Never Rescue a Rogue by Virginia Heath is even more delightful than its predecessor. This sequel is a relatively light-hearted regency mystery romance, creating a perfect blend of suspense, spice, and swooning.

Most notably, the characters all experienced a glow-up in the depth department. For the most part each was dynamic and contributed more than just their plot point. We had morally gray characters who had bursts of goodness, and we had moral characters who had their moments of shame and indignity.

The plot itself was also lovely to follow along. I adore mysteries, and the one presented had enough twists and turns to keep me engaged without becoming unecessarily convoluted. The heroine's occupation as a writer added an interesting layer to how she perceives her world, and I found her to be much more relatable and worldly than Minerva in the first novel of the series.

All in all, lovely read! I can't wait to see Vee grow up even more in the third novel and have her moment in the spotlight!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this free digital copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is available now!

Never Rescue A Rogue is the second book in Heath's "Merriwell Sisters" series and I'll be honest...I didn't actually finish the first book. I got about 80% through the first one and was getting stressed so didn't get through the rest. I read enough to help me through reading the second book, so there was that. :)

However! I DID finish NRAR and thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved Diana and Giles. Their banter, the way they cared for and supported (and annoyed) one another...all so entertaining. I think one of the reasons I liked this book so much more is that I felt so connected and in tune with Diana. Her independence, her determination to forge her own path...I definitely felt a kinship. And Giles? Oh, Giles. Swoon. He meets Diana where she is and I just want to hug him all of the time.

This story had a slight mystery element which I enjoyed, and I liked that Vee (youngest Merriwell sister) has more of a role in this one. I *think* I have an idea who her love interest might be in her book, but we'll see when we get there.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for providing me with a review copy of this book 📚

I am a huge historical romance lover, the angst, the scandal, it’s all so charming. And I absolutely loved Never Fall For Your Fiancée so I was so excited for the opportunity to read more about the Merriwell sisters and their love interests. Diana and Giles were great, I did prefer the couple from the first book more but this book still had the comedy and charm I look for from Virginia Heath

Historical Romance is probably my favorite sub-genre of romance. I love the magical feeling of it all, the swoony gents we read about, and the Ton life that we get to experience with an HR. When I started this book, I was a bit nervous because I’ve never read a book by this author before now. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I don’t think I missed out on much by not reading the first book, so that is always a plus. I wasn’t head over heels for the MMC, but he slowly grew on me as time passed. I enjoyed Diana’s personality in the book. She was hard-working and craved independence in her life, which I can appreciate in a FMC. Overall, I had an entertaining time during my experience reading this and I would recommend this to anyone who needs more Historical Romance in their life.

'Never Rescue a Rogue: A Novel' by Virginia Heath is a fun fast moving historical romance with a strong female lead - no damsel in distress found! Great summer read - if you are Bridgerton fan check this one out!

Screw all the haters I loved this damn book and didn’t stop smiling from ear to ear once.

Giles and Diana were ✨top tier✨ and I am absolutely obsessed with them and the way they pick on each other and help each other and the absolute tension and UGHHHHH time to go reread the physical copy so I can highlight EVERYTHING.

I will never get over these two buffoons I love them so.

I love Giles and Diana so much! They have the best dynamic. This was so cute, funny, and sad. We really got to see a different side of Giles which I loved!

This was a slow start read for me. I typically love a spicy historical romance, but this one had less romance aspects I usually enjoy. I thought the story really picked up in the last %25. I enjoyed the ending and how everything turned out.

I loved this one even more than the first. This series is so cute and funny. Giles and Diana were adorable together. Their banter had me smiling all the way through.

The side characters are hilarious, especially Dalton, and I love the whole extended family.

I'm so very excited to read Vee's book. The Merriwell sisters are an absolute delight.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A solid 3 star read. Not my favourite regency era romance but I did enjoy it! It was a little too long but I liked that it actually had a plot and set up nicely for another book. I’ll have to go back now and read the first one! Thank you to NetGalley for the Arc!

I am obsessed with the show Ms. Scarlet and the Duke on PBS and I'm ALWAYS on the lookout for books with that same feeling. When I read the synopsis of Never Rescue a Rogue it definitely had the same vibes with a strong women in a non-traditional position for that time. The fact that this was also a series is always a win for me cause I'm a sucker for a good series, romance or otherwise, and even though this was my first of the series I did not feel like I was missing out on anything by picking this one up first.

What I Loved:
The Sentinel, I love there is a paper who allows someone to write articles looking out for the general public of the area....extra bonus the people who are outed are normally women in vulnerable positions who don't have many options
Nicknames, Diana and Giles have the best nicknames for each other and they develop throughout the story based on how they are feeling about each other at the moment
Enemies to Lovers Slow Burn, I liked how the two started off as adversaries but very quickly develop a true friendship that is developed into more
Diana, she is a strong woman who has had to spend a lot of her life taking care of herself and her sisters and refuses to just be the type of woman men expect her to be. She is literally who I want to be when I grow up and bonus to find someone like Giles
Family, there is a big family aspect to this book both actual and found family and that always enhances a story in my mind.

Overall I would recommend this book to anyone out there who is a fan of historical romances, especially if you are a fan of Ms. Scarlett and the Duke. I will be picking up the first of this series very soon as I cannot wait to read about Diana and Giles' first interactions.

What can I say about this story. I love the dialogue, the struggle, and HEA. Diana and Giles are friends to lovers that always have tried to fight their attraction to each other. Diana became Giles’s fiercest supporter when he was doubting himself. They learned how to best help each other through their fears and doubts. Wonderful.

Of course the rake has a heart of gold. Love a meddling family too and a smart sassy female heroine.

Quite a bit of mystery and sleuthing.

