Look Before You Leap by Virginia Heath
Miss Prentices Protégées series #2. Historical romance. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Lottie Travers was raised on a farm with several brother. Knowing her future it limited, she goes to Miss Prentices Protégées for training. When her first two positions as governess do not work out, Lottie is placed as a ladies companion with a hard to please older woman, who does value Lottie's no nonsense honesty. Since Lottie was surrounded by her brothers, she’s not intimidated by men or horses and finds herself often trading barbs with Lord Guy Harrowby, the Viscount of Wennington, and her employer's nephew. . When a house party brings a dozen debutantes to his home looking for marriage, Guy find himself drawn to Lottie as a means of escape and mounting interest. She’s not one of the simpering females trying to trap him. And that’s intriguing. Amusing and a bit steamy, this story goes beyond the ballroom and out to the farm. I was a little worried near the end, but those old ladies are cunning! It was great to have Guy helping out the farmer after researching a problem. Sure, it was because of Lottie, but he’d already proved he’s a good land owner. A wonderful grumpy/sunshine romance.

Lottie Travers grew up in a farm and loves to ride. Alas, she has to be a lady’s companion to subsidize the family farm.
Except she fails in the department of deportment. I identified with Lottie in that regard.
Enter Viscount Guy who promised his mother grandkids but has yet to deliver.
Lottie rides in and knocks Lord Wennington right out of his saddle, but he’s a stubborn cuss.
I,loved the scheming that went on behind their backs because the busybodies definitely have to intervene.
Guy declares himself in a spectacular spectacle worthy of any ton disapproval!

Lottie likes to "borrow" horses and less likes the trouble she borrows with it. Given a last chance to hold down a position as a lady's maid, she's carted off to a house party of a viscount who'd rather not see her again. Guy, meanwhile, is knowingly being manipulated by his meddling mother who is convinced she can trick him into a match.
As with the first book, this was a complete romp. I adore a good meddling mother/aunt tag team. It was so great how Virginia showed their opposites in station were only that and they shared so many common interests to ultimately bring them together.
Thank you St Martin’s Press for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

Another solid historical romance from Virginia Heath!

This one gave me major Bridgerton vibes, specifically the Viscount Who Loved Me (season 2) in that it’s definitely more enemies to lovers and there’s horseback riding! Plus maybe an archery scene!

I’m liking the premise here, but it’s still kind of funny to me that a school for governesses is now a backdrop to a romance series, when historically that was not ever an option for governesses.

Lottie was a character that I liked, but know that if she was a friend of mine she would drive me totally crazy! She’s impulsive at times, but also very loyal and clever.

Guy was like publicly embarrassed years earlier, and has taken this as a cue to hide from society. And now his meddling aunt and mother want him to find happiness (aka a wife and children) and though I liked his aunt they were kind of annoying!

The ending felt a little rushed to me and a little weird. I see how Guy was sort of willing to make a spectacle of himself to prove to Lottie how he felt, but it was just a little cringy to me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC! Look Before You Leap is out now!

This book was so entertaining that I had to laugh out loud at numerous scenes. Lottie is the primary female character and is quite outspoken, sometimes her lacking filters created unusual situations which incidentally involved Guy.

Guy has sworn off love and just wants to be left alone. He keeps insisting that he doesn't like Lottie but he is intrigued by her. Now the fun begins with him trying to avoid her while she is constantly annoying him.

Throw in some interfering family members and voila added drama to the story. Guys mother and her older half-sister secretly gang up on him. His mother is so typical for her age...... she wants grand children.

This a fun book with great characters and I give it 4 STARS for being so entertaining.

Look Before You Leap by Virginia Heath
Miss Prentices Protégées series #2. Historical romance. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Lottie Travers was raised on a farm with several brother. Knowing her future it limited, she goes to Miss Prentices Protégées for training. When her first two positions as governess do not work out, Lottie is placed as a ladies companion where her job is to listen and report back with all the gossip. Since Lottie was surrounded by her brothers, she’s not intimidated by men or horses and finds herself often trading barbs with Lord Guy Harrowby, the Viscount of Wennington. When a house party brings a dozen debutantes to his home looking for marriage, Guy find himself drawn to Lottie as a means of escape and mounting interest. She’s not one of the simpering females trying to trap him. And that’s intriguing.

