In this, the second book in the Secret Society of Governess Spies series, the Dove is back and placing another erstwhile governess in a unique situation to spy on an unsuspecting master.

This time around and impoverished math, genius is thrust into the role of governess for an incredibly rich gambling. Hell owner’s neice in order to attempt to find her own missing younger sister.

Frankie Turner was never going to win big on the marriage mart with her calculating ways but they definitely came in handy endearing her to the self-made Jasper Jones. A mutual affinity for numbers and Jasper‘s non- gentile ways, sets them up for an instant attraction!

I felt the story started off a little slow, but once these two realize they make better partners than enemies, and the investigation doubled down, I ended up really liking this pair! There’s nothing more attractive than a man supporting, respecting and promoting his partner’s abilities- especially when so many have treated poorly in the past because of her abilities.

Thanks to Forever Publishing for my ebook review copy via NetGalley. Opinions are my own.

Never Gamble Your Heart by Lindsay Lovise was an entertaining historical romance.
I enjoyed reading book one Never Blow a Kiss and found the second title to be amazing as well.
This book is an excellent combination of romance and mystery.
I was on the edge of my seat for this whole book!

(4.25 stars)
Never Gamble Your Heart is the second book in the Secret Society of Governess Spies series that is part historical fiction, part romance, and part mystery. I really enjoyed it, just as I did the first book (Never Blow A Kiss). We travel to 1838 in England, mostly in London. Once again, we have a governess placed in a wealthy home, but whose secret purpose is to spy on the owner, who may or may not be connected to a nefarious scheme by which rich young women are “forced” (by the ever-so-strict social conventions of the times) into marriage with destitute but titled men. Jasper Jones is the owner of a super-successful gambling “hell” and all the previously destitute grooms are members of his club.

Frankie (Frances) is a math whiz, who we met briefly in book one, and I had to laugh at her attempt to interest her 15-year-old charge, Cecilia (Jasper’s niece), in math by teaching her how to play (and win at!) cards, specifically the game we call 21 or Blackjack. Cecilia was probably my favorite character; her youthful exuberance was a breath of fresh air, compared to the formal manners of the “ton.” Frankie was placed at the Jones house by an agency run by a mysterious woman known only as The Dove. The Dove delights in exposing the bad behavior of the upper classes.

I also loved Frankie and her “frank” way of talking. The one weird thing was that she said “Holy Queen V” a few times. I can’t imagine that people really said that back then - but maybe the author has done her research and they did?

Note: there are a couple of very spicy scenes between Frankie and Jasper starting about 75% through the book.

You can definitely read Never Gamble Your Heart as a standalone. There is a brief cameo of characters from book one, but that’s all.

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book and to listen to a review copy of the audiobook. I bounced between the ebook and the audiobook, which was beautifully narrated by two people: Ella Lynch and Rupert Channing. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Forever for the complimentary advanced copy.

This book was delightful! A historical romance with a mystery plot woven in.

Our heroine Frankie Turner will do anything to find her missing sister, even if that means working as a governess in the home of Jasper Rockford - the most notorious gaming hell owner in London. All she has to do is get access to his ledgers and get out.

Jasper is a cunning rake and is quite taken aback when the straightforward governess puts him in his place. (Frankie is autistic and it was wonderful to see this representation for a heroine in a historical romance.) The banter between the two of them is delicious and had me laughing out loud at several points. While there is a dastardly plot at play, the story itself is a humorous romp that reminds me of historical romance from the early 2000s with 2020s feminism.

I had a great time reading this book and highly recommended if you're looking for a funny romance with a light mystery. This is my first Lindsay Lovise but it certainly won't be my last!

My only complaint about this book is that I somehow didn’t know about the first in the series to read that first, and now I’ll have to wait months for the third.

Frankie and Jasper are so much fun together with steamy chemistry. They both exist on the fringes of Society, and it opened the plot up for some hijinks we don’t get to see when the characters are too high up in the social order. He’s determined and clever and protective, a self-made man, and such a sucker for his niece. She’s brilliant and bold and generally the most interesting person in any room she’s in. The mystery was well done and I couldn’t predict who the mastermind was, which I loved. All around, a really great book

4.5 stars rounded up to 5. I am 100% invested in this series. Never Gamble Your heart has a self-made game hell owner (inspired by a real life person!) and a governess who is very likely neurodivergent and a brilliant mathematician that has a day job as a nanny. Frankie and Jasper are super cute and banter-y along with Cecelia his niece and her charge. The first half is all exasperation and scowling and the second half is more scowling but at potential suitors. Their chemistry is great, along with their relationship development. The mystery itself was well thought out though somewhat predictable. It was a bit sad how Frankie kept getting into compromising situations despite her best efforts, which was a sad commentary on the state of women and being forced into marriages they didn't want. In the end there were definitely questions that were still unanswered but by the end of it I really didn't care so much anymore... And am looking forward to the next book which was teased! My pet peeve with this one was the whole naming/nickname of "Frankie". It doesn't strike me as a nickname of the time, long with the spelling of Francis, which is typically male. I don't think it lended to the story at all with the use of the nickname as I felt it a bit jarring when I would see the name.

