Thanks to St. Martin's and NetGalley for providing a DRC of this title for review.

Light, fun historical romance between a taciturn viscount and his aunt's irrepressible companion-- perfect for a sunny day! Would definitely recommend to my patrons.

4.25/5.

Look Before You Leap is about a failed governess, Lottie who becomes a ladies companion. She meets a grumpy Guy and tension ensues.

The writing was similar to the first book where there was a lot of exposition. There were pages and pages before any dialogue or action which I prefer. The romance and tension was well written. Most of the dialogue was realistic and not too cringy or strange.

Lottie and Guy were both fleshed out well to understand their motives and backgrounds. I appreciated her being a ladies companion to break from the same story as the first book. Per usual in romance books, everything happens so fast in the last couple chapters and is wrapped up in a pretty bow.

Pretty good follow-up in the series. Would read the next one.

Virginia Heath does it again!! Picking up Heath novel feels like hanging with an old friend. You can’t help but root for and love Guy and Lottie. Heath’s storytelling is compelling and her frothy way of marrying regency romance and rom-com energy keeps the story fresh, fun, and enjoyable. I could see this book (and the first in this same series) as a great book club intro for those who aren’t always fans of the regency genre.

Virginia Heath delivers another delightful historical romance with Look Before You Leap, a novel filled with charm, wit, and undeniable chemistry between its protagonists. Known for her engaging storytelling and well-drawn characters, Heath crafts a romance that is both heartwarming and laugh-out-loud funny.

The story follows two strong-willed characters whose paths collide in the most unexpected ways, leading to a dynamic push-and-pull romance that keeps readers captivated. Heath’s signature humor shines through the banter and misunderstandings, making their journey to love all the more enjoyable.

Beyond the romance, the novel explores themes of self-discovery, personal growth, and the importance of taking risks in life and love. The historical setting is beautifully woven into the narrative, creating an immersive experience for fans of the genre.

With sparkling dialogue, lovable characters, and just the right mix of heart and humor, Look Before You Leap is a must-read for historical romance lovers. Virginia Heath once again proves why she’s a favorite among fans of the genre.

Virginia Heath always writes fun historical romances with strong female male characters and great side characters and Look Before You Leap was no different. Lottie was such a great main character - she was headstrong and independent and cared about her family and her friends. I loved how confident in herself, and especially in her skills with horses, she was and how she didn’t let anyone tell her otherwise. Guy was a little stuck in his ways and maybe couldn’t always see the bigger picture but he was also really caring and beneath his gruff persona he was really sweet. I loved all the ways he looked out for Lottie’s family, even without her knowing.
The relationship between the two characters was a lot of fun and I liked how they went from hate to lust to love. They definitely couldn’t stay away from each other and I loved how pretended to be arguing but it was really just poorly disguised flirty banter.
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC!

Sweet grumpy-once-burned-twice-shy viscount meets fun-loving farmers daughter-turned-companion with a touch of loathe-to-love and a hint of spice 🔥

It took me a while to warm to the characters (their first impressions weren't great), and I didn't love how we got to the ending. This brought it down one star, but overall it was a fun romp. I did really like their friendship and banter once they warmed to each other (and me) as well as his declaration scene. I also liked how the class difference was never even a consideration for him and he was a good and honorable man under the grouchy exterior.

This was a really cute book. Guy is about to turn 30 and his mother insists on a birthday party. Meanwhile Lottie has been let go from her governess position and needs another job. She grew up on a farm and was given the opporunity to train as a governess/companion but hasn't given up all of her wild ways. She often flirts her way into borrowing horses from grooms (which caused her to get let go from her previous job), and one day she ends up running into Guy and he gets mad at her but they cannot forget each other.

Lottie ends up being hired by Guy's aunt (unbeknownst to her) as a companion. When the birthday party is planned, they end up driving to Guy's country house and "helping". The 3 women plan a more involved birthday party for Guy and invite many eligible women to come for a week and get to know him. Guy and Lottie bond on their love of horses and their interest in each other.

I thought all the characters were cute (except for the annoying debutantes of course) and was really rooting for Guy and Lottie. My only complaints were the story was really rushed at the end, and there were a few instances where Heath uses some more contemporary language that kind of takes you out of the historical aspects of the story (like how she starts talking about "ice cream" when Gunther's serves "ices"), I didn't love the rushed excited scene at the end with Guy and Lottie's friends but overall I really liked this book.

I received an advanced copy and am giving an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book! I hadn’t read the first book and now I wish I would’ve because I really love this authors writing and the characters she created. I didn’t feel like I was missing anything, I just want more of the story since I’m book crushing hard. I had a total book crush with the main characters Lottie and Guy and their banter reminded me of myself and my husband. Lottie is head strong and sassy and even though Guy hates those traits he also finds them completely irresistible. Guys mother has made a very bold statement that she wants Guy married by 30 so he can give her a grandchild but all the women who throw themselves at the viscount are not for him. Lottie is a simple companion but the heart wants what the heart wants, and every part of Guy knows Lottie is for him. Now to convince the little spitfire that they belong together….

A lighthearted book with a romance between a working class woman and a stuck up Duke. This book is great for people who love horses, as they are an integral part of the story and the main characters are horse people. I enjoyed the side characters, especially the "mean" lady who is actually hilarious. The dynamics between characters were interesting and peppy. This book is good for people who like Alexandra Vasti books. It would be a good beach read.

