Governess and employer falling for each other is one of my favorite tropes and I really enjoyed the way it was done in All's Fair in Love and War.
Georgie is a lovely young lady who while the best student Ms. P has ever had in her governess school has yet to get a job. Her ideals are a little strong when it comes to her potential charges and she doesn't shy away from telling the parents exactly what she thinks.
Thankfully Harry is in desperate and I mean that literally, for a governess after his sister and her husband drop off her three kids, and their dog at his home with no notice.
I loved that Harry comes off as this super strict dude who loves rules and having everything in its proper place, but yet has a marshmallow center when it comes to his nieces and nephew. Georgie at first is a bit stifled but when she finds her rhythm both she and the children thrive. And when they are happy it makes Harry begin falling for her and falling hard.

I really enjoyed not only their romance but the way they were together. The children are delightful and full of vim and vigor that keeps everyone on their toes and makes it near impossible not to love them.
This is an excellent start to a new series and I can't wait to read the next book!

I loved the characters. They are so much fun. Georgie has had enough of the regimented life and thinks children should be taught in a way that will engage them. Even if it means holding classes outside. Harry is Navy all the way. He had such a willy nilly life growing up until his grandfather taught him about regimenting everything. He likes order. How can a free spirit woman and a regimented man find common ground? When Harry's sister drops off her children for him to watch for a couple of months, he is at his wit's end. They are so unruly, and he can't stand all the chaos. He needed a good governess to keep them in line so he could continue his work. Then Georgie happens. She doesn't do anything the way he thinks she should, but she seems to keep them in order. How can he be so attracted to someone like her? He has his career to think of but all he can think of is this wild-haired siren. What will they do?

Overall, this was a cute read but I found the pacing to be slow. If I hadn't been reading it on vacation, it felt like it would have taken me ages. I kept searching for something else out of this book but I can't put my finger on what. Just that something was missing. I did really enjoy the scenes with the children and am curious where this would lead for other books.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I’m so happy Virginia Heath has started a new series. She is one of my go to historical romance authors. Everything she writes is delightful and quirky and right up my alley! I can’t wait to read about the rest of the governesses getting their shot at an HEA.

Thank you #netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Naval captain Henry Kincaid has been placed in charge of his nieces and nephew. He is not prepared to take care of them so he hires a governance to help him care for them. It has a bit of a sound of music vibe with henry being very militant and Georgie is a free spirit who wants to teach the children based on what works for them. this book has lots of very funny moments but it seemed to move very slow and was filled with lots of inner monologue.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this arc.

I have a soft spot for a governess romance so I thought I’d give this a try. I believe it’s my first of your books. All’s Fair in Love and War begins with a prologue of Georgie Rowe arriving at Miss Prentice’s School for Girls after her military stepfather sends her away. The book picks up some years later, when Georgie has finished her studies but has still not found employment – she doesn’t get past the interview because she’s too outspoken. Fairly miraculously in the circumstances, Georgie is occupied at the school teaching some classes and still lives there. It’s a very unusual school. Captain Henry (Harry) Kincaid is most put out when his flighty sister and brother-in-law decide to travel to Egypt to try and find the source of the Nile and before doing so, deposit their three children and very large dog in Harry’s care.

And that’s how Georgie comes to be the governess of the Pendleton children in Harry’s care. Miss Prentice has long since been urging Georgie to keep her mouth shut about her progressive ideas on education and go along to get along. As trust builds between her and her employer (or as her employer ignores her after a while, whichever comes first), she can then implement her educational strategies quietly behind the scenes. Georgie, desperate to actually get a job after years of searching, determines to bite her tongue. A lot.

She is immediately challenged by the strict routine Harry has crafted for the children and the exacting standards he appears to expect. Her own experience with a rigid and unloving military stepfather also impact her initial feeling for Harry but over the course of the book, Harry relaxes and Georgie, while getting her way in most all things, comes to understand why Harry is the way he is.

There is increasing accord and attraction between Harry and Georgie, who are aided by benevolently interfering servants and friends to help them find their HEA. Along the way, there are also various hijinks involving the children and the dog.

Harry is ultimately, a big ole’ softie and, it turns out, much of his rigidity came from fear and also from learned behaviours from his strict and exacting grandfather. Georgie’s ideas aren’t all that radical (albeit they may have been for the time); make learning fun, use the outdoors and art and excursions to add interest, no corporal punishment, treat the children well, etc. Ultimately, there’s nothing there for Harry to disagree with.

There’s a certain humour to the book which I think will mean that some readers will love this and others, not as much. For me, I fell somewhere into the middle ground. I enjoyed the book well enough but I found the comedy of it a little too cute most of the time, based as it was on too-tight breeches, unruly nipples and set pieces involving the dog, frogs and bathtubs. The cover, gives a very good idea for readers about what to expect from All’s Fair in Love and War actually.

Great start to a new series!

