I really wanted to like this book, but the hero and heroine's sisters were completely and utterly ridiculous. While I liked that the hero was actually nice and loved his mother - he came across as completely unbelievable and one-sided. I finish the book, but it was pretty close to being a DNF for me. The only thing saved the book was the hero's friend the Duke.

I enjoyed this start to a series introducing the Merriwell sisters, with Minerva, the eldest, agreeing to play the part of Hugh's fiancee, made up to discourage his matchmaking mother. Both have secrets in their past. While Hugh is an Earl, Minerva works as an artist/woodcut engraver to make ends meet for herself and her two sisters, living on the edge of true poverty, A romantic comedy with sometimes absurd situations, the characters are likable and I look forward to the next installment.

Never Fall your Fiancee is very Bridgerton-esque and, like Bridgerton, I didn't love the book. Hugh, an earl, happens upon Minerva when she is trying to get payment owed to her for artwork she'd done. This is quite the coincidence for him since he had told his mother he was betrothed to a Minerva that he'd invented to stop her meddling. Minerva desperately needs money to support herself and her two younger sisters as her mother has passed and her drunken father has disappeared. Minerva and her sisters move into Hugh's estate, along with an actress he has hired to play their mother as his mother is on the way from America. The girls need to learn how to act like a gentleman's daughter and the details of the ridiculous story Hugh had written his mother regarding Minerva. The story was a bit ridiculous, but funny. It wasn't as steamy as Bridgerton but the actual romance between Minerva and Hugh was more realistic. I probably would have liked the story better and been more involved if the copy I received worked better with my ipad. The font was very small and took up the entire screen, but I was unable to change the size of the font with settings and could only change the type (which was how I made it larger). I did like the characters and got into the story more once Hugh's mother arrived. I would read the next book in the series (hopefully following Minerva's middle sister and Hugh's best friend) if I could download a better copy.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

This was another fun book. Historical romance with less steam and more funny moments than a typical romance of this genre. Once again, I loved all the characters. I especially have a soft spot for the butler 😉 Hugh and Minerva were great together. I loved their banter and how they were together. All the characters were great though, which is what made this romance so enjoyable. I can’t wait for the next two books.

This was an adorable modern romance set in a historic time period.

Fans of Bridgerton will love this cute romance. The dialogue was sparkling and I loved the main character Minerva. The only issue I had was one of the sisters (Vee) was awful, This is a perfect summer read for fans of modern and historical romance.

I adored this book. Hugh and Minerva are fighting an attraction to each other since the beginning of their game.

Although Hugh gives the impression of a man whose main goal is to fool his mother so he can be responsible free. He is very clearly way more than that.

Minerva has had way more responsibility than she should at her age. She Jaded and doesn't trust easily

I loved Hugh and Minerva's easy banter. The sisters, best friends butled were all funny addition. Even the mother and stepfather brought some lightness and joy to this read.

It was just good fun to read and I can't wait for more

The fake dating/engagement trope isn't a particular favorite of mine. I didn't mind it too much here since the story itself is so predictably silly. I enjoyed it for that reason, but it won't set any bars or break any barriers.

Hugh and Minerva, the fake fiancee, are a cute enough couple. Their banter was...Banter. It didn't sizzle but it didn't fizzle, either. Minerva is likable and appropriate in her role where she needs to be. I think Hugh could have been nailed down a bit better. He jumps between rake and Very Nice Boy, a combo that doesn't quite work; since the character is already both things, he can never complete much of an arc.

As you can surmise by now, this was a middling novel for me. It would be fitting for a lazy Sunday.

Fake dating but make it historical fiction!

This was such a fun book to read! If you love your historical fiction and the fake dating trope, this is definitely for you! Or if you love to see a character feel they aren't worthy for the love of a wonderful women but are proven to be wrong, this is also for you! I had the best time reading this and for the character's to mention the new Mary Shelley book coming out about a monster. It's nice to be able to feel like a part of the history while reading, to travel with it in time.

