I loved that the characters had a lot of dialogue. The number of interesting conversations were entertaining and telling of one’s thoughts. I would have liked Charlottes age to be older than twenty three. A role of this significance is more for a mature age of twenty four or older. Charlotte and Griffs relationship was fun to say the least. I don’t if it was for the friend’s benefit or themselves. The romance was very sweet. The fun and excitement of the beginning of romance played a magnificent part in the book. I enjoyed the immensely.

4.5 Stars

Virginia Heath is back with a swoon-worthy historical romance that will melt your heart: How Not to Chaperon a Lady!

Griffith Philpot and Charity Brookes have known each other since childhood – and they’ve been butting heads ever since! Griffith has spent his entire life sparring with Charity. The two of them couldn’t be more different and whenever they are in one another’s company, sparks immediately begin to fly. Charity is impetuous, impulsive and a young woman who always speaks her mind. About to embark on a singing tour, Charity requires a chaperon in order to ensure that propriety is maintained at all times and that her reputation is not tarnished by even the merest hint of scandal. Griffith seems like the ideal candidate for the job, however, it quickly transpires that this singing tour will present him and Charity with a plethora of problems they would never ever have predicted…

As the two of them begin spending more and more time together, Griffith quickly realises that there’s more to Charity than meets the eye. Griffith has spent a lifetime dismissing her as being flighty and capricious, yet the more time he spends in her company, the more he finds himself drawn to her. When the attraction between the two of them proves impossible to resist, Griffith and Charity soon find themselves succumbing to temptation and giving into their feelings for one another.

Griffith was supposed to be guarding her virtue, not falling in love with her! Yet, the thought of spending a lifetime with Charity not by his side as the woman he loves doesn’t even bear thinking about. Will Griffith muster up the courage to tell Charity how he really feels about her? Or will he let the woman who has come to mean everything to him slip through his fingers?

Virginia Heath’s How Not to Chaperon a Lady is a delight from beginning to end. A magical historical romance sprinkled with humour, passion, charm and emotion, How Not to Chaperon a Lady is an enchanting Regency tale with a splendid heroine, a gorgeous hero, witty banter, heart-warming drama and passionate intensity that will keep you glued to the pages of this book.

In How Not to Chaperon a Lady, Virginia Heath has once again penned an irresistible Regency romance that is an absolute joy to lose oneself in.

Charity Brookes and Griff Philpot have been in love with each other since they were kids…they just don’t realize it! Charity thinks “Gruff Griff” is an old curmudgeon who’s determined to spoil all her fun, while Griff sees Charity as self-absorbed, spoiled, and superficial.

When Charity goes on a singing tour, Griff tags along as chaperone, insisting he’ll keep her and her sister, Dorothy, out of trouble. During their time together, Griff and Charity realize they were wrong about each other and one night together leads to unforeseen complications.

This is one of those stories you hope will never end because it’s just that good! I didn’t think I could like two characters better than Hope and Luke from the previous book in the series, but I really do. An engaging, fun read. Virginia never disappoints.

Terrific book. The Philpot and Brookes families have been friends for many years. While Charity's best friend is Griff's sister, Dorothy, she and Griff have never gotten along. Griff believes that Charity is flighty, spoiled, and selfish, while Charity thinks Griff is a humorless prig. But underneath the antagonism simmer feelings that neither wants to admit. Charity's singing career takes off, leading to a month-long tour in the north. Charity plans to take her BFF with her and enjoy some adventures away from London. Then Griff announces his intention to chaperon the trip, ostensibly to protect Dorothy from Charity's bad influence. Charity is understandably furious to have Gruff Griff the Fun-Stealer tagging along.

Griff is a practical man, an engineer by trade and by avocation. Charity drives him nuts with her flirting, stubbornness, and sometimes reckless behavior. There's something about her that gets under his skin, and even moving away for four years didn't get her out of his system. Finding out about her trip sends him scrambling to find a reason to go along.

The trip starts rough as Charity schemes to do everything she can to make Griff regret coming along. She comes across as something of a brat, pouting because she didn't get her way. Griff isn't much better; his smugness at thwarting her is not an attractive attribute. Meanwhile, poor Dorothy is caught in the middle. I enjoyed that first day, as Charity put a crimp in Griff's plans by forcing a stop at a different inn. It's there that Griff begins to get an inkling of the real Charity Brookes when she puts on an impromptu performance for some soldiers.

Forced together as they are, both Griff and Charity soon discover that their impressions of each other are not entirely accurate. While Griff is secretly a huge fan of Charity's singing, he never understood how much work went into it. I loved seeing his growing respect for her and how that respect opened his eyes to other feelings. I also enjoyed seeing Charity begin to see past Griff's gruff exterior. His passion for his work fascinates her. His rescue of her during a panic attack opens her eyes to the more sensitive man he keeps well hidden. I loved seeing his protectiveness come out when he saw the toll the tour takes on her.

