I heart Frankie!!! She is so wonderful, so intelligent and dedicated and is determined to help not only her missing sister but other women as well!! Jasper was a fun hero, very grumpy and growly as he struggled with his growth. This was so much fun! And I love the Dove!!

Never Gamble Your Heart by Lindsay Lovise is a delightful mix of mystery, romance, and wit! Frankie is a brilliant, neurodivergent heroine with a knack for numbers, and Jasper is the perfect charming rogue who doesn’t stand a chance against her. Their chemistry is electric, the banter is fun, and the mystery keeps you hooked. With a strong, feisty heroine, a swoon-worthy hero, and just the right amount of spice, this book is an absolute treat. Fans of Bridgerton and smart historical romances will love it!

4.5 enthusiastic stars!

What a ride! If you enjoy gorgeous spice, slow burn, rakes laid low by genius women, and mystery...just stop reading this and pick up this book NOW.

Lindsay Lovise does it again! In this second book of her Secret Society of Governess Spies series we meet Frankie, is a neurodiverse queen who is a whiz at numbers but sorely underestimated and misunderstood. She's been hired by "The Dove" to solve a mystery that MAY involve fishmonger's son turned gaming hell owner Jasper Jones, who is now one of the richest men in London. But why? It's Frankie's job to find out, playing the part of governess to his ward Cecelia, who is a force to be reckoned with as well. Jasper, ever confident, quickly realize he's out of his depth in this story brimming with mystery, danger, and some of the most sweet and steamy scenes I've read!

Bring on book three!!!

Trigger warnings: the finding of a dead body (alluded to but not graphic), fighting/head butting leading to a bloody nose, blood on clothing, shooting

I'd like to thank Forever, Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Rake meets his match!

Lindsay Lovise continues her Governess Spies series with wonderful tension between bad boy Jasper Jones, gambling palace owner, and a mathematically gifted young woman, Miss Frances (Frankie) Turner posing as a governess who’s finagled her way into Jasper’s household as a governess for his niece Cecelia.
Cecelia is a handful but that doesn’t worry Frankie one iota.
Frankie’s on the hunt for her sister who has disappeared after haring off to investigate her friend’s sudden and inexplicable marriage.
The Dove, who has a network of governess spies in high up places is looking for whoever is behind a spate of young, outspoken women who suddenly find themselves forced into marriage. The common thread is Jasper’s gambling establishment.
We’ve seen this trope before, rake meets intelligent young woman and his life is turned on its head.
Lovise does the trope magnificently, with dastardly doings as the lively alternate focus.
The main characters have just the right amount of strength, feistiness, and humor.

A Forever ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Thank you to Forever Publishing for eARC and Hachette Audio for the eALC.

This one was adorable and I listened to it all in about a day. Perfect accents, I couldn’t stop listening.

Frankie is the kind of heroine that I love. She’s smart, a little neurodivergent, but exceptionally loyal. Really, there was no way Jasper wouldn’t have fallen in love with her, she’s just that alluring (and yet, doesn’t know it).

I think my favorite part is Jasper wanting to admonish Frankie about teaching Cecilia how to count cards and he somehow agrees to host a party. He literally can’t say no to her, even at the beginning.

Fast paced, with a good overall mystery, nice amount of spice, and fun banter and dialogue, Never Gamble Your Heart was such a fun and cute listen and I can’t wait for the next in the series. That little sneak peak at the end has me 👀intrigued.👀

Female spies, mathematics genius governess, a gambling den owner, a matchmaking niece and a missing sister. A great combination to a fantastic read. Frankie and Jasper had the tension to burn the pages off my kindle.

3.8 Stars
One Liner: Mindless fun (extra love for Cecelia)

Frankie Turner has always loved mathematics more than everything else. When her family’s finances force her and her younger sister to find employment, she does her best to keep things going.
However, Frankie’s sister is missing and the search leads her to a disturbing pattern among the ton. Seems confident and rich ladies are being found in compromising situations and are married off to men with heavy debts. The common element is the membership to Rockford, the famous gambling den run by Jasper Jones.
Frankie joins Jasper’s house as a governess to his fifteen-year-old niece, Cecelia. She is determined to uncover the truth and prevent more such weddings (and find her sister). Dealing with Jasper is not easy but looks like both will get more than what they bargained for!
The story comes in the third-person POV of Jasper and Frankie, with a few chapters from the Dove’s POV.

