Another good story in this series. The characters are fun and entertaining. Lottie is unconventional and always seems to get herself in trouble. Guy was humiliated one time and does not want to repeat the experience. But every time he and Lottie run into each other, sparks fly and not in a good way. So how can two completely different people come together? She is a ray of sunshine, and he is a storm cloud. They need each other and Guys mother and aunt are going to do their best to put them together. Can the meddling busy bodies do it?

A Regency rom com! This is a flirty fun tale of opposites. Guy needs to marry, Lottie is a woman who loves horses and, eventually. Guy. There's lively dialogue that will make you smile. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. I enjoyed this one for the humor and for Lottie.

An adorable, whimsical regency/historical rom-com that will be perfect for a summer read. If you enjoy Heath, their other books, Austen, and nothing too heavy, you'll have no problem reading and enjoying it!

Lottie was truly a great character. A no nonsense, kind of take no prisoners gal. I loved her. Guy was moody and broody but he came around. His mother and aunt were gold too.
Thank you to St Martin's Griffin for the copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

If you are looking for a Regency beach read, look no further! This book does enemies-to-lovers right! I loved the banter between Guy and Lottie, I enjoyed that even though they were grumpy/sunshine, they still had a ton in common and similar wants and values. As far as pacing goes this is pretty fast-paced. The only criticism I have is that the ending comes up quickly, and I wish we had a little more time to enjoy the couple towards the end. The other ladies that I am assuming will be featured in this series are not prominent characters in this installment. The book mainly focuses on Guy and Lottie, and his mother and aunt. All in all, this book was well worth reading!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC!

Look Before You Leap is the second book of Virginia Heath's delightful historical romance series Miss Prentice's Protégées. I adored the first entry of this series, but that book had a bit too much internal dialogue. That wasn't a problem here; I absolutely loved this outing! If you're under a lot of stress and your mind is crowded with jumbled thoughts, this is exactly the kind of story you want to read! I laughed and smiled throughout the entire book.

Lord Guy Harrowby, Viscount Wennington, was totally and publicly humiliated nine years ago because of a grand romantic gesture. No matter, his mother expects him to fulfill the promise he had made to her then - she would have a houseful of grandchildren by the time he reached age 30. Well, Guy is almost 30 now and is still bitter from his public humiliation all those years ago. His mother is desperate, so she "surprises" him with a week-long house party at his Kent estate filled with the most annoying debutantes ever, all fighting for the chance to be his wife. Lottie Travers has failed as a governess, so now Miss Prentice has gotten her a position as a lady's companion. She has been dismissed from her prior jobs because she has developed habits from living with her all-male family, and she can't resist riding horses astride while wearing breeches and boots. Her family farm is in trouble, however, and they are desperately in need of her wages, so she knows she must conquer her wild ways. Even though Guy's home is filled with eligible women, only Lottie catches his eye. Lottie needs to succeed in her new role, but Guy's estate is filled with horses, and there are sparks between her and the grumpy Viscount. This is going to be a wild ride!

This book is one of my favorite books of the year, and Guy and Lottie are now one of my favorite romantic couples! This mostly lighthearted story was filled with lots of humor, sparkling dialogue and lovely steamy bits. The story itself is great, but it's these wonderful characters who will grab your heart and remain with you long after the story ends. Guy is, in a word, a grump. After his total humiliation 9 years ago, he wants nothing to do with romance; He only cares about his horses and his work. He tells his mother in no uncertain terms he doesn't want a house party, but she desperately wants grandchildren, so... Lottie hasn't fared well as a governess; she was fired from her last post because she borrowed her employer's horse to ride without permission. When the man's son sees what Lottie has done, he attempts to blackmail her. That didn't end well for either one of them! Miss Prentice decides that being a lady's companion was her last chance, so sets Lottie up with Lady Finton, a sourpuss of an old lady. In London before the house party, Guy and Lottie ran into each other - literally - in the park. Guy was furious with the hoyden, but oddly exhilarated by her. When Lottie shows up with Lady Frinton at her nephew's estate - Guy's - you just know sparks are going to fly! Guy is basically grumpy throughout the entire story, but was just so darn lovable anyway. He was betrayed badly in the past and is terrified of being hurt again. His gruff exterior hides a heart of gold, however, as he tries to help the local farmers band together for higher crop prices. He also had a collection of animals that he basically saved and gave them a better life (though the critters didn't always seem to appreciate it!). Lottie was full of sunshine, except for worrying about her family being in dire straits with their farm. She knows she needs to keep this position to help her family, but...well, horses! She has a wonderful sense of humor and a zest for life, and Guy just can't resister her. Things aren't looking too good for the two of them close to the end of the book, but trust the author to give us what we need! Supporting characters are great, including Guy's mother, Longbottom (Lady Frinton's long-suffering butler), Bill (Guy's stable master), and debutantes you are going to love to hate. But it's Lady Frinton who steals the show from the other supporting characters. She's a hoot! She's demanding, will say anything, but there's sweetness hidden inside. I hate that I have to wait about a year for the next book in the series. Will it be activist Portia's turn, or Kitty the daydreamer? I can't wait to find out!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Although it took me a little bit of time to get into this book, once I did, I raced to the end! Lottie and Guy have a meet disaster when she almost collides with him while riding in Hyde Park. (She's also not supposed to be riding, "borrowing" her host's horse to ride early one morning by flirting with the stableboy...) He's unhorsed, and although she does bring his prize stallion back to him, he's less than gracious about it.

