Another fun entry in the Merriwell sisters series! This one follows Giles and Diana who we met first met in the first one as their relationship evolves from a bantery friendship to one of love.

I always enjoy a good banter between leads and really enjoyed reading their interactions together and thought they suited each other really well. Though I wish we could have had a little more on the romance front as I think it leaned "just" a bit more on readers being invested in them from their introduction from the first book than it should have.

In addition to the romance we also have a mystery plot line in this one surrounding Giles trying to crack the mystery of his mother and I really liked that aspect of the story. It reminded me a little bit of how much I loved It's In His Kiss by Julia Quinn which also follows two friends who are investigating a mystery and fall in love in the progress.

The side characters in this were also great. Give me a Dalton in every historical romance from now on please! I loved any scene with him on page.

I am also glad to say my opinion of Vee, the third sister, improved a lot in this one. I found her insufferable in the first book and was really hoping she would turn it around after that one because I'm assuming her book will be the next one in the series!

The Merriwell Sisters are back in Never Rescue a Rogue! In book #2, we get Gile and Diana's love story.

This novel served-up my preferred romance trope, enemies to lovers. Never Rescue a Rogue was everything I so enjoy in this trope from its witty banter to sexual tension fighting to burst from the pages. Gile emanates a smolder no lady can deny until he meets Diana. The thorns and bristle around her heart begin to fall away as she sees Gile as a more complex, humble man rather than a rogue.

Their love story is full of secrets, schemes and adventure. I absolutely love this series, and look forward to book #3. Thank you St. Martin's Press for the complimentary copy.

Giles and Diana were set up as verbal sparring partners in the first book in the Merriwell sisters’ series, and in Never Rescue a Rogue, they get their starring turn. He uses his charm to cover up the insecurities underneath, she uses her brilliant mind to keep everyone (but especially men) at a distance, and together they’re an explosion of wit and fireworks. When his father dies, Giles needs Diana’s skill as an intrepid (if secret) investigative journalist to discover if he’s the true heir to the dukedom before his cruel uncle lays claim to the fortune.

Heath is so good at creating supporting characters, some who are interesting, meddlesome, funny, and evil in turn. But Giles and Diana shine so brightly. There’s more to both of them than meets the eye, and it’s quite fun watching them discover each other’s secrets. Even when they’re throwing barbs at each other, using “idiot” and “harridan” basically as pet names, there’s an undeniable undercurrent of affection that everyone around them can see a mile away.

Both Giles and Diana want nothing more than for the other one to be safe and happy, loathe as they are to admit that out loud. And that fuels the journey as they work together to uncover whether his claim to the dukedom is legitimate or not. They bring opposite skills to the search, which makes them a perfect team, and the stakes feel appropriately high. Heath built up the tension so well that I felt it as a reader, and I worried for Giles until the very end.

My minor quibble is that Giles and Diana spend a lot of time overhearing the other protest that they could never love the other in sometimes hurtful ways. Even though I knew as a reader that it was a lie, I would have though Diana, hunter of truth, would have wanted to talk about that before admitting her love.

I think I can predict who will go toe to toe with the youngest Merriwell sister in the next book, and I can’t wait to dive into their story next.

This was a really fun historical romance. I really enjoyed the tension between our main characters, but I did feel like some of the plot points overshadowed the romance (I think that was my misinterpretation of the book). Overall, this was the perfect book for me to escape reality for a little while!

Ugh, this book seemed promisingly bonkers, but it felt like two different books smushed together: the “Duke’s bastard” plot and the romance. I loved the suspense around who Giles’ mother was, and his supposed illegitimacy and the threat of disinheritance. It would have been a fine book by itself. But then, you try to cram in the second of the Merriwell Sisters, Diana, and she really gets the short end of the stick, not being able to be as fleshed out as she was meant to.
It’s also one of those books where it was like, “no, I don’t like him” for waaaay too long…despite multiple kisses. It got to the point where I was convinced they didn’t belong together, so him professing love and her still being on the fence left me cold. I ended up bailing on reading chronologically at that point and skipping to the resolution to the mystery.

