Look Before You Leap is a fun romance, but there were some things about it that didn't make me like it as much as the first book in the Miss Prentice's Protegees series. The series is more lighthearted than most historical romance, and in this story Lottie, a farmer's daughter who's been trained in lady's skills, is hired out to dragon lady. Which sounds horrible, except it suits the personalities of both perfectly. What doesn't suit Lottie is the fact that her lady's nephew Guy is someone that she had a clash with, a relationship that continues when Lottie and his aunt arrive to help his mother plan a days long soiree that he doesn't want for his upcoming thirtieth birthday. Lottie's brash and outgoing personality and Guy's curmudgeonly and introverted personalities make for some entertaining hijinks, especially when the debutantes show up. Guy did have a tendency to annoy me. While he had been embarrassed by a deb in the past, Lottie always has to be the first to apologize when the two clash, even if they're equally responsible. He's a little too grumpy and self-pitying for my taste. It serves a point to move the story forward, and I think it's supposed to be funny, but the annoying debs annoyed me more than they amused me. And the book is a kind of clean romance, but the multiple musings on a certain part of Lottie's anatomy from both her and Guy started to turn me off too. The culmination is entertaining, and in some ways the pair seem evenly matched, but it doesn't create the belief in me of deep love. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an advanced copy of Look Before You Leap. I really enjoyed most of this story. Lottie was a fun and new type of regency heroine and the banter between her and Guy was great. I didn’t enjoy the final conflict and I think it could have been handled a little differently with a lot less drama. I also didn’t enjoy sone of the modern language that was used since this is supposed to be based in the regency times. Overall though, this was a fun story with unique characters that I enjoyed. 3.75 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Viscount Guy Wennington hates Mayfair and would rather pass his days on his country estate tending to his land and his people. When his mother guilts him into throwing thirtieth birthday bash, he can’t refuse her. Little does he know that the brazen beauty who unseated him from his horse in Hyde Park is the current companion to his aunt. Can this grumpy Viscount and bold companion get along or will his storm clouds block her sunshine?

This was a cute story. Both characters were likable, and I was really rooting for them. The beginning dragged a bit for me, and it was hard to stay interested in the story. Things really picked up when the party guests arrive and Lottie and Guy band together to avoid the clutches of the eager ladies of the ton. Their banter really shined through then. There were so moments where there was a lot of telling and very little showing, and I felt like there were missed opportunities there to see Guy and Lottie fall in love. Overall, it was a lovely read and perfect for a cozy day.

First and foremost, thank you to the publisher for providing an e-ARC of this title. Having thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the series, I was thrilled to receive an early copy of the sequel. It was a highly anticipated read, and I’m pleased to say it more than lived up to expectations. One of the standout elements for me was the beautifully developed found family dynamic, which added both emotional depth and warmth to the story. I cannot wait for the third installment—this series continues to impress. A solid four-star read!

This book gave me my Bridgerton fix that I always seem to look for around this time of year. I am a sucker for a good regency romance and this was exactly what I was looking for!

Virginia Heath never disappoints, and *Look Before You Leap* is no exception. The witty banter, slow-burn romance, and clever dialogue had me hooked from the very beginning. Her characters always feel so real, and the chemistry between them builds in such a satisfying way. Plus, how adorable is that cover? It perfectly captures the fun, charming vibe of the story. A delightful Regency escape I’d definitely recommend to fans of historical romance.

If you love clever heroines, dashing but reluctant heroes, and a touch of humor with your historical romance, you’ll want to pick this one up!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy!

What happens when you have a woman who is so excitable and happy and a man who is lowkey a curmudgeon? Sparks galore.

Lottie is a governess, trained at a special school, but after being fired from her previous job for riding the master’s horses (oh and kicking his presumptuous son in the nuts), she gets fired. She ends up back at the school that trained her and goes for a ride in Hyde Park early morning where she bumps into a hauty man who may just be incredibly handsome. After telling him off, she returns to end up with a job as a companion to an older woman who is a bit of a character. As they leave London to get out for a bit, they reroute to the woman’s sister’s house where lo and behold, the man is the man of the manor and what insues can only be described as the most hilarious chaos.

