Cute, predictable and likable characters. A governess who has an inner Joan of Arc, a handsome, misguided Navy man, 3 children and a dog with military quotes thrown in. I almost gave up 2/3rds of the way through as the story seemed to go nowhere.

I can’t believe I didn’t like this. I absolutely loved her previous trilogy, so I was very much looking forward to her next books. However, I struggled to get into this one. The style of writing is my basic complaint. There is so much internal monologue that I struggle to get immersed into the story. A conversation can begin, but doesn’t continue till pages later. Personally I am not a fan of this style. Especially in an HR where I want/need to see the characters interact so I feel they are falling in love. I didn’t get that with this book. If that type of writing doesn’t bother you, I recommend this. However, if you’re like me, I would pass on this.

I've never read a Virginia Heath book before, and I really liked this one. Very classic, old school regency romance, with a good plot and nice main characters. Slow burn, the misdirection was plausible, and the cute children were not obnoxious or too twee. Just very well executed.

I received a free ARC of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so fun and light! All of the characters were so lovable and endearing. I loved the banter, wit, and humor. Georgie was a force to be reckoned with and her and Harry were a perfect grump/sunshine match. As with most rom-coms, you know where the end leads but you enjoy getting there all the time. This was a slow-burn but an easy read and I read it all in one sitting. This was the first I’ve ever read of Virginia Heath but I would happily dive into her books again. Based on the title that this is the first volume in Miss Prentice’s Protégées, I assume that Georgie’s 3 best friends she grew up with to be trained as governesses will each get their own book. If that’s the case, sign me up to read the rest!

Thank you, NetGalley, Virginia Heath, and St. Martin’s Griffin for allowing me to read a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

ARC review

The chemistry and the banter! Impeccable. From page one Harry was absolutely enchanted by Georgie and that alone told me that their romance was going to shine. They were very cute - and had the perfect amount of spice - to make a great and blossoming story.

Harry is left guardian of his nephew and two nieces for which he hires Georgie to be their governess. I loved the children and their spunky personalities, but more special is their dynamic with their uncle. My favorite scene was when Harry comforted little Grace when she was scared of a storm

All in all, a very fun read! Thank you NetGalley and the publishing company for this book!

"All's Fair in Love and War" by Virginia Heath is a delightful Regency romance that combines humor, romance, and a touch of heat in the enchanting backdrop of the Regency era. The story revolves around Georgina Rowe, a lively and unconventional governess, and Henry Kincaid, a former naval captain thrust into the role of guardian for his unruly nieces and nephew.

The plot takes an entertaining turn when Harry, in desperate need of a governess, reluctantly seeks the help of Miss Prentice’s School for Girls. Enter Georgina, with her refreshing and modern approach to child-rearing, ready to bring laughter and joy to the Pendleton children. The clash between Georgina's unconventional methods and Harry's strict adherence to rules sets the stage for a delightful romantic tension.

Georgina's character is a breath of fresh air, challenging the norms of the time with her belief in cultivating joy and adventure in childhood. Her interactions with the Pendleton children and the chemistry that develops between her and Harry add depth and charm to the story. The slow-burn romance between Georgina and Harry is well-executed, keeping readers invested in their journey from initial clashes to undeniable attraction.

The humor infused throughout the narrative, along with the bohemian charm of the Pendleton children, adds a lighthearted and enjoyable quality to the storytelling. The Regency setting is vividly depicted, immersing readers in a world of societal expectations, witty dialogue, and burgeoning romance.

Virginia Heath crafts a well-paced and engaging romance, blending traditional Regency elements with a modern twist. The "opposites attract" trope is executed with finesse, and the supporting characters, especially the Pendleton children, contribute to the overall charm of the novel. As the first in a series, "All's Fair in Love and War" sets a promising tone for future installments, leaving readers eager for more tales of governesses and romance.

In summary, Virginia Heath's "All's Fair in Love and War" is a delightful Regency romance that combines humor, romance, and a touch of spice. With well-developed characters and an engaging plot, it offers an enjoyable escape into the world of love, laughter, and unexpected connections during the Regency era.