This is the first book of the series so I'm just here hoping that the next book is about Diana and Giles because I NEED to see that happen!! I can tell that'll be a witty and banter filled book already!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the earc in return for an honest review.

Despite numerous editing issues and some anachronistic language, this story was enjoyable, the characters were likable for the most part, but the male lead was too much of drip for me. It’s nice reading for those of us in need of a respite after heavier titles and a heavy year in general, this is a screwball comedy at heart and best enjoyed when viewed through that lens.

This was a very entertaining read, full of ridiculously funny situations and lots of heart. I enjoyed the progression of Hugh and Minerva's relationship, through all their ups and downs. All of the supporting characters were delightful, especially Giles and his witty banter. This was a great Regency romantic comedy that will make you smile.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this arc.

I love a good historical romance, and I really, really, wanted to like this book. And I guess overall I did like it, but it definitely wasn’t the book for me.

In this book you meet Hugh, a “rake” A.K.A a man who goes from bed to bed and wants no commitment with women. I’m completely fine with this aspect. Hugh is a charming, funny, gorgeous man who has created this over-the-top lie to keep his mother from interfering in his love life. As in, he has created a fake fiancée named Minerva and spun detailed tales all about her just so his mother would leave him alone. And then he gets a letter from his mother that she is going to be arriving. Of course, he is stressed and overwhelmed, because how could he explain this? And then he meets a woman on the street and helps her, only to find out her name is…. Minerva.

Minerva is a kind, realistic woman who has been giving the short end of the stick. At a young age of nineteen she was left to care for her two younger sisters while her father disappeared and her mother has long since had passed. They are barely scraping by and can hardly afford a roof over their head. When she demands payment from someone who hired her, she is helped by a charming man. Who then offers her something she can’t refuse—pretend to be his fake fiancée and he’ll pay her handsomely. She accepts, because what could go wrong?

So much happens. Two sisters who hate the idea—one of the sisters who can’t seem to face reality, a hired actress to play the mother, a made-up story that keeps changing….
It was a lot.

Overall, the story was enjoyable. I loved watching Hugh and Minerva fall in love, but it was so back and forth. It wasn’t until almost the very end that things got figured out.

This book does have some sexual content, but nothing too extreme.

Overall, a good book, just not the book for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange of an honest review.

3.75 starts rounded up to 4 for this adorable book! Seriously, what a fun read!

Set in England in the 1880's we meet Hugh, an Earl who is dodging his mother's relentless matchmaking attempts and Minerva, who is desperate for money to help support her family. The meet cute involves Hugh coming to Minerva's rescue and realizing that she can help him by becoming the fictional fiancee he invented to appease his mother. What follows is a hilarious attempt to pull off this farce and with both parties desperately trying NOT to fall in love with each other.

If you love British period works, then this is for you. I knocked off a star because it wasn't quite British enough and did not completely feel authentic to the period. That being said, it was a fun book that I looked forward to picking up each time. It's a great little escape that is extremely well written, humorous, engaging and just all around fun.

* I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in an exchange for an honest review. *

Honestly, I stopped reading this pretty early on. It's set in 1825.. and the language used is just too... pretentious? posh? for me. I couldn't get past the writing/language style to get into the story.

This novel had a fun premise, but failed to hit the mark for me. I understand that the basis for the plot could have led to funny hijinks and clever-heist montages, but this just felt forced and contrived. The characters, both main and supporting, are one dimensional, show very little growth and don’t have the kind of palpable chemistry you expect from the genre. As for the plot, there were many great set-ups, but at the end it all crumbles predictably with everyone just saying “okay cool” and flouncing away. I wouldn't say it was a bad, or poorly written book, but given the wealth of great novels in the genre, this one could be a pass.

I’m not a regency girl, but I’m also not NOT a regency girl? After binging Bridgerton and the novels that inspired the hit series, I thought I would give this particular romance genre a try.

The Plot (from Goodreads):

The first in a new historical rom-com series, a handsome earl hires a fake fiancée to keep his matchmaking mother at bay, but hilarity ensues when love threatens to complicate everything.