Amusing and a bit steamy, this historical goes beyond the ballroom and out to the farm. I was a little worried near the end, but those old ladies are cunning!
It was great to have Guy helping out the farmer after researching a problem. Sure, it was because of a female, but he’d already proved he’s a good land owner. A winner.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

Lottie has been failing. She finds it so hard to tame herself. More than her manners, she finds it impossible not to sneak away and gallop on the back of a horse. The specific horse doesn't seem to matter. She just has to get away. Horseback riding is one of the ways she lets off steam and deals with anxiety. She's been let go from another position as a governess. She goes for a gallop in Hyde Park (Rotten Row), and she has an accident with Lord Guy Harrowby. After that, she gets hired as a companion to Guy's aunt, who is as spunky as Lottie--maybe more. And she needs to keep her job this time. Her father's farm is failing, and even though he wouldn't accept it if he knew the money was coming from her, Lottie sends every spare penny home to her family.

Guy is jaded. He had his heart broken years ago, and he's hated London and society ever since. Yet he's promised his mother that he will give her grandchildren by his 30th birthday. Despite not having any prospects. He finally relents and allows his mother to plan a small birthday party for him, but she turns that into a house party full of ladies who are driving him crazy. Even more, the crazy woman who almost ran him over in London is among the guests as his aunt's companion.

Favorite quotes:
-But then pride always came before a fall, and once fallen, pride was the only thing you had left to cling to that might get you through it.

-They instantly bunched up inside him and then seemed to sigh in unison as they immediately relaxed as if they had been waiting his entire life for this moment. For this woman. Even the muscles in his jaw gave way, and he felt it hanging in bemused wonderment. [...] but she was stunning!

-"He is adamant there is nothing else to be done for my...condition. Beyond reducing my motherly anxieties over you, of course. He is convinced my malaise is aggravated by stress." "I thought Dr. Arden said that it was your overindulgence of cheese that set it off?" "That is what I told him to tell you, dear, because I didn't want you upset."

Look Before You Leap is my 5th book by Virginia Heath, and I have complained about this in just about every book. Just because you write historical fiction romance doesn't mean that the main characters have to have sex before marriage. Of course, this happened. Life doesn't change that much. But would it be too much to ask that one of her couples abstain until marriage in keeping with the cultural expectations of the period?

Look Before You Leap was a fast, fun book. It didn't take me long to read it at all. I have it marked as started and finished on the same day on Goodreads. I can't remember if that's accurate or if I just forgot to mark that I'd started reading it when I actually did. Either way, it was a fast read, which improved my enjoyment. I rooted for Guy and Lottie. They were both easy to like, even when I wanted them to behave differently at times. Look Before You Leap gets 4 Stars. Have you read Look Before You Leap? What did you think? Let me know!

I love switching up my reading habits with a good historical romance—and this one hit all the right notes, especially with its refreshing twist on Regency norms. While this is the second in the Miss Prentice’s Protegees series, it works perfectly as a standalone, and now I’m curious to read more from the series.

Lord Guy Harrowby is a reclusive viscount still haunted by a spectacularly embarrassing romantic failure from his past. His mother, however, is determined to see him married before he hits thirty and takes matters into her own hands—with a surprise matchmaking house party at his estate. Enter Lottie Travers, not one of the eligible debutantes, but a failed governess-turned-lady’s companion who’s just trying to keep her job (and stay out of trees and off horseback in breeches… no promises).

Lottie is a wonderfully spirited heroine who doesn’t quite fit into the expectations of the time, and I loved that about her. Her chemistry with grumpy, brooding Guy was fantastic—slow burn, snarky, and full of heart. The contrast between her free-spirited nature and his stubborn reserve made for some fun tension and great banter.

This book had everything I want in a Regency romance: charm, wit, a little bit of scandal, and a heroine who refuses to shrink herself to fit society's mold. If you like your historical romances with a modern spark and characters who challenge the status quo, this one’s a solid pick!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Guy had his ego hurt years ago when he proposed and was rejected embarrassingly at a house party. Now he stays where he is confortable, not allowing people to laugh or emotionally hurt him. Then comes Charlotte, “Lottie”, a very tall outgoing and blunt currently a lady’s companion because she keeps borrowing horses and racing at top speed through the park. Where Lottie and Guy meet after their horses crash into each other, Guy falls off his horse, Lottie chases after it and when she returns gives a very blunt and sturned talking to Guy. Guy embarrassed about his hurt pride is left with wonderful thoughts of Lottie. They got on the wrong foot and keep the enemy vibe going until they became friends. A fun read, easy going characters, I could not stop reading. Loved the tension between Lottie and Guy, he gets jealous when he sees her hanging out with an ungrateful pony and another man.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Heath is an auto read author for me. I love the shenanigans on her books and the characters always make me laugh. This one is no exception. The side characters are great and funny and add a lot to the story.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

Look Before You Leap by Virginia Heath is a delightful (moderately steamy) Regency Rom-Com.