Diana Merriwell is secretly the local paper’s best undercover journalist. When Giles Sinclair discovers her secret, he asks her help uncovering the truth about his lineage, worried that his no-good uncle may have proof that Giles is his recently deceased father’s bastard. All that time together seeking the truth brings out deep feelings for each other. Will their snooping result in a happy ending or prison for them both?

A fun story that has some extra entertainment for those who read the previous book.

Never Rescue a Rogue is the second book in Virginia Heath’s Merriwell Sisters series. It is a historical romantic comedy, perfect for fans of Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series.

Set in 1826 England, Giles Sinclair detests his father, the Duke of Harpenden. Giles does everything he can to antagonize his father, playing the part of a ne’er-do-well. His best friend is married to Diana Merriwell’s sister, so they come in contact regularly. The sparks fly between them so much that everyone believes that the two of them are meant to be together. Diana and Giles know that their constant pithy barbs come from a shared disdain—not a hidden attraction. Diana loves the freedom of working at the newspaper too much to give it up for marriage, and Giles is happily married to his bachelor lifestyle.

When Giles’ father unexpectedly dies, it’s only a matter of time before someone comes crawling out of the woodwork who knows the true circumstances of Giles’ birth. As the threat of blackmail becomes real, Giles must uncover the truth of his parentage first, or else he and all those who depend upon him will be ruined—and dogged bloodhound Diana is his best hope at sniffing out the truth. As Giles and Diana investigate his family’s past, the attraction between them becomes impossible to ignore.

Never Rescue a Rogue is a hilarious romance that takes liberties with historical accuracy (women’s roles and abilities). The characters are very engaging and I didn’t want to stop reading. I enjoyed the mystery of Giles’ parentage and especially the chemistry between Giles and Diana. I highly recommend Never Rescue a Rogue.

I received an advance review copy (ARC) from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

If you enjoy books filled with smart banter, humor, and plot twists that keep you chuckling then this book is for you. It is the second book to the Merriwell Sisters series so I’d recommend reading the first book before this one but that’s not required to still enjoy Never Rescue A Rogue.

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

Virginia Heath's Merriwell Sisters series MAY be my new favourite historical romance series, and I read a LOT of this genre. This book was an absolute delight from start to finish.

If you like:
- A+ banter
- mishaps that make you giggle
- meddling family members
- disdain for each other (but we all know you're actually in love)
then this is the book for you!

Just as good as the first book in the series, this was such a strong sequel to the first. I absolutely cannot WAIT for book 3! Something tells me Vee is up to something...

I loved Giles and Diana’s story and it was such a charming read. The plot was good and had many elements.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Never Rescue a Rogue is the second book in the Merriwell Sisters trilogy and tell the story of Diana and Giles. The two of them have spectacular chemistry and embark on an adventure together which had me on the edge of my seat all the way till the end of the book. I found this book thoroughly entertaining, funny and really well written. The characters were all great and added to the narrative, especially Giles’ butler Dalton. Even if you’ve not read the first book in the series, you can read this and follow it without any trouble and I can’t recommend it enough if you fancy an adventurous tale with wit and banter in spades.

Virginia Heath is a massively talented author who knows banter like I know the back of my hand, but snappy dialogue isn’t enough to disguise the fact that the plot points in this second book in her Merriwell Sisters series are somewhat stale.

Giles Sinclair, the newly-minted Duke of Harpenden, disguises himself as a womanizing rogue in order to avoid the marriage mart so that instead, he can devote himself to fixing his estate’s financial issues, as his cold-hearted father won’t even so much as let him on the grounds. But when his father dies, securing the title and lineage becomes of utmost import. Giles soon learns that his father tried to marry Dahlia, the draper’s daughter, to sire a legal heir upon her, which begs the question - why would an elderly man throw himself on the marriage mart at his advanced age to get a legitimate heir when he already has one? That would be because Giles is actually illegitimate; he has no ideas who his biological mother is, and if the secret is revealed, he will be stripped of his title. Giles decides to prove he has a legitimate claim.

