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I did not expect to like this book as much as I did. I absolutely loved it. Historical romances are very hit or miss for me, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it!

The banter between Guy and Lottie was hilarious. In their first scene together, he underestimated her wit, and it was hilarious to see his shock. He was not expecting her to go toe to toe with him, and she had such good comebacks. Their progression felt very natural, and I did understand the few miscommunications and self-sabotage.

it's the little things
-he calls her Valkyrie
-the final grand gesture
-he buys stuff to help her family's farm
-the scheming mother and aunt (who are my heroes)

tropes
-enemies to lovers
-slow burn
-grumpy X sunshine

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Unfortunately I struggled with this one after enjoying Heath’s other books. I felt nothing for the characters and some of the language used felt repetitive and overly degrading even for the time period. (For example, a wasp’s breath was used twice in the same paragraph). I do believe this is likely an outlier for me as I typically enjoy her novels but unfortunately this one wasn’t for me.

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I’ve read a few of Heath’s books; I find them to be mildly pleasant, which is probably why I keep coming back every year to read the latest installment.

There were a few elements that bothered me about this book.

First, Heath relies too heavily on idioms and folksy expressions that feel out of place in a Regency romance. I’m normally unbothered by characters using modern language and speech patterns, but “Not today, Satan!” and “my flabbers were gasted” took me right out of the story.

Second, it is the year of our Lord 2025, yet we still have the “not like other girls” trope. Out of the group of debutantes, only two of them appear to have personalities, and it is the same personality: aggressively marriage minded. This sets up a juxtaposition between them and Lottie as the Mean Girls try to undermine her at every opportunity.

Third, Guy is a Nice Guy—pun intended—on paper, but he has a couple of flaws: he gets disproportionately mad at Lottie when he finds out she has been helping his mother and aunt with his surprise birthday party. He flies into a rage, saying that she knew he hated this sort of thing and how could she ever betray him like that.

Boy, what?

She just met you. She doesn’t know you. Calm the heck down. Getting mad like that is a red flag.

Guy also seems to spend a startling portion of the book walking around with an erection because he can’t stop thinking about Lottie. The effect is rather lurid– as the kids say, it’s giving creep.

Overall, this book is a bit of a mixed bag. There are a few moments that are generally funny, but they are overshadowed by characterization that relies too heavily on stereotypes and dialogue weighed down by too many idioms. Despite all this, I’ll probably be back next year to read the next installment in the series.


I received a digital ARC of this book from St. Martin’s/NetGalley

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I adored the first book in the series, All's Fair in Love and War, because it reminded me of a Regency "Sound of Music". But I think I loved book 2 of Miss Prentice's Protegees even more! I mean, Virginia Heath does an absolutely amazing job creating beloved, and flawed, characters that you cannot help but root for. Perfect for fans of regency romances that have strong independent characters!

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If you like a real slow burn in a Regency Romance, this might be the book for you. Lottie has always been a. little wild: she gets up before dawn and likes to go fast on whatever horse she can find, and she has just gotten dismissed from a job. She has no choice but to take a job as a companion for Lady Frimpton, who happens to be the aunt of the Guy, a man who fell off his horse because of her. Most of this book is Lottie and Guy fighting with each other, apologizing, and also sort of flirting? Honestly, I needed them to miss a lot earlier on on the book, but I did appreciate that Heath gave them really long and thoughtful conversations with one another. You really get to witness them falling in love with each other through the way they tell each other about their first loves, families, and issues. By the end, you really want Guy to get over the fact that Lottie didn't tell him his mother and aunt were scheming against him in order to get him to pick a bride. This book has a lot of humor and heart.

Thank you NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP is a Regency grumpy x sunshine novel that had an interesting set-up but ultimately didn't work for me. Lottie's inability to control her impulses and Guy's overreaction to everything caused me to lose interest and skim the last quarter of the book. Still I did enjoy some of the supporting characters (especially Longbottom and Lady Frinton) and I know many readers will love this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC. Opinions are my own.

