Heath returns with another delightful addition to the series!

I really enjoyed this book. The cast of characters has been fun to get to know, and the chemistry is always delivered with a wink. I think I would recommend this as a lighter closed-door version of Bridgerton to friends. This series always reads like a breath of fresh air I can depend on for a comfort read.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this, great banter and now I have to go back and read the first one in the series and look forward to the next one

This was such a delightful romance. Not only did I love the relationship between Diana and Giles, but the added bit of mystery/suspense was just the cherry on top. Their banter was top notch, and I didn’t want to put this one down.

Loved the first book so had to come back for more! This sequel delivers! Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC.
I love Diana and Giles even more than the MCs of the first book honestly, their tension and banter is excellent, and the mystery and intrigue in the plot of this book kept the pace going throughout.

I’ve really been enjoying all the historical rom coms that have been popping up over the last couple of years and that included Virginia Heath’s book Never Fall for Your Fiancée (review here). I was excited about the next book in the Merriwell Sisters series and I ended up liking book two, Never Rescue a Rogue, even more than book one!

Here’s the book’s description:
Diana Merriwell and Giles Sinclair only tolerate one another for the sake of their nearest and dearest. Everyone believes that the two of them are meant to be together, but 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. But they do have one thing in common—the secrets they can’t risk escaping.
When Giles’ father, the curmudgeonly Duke of Harpenden unexpectedly turns up his toes, it’s only a matter of time before someone comes crawling out of the woodwork who knows the true circumstances of his only son's 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 dive into his family’s past, the attraction that the two of them insisted wasn’t there proves impossible to ignore. Soon, the future of the Sinclair estate isn’t the only thing on the line…
Readers who paid attention to Minerva and Hugh’s story would have known that book two would feature Diana and Giles, sister to Minerva and best friend to Hugh, respectively. The tension between the two was palpable in the first book and I was SO excited to read their story. It wasn’t quite an opposites attract nor was it quite enemies to lovers. It hit a sweet spot of the couple being easily irritated by the other but only because there was an underlying passion between them. Because obviously the reason the pair keep sniping at each other is because that’s easier than admitting they’re pining for each other!

The characters were too much fun to read about. Diana is wicked smart and Giles recognized and respected that. And that is attractive! He was trying really hard to hide his true self which Diana had no time for, which I respected. He had to face his future, which was complicated because of his father’s messy past, before Diana would have anything to do with him. She was also fiercely independent and didn’t think romance and a relationship would be in the cards for her because she thought she needed to work to be able to look after her sisters. And, at the time these books take place, there was no way for a woman to work and be married. *insert grumbling here* The pair each had their faults but they worked oh so well together and the Happily Ever After was really satisfying - which is always a win in my books!

I always appreciate when a character, especially a female character, in the book I’m reading is a journalist (my partner is a reporter so I have a soft spot for them and know how important they are to society). Seeing as this was a historical book, I liked that Heath was able to showcase how tough it would have been for Diana, or any woman, to work for newspapers at the time.

While this is a romance novel set in a historical time period, there was also a…mystery of sorts. I really enjoyed reading as all the characters came together to figure out Giles’ past. I certainly didn’t solve it before they did, which made for a lot of fun. Giles also learned he had a lot of people in his corner too which was really lovely to read.

I’m already excited to read the story of the youngest Merriwell sister, which will be the final in the series. Never Wager with a Wallflower, featuring Venus, is set to publish in November. Yay!

If you’re also a fan of historical rom coms, I’d definitely recommend you check out Never Rescue a Rogue. Virginia Heath’s novel kept me entertained and engaged throughout and I’m so very glad I had the chance to read it.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, St. Martin’s Griffin, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Never Rescue a Rogue by Virginia Heath is the second book of the Merriwell Sisters. Diana Merriwell and Giles Sinclair barely tolerate each other. Their loved ones are convinced they belong together, but the pair are convinced that their constant barbs are nothing more than disdain for each other. Diana works at the newspaper and has no time or want of a relationship. Giles is fine living as a bachelor. When Giles’ father, the Duke of Harpenden, suddenly passes, Giles is made aware of an impending threat to the dukedom surrounding the truth of his birth. He must uncover the truth before those who seek to maliciously take over find it first. Giles knows his best bet is to enlist Diana’s help. The longer these two spend time together, the harder it is to deny their true feelings for each other.

I loved how funny this book was. Experiencing Diana and Giles send barb after barb at each other was a blast. Just as experiencing them give into their attraction was. Virginia Heath is great at writing historical rom-coms with compelling mystery and great romance.

