Thank you to NetGalley and youhadmeatHEA for the eArc!

This one was a fun, quirky, historical romance. I was recommended it since I loved Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti.

Overall it was a fun read, but some of the quirky language took me out personally:
- menfolk
-womenfolk
- boiled his piss
- etc

And these might be normal common phrases for that time, but it just took me out of the story personally.

Also the banter between the two characters felt stagnant until like 73% in?

The charming is story and I really like Lottie but Guy got on my nerves quite a bit.

The standout character was Guy’s crazy aunt! SHE WAS A HOOT!

Would i recommend it? Maybe not to everyone.
Was I glad I finished it? Yes, but I would have been fine if I didn’t read it too.

I enjoyed reading Look Before You Leap by Virginia Heath. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

Tropes: grumpy MMC/sunshine MFC; both MC's are working class
Steam level: 2
Part of a series, but fine on its own

3.75 stars rounded up. This is cute and charming, with some heart and humor, and a dash of spice. The banter is fun, if a bit drawn out. The romance is slow burn. Nothing twisty or surprising plot-wise, but this writer is solid and knows how to entertain. I do like a stuffy MMC who is passionate underneath (yes, I'm talking about you, Mr. Darcy) and Guy fits the bill. This would probably hit the spot most if you're looking for a lighthearted weekend read.

Lottie Travers would definitely qualify as a hoyden with her penchant to ride horses astride and in breeches.  Guy Harrowby, Viscount Wennington is quiet and hides away from society especially after he committed a public faux pas during his first season.  Their first meeting is definitely not fun and pleasant but then why is Lottie the only woman who stands out amidst a load of eligible women his mother has assembled as aspirants for his bride to be. 
This story is what one would refer to as a regency romp.  Guy's mother and his aunt plot to get him married despite his contentment living in the country with his superb horses and model estate.  Lottie Travers is the despair of the Ms. Prentice school where she and her friends have trained to become worthy governess.
Lottie of course is always getting into scrapes particularly around horses and the riding of them.  Now her father's farm is in trouble, and she might be the only source of income but unfortunately, she is jobless having been released without a reference from her last position. Becoming a lady's companion to a martinet of a society lady may be the only job open to her which she plans to succeed at despite any temptations to the contrary except now she's on the Wennington Estate which has a par excellent stable.
So begins the tale of the Viscount and the lady's companion and it will definitely keep you entertained as they parry and fence in the best of ways. A fun lighthearted romance.

Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful! Sigh...


Thank you to St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was fun. It was definitely slow to start, and the real action didn’t start until 60%. That being said, the payoff was great. Not amazing, but definitely good. I just wish it didn’t take so long to get there.

*I received this book (Via eArc by Netgalley) for free from the Publisher ( St. Martin’s Press | St. Martin Griffin) in exchange for an honest review*
I thought Look Before You Leap by Virginia Heath was a decent read, but I definitely liked the first book more. This one had its moments, and I still enjoyed the author’s sense of humor and the charm she brings to her characters. But there were times when it felt like the story was kind of lallygagging—I just wanted things to move along a bit faster. It wasn’t bad by any means, just not as engaging as the first one. I gave it a 3 out of 5. Still planning to keep going with the series, though—I’m curious to see what happens next!

I loved this even more than the 1st one, and already looking forward to the next!! I love that the girls at the school are so individual and interesting.
Lottie Travers has become one of my favorite FMC'S. A farmers daughter from Kent, determined to help her father and 4 brothers by earning money, she goes to Governess school. However, because she is willful and horsemad, she keeps getting fired.
One morning when she is out riding she literally runs into a man on a horse, the horse is spooked and dumps his rider.
This is the meet cute of Lottie and Guy. He is rude, she is ruder and after she brings his horse back, she rides off.
Guy hates London and goes back to his estate, where his mother wants to throw him a 30th birthday party. We slowly learn his back story, which is sort off sad and yet a little ridiculous.
Meanwhile, Lottie gets a job as a companion to a feisty old lady, who turns out to be Guy's aunt, which Lottie discovers when she arrives at his estate and finds he is a Viscount with many beautiful horses.
The banter is laugh out loud funny ( I was sitting in a Doctor's office just laughing)
There was a lot of interesting history about the summer of 1820, and how farmers tried to band together to get better deals for selling their crops and some other agricultural information.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. This is my honest opinion, I loved this book and thought you don't have to have read the first book, I of course suggest you do.