But as their unexpected feelings for each other grow, so too do their insecurities. Charity knows what his opinion of her is because he's complained about her often enough. Even if she has feelings for him, they can go nowhere. At the same time, Griff knows he's falling for Charity, but with all of the fancy suitors she has, why would she be interested in a plain old Mister? But just as things start to look promising between them, Griff's jealousy (spurred by his insecurity) erupts in a burst of anger and accusation. I ached for Charity because she didn't deserve any of it. When she confronts him about it later, both of them fling hurtful words at each other. Their passionate anger turns to passion of another kind. Unfortunately, the next day Griff's reaction manifests in some boneheaded statements rather than telling her how he feels. Charity naturally wants something more that matches her feelings. So she runs for home, leaving Griff behind wondering what to do.

I ached for Charity, who buried her hurt in her work to exclude all else. When he returns to London, Griff's reaction shows that he still cares but has no idea what to do about it. That is until Charity discovers that she isn't just rundown from overwork, and they find themselves married. Neither knows how the other feels and because of it must find a way to live together. I liked Griff's determination to make their marriage work. In a hilarious scene with his two brothers-in-law, Griff comes up with a plan to win his wife's heart. He really won my heart with his sweet care of Charity when she was so sick, and I loved how that chipped away at the wall around her heart. But when her past runs up against his insecurities, Griff again allows his fears to explode in anger. I cried for Charity and her devastation at his words and cheered for the support she received from her family. Fortunately, Griff had learned his lesson and realized what a monumental idiot he was. He did a stellar job of groveling, with witnesses, in an emotional plea for forgiveness. I loved that Charity was woman enough to admit her own mistakes in a memorable final scene.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

After years of singing in her opera star mother’s shadow, Charity Brooks is finally getting her due. After a successful run on Drury Lane, Charity agrees to a tour to perform in Northern England and invites her dearest friend Dorothy to join her, but when no family members are available to chaperone, her parents agree to have the son of their long-time family friend’s son and Dorothy’s older brother Griffith Philpot to accompany them as he has business to attend up north, much to Charity’s dismay. Griff, who has been in love with Charity for years, but sure she would never return his affection and therefore avoids her whenever possible.

Likewise, Charity has long harbored a tendre for Griff, but he has always seemed to disapprove of her, leading her to rename him, Gruff Griff, the Fun Spoiler. She is sure he will ruin their trip, not to mention hamper her plans to attend a house party of Lord Denby, the man she is hoping to marry. But much to her surprise, Griff is helpful and considerate during the trip, until the final leg of the journey, when things are said that change everything. And explanations that lead to a night of passion and more hurt feelings. HEA doesn’t seem like a possibility for these two, even though they both love the other…

This book is the final installment of the trilogy and in my opinion the hardest sell of the three from the author to the reader. It is well written and very emotional, but it does stretch the limits of credibility that an opera singer, who is no stranger to gossip and scandal is accepted by the ton and has hopes of marrying the heir to a duke. However, to her credit, Ms. Heath does a very convincing job of showing the reader the fine line Charity walks and that not everyone considers her a “lady”. The book is filled with misunderstandings, erroneous assumptions, a lot of emotion, a shotgun wedding, warm love scenes, and finally a HEA that didn’t seem possible. This is the third and final book in the series, but it could be read as a standalone title.

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

3.5 of 5 Stars

he Talk of the Beau Monde series features the three daughters of the famous portraitist Augustus Brookes and his premier soprano wife, Roberta. The first book, The Viscount's Unconventional Lady, featured Faith who is as gifted an artist as her father; the second book, The Marquess Next Door: A sexy, funny Regency romance, features Hope who is a talented author; and this last book in the series features Charity who is even more gifted than her famous mother. The first two books in the series were outstanding, but I wasn’t quite so enthralled with this one. I liked it, but I didn’t love it. I found it a bit draggy with much too much angst and constant introspection. I just couldn’t really get invested in the characters because emotionally, they seemed to remain at the same age as they were when they met as children. Like most children of opposite genders who ‘like’ each other, they had no idea how to express that, so they spent their time antagonizing each other – and that continued into adulthood.

The Brookes family and the Philpot family have been friends – as close as family – for many, many years. The children have been raised to think of each other as brother and sisters. Griffith (Griff) has been just fine with that as far as Faith and Hope were concerned, but he was never able to think of Charity as a sister. He’d always wanted her; cared about her. He also thought she was a spoiled, reckless, hedonistic scandal who had kissed many more gentlemen than she should have – he was also sure she’d done more than just kiss those men. Griff is quiet, academic, introverted, proper – and Charity is a whirlwind – wild, free, and uninhibited. That sounds like a recipe for an explosion of stupendous proportions.

When Charity is booked to perform at several theaters in the north and invites Dottie – her best friend and Griff’s sister – to accompany her, Griff insists on chaperoning them because Charity isn’t a good influence on Dottie. Along the road, Charity acts like a complete twit by constantly trying to thwart Griff’s travel plans for them. There isn’t a good reason, she just wants to thwart him. When he finally calls for a three-day respite on the road – because Charity has worn herself out – she agrees. So, you start to think, well – maybe we’ll get some progress. It even seems as if that is the case – but then the petulant children show up again and we are back to where we were. I had honestly decided that I thought the two of them really needed to find someone else for themselves. If they had done less internal dialogue and more external conversation, they would have been much better off.

