Look Before You Leap is the second installment in the Miss Prentice's Protegees series and follows Lottie Travers, a companion with more love for horses and independence than needlepoint, and Guy Harrowby, a brooding viscount still nursing a bruised heart and a serious distaste for society events, especially ones hosted in his own home without his consent. I was pulled in right away by the premise of the story and thought Lottie and Guy's chemistry crackled from the start, though there were parts of their love story that rubbed me the wrong way.

Lottie was an interesting protagonist. Her background as a farmer’s daughter and the only girl in a house of brothers definitely helped shape her personality and independent spirit, and her determination to support her struggling family while trying to fit into roles that never quite suited her made her even more endearing. Guy, for all his stubbornness and rough edges, gradually reveals depth and vulnerability, which I really appreciated.

I have to say, both characters are a bit difficult to like at times, and though they have amazing chemistry, their banter is a little too insulting for my taste. They go from hating each other and being rude and hurtful when speaking to teasing and flirting by insulting the other? It’s not my favorite trope. And Lottie is keeping secrets, which is a total trigger for Guy. I didn't like this at all, especially knowing his past and how wounded he was. However, the way he speaks to Lottie (more than once) is a major red flag. I didn’t like how harsh he was in his words. His actions, on the other hand, are kind and considerate, which is an interesting, if sometimes confusing, contrast. If I ignore those few mean conversations, the romance was solid, with a satisfying slow burn and some lovely moments of understanding and growth between Lottie and Guy.

Another character I had a hard time warming up to is Guy's mother, who orchestrates the whole matchmaking circus and disregards her son's wishes and feelings. She frustrated me, but she also made me more sympathetic towards Guy. He has a lot of pressure put on him, and his feelings are not often taken into account. Other secondary characters, including Guy's aunt, her butler, and some other guests, are fantastic and add humor and depth to the story.

All in all, this was an entertaining read with a feisty heroine, a gruff hero, and a storyline that blends humor, heart, and just a dash of mayhem. I’m already looking forward to seeing which of the governess graduates gets their story next.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

“Look Before You Leap” (Miss Prentice's Protegees, Book 2) by Virginia Heath
A Super FUN Read ! !
There was never a dull moment in this story. Lottie will, well, she will be Lottie and you will either love or loathe her, maybe. As you may have guessed I loved her, mostly because she is ‘Sunshine’. And Guy, he had a really rough experience that set his life on its current path. I will say there were a couple of times that I chose to skip a few scenes that shared a bit more detail than I cared to witness. But I still loved the story. Happy Reading ! !

The second installment of the Miss Prentice’s Protégées series delivers another delightfully witty and charming Regency romance, filled with heart, humor, and a slow-burn love story that’s as endearing as it is entertaining.

Lord Guy Harrowby is the quintessential grumpy aristocrat with a bruised ego while Lottie Travers is an irresistible blend of chaos and determination. Their slow-burn romance is full of banter, tension, and genuine sweetness. This was one of the best historical romances I have read this year! I can’t wait for the next in the series.

Lottie Travers is a failed governess (she's not good at following orders), but her familly's farm is failing and they need money, so she takes a position as a lady's companion to the very difficult Lady Winthrop, an absolute termagant with some hidden charms. She's a lot to manage, but Lottie is up for the challenge. Lottie and her new employer take a trip to Lady Winthrop's sister's estate to help the sister throw a house party for her son's birthday.

The son in question is Guy Harrowby, Viscount Wennington. He and Lottie already know each other, having had a meet not-so-cute where they almost collided while riding and he fell off his horse. When she arrives at his estate with his aunt, he's less than thrilled to see her, even as he finds himself attracted to her. Ever since he was publicly humiliated by his first love 9 years before, Guy has avoided society and prefers his quiet life in the country. At his mother's urging, he allows her to throw him a small birthday celebration, but unbeknownst to him, his mother, her sister, and Lottie are actually planning a massive house party full of potential brides.

Lottie and Guy spar, but they're both very into each other. There are obstacles of course: a class difference as Lottie is a farmer's daughter who works for a living, and Guy is a viscount. But a bigger conflict is that Lottie is helping to plan a huge marriage mart house party, something that Guy very much does not want, and she's keeping it a secret from him (she has to, it's part of her job). And once the party starts, she's in the position of having to run interference among all the potential brides while she's catching feelings for the viscount herself.

