Never Blow a Kiss is a historical romance from the Victorian era, but don’t worry…it’s not the prudish part of the era.

The interaction between our leads was the star of the show. Zach and Emily are so great at the witty (and flirty) banter and their chemistry flew off the page. It was refreshing to have non-titled leads from this era, as Zach is new money working as a detective constable and Emily is a con artist turned Governess spy. No dukes in this one!

I feel like the secrets about Emily’s past were dragged out a bit, I kept wanting to shake the screen and yell TELL ME. But I love the communication between Zach and Emily after the reveal and how it all came together in the end.

I’m intrigued by the sneak peak of the next in the series, and I’ll be keeping my eye on this author!

Thank you to Forever Publishing for the review copy.

It started off really fun and I was ecstatic, but then it quickly became a “not like the other girls” story set up. I stopped at the end of chapter 1 (4%). Probably a solid three stars for readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC

I could not put down this book! Emily’s character jumped off the page with her wit, wiles, knife skills, and deadly secrets. Zach Denholm was her perfect foil as a handsome, clever, and rich detective. Emily is a former thief, turned governess/spy for the Dove. Both Zach and Emily are trying to find the Evangelist. A serial killer targeting prostitutes. There is plenty of action and plenty of romance. The story was a fast-paced and fantastic mystery.

The serial killer storyline is a great read-a-like for fans of STALKING JACK THE RIPPER series by Kerri Maniscalco and the swoony and spicy romance is will please fans of Lisa Kleypas.

I’m looking forward to more books in this series.

Heat level: spicy; several bedroom scenes.

Thank you to Forever and Grand Central Publishing for this eARC! This book was so!! Much!! Fun!! The murder mystery, the romance, the incredible banter between the two lead, the steamy chemistry! This book had it all! It very truly is up there with one of the best historical fiction/romance books I've ever read. I am addicted to this concept of governess spies and the cliffhanger you are left on, I need book two right now!!

I received an e-Arc from Netgalley and the publisher for an honest review! Thank you to Dana!!

Okay I read this book in a day because I could not put it down. Thanks to Dana f rom Forever for the E-Arc! I was hooked from the beginning to the end of what adventure Emily was going on.

The burn between Emily and Zach....whoooo whee! What can I say? I needed a fan to cool me off. I liked how kind Zach was to Emily and had patience with her. He's a winner! He's one of the good guys. Emily slowly along the way got courage to be with Zach as that was a huge leap for her to do so. I wished they could have done a bit more detective work together maybe in the next book they can make a cameo? I loved the nickname that Zach gave her.

I liked how the plot of the story went down starting off with Emily and The Dove. There was a few twists and turns. I had a hunch on a few things, was I right on some some of them? A few!

The secrets! Did they all come out into the open? That is something you will have to read about. I loved to read about how Zach handled some of the secrets. I will say that there's one that I am still curious about - The Dove!

The dialogue was perfect. I loved all the interactions that happened in the story from the good, the cute/flirting, the bad and the steamy! The villains in this book made me not like them at all. Really did not!

I'm still curious of The Dove and what's her take on things. You bet I am going to want to read book 2! It was so fun to read with a touch of historical, adventure, drama and romance. I could not put it down.

One word - Noodles!

In this first in a new series about a secret network of governesses who spy on the Victorian ton, a governess spy running away from her past falls for an ex-soldier turned railroad magnate who hunts killers for the police.

Emily is instantly likable, the dialogue is quick, and the sexual tension great. Zach and Emily are just wonderful together. The network of governess spies is well setup and hopefully The Dove gets her story in the end. Read this for the mystery as much as for the romance. I’m hooked and ready for Frankie in book 2.

That said, the entrapment subplot was a bit of a mess. The mystery, Big Secret, and relationship were enough intrigue on their own. There were unexpected POV changes to minor characters 2/3 of the way in to get certain plot points across and that’s a pet peeve of mine. It’s jarring. If you can’t convey something in the POV you’ve been using, maybe you need to write it differently. Points lost for perpetuating the “corsets are so tight I’ll faint” myth. Like women really went around wearing clothes they couldn’t breathe in.

I was entertained even though the Evangelist was easy to spot. Zach is a steadfast hero and Emily is confident, and this has none of the typical misunderstandings that can derail romance characters from acting sensibly.

