Virginia Heath is one of my consistent, go -to historical romance authors. I can count on her for a fun, witty, hijinks filled romantic escapade. In the second book of her newest series, we follow a young companion on her road to romance. A delightful FMC with a charming MMC That’s what I want to read when I pick up a historical romance. Once again, I encourage everybody to read historical romance because the are escapism often with a message of modern truth behind it.

Thank you #netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest with you.

I have yet to find a Virginia Heath book I don’t love, and what I always especially like is how real and vivid her characters are. Lottie is bold and brash and reckless where Guy is reserved, holding all his feelings in until he’s fit to burst. Frankly, they need each other. He loves all her rough edges, and she pulls him back to living and loving life. And their banter and chemistry is top notch. This is the slowest of burns that is more than worth the wait.

Of course, there’s a whole surprise house party plot between their meet ugly and their HEA, and it was so much fun. The debutantes are so perfectly obnoxious and guy’s aunt is meddling and cranky and hilarious all at once. But my favorite supporting character was guy’s mother, Constance. For a while, it seems like she’s going to fall into the trope of overbearing society mama who thinks she knows best and the HEA must be achieved in spite of her. But no, she’s unexpected and clever and funny, and I truly loved her.

The pacing was a tiny bit slow at the beginning, and as an introvert, the big gesture at the end would have given me a panic attack, but this was still a really wonderful book.

Charlotte Travers comes from a really good family. Unfortunately, though, not a wealthy or titled family. As a farmer in Kent Lottie’s father struggles to keep his four sons and daughter afloat. With four brothers Lottie has learned how to take care of herself and grown up to be quite the tomboy in the process. She loves life on the farm and is a skilled horsewoman, but when she is given the opportunity to attend Miss Prentice’s School for Young Ladies and become one of her Protégées, her father insists this is a chance she can’t let pass her by; she’ll be educated to become a governess or ladies’ companion. Lottie likes being at Miss P’s and has made good friends, but the ladylike decorum part hasn’t sunk in yet – Lottie “borrows” horses to sneak away for an early morning gallop. And that part about knowing how to take care of herself prevented her from being taken advantage of but has landed her where she is now: fired from her last job as governess, back at Miss P’s, looking for a position – and still borrowing horses.

Lord Guy Harrowby, Viscount Wennington, used to a be fun-loving, joyful young man until in quick succession his father died and he was publicly humiliated by a young lady who only pretended affection for him to gain the attention of the man she really wanted. Too young, too inexperienced, and still grieving, Guy put himself out there and was rejected and became a laughingstock in the process. Since then he’s kept his heart solidly locked away, with all his focus on running his estate, and has become Grumpy Grouchy Guy. He’s about to turn 30 and his mother is determined to get some grandchildren – whatever it takes, whatever subterfuge she has to employ.

Through a delightful series of coincidences only possible in entertaining books like Look Before You Leap, Lottie and Guy literally bump into each other – on horseback – have words, and once again Guy feels humiliated. Good thing they’ll never see each other again. But, you know that’s not how this is going to work out. Lottie’s new job is as ladies’ companion to Guy’s aunt, who is planning to stay at his estate and help his mother plan the huge house party birthday celebration he thinks will be a small dinner with a few people. Of course this has disaster written all over it, but you know it’s going to be so much fun – and so funny.

All the rules, constraints, inequalities, class distinctions and snobbery of Regency Era Society – the ton – must have driven everybody crazy. Women could be ruined in an instant, could only talk to the proper people, had no control of their money, had no input in decisions, on and on. Author Virginia Heath does an outstanding job of taking frustrating life in – or outside of – society and making it hilarious. Guy and Lottie don’t stay enemies for very long, but the objective of this house party is to find him a wife and Lottie wouldn’t do – a farmer’s daughter and a Lord? No way. But they are still drawn together like magnets.

Look Before You Leap is fast-paced, full of action and absolutely hilarious most of the time. Guy and Lottie are thrown into one ridiculous situation after another. You’ll be laughing out loud, but then you’ll begin to realize just how sweet this story also is, how tender, how these two really understand each other and are meant to be. I received an advance copy of Look Before You Leap from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley. It was a wonderful story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

Okay, this one was a total win. Look Before You Leap gave me everything I want in a historical romance—grumpy viscount, stubborn heroine, top-tier banter, and actual character growth that felt earned. I loved Guy and Lottie together. They’re both so set in their ways, but the slow shift from irritation to real connection was honestly such a good time to watch unfold. And yes, he falls first, which always makes me happy.