Lorraine Heath's books are very funny, and Look Before You Leap is no exception. Lottie and Guy's sparring is funny and charming. Lady Winthrop is a battleaxe, but also kind of hilarious and Lottie and the rest of the staff's efforts to deal with her are a lot of fun. The house party is a great backdrop for the romance. Guy hates the party, and he's annoyed at Lottie for her role in it, but he also is only interested in her and not the pack of debutantes his mother invited, many of whom are pushing hard to be the next viscountess.

I laughed a lot while reading this book, and I was really rooting for the main characters to end up together, both things I really like in a romance. I highly recommend this one.

There were so many things to like in this book: the old aunt who was constantly described as a dragon, the relationship and banter between Lottie and her siblings, the equestrian subplot, the fears and weaknesses of the MMC, and the enemies to lovers was done very well. The machinations at the end felt unnecessarily cruel even if there were honest intentions, but I’ll allow it because the rest of the story was cute.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a continuation from a series and it did not disappoint! I loved the characters, the weave of the story, and enjoyed this author’s writing. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this book!

I really like Virginia Heath’s books, and I was looking forward to jumping back into this series because I enjoyed the first novel.

Lottie is a governess, but unfortunately she’s not very good at it. This isn’t entirely her fault, though, as she’s had to cope with one bad circumstance after another. Lottie’s love for horses and riding also contributes to her troubles. When she runs into Guy, the Viscount of Wennington, on an early morning ride, it sets off a series of events that changes both of their lives

It took me a little while to get into this book for some reason, but once I did, I was hooked on the story and really interested to see how the characters would resolve their problems. I liked Lottie so much, and I had so much sympathy for her. I also loved the minor characters, especially Guy’s aunt (and Lottie’s eventual employer) and pretty much Lottie’s entire family.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced preview of this book!

I really enjoy Virginia Heath books, and was so excited to receive an arc of Look Before You Leap! It took me a while to become fully invested in the book, but I ended up enjoying it and even like it more than the first book in the series!

We met Lottie in book 1 of the Miss Prentice's Protegees series, All's Fair in Love and War. Lottie is a free spirit and total horse girl, unfortunately, this doesn't bode well for the budding governess as it isn't respectable for a governess to run rampant through the park on a giant horse. Which is how she meets, Guy, sad boi extreme and Viscount. Both are riding recklessly through a park when they almost collide and Guy is thrown from his horse. Guy is immediately ticked off and yells at Lottie about her recklessness and she sorta yells back, which kinda turns him on... Anyway, Lottie is hired as a companion to Guy's insufferable (yet kinda funny) aunt and the two meet again. Guy's mother and aunt are planning a huge birthday party for him, much to his consternation, and they rope Lottie in to help. As Guy and Lottie bond, she's holding a secret that will crush him, and let's just say, he doesn't react well. I did feel like Guy's mother was overbearing, especially in her plans to marry him off and get grandchildren. She and the aunt actually annoyed me at points with their planning and plotting, even if its in his best interest or whatever the argument was, it felt like a step too far. Lottie was in a weird position as a paid companion and a budding partner to Guy, and I really felt for her plight. Guy was a bit of a jerk, given his history it's understandable, but also, is it? He really could have done more to understand Lottie's pov, and eventually he comes around and stands up for Lottie and himself, but goodness it took forever for him to get there!

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I look forward to the next installment of the series! Thanks to the publisher for the complimentary arc. All opinions are my own.

This was a wonderful read. I enjoyed the romance and the time era it was set in. Can’t wait to read more from this author

This book made me laugh *so much*! I adore the pair of idiots that fall in love kicking and screaming with every dreadful step closer to the other. They were secretly in love with each other so early on in the story, but fought it every step of the way. All around, they were just a really fun pair to read about, and his meddling aunt and mother were the icing on the cake. The butler was hilarious too. And his stable hand was just great.

Apparently there were a lot of characters I loved. The antagonizing flaunting debutants were perfectly annoying and frustrating. I loved her family dynamics and her close relationship with them all. I loved this portrayal of horses!! Like, this author *gets it*. I love how their shared love for horses plays into their relationship progression from their initial not-quite-cute meet cute to the very last scene.

My only complaint is that I would have loved to read more of it! I'm looking forward to seeing more glimpses of these characters in future books. This book can be read as a standalone or in series order (this is the second book I believe of interconnected standalones).

Content: explicit

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review is voluntarily written and the thoughts and opinions contained in this review are my own.

This book was delightful. It is the second in the Miss Prentice’s Protégées series but you don’t need to have read book one to enjoy this gem.

