I value the opportunity I was given to read this in advance, but I still haven't read this. With so many books ahead of me, I cannot return to this title.

Virginia Heath is almost single-handedly fueling my Regency romance addiction and nursing my Bridgerton hangover. This book is absolutely delightful and I can't wait for the next one in the series.

Utterly delightful. It's funny. It's a bit silly in all the best ways. It's a little spicy. Absolutely loved. I have a new favorite author to add to the list.

SUCH a fun book! Loved the writing style, the characters, the swoony romance. A great read. O look forward to seeing stories about the background cast.

All's Fair in Love and War by Virginia Heath is a delightful and charming Regency romp that brings together an unlikely duo—an unconventional governess and a rigid naval captain—who clash over their very different approaches to life, only to find themselves falling in love despite their differences.

Georgie Rowe, a governess with a sunny disposition and a firm belief that childhood should be filled with laughter and adventure, is tasked with looking after the three unruly children of Harry Kincaid’s sister. Harry, a former naval captain now working at the Admiralty, is completely out of his depth when it comes to managing his nieces and nephew, and in a panic, he hires Georgie to restore order to his chaotic household. But Harry’s uptight and by-the-book nature stands in direct contrast to Georgie’s free-spirited methods, and sparks fly as the two clash over the best way to handle the children—and each other.

Heath’s writing is full of humor, warmth, and wit, with plenty of playful banter between the leads. The chemistry between Georgie and Harry builds steadily, turning what starts as a battle of wills into a heartfelt romance. The setting is beautifully captured, and the antics of the children and the "mad dog" add a delightful touch of chaos that keeps the story lighthearted and engaging.

All's Fair in Love and War is a wonderfully entertaining read, with a strong heroine, a charming hero, and a plot that strikes the perfect balance between humor and heart. Fans of Regency romance with a touch of fun and whimsy will find this series starter hard to put down.

Regency romance are something I've always kept at arms. I've only read a handful so far, but I am thrilled I was able to read this!

Georgie had an unsettled upbringing and when she was offered a spot at Miss Prentice's school she was overjoyed to escape the homelife she was less than thrilled with.

Upon completion, Georgie has to learn to curb her mouth and be a proper governess or she will never land a position. Until Captain Henry Kindcaid comes barreling through in desperate need of a governess for his nieces and nephew!

This wonderfully written adorable tale shows combines the properness of the time period with today's female free will to say and act how we wish. I truly enjoyed as we caught both Georgie and Henry learning to understand each other, grow under unusual circumstances, and come into the people they wish to be instead of many the ones society deems they should be.

Grab this if you desperately want a Regency romcom after you finish part two of Bridgerton season 3!

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was set in the regency era and I thought I would devour this work but found myself not trying to read this one. The cover really drew me in. Would try again with this author.

Thank you SMP Romance for my ARC of Virginia Heath’s All’s Fair in Love and War. Georgie, a governess who was trained at THE preeminent school for governesses, has had a difficult time finding employment because of her progressive views on education and discipline, but Harry is desperate. He finds himself in charge of his sister’s three children, while she travels the continent, so he needs a governess to take the children in hand. Naturally, as an officer in the navy, he values order and discipline, and he is horrified by Georgie’s unorthodox approach. They initially take a strong dislike to one another, but of course, that changes the more time they spend together.

I laughed out loud all throughout this delightful historical romance. Harry’s nieces and nephew are hilarious little hellions and their dog is so naughty but precious all the same. I’m a sucker for a governess romance, and this one did NOT disappoint. The steamy steam is somewhat euphemistic rather than graphic, but they definitely indulge in premarital relations a good deal.

This is not plot related, but I loved the very Charlotte-Mason-y approach to education Georgie used as a governess—very similar to how I taught my own children when they were younger.

4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.

I enjoyed this one a great deal! Virginia Heath continues to be one of my favorite historical romance authors.

This book was a lot of fun!

It followed a naval captain, Henry Kincaid, and the governess that he hired to take care of his nieces and nephew, Miss Georgie Rowe. His sister drops off her children and their big dog, Norbert, without much warning when she and her husband decide to travel for weeks without them. His nieces and nephew have not had a traditional education, so Georgie has to figure out how to educate them while keeping them occupied.