Lottie is wild in the best way—messy, impulsive, and trying really hard to fit into a world that clearly doesn’t deserve her. And Guy? Fully convinced he’s immune to feelings, meanwhile he's out here quietly losing his mind over her. The pacing felt just right, the romance actually built into something solid, and the ending? Perfect without being over-the-top.

Also, Guy’s mom and aunt meddle like it’s a competitive sport, and I loved every scene they were in. The whole book just felt fun and sharp without relying on tired drama. No dragged-out conflict, just characters you want to root for and a romance that actually feels good to read. I stayed up late with this one and have zero regrets.

Thank you @virginaheathwrites, @stmartinspress, @youhadmeathea and @netgalley for the #gifted book and ebook ARC.

This is by far the best story by Virginia Heath I’ve read so far. Lottie Travers was trained to be a governess but because she was a rule maker and not one who followed them closely, she has lost her job and must settle for a job as a lady’s companion until the scandal subsides. She meets Lord Guy Harrowby in the park when she almost crashes into his horse while riding a horse she borrowed. Imagine Guy’s surprise when they meet later and she is introduced as his aunt’s companion. Their inauspicious beginning slowly turns into friendship until Guy takes offense at Lottie’s assistance provided to his mom while planing his birthday party. Of course the path to love doesn’t always run smoothly but it was delightful to read Lottie and Guy’s story and the twist and turns they took as they fell in love.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving a review

Virginia Heath is such a talented author, I truly felt like I was taken hostage by debutantes and scheming mamas in England’s countryside. Guy was so ridiculous and stubborn it made for such a good read. For once it’s the man we get to question as unlikeable! Lottie was the best and kept Guy on his toes.

Guy’s aunt and mama were delulu. Read to find out why!!

I will be recommending this series to anyone who wants to get into historical romance books. Can’t wait for Kitty and Portia’s HEAs !

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for providing this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley for this Arc! I rate this book 5 stars and a 2.5 for spice. I seriously loved this book so much! This series has been so fun and Lottie and Guy’s story did not disappoint. I loved his gloomy character and her tomboyish farm girl personality. The audiobook was awesome and the narrators were perfect. Can’t wait for the next book in the series!

I loved the first book in this series (as well as the author's Merriwell Sisters series) and eagerly awaited this installment. Virginia Heath's books hit all my favorite parts of historical romance- witty, strong protagonists, well-written side characters, and fun banter. Look Before You Leap is no exception, and Lottie is fun, headstrong, athletic, and a tomboy at heart. I really enjoyed how the romance built through shared mutual interests and biting back and forth banter. Don't miss this book if you like modern feeling romances, the class difference trope, and Bachelorette-style country house parties.

This was a really good book by one of my favorite authors. Ms Heath writes a witty and fun story about a governess in training. Her name is Lottie Travers who get fired from one job to another. It isn't her fault that she gives advice to her employers who get offended. Her antics are funny but it sometimes turns out worst for her. She is a woman trying to keep her family farm afloat and it's not turning out well. Then Lottie gets a job as a companion to an elderly woman who is very opinionated. The Lady needs her to attend her at a house party. Well, at least Lottie can feel secure and try to be a help to the old woman.
The house party has the employer's nephew Lord Guy Harrowby, Viscount of Wennington. He's there to be introduced to eligible debs. He really doesn't want to get married but he hates to disappoint his mother. Lottie and Guy have an instant chemistry that runs hot. But Lottie trying to be sensible in her feelings towards Guy. But love has a way of putting two people together for a happy ever after.
I appreciate Net Galley for this ARC title in which I gave an honest review.

Another laugh out loud, positively delightful romp from Virginia Heath! Even in her supporting role in book one, I was so excited for Lottie’s story and it was well worth the wait! Right out of the gate (Lottie’s a horse girl, so horse puns are required, right?), Lottie captures your heart with her quick wit, free spirit, generosity, and determination to live unapologetically as herself… even if that leads to her having to find yet another place of employment.

While being a governess didn’t work out, Lottie’s family farm is struggling, so there’s no time to wallow, she’s gotta get back up on the horse and decides to try being a lady’s companion. And in a fun twist of events, her new employer happens to be the aunt of the charming young buck Lottie literally ran into and managed to throw off his horse. Nothing says meet cute like being thrown from your horse, landing on your arse in a public park, and getting threatened to be horse whipped… god, I love romance!