Lottie Travers is a farmgirl whose family farm is failing, despite the efforts of her father and brothers. Lottie has been granted a great opportunity, education in Miss Prentice’s School, where she is to learn how to behave amongst wealthy aristocrats so that she can work as a governess, maid, or companion. She’s grateful for the opportunity because it allows her to earn wages to send home. Unfortunately, she is obsessed with fast horses, to the point that she can’t help flirting with stablehands in order to borrow mounts to go riding. And ultimately, in roundabout ways, getting herself fired. Fortunately, she is given the opportunity to be a companion to a crotchety old woman who seems amused by her escapades. Unfortunately, the lady is the aunt of a young lord with whom Lottie had collided in a park. The encounter was memorable for the lord’s rudeness and for his great good looks.
The lord, Viscount Wennington (Guy) is as grumpy as they come. Years ago, he made a fool of himself by making a very public proposal and being very publicly refused. Ever since, he has avoided female company, avoided polite society, and spent his time on his estate, taking care of his tenants. However, his 30th birthday is approaching, and his grandchild-obsessed mother is plotting (along with her sister, Lottie’s employer, Lady Frinton) to throw him a birthday party filled with eligible ladies as guests. The party has to be kept secret because they know he’ll hate it.
While accompanying Lady Frinton, Lottie is repeatedly thrown into company with Guy. Their personality conflicts lead to a great deal of bickering and miscommunication, but the physical attraction is strong, and they are both good people at heart, so apologies follow the arguments and the two grow ever more enamored with one another. (Especially when Lottie is compared to the aristocratic competition!)
For fans of grumpy/sunshine romances, this one is fun!

What a delightful, fun, and cozy read! I have enjoyed this series and as a second in the series it does a good job of being engaging and building upon the community of young women.

I just adored the banter between the FMC and MMC, as well as the aunt and mother. There are lots of silly moments and joy that the MMC has missed in his life and is brought back in non cliche and sometimes cheesy ways but also felt relatable. Lottie is full of spunk and life and is just what Guy needs to bring back his joy. Even if he did hate the surprise party, the interactions with the debutantes creates some fun shenanigans.

Lottie is my favorite type of FMC! She is smart and has personality, while also not self-deprecating or self-sacrificing. Her family is important to her, and she does make decisions to help them, while also allowing them to be independent autonomous people. They are fully supportive of her and tease her while loving her for her authentic self.

The third act breakup was exactly what I thought it was, and I loved it! A good family meddling with wit is chef's kiss fun. I would recommend this story, and series, for a fun cozy country tea party read!

I jumped into this book without reading the prior book in the series and now I enjoyed it so much I need to read that book too!

Look before you leap features a governance with a bit of a wild side who can’t keep her hands off of a good horse! She find herself often getting into trouble for her unconventional ways and plain speaking. Thankfully, her next assignment is as a lady’s companion to a crotchety and very outspoken old lady! No one has been able to stay in her employment for long, but perhaps Lottie we’ll find a like spirit in her new employer.

Her first task is to accompany her to her nephews home and help secretly plan a house party for his birthday! This turned out funner than she expected as the birthday party boy is grumpy and surly and in desperate need of cheering up!

But as Lottie start spending time with Lord Guy Harrowby while helping him with his horses she starts to get to know him and realizes that this party is definitely not a good plan…too bad she’s only a lady’s companion and needs to toe the line and keep her employers secrets will be betraying Guy… this is not going to end well… especially when the gaggle of society misses come vying for the reclusive guys attention!

This book was so much fun! I loved the sparks and banter flew between Lottie and Guy. The antics and shenanigans that push these two together made for a very entertaining read! This is definitely a true historical romcom!

As I said, before, I now need to crack open book one, All’s Fair in Love and War and catch up on Miss Prentice’s first successful match!

Title: Look Before You Leap
By: Virginia Heath
Pub. Day: June 24, 2025

Genre:
Fiction, Regency Romance, Historical Romance,

Trigger Warnings:
***Crude Humor, Graphic/Explicit Scenes (smattered throughout, but especially Chapters 29-31)

Recommended Age:
Adult 18+

Memorable Quotes:
“Love is always worth fighting for. No matter what the obstacles.”

