I really had to slog through this book and kind of fell into a reading slump during it. It wasn’t necessarily bad just not for me, it just felt very repetitive and honestly a little boring. I liked the concept for this better than Trouble by Lex Croucher, aka the other historical-romcom-ARC-with-an-unconventional-governess-taking-care-of-kids-for-a-stoic-naval-captain that I read last month (did a bunch of authors do a Sound of Music rewatch recently?), but in execution it ended up just not working for me.

Some of the major things I didn’t like:
- Georgie and Harry were constantly in their heads, so a ton of the backstory, thoughts about the other characters, etc. was happening internally and felt like info dumping. Basically a lot of telling rather than showing
- The entirety of the third act break up Harry and Georgie were so annoying
- SPOILERS but Harry randomly deciding to fake an engagement with Georgie was the dumbest decision ever and would’ve had nothing but bad consequences for him literally why would he do this. We get he’s kind of irrational around her but come on now
- The amount of times I had to read Harry call Georgie a vixen/siren or Georgie call herself Saint Joan/Joan of Arc should’ve been illegal

There were some positives. The banter between Harry and Georgie was cute sometimes. They liked each other a lot and it was cute how they were both fighting against that attraction (I love some good dual POV). Also the way they both bonded with the kids was sweet. As usual I always tend to remember the things I disliked in a review more than the ones I liked bc I’m a very picky person so take all my negativity with a grain of salt.

Overall this book was pretty mediocre, but I think the things I disliked were pretty subjective. We’ll see if I ever read more Virginia Heath, but don’t take this review as a reason to totally write off this book or her works as a whole. I guess it just wasn’t for me

This was the first time reading from this author and it was a cute story that didn't disappoint.

I usually do not read historical romances, but this was so cute and easy to follow. This was written well that you wanted to find out what comes next. was a page turner and i really enjoyed the writing.

It was a slow burn but stick with it because it is well worth the read.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

****4 stars!

“Victory comes from finding opportunities in problems.”

First I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read an arc of this wonderful book! I am honored to have been given a chance to read it and give an honest review.

I was really excited to give this book a read, I absolutely love the governess romance trope! I thought Georgie and Henry were really interesting and complex characters that meshed very well. I loved how both of their personalities seemed to clash at first and how different they seemed to be to one another, that made their romance very interesting!

I also really adored Felix, Marianne, Grace and especially Norbet! I loved all of the little antics and trouble they all got up to, which only seemed to push Henry and Georgie closer to one another. They were all so ridiculously sweet and precious!

While I really enjoyed this book, I did wish there was less internal monologue and more conversation/dialogue between the characters instead. Other than that, I had a lot of fun reading this book and I do look forward to reading the next book in this series!

This is a book I would highly recommend if you’re a fan of Historical Romances and The Merriwell Sisters series! Virginia Heath is one of my favorite historical romance authors and I absolutely can’t wait to read more of her wonderful books!

All's Fair in Love and War was a slow start at the beginning but eventually captivated me and had me wanting to read one more chapter each night. I love how the story played out and how the author wrote a perfect balance of details and descriptions to help the reader visualize what was happening. Some of the dialogue was hard to figure out who was saying what and needed some rereading to figure it out. I can’t wait to read the next set of books.

This is my first novel that I've read written by Virginia Heath and it didn't disappoint. As a lover of historical romances, romances, and anything that has to do with history in general, this book. Regency romances never fail to deliver on something so risque, yet so tempting that it becomes a page turner that anyone would enjoy.

I did struggle with pacing at some points as the two MCs danced around their emotions, though this is disguised as a slow burn. I do like a slow burn, but it has to be executed well! It felt true to character and the histories of both of their stories.


Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I can always count on Virginia Heath to deliver a fun and sweet Regency romance, and this one delivered. Captain Henry "Harry" Kincaid, is committed to his career in the Royal Navy, and is determined to obtain the rank of Admiral in the near future. He likes order in his work and his life, and expects it from others around him. One day, Harry's older sister literally dumps her three unruly children, and one very large, unruly dog, at Harry's home so she can join her husband on an expedition to Egypt. Harry goes in search of a governess, and hurriedly hires Georgina "Georgie" Rowe, who, after seven years of training to be a governess, has not found employment due to her inability to contain her opinions.

From this beginning, Heath unfolds her story, and it's delightful. Harry and Georgie find that they can't stop thinking about each other, the children (and their dog) create quite a few funny scenarios, and the side characters add a sprinkling of wisdom and humor to the book. I did find myself flagging during the middle section of the book, but the last third moved quickly, and had a satisfying resolution.

