Cecelia, Jasper’s unruly and impulsive but well-meaning ward and niece. She is such a bright addition to the story, and her shenanigans and personality are great. I also like how her relationship with Jasper grows over the course of the story. I don’t think Jasper realized quite how lonely and solitary his life was before Cecelia and Frankie entered it. They definitely all changed each other for the better, and they end up forming a lovely unit with strong found family vibes - my favorite trope!.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

This is the second in the series and it is not necessary to read them in order. Frankie is a new governess and she is highly skilled in math. She's temporarily in charge if Cecilia as her uncle wants someone more skilled than her. Her sister has gone missing and she suspects men are making trouble for unmarried women to steal their dowries. The men all have a connection to Jasper, Cecelia's Uncle.... And he seems like such a nice man, Frankie is sure he is not behind it all. But who is? A good light read!

I was really excited for this one after reading the first book! Frankie is a great protagonist, the romance is pretty alright (although a bit quick for my taste), and the premise of the mystery is super interesting (but the payoff was a bit unsatisfying). I will definitely be continuing this series!

I read this book early through NetGalley.

I enjoyed this story - There were moments that Frankie came across as neurodivergent but was never explicitly stated and I really found her character a refreshing change from a lot of the heroines I've read lately.

The plot was fun and engaging and the idea of female spies that work as governesses to root out crime and villains - sign me up!

Definitely will go back and read the first book in the series now.

Thanks for the chance to read early.

I barely remember why I gave this book 5 stars, just that I had so much fun and that the chemistry between Frankie and Jasper was SO GOOD. I really don't have much else to say about this one, just that I couldn't put it down and that this sequel was even more enjoyable to me than the first one.

I loved the author's debut (Never Blow a Kiss) and this is such a delightful followup! Set in the same world--though you don't have to read the first book to understand--NEVER GAMBLE YOUR HEART plays to the author's strengths: strong and believable leads, amazing character dynamics, and exquisite tension throughout. I read this in one sitting and found myself wanting for more!

I love the premise of this series - female spies work as governesses in aristocrat's homes to root out the corrupt and villainous in the Victorian era, when traditional law enforcement couldn't touch high society. The spymaster, The Dove, runs a fake training school for governesses, but she's actually training women in espionage tactics.

In this installment, the brilliant mathematician, Frances "Frankie" Turner, agrees to help The Dove discover who is entrapping wealthy, outspoken young women into marriages in exchange for The Dove's help finding her missing sister. The common thread that connects the men who are being called the Dowry Thieves is that they all belong to a gaming club run by Jasper Jones. Frankie becomes governess to Jasper's newly orphaned niece and her unconventional lessons (learning math through card games) intrigues and infuriates Jasper. Frankie didn't get the espionage training from The Dove, so she blunders a bit, which is pretty charming. Of course, the niece loves her and Jasper grows to enjoy her company, too.

This is a fast paced book - the physical part of Frankie and Jasper's relationship took me by surprise, but suspend your disbelief and enjoy the ride!

There were parts when I was convinced that Frankie is neurodivergent - she talks about not always picking up on social cues and she is unflinching in delivering the truth, even when it might mean she is put in a difficult situation. She's a fun character to follow and definitely not your typical historical romance heroine!

I love that in addition to the story of Franking and Jasper, we get more of an overarching storyline for The Dove. I imagine her story will be the last in the series. She's a fascinating character getting developed very slowly. I'm hooked!