There were a lot of little humorous moments throughout, and it was enjoyable to read overall. I love the relationship that is created between Georgie and the children, and it was heartwarming seeing Henry's (or Harry, as he is called in the novel) growing care for Georgie. I love the care and respect that they have for each other.

I will note that there was a lot of naval information, which some people may not enjoy, but it seemed necessary to the story.

Overall, it was a very fun read, but it did not blow me away.

I want to start out by saying I really love a regency romance series so I hope my opinion isn't too skewed for those who don't love this genre. This is also my first Virginia Heath read, and I was not disappointed. I enjoyed the characters a lot and love that this is a series so I can stay in this world and keep reading. Heath depicts such a well-developed story between the main characters. I also love a slow burn, I couldn't put this one down. Highly recommend.

This was a fun Regency romance! I enjoyed the characters and the storyline but I did feel like the romance didn’t really pick up until the second half of the book. Definitely recommend giving this one a try!

Give me all of the contemporary Regency romance books. (Is that an oxymoron? An anachronism?) Probably, but I do not care. I thought this was such a charming grumpy x sunshine book that gave me subtle Sound of Music vibes.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

This is my first book from this author. Sweet and heavy on the regency language, but overall a fun, light read for fans of Bridgerton!

(Rounded up from 3.5 stars)

This was a delightful Regency romance. The children that Georgie is tasked with caring for are such quirky, adorable characters, but the winner is definitely Norbert and Cuthbert - the two misbehaving but lovable dogs. Harry and Georgie’s chemistry is instant, yet very much miscommunicated at times.

I LOVED the relationship between Georgie and Harry. I was rooting for them from the beginning, and honestly wasn't sure how they'd get to their happy ending (obviously I knew there would be one, but I wasn't quite sure how it would play out). Early on I did find that there was just a touch too much exposition and I kept getting a little bit lost in it, but aside from that I really loved this book!

Thanks to netgalley for the advanced soph for the review. I liked this book a lot, I’ve been very into regency bridgerton sequences romance books lately and this one was a little more modern so it was an easy read I enjoyed

I had high hopes for this book—after all, who doesn’t love a governess-meets-bachelor tale with echoes of The Sound of Music? Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me. While the premise was promising, the execution felt bogged down by overly drawn-out internal monologues and a slow start that made the first 80% of the book a real slog. That said, the final chapters redeemed it somewhat, with a satisfying and heartwarming ending that almost made the journey worthwhile. Almost.

Georgina Rowe, an aspiring governess with more failed interviews than she’d care to admit, finally lands a job with Captain Henry Kincaid, a rigid naval man left to care for his sister’s unruly children. Their dynamic—his strict adherence to rules versus her unconventional methods—sets the stage for a classic opposites-attract romance. Unfortunately, much of the potential charm was lost in an avalanche of repetitive descriptions and verbose writing.

The characters felt more like caricatures at times. Georgie’s size, red hair, freckles, and supposed beauty are emphasized so often it becomes exhausting rather than endearing. The same goes for Captain Kincaid’s uptight persona, which leans too heavily into stereotype. Instead of natural, organic growth, the characters’ development feels over-explained and spoon-fed.

Dialogue, which should breathe life into the narrative, often feels stilted, with an unnatural flow that left me disengaged. Meanwhile, the house’s relaxed atmosphere—servants speaking informally to their employer and a governess living practically as an equal—felt too far removed from historical norms, undermining the story’s period setting.

The ending was enjoyable, and I appreciated the heartfelt resolution between the characters, but I wish the rest of the book had been as strong. While this one wasn’t for me, I’ve enjoyed other works by this author, so I’ll remain optimistic about her future projects.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun historical romance! I loved the concept of the Navy Captain falling for the governess. It reminded me of The Sound of Music in a way (which is my favorite movie of all time). Georgie and Harry had great chemistry but I wanted the story to move a bit faster. I needed Harry to come to his major realization more quickly than he did. However I really did enjoy the family dynamics, and the spice was great. Plus I felt this was a little different from other historical romances I’ve read recently and I liked that uniqueness.

This book was so much fun. Just the right amount of laughing inside the romance. A great, uplifting, story about unexpected love and the heart of family.