Never Blow a Kiss is a historical romance in a series where undercover governesses help uncover crime in London. Raised to be a thief and sold in marriage to a swindler, Emily Leverton has recreated herself as a governess in a wealthy household. The Dove has recruited Emily to spy for her network of undercover agents to help uncover a murderer among the Ton. One little blown kiss puts her into the sights of a much sought after bachelor and metropolitan police investigator, Zach. The chemistry between them is off the charts but Emily’s past is a major huddle to an HEA full of suspense, heat, and fun characters. I loved the characters and the book was a joy to read. I will be looking forward to more from this author. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

I'm giving this 3.5 stars, and rounding up to 4. If you are a sucker for a good, fast-paced bodice ripper, I definitely recommend Never Blow a Kiss. The romance was sweet and spicy and fast paced. Often I find the plot of this genre unoriginal and predictable. However, the serial killer backdrop was exciting and fit the characters so well. I am so surprised that this is a debut novel and am very excited to see what she writes next.
Thank you NetGalley for this free ARC.

I got quite a kick out of this novel, the first I've read by Lindsay Lovise, and the first in this series about governess spies. Emily is a prim governess on the outside, but she's hiding the secrets of a much shadier past (how DOES she know so much about pickpockets?). Our hero, a straitlaced police officer, is much more tempted by her than he should be. What does she know? Who does he know? What are her secrets? Never Blow a Kiss was a quick and enjoyable read, with just enough mystery and just enough steam. I'm looking forward to the next installment to find out just what's up with Frankie!

Never Blow a Kiss is the first in a new series from debut author Lindsay Lovise. In Never Blow a Kiss, we follow governess, Emily Leverton, as she becomes a spy for a secret network run by a mysterious woman known as The Dove. Emily is hiding from her past and trying to make up for the wrongs she believes she is responsible for, so spying on members of the ton to catch a killer? Perfect way to atone! 🕵️‍♀️

While investigating the family she is working for, Emily runs across handsome police detective, Zachariah Denholm, at a ball, and she breaks the first rule of governess spies! She blows him a kiss, attracting his attention and sparking his curiosity. 😘

The two eventually team up to catch the brutal killer stalking the women of Whitechapel. While there are secrets and subterfuge from both parties, it was clear that they cared deeply for each other. Their relationship was funny, sweet, spicy, and at times, heart wrenching. 💕

The only thing I didn’t love, was Emily’s “Big Secret.” I will admit, I didn’t see it coming, but the repetitive use of that phrase and the fact that we don’t know what it is until the big reveal did frustrate me. I feel that if i had known ahead of time, I may have understood some of Emily’s actions more. I also would have liked a bit more grovel from Zach after he discovers the secret, but overall, I think it was handled well. 🫶

I can’t wait to see what comes next for the governess spies! I’m very intrigued by The Dove, and I hope she continues to appear in future books! 🕊️

I absolutely devoured this book! It was such a fun, delightful read, but it also held space for heavier themes while still feeling light. While Never Blow a Kiss is firmly an historical romance, at times, it had the feel of a cozy mystery which I thoroughly enjoyed. If you’re a fan of Evie Dunmore or Manda Collins, I think you’ll enjoy this new series! 🥰

Thank you to the publisher and the author for the complimentary arc. All opinions are my own.

I’m a marketing and publicity associate Forever, so I am reading this for work! Aaaaaaand there's a character limit on reviews here are some more words

Zach and Emily are 21st century characters in a 19th century novel and they work perfectly! Zach is the polite, respectful eligible bachelor with no title but plenty of money who is committed to his job as a Detective Constable for the London Police. Emily is the spunky, sassy, smart governess with a past to hide and a killer to find. Together they make a perfect pair.

Overall this is a solid first novel. It does get a tad mired down in Emily's back story near the conclusion when her past comes back threatening to ruin her future. However, I think this author has a lot more to say and I look forward to her future novels in this fun and clever series, Secret Society of Governess Spies!

Loved reading the wonderfully written romance story. Even though Emily has a secret past and is a governess working for the Dove, she meets Zach, a policeman working the serial killer case, and can't help being drawn to him. Read the highly recommended and a must read riveting love story.

