Never Gamble Your Heart is chef kiss perfection.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series and thought there was no way that Lindsay could top it, but I was wrong. This book was everything I had hoped it would be and so much more. There is just something about Lindsay’s books that hits every single one of my buttons perfectly. You will love this book if you like your Regency romances to have a bit of action, mystery, and fun, chaotic energy. This series has similar vibes to Sarah MacLean’s Bombshell series. This is the second book in the Secret Society of Governess Spies series, but it can be read as a stand-alone. The main overarching plot that connects the books in this series is this governess spy network run by the mystery Dove. This group of women work to solve crimes and bring to justice those individuals who often get away with murder because of their titles.

In this book, we follow Frankie, who is new to being a governess and is on her first assignment as a governess spy. The Dove has sent Frankie to investigate Jasper and the men who visit his gaming den. The Dove believes that Jasper could be involved or have information about a blackmailing scheme that certain titled men have been orchestrating against women who have money. I adored Frankie. She is a genius when it comes to math and has no filter. She lacks that social awareness that many people have and often says what is on her mind. Think Shelden Cooper from Big Bang Theory or Bones from the Bones TV series. What I love about her character is her quirkiness and the chaos that seems to follow her. You never know what she is going to say, which is highly entertaining. Frankie’s quirkiness also often left Jasper befuddled and bemused, and after their exchanges, Jasper was left standing there in a daze. It was delicious to watch.

The overall story is fun and entertaining. There was just a little bit of everything in this book. The mystery portion of the story is well thought out and had me guessing right until the very end. You had the high society drama that goes with balls and match-making mamas. You have this interesting and highly entertaining family dynamic between Jasper and his niece, who he is a new guardian for. Then, of course, there is romantic tension between Jasper and Frankie. Everything works beautifully together, and I really enjoyed every moment of this book.

The romance was perfection. The chemistry between Jasper and Frankie was oh-so delicious. There is a moment at the beginning of the book when he tells Frankie that she can’t fall in love with him. And all I can think is that poor fool, you are going to be the one who is going to fall faster and harder, which he did. There is something so glorious about watching a man grappling with this big emotion that he has never felt before and realizing that this woman has completely changed his world. I adored their exchanges; they were fun, witty, and at times very steamy. If you are a fan of forbidden love, falling for the nanny/governess, force proximity, he falls first and harder, and a slightly broken alpha male hero then you are going to love this book.

Never Gamble Your Heart is a delightful swoony Regency romance.

Secret Society of Governess Spies series continues with Never Gamble Your Heart.

Frankie Turner's sister is missing, and The Dove has implanted her as a governess to known Rake. He is also the owner of the local, infamous gambling hall. Does Jasper Jones have anything to do with dowry plot to compromise young women into marriage?

This Regency Romance is a mystery and full of off the charts chemistry. This couples banter and attraction were simply SIZZLING!

Can't wait for the next installment in the series!

Thank you, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever

Thank you to Forever for the gifted e-review copy. My opinions are my own.

Frankie is a very bad governess, but oh my god she's absolutely hilarious, talking Jasper in circles into keeping her when his inclination is to refuse her assignment. I was thrilled to read this because I really liked her practicality when you first meet her in Never Blow A Kiss. She is analytical, pragmatic, and rationale, with a brilliant mind for puzzle solving.

Jasper is borderline rude when you first meet him, and just a little more than ruthless, but he definitely didn't get to where he is in the world by being dumb, which creates excellent chemistry between them. Especially with the meddling of Jasper's 15 year old niece.

This is a mystery couched as a historical romance with people associated with the ton, but not of the ton, set in London. I can't wait to read the next in the series, and to know more of the mysterious Dove.

Highly recommend.

Frankie Turner is in desperate need of help. Her sister has disappeared and she's running out of the means to track her down. Enter The Dove - owner of Perdita's Governess Agency, which is the most highly regarded governess school in London. Unbeknownst to many The Dove's governesses also operate as spies, being placed in the affluent houses of the ton and exposing corruption where they can.

Lately, there have been a number of women being caught in compromising situations and being forced to marry. Strangely, all these women are outspoken for their belief in equality, and they all possess generous dowries. One thing the grooms all have in common: they frequent Rockford's - the most opulent gaming call in London - owned by Jasper Jones.

The Dove makes a deal with Frankie: infiltrate Jasper Jones's house posing as a governess for his niece, looking for any information that he's the ringleader behind the Dowry Thieves, and she'll help Frankie find her sister.

I really enjoyed the first book in the series and Frankie makes a brief appearance in that, but she made enough of an impression that when I heard she was featured in this book, I was super excited.

I felt like this time around went a lot further into the whole spying and mystery aspect of the story. It was balanced out to perfection.