A wonderful tale filled with sass and hope.
Georgina (Georgie) Rowe has trained to be an exclusive governess, a protégé of the estimable Miss Prentice of the four “D’s” of governessing. Duty. Decorum. Diligence. Discretion. And now in Georgie’s case, Miss Prentice added diplomacy. The problem is that Georgie keeps being ‘let go’ when her educational St. Joan’s philosophy clashes with her employers views on education.
This next assignment is somewhat of a last gasp, her last chance to make good.
I hooted with laughter at so much in this book
Georgie’s employer, Captain Henry Kincaid, (grandson of a famous Admiral), and Harry to his friends, works for the admiralty overlooking the building of the warship Bodescia, ensuring its on time, on cost, and up to scratch. Logistics are a huge part of Henry’s talent. (Georgie acquaints us with a few other aspects where he might be talented! As do her three friends she’d trained with! More about them in later stories!)
When Henry’s sister sails off to follow her husband to Egypt leaving her children with him he has a fit. He actually didn’t discover them until he came home that night. Hence the need for a governess.
The three children are incorrigible, masters at getting their way, and wonderful at sidetracking the conversation. Ably supported by their galumphing big and ungainly dog, Norbert.
Of course Georgie and Henry become aware of each other the more they rub elbows. Hmmm!
The last thing Georgie wants though is to lead a life of wandering from naval base to naval base. Georgie has some history here. It seems the only thing Henry wants is to be the youngest admiral ever.
A touching humorous story that had me grinning all the way through.

A St. Martin’s Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

*I received this book (Via eArc by Netgalley) for free from the Publisher (St. Martin's Press / St. Martin’s Griffins ) in exchange for an honest review*

I stumbled across this book and I found it quite endearing and a fun fluffy read and I quite enjoyed the banter and the blossoming romance. I know that this may be a series and I to think it would be fun to read more with these characters. I overall think it was quite interesting and it kept me highly entertained when I need a relaxing time as well as a way to decompress from real life problems. It was just what I needed and I hope to explore more into this world and see how it plays out.

RELEASE DATE: May 28, 2024

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press / St. Martin’s Griffins and NetGalley for the ARC and I am looking forward to when it releases.

Captain Harry Kincaid, of the Admiralty, is left with his two nieces and nephew when his sister and her husband sail off to find the source of the Nile. He needs a governess. Georgie and her very Joan of Arc thinking hasn't been able to make it through an interview and obtain her first job. Harry is stunned when he meets Georgie with her outstanding red hair. An unexpected attraction. Not good when he's overworked with the Admiralty and has no time for women. How long has it been anyway? Besides she's an employee. Adjustments all the way around with three children, a new governess and a captain who wants to control the children like a ship. Not to mention the dog. Love grows when you least expect it, no matter how hard you try to ignore it. But will the navy stay his first mistress?
What a disappointment when you turn the last page and it's the end of the book!
Mild descriptive sex.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

Who doesn't love a Regency version of the Sound of Music?! That's what I expected with All's Fair in Love and War. We get introduced to Georgie and her friends who get selected to go to governess boarding school. In true Virginia Heath fashion, there are some laugh out loud moments and some tender ones with kids. There is a lot of misunderstanding and early judgements in this one, especially on Georgie's part. It was frothy and fun, but I think what I didn't love was that Harry's character felt a bit flat, where it seemed to have 2 emotions: angry and aroused. I didn't feel the yearning as strongly between the two as I have noticed in her other novels either. I was a bit surprised to not have an epilogue but I am looking forward to the next book in the series!

I received this advanced copy and all opinions are my own.

Steam: 🔥🔥
Heart Flutters: ❤️

All’s Fair in Love and War is the first novel in Heath’s new Miss Prentice’s Protegees series. After enjoying her other series, The Merriwell Sisters, I was looking forward to reading this one. The story follows 22-year-old governess Georgina (Georgie) Rowe. She attended a school for governesses when she was 16 after her moth died and her colonel stepfather no longer wanted her. Her next assignment is to work for Naval Captain Harry Kincaid after his sister dropped her three kids and dog with him while she traveled to Egypt. The pacing of the story starts by setting up Georgie and her struggle to get a governess job and then transitions into her adjustment to her new position.

As the story is dual POV, the reader gets to be in the heads of both Georgie and Harry. It takes a bit to get to know Harry, but he ended up being an enjoyable character. Georgie, on the other hand, was a little more difficult to like as her inner monologue got to me. It was a little negative and repetitive, which made the story drag in some places. I think some reworking on the inner monologues would have increased my engagement with the writing. The romance and characters were good, but this novel did not quite live up to the three in the other series. I think this series has a lot of potential as Heath is a very talented writer. While this one was not as great as the others, it was still worth the read and I would read the next one in the series.

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

Another fantastic book by Virginia Heath! I have never been a huge fan of victorian era romances, but anything Virgina Heath puts out I will definitely be reading. How can I not? The glances. The small touches. The everything. Loved it.

Henry Kincaid's sister decides to leave the country and leave her 3 small children with Henry while she is away. There is no set date for her to come back home. What is Henry supposed to do with 3 young children? It's time to interview for a governess who will know exactly what to do.

Georgina cannot land a job as a governess and her boss is going to take matters in her own hands by going to the interview with Georgina. She tells Georgina not to say anything and she will answer the questions. With the help of her boss, Georgina lands the governess gig with Henry and she starts immediately.