I received a reviewer copy of Never Rescue a Rogue by Virginia Heath from the publisher St. Martin's Press from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: In the second book in the series we follow the second Merriwell, Diana, sister a few years after the first book. Giles Sinclair likes his bachelor lifestyle, and disappointing his curmudgeonly father who is cruel, but he has a secret that could unravel everything: Giles is not a true heir and now someone is coming out of the woodwork and blackmailing him to hand over the dukedom. When his father dies, the case becomes urgent. He seeks help with Diana, who works with the newspaper and is a secret investigative reporter to help find the proof and save the estate. Soon though these two become very close.

What I Loved: Okay so the romance in the first book didn't fully work for me. This romance did work for me, I wouldn't say this trope is enemies to lovers but I loved the premise of this book, the premise of a woman being turned to for her intellect and respected for this part of her. I loved that they were on a mission and the element of uncovering the blackmailer and protecting all the people from an incompetent lord. I loved the chemistry, I loved the story and I thought it was just a really great romance. It made me want to keep reading!

What I didn’t like so much: Sometimes the pacing is a bit weird, but overall this book worked.

Who Should Read It: People who love regency romances. People who love stories where women are allowed to be independent during a time where women didn't have equal rights. People who love missions mixed in their romance.

Summary: A mission to protect a secret leads to feelings.

This book was so fun and a perfect part of the series. If you are looking for a light story that will make you laugh and smile, this is the one for you. I will continue to read this series.

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Griffin and Netgalley for letting me read an eARC of Never Rescue a Rogue. I really liked book one in this series, so I was the most excited to read book two about Diana and Giles.
Never Rescue a Rogue 4/5 stars
Summary from Goodreads: Virginia Heath’s Never Rescue a Rogue, the next book in the Merriwell Sisters series, is filled with whip-smart banter, swoony romance, hilarious mishaps, and twisty reveals that will make you gasp and laugh in delight.
Diana Merriwell and Giles Sinclair only tolerate one another for the sake of their nearest and dearest. Everyone believes that the two of them are meant to be together, but 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. But they do have one thing in common—the secrets they can’t risk escaping.
When Giles’ father, the curmudgeonly Duke of Harpenden unexpectedly turns up his toes, it’s only a matter of time before someone comes crawling out of the woodwork who knows the true circumstances of his only son's 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 dive into his family’s past, the attraction that the two of them insisted wasn’t there proves impossible to ignore. Soon, the future of the Sinclair estate isn’t the only thing on the line…
I really enjoyed being back in this world and being with the Merriwell sisters! Diana and Giles were my favorites, so reading their story was so much fun. The whole backstory with Giles and his parentage was a great plot driving factor and I loved the banter between Diana and Giles. I also really liked everything about Diana’s job and how she was such a great investigative journalist with the cover of a gossip columnist. Overall, I really enjoyed Never Rescue a Rogue and I cannot wait to read the next book!

"I cannot tell you how liberating and empowering that heady feeling is. To share your life with someone who understands you. Who shares all your hopes and your dreams and strives for them beside you. Who is there through thick and thin, no matter what, just because you are you."
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! This is my favorite so far! I loved Diana and Giles- their banter and personalities. Watching their journey of getting to know each other, and how their feelings change, was so delightful! It was so tender the way they helped each other and supported each other. It was wonderful too getting to see characters from the previous book as well as part of this story! I really enjoyed this one!

I loved this book so much more than it's predecessor. Was it nauseatingly cringey at times? Yeah, duh. All historical romances are. But did I still love yet? Surprisingly, yes! (Especially surprising considering I had stated only a few days ago that I thought historical romances "weren't for me".)

Diana is such a fun sister to follow; I love that while she wants her own strength and freedom, she at least has honest conversations with herself about how maybe she *is* open to the possibility of love in the future. I also love that we see Giles reassure her time and again, both in action and in words, that he will never force her into doing something she doesn't want to do. It's refreshing to see in a romance novel when so many of the male leads end up being unintentionally horrific.

I didn't love the amount of times Giles told Diana "YOU CAN'T DO THAT; YOU NEED TO STAY SAFE" but I understood why it was present. I also hated how openly Diana's family made her feel uncomfortable around Giles by CONSTANTLY poking and prodding about her love life. As someone who has to hear "when are you ever gonna get a boyfriend" enough from my own family, I hate hearing it in all forms of media.