My Thoughts:
This is a standalone second book in the series though it may have minor spoilers for the first one. I didn’t read the previous book but had no issues following this.
I like to call this genre a contemporary historical romance since the stories are abundant in anachronisms. That’s okay since I read these for entertainment. Still, I was a little annoyed by the repeated ‘Holy Queen V!’ exclamations by the FMC.
Though we have secret services, a mystery, and dangerous men, the book is predominantly romance. The other elements are present but support the romantic track.
It has insta-lust and some scenes get hot and heavy. However, the act doesn’t occur until the last quarter which is a good move. There’s quite a bit of banter. Some of it is hilarious. While the main characters aren’t wow, they deliver what’s expected of them.
Cecelia, the fifteen-year-old niece, deserves an entire point. She is easily the highlight of the book. I wouldn’t have enjoyed the story this much if not for her and her antics. Gosh, she never stops!
Despite the descriptions and internal dialogues, the pacing is pretty decent. The dual POV helps too as we get a few insights into running gambling dens as well as the hidden lives of the ton (and their duplicity).
While the book is mostly in a lighter vein, it deals with some heavy themes like gender bias, societal bias, bullying by the ton, parental expectations, snobbery, and the general inequality (hypocrisy) seen in the then society.
There’s some danger as well but it doesn’t change the book’s tone. The situation is handled well with some (comic) relief immediately.
There’s an epilogue which is not an epilogue. It is a teaser for book three. The only way it can be called an epilogue is why declaring it belongs to the overarching plot. I wish the MCs of this book also had a small role in the epilogue.
The author’s note talks about the inspiration for the main characters and the plotline.
To summarize, Never Gamble Your Heart is an easy and lighthearted read with thoughtful themes. It works well as a breather between heavy reads.
Thank you, NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

***
At one point, a carpet in a library was described to have the gods and goddesses of pagan religions on it (including Lakshmi Devi). My first instinct was anger (you do not walk over gods) but then I realized this suits the period. Heck, even today, we see brands printing our gods on innerwear and doormats. We have to run campaigns for them to withdraw the products only for another brand to do it a few months later.

I loved the first book in this series, Never Blow a Kiss, so much that I’ve been eagerly waiting for this next book for over a year! I thought it would be the perfect book to start off my 2025 reading, and I really enjoyed it! The best part about this series is the mysteries that surround these governess spies. Each book features a different governess, who is under the direction of a mysterious and very connected woman referred to only as “The Dove”. These women go undercover as governesses in the homes of the members of the ton to solve crimes. They correspond with The Dove during their entire stay in these homes and eventually gain enough information so she can anonymously turn over dossiers to the police that help them close their cases. These women are strong and resourceful, and they push the boundaries of society. I always come away feeling proud and empowered. And, of course, each woman finds love while undercover. What a fun and unique concept for a historical romance series! I love historical romance and mystery, but my favorite is when they’re combined.

This book is about Frankie. She’s an odd spinster with a brain for mathematics, and her sister has gone missing. When The Dove approaches her and offers her the opportunity to help bring down a ring of men called the Dowry Thieves, Frankie strikes up a deal and requests that The Dove find her missing sister in exchange for her help. These Dowry Thieves orchestrate compromising situations that entrap women into marriage so they can gain control of their dowries, and Frankie knows her sister is somehow involved. Frankie is placed in the home of Jasper Jones, proprietor of the most lavish gambling hell in London: Rockford’s. The thieves have all been traced back to Rockford’s, and it’s Frankie’s job to figure out if he’s involved and what’s actually going on. Jasper just inherited the most hilarious and precocious 15-year-old niece and is desperately in need of help, so it works out perfectly. Frankie infiltrates his home and his heart, and I loved reading about her adventures.