Charlotte, Lottie, Travers is one of Miss Prentice’s best (cough) governesses until the day she gets let go by her employer for not letting his son take liberties. Okay, maybe she stole the horse to take a ride without her employers permission, but she brought the horse back, didn’t she? So what if she had almost run over a gentleman along her way. She found his runaway horse for him. Surely that was enough to exonerate her! Miss P is concerned that no one will hire Lottie who needs money to support her family and their farm in Kent. And then the perfect solution to both their problems falls into their laps. The dowager viscountess of Frinton needs a new companion for her travels to Scotland. A letter is delivered and suddenly there is a change of plans. They will be heading to Kent for a birthday party. The birthday party of Lady Frinton’s nephew, Viscount Wennington, the same man she almost ran down.

Guy and Lottie have a lovely story from enemies to friends to lovers. I loved all the meddling from Guy’s mother and aunt and how obvious their traps were. I loved the crop of debutants and how completely not right they all were for Guy. I loved how wonderfully Lottie complemented him right from the very beginning and how she didn’t change herself to be with him.

Thank you so much to SMP Romance and NetGalley for the free eARc in exchange for my honest opinions.

ɴᴇᴛɢᴀʟʟᴇʏ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ || LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP [thank you to St. Martin’s Press and @netgalley for my #gifted copy!]

Title: Look Before You Leap
Author: Virginia Heath
Genre: Historical Romance
Format: Digital
Star Rating: ★★★★☆

ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
This was such a fun read! From the meet disaster, to Lottie and Guy being shoved together, to all of the ridiculousness of a debutantes - I couldn’t get enough! The banter was there, the chemistry was there, and, of course in true Heath fashion, the hilarity was there!

This book is a prime example of why romance should be dual POV - from their first meeting you could see that the pair were undenyably attracted to each other…but also terribly annoyed and thought the other the bane of their current existence. You could see the feelings develop on both sides (a little insta-love-y, but we give grace when it comes to historical romances in this area) and you could see the hesitation and confusion as they tried to figure out if they had a future.

The best part? No third act breakup (sorry if you find that to be a spoiler, but I always like to know if a romance breaks the classic romance timeline in any way).

Add this (and the first Miss Prentice novel, ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR) to your TBR!

ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
Enemies-to-Lovers
Classes Clashing
Arranged Marriages
Forbidden Romance
Meddling Aunties
Grumpy x Sunshine

ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟꜱ:
GR: 4.19 ⭐️
# of Pages: 320
Pub Date: June 24, 2025

In Look Before You Leap, Virginia Heath delivers a story that is witty, emotional, and thoroughly charming from beginning to end.

Lord Guy Harrowby, the gruff and brooding Viscount Wennington, is a hero you can’t help but root for, despite his prickly exterior. His reluctant search for a wife—driven by a promise to his meddling mother—sets the perfect stage for a house party full of lively chaos.

Lottie Travers, is a spirited lady’s companion with a heart of gold and a talent for mischief that she just can’t suppress, no matter how hard she tries.

The chemistry between Guy and Lottie crackles from their first meeting, and their slow-burn romance is both hilarious and tender. Heath has a true gift for witty banter and layered emotional storytelling

This is the perfect feel-good romance: clever, heartfelt, and filled with humor. If you love grumpy/sunshine pairings, strong heroines who defy expectations, and heroes who secretly crave love more than they admit, Look Before You Leap is an absolute must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the E-ARC!

I enjoyed this historical romance from the very first encounter Lottie and Guy had on their horses! They are two strong opposing forces who butt heads quite a bit before realizing they are a perfect match.
Lottie, who is a farmer’s daughter from Kent, takes a new position as companion for Guy’s aunt after losing her last governess role. His mother and aunt’s mission is to see him settled down and are set to make him a match while throwing an unwanted birthday celebration. Little do they all know, his perfect match is already in sight!
Lottie and Guy’s relationship progressed at a steady pace throughout the book as they learn to see past the other’s stubborn side. There may have been some meddling involved to get their happy ending and I adored the antics from each character! Lady Frinton was my favorite!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

4/5 Stars | Wild Hearts and Wild Horses 🐎🔥

What I liked: Look Before You Leap gave me what I didn’t know I needed in a historical romance—namely, a story that didn’t revolve around the endless drama of the ton. This is the second book in the series to do that, and honestly, I’m ready to pre-order the rest sight unseen. Lottie is a delightfully wild horse girlie, and the absolute best part is that Guy loves her for exactly who she is—no tedious "taming" or molding her into some polished society debutante. Their chemistry crackles, the slow burn tension is *chef's kiss*, and the emotional payoff feels completely earned.