In desperation, he turns to Diana Merriwell, an old chum (and younger sister of Minerva, heroine of Never Fall For Your Fiancée, the first book in the series). Everyone around Diana and Giles thinks that their constant arguing stems from a buried attraction, but they truly dislike each other – or so they say. Diana’s father left the family when she was only a child, and the trauma has taught Diana to depend only on herself and her sisters – she will never marry because of this. To wit, Diana has dedicated her life to journalism, working as an investigative reporter under an assumed name that has made her notorious, but disguising her activity by telling family and friends she’s a gossip columnist, which is considered much more ‘suitable’. She’s the perfect person to help Giles figure out who his mother is. But the more time they spend researching the situation, the closer they get.

Never Rescue a Rogue gets most of its charm from Heath’s signature rapid-fire patter. She knows chemistry, she knows strong, smart characters. All of this works and works well, and while she does use some well-worn tropes, she makes magic by twisting most of these notions upside down. It’s the one she doesn’t twist that feel rote. And while it’s refreshing that both of our leads here have daddy issues, I am weary of daddy issues in romances keeping characters from fully committing.

Giles and Diana are both likable people; he’s secretly got a heart of gold, and she’s smart and resourceful. And yes, it’s a traditional enemies-to-friends-to-lovers sensual slow burn between them, one that pays off very well, and includes some compelling and spirited banter.

There are a few pacing issues, and an ending that seems to rear up out of nowhere. But the quality of the writing and chemistry between the leads make things well worthwhile. A memorable heroine and a memorable hero, meddling family members, and some fun ideas almost raise this one to a solid B, a worthwhile read, if not a top priority one.

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In this sequel to Never Fall for Your Fiancee, Giles Sinclair, the dashing, devil-may-care Duke of Harpenden, faces an unexpected fight for his inheritance. When his father dies and the new duke's legitimacy is questioned by a dangerous threat, Giles turns to the only person he trusts to get him out of this situation- Diana Merriwell, the sister-in-law of his best friend. Diana moonlights as an investigative reporter only known as the Sentinel, and when Giles discovers her secret identity he knows that he she is the right person to ask for help. But as Giles and Diana traverse the country looking for clues together, they realize that the attraction between them might be growing into something more.

This was such a fun, delightful story. The chemistry between Giles and Diana was off the charts, and I really appreciated how both were willing to acknowledge and take stock of their feelings for each other in a reasonable fashion instead of trying to turn a blind eye for most of the book. It was actually quite refreshing to see lead characters be in tune with their emotions like adults, even though other things may have kept them from acting on them. I remember thinking to myself at some point while reading this, "these are somehow simultaneously the most and least self aware characters I have ever read". That made the development of the romance even more interesting though, and I was really rooting for them by the end of the novel. The plot involving Giles' inheritance was also interesting, and I appreciate the change in tone from the last novel to something darker and more complicated while still keeping the lighthearted romantic comedy aspect.

Overall, I highly recommend this novel for historical fiction readers! Thank you so much to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

Has a bit of a Bridgerton vibe. A very slow burn with lots of witty back and forth banter. Reading felt like a bit of an adventure with their time spent together. Not gonna lie, the first couple chapters were a bit dull. Too many characters I could not keep straight. Once the story picked it got real interesting.

After enjoying Never Fall for Your Fiancée, I was excited to begin the second Merriwell Sisters novel, Never Rescue a Rogue. After Hugh Standish, Earl of Fareham and Minerva Merriwell have found love with each other, it is time for the middle sister, Diana, to find her match. Her story follows her growing relationship with Hugh’s best friend, Giles Sinclair, Lord Bellingham, and Heir to the Duke of Harpenden. The two of them were introduced in the first novel with hints of their budding relationship in the background, so I was very excited to read their story.