Lottie and Guy could not be more different on paper… she’s a gorgeous drink of water with legs for days and a sunshiny outlook on life and he’s starchy aristocrat who walks around with a storm cloud overhead and confuses feelings with chest pains, BUT they’re both horse girlies (gender neutral) so OBVIOUSLY friendly competition ensues which naturally leads to some delicious flirting and banter.

Other things I loved: meddling and matchmaking! Flirty verbal sparring! Just once to get it out of our systems! Grand gestures!

Thank you to NetGalley, Virginia Heath, and St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lottie Travers is the furthest from a governess possible. Sure, she's qualified on paper, but her upbringing with 4 older brothers and a love for horseback riding and wearing breeches isn't exactly...ladylike. When she gets hired to be a lady's companion for Lady Frinton, she gets wrapped up into her scheme with her sister to throw a surprise party for her nephew, Lord Guy Harrowby, that's less of a surprise party and more of a week of matchmaking for him, as he's turning 30 and has yet to produce an heir. The only problem? Lottie and Guy have butt heads in the past, and they're not on good terms with each other, but the more time they spend together, the more they might realize that there's more to each other than their jabs towards each other.

This book is the second in a series, and you do NOT have to read the first book to understand the events in this one! The FMCs of this series—Georgia, Lottie, Portia, and Kitty—are all friends, so I'm going to assume we're getting books about Portia and Kitty in the near future. That being said, the series is a series of interconnected standalones, but as someone who didn't read All's Fair in Love and War (Georgia's book), I didn't have a hard time understanding the events of Look Before You Leap. There's some minor references to Georgia and her love interest, but it's nothing major that would spoil their story if anyone chooses to read this book first and then read Georgia's story after.

There were only really 2 characters I liked the most out of everyone in the story: Lottie and Lady Frinton. I felt they were two sides of the same coin. I loved the way Lottie was just unapologetically herself, and she didn't care what other people thought of her. She speaks her mind and isn't one for the societal rules. She doesn't ride horses sidesaddle, she has endless love for her family, and the last thing on her mind is finding love when all she needs is horses. I would've loved to see more interactions between her and her older brothers; they all seem super tight-knit and close together, but we see her interact the most with her brother, Dan.

As for Lady Frinton, I loved her character, even if she's just a side character. As cranky and volatile as she was, I loved that she respected Lottie's opinions and takes on everything. Even if she wasn't always the best at showing it, you could tell that she was rooting for Lottie throughout the story. The only thing I didn't really like was her and her sister's meddling in Guy's love life. He's 30. He can do whatever he wants.

Moving onto the plot, I feel like things could've been rearranged. For example, it takes almost 80-85% of the book to be completely over before we get any real heart-to-heart talks between Lottie and Guy. The majority of the story leading up to that point is them clashing, bickering, and storming off until they realize the next day that they were acting irrationally, and then they apologize to each other. It was hard to imagine that either of them had chemistry together when they didn't truly open up to each other beyond their surface-level interactions and first impressions of each other until close to the very end of the book. (And no, Guy talking about how many boners he had throughout the story did NOT convince me of any deep, emotional love or attraction towards Lottie; he was just constantly horny to me.)

Also, going into the story, I thought the majority of the plot would involve Lottie and Guy trying to make it through the week together during the courting process with all the debutantes and their families in his own house trying to woo and win him over. What we got instead was 50% party planning and everyone sneaking behind Guy's back trying to plan said surprise party, and then 50% vapid debutantes who were super shallow and served next to zero purpose for the plot overall. That said, coupled with the pacing of the story, it felt like the first 50% of the book was moving at a snail's pace compared to the second half when the surprise party and birthday celebrations start. I also thought it was extremely odd that Guy's mother and aunt invited anywhere between 15-20 debutantes to the ball, but then only 2-3 of them were ever named or had dialogue throughout the story.

Overall, I think hardcore regency romance fans would love this, but this wasn't the book for me. The slow pacing of the story, coupled with plot points that didn't always make 100% sense to me, made it difficult for me to get through and enjoy. I may give All's Fair in Love and War a shot in the future, but this book wasn't for me.