As far as the fake-dating trope goes, this was actually pretty fun and not entirely cheesy. There were a ton of astute and timely observation of marital and gender dynamics that had me highlighting like crazy, as well as some laugh-out-loud moments -- the character of Giles, in particular, is incredible, and I can’t wait for him to get his own story.

The ending wrapped up very quickly and conveniently when it could have been slightly smoother, but overall a great read. Solid four out of five for me!

Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for sharing a digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book is about Hugh a Standish Earl who wrote a number of letters to his mother claiming he has a fiancé so she would stop her matchmaking attempts in his life. AT the beginning of this story our heroine Minerva and Hugh meet by chance and he offers her 40 pounds to play as his fake fiancé while his mother in town. This novel is humorous and has an amazing set of characters.

I liked the characters and the relationships between them. Diana is my favorite of the three siblings. I loved Hugh and Giles's friendship. I hope that maybe Giles gets a book of his own.

As a whole, I enjoyed this novel and would read a second novel by the author if she decides to write one. I thought it was a great, enjoyable historical romance and would recommend it to people. I would give this book four stars.

Delightful! Hugh has created a fictional fiancé in letters to his mother. But now she is coming home and he hatches a plan to hire a fiancé for her visit. Quite by accident, he runs into Minerva Merriwell. Minerva is the name he has used fir his fictional fiancé. Fate! Minerva is down on her luck and in charge of her two sisters. She is a bit upset at being dishonest, but the forty pounds Hugh is offering her is a huge temptation. This story is full of madcap situations and characters. A joy to read.

I truly enjoyed this book, not just for the plot but because Heath is a talented writer. Not many can perfectly immerse a reader into Regency Era stories, but it appears Heath did so with ease! Can’t wait for the next one!

I was provided an ARC by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and words are my own.

From reading the blurb I knew this had potential to be one of those books you don’t put down (and it absolutely was IMPOSSIBLE to put down). The idea that a man wouldn’t want to disappoint his mother SO MUCH that he hires a woman to be his fake fiancée is a recipe for disaster and one that was pleasant to giggle through from start to finish. Virginia does an amazing job of painting the cast into their own individuals that perfectly complement one another.

Additionally, the romance was great-I loved watching Hugh and Minerva fall for each other despite their odd circumstances. They perfectly complement each other and seeing the way they worked through everything thrown at them made you cheer for them all that more. For the clever twists and turns to the ending-it was a classic romance wrapped up in a bow.

Never Fall for Your Fiancée was a fun light-hearted read, which is exactly as it was portrayed on the cover and in the blurb. For anyone looking for a regency romance to make them laugh and sigh-I couldn’t recommend anything better (and I’m already waiting for the next Merriwell to find her happy ending, too!)

Two years ago, Hugh made up a fake fiancée named Minerva to get his mother in America to stop nagging him about marriage. When Hugh’s mother gives him short notice that she's on her way across the ocean to meet this mysterious finance, Hugh is left scrambling. After a chance encounter with a woman actually named Minerva, he convinces her to act as his fiancée, meet his mother and then gilt him and run away with his best friend, in exchange for a handsome cash sum. However before Minerva has a chance to run away, Hugh is left questioning his feelings for Minerva.

Hugh is definitely not my favourite male love interest. His rationale for not wanting to get married was absurd and his treatment of both Minerva and his mother was awful. Just grow a pair and tell your mother you don’t want to get married.

I also felt like the pair had zero chemistry which meant there was really no-will-they-or-won’t they sexual tension. That being said, it was still an entertaining read. I definitely enjoyed the story more after Hugh’s mother arrived and the stakes increased. Minerva’s sisters and Giles were wonderful contrasts to the main characters and actually provided much needed comic relief from the seriousness of Hugh and Minerva. My favourite scene was definitely when the actress hired to play Minerva’s mother got a little too drunk.

Popular tropes include forced proximity, fake engagement and falling for a member of the lower class.

Thank you to #Netgalley and #StMartinsPress for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.