I always enjoy this author’s work – and I enjoyed this one – I just didn’t love it as much as I normally do. So, do I recommend it? Yes, I do. Just know that it isn’t the best book of the series, but if you’ve read the other books, you’ll definitely want to read this one.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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

I have read several books by Virginia Heath and I have loved them all, so I had very high expectations for this book. I am happy to report that this book lived up to my expectations! It was wonderful!

Will they be able to find a common ground …

For the last in this series, the author offers us a combining of tropes, childhood friends, best friend’s sibling, opposite attract, enemies to lovers, etc…
On a much different tone too from the previous books, Oh my, how angsty this read was. They take one step forward then two back. Throwing hurtful words at the other’s face, so scarred by their feelings they have hidden them their whole life and are unable to express them without lashing out.

Griff dabbed Gruff Griff by his sister’s friend, has always had a tumultuous relationship with Charity, always bickering and teasing, never really going along until his attraction for her scarred him to run away. Their differences of characters convincing him he will never be her choice of a suitor.
Charity is wild and a risk taker, yet she never risked her heart so persuaded her long time nemesis sees her as inconsequential and flighty. Making herself a pest to attract his attention but making a muddle of it. So she flirts, a lot, with other men, determined to prove she can do better.

Even their closed promiscuity which at a time made them rethink their vision of the other. He might be serious but not as dull, he is just driven by his line of work. And she not only the fickle flirting thing he thought but a hardworking dedicated to her art Miss too. Alas it is a peace of a short duration as both too scarred to reveal their feelings, lash out, hurling ugly things at the other’s head.
Both are as much guilty, Griff for his inability to see past his jealousy, the rumors and his fear of not being enough. Charity for replying in return in the same vein, giving concern to believe the gossips, and never understanding how her own words might have left trace.

Yet when there are consequences to pay, they will have to face the music and try to find a way to act in a more mature way. Still, they struggle to find a common ground. Preferring to guard their feelings encased behind high wall than risking their heart even with the promise of a happy outcome.

In all, I am not a raver for angsty tales, I like a good enemies to lovers tale but they hold on their horse for too long, hurtful and awkward, never really going past their initial view of the other. For two decades they goaded one another, so how it moves to something else when their relationship spiraled down to such a destructive union.
Charity is at the same time too much and not enough, selfish and lacking maturity, self-centered and taunting him at every turn childishly, rubbing in his face her flirting attitude while Griff keeps bottling everything, never letting anything transpire to then flogging his pain with damaging words.
3.5 stars rounded up.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen lovemaking scenes.

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story because, while it had funny moments, it wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine as these stories can often be. Griff and Charity are Flawed with a capital F, and it takes them quite awhile to sort things out. Maybe frustrating in a romance, but so much more satisfying by the end.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Charity Brookes, an opera singer, embarks on a tour of the north with her close friend Dorothy - but these means going with Dorothy's brother Griff as well, and the two have always loathed each other since childhood. However, as they see more of each other, their feelings begin to change.

This was a short charming read about a pair of well-matched leads. I liked how the characters got on and that they both understood and supported each other's interests. The conflict also made sense to me, stemming primarily from Griff's insecurity and jealously. There were moments of both humor and emotion, and both had strong impacts.

I did think that some of the transitions between chapters were jerky, and the shifts in mood at these times could make it hard to follow. Overall, however, I enjoyed my read and I would check out more books by this author.

This was such a fun, quick read! It’s my first Virginia Heath book and I’ll definitely be back for more.
This is an enemies to lovers but they were actually secretly inlove with each other since childhood. Since both thought the other despised them, they were both pretty defensive and tried to hide their feelings by being mean to each other. Then H runs away for 4 years but when he came back he realized his feelings hadn’t faded even a little.
From the first few chapters I felt the angst which I am such a sucker for. The unrequited love tugged at my heartstrings and made me want to scream at our couple to just tell each other how they really felt.
If only their parents taught them how to express their feelings in a healthy manner! But then where would be the fun in reading about that?!
The h is an opera singer and H is an inventor/steam engine engineer/businessman. He is a mere mister and he thinks h doesn’t think him worthy as she has her sights on a duke. In truth she thinks H doesn’t think she is good enough and she is just using the duke to prove to H that she can have anyone even if H doesn’t want her. Ofc H gets so jealous. They eventually have angry sex and heroine gets pregnant and they were forced to marry. Then more misery but eventually they decide that they will try and make things work. There were some additional hiccups and I wish there were more pages about them just being happy.
I didn’t mind their misunderstanding and lack of communication because they were in their 20s and that’s what 20-somethings do. They were still finding themselves and reconciling their insecurities. And it’s true, the more you like someone, the more unsure you are if they like you back.
The author does a good job showing character growth towards the end. It was satisfying when our hero finally learned how to express his feelings—and had to do it in a very swoon-worthy/embarrassing way, depending on how you look at it.
There were two sex scenes but not very graphic. They were important plot points and helped move the story along.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin for the free ARC!