This book was so much fun. Let me tell you, I opened it, started reading, and didn’t come up for air until the very last word. I was under some sort of spell, no doubt.

Lottie and Guy were perfect for each other. There was a simmering sexual tension underneath all the barbs they kept throwing at each other. Guy sent out a bunch of mixed signals to protect his heart and Lottie was just her effervescent self. The epitome of sunshine versus grumpy. And Guy was hiding a caring, generous inside under all that bluster. I loved the way their romance unfolded and the ending was perfect for them.

The unwanted house party to celebrate Guy’s birthday provided so much drama, I was either laughing or rolling my eyes (while laughing). I loved the sass that the butler and the groom added to the story. I also liked that Lottie’s family and friends provided a safe space to land after all her mishaps.

If you like a steamy historical romcom, then this is for you. This is book two in the series but it can be read on its own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lottie and Guy are a such a delightful grumpy curmudgeon and total sunshine couple! They made me laugh and smile! I loved every moment of reading Look Before You Leap, Virginia Heath’s second book in the Miss Prentice’s Protégées series. This book was so much fun – the sparks are flying between Lottie and Guy from the start!

Guy’s 30th birthday is quickly approaching, and his mother is determined to throw him a party. He promised her grandchildren before he was 30, and since isn’t happening, she wants to help the situation along. She is determined that he marry and have a good time in life like his father did, before he died. Guy is content with his work. Until he runs into Lottie, literally.

Lottie, being one of Miss P’s protégées, knows “The Four D’s” but having grown up with older brothers, has difficulties with decorum and discretion. She may lack these two qualities, but she more than makes up for it with her cheekiness and confidence. Unfortunately, this resulted in being dismissed from her last post. Now she is a companion to Lady Frinton, who also happens to be Guy’s crochety aunt. When Lady Frinton receives an invitation to Guy’s party, they are off to Kent. She is such a spit fire! I love that Lottie enjoys her personality.

You can’t help but fall for Guy! I loved the way he was torn between his attraction and irritation toward Lottie. And Lottie’s eternal optimism drove him crazy. He couldn’t get enough of her smiles, but at the same time he didn’t want them. It was tying him in knots.

Guy’s mother and aunt are quite the duo! Throwing a house party while matchmaking for Guy, hounding him with a herd of husband-hungry debutantes hoping one would catch his eye. The sisters goad each other along, just for the fun!

The banter between Lottie and Guy is so well-written, so spot on. The constant poking the bear, the playful insults thrown at each other, her honesty with her responses, the tension between them, the fine line between lust and loathing . . . The entire scene at Gunther’s is fantastic! It’s romantic, comical, and heartwarming. I wanted to reach into the book and give Guy a high-five! This book has super fun secondary characters as well. Longbottom, Bill, Portia, and Kitty help keep the banter going and are great foils for the main characters.

If you are looking for a fun book that will put a smile on your face and have you laughing out loud, this is it. You will also find a heartwarming, romantic story of two opposite personalities who have amazing chemistry from their first encounter. I hope you thoroughly enjoy the book as much as I did! I want to thank Virginia Heath, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley, for an Advanced Reader Copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

♥️Thank you @smpromance @netgalley @virginiahealthwrites for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

My thoughts:
What a lovely regency romance! A fun, quick and entertaining historical romance.
I loved Lottie! And, I loved Guy too! They make the most perfect couple. Both have a love for horses and being outdoors.
Look Before You Leap had me laughing and swooning :).
💛Grumpy Viscount
🩶Stubborn lady’s companion
🩵Heartwarming romance
🧡Hilarious banter
💚Swoon worthy moments
This was a fun book to read. Perfect book for fans of a fun filled regency romance.

This was an entertaining, well-written historical romance. It was fun, steamy, action-packed and I didn't want to put it down. I enjoyed this historical romance and look forward to reading more books by this author.

I absolutely enjoyed this one!! Historical rom-com at its finest!! Love Lottie’s optimistic vibes and how she broke down Guy’s wall of defense! Highly recommended for historical romance fans!!