They part without thinking they'll meet again, but (of course) Lottie's new employer turns out to be Guy's crotchety elderly aunt. Lottie and Guy end up in the same house for several weeks, including a horrendously awkward house party where Lottie is half servant, half guest. Although they begin to grow closer thanks to their close proximity, Lottie's been keeping secrets - both personal and on behalf of her employer - and Guy is NOT happy when he finds out what they are.

Lottie is incapable of thinking about consequences and Guy has a very hard time with spontaneity (hence the title). This is definitely an opposites attract couple! But other than that major difference, their base values are very similar. This leads to a really organic relationship conflict that's not easily solved. The reader can see how well they work together even when the two of them can't. There are a couple of meddling relatives who make things harder than they should be, but you can expect a really great grand gesture at the end.

Virginia Heath's books are always funny and frothy, but this one is also pretty steamy! This is a total romp of a book, and we both had a great time with it.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

I had so much fun reading this one! I enjoyed it much more than the first book in the Miss Prentice's Protegees series. It's been a while since I've read a regency romance but this one put me in the mood to read 100 more! Guy and Lottie's relationship was full of sass and sarcasm. The back and forth flirting and arguing was selfishly, my favorite part. The tension was strong! As a horse girl myself I especially loved the equine aspect of this book. I unfortunately couldn't give this one a 5 star rating because of one aspect I did not enjoy. Lottie feels herself in competition with other women and the constant judgment and mean thoughts and jabs Lottie said and thought towards the other women really put me off. She didn't seem like much of a girl's girl to me. It got to a point of being annoying and just plain mean. There was no character growth in that area so it was hard to like Lottie's character at different times. Overall, I enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to book 3! Thank you to Netgalley for the arc.

Look Before You Leap is a fun, humorous, light and warm historical romance between a lady’s companion and her employer’s nephew, a viscount. There is a lot of banter along with a strong attraction and a lot of yearning, often occurring in amusing situations. The secondary characters, especially the elderly aunt, are enjoyable and well-drawn.

I was left feeling satisfied with a good story and a believable couple. Hoping that there will be more in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

I loved this from beginning to end! Free-spirited Lottie, who tries so hard to fit in, has to break out and ride a horse as fast as the wind. and grumpy Guy who let one thing in his past turn him into a handsome hermit who wants to take care of his tenants and his home, and be left alone.
If only is mother and aunt didn't have other plans for him.
I loved their banter, their chemistry was on point, and they were perfect for each other!

This is the first book I've read by this author and I will definitely be reading not only the first book in this series but whatever else of hers I can get my hands on.

As usual with historical romance series, I read this one out of order. I read book 2 and still have book 1 on my TBR. However, I really don’t think there will be any issue with reading out of order. These are HEA stories so if the main character of this book mentions the characters in the previous, I don’t think it’s really a “spoiler”.

Anyways, on to my review. I loved this book. It was an absolute delight. The banter between Lottie and Guy was superb. I also loved Guy’s mother and aunt. Those two should have a spinoff series of their own where they cause trouble because they were so much fun.

I will most definitely be reading the first book in this series as well as any future sequels. I love Virginia Heath’s writing so I’ll definitely keep reading!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

She’s the tomboy..

Lottie, a farmers daughter raised in a house full of men, is the tomboy of all tomboys. She’s tried and fails to be a lady. She prefers riding astride and when she unseats Guy, a viscount, he’s fascinated.

Nine years after a very public romantic humiliation, Guy is stuck in his head with fears of public ridicule. But his mother wants grandkids and so a house party with eligible way too young ladies ensues. But is Lottie, companion Lottie, that Guy wants to spend time with.

A fun, fast paced romp.
Recommend.

Lottie and Guy make a funny couple. There is a lot of bantering when they aren't outright fighting. They also show each other the worst sides of their characters considerably before they show any redeeming features. They do end up in lots of funny situations though.