Thanks to Net galley and Forever/Hachette for the ARC. The opinions, as always, are my own.

Steam: 🔥
Heart Flutters: ❤️❤️

There was lots of things in this book that I enjoyed.

An endearing heroine that cares more about mathematics than the usual hobbies of a lady and is a governess, but not a very good one. She’d been told by her mother during her four failed seasons that it was her intellect and plainness that caused her to not find a husband. So she has low confidence in that area but Jasper doesn’t see any of that. He’s enthralled with her brains and beauty and also gets upset that she’d think that way about herself. Later on, he gets a chance to confront Frankie’s mother - so that whole storyline was enjoyable and satisfying.

Cecilia was a fun addition, adding levity the way only an exuberant 15yo can. She’s lonely and grieving but finds kinship with Frankie and Jasper. Her loneliness and age leads to some ill conceived if well intentioned events but was dependable when she needed to be.

Jasper is a morally gray self-made hero. He’s had to do things and make choices to bring himself out of the wharf that pushed away the family he had. His reputation precedes him throughout the story and he has no qualms reminding those that cross him (including those he loves) of what he’s capable of. But with Frankie he finds what he never thought he deserved and falls hard once he does with a great declaration.

The story is split in half, with the first part being the governess ruse and the tension building between Frankie and Jasper; to the second half diving more into The Dowry Thieves plot and exploration of their relationship now that it’s outside the confines of Frankie working for Jasper. The pacing picks up and becomes more adventurous as well which made it hard to put down. I felt I had to suspend belief a bit more than I usually do but was a fun ride once I did.

As a whole I really enjoyed the storyline, characters, and found the romance was well balanced with the rest of the plot.

Never Gamble Your Heart is the second book in The Society of Governess Spies. This could be read as a standalone.

It is a slow burn with two encounters.

I received an advance copy from Forever Publishing via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Wow, another great book by Ms Lovise

I really have enjoyed both books in the Governess Spies series that I have read by Lindsay Lovise. Imaginative plot, great characters, a little hot stuff (not too much), what's not to love about Never Gamble your Heart. I especially like that fact that the heroine might belong on the spectrum and how her direct manner was so unusual and unwanted during Victorian England. Although this is the 2nd book in the series, you can read the books in either order, in my opinion. Highly recommended!

Thank you to the publisher who lent me an e-arc via netgalley with no obligation. This review is optional and my own opinion.

“Never Gamble Your Heart” was a fun read that had, what seemed to me, to be a really original plot. Frankie manages to buy herself time in Jaspers house as his niece’s governess despite his misgivings. She needs to get into his study and investigate his accounts to see if he is part of a ring of men trapping women into marriage by compromising them and then getting their hands on their dowries, aka the dowry thieves. She thinks the disappearance of her sister might have something to do with that ring of thieves. While they are in the same house with each other feelings start to develop despite their animosity and soon Jasper is helping her with her investigation.

The chemistry between the two was really great both in their banter and physically. From the beginning, I found myself really liking the MC’s of the story and I was rooting for them from chapter one. I also liked the dynamic the niece brought to the story and many of the plot elements were interesting and/or fun. I did find that certain points of the story were really slow or dragged on a bit but the story was really well written and I enjoyed it overall. I will be reading the second book in this series when it comes out and the author has me intrigued with what else she has written.

📖 + 🎧: Never Gamble Your Heart-The Secret Society of Governess Spies #2

✍🏾 Author: Lindsay Lovise-Read Never Blow a Kiss-4⭐

📅Publication date: 2-4-25 | Read 2-2-25

📃: eBook 384 pgs.

🏃🏾‍♀️‍➡️Run Time: 10:27

🗣️Narrator: Ella Lynch and Rupert Channing voice all the characters with standouts from Cecelia, Jasper, and Frankie. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrators worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrators paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along.


Genre:
*Historical/Women's Fic
*Victorian Romance
*Mystery

Tropes:
*workplace romance
*wealthy vs poor
*neurodivergent h
*slow burn
*amateur sleuth

👆🏾POV: 3rd person dual Frankie and Jasper

⚠️TW: attempted SA, virgin h, mental abuse

🌎 Setting: London 1838

Summary: Frankie's sister goes missing and "The Dove" tasks her with investigating Jasper. Frankie believes Jasper is the leader of "The Dowry Thieves" and knows something about her sister's disappearance.


👩🏾 Heroine: Frankie Turner-a math genius/governess/spy

👨🏾 Hero: Jasper Jones -owns The Rockford gambling house

🎭 Other Characters:

* Cecelia-15, Jasper's niece and new ward. Plays matchmaker for Jasper
* Fidelia-16, Frankie's missing sister
* The Dove-owner of Perdita's Governess Agency
*The Dowry Thieves- unworthy men marry troublesome women hastily
*Lady Evelyn Barker-an entitled lady of the ton, Cecelia tries to matchmake with Jasper.
*Mr. Lyle Farthins-Frankie's distant cousin
*Miranda-Frankie's mother

🤔 My Thoughts: I loved Frankie for speaking her mind and being proud of her intelligence. Jasper was physically attracted to her, but after suffering emotional abuse from her mother, she won't believe him. Cecelia has funny moments in her "coming of age" as she tested boundaries. Frankie's sister disappearance was the last plot point resolved and was a little anticlimactic. I will read another book in this series, no doubt!