This was a fun book to read.

Virginia Heath is the master of historical fiction, and her newest book is no exception to this rule! Heath's newest book, "All's Fair in Love and War" is the first in the "Miss Prentice's Protegees" series. In this book, Georgie has been trained as a governess, but since she does things in her own creative, spontaneous way, she's had a hard time finding employment. Along comes Navy captain Henry, whose sister has just dropped off her kids before sailing around the world. As he's desperate, he can't afford to be picky so Georgie moves to his house to help him with his new charges. While she may be exasperating to him, he can't deny that she's fantastic with the children and somehow her methods work. Along the way, Henry and Georgie are surprised to discover that maybe they shouldn't give up on love after all.

I really enjoyed the slow burn between Henry and Georgie and thought they had great chemistry. I also really liked the relationship between Georgie and the children, and thought their sweet devotion to each other was really inspiring. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I usually love Victorian romances, but the tone and pace of this one didn't sit as well with me, for some reason.

I will probably still give the rest of the series a shot but it doesn't have quite the draw I'm used to, and given the multitude of titles in this genre, I might not prioritize it.

That being said, I did like the governess twist which I haven't seen as much in novels.

Another regency winner by Virgina Heath.
Fun and cute read with amazing atmosphere ,promising great banter,humorous scenes and funny characters with great chemistry!
Will always recommend her books especially to people starting to read historical romance!


*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I have not read Virginia Heath’s previous series (yet), but I’ve heard good things and decided to take a chance on this start to a new series. It was a good choice as I enjoyed it very much.

Georgie is recently trained governess with unconventional ideas about how to educate her future charges hired by the straight-laced, strictly regimented military man, Harry, to care for his nieces and nephew unexpectedly left in his care. The two could not be more opposite in their approach to life, and despite clashing over their approach to structure, they are even more unsettled by a growing attraction between them.

I loved Georgie. Her spirit was so endearing to me and her inability to keep her thoughts to herself was both comical and admirable. It lead to some great banter between her and Harry once she was in the home to care for the children. I also really loved that she got to know the children and had confidence in her belief that there were better ways to advance their education than a rigid classroom based on their personalities. It was clear she took her work seriously and truly cared.

I liked Harry as well. On the surface, he seems very dour and buttoned up, but it’s obvious in his interactions with his nieces and nephew that he’s really just a big softie inside. I liked that he (eventually) allowed Georgie the freedom to run her lessons as she saw best fit and trusted that she had the children’s best interest at heart. I also thought it was funny to be in his head as he fought the battle of attraction to Georgie and lost it spectacularly.

I did struggle a bit with pacing and things feeling a bit repetitive at times as Georgie and Harry danced circles around their emotions and growing attraction. That said, I did appreciate the slow burn of the romance. It felt true to the characters and their respective personal histories for things to go the way they did.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

England - During the Regency Period

Georgina Rowe finds herself literally dropped off at Miss Prentice's School for Girls after her stepfather, a strict, unemotional military man who made Georgina and her late mother's lives miserable, decides she needs a profession. Destined to become a governess, nevertheless, Georgina's rather unwavering ability of blunt speech has made her, after her years of training, unemployable. Miss Prentice knows that Georgina is well educated, and should make an excellent governess, despite numerous potential employers turning her down. So when an officer from the Admiralty begs Miss Prentice for help, she sends Georgina.

Captain Henry Kincaid (Harry) is at wit's end after his older, flighty sister runs off to Egypt with her husband, depositing her three offspring with Harry. He loves his nephew and two nieces, but his work at the Admiralty demands most of his time, and the three, and their large, unruly dog, are a handful. Thankfully, he's been rescued by Miss Prentice in the form of a rather lovely, red-headed young woman named Georgie. At least he thinks he's been rescued.

Georgie's theory about children is that, unlike her upbringing, they should be happy, have adventures, and be cherished by their family. So, with that in mind, and a trio of devil-may-care children, and their silly dog, Georgie begins to work her magic. However, Harry, remember, he's a Naval officer, is much more dedicated to strict rules which results in some butting of heads with this governess. What's worse is that he's also attracted to her. What could go wrong?

ALL'S FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR is a truly delightful tale of two very opposite people who both learn a little bit about each other's needs and wants. And the children bring quite a bit of fun into the story with their own different backgrounds. A totally entertaining romp ensues.

If I could I would give this 4.5 stars! This had me in all my feels! I loved Georgie from start to finish. I really felt connected to her and her strong headedness, fiery personality and the struggles she overcame.