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I loved the story from the get go. It is funny, romantic and fun. I love Lottie's and Guy's bantering from the beginning, they are the perfect match but they don't know it yet. There are a lot of wonderful characters Mrs. Wennington and Lady Frinton who are hilarious and only seem to follow the rules, but they don't. I love Lottie's friends at Miss P. school who stands by her when the chips are down. I love how much love is in this story and how they are willing to work with each other. I loved the butler Mr. Longbottom who is to funny for words. and I love how much spirit and how normal the characters are, there isn't any airs about them. I loved all the encounters Lottie and Guy have before they fall in love and there isn't one moment in this story that is dull.
I found the story very entertaining and light and very much worth the read.

I want to thank St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for an advance copy of this delightful and funny story.

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I just finished Look Before You Leap and I’m so glad I picked it up. It has everything I love: enemies to lovers, a slightly chaotic house party, and a Viscount who falls first and tries very hard to act like he’s totally unbothered. Spoiler alert, he is very much bothered. Thank you @netgalley @stmartinspress for the free copy. And @virginiaheathwrites for obviously writing it 🥰 Look Before You Leap is out on June 23rd!

Lottie, who we briefly meet in the previous book (you don’t have to read it, but it adds a nice touch), is a total tomboy. She gets fired from her job as a governess and ends up working as a lady’s companion. Guy is thirty, titled, emotionally repressed, and getting not-so-subtle pressure from his mother to deliver grandchildren. No pressure at all.

The chapters felt a little long for my current mum-brain attention span, but the story itself was delightful. It’s funny, it’s romantic, and Lottie is a heroine who does not care what anyone thinks. What really worked for me was the dynamic between Lottie and Guy. Their banter is sharp, their chemistry is undeniable. Warning: It’s a slow burn 🔥 So if you’re not a fan (or impatient) like me, you may be yelling at the characters and getting funny looks from your children and partner 😂

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This was a fun read! Both main characters were enjoyable and unique. The way the story wrapped up also surprised me, even though you know an HEA is happening!

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Title: Look Before You Leap- Miss Prentice's Protegees #2

Author: Virginia Heath- I read All's Fair in Love and War and gave it 5 ⭐

Release date: 6/24/25, read 6/18/25

Page Count: 320

POV: 3rd person

Setting: London, 1820

Genre: Historical Romance/Regency/Rom-Com

Tropes: enemies to lovers, slow burn, grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract, matchmaker

Source: Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin, and Virginia Heath for this ARC! I voluntarily give an honest review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Quick summary: After being fired as a governess for Lord Chadwell for stealing a horse, Lottie is back at Miss Prentice's School for Young Girls. Her family is struggling on their farm, and she needs a new job to send them her wages. Guy has closed his heart since he was scorned at 21 by a failed proposal, but his mother and aunt want him married by his 30th birthday and have some children. Lottie and Guy collide while riding, and later as Lottie takes a job as companion to Guy's mother. At a weekend house party filled with debutantes they share their love of horses finding a spark between them.

🎭Characters: Main and Minor

*Lord Guy Harrowby/Viscount Wennington- turning 30 scorned by love/closed off, likes working for tenants and horses only
*Charlotte "Lottie" Travers- was send to Ms. P's school at 16. She's impulsive w/ a lively spirit
*Lady Frinton-80, Guy's mother
*Almeria/Lady Wennington/Constance-Guy's aunt
*Lottie's brothers-Steven, Matthew, Luke, Dan
*Lottie's BFFs- Portia, Kitty, and Georgie together @ Ms. P's.
*Ms. Prentice-proprietor and benefactor of her own school for young women to become governesses
*Longbottom-Lady Frinton's sarcastic butler

Review: I laughed out loud at the witty banter between Lottie, Guy, and his family. Lottie was a heroine I rooted for because she wanted to do things her way.

Rating: 5/5 ⭐

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2.5/5 - This may be the last book I read from this author. I’m just not very impressed by the character development and there were some things about the writing that were distracting. Like having Lottie go, “Not today, Satan!” multiple times? It’s too much. Her flabbers are gasted? I don’t need all dialogue to be exactly era appropriate, but this is really going overboard.