Summary/Review:
Lord Guy is coming upon his thirtieth birthday, and he has to hold strong to his promise. His mother wants grandchildren, and after public humiliation in his early 20’s he has not desire to date again, I mean maybe someday, but not now. After making some poor decisions of her own, Lottie finds herself unemployed at a governess and hired by a cranky old lady as her companion. As her family is struggling with financial woes, Lottie feels it’s a necessity to keep her job, regardless of what exactly it entails.

As the second installment in the Miss Prentice's Protegees #2 series, the novel was fast paced, well written, and had elements of the Regency genre. The contrast in social class, combined with the characters' passion for horses and horseback riding, the piece about archery, perfectly captures the spirit and drama of the era, especially with the fiercely dramatic single women at its center. However, the overall content and feel of the book wasn't really for me. The novel felt a bit too crude and focused more on the physical side than the first novel. I had higher expectations on a richer developed storyline and continued connection between Georgina and Lottie, as well as the other friends from Miss Prentice’s. I hoped the girl's friendship would continue through the series, however, the way it is written allows this to be a stand alone novel. I get that some people might be into that kind of bold, lusty vibe, and if you are, then Look Before You Leap is for you!

Thank you to Virginia Heath, St. Martin’s Press, St, Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for the opportunity of an Advanced Readers Copy. I am voluntarily leaving my personal review.

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Virginia Heath has done it again with Look Before You Leap! I enjoyed this one just as much as her other books—it had all the charm, chemistry, and clever banter I’ve come to expect. Guy is the ultimate grump with a guarded heart, and Lottie is such a fun heroine—spirited, a little chaotic, and so easy to love. Their slow-burn connection had me hooked, and the house party setting made everything feel deliciously close and tense in the best way.

The setup—grumpy lord meets breeches-wearing companion trying (and kind of failing) to be proper—was so fun to watch unfold. Lottie’s internal tug-of-war between being who she should be and who she is added a lot of heart without ever getting too heavy.

And I can’t not mention the hilarious matchmaking antics of Guy’s mother and aunt. Their over-the-top efforts with the debutantes brought such a fun, chaotic energy to the story—I was genuinely giggling at their scenes.

Solid four stars from me. Romantic, funny, and just an all-around enjoyable read. I’m already excited for what’s next in the series!

This one started a bit slow, but once it got going, I was all in. Guy is the ultimate grump, and Lottie is chaotic in the best way—totally not the “proper lady” she’s supposed to be, which makes their chemistry so fun to watch unfold. The meddling mother and aunt were hilarious and added just the right amount of chaos to the house party setup. I loved how Lottie stayed true to herself, even when trying to fit in. It’s a sweet, slow-burn romance with heart, humor, and just enough drama to keep things interesting.

Look Before You Leap, the second book in Virginia Heath's Miss Prentice's Protegees series, is a fun read that I enjoyed. It's a great grumpy-sunshine, opposites-attract, class-differences historical rom-com for readers like me who love these tropes, and Guy Harrowby, the Viscount Wennington, and Charlotte "Lottie" Travers, a farmer's daughter from Kent who becomes his aunt's paid ladies companion, are well-matched. Despite being a taciturn, (tall), short-tempered, (dark), serious-minded (and handsome) curmudgeon, for all his faults, Guy is a good-hearted man, who cares for his family, his land, and the people who work it. And I have to give credit to Heath for not only imbuing him with some Mr. Darcy-esque features but also for nailing her depiction of Guy as a Virgo male, who likes everything to be just so in his world, neat and tidy, and feels out of sorts when things are beyond his control! I also really liked Lottie's joie de vivre, her kindness (to goslings and horses!) and her commitment to her brothers and father.

Why not 5 stars then? Some spoilers below, so read with caution!

For me, it was great until the last 15-20% of the story, when the lust factor just took over and became the guiding force behind their relationship - rather than love, true love. Ironically, Lottie never tells Guy that she loves him - she thinks it, her friends tell him she does, but she doesn't say the words, which I found disappointing. And the last bit of grandstanding she does about their differences - and maybe she doesn't want to marry him after all - wasn't necessary or amusing at the very end. Plus, there was no epilogue to see these two married and building a life together, and Mama Wennington tickled pink that, at last, she was going to be a grandmother - along with a side romance with Papa Travers perhaps. I also thought, at times, that Guy was too over the top with his anger and never apologized to Lottie for calling her a liar, which seemed a bit too harsh, in my opinion. Lastly, the ending seemed rushed, and while I think it was meant to be humorous, it fell a bit flat for me. I think he should have gotten down on one knee as he did for Florinda, just to make it all come full circle and show his emotional growth as the MMC.