What I didn’t like: If I could change anything, I’d ask for just a bit more time with Lottie and Guy together after all that beautiful buildup—give me the stolen moments, the easy laughter, the everyday sweetness. (But honestly, I signed up for the slow burn, so I can’t be that mad.) Also...the ending twist with the Mother and Aunt? Felt needlessly cruel and a little out of step with the otherwise heartfelt tone. Just me? Maybe. Still, it took a tiny bit of the shine off an otherwise wonderful read.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy of this read!

Anything by Virginia Heath is worth a read. I love this series, it is lighthearted and will bring a smile to your face. Can't wait for future titles. Free ARC for NetGalley for honest review.

This was so much fun. I enjoyed all of it! There attraction was on from the beginning to the end. What a fun way to have them meet. The side characters were awesome, from the Aunt and mother to the butler and stable master. Everyone was in on the fun. I was smiling so much as I read. I needed a light fun read and this delivered.
This is a adult read with some drinking and plenty of kisses. One detailed sex scene and some inuendo throughout.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for the eARC; all opinions are my own.

A romp of a historical romance with a feisty FMC, Lottie, a stubborn MMC, Guy, and lots of horses!
The second in a series following four young women who were selected to receive training at a prestigious school for governesses in London, Look Before You Leap focuses on Charlotte, but call her Lottie, a young woman who grew up on a farm with her father and four older brothers and whose mother passed away when she was young. She's headstrong, a tad impulsive, with great humour, and a lot of backbone. And she loves to ride horses, even if it means "borrowing" them from the wealthy gentlemen who hire her to care for young children.

After her most recent firing, she becomes the companion to one Lady Frinton, an older woman who dominates every room she's in, is stern, but also has a wicked sense of humour and an appreciation for Lottie's honesty and forthrightness.

When her newest job results in her staying in the country estate of a Viscount - Guy - that she had a previous collision with, tension rises as the two are wildly attracted to one another but also frequently butt heads, as two stubborn people are wont to do.

Guy and Lottie bring out the best in each other, complement one another, and challenge each other. While each is determined to live their own life in the way they want, they each have to compromise and find that when they support each other (Lottie 'protects' Guy from young ladies determined to woo and seduce him, while Guy eventually welcomes and encourages her to utilize her expertise with his horses), they are much happier for it.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, reading it over the course of a day, and found myself engaged with the characters and their story, smiling and laughing at the funny moments, and rooting for them to get to their HEA.

I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!

The story takes a little while to get off the ground, with Guy/Lord Wennington acting like a petulant child at the beginning, but I ultimately ended up really enjoying it. Lottie and Guy have great chemistry, and the scheming plans of Guy's mother and aunt to get them to realize that were entertaining--if sometimes very questionable. I liked that Lottie was a lady's companion as opposed to governess (unlike the protagonist in book 1 of the series), since it opened up the storyline to a lot more possibilities. Her conflicting loyalties between her employer (Guy's aunt) and Guy add to some of the tension, but given Lady Frinton's eccentricities it's never too angsty on that point. Lottie was an entertaining and endearing character. As noted, Guy starts off a bit rocky and has some backsliding during the course of the story, but overall is a sympathetic character. I liked that he was not just a spoiled aristocrat but rather actively involved in managing the farmland and tenant holdings, including negotiating on their behalf for grain prices. The ending felt a bit abrupt and could have used an epilogue, but based on how this book starts we will hopefully get a little more about Lottie and Guy in the next book.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing an ARC for review!

If you're looking for a historical romance with wit, heart, and a dash of chaos, *this* is the one to pick up.

Lord Guy Harrowby is your classic grumpy MMC burned by the past, chained to a ridiculous promise about producing grandchildren (soooo regency era), and ready to scowl his way through a house party packed with eager debutantes (for anyone who has a Mr. Darcy hangover). Enter Lottie, a fiercely independent companion with more gumption than grace (same girl same) and a knack for doing everything a “proper lady” absolutely should not. Naturally, sparks fly...this is a romance after all.

Their chemistry is undeniable, and watching these two stubborn hearts had me flipping pages long past my bedtime (because unfortunately I'm an adult with free will and zero regard for my sleep schedule). The banter is sharp, the setting is lush, and the slow-burn romance hits just the right emotional notes. Lottie’s struggle to fit into a world that doesn’t quite know what to do with her feels genuine and refreshing, while Guy’s quiet transformation from brooding workaholic to man-in-love had me swooning.

This is a charming enemies-to-lovers (SLAY) tale that delivers both laughs and longing in equal measure. Perfect for fans of strong MMCs, reluctant FMCs, and house parties full of romantic shenanigans. And for anyone who may have a Pride and Prejudice anniversary hangover (me).