I also thought there was a really promising cast of secondary characters that were wholly underutilized. There are 15 debutantes and I think maybe 5 were mentioned by name? And only 3 mentioned more than once? And I can’t even remember the third one’s name. Lady Lynette and Miss Mayberry (and all the debutantes) were reduced to being these marriage hungry women with no interests or thoughts or opinions other than that. Lottie’s family had no real role in the scheme of things. Longbottom? Fascinating character who should have had more screen time. And I absolutely could not stand the way Guy’s mother and aunt were behind the scenes puppet-mastering everything. It’s so manipulative! Just let the man live!

The conflicts between Lottie and Guy were also not my favorite. First of all, the plans for the party started when you guys hated each other. Second, OF COURSE she’s going to have more loyalty to her employer who pays her VERY WELL when her family is ABOUT TO LOSE THEIR FARM.

Anyway. That’s my rant. I had issues with this book.

Note: I received a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Look Before You Leap is a charming, light-hearted historical romance. Lord Guy Harrowby promised his mother she’d have a house full of grandchildren by the time he was 30. Unfortunately, his first “love” broke his heart and publicly humiliated him, so he now focuses on his land and his work rather than matters of the heart. He’s now nearing his 30th birthday, and is single with no interest in finding a wife. His mother, however, won’t give up without a fight, and she plans a house party for his birthday—complete with many eligible debutantes.

Lottie Travers is employed as a lady’s companion to Guy’s aunt after she got dismissed from several posts as a governess. Her family back home is struggling, though, and she knows she needs to keep this current position as a lady’s companion in order to be able to help them financially.

This was my first book by Virginia Heath, and now I want to go back and read more. I enjoyed this charming love story. The chemistry between Guy and Lottie sizzled, and I had fun with the secondary characters. I will say that eventually their bickering got repetitive, and I felt so sorry for Guy getting manipulated terribly by people he loved. I have trouble with manipulation, so that was a bit difficult for me to read. Overall, this was an engaging read, and I would recommend it to any historical romance enthusiast.

Tropes and such:
Enemies to lovers
Grumpy/sunshine
Forced proximity
House party setting
Class difference
Meddling family members
Regency time period
Lower steam level (kisses and one open-door scene)

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest review.

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This is a sweet period romance, It is a coming of age tale of a young woman plucked from her farm filled with brothers to be given the chance to rise above her station by learning to comport herself and become a governess.

Our lead is cheeky, wants to please but on the other hand has a desire to be wild and free.

This was the perfect quick read from a genre and author which has kept me enamored and always delivers the right amount of charm, humor and of course, romance.

Thank you Net Galley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my fair opinion.

This review has also been shared to Goodreads.

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I love Virginia Heath’s writing style! Her characters jump right off the page and the tension in the romance is always perfect! And this book was so fun! The main characters were perfect for each other and it was wonderful how everyone could see it but them. The storyline had fun twists and turns and I loved the drama from their families! I love this new series by Virginia Heath and I can’t wait for the next book!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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This book was fantastic! I read it all in one night and loved the grumpy/sunshine and different social classes dynamic. The meddling aunt and mom were a fun touch too, along with the FMC’s sweet family. The MMC was a bit trying at times, and I was a bit perplexed by the mom’s strong actions at the end. But, overall, highly recommend this one! Loved the main character’s spirit and the connection between the main couple! Can’t wait to read more of this series!! There wasn’t much spice, but I enjoyed the slow burn and the romantic scenes once they happened.

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This book was so refreshing and fun. I genuinely had the best time reading it and laughed out loud several times. The characters were all pretty great. The tension between Guy and Lottie was fireeeee. Though there weren't many spicy scenes, what we got was excellent. Cannot wait to read more of Virginia's books!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Look Before You Leap is charming! There’s a lot to be said for a enemies-to-lovers romance, and Heath does a grand job with this one. Lottie and Guy are both awkward in social groups, with situations in their pasts that have impacted them professionally (for Lottie) and personally (for Guy). That means Lottie is desperate to do well in her new position as companion to Guy’s great aunt, and Guy wants nothing to do with the society that brutally damaged his youthful self-esteem.