There's this thread of tension humming throughout the book, not particularly between Jasper and Frankie - although, yes, the spark is there too - but just being on alert all the time that someone is going to get ensnared in an unwanted betrothal and nothing will go to plan for Frankie and Jasper.

I've certainly read plenty of historicals with people getting caught in compromising situations, but this one was so calculating. I didn't trust anyone!

The way the story is structured is great too. We switch point of view mostly every chapter between Jasper and Frankie. Moreso than just starting and stopping one chapter and on to the next, they blend in together, filling in the gaps of what happened what that character was off-page previously until they meet up again and the story moves forward with them together. I loved this, and feel like it gave me all the character depth that sometimes gets missed when a certain scene happens from one character's point of view rather than another's.

Of course I have to talk about the Frankie and Jasper of it all. Their relationship starts out slightly antagonistic. Jasper thinks that Frankie is unsuitable in her job - which, fair, she's not really trained as a governess - and is immediately set on replacing her. However, she has a knack for redirecting any and all conversations and Jasper finds himself quite intrigued by Frankie.

Frankie is beyond smart especially in mathematics, but sometimes she isn't able to identify social cues in the same way as others - something her mother constantly reminds her about. Her only real concern at this point is getting the information for The Dove and finding her sister. She's not intimidated by Jasper like so many people are due to his hard-earned wealth and power that comes with knowing everyone's secrets.

For his part, Jasper doesn't make Frankie feel like her intelligence is wrong. He welcomes all the challenges she puts forth before him, and Frankie likes the way Jasper makes her feel seen and safe.

Bonus points for having a "glasses-on" scene that counter-balances all those times of yore where a woman only becomes truly beautiful when she takes her glasses off (we know the ones). Jasper likes Frankie just the way she is. Despite this being not a really novel idea, something about it just felt very fresh and natural. It wasn't being forced onto the page to make a statement, it was just the fact of the matter.

I also appreciated that we got more scenes with The Dove. I'm assuming the series will slowly work its way toward The Dove being the main heroine in possibly the final book, and I'm all in on the build up. I do wish there was a better lead into the next book like there was for Frankie in the first book. Instead we kind of get a tacked on introduction at the end which does have me excited for what's to come, but also, I just like when the characters all intermingle, however briefly that may be.

Overall, though, I feel like this entry is stronger than the first one and based on what we do know about the next book - not giving it away! - that one seems like it's going to up the ante further!

Oh my gosh this book was such a fun time!! I love historicals with a mystery element and this one was no exception. I found the mix of espionage and romance to be perfectly balanced. Frankie isn't the perfect governness or the perfect spy but Jasper was so charmed by her passion and candor. I also found her quite compelling. I was rooting for her to save her sister and the other women caught in the scheme she was determined to unravel. The stakes were high and the sexual tension was there from their first meeting. This book did a fantastic job showing what a good team Jaster and Frankie are. They felt so suited to each other and I was thrilled to see them find someone who appreciated them for who they really were. I had a marvelous time with this book and I'm definitely going to be reading the rest of the series. I'm extremely intrigued about The Dove and I really hope she gets a book too because I can't wait to meet the woman who has been pulling all the strings. If you love your historicals with a side of espionage definitely pick this one up!!

When Frankie Turner discovers a pattern of suspicious marriages in the Ton, the elusive Dove agrees to have Frankie investigate gambling hell owner and prolific rake Jasper Jones. What Frankie doesn’t expect is a caring Uncle recently given guardianship of his cantankerous niece. The more time Frankie spends with Jasper and Cecelia the more certain she becomes that he has no knowledge of the marriages of the patrons of his gambling hell. When Frankie and Jasper develop a ploy to draw the perpetrator towards Frankie the true personalities of the Ton come to light. Can Frankie and Jasper find out who is behind all the marriage schemes?

Once again Lindsay Lovise draws us into the not so perfect aristocratic world with a flare of mystery and romance. I cannot wait for the next installment!

This one unfortunately didn't work for me. I ended up DNF'ing at like 30%.
I was very intrigued by the synopsis and enjoyed the beginning when we first met the main characters and their niece. Frankie and Jasper are interesting people, and I liked them separately, but I don't feel they have any chemistry. I just wasn't able to connect with the characters which made it hard for me to stay interested in what was happening in the story.
However, reading the other reviews for this book, I'm definitely in the minority, so if the synopsis sounds good, I recommend reading it.

Rule number two...

Never gamble your heart. Frankie Turner is looking for her sister and that means infiltrating Jasper Jones home. He's the son of a fish monger who is a rake and a gaming hell owner. He is also the guardian to his niece, Frankie's new charge. I really liked Frankie's candor and that she's a math wiz. Jasper is off his game around Frankie but he knows something is fishy. I did like that he helped her when she 'fessed up.
Recommend.