I love historical romances and anything by Virginia Heath is an absolute must for me. This book did not fail to disappoint at all. Lottie is so wonderful and while a bit impulsive, definitely has the best at heart. Guy is also truly wonderful under all the gruff exterior. The two of them together was so entertaining considering how sassy they are to one another. Also the fact that Guy is also so keen to see her and they constantly have run ins made me laugh so much. I was constantly looking forward to the next moment they interacted.

I really liked that this was no a traditional high society regency romance. It was more set in the countryside and Lottie was able to go visit her family so we were able to experience through her more realistic issues than what dress should be worn for a ball. I only have one critique and that is that there were certain themes that I don't think were carried throughout the book such as Lottie being impulsive. They mentioned it regularly at the beginning and to an extent showed it throughout the book, but it felt like it should have been something that she worked through or accepted about herself instead of letting it die.

After reading the first book in the series, I was so excited about this one and now I’m impatiently waiting for book 3. This next year is going to be kind and torturous, but I am excited to see who comes next: Kitty or Portia.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Virginia Heath has delivered another wonderful installment in the Miss Prentice’s Protégées series. Equal parts hilarious, heartfelt, and sexy, I absolutely devoured this book in less than 24 hours!

I didn’t know I was in need of some Regency Romance until I started *Look Before You Leap*.
Historical romance books take you back to a time you can romanticize—a time that feels easier, lovelier, and ideal. And since I love me some fantasy, I can tell you right now: I do *not* care if things weren’t actually like that during the Regency era. I was completely swept away by this love story—the dire situation the heroine finds herself in, how the author shows us they’re perfect for each other *before* they even realize it themselves, and all the little things that drive us wild in this genre: the looks, the light touches, the words... you know what I mean.

This book *delivered*, and now I want to read the entire series.

*Look Before You Leap* is the second in a standalone series. I haven’t read the previous one (*All’s Fair in Love and War*), but it didn’t affect my reading experience at all.


This book is for you if you like:
- Different social classes falling in love
- A Bachelor-style contest organized by the mother
- Amazing female side characters
- A strong female lead
- From governess/companion lady to FMC

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin Press for the ARC!

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book and this is my freely given opinion.

This is book 2 of the series and while there are references to characters and relationships in book 1, I do feel that this can be read independently. This is the story of high spirited, Lottie Travers. She is the lone girl in a household of men, who lost her mother quite young, and was raised alongside her brothers by their widower father, on a busy farm in the English countryside. Miss Prentice must have heard or seen something in the young Lottie to feel that she should be offered the chance at an education, and brought her as a young girl to her school, and while she has learned much that she can take forward to her future career as a governess, she has not been able to fully suppress the competitive, tomboy farmgirl inside, and that sometimes has lead to her difficulties in her career.

As Lottie and her friends prepare for the wedding of their friend and fellow protege, Georgina, to marry her love, Lottie finds herself between jobs. She is at risk of ruining hers and Miss Prentice's reputations, after giving into her desire to ride like the wind, "borrowing" her employer's prize horses. Even worse, when the son of the house takes liberties after catching her, she declines with force, and these actions lead to her sacking. In an attempt to remove her from London gossip and speculation that could affect the school and other proteges, Miss Prentice manages to find her a position as a companion to a notoriously cantankerous, despotic aristocratic widow, Lady Frinton, who seems to find Lottie and her high spirits and sense of wildness ultimately entertaining, and agreeable to her.

With her sudden new position, Lottie resigns herself to travelling to Scotland with her new employer, when suddenly Lady Frinton makes an abrupt change, travelling to Kent to help her sister, the widowed Viscountess Wennington, conspire in a matchmaking scheme for her son, Lord Guy Harrowby. Guy, after suffering a youthful heart break and public humiliation, has eschewed romance and socializing with the Ton. He instead has buried himself in his responsibilities to his estates and tenants, and would rather be at their side sowing and harvesting, or negotiating the best deals for their harvest, than dealing with the petty, superficial, greedy debutantes and their matchmaking mothers. But one of those matchmaking mamas is his own, and she is determined to bring the Ton to him, if he refuses to go to them. To this end, she brings in her sister, Lady Frinton, and her new companion, Lottie, to surreptitiously plan a house party to celebrate Guy's upcoming birthday. His mother and aunt are hopeful that if they surround him with debutantes, that he would choose one to wife.