Frankie is such a fun character. She was unable to find a match after being out for four Seasons, and has decided she doesn’t need a man anyway. She’s a brilliant mathematician, but is significantly undereducated in the ways of society. She’s awkward, brutally honest, and liberated. You can’t tell her what to do or silence her. She’s got very strong opinions, is extremely intelligent, and charmingly witty and flirtatious without realizing it. I just loved her. Jasper is a former fishmonger who worked his way to the top rather than being placed there at birth. He’s got a conscience and a strong moral fabric. He values women for their minds and sees them as equal to himself!! Be still my heart. He’s had a rough life and feels unlovable. Frankie feels the same way about herself. And rather than finding love in each other first, it’s Cecelia, the 15-year-old girl, who makes the both of them realize they are capable of loving and being loved in return. Cecelia is very observant and whip-smart. She pushes the both of them to follow their hearts, and she is the absolute sweetest. She says some of the most jaw-droppingly outrageous (for the time) things, and I smiled at her strength each time. I fell in love with her as quickly as Jasper and Frankie did. I love this found family, and was so pleasantly surprised by how sweet and tender their relationships are with each other. The romance is also very swoony and the spice had me fanning my face at times. I really loved some of the things Jasper says to Frankie, although I did feel the dialogue got pretty cheesy and had me rolling my eyes a time or two.

The mystery was exciting and intriguing. I never try too hard to suss out the resolution to a mystery like this because I enjoy the journey and I love to be surprised. I did figure this one out a page or two before the reveal, but I didn’t mind! It was all so much fun. I love The Dove, and cannot wait until the day the author tells us who she is. At the same time, I don’t want to find out because that will most likely end the series. I’d love to know more about her and her connections and how she came to be in this line of work. Give us a prequel for The Dove, please!! Just like the first book, this book ends with an epilogue that introduces the next governess. It’s like a mini cliffhanger to get you excited for the next one. And it has worked both times, because I am SO excited about the next book now! I highly recommend this book and the first one (although, this one can stand alone if you don’t mind some cameos from the characters in the previous book) if you’re looking for historical romance with some intrigue and a story driven by more than just romance! It’s still incredibly romantic, but there’s murder too! The perfect combination!

What a fun and sexy romp. The feminism was motivating and charming. The characters TBR perfectly dose for the trope and time! I cannot wait for people to discover their love of histrom through this book and to become life long readers!

Frankie Turner should be the perfect she’s genteelly born, impoverished, and owns a pair of ugly oversized spectacles. Now if only she didn’t have an alarming tendency to forget her charges while contemplating mathematics principles. When Frankie’s impulsive younger sister goes missing, Frankie has no idea where to begin the search to find her. But when she discovers hasty marriages materializing between “troublemaking” women and men who don’t deserve them—she knows her sister is somehow involved. The only thread connecting the groomsmen is a membership to Rockford’s, an exclusive gambling hell owned by the devilish Jasper Jones. And it just so happens that Jasper has recently become the guardian of a sullen fifteen-year-old. Jasper suspects his new governess has an ulterior motive for being in his household, but he can hardly find the time to uncover it when his life is in a constant uproar. First, Frankie teaches his niece how to count cards and then she tries to break into his study. When he finally learns Frankie’s true reason for being there, he agrees to help the brilliant mathematician find her missing sister
The first book I’ve read by the author & it won’t be the last. I was also lucky enough to get the audio book version too so I half listened & half read the book. I loved how the narrator brought the characters alive. An enjoyable book with strong characters & a fast paced story. I thoroughly enjoyed Jasper & Frankie’s journey to a HEA. I also enjoyed finding more out about The Dove & look forward to her story
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

After four failed seasons and the death of her father, Francis “Frankie” Turner, became a governess to help support her family. But when her younger sister goes missing, Frankie is desperate to find her and makes a deal with “The Dove” the mysterious owner of Perdita’s Governess Agency. She will help the Dove solve the mystery of several young women who have large dowries and have been labeled as “troublemakers” due to their outspokenness, who have been forced into marriage by being compromised by noblemen in need of funds. The Dove is sure there is a connection between the grooms, whom she calls the “Dowry Thieves” and Jasper Jones, the rakish owner of Rockford’s Gaming Den. Frankie will be placed in his household as a governess to his orphaned niece, Cecila. Frankie is a brilliant mathematician, but not the best spy and when she is caught by Jasper inspecting his ledgers, she knows he is not part of the Dowry Thieves and convinces him to help her find them by pretending to give her a huge dowry to lure the group into trying to compromise her. It seems like the perfect plan, until they fall in love and become targets for the masterminds of the Dowry Thieves.