But there is nothing like matchmaking family members, and Look Before You Leap has two grand ones in Guy’s mother and great-aunt. Their plans to find Guy a wife inevitably involve Lottie, and their time together at his estate lead them to discover their many commonalities. Heath also makes them gaga for one another, each relishing the other’s physicality in ways that inevitably become clear to those around them. The gradual growth in their relationship was something I really enjoyed reading about.

Heath has a grand time with the secondary characters, particularly some scheming young ladies, meddling grooms, and sly butlers. Add that to the innate vitality of Lottie and Guy, and you have a grand read in Look Before You Leap. This is my first Heath, but you can bet it won’t be my last.

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

"Look Before You Leap" by Virginia Heath is the second book in her Miss Prentice series, but you can read this without reading the first one. This is a historical romance (with a more modern feel) that follows Lottie and Guy as they deal with family drama, meddling aunts, and trope-y situations during the lead-up to and week of an estate house party. This was irreverent, often funny, and filled with lots of tropes typical of this genre. If you don't like insta-lust, this may not be for you.

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I received this book as an ARC from the publisher. It was a surprise to receive and I’m glad I got it as I finished the book and wanted more! If you’re a horse girl and love tall woman representation I have a book for you. Historical romance is getting zero love these days and it is a shock to me. These stories are fun, filled with so many cultural and societal plot devices, always a slow delicious burn and full of passion. There are also always fun side characters and villains. Perfect stories to help escape the mundane. Soap operas for the soul really. This book had all of that. Lottie is a daughter of farmers who got an opportunity to be trained in a school that could lead her to good employment. She needs these jobs to help her family. Guy is a bitter viscount approaching his 30th birthday with a meddling mother who wants grandchildren. Lottie gets a job to be ladies companion to Guy’s aunt and ends up in the birthday party planning. Close proximity over tea and fruit tarts ensues. Loved it.

I enjoyed this book but took off a star only because our grumpy mmc was too grumpy for me. His character was brutal at times and I was shocked. My girl Lottie should not have taken the heat this guy gave and it felt out of character. I also wanted more grovel. The grovel we had was good and he made a fool of himself but I wished for more. I’m that petty I guess. Regardless, the twist was lovely and the story had me smiling. I will be looking forward to reading the other books in this series for sure.

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I enjoyed the first one in this series, All’s Fair in Love and War, and was excited to get the next protegee’s story! So when the publisher reached out with a link to an e-galley of this, I went ahead and grabbed it.

I did enjoy this story. I liked Lottie a lot. She was fun and knew what she liked and didn’t like, and knew who she was. Sure there was the problem of Guy being a Lord and she was just a farmer’s daughter and former governess/companion to his aunt now. It was obvious it was a grumpy sunshine romance, and while it was understandable that Guy was a little bit gun-shy of falling in love after his humiliation as a young man in love years before, I did like that he kind of came around to the idea of the two of them before she did.

Guy was a nice guy, the things he did for his family, the people who lived around his lands and how he wanted to make sure to help them get fair profit from their crops. His mother was such a meddler though, and it was easy to see why he was so frustrated and tended to stay away to save himself from her matchmaking. When Guy and Lottie did give in, it was just one somewhat open door scene in the story, other than a few kisses and a little making out before that. I was also a bit shocked when his mother and especially his aunt sent Lottie away because of the other prospects catching the two of them from a distance together kissing or him leaving her room. Especially with the way both of them had earlier acted about things they’d heard. However in the end, I was glad that was the drama that came between them instead of a misunderstanding for drama’s sake. And I loved the letter Lottie got right when Guy showed up for that big grand gesture to get her back.

Another fun addition to the series, and I look forward to seeing which protegee will get her HEA next!

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