This was a wonderful romance with such lovable characters. I do think the character development was a little one-sided and normally I prefer both characters to learn and grow a bit more, but Georgie and Harry were a delight. I'm excited this is the first of a series so we can hopefully get more glimpses of them as they settle into married life.

Virginia Heath is one of my favorite regency authors these days, so I was excited to see she was starting a new series about a group of governesses. The first book revolves around Georgie, who is having trouble securing a position with a family. Enter Harry, who is in desperate need of one to look after his nephew and nieces, who were dropped into his lap after his sister took off on an adventure with her husband.

I was a bit let down with this one. I didn’t really feel the pining that the author was building throughout the book, and there wasn’t much passion to me. Overall though, it was a decent romance read and I do think others will enjoy it.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a fun read! I've grown to love Virginia Heath's zany historical romances, and this one was wonderful.
Harry is a stiff naval captain who falls head over heels for his nieces' and nephew's governess, Georgie. Both characters were delightful, and I loved the slow burn in this book. They had such great banter too.
If you, like me, love Sound of Music, you'll love the relationship Georgie had with the mischievous children in this book. The dogs were so lovable.
I'm looking forward to the rest of the series!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eArc!

Virginia Heath has become one of my favorite regency romance authors. After loving the Merriwell Sisters series I was very happy to be invited to read the first read in her new series. My hopes for this one were high and I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest.

Georgie was a terrific MFC, and Harry (though a little dense) was a wonderful MMC. The secondary characters here give even more heart to the novel. I adored this series starter and look forward to reading more 😍

Recommended.



Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for the DRC!

A Regency period romance with a slow burn and a bit of heat? Count me in!

When a governess who despises men in the military has no choice but to care for a Naval officer's nieces and nephew, chaos is bound to ensue. Georgie and Harry's differing views on how a governess educates and disciplines children show them how close the line between love and hate truly lies. With funny moments that lead to the "will they won't they" tension, we love to see. "All's Fair in Love and War" is a fun "opposites attract" trope read with some spice.

The beginning was slow but picked up once our two MCs started interacting. I had a ton of fun reading this one and I'm so glad I found it!

I am looking forward to future books with the other governesses and some background on their training and the fun they had! I will also have to check out Virginia Heath's other books because this was a fun, quick read!

I loved the Merriwell Sisters series so I was thrilled to be offered the e-ARC of this book and it did not disappoint. A fun romance between a Governess and a Navy Captain that was good from start to finish. I cannot wait to continue this series (I have a feeling Lottie's book is going to be good).

All's Fair in Love and War
by Virginia Heath
Pub Date: 28 May 2024

A new Regency romp of a series, about governess who believes in cultivating joy in her charges, clashes with the children's uncle who hired her, only to find herself falling in love.

When the flighty older sister of former naval captain, Henry Kincaid, decides on a whim to accompany her explorer husband on an expedition to Egypt, he finds himself unwittingly left in the lurch with her three unruly children and her giant, mad dog. With no clue how to manage the little rascals, a busy career at the Admiralty that requires all of his attention, and no idea when his sister is coming back, Harry has to hire an emergency governess to ensure that everything in his ordered house continues to run shipshape. In desperation, he goes to Miss Prentice’s School for Girls prepared to pay whatever it takes to get a governess quick sharp to bring order to the chaos.

Thanks to her miserable, strict upbringing, fledgling governess Georgina Rowe does not subscribe to the ethos that children should be seen and not heard. She believes childhood should be everything that hers wasn’t, filled with laughter, adventure, and discovery. Thankfully, the three Pendleton children she has been tasked with looking after are already delightfully bohemian and instantly embrace her unconventional educational ethos. Their staid, stickler-for-the-rules uncle, however, is another matter entirely.

Georgina and Henry continue to butt heads over their differences, but over time it seems that in this case, their attraction is undeniable, and all is indeed fair in love and war.