Our MMC was the epitome of a grumpy sunshine! The love he had for his family could melt the coldest heart and he’s a dog lover what more could you want?!?

This was one of the best historical romances I’ve read in a long time!

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Virginia Heath for the eARC of this amazing book!

This is a very charming story! Coming into this, not gonna lie I thought the characters will be quite one dimensional but very pleased to see that it's not the case at all. The characterization felt multidimensional and is fleshed out very well.

I thought the Captain will be an overly stoic and alphahole kind of character, but no! He's a very disciplined man but really love his nephew & nieces very well, and this is shown multiple times throughout the story with how he treated them to ice cream and comforted them. Georgie too, I thought she'd be a manic pixie dream girl who is super quirky at first. While yes she did have some quirks, she was shown to be a very capable governess on her own. Both lead casts are very wholesome and endearing, and for me actually felt like actual real people. Very enjoyable to read!

I also really like the rather unusual setting - the MMC is a naval captain and there's a lot of references on this. One of the scenes even took place on a boat. They're also both commoners. so it does feel quite refreshing to be away from the ton for once.

Story beat wise, the first 1/3 to me is a bit slow moving, but the endearing cast helped to make it enjoyable. I do appreciate the slow burn as it makes the relationship feels more real. The last 1/3 part has some angst and I really enjoyed this part. Again, have to hand it to Georgie that she doesn't just become a simpering mess. The resolution also feels very satisfactory in terms of career and life choices for both leads.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and looking forward to read more!

When Georgina finally gets a governess job with a stuffy naval officer as her boss, she is hard pressed to suppress her real personality. Henry is immediately attracted to Georgina and tries to deny the attraction. Georgina keeps him on his toes as she manages to rein in the unruly children. Knowing the job is only temporary does not stop Georgina from getting very attached to them all. Henry has to choose between his naval career and a life with Georgina. I received an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my honest review.

All's Fair in Love and War by Virginia Heath
Pub Date: May 28, 2024
Rating: 3/5 stars

Aspects of this book were very enjoyable. I think if you enjoy regency romances, this book could be a great fit for you. This is my first book by this author, but this story left me feeling intrigued by her other books, which I now want to read.

Georgie and Harry have some very sweet moments together, but I did feel that their individual characters, as well as their relationship, could've been a bit more developed to make the story more interesting and emotionally compelling.

I enjoy historical romances with the basic premise of this one: man falling in love with governess he employs to look after the children in his care. But I found the specifics of this particular situation a bit less convincing.
Additionally, I found the writing style of this book made it a bit difficult to enjoy. The paragraphs felt very long for a historical romance, at least compared to what I'm used to reading.

Despite the few things I personally didn't enjoy, I don't think this was a bad book. And I do really recommend it to people who enjoy regency romances, many of whom I think will find they enjoy this story!

ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.

This is one of my first regency romances that I have read and I really enjoyed it! We have a lot in our library and I just haven’t picked them up but I will in the future - especially by Virginia Heath. I loved the slower burn of the romance after reading a lot of insta love books in the past it was fun to see the characters get to know each other through out the book and it’s a unique predicament they are in. I think at times it was a bit slow but that was probably just me not being as use to this kind of book! The writing was top notch though and I really felt like I got immersed into regency era while reading. Will be purchasing for our library!

This was such a cute read. I absolutely loved it! A fun and lively rom-com for fans of The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Nanny McPhee.
This book is such a breathe of fresh air!
I was constantly giggling and smiling.
The characters are so fun and I was instantly taken by the realism of the story. The tension and pining was silly and fun.
Georgie reminds me a lot of myself and I feel I relate to her in many ways. I always seem to enjoy a book more when I feel a personal connection to the characters!
I think this is a book that will become a favorite for many! I’m looking forward to picking up another Virginia Heath book:) I highly recommend!

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Net Galley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

This was my first regency romance and I enjoyed it! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.

A charming regency romp! Loved the slow burn romance and how the characters were thrown together. Throughly enjoyed and will be looking forward to see the next instalment with one of Georgie’s friends.

A sweet, predictable Regency romance with a grumpy naval officer, his rambunctious nieces and nephews, and the governess who comes in to bring order and light. The story moved somewhat slowly with a lot of repetition - there are a lot of passages about the captain's need for order and the educational theories of the governess that occur over and over and slow down the plot. I skimmed a lot of that. Somewhere between 2 and 3 stars for me, rounded up to 3. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins Griffin for the ARC.