Jasper Jones is the son of a fishmonger and grew up on the docks, but he learned early that he had a talent for gambling and used that talent to build a fortune and become the owner of the incredibly successful Rockford’s Gaming Den. When his brother dies unexpectedly, Jasper becomes the guardian of his 15-year-old niece, and he begins to question his current lifestyle. When he meets Frankie, he is intrigued and attracted to the unusual young woman, which means she needs to leave. But when Perdita’s tells him they can’t send a replacement for at least two weeks, he resigns himself to her presence in his home and tries to avoid her. But when he catches her in his study with his ledger, the truth of her placement in his home becomes clear and he is pulled into her scheme to bring down the Dowry Thieves, and when the men of the ton finally see what he has seen since he met her, he experiences jealousy for the first time in his life and decides that she will be his! And when she gets too close the truth and attempts are made on her life, he needs to help her find the mastermind of the Dowry Thieves before she is silenced for good.

This was another wonderful addition to the series, with wonderful characters and another intriguing mystery to solve! I loved Frankie and Jasper; they both believe they are not worthy of love, and each have their own insecurities. This story is filled with witty banter, wonderful characters, an incorrigible scheming teenager, a brilliant heroine, a cinnamon roll hero with a rakish reputation, steamyish love scenes, murder, truly evil villains, reunions, a beautiful declaration scene and finally a HEA with an epilogue that sets up the next book very nicely. I loved this story, and I am happy to recommend it to anyone who likes a bit of mystery woven into their romance. This is the second book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone title.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

you need to spend your valentines this year with a LOT of romance books, and be sure to make space for this one among them because it absolutely deserves it!!! jasper and frankie will have your cold dead heart come back to life and leave your craving for a partner so fair warning🤧

Meet your next book boyfriend: Jasper Jones, son of a fishmonger turned gambling hell proprietor and guardian of his 15-year old niece Cecelia.

Lindsay Lovise's second installment in the Secret Society of Governesses series pairs Jasper with governess Frankie, a neurodivergent coded math whiz trying to track down her sister who's gone missing/ on the run. The job she takes on for the Dove seeks to uncover the head of a ring trapping women with large dowries into marrying destitute members of the Ton. First possible suspect: Jasper.

I loved the meddling Cecelia, I loved Jasper figuring out he loves Frankie is like getting hit by lightning. I loved that he just GETS her and loves her for her straightforward bluntness. And of course, I loved that there's a house party. My quibble with book 1 was it's pacing, and this one dives right in and keeps it moving.

Ideal for fans of Miss Scarlet and/or the Veronica Speedwell series.

Thank you to Forever, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for the advance reader and listener copies. These opinions are my own.

I am having such a great time with this series, The Secret Society of Governess Spies. They stand alone. In this second book, we focus on Frankie Turner. She is is a math prodigy who teachers her charge to count cards. And that's all I need to know to be all in.

Add to that Jasper, a hero who owns a gambling hell, and earned his way there from poor beginnings. Both are on the edge of ton society, and both are trying to improve the world.

His niece adds some hilarity to the story, especially when innuendo flies over her head. And as you can guess from the series title, there's a mystery requiring a spy. It's very feminist and includes queer characters. It's everything I enjoy in a historical romance.

The audio was well narrated and produced.

4.25 stars

My first book of the year. This is the 2nd in a series about governess spies and it is just as clever as the first. The Dove, who I presume will have the last book, runs an employment agency for governesses, and they become spies. Frankie is trying to find her sister who has disappeared and the Dove places her in the house of Jasper Jones who needs help with his niece. There has been a string of well dowered girls becoming compromised into marriage. All of the grooms belong to a gambling club owned by Jones, so Frankie must see if he is a part of the scheme.
Frankie is a mathematical genius who is very different from a typical debutante and her mother constantly denigrate her, so she thinks she is unmarriageable. Jones has pulled himself up from the lower class to become a rich club owner, but he knows he will never be accepted by his customers.
When his brother dies and he becomes guardian to his niece he is out of his depth, and when Frankie becomes governess they clash constantly. It is
quite adorable.
There is a a lot of humor and excellent banter, as well as a very clever mystery.
I am already looking forward to the next book.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the EARC. This is my honest review.

This is the second book in the series, The Secret Society of Governess Spies, but can be read as a standalone.
This is such a unique book with an extremely intelligent woman, Frankie Turner who is working as a governess for Jasper Jones, while trying to get information on a corruption scandal in the Ton.
The chemistry between Frankie and Jasper, who owns a gambling den is exciting and very entertaining.
There are a lot of interesting secondary characters, a mystery, danger, lots of intrigue, and some truly funny moments from Jasper's niece, Cecilia.
I am eagerly anticipating the next book in this series.