I adored this book. I mean we have a grumpy viscount Guy and no-nonsense Lottie??? He has met his match. Lottie is a farmer’s daughter and she was sent away to a special school for young women where they teach them how to be young ladies and prepare them for jobs fit for women of the time. And Lottie was always her own person and a bit of a rebel. Years later she was hired to accompany a woman around, a little above being a maid, and she ends up finding out that this woman is related to this man she had met a few nights ago who she had to literally SAVE. You must read the book to understand. Aside from them meeting again and Guy going through his own heartbreak from years back, and his mom wanting him to settle down and have kids, I loved these two, the romance was HOT, their connection made me root for them until the end. I couldn’t stop laughing at their shenanigans.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Look Before You Leap
By Virginia Heath
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Virginia’s Heath’s characters always charm and Miss Charlotte Travers is a positive delight. Guy, or Lord Wennington is grumpy to Lottie’s sunshine. They nearly collide at the park and Guy is thrown from his horse. Resulting in a hilarious meet rude! Lottie has just lost a governess position and to reclaim her good character, she becomes a companion to a horrifying lady—who happens to be Guy’s aunt! His mother and aunt are scheming to find him a wife in time for his thirtieth birthday and the hijinks begin. This romance is full of humor, heart, and fast horses! A must read for regency romance fans.

Gentle readers: there is a very swoony bedroom scene.

If you’re looking for an opposites attract romance with a historical vibe and lots of horse references then this is the book for you. I received an advanced reader copy of this book for free from NetGalley and the publisher and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts are my own.
Guy is a curmudgeon of the highest degree. A past romance that ended poorly, okay disastrously and quite humiliatingly on his part, has scarred this nobleman from wanting to try again, to the point that if it doesn’t have to do with his horses or farmland then he avoids town life like the plague. A chance encounter with a bold horsewoman (Lottie) only infuriates him all the more, having him scurry back to the country and reaffirming his desire to avoid all women. Lottie herself seems immune to Guy but she can’t seem to stop helping him when her new job as his aunt’s companion keeps forcing them together.
This is book 2 in the series and I’ll be honest, it starts off a bit slow but hang in there because once the location moved to the country things started to get more interesting, with highly amusing antics on all ends ( although my favorite is probably the archery scene). I love that Lottie is strong and independent, and probably a better horseman than Guy. The way she describes him as a little storm cloud to her sunshine is perfection, however, in the beginning Guy does seem a bit wishywashy and almost gives a vibe of a toddler with a temper tantrum, but you’ll soon understand why he acts the way he does, and he redeems himself quite spectacularly. Even though he’s not overtly alpha, he truly seems to “get” Lottie like no one else does. It is a soft romance with a slow build and very scant steaminess but there is a lot of tension present between the two very early on.
Even though it is part of a series you can easily follow along without having read the other book, although those who have will see some familiar faces. It’s not my most favorite book by this author but still a nice soft historical romance that will have you giggling out loud. 4 stars.

4.25/5 stars

I am enjoying this author's work more and more as I work through her backlist.

Both mains here have issues to overcome which revolve around "polite society". Lottie, who continues to be dismissed as a governess because she cannot curb her "wildness" (said wildness tends to be centered around horse theft), is desperate to control her tendencies in order to financially help her family back home with their financial farming woes. She finally secures a lady's companion position with a difficult and set in her ways curmudgeon. And so, begins her journey toward respectability...maybe. Guy, a viscount who was publicly humiliated as a young man, finds it difficult to trust women and would rather be at his country seat than making his way through a London season. It doesn't help that his mother and said curmudgeon aunt are secretly scheming to matchmake at his 30th birthday celebration.

Lottie and Guy are both such wonderfully written characters. They are who and what they are even in the face of ridicule and shunned from polite society. Their love story unfolds slowly but sweetly as they come to value each other as the unique individuals they are. The plot is funny and engaging, and the ending is so satisfying and swoony.

Very well done and looking forward to more from Heath.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press / St. Martin's Griffin for providing the free early arc of Look Before You Leap for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Guy and Lottie were endearing, and they captured my heart. I thoroughly enjoyed their verbal sparring and all of their run-ins. They had amazing chemistry and a beautiful connection. I adored Lottie's menfolk and Guy's Mom and Aunt. I loved how unique Lottie was and Guy's tender heart. This was a very entertaining book with a good mix of humor, romance and crazy situations.

“Look Before You Leap” by Virginia Heath had a whole lot of tropes mixed into the plot. Charlotte, or Lottie, grew up with four brothers and a father as well as a great love for horses and a wild streak. Guy has had his heart broken and loves animals more than humans. They collide in Hyde Park on horseback back as Lottie is fleeing her employer. She the meets him again as his Aunt’s companion who has come to plan his surprise birthday house party that he doesn’t want and is inviting every eligible women that is sure to drive him crazy in order to find him a wife. The more time Lottie and Guy spend together the more pointless the house party seems because it looks as if he has already found the woman he wants to marry but will her role in the surprise drive them apart?