Did I like Harry and Georgie's story (Book #1 in this series) better? I did, and I thought overall it was a funnier book. But I still enjoyed this tale, and I will likely tune in for Kitty and Portia's turns at love when they come.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin, and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

So, I didn’t vibe with this one but that is because I am not the target audience. Despite my opinions on this book, I still think this would be a good fit for a specific audience. Who I personally recommend this read to is at the very end of this review.

The story was a bit flat for me. Slow paced with not a whole lot of action. It really made it hard to pick up this book sometimes. Yes, there is this plot to throw a ball for Guy to find a suitable wife, but it wasn’t enough for me.

The characters weren’t really doing it for me either. The only character I truly enjoyed with Lady Frinton (MMCs aunt) but she was only a side character and we don’t get to see her enough IMO.

The MFC, Lottie, she wasn’t terrible but she definitely annoyed me quite often. I get that she is passionate about riding horses, but she really didn’t need to ride every one she came across. Her obsessive need to ride was such a priority to her, it literally negatively impacts her life. Her family farm is in trouble but it’s all good as long as she can take her employers horse for a joy ride. Obviously, she got fired and was the talk of the town because of it. It was seriously immature and inconsiderate of her. And then, the first encounter she has with the MMC, she has this entitled and elitist opinion on how to properly ride a horse. Girl, sit down. That’s a lot of words from someone who doesn’t even own a horse.

But let’s play devils advocate here. I personally grew up with horses. I was literally put on a horse before I could even walk. Maybe that’s why I don’t quite get the obsession, because I never really had to yearn for them lol. Maybe that’s why I don’t fully comprehend how someone would completely turn their life upside down just to ride.

But even if I can kind of understand where she is coming from, I still don’t get how she has no personality outside of her obsessive equestrian desires. I just wish there was more to her. Maybe I could have found something within her to actually like or relate to.

The MMC, Guy, well… I don’t really have much to say about him. I felt like we don’t really get to know him on a deeper level because half of the time he is dodging his mothers pleas to take a wife and the other half he is annoyed with Lottie and also fighting his attraction to her lol.

Between the two of them, I wasn’t impressed.

There is this seriously lacking enemies to lovers thing going on. There was definitely more effort put into the bickering than the chemistry and I wasn’t getting on board with them at all. We don’t know enough about Guy to understand why she would be interested in him… never mind. It’s the horses. He owns horses. But it goes the other way too. Why could no woman tempt him but in comes this insulting, immature woman with absolutely no social standing and suddenly he is like a moth to a flame? I really think the story could have benefited from more character development and more positive interactions with the characters because I seriously don’t get it. We are told they are attracted to one other, but I didn’t feel the chemistry.

At the end of the day, this book was just overall lacking. It didn’t have enough going on to keep me interested, and the characters lacked personality and chemistry.

But just because this one wasn’t for me, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t for you. Despite not vibing with this read, I can still see how it could appeal to someone else and I don’t think my objections are enough to completely write this one off. It wasn’t a terrible read, I’m just not the right person for this one. With that said, I do recommend this book, but to a specific audience.

If you are someone who enjoys an enemies to lovers regency romance, this might be right up your alley. Especially if you are someone who enjoys long drawn out bickering before the couple finally comes together. I also recommend to anyone who enjoys books and doesn’t have to have it packed full of action. If you enjoy a slower, calm read, this is for you. Also, if you are someone that is obsessed with horses and didn’t grow up with them, this is definitely a good fit for you.

Lottie Travers is one of Miss Prentice’s Protegees. She is a country girl who loves the outdoors and horses, and has a bit of a wild side. Since a grand embarrassment a few years ago, Guy Harrowby has stayed and worked at his estate, away from society. They meet when she becomes companion to his aunt and come with her to a house party intended to find a bride for Guy. The houseful of “eligible” ladies doesn’t catch his eye, but Lottie does. They have much in common. They both love the outdoors, their farms, and horses. When his mother and aunt’s scheme, and Lottie’s part in it, becomes known, it causes a rift. When a jealous party attendee spreads lies about Lottie’s involvement with Guy, she is fired and sent away. Is that the end of it? Well… This well-written charming romp is full of humor, wit, sassy banter, romance, and a wonderful happy ending in the middle of Gunter’s. The audiobook was a treat, a splendid narration by Eva Feller and Shane East.

Virginia Heath is back with another cute addition in this Miss Prentice's Protégés series.
The characters are always great with fun witty banter.
Is it a oh my gosh new twist on a historical romance? No but it is good fun.
Thank you Net Galley and Virginia Heath for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.