Virginia Heath does it again. All’s Fair in Love and War is a regency romp full of heart and snarky comments. Virginia Heath’s combination of rom - com meets regency is a delight. The governess trope sometimes feels … sticky. I enjoy the book less when it feels like the power dynamic is exploited. Here, it didn’t bother me and didn’t detract from the characters relationship and dynamic and didn’t pull on your modern day conscience. Throughly enjoyed and can’t wait for the next in this series.

I loved the story line and the characters'. The grumpy Capitan and the crusader governess. They were awesome. I loved them as a couple. I loved ALL the side characters. The children, sister, Butler and anyone who they interacted with. She does such a great job at all the characters. But there were issues. I wish I would have gotten more interaction with all of them. I wish the main couple would have formed a friendship that we got to see. It felt like one day they never spoke and then all the sudden they were making out hard core! So odd. I also did not like the long drawn out thought monologues. Way too many. I wish there had been more conversations between anyone!
This is an adult novel. It has a sex scene and make out scene. It has some crass talk.

Georgie, who has had a hard time finding a position, gets her first job as the governess to Harry's nieces and nephew. She and Harry clash due to his strict expectations for the children. Georgie has had a negative experience with the military growing up and Harry is fully absorbed with his Navy career.

The conflict between the two is a little oversold but it was an enjoyable, slow burn romance.

4.5⭐️

I’m anticipating more books in this series—hope we get stories about all her friends too 🤞🤞

I was dying of laughter whenever it was Henry’s pov and how he was describing things.

I loved the pacing in the beginning and the end. I think somewhere in the middle it started to lag a bit, but I still finished this book in a day.

Super fun. Highly recommended.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It’s been several years since I’ve read historical or regency romance so this was a new author for me. I really enjoyed Georgie and Harry’s story. Georgie is a well trained governess who has strong opinions and isn’t able to get through an interview without sharing them. Harry is an overworked uncle suddenly in charge of his nieces, nephew, and their dog. I’m hoping Georgie’s friends get their own books.

This was my first time reading a historical romance and it was a very good book to introduce me to the genre. I’d recommend it to others!

"All's Fair in Love and War" by Virginia Health is a delightful and heartwarming tale that explores the unexpected journey of love and family amidst chaos. Set in a time when societal norms dictated rigid order and discipline, this novel takes readers on a captivating adventure filled with laughter, adventure, and the challenges of finding harmony in the most unconventional circumstances. The story revolves around Henry Kincaid, a former naval captain, who finds himself in a predicament when his flighty older sister leaves him stranded with her three lively children and a giant, unruly dog. With his demanding career at the Admiralty and no clue of his sister's return, Henry reluctantly seeks help from Miss Prentice's School for Girls, desperate to restore order to his chaotic household. Enter Georgina Rowe, a fledgling governess whose upbringing has shaped her belief that childhood should be filled with joy, exploration, and freedom of expression. Unlike the strict norms of the time, Georgina encourages the Pendleton children to embrace their individuality and embarks on a journey to create a nurturing environment for them. However, her clash with Henry, a stickler for rules and discipline, adds a layer of tension to their relationship. As the story unfolds, readers witness the gradual transformation of the characters. Georgina's infectious spirit and genuine love for the children begin to thaw Henry's strict exterior, revealing a softer side to him. Despite their differences, an undeniable attraction blossoms between them, blurring the lines between love and war. Virginia Health skillfully weaves together a charming narrative that not only paints a vivid picture of the time period but also explores themes of family, love, and personal growth. The characters are well-developed, with each having their unique quirks and personalities that add depth and authenticity to the story. The author cleverly uses humor and wit to lighten the plot, making it an enjoyable and engaging read. "All's Fair in Love and War" is a testament to the power of love and the resilience of the human spirit. It reminds us that sometimes, the most unexpected circumstances can lead to the most extraordinary connections. Whether you're a fan of historical romance or simply looking for a heartwarming tale, this novel is sure to captivate and leave you with a smile. In conclusion, Virginia Health's "All's Fair in Love and War" is a delightful and captivating novel that transports readers to a bygone era. With its endearing characters, witty dialogue, and a heartfelt exploration of love and family, this book is a must-read for those seeking an enchanting escape into a world where all truly is fair in love and war.