Lottie and Guy have an awkward meet-cute, however, in London, before they meet again at his estate, where Lottie nearly runs Guy down when riding hellbent for leather on a borrowed steed, forcing his stallion to run off, after Guy falls, and they exchange harsh words. Guy's pride is as bruised as his posterior, but despite this, he cannot forget the impressive and fiery woman who dressed him down. Now he is forced to be confronted by her every day when he discovers her in his home, as his aunt's companion.

A sweet, slow burn, mostly sweet enemies to lovers, differing social status, grumpy-sunshine love story, with some great side characters, such as the crusty Lady Frinton, who appears to hide a heart of gold, and her wonderful butler, the well-meaning Lady Wennington, as well as the Travers brothers and father. At times I found Guy's grumpiness and distrust of Lottie overwhelmingly unfair as he is so tainted by the past, and Lottie too forgiving of him at times, but in the end, he removes his head from his posterior end in time to realize what he is at risk of losing, and acts to gain his and Lottie's HEA.

An enjoyable read. I am left wondering if we will find out about Miss Prentice's past, as a bit of drama was hinted at there. Also, with both Lady Wennington, and Papa Travers being widowed and losing their loves... I was left with a bit of a desire for them to find a second chance at love too...

4 stars out of 5

The book was very much entertaining with a sunshine Lottie and grumpy Guy accidentally bumping into each other while horse riding in the park. Their first encounter was full of disdain but as fate would have it, they were fatefully brought together again in another incident in which Lottie accidentally spilled soup on Guy. Lottie is a spirited and headstrong governess but as her employer, Guy’s aunt, is very demanding, she has tried to restrain herself from being wild as she needs her wager for her family. Guy’s attraction toward Lottie is immediate, but his wounded heart won’t let him repeat the past. Both Lottie and Guy’s family are heart-warmingly engaging and lovable. Guy’s meddling mother, aunt and friend bring so much fun to Guy’s romantic journey. This farm setting is so different from the hustle and bustle of London society. So entertaining and enjoyable.

This was a delightful book, just like all other books by this author! It was loosely connected to the first book in the series, although it could very easily been read as a standalone. The character development was wonderful, and I could easily visualize and sympathize with Lottie, Guy, and also their family members and side characters. As quoted in the book a few times, Lottie was the sunshine to Guy’s storm cloud, and their dynamic and chemistry and humor was really very good! Would definitely read the next book in the series when it comes out!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this free advanced copy - this is my honest and voluntary review.

Very grateful to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Look Before You Leap!

This was a very entertaining will-they/won’t-they book, but it wasn’t my favourite. I love historical romances, don’t get me wrong, but this one simply missed the mark for me.

Lottie and Guy were both great characters and well developed, and I loved reading the tension between the two of them. The side characters all brought something to the story, as annoying as some of them were, so that was also great.

The first major miss for me is the ending. Yes, they get a HEA but we don’t really get to see it. I would’ve loved a short epilogue or something, because the last chapter was rather abrupt in its ending.

The second major miss is the writing itself. There was SO much repetition of words at times that it became annoying. Oaf is one that comes to mind, but several times I’d be reading the same descriptive words several times per page!

I did enjoy the story overall, but I also believe it could use another round of editing to refine it.

A good balance of laughter and romance, this regency romance focuses on two people who are different both in life outlooks and life stations. The secondary characters of Guy's mother, aunt, and stable hand provided plenty of entertainment and rounded out the plot well. I did like this book more than the first in the series, but I think it's because I liked Lottie's personality and her chemistry with Guy had a stronger presence.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins for the arc.

Virginia Heath has quickly become a new favorite historical romance author and this series is the reason why. Miss Prentice’s Protégées are governesses is in training, but the heroines are varied and interesting despite their similar training and professions. In Look Before You Leap, we meet Lottie, another governess, but one who can’t seem to stay in any position for very long. Her wages help keep her family’s farm afloat, so she eagerly accepts a position as a companion, though her employer is notoriously difficult. The job takes her to a house party meant to introduce the employer’s nephew, Guy, to a slew of eligible young women. Lottie finds Guy irritating at first, but warms up to him as they interact during the party. An added subplot is the plight of her father and brothers back on the farm, where blight has ruined another crop.