Never Gamble Your Heart by Lindsay Lovise
Secret Society of Governess Spies #2. Historical romance. Can be read as a stand-alone bit better if you at least know the premise of “governess spies”.
Frankie Turner is a spy. She’s going to work as a governess for Gambling Hall owner Jasper Jones. She wants to review his ledgers to see if Jasper is involved with the dowry hunters that are members of his club. She makes it clear she is not a servant but Jasper is more than aware of that fact. He’s fascinated with Frankie and doesn’t believe she is just a governess or that she’ll be able handle his niece.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook. The narration is performed by Ella Lynch and Rupert Channing, each performing their chapter’s POV. They both did a wonderful job with emotional expression and timing. Their voices were compatible with similar timing and volume though I did have to slow down and replay whenever Cecilia spoke since as an excitable teen, she was amusingly chatty.
Especially liked that the audiobook included the authors note at the end.

My main issue with the story is that it starts as if you already know Frankie is a spy and on a mission with this new governess job. For someone that hasn’t read the blurb or the prior story, you may feel a bit lost.

Loved Frankie. She’s a math wiz and factors everything by statistics. Not really acceptable for the times. So smart she’s even able to use her theory skills looking for clues in a death. Clearly a good match for Jasper.
The story is a bit convoluted since she is investigating men marrying for a dowry, but in reality searching for her missing sister. It’s connected but the sister piece is seldom mentioned but for a few pages. This doesn’t make the story any less readable, it just a bit startling when it comes up as a reminder.
Enjoyed the push and pull between Frankie and Jasper and their being manipulated by Cecilia. Fun, sexy, and several layered factors for a longer romance.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Hachette Audio.

Never Gamble Your Heart is a fanciful but fun read. If you can accept the premise of a group of governess spies in Victorian England, then you’ll get a kick out of this book.

Our governess spy in this case is Francis, known as Frankie (I have to say how jarring I found it to see the heroine’s name spelled with the masculine form. While I can buy that today, in Victorian society, it’s tough to swallow.). She’s a math whiz and terribly socially inept. But she can see patterns in things like no one else. When women who speak out for causes are repetitively found in compromising situations that force their marriages to certain lords, Frankie is assigned a governess role so that she can explore the books of the owner of the club all the lords belong to.

That’s a long explanation, but Never Gamble Your Heart is layered with these kinds of complexities, which is part of what made it such fun to read. At every turn, Frankie needs to discover something new about the situation she’s researching. And I truly appreciated that she wasn’t some wunderkind working alone. Her manager has other contacts she uses to help in this case in addition to undercover work she does herself—and then her employer joins in.

And what about Frankie’s employer? Well, Jasper is the classic Victorian self-made-man hero, rising up from the gutter to the mastery of a gaming hell. But Frankie quickly ascertains that he’s much more noble than his outward image presents. And Jasper is pretty much gone for Frankie instantly, seeing far more in her than she sees in herself.

The secondary characters here are varied and interesting, particularly Jasper’s niece and Frankie’s student, Cecilia. She’s fifteen and she felt like it to me, caring and thoughtful one moment and impetuous and careless the next.

This is a fun romp of a read, with a mystery to explore and lots of sensual tension between Frankie and Jasper. Lovise has done a great job with Never Gamble Your Heart. Take a gamble on it yourself!

I really enjoyed the mystery portion of this story. I liked how everything came together in the end. I did figure out some things before the main characters, but that's okay. It was well breadcrumbed and made sense. Our couple was cute and I liked the way that they interacted with one another. Jasper and Frankie both have some more difficult backstories and have dealt with the ton treating them as outcasts. So I really appreciated the way they supported each other. I do really love Frankie as a character. She is definitely autistic-coded in her characterization; she doesn't always get social cues, she is blunt, she doesn't always feel her emotions fully, she has a hyperfocus on mathematics. I appreciated that she was realistic, in my opinion. I also really loved Jasper's niece, Cecilia, who is the 15 year old rambunctious young lady that is the reason Frankie can infiltrate Jasper's house as governess. I hope maybe some years in the future we could get a book for Cecilia! I think her brazenness will never be quelled and it would be fun to watch her have a romance.
Although this could be read as a standalone as there is only brief vague references to book 1, I did like that we were given some cameos of the couple from book 1 and that we were also given some additional insight into The Dove.
My only qualm with the story really is that I didn't always love the actions of Jasper.
Overall, I am really enjoying this series and I am excited to read the next when it releases.

I enjoy when the leads in these mystery/conspiracy stories actually partner up and work well together. This was all around a very pleasant read with some nice humor. (Loved Cecelia and Frankie very much.) I’d happily continue the series.

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.