This one was cute. It was very reminiscent of season 2 of Bridgerton/Kate and Anthony’s story (the tv show version, not the book version). Lottie works for Guy’s aunt, but they met on horseback once before. Guy’s mother wants to throw him a big party for his 30th birthday as a way to get all of the eligible ladies together so he can finally settle down, but he refuses, and a big part of the plot is her sending out invites behind his back (with Lottie’s help) and planning for the party anyway.

Lottie is headstrong and really great as a main character, and Guy is slightly brooding with a sweet interior. They butt heads quite a bit and are very fun together. The writing is witty and entertaining, and I had a fun time reading it!

Look Before You Leap by Virginia Heath is the second book in the series called Miss Pretence’s Protégées. The novels follow Miss Pretence’s pupils that have been trained to be either a governess or a lady’s companion. Due to her diligence, her trainees are offered the best jobs for the most money. In this novel we meet Lottie Travers.

Lottie is a farm girl and knows this is the only route for her to get a job and maybe help her family. The rules are hard for her to learn as she is used to being able to be out and about riding like the wind. Unfortunately this does not fit the theme of decorum. This makes it hard for Miss Pretence to find her a job that she can keep, until she becomes a lady’s companion to a feisty older lady. The next thing she knows is she is in Kent helping plan a surprise birthday party for Lord Guy Harrowby, Viscount of Wennington who wants nothing to do with parties or marrying or even people.

The novel’s escapades by Guy’s mother and aunt are rich. There is humor in the choices made and it is clear there is no escape for Guy or Lottie. Add in great horses, her family nearby and having to keep secrets and you have all the ingredients to a book full of shenanigans.

The novel reads quickly with all the various characters. Guy is being chased literally by debutantes demanding his attention with the intention of marrying him. (Guy actually hides in the stable at one point.) Look Before You Leap by Virginia Heath is a good read.

When the mother of reluctant lord Guy hosts a house party of eligible bachelorettes, he’s instead drawn to spirited lady’s companion Lottie, who challenges his rigid ways.

Another fun and heartwarming book from Virginia Heath! As usual, this book has a light-hearted and endearing tone, with well-developed characters and a bit of heat. There’s a bit of a grumpy/sunshine vibe, though I’d characterize Guy more as guarded, and Lottie more as impetuous. Either way, the chemistry between them is entertaining and impassioned.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This is such a lovely romance story. Guy is the perfect amount of cranky and dismissive of love due to his past when he meets Lottie. Lottie just doesn’t fit in. She was raised on a farm with her brothers, and she feels more comfortable on the back of horse riding than she will ever feel when dealing with society. So, when she gets hired to be a lady’s maid to one of the most finicky ladies in town, she isn’t suspecting that it will be a good fit. Yet fate seems to be in her favor as her new post is not as nearly bad as it seems and it allows her to spend time with Guy who is also enchanted with horses. While their relationship is not always straight forward their banter and hot and cold natures towards each other are delightful. I truly enjoyed this book and am excited to get it into readers’ hands.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

The storm cloud meets his shining Valkyrie

Lottie is having trouble finding a good situation as a governess or companion due to her farm-girl sensibilities and overwhelming need to push the envelope, sometimes recklessly too far.

Thankfully, Guy is not the typical too-starched blue blood that would be offended by Lottie's unpredictable ways. I really enjoyed the relationship that developed between Guy and her father, as evidenced by this statement when they first met:

“Please tell me that you’re not here because Lottie’s driven you mad with her willfulness and you’re hopeful that I can use my fatherly influence to make her less so. Because trust me, I’ve tried for three and twenty years so far and nothing’s worked.” He chuckled with obvious affection. “I know I should’ve beaten her as a child, because lord only knows she gave me plenty of reason to—and still does— but I was brought up never to strike a woman and now the whole world is paying for my saintly restraint.”

With a father like that, Lottie could not have turned out any different, and we are all the better for it. Guy is very down-to-earth, but he's also tired of being manipulated by his mother, who is the reason why Lottie is in residence to begin with. The tension between these two stems from misunderstandings and miscommunications, with sometimes hilarious arguments as they pound out the truth and find some common ground.

I enjoyed the entire cast of characters, and the story flowed easily along, developing the romance gradually and showcasing the virtues and merits of both Guy and Lottie. It was a fun book to read, and I recommend it for anyone who enjoys historical romances.

A very enjoyable story! Charlotte is a fun, mischievous young woman who struggles to behave in polite society. She allows herself to feel things, embrace life and let tomorrow take care of itself. Guy is fearful due to a bad romance. The two crash and clash, but the story is humorous, witty and fun to read!

This was adorable🥰. I love a feisty FMC, and Lottie fit the bill perfectly. I also enjoyed how Guy just couldn't cope with how smart and blunt she was, so he had no choice in how he felt. With historicals, I think it's a tough needle to thread to deal with the mores of the time period, and still try to make it "feel" current. Heath did a great job and this was a good time.😍