Will Georgina be able to handle Henry's nieces and nephew? Will she be able to keep her job? Will Georgina be able to meet Henry's expectations?

This was a fun read, but I've come to realize that I'm not really into romance stories that are period pieces. This is definitely a great read for those who love Bridgerton as it has a similar vibe. It was quite a funny book and I really enjoyed reading it after a crazy day at work.

After finishing The Merriwell Sisters series I KNEW I had to jump on her next book. I was excited to see the start of this fun series.

I loved how her characters are fun and not perfect.

I’m a binge reader - and she slows me down and forces me to read every word. She has a great style of writing that forces your to enjoy the book.

I highly recommend and look forward to the rest of the series.

I just reviewed All's Fair in Love and War by Virginia Heath. #NetGalley

This was a delightful book. I’ve never read this author and I now cannot wait for the next. I loved these characters and their chemistry.

I love Virginia Heath so I was excited to get her newest book to review. Georgie and Harry’s story is slow burn of what initially looks like total opposites. The development of their individual history shows just how perfect for each other they may be. Georgie is a product of two lost parents and a stepfather that was strict military and Harry is a naval officer on the fast track. But he needs a governess and Georgie just happens to be just what he needs, in every way. Once Harry discovers all may not be what it seems in his world, he’ll need to reassess. Fun read with some laugh out loud moments with kids and a big dog. I wish we did have a little more of them as a couple but otherwise perfection.

Virginia Heath’s new series starts with an utterly charming and wonderful book, All’s Fair in Love and War. 23-year-old Georgina Rowe left her regimented past with a military stepfather at age 16 when she was shipped off to Miss Prentice’s School for Girls where she resigns herself to the life of a spinster-governess. She is finally hired by desperate 30-year-old Captain Harry Kincaid who’s become surprise-saddled with his flighty sister’s unruly three children and their pesky large dog for an extended visit. Georgina wants to fill the children’s days with adventure and a nurturing approach to their education, something her own childhood was lacking. Harry is the opposite; he wants the children brought to heel and leave behind the Bohemian approach to child-rearing that he was subjected to and which his sister has firmly embraced up until now. Harry can’t stop himself from noticing how enticing Miss Rowe is with her red hair and endearing smile for the children. Georgie can’t help noticing that Harry is handsome; too bad he is “nine tenths dislikable” with his starchy ways. As the two are forced to live in the same house and interact with each other, they can’t help but clash and of course, fall in love.

I loved how endearing these characters were. Both Georgie and Harry have a lot of initial prejudice to get past to truly see how perfect they are for each other. They are opposites in many ways, but the children become a great tool for revealing their true natures and the values that are at the heart of their characters. I love the way Heath shows us their developing relationship through lots of action and witty dialogue. There is lots of delicious humour in this book often centring on the children and their dog. There is a particularly hilarious scene involving the dog, a frog, a chase through the house, and a startled captain having a bath. It is also amusing to see how often Georgie corrects Harry when he’s quoting military leaders. She is fierce and intelligent, and I love how she eventually melts along with Harry who’s not nearly as starchy as he seems. There is lots of yearning, witty banter, sarcasm, a multi-day road trip, and a wonderful first kiss. The secondary characters are also well-developed and help to round out the world of the story. I found myself smiling through most of this book. Every page was just so pleasing and exquisitely written. I highly recommend this amusing and entertaining read to anyone who enjoys a well-crafted, funny, and emotional historical romance. I can’t wait to read more in this series!

I am not a fan of books with excessive navel gazing. Narratives that are all up in the character's heads give me a headache. I much prefer dialogue and action to the pages long recitation of the why of a character's thoughts and reactions. Boring. Fortunately, the last 20% of the book was a lot better than the first 80%. The ending was wonderful, but it was such a slog to get there.

Duty, Diligence, Discretion and Decorum. The four D's are qualities that every governess must possess according to Miss Prentice. These are the principles that Georgina Rowe, Georgie, strives to live by and pass on the little darlings she will be in charge of, if she can ever get a governess job, that is. Meanwhile, she is teaching at Miss Prentice’s School for Girls, teaching yet another class of girls to do the job she so desperately wants to do.

When his sister dumps her three hellion kids on him, Captain Henry Kincaid is desperate. He really, really needs a governess. His job at the Admiralty is all consuming and he has no time for his two nieces and nephew. He desperately needs a governess and Georgie desperately needs a job. This is a match meant that is to be.

Somewhere between Harry's law and order existence and Georgie's more unconventional educational methods lies true love.

My thanks to the Publisher and Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

This story is pure delight and very funny. Harry and Georgie could not be more opposite in temperament which makes from some great fireworks. Every character in this story is great in the role they play. Put animals into play and it becomes even more fun. The author has outdone herself with this story that starts this series. Readers will love the dialogue as they turn the pages and unveil the plot. This will make a great summer read and one that you will want to own.

Slow but spicy burn Regency romance with a kids and dogs and secret liaisons. I think you’ll love the dashing hero, feisty heroine and the very enjoyable storyline.

Story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy. These opinions are my own.