Favorite lines:
“Needing to know someone cared enough about him to still be there when all the skeletons were revealed.” - a very good way to put a strong sentiment.

Perfect! Sexy, smart and with a villain you love to hate, Never Rescue a Rouge is a real treat.

I received an ARC of this book, from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I was surprised that I loved this one so much more than the first! I saw this pairing coming from the set up of the first but the development of these characters made is such a fun ride. To see why each one acted the way they did and how they grew along the journey was so fun to read and experience. This series gets better with each book!

Virginia Heath’s second historical romance novel in the The Merriwell Sisters series “Never Rescue a Rogue” is the delightful story of Giles Sinclair, the new Duke of Harpenden, and Diana Merriwell, the independent, blunt, determined, second Merriwell sister. They appear to barely tolerate each other, but they relish their witty, alliterative banter with each other – and we do too. Giles lives under the weight of his family’s Dirty Secret which could strip him of his title, even threaten his freedom, and destroy the dukedom. Diana has big secrets as well. She is the talented, fearless, anonymous investigative reporter “The Sentinel” – digging up corruption in high places and making enemies. Giles needs Diana help to unearth his family’s secrets and to thwart the truly evil uncle trying to claim the dukedom. By necessity, determined Diana is brave, loyal (especially to her sisters), and fully committed to helping Giles. At every turn, their wordplay is wildly entertaining and the romantic pull grows, even as they call each other such endearments as “idiot” and “harridan.” It is such a pleasure to see their love story unfold. Plus, who would want to miss the fake Russian count?

“Never Rescue a Rogue” can be easily read as a standalone book, but the first book “Never Fall for Your Fiancée” enhances our understanding of the characters and their connections. I can hardly wait to read the third book in the series when it is published this fall. This writer has a talent for entertaining the reader with her wonderful characters and their plights.

I am grateful to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Virginia Health for the opportunity to read this book. This opinion is all my own.

Virginia Heath is a go to author for me when I am looking for an historical romance. Never Rescue a Rogue is the second book in the Merriwell Sisters series. I have not read the first one, but I will definitely be reading it now. In this book we meet Diana Merriwell and Giles Sinclair who were childhood friends, sort of. They have a history that was not necessarily friendly, but cordial. When they meet again as adults, there is a pull there, that they both fight. Giles' father, the Duke of Harpenden has unexpectedly died, and he is now the new Duke, or is he? Some relatives who have fallen out of favor are hoping to find evidence that Giles is illegitimate, therefore not eligible to be the new Duke, but Giles is hoping to get enough time to sort the books and help the tenants before that happens. Trying to help keep all the mothers from bombarding the new Duke with their daughers, Diana agrees to pretend they are interested in one another to save him. With the help of her sisters, and her own secret to keep, she and Giles try their best to find whatever evidence his uncle might have to keep him from becoming the new Duke.

One of the things I enjoy the most about Virginia Heath's books is the banter. Not only is it between Diana and Giles, but her sister, staff and friends. It had me smiling and laughing out loud at times. The mystery of who Giles parents really are, was interesting and I loved how they went about solving it. The ton love to present their daughters to the eligible and wealthy men, so Giles was a huge draw. The way her and Diana went about blocking those relationships was fantastic and of course, they begin to develop a real relationship. Diana's secret was also interesting and I loved seeing how she used it to help her family as well as Giles. I definitely recommend you pick this one up if you enjoy a good historical romance, or better yet, pick up Never Fall For Your Fiancée, the first in the series and Minerva's story.

Giles and Diana have always been at odds since their first meeting and only tolerate each other because they are practically family–her sister is married to his best friend. When Giles’s father dies unexpectedly and leaves everything to him, it’s Diana he turns to for help. If the secret of Giles’s parentage ever comes out, he could lose everything. It is up to the two of them to figure out the mystery behind Giles’s birth before anyone else does.

I have been waiting for Giles and Diana’s book since they first exchanged barbs in Never Fall for Your Fiancee. The book was even better than I expected–I completely adored it. I loved how unorthodox Diana is compared to the women of her time. She is why I loved the book so much. She is tough on the outside and fiercely protective of those she loves. This side of her was apparent in the first book, which is likely why I gravitated to her. While I liked Giles, there were moments I needed him to just listen to Diana rather than keep talking. Let her do her job! You wanted her help because she’s great at it.

While some of the plot was predictable, Giles and Diana's relationship was the main draw for me, and it did not disappoint. Their verbal sparring was a lot of fun. I did miss the interactions between the family, which played a larger role in the first book. Younger sister Vee redeemed herself for me and now I am excited for her book. (4.5 stars rounded to 5 stars)

My Review:

  
Book: Never Rescue a Rogue
Rating: 4/5
Author: Virginia Heath
Genre: Romance
🗏 Pages: 358
Tropes: Frenemies to Lovers. Slow Burn, Forced Proximity, Found Family
Readability: 4/5 italic font is used
First Line: "Being a thoroughly disappointing son in every aspect of his life was reasonability Giles Sinclair took seriously."

Things to expect:
Duke and a Journalist - Class Difference
Open Door - One Scene
Banter
Mysterish

This one surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. I have been getting back into the historical romance genre since the covers no longer have real people on them, and that honestly freaked me out. This one is a great starting point for those who want to explore historical romance. It is an open door with one detailed scene but not over the top. Virginia's writing style is one of my favorites, and I love how the slow burn of frenemies to lovers plays out; these two could not tolerate one another at the start of the book, and how Virginia plays them out is just excellent. I wish it had a bit of spice, as the first one in the series seemed to have more.. or that is just what I remember.

Thanks to St Martin Press for the advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Not normally a fan of historical romances, but I really enjoyed this one. It was slow born and well written. I couldn't stand how many family members were meddling in business that wasn't their own, but that's the time and I know that's relatively accurate in regards to history.