Oh my goodness! Such a fun, historical romance! Highly recommend and proof that historical romance can be playful!! I loved the grumpy/sunshine trope and the witty banter. Lots of fun on these pages. 3 stars for me. **I received a complimentary ARC from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

I don’t read a lot of historical romance but for the authors I do read, I’m obsessed with them all. I got so excited when I saw Virginia Heath was releasing a new book, as I have been a fan of hers for a while now, and I’ll literally read anything she writes because they are always so good. I love the enemies to lovers, that feels more like rivals as they are constantly competing about the horses that their banter and competition while staying in the same house is so fun. I love the random kissing, the arguments, the conversation, and the friendship between Guy and Lottie too as he is the perfect match for her, someone who will let her run free and be who she is unapologetically. Guy and Lottie have the best meet cute nearly killing each other when they almost collide while riding their horses and it only gets better from there. Lottie is Guy’s aunt companion and the aunt is literally fabulous, she hired Lottie mostly to hear the gossip and I’m here for it, I would absolutely do that if I was rich and single in my elderly age during this time.

There were so many things to love about this book, and I would highly recommend this series to anyone who loves Historical romance but also someone wanting to dip their toes into the genre because when they are good, they are addicting.

Look Before You Leap by Virginia Heath, book two in the Miss Prentice’s Protégées series, is an opposites attract, enemies to lovers dynamic, with Lottie and Guy being at odds from the beginning. Lottie is a farm girl turned disgraced governess protégé of Miss Prentice. She can’t seem to stay in any position for very long; often because of borrowing a horse from her employer, to ride like the wind. Her wages help keep her family’s farm afloat, so she is eagerly to find another position. She is given the chance to a lady's companion to a woman, known to be notoriously difficult. Soon she learns that the lady happens to be the aunt of a man she nearly ran over while borrowing a horse in a most unladylike fashion.

The job takes her to her employer’s sister house where Lottie learns Guy is her nephew. The two both clash and come together as his aunt and mother embark on a matchmaking scheme disguised as a surprise party full of eligible debutantes. Lottie finds Guy irritating at first, but warms up to him as they interact during the visit. An added subplot is the plight of her father and brothers back on the farm, where blight has ruined another crop.

The chemistry and attraction was off the charts. I enjoyed their morning rides, sharing deep conversations, slow respect and a genuine liking and friendship. Finally Lottie met a man who admired her talent with horses and training them. The class mismatch served as a key conflict. As an aristocrat, Guy can’t understand why Lottie didn’t warn him of something her employer was planning that would upset him. He couldn’t conceive that her duty and loyalty was to her employer, and her need for money to support her family would override her feelings for him. This is a romp with some wonderfully funny parts, but also has some nice social commentary as a result. I can’t wait to see which protégé is next.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
#NetGalley #StMartinsPress #LookBeforeYouLeap

Lottie is a horse girl; Guy is a Virgo man. What more can I say?
I will actually say more. Lottie is our second protege from Miss Prentice's school who has been dismissed from a couple of different governess posts because she keeps sneaking horses to ride. She has just been dismissed from her most recent post for borrowing a horse as well as kicking the grown son of her employer in the groin for attempting liberties when he caught her. Lucky for her, it's now the morning of her friend's wedding, and she was able to sneak away for a morning ride on one of Miss Prentice's horses. Unluckily for her, on this morning ride she crosses the path of Guy, Lord Wennington, causing him to be bucked off his horse. Lottie doesn't let that get her down and enjoys the wedding of her friend as much as possible. She even secures a job with a crochety old lady as a companion. Unbeknownst to her, this older lady is the aunt of the man she unhorsed earlier that day. A sequence of events happens that has them both stuck in Guy's house for his 30th birthday party hosted by his mother who desperately wants him to marry.
Lottie is such a fun character. She is brash and confident. Guy is grumpy and a bit of a workaholic who loves being in the country. I think Lottie's spontaneity is a great foil to Guy's rigidity. Overall, they have similar likes and dislikes. Yet they butt heads often. I think their banter was really fun and I liked that the relationship was a bit more slow-burn. Guy could get a bit irritating, not gonna lie, especially after he learns a certain something and completely blows it out of proportion. I felt like he really milked that situation at times. However, the way they work things out in the end was pretty sweet.
Honestly, the best character in the book was Lottie's employer/Guy's Aunt Lady Frinton. She is hilarious. I liked how giggly her and Guy's mom would get planning the party. It was so fun.
I liked Look Before You Leap a little more than the first book, but both are nice, light fun. I'm excited to see who is next and what their story will be :)