This was a witty and entertaining read! In the beginning the characters reminded me of Kate and Anthony from Bridgeton season 2 (minus the whole sister-betrothed plot line). I appreciated the humor, as well as the male main character’s development, pick this one up if you’re in the mood for a very entertaining regency era book!

Thank you St. Martin's Griffin for providing this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own!

Really bad! I found ALL of the characters, including the numerous side characters, extremely insufferable. Constantly mentioning how the heroine is a "ray of sunshine" and the hero is a "grumpy storm cloud" is lazy characterization and we deserve better. There are a thousand other historical romances you should spend your time with.

I love all of Virginia Health's books and this was no exception. I loved the main character and felt very connected with her in terms of her challenges with impulse control and love of the outdoors. I thought the romance was well-developed and seemed plausible. I laughed out loud at some of the trials and tribulations that occurred during the house party! My favorite character was Lottie's companion and enjoyed the inclusion of quirky and well rounded women characters of all ages. A highlight was how strongly the relationships between the secondary characters were developed and I felt as though each character was multidimensional rather than just the main two. I would recommend this to my friends to read to relax and escape!

This is the second book in a new Regency romance series...of which I am always a sucker for. This one follows governess Lottie who is hired as a companion for an elderly curmudgeonly woman, and Guy, a disgruntled viscount and the nephew of said elderly curmudgeonly woman. The two have a chance encounter in Hyde Park early one morning while riding horses (hello Kate and Anthony) and then meet again when Lottie joins her employer at her nephew's home in Kent for his birthday.

It's a very cute story and I loved the banter and development between Lottie and Guy.
However, there was a lot of toxic stereotyping in this book. I know it's a Regency Historical romance, but typically, ones written in modern times are a bit more progressive rather than regressive in it's stereotyping of men and women. This one made some very blanket statements about men and women and it took away some allure of the book.

Still, I enjoyed Lottie and Guy and especially enjoyed the Big Grand Romantic Gesture of the book :)

I liked the first book in the series more, but this was still a fun follow-up, and I am looking forward to the next two books in the series featuring Kitty and Portia, the last two Miss Prentice girls!

'Look Before You Leap' is an engaging and witty Regency from Virginia Heath. Guy is a Viscount satisfied to stay in the country, far away from his London social failure many years previous. Lottie, raised by her widower father with three brothers, has been trained by Miss Prentice as a governess but has repeatedly been let go because of her reckless behavior in riding her employers horses astride and without permission. The first meeting of Guy and Lottie is horse related, and that theme permeates the relationship as a last ditch hire as Guy's Great Aunt's companion puts them in close proximity. The surrounding characters are enjoyable, and the push by Guy's mother to get him married by his 30th birthday provides the background for the story. I could have done without the explicit sex, I felt it was completely unnecessary to an otherwise satisfying story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Enjoyable book with a lot of laughs. I enjoyed the romance. If you are in the mood for a lighter comedy then this is a good one.

I hadn't read any Virginia Heath before, but I hope to read more of her work. Of course I got an arc of the second book in the series, but I truly felt that I didn’t miss out on much and I was able to follow along. This historical romance was just was I needed: something light, fun, low stakes, and a lot of wit. I overall really loved Guy and Lottie, it was fun to see their romance blossom. I also loved the side characters of Guy’s mother and aunt.

Romance tropes:
-grumpy/sunshine
-second chance romance

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

I was extremely fortunate to receive an ARC of Look Before You Leap written by Virginia Heath, from Netgalley and voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the story. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This is the second book in Miss Prentice's Protégées series, and can be read as a stand alone. We meet Charlotte Travers, Lottie to her close friends, a remarkable horse-woman who has recently lost her governess job, due to her unladylike comportment. She finally lands a job as a companion to a rambunctious older lady, who just happens to be the aunt of Guy Harrowby, Viscount Wennington, someone Lottie inadvertently ran down and collided with while riding a horse as if the hounds of hell were behind her. Guy has a fear of crowds, especially after a failed public proposal in which he was humiliated. Unfortunately for him, his mother and aunt have devised a plan to throw him a surprise birthday party (which he abhors) and enlists the help of Lottie. Lottie and Guy have had many unforeseen and unfortunate disasters occur almost every occasion they have met/collided. I love this story, the banter, the developing characters and especially the rapport between all the family, including Lettie's is so well described and natural. A must read!

I think this book is fine but just ultimately not for me (and that’s ok)! The internal monologues are a liiiitle long for me and I find the the things the characters say to be slightly out of sync with the period, but overall this is a fun, cheerful book, and some out there will love it.

I received an ARC for free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the E-arc!

This was such a fun read! Grumpy x sunshine and so so romantic. I'm not usually a historical romance reader, but Virginia Heath has hooked me on her stories! They are easy to read and don't feel as "dated" as some histrom does.

This book was so lovely and fun! I’m a huge fan of regency style romcoms and this hit all the right notes for me. I loved both our MC’s, and I felt like the setting the book started with was unique with her training to become a worker for the ton basically. I don’t think I’ve read anything like that before. The writing was easy to follow, the banter was great, and there were some truly funny moments! I enjoyed it.