I enjoyed this Regency era romantic comedy. The premise is original, and I loved the banter between the two MCs. There is some language that is repetitive (Giles’s “old boy”). Some sections of prose description are a little long, which made it feel like the climax came too close to the end. As a whole, I really liked it and would recommend it to fans of Martha Waters and Dianne Freeman.

I loved this book!! Historical fiction and romantic comedy books are some of my favorite books to read, so when I saw this combination of the two, I just knew I had to read this. And like I expected, I really did like it. I loved the characters, and I really think the main ones helped drive this plot along. I maybe would have liked to get more in depth with some of the side characters, but overall I did like them. I loved the turns and twist throughout this book, with romcom books there’s usually not a level of suspense like this one had, and I think this will really set this apart from others. I just kept reading in order to find out what would be uncovered and if secrets could be kept, and it made for a really nice reading experience. I was just slightly disappointed with how the ending happened, I didn’t necessarily dislike anything about how everything was revealed, but it really just wasn’t what I expected. I still did like the ending though, I enjoyed the happy ending of Minerva and Hugh a lot. Their chemistry throughout the book really held up, and I didn’t find it fading throughout, which I do see often. Their relationship was just very well written/executed and I truly wouldn’t have changed much about it.


I’m also really looking forward to the rest of the series, and seeing how the sister’s stories will play out, especially because of the hints that were already given in this book.

Minerva is a hardworking young women who is responsible for two younger sisters and in desperate need of a change in luck. Hugh is a spoiled earl who has fabricated a fiancee to placate his overly involved mother, who lives in America. Their attempts to keep the charade going during her unexpected visit to England are full of comedy and close calls. Their house of cards is never far from crumbling, and as they continue to improvise they realize they have genuine feelings for one another.

I honestly loved ALL the characters in this book! Each one brought something special to the unraveling of this fabricated engagement. It was a true treat to read and I definitely recommend picking it up when its released on November 9th. I can't wait for the rest of the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my electronic advanced copy of this book.

For reader's looking for a light, fun regency era Rom Com, "Never Fall for your Fiancée" did not fail to deliver on its promised premise. While certainly outrageous in many instances from the likelihood of Hugh happening on someone with the exact name as his made-up bride-to-be at the precise moment his mother was about to find out about his two year ruse to the actress they hire to play the Meriwell sister's mother, it exactly that outrageousness that made the story entertaining and charming to read to read, even while you knew exactly how it would turn out in the end (and Giles himself, when he made his appearances, never failed to point it out at every opportune moment). The Shakespeare "All's Well that Ends Well" reference at the end of the novel certainly felt fitting to me as the entire thing truly did remind me of a story you would see mounted on stage with all its chaos that, of course gets tied up neatly by the end of the book with no harm, no foul.

While at times a bit cliché (not that there is anything wrong with a bit of cliché), Virginia Heath wrote a clever, fun romance that I think fans of this genre will enjoy.

The last thing Hugh Standish, Earl of Fareham, ever wants is a wife. Unfortunately for him, his mother is determined to find him one, even from across the other side of the ocean. So Hugh invents a fake fiancée to keep his mother’s matchmaking ways at bay. But when Hugh learns his interfering mother is on a ship bound for England, he realizes his complicated, convoluted but convenient ruse is about to implode. Until he collides with a beautiful woman, who might just be the miracle he needs.

Minerva Merriwell has had to struggle to support herself and her two younger sisters ever since their feckless father abandoned them. Work as a woodcut engraver is few and far between, and the Merriwell sisters are nearly penniless. So when Hugh asks Minerva to pose as his fiancée while his mother is visiting, she knows that while the scheme sounds ludicrous, the offer is too good to pass up.

As hilarity and miscommunication ensue while everyone tries to keep their tangled stories straight, Hugh and Minerva’s fake engagement starts to turn into a real romance. But can they trust each other when their relationship started with a lie?

A very cute and funny book. The characters are funny together and the secondary characters are interesting too. :) They have great chemistry. Enjoyed a lot.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC.

Never Fall for Your Fiancee tells the story of Minerva, a poor woman who cares for her two younger sisters, and Hugh, a wealth nobleman who feels stuck under his father's ignoble shadow. Hugh has been lying to his mother via letters about his fake fiancee, Minerva, who doesn't exist; when he learns his mother is coming for a visit and stumbles upon a real-life Minerva, he pays her to pose as his fiancee for a few weeks. As you can imagine, hilarity (and love) ensues.

The first 40% of this book was really promising. The characters were interesting, the repartee was pretty good, and I enjoyed the predictable but fun plot twists. Unfortunately, the story quickly devolved into insta-love/insta lust. It had the makings of a good romance but quickly become a bodice ripper with little real content.

Super cute! This was a fun Regency romance with a flawed, but good hero and a strong woman main character. It's similar to other recently published Regency books that I've enjoyed.

Never fall for your fiancé

I enjoyed this book but I’m a sucker for any romance serious that involves sisters. I will definitely keep an eye out for the next two sister books. Both main characters are extremely likable so it was very easy to root for them to get together. Lots of silly hijinks and confusion as our main characters found their way to happiness. I will definitely recommend this to my friends and family. It will make an excellent beach read.

Such a cute romcom novel! I devoured this book in a matter of hours!
The characters you couldn't help but just love them!
I'm.so excited to see this is a series and can't wait to see the next book!
Thank You NetGalley. St. Martin's Griffin and Author for this ebook copy!

Never Fall for Your Fiancee by Virginia Heath is a wonderful, witty, sassy, and entertaining historical fiction romance novel that I truly enjoyed.

This book is the first in a new series: The Merriwell Sisters. I loved everything about this book.

Hugh Standish and Minerva Merriwell are brought together through an agreement and a “fake” engagement, but through this process...opposites attract and the relationship becomes real. Business in this circumstance turns to pleasure. I enjoyed seeing the “relationship” develop. The chemistry, wit, banter, and interplay between the two main characters made for fast, engaging, and immersive reading. The dialogue was awesome and spot on.

This is going to be an excellent series, and I can’t wait to see what happens next with the second sibling.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and St. Martin’s Press for this awesome arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.