I was so excited to be back in Lindsay Lovise's world of governess spies! I loved her debut, Never Blow a Kiss, and Never Gamble Your Heart was just as good if not better imho!

We meet our FMC, gentlelady turned governess, Frankie Turner, in Never Blow a Kiss. After her sister goes missing, Frankie, a gifted mathematician, agrees to work for The Dove, the mysterious woman running the governess spy network, in exchange for her help in locating Frankie's sister. During her investigation, she discovers that many gently bred young ladies of a more radical mind are being married off to old, lecherous, and v conservative men. Gross. The only connection, the men are all members of Jasper Jones' gambling hell. Luckily for Frankie, Jasper Jones has just taken custody of his 15 year old niece, Cecelia, and needs a governess. Sparks fly between the bespectacled, socially awkward, mathematician and the stern, finance minded, gambler.

I really liked Frankie. I was intrigued by her in the last book and very pleased that Never Gamble Your Heart was focused on her story. She's brilliant at maths but because she wears spectacles and stumbles over social conventions she's been told she'll never make a match and desires to write mathematical papers for the rest of her days. Seeing her growth throughout the book was wonderful. She starts to revel in her newfound confidence, as bolstered by Jasper and Cece, and leans into her personality instead of hiding behind it.

Jasper Jones is a rake of the highest order... or is he? Spoiler: the man is down bad for Frankie practically from first meeting, though the arrogance of the man? Off the charts for the first bit, but he's very quickly humbled by our mathematician and his scheming niece. Which brings me to my favorite character, Cecelia. At first, I found Jasper's niece to be an annoying little piece of the puzzle, but she very quickly became a favorite with her scheming and plotting to marry Jasper off so she can have a moment's peace! I imagine this to be v relatable for anyone who has been a 15 year old girl in the care of her grumpy uncle during the 19th century. She had some absolute bangers here, and I wouldn't be upset to see a story about her once she's debuted and looking for love herself. Hint, hint.

Slight spoiler: When Jasper confesses his love to Frankie she basically says, "thanks but no" and it's absolutely iconic. Girl panics and says peace out. To be fair, there's a lot going on such as murder at a house party, so really, Jasper, why would you chose this moment? It's still a gorgeous declaration and I loved it. I said he was gonna fall first and hard and he very much did.

If you enjoy comedic histroms with a side plot of mystery, pick up this series!

Thanks to Forever Publishing for the complimentary arc. All opinions are my own.

This was a fun historical romance that blended in the perfect balance of the mystery subplot.

I have a soft spot for MMC who is rich but not hereditary titled in historical romance this can be a hard match to find, but Jasper is everything and more. While his morals are greyer than the ton would like, he is still the fierce protector and has his own moral compass that makes him the perfect scoundrel. I loved reading his POVs as much as Frankie, and seeing the two of them from the other's perspective was often nothing short of hilarious. I was kicking my feet in joy every time and loved their banter filled interactions. Both characters are older and have the heft of baggage and experience that I think always adds more interest to the story. In this case, I extra adored that the FMC, Frankie, is autistic which I found very apparent from the first page of her POV and I felt was done well - balancing the intrinsic nature that it is to Frankie's character without making her one note or a caricature. She has layers, special interests, flaws, and virtues that all work together to make her a character I was happy to follow and root for.

The inclusion of Cecelia, Jasper's niece and ward, added an extra layer of entertainment. She is a menace and a half, but it was fun to see the chaos that she was bringing and not know how it would all implode for Jasper and Frankie to handle. She at many times felt like she was embodiment of every reader who is frustrated with the main couple and plot.

You gotta love a romance that features a math whiz! Frankie is looking for her sister and she's taken a Job working as the governess to Celia, niece of Jasper who just happens to own a gambling hall that Frankie suspects might be key to her hunt. What starts one way turns another when Frankie and Jasper find themselves sparring verbally (o the banter!). This is fun, I liked the characters and the plot zips along. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Great read.

Frankie Turner is trying to find her little sister. She has gone missing. She has become a governess for Jasper Jones' niece. The dove has requested she look into the rakes books. He owns a gambling hall and they need to find out if he is involved with the dowry plot.

I really loved this book. Historical romance, mystery and spice. The narration was fantastic with two points of views of Frankie & Jasper. The writing hooked me right away and I had to finish the book immediately. I can't wait to see what else the author writes.