I loved Guy and Lottie together and I loved them as individual characters. Guy’s grumpy side drove me crazy sometimes though and I, at times really disliked how he, his aunt and his mother would treat or ignore Lottie. His grand gesture at the end made up for some of his earlier ignoring shenanigans but I found those earlier parts hard to read. The plot was fun overall despite a few parts at the beginning that felt a bit slow and the way Guy treated Lottie over the surprise party. I loved the plot line with the Arabian horses and I am secretly hoping for a spin off series that talks about Lottie’s four brothers because they were so much fun. A good book overall despite my few reservatiorns.

After an altercation with her boss’s son and a possible horse theft, Charlotte “Lottie” Travers is once again unemployed and finds herself back at Miss Prentice’s School for Young Ladies. And if that wasn’t the bad enough, she learns that her family’s farm is not doing well and she has no money to help them. Upset, she takes another unauthorized ride and nearly collides with another rider – a rude, grumpy, and very handsome rider. She tries to forget about the experience and concentrate on helping her family. When Miss Prentice finds her a job as a Ladies Companion to the dowager Viscountess Frinton, she is not exactly happy about it, but beggars can’t be choosers. But things take another downhill slide when her employer changes her travel plans en route to Scotland and they ended up at the estate of none other than the man she nearly collided with in the park – Guy Harrowby, the Viscount Wennington. She is then roped into helping plan a surprise house party for Guy’s 30th birthday, with his mother’s secret intention of finding a bride for him! She is surprised when he doesn’t out her to her employer, but he turns out to be just as grumpy and unlikable at his home as he was in the park or is he?

After a humiliating rejection, Guy has been in no rush to find a bride. He is perfectly content to stay in the county and will find a bride, some day. But when his mother nags him into having a small birthday dinner, he agrees, only to learn that she tricked him and now he has a house full of debutantes and if that isn’t bad enough, the reckless hoyden than nearly killed him in the park! He should dislike her, and he does, but he is also attracted to her and begins to fall for her as she sort of helps him avoid his mother’s machinations. Maybe he has found the right woman for him??

I wanted to like this book so bad – but right from the get-go I had a problem with Lottie – she is a liar – she lies about everything and crosses her fingers behind her back as if that makes it all right. I just didn’t like that, nor did I find her impulsive, reckless behavior charming. Guy was ok – I felt like he was a much more relatable character, and I LOVED the way he stood up for Lottie – he was sigh worthy and the only reason I finished this book. This is the second book in the series, but it could be read as a standalone title. And while this book didn’t work for me, I would recommend it to my fellow HR readers, as there is some witty banter and a really wonderful ending.

2.5 stars, rounded up.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

A fun and funny light read. Lots of shenanigans.

The main characters, Guy and Lottie, are both different from what society wants them to be. Good for them that they’re perfect for each other.

This novel is completely predictable but in a good way. Both characters are so into each other but so self-conscious about it. It’s very cute.

“Legume” plotline was ew. Stop saying legume.


Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC.

Look Before You Leap, the second instalment in Virginia Heath’s Prentice’s Protégés series, is a delightful Regency romp featuring an enemies-to-lovers, sunshine-versus-storm-cloud couple who are utterly charming.

Lottie, recently dismissed from her latest post for “borrowing” a horse for a mad gallop through Hyde Park, finds herself assigned as a lady’s companion to the crotchety and hilarious Lady Frinton. She accepts the position reluctantly, desperate to support her family of farmers in Kent. Too bad Lady Frinton happens to be the aunt of the terrible man Lottie nearly collided with during her wild ride. Too bad she also insulted said terrible man and threatened to horsewhip him, before she realised all paths would lead to his home in Kent, where they’re now both stuck for several weeks.

It’s a perfect set-up for these two main characters. Guy, Viscount Wennington, a walking storm cloud still stinging from a very public, very painful rejection, still grieving his father’s death years before, and is far more invested in his estate and Arabian horses than in the alluring chaos-bringer now underfoot. To add to his frustration, his meddling mama is determined to see him married and insists on throwing him a 30th birthday bash. His aunt is fully on board with both schemes.

What follows is a lovely exploration of how Lottie and Guy, underneath their outward differences, are deeply aligned in values and life goals. Their sizzling chemistry fuels the tension, and the ridiculous house party, complete with a horde of simpering debutantes, only throws more sparks into the mix.

The obstacles in their path are well drawn, with enough twists to keep the story lively. While I adored this book, it was a four-star read for me rather than five, due to some pacing issues and occasional modern language that pulled me out of the immersive Regency setting. Still, I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone craving a good Regency rom-com. Can’t wait for the next in the series!