Other than that, I absolutely loved it and found myself smiling many times throughout the book. Highly recommend!

I don't read a lot of historical romances, but I definitely need to read more after this! I also need to go back and read the first book in this series, Never Fall for Your Fiancée. I adored Diana and Giles' characters separately and together. They were the perfect pair. Diana was independent, highly intelligent, and not afraid to stand up for herself. Her being slow to trust and let Giles in was so fun to read.

I'm always a sucker for a good enemies to lovers so I flew through this. The story was fun, the characters were fun, the setting was fun, and I look forward to reading more of the series!

Never Rescue a Rogue by Virginia Heath
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Giles Sinclair and Diana Merriwell can not stand each other. The argue and bicker and poke fun. There is NO WAY they are secretly pining for each other. Yet when Giles father dies and his inheritance is called into question, Diana is by his side to help him unravel the truth.
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What I liked:
-Diana and Giles were a fun couple to follow. So much pining. So much lying about disliking each other. 😂
-The plot for Giles was engrossing. I was fully caught up with his past and what truths he would discover.
-The new character of Galahad was an interesting addition and I am intrigued for book three and Vee’s story now! (I immediately looked for it on Netgalley upon finishing, but alas, it is not available)
-I really appreciate this book for what it was, it was fun, I was invested, I laughed, I smiled, I wanted the truth to help our couple, and I wanted to see the dastardly villian get run out of town!
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Never Rescue a Rogue by Virginia Heath. Pub Date: November 8, 2022. Rating: 2 stars. When I read the synopsis of this novel, I really wanted to love it due to historical romance is one of my favorite genres to read. Honestly, I felt from the beginning this story dragged and did not offer the spunk and ambiance of historical romance that I was looking for. This was a slow burn historical romance between Diana Merriwell and Giles Sinclair that turns the enemies to lovers trope into a storyline. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. #netgalley

This regency romance is so much fun! I loved the banter and chemistry between the female & male main characters. I loved the struggle for them while they deny their attraction to each other & the fierce, strong relationship of Diana's family & the extended/chosen people they have added to their family. It had mystery, secrets, drama, and love that made for a perfect story. I couldn't put it down and finished it in one sitting! I can't wait to read more from this author.

I got this mixed up with some other books but was delighted to discover it was a sequel to a book I enjoyed very much. I liked this one possibly even more! Delightful read.

I really liked the first book in this series, but I absolutely loved this one. It was slowburn but with enough tension-filled moments and longing glances to keep me invested, a plot that had me intrigued without ever stressing me out, loveable side characters (many of which I loved from the first book), and a sweet love story between two characters I was rooting for from the first page.

Diana is a bad b*tch and I 10000% loved her, even when I wanted to shake her into not suppressing her feelings. Killer journalistic instincts, fierce independence, and prickly comebacks all protecting a huge heart…you love to see it.

Speaking of huge hearts—GILES!! I LOVE a rake who’s secretly noble, and he had such a big heart. He was also so funny and smooth, idk how Diana kept from swooning frankly bc I sure didn’t.

I’m really enjoying this series and Heath’s style (her dialogue and banter, and her comedic timing especially with some outrageous scenes, are so sharp and fun), and I can’t wait for the next book!

Never Rescue a Rogue is a well-written and engaging historical romance novel that blends mystery, drama, and humor. The pacing is excellent, and the resolution of the mystery is satisfying. The chemistry between the two main characters and their journey towards finding love and acceptance is heartwarming and charming. If you enjoy historical romance novels with a hint of mystery and intrigue, Never Rescue a Rogue is definitely worth a read.

I'm in my historical romance era and I'm so happy to be here. This book was absolutely fantastic. I loved the female main character AND the male main character. The chemistry???? FIRE.

Never Rescue a Rogue is an enemies to lovers historical romance novel set in the Regency period. It is the second in the Merriwell Sisters series, of which I have not read the first. I thought the story looked cute and hoped that the book was standalone enough that I would be able to read it independently!

I will say that while this book is probably best read if you have read the first book, I didn't have an issue figuring out relationships or any other plot details. I thought the characters were fun and the romance cute. I wasn't particularly blown away from any part of this book, but that might just be a me problem because I'm not the biggest historical romance fan. I really felt some Bridgerton similarities, but I think that's just par for the course with the time period and the genre, particularly within a family. The story dragged for me about halfway through but picked up again at the end.

If you're looking for a cute historical romance, give this book a try! 2.75 stars rounded up to 3 from me. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the electronic advanced reader's copy of this book!