Rating: 4/5⭐
Spice level 4/5 🔥open door

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Hachette Audio, and Lindsay Lovise for this ARC and ALC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lindsay Lovise for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Never Gamble Your Heart coming out February 4, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I have read by this author. I didn’t realize there was a first book in the series. I will have to go back and read it. I really love historical fiction. This book had a lot to offer. I think the characters were complex and interesting. I enjoyed the plot. I think the first half of the book held more of my interest than the last half. There were a couple things that I wanted to see. I would definitely check out more books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical romance!

This book is the second book in a series, but you could read it as a stand alone.

I enjoyed the banter and heat between the main characters. I don’t read a lot of historical romances, but the sense of place is strong.

The author does have a small cameo for the main characters from book 1 which is nice.

Overall this book is a fun read with quirky side characters. You will have a hard time putting this book down.

Thanks to @netgalley and @readforeverpub for the advanced reader copy.

#nevergambleyourheart #lindsaylovise

Take one hell owner, now guardian to a 15 yr old niece, in dire need of a governess. Add in a math genius governess spy whose mission is to find the connection b/w the hell & a rash of forced marriages where the outspoken brides are heiresses.

Never Gamble Your Heart gave me cozy mystery vibes but make it romance. I love our neurodivergent coded FMC Frankie! She is aware of not adhering to societal norms & I am here for her attempt to distract Jasper w/ her lips when he caught her attempting to break into his study. 😏 I love how gone for Frankie Jasper was w/o being fully conscious of it. And I loved how Frankie “handled” Jasper with the perfect assist of Cecily!

Lovise’s HR, I feel is great to help bring new readers into historical romance. Where we will keep them forever! I genuinely enjoy her writing style & her characters. I love how the mission the governess spy is on, does not detract from the romance!

This was a delightful second book in this series!

I am a huge fan of espionage plot line, especially where a woman is spy. The premise of this whole series has been so fun!

Frankie was one of my favorite female characters, I love when they are smart and not afraid of saying so. She was so delightfully curious about everything and so straight forward in her questioning and learning. Jasper never had a chance in not falling for her. He sees her for her and the author shows it in every page they are on together.

This ‘almost new’ author is quickly becoming one of my favorites, and I love the unique premise of this series. A mysterious woman known as “Dove” sets up a network of governesses who ‘spy’ on their employers and pass on pertinent information. If it is useful, it is then passed on to the proper authorities for action. We often see groups of men acting as spies during that period, but a group of females—governesses—doing the same seems unique to me.

Jasper Jones is a self-made man. He has risen from his beginnings as a fishmonger’s son to become one of the richest and most powerful men in the country. He has a carefully crafted public persona as a ruthless womanizer who holds the secrets of the ton in his hands. That carefully crafted image begins to show signs of cracking when he becomes the guardian of his niece. Is there actually a warm human behind that image?

Frankie Turner is the granddaughter of a baron. With her family fortunes well into the low side, Frankie and her sister have long known one of them would have to marry well. After Frankie’s four seasons failed, it was up to her sister to make a match to save their fortunes. When the sister disappears and Frankie’s mother insists Frankie find her things begin to turn sinister.

Frankie and Jasper work together to solve the mystery that ultimately led to the disappearance of Frankie’s sister. Though Jasper fights it – as does Frankie – they are drawn to each other.

I thoroughly enjoyed this delightful and unique mystery and romance. I love that two people who thought themselves undeserving and unlovable found their HEA in each other. The mystery was interesting and well plotted out – and I mostly thought the punishment was okay – it was probably the best you could get in those times. If you are looking for an exciting, romantic story with a great mystery, this could be for you. The only thing that really bugged me about the story was the form of address for the Duke

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Never Gamble Your Heart is a fun historical romance with a governess spy trying to expose a conspiracy by getting a position in the home of the owner of a gambling hell. Subterfuge, attraction, feelings and mystery ensue. It’s light and enjoyable and something I needed for relief in dark times.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. All opinions are solely my own.

I loved the first book in this series, but Book 2 was even better. I may be partial to a book that contains anything that has anything to do with STEM in any fashion, but this was really a great book. The story was very present and, in some way, overpowered the romance of it all, and I wasn't upset about that at all. There were enough scenes to tide me through until the book ended. The one thing that I really do wish about this series is that we got a deeper look at the characters after the books ended.

I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

Different from other historical pieces I have read. I loved Frankie and the mathmatical genius incorporation. Enjoyable story with likable characters.

Such a delightful read. It was fun to see the MCs fighting attraction. Frankie was a unique character. My only issue was with the parts before Jasper finds out what Frankie is doing...felt a bit dry and felt like it dragged a little. Had some good moments but other parts felt dry.

What I loved about this historical romance story was that the main characters were not a part of the ton! Frankie is different when compared with other women and I like how she finds someone who takes her for who she is and accepts her strangeness. This was a perfect read to relax with.