Thank you Uplitreads, Virginia Heath, and YouHadMeAtHEA for my #gifted copy of Look Before You Leap and thank you PRHA for my #gifted listening copy! #LookBeforeYouLeap #virginiaheath #uplitreads #giftedbyuplit #YouHadMeAtHEA #stmartinspress #smpromance #PRHAudioPartner #PRHAInfluencer

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐩
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐚 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝐄𝐯𝐚 𝐅𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟒, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

4★

This is the second book in the Miss Prentice’s Protegees series by Virginia Heath. I adored the first book, All’s Fair in Love and War, and this book was just as fun and cute! With that said, this book can absolutely be read as a standalone. I don’t read many historical romance novels, but when Virginia Heath writes it, I read it! This book was so heartwarming and fun. Heath writes the best characters that are so unique and lovable in their own way.

Lottie has failed as a governess and isn’t doing any better as a lady’s companion. After attending Miss Prentice’s teaching, she doesn’t have much to show for it. In desperate need to send money back to her family, she is determined to work on her career to help her farm back at home. She loves being around horses and riding whenever she has the opportunity. Then there’s Guy, who made a promise to his mother that he would have a house full of grandchildren for her by his 30th birthday. With not a child of his own in sight, his mother is desperate to find him a future wife, and decides to throw him a weekly house party to try to find him a future daughter-in-law. Even though his house is full of eligible women, he only seems to be interested in Lottie. The two are complete opposites but could they be a match?

🎧Narrated by Eva Feiler and Shane East, these two do a perfect job capturing Lottie and Guy and bringing their personalities to life. I found myself smiling so much while listening to this audiobook and credit both Heath and these two spectacular narrators with doing such an amazing job with this one! It was just so fun to listen to and I definitely recommend this one on audio!

Posted on Goodreads on June 24, 2025: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around June 24, 2025: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on June 24, 2025
**-will post on designated date

“Look Before You Leap” is book 2 of Virginia Heath’s Miss Prentice’s Protegees series. This book can be read as a standalone, and if you haven’t read book 1 yet, just go ahead and read this book first anyway because it is utterly delightful! The characters are so much fun, and the author has a wonderful sense of humor. The story is set in Regency England. Lottie Travers has been trained by Miss Prentice as a governess, but due to her unconventional spirit she has been fired from her last 2 jobs as governess. Now she is a newly hired paid companion to the curmudgeonly aunt to Guy, who is also Viscount Wennington. Almost a decade earlier, Guy had his heart broken in a publicly humiliating way and has since shunned public occasions as well as avoided finding love again. But his despairing mother and the aforementioned curmudgeonly aunt conspire to have him meet over a dozen eligible young ladies at a surprise birthday party in honor of his 30th birthday. Well, our spirited heroine can’t help catching Guy’s notice, and that’s when the fireworks and laughs begin! I enjoyed this book so much that I’m already wondering when the next book will be released! I am grateful for this opportunity to read this ARC from Netgalley.

Poor Guy...literally, that's his first name. 🤣 His mother is ready for grandchildren, so decides to take it upon herself to throw a house party in the country and invite eligible young ladies to meet her son. The women are perfect and demure, except for Lottie...but it doesn't matter, because she's just one of the ladies maids. Guy, however, finds himself increasingly attracted to Lottie, despite the fact that she can never be meant for him. Can a man wedded to his work and a woman who breaks the mold find just where they belong...in each other?

I loved how quirky and unique our heroine is, so different from most of the historical romance heroines we're used to seeing. This setting gave me plenty of fun summer vibes! (I LOVE a country house party.) Lottie and Guy locked down the "opposites attract" feels, along with "enemies to lovers." Readers who enjoy these tropes won't be disappointed!

The pacing of this story was a tad slow for me at times. I enjoyed the banter, but as it veered into bickering, it stalled some of my enjoyment. Overall, this is a solid historical romance: fun, light, and a spicy good time!

I'd like to thank St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.