As a writer for the newspaper, Diana writes pieces about the Ton and other subjects, however, her family is under the impression that she is only a proofreader. As Giles is on the search for the truth about his history, Diana makes the perfect ally. There is drama surrounding Giles and his title along with heavier tones from his traumatic past. Between Diana’s investigative skills and Giles using her assistance, the two of them spend more time together where they continue to discover their feelings for each other. The two of them share great banter and chemistry, so it was just a matter of time before they became a couple. Since some of their history with each other is established in the first novel, some readers may miss this part between them if they only read this as a standalone. While it still read well, this would be a factor for other readers to consider.

The two main characters are great as it was nice to get to know them further, although I always wish for more as there is a lot more to them than can fit on a page. The writing of this novel is easy enough to follow while being interesting. There is a Martha Waters-vibe to the novel while still holding its own as a unique tale. The side characters are all enjoyable. Giles has a butler named Dalton, who definitely stole the show in some scenes. I love how the three sisters all connect to keep the series cohesive while being distinct enough to have each of their stories stand on their own. While it is still taking me a little bit to warm up to the youngest sister, Venus (Vee), I am still looking forward to reader her story next!

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

Regency novels are hit or miss for me, but Never Rescue a Rogue was so much fun! It's an angsty but delicious slow burn, with great banter, and my favorite trope: enemies to lovers!

A slyly fun take on the enemies (well not really) to lovers trope set during the Regency. Giles enlists Diana for hep when his father, the Duke, dies unexpectedly and someone tries to blackmail him. She's a journalist, an unusual career (wow a career at all was unusual for a woman of her class) for the period. There's sprightly dialogue and a light, albeit it twisty, mystery. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I'd not read the first book and this made a fine standalone.

Never Rescue a Rogue
Book 2 in The Merriwell Sisters
Rating: 4 stars
Thank you to the author/publisher for the ARC given through NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.

Never Rescue a Rogue is the story of the second Merriwell sister, Diana, and Giles Sinclair. I really enjoyed this story. I think it was very entertaining because it had witty banter and great chemistry between the two leads. I loved seeing them denying their feelings for each other while everybody else could tell that it wasn't an annoyance they felt for each other.
I think what made the story so much fun was the added mystery of Giles true background. Because of this we are taken on an investigative adventure of trying to uncover the truth. It was fun seeing Diana's brain work and that Giles' was in awe with her because of it.
Overall I enjoyed these two characters working together while fighting their attraction. Theirs was a slow burn romance that finally came to fruition thanks to the matchmaking antics of her family. Which is another thing that I liked because they welcomed Giles into the family even before he and Diana came together.
I highly look forward to the next one!

Fun light and airy read. Not be totally not realizing this was a series. It had me researching the other book to read first. But I am glad to say I enjoyed both of them.

👑ARC Book Review👑

Never Rescue a Rogue by Virginia Heath

Synopsis: Book two of the Merriwell Sisters series follows Diana and Giles. Everyone thinks Diana and Giles should be together, except for Diana and Giles of course. They trade barbs and banter, while insisting they only tolerate each other for their family and friend’s sake. Diana loves the freedom of working for the newspaper and Giles loves riling his father, the Duke of Harpenden, up with his bachelor lifestyle. When the Duke passes away, leaving Giles as the new Duke, their family secrets are at risk of coming out. Diana has secrets of her own that she is keeping, secrets that could help Giles with his own family problems. They band together to figure out Giles family problems and keep their secrets under wraps. Their attraction only grows as they work together.

Review: This book was so much fun! There was romance, adventure, and mystery. Giles was one of the most lovable MMC I’ve ever read and Diana was great too! I had to know what would happen next so badly that I stayed up late reading to the end. Which if you know me, you know how important sleep is to me. It takes a pretty amazing book to keep me up past my bedtime. I was desperate to know more about Giles’ family and couldn’t stop cheering the characters on. This is one of my favorite series and I’m dying for the next one, when this one hasn’t even come out lol. 4.75/5⭐️