This is a fast-paced romp with a relationship that goes from zero-to-sixty very quickly. Both main characters grew up in poverty and made their way to Mayfair in different ways. The female main character, Emily, lied her way into a governess position while the male main character, Zach, made a fortune investing money won while gambling in the railroad. As the story opens, Emily joins a spy network made up exclusively of governesses and it seems other members of the network will be the subject of future books.

Because the characters are on the outskirts of society, their impulsive (and sometimes outrageous) behavior is believable and fun to follow. The emotional connection between them grows nicely as Zach realizes Emily has some baggage from her past . The way they work through it is endearing.

The main plot of the story centers around a serial killer and there are several exciting action scenes while the couple is sleuthing. Emily's spy master is on the periphery in this book, but the ending makes me think they'll be more present in the next book.

The writing here is easy to digest. I devoured this book in about 24 hours as a result and I look forward to seeing the spy network story become more sophisticated as the series continues.

Never Blow a Kiss is book 1 in the Secret Society of Governess Spies series by Lindsay Lovise.
This is an entertaining and well-written historical romance novel. It has a likable, strong and capable characters.
The setting and descriptions are wonderful. What we are given in these pages is a delight to read.
I am looking forward to reading Imogen's story with great anticipation.

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

Thank You NetGalley and Forever for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I absolutely loved this book!! I was hooked from the very first chapter. The interactions between Emily and Zach were so fun and the storyline was interesting with a flair of mystery! I'm so excited to read the next book in this series. If you liked Hells Bells, you're going to love this book. Can't recommend it highly enough.

When giving this book a read, keep in mind that this is the authors debut novel.

I loved the idea behind the series of an agency of governess spies, however I believe it was a bit clumsily written. At times, I completely forgot what the premise was as there were loads of different things happening all at once. This book tried to be criminal minds, but also a Lisa Kleypas historical romance? I also found that everytime Zach called Emily noodles it broke the immersion as it didn't seem to fit the time period.

That being said, I'll admit that when I picked up this book, I thought it would be more romance, so that's kind of on me.

Never Blow a Kiss was a fun, rollercoaster ride!
I thought the idea of a network of spy governesses was clever and used well in the setting of the book. Characters were solid and interesting. I liked the murder mystery part of the book, and thought that Emily's secret tied into the mystery nicely. I did think the culprit was a little too obvious but it didn't deter my enjoyment.
The romance has a nice build-up and a likable couple. I thought the love scenes were steamy but not over the top spicy.
A great blend of mystery and historical romance. Interested to see where the next book takes us.

I was intrigued by the cover and the title, but I was more than hesitant to read a new author to me. But I'm so glad I did! I stayed up half the night to finish. This is number one in the series and I cannot believe I have to wait two years for book two!
I fell in love with the plot. Have the lower class (namely the governesses) spy on the upper class. I fell in love with the characters right away, the children even had a small role which was laugh-out-loud funny as children are. No one is perfect and Lovise made you fall in love with Emily from the first sentence, although I would've loved for her to expand on Zac's profession as a railroad magnate and how he got there from being a butcher's son. Lovise mainly focused on Emily and her past. And I wish the Dowager Countess played a little more active role, but Lovise had her hiding upstairs throughout the book.
This was in part a mystery as well as a romance. And I have to tell you that I could never have guessed the ending! And yes, I absolutely knew I had it figured out when Lovise dropped some subtle clues, but she still tripped me up when the real killer was revealed. How the killer was revealed was kind of rushed, and I wish it was more drawn out.
And she had me gobsmacked when Emily's past came to light. So good! Who would have thought? I don't know how Zac could've ever forgiven her, but love always wins! I think I really loved the romance between Zac and Emily because they didn't play games with each other, they knew right away when their eyes met.
Overall, the first book in this series wasn't perfect. But nothing ever is after all! It was unputdownable.

Very, very light on the historical part. If they weren't wearing gowns, I'd have thought this was set in a contemporary time period—the dialogue took me right out of it. The "noodles" joke was not funny or clever enough to warrant all the subsequent references to it. It was an attempt at banter, but it was lame. In fact, the more I read, the more I thought everything was falling flat. DNF at 31%.