The writing here is witty and charming. I found myself devouring this in two days because I was so eager to see how things would work out for characters who were easy to love right away. Both main characters are underdogs here, even the aristocrat. This is also a sweet story about a love of the countryside. Both Guy and Lottie seem to love their farms and the outdoors, which helps bind them together despite the class mismatch.

The class mismatch served as a key conflict. As an aristocrat, Guy can’t understand why Lottie didn’t warn him of something her employer was planning that would upset him. He couldn’t conceive that her duty and loyalty to her employer and her need for money to support her family would override her feelings for him. This is a romp with some wonderfully funny parts, but it also has some nice social commentary as a result.

I’m eager to continue with the series!

I tend to be a critical reader. I nitpick and look for faults when I first start a book. I feel like a good book makes me want to push through any qualms I have and keep reading...this book did that! While I approached the story with my typical critical eye to start, I found that the characters won me over.

There seemed to be a lot of "telling" and not showing in the first 1/3 or so, but I was surprised to find that the book has stayed with me even days after I've finished it! My mind wanders to certain scenes and the way the book made me feel. I now have book #1 in this series on loan from my local library and look forward to reading it. This book is great for fans of Bridgerton, Pride and Prejudice, or Bridget Jones' Diary.

Look Before You Leap
by Virginia Heath
Pub Date: Jun 24 2025 |

Nine years ago, Lord Guy Harrowby, Viscount Wennington, was publicly humiliated by a failed and reckless romantic gesture. Despite this, his mother clings to the promise he made her then: that she would have a house full of grandchildren by his thirtieth birthday. Still single, embittered, and swiftly approaching thirty, Guy's work is his life. In desperation, his mother blindsides Guy with a weeklong house party at his estate filled with annoying debutantes, all competing to be his wife.

After failing as a governess, Lottie Travers is struggling as a lady’s companion. Raised in an all-male household, she’s developed habits that get her dismissed. Even after years of Miss Prentice’s teachings of how to be a lady, she climbs trees better than she embroiders and can’t resist riding horses astride, in breeches. But with the family farm in trouble, and her father now in dire need of her wages, she’s determined to conquer her wildness once and for all.

Even with his home full of eligible women, there is only one who catches Guy’s eye—though he tries to deny it. For Lottie, succeeding in her new role proves difficult when the Wennington estate is filled with horses, and a spark ignites between her and the grumpy lord. Will they remain stuck in their ways, or learn that they may just be the perfect match?

3.5 STARS!
Look Before You Leap offers a great twist in that the characters aren’t all high society crazy and that was not pushed in the storyline – well, except for marrying off the male lead asap. The female lead character is losing jobs and stressed to help her family survive a blight with their crops.

Heath pairs her with a great character. I just enjoyed him so much, and I felt horrible about the way everyone in the book continually manipulated him. I am not a big fan of the manipulation of people, and some parts really bothered me.

Overall, the story is fun, a bit wacky, and delightful. Plus, we get our happily ever after. The characters are great. The supporting characters are imaginative and not typical of a normal historical romance. They added so much to the story!

This book is a feel-good story loaded with humor, but we do get some strife along the way. Beautifully balanced, a tad racy, and a lovely ending. The cover… not so much.

Such a fun book! I am enjoying Virginia Heath’s runaway working ladies, and I found the enemies-to-lovers “Look Before You Leap” utterly charming.
Lottie is fiery and fun, while Guy has understandable reserve covering a cinnamon rol heart. The characters played well off each other, the dialogue was lovely, and I enjoyed the story line. The bit with the debutantes at the party was a bit tedious to read, but it suited the characters and story line and made me dislike the villains so much more. Overall, fun book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Virginia Heath, and St. Martin's Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

I adored this book. Lottie is my favorite type of FMC. I understand that she kinda gives I’m not like other girls vibe but I feel like she is relatable. It was made apparent that they were meant to be together. Their banter was hilarious. I also adored the side characters. I felt like they made this book whole. I would have loved an epilogue. I know people don’t like them but it’s usually heartwarming to see where the author writes what they are doing now. I highly recommend it!