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

Thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Audio & Lindsey Lovise for the chance to listen to this book in exchange for my honest review.

I ate this up. Historical romance with MURDER. I'm not a murder girl. But I was here for the mystery, the propriety, the SMARTY PANTS WOMEN and the romance!

Sometimes I'm blessed with an ARC in a series and I read it as a standalone and carry on. But with this one, I'm going to go back and read book 1, for sure!

Loved the dual narration. Very well done.

I finished this book in a day! It's official-- I'm addicted to The Secret Society of Governess Spies. A rakish gaming hell owner and a neurodivergent governess spy? I ate it up. The pacing in this book was perfect and Lindsay Lovise never disappoints with the spice.

A witty, fun historical romance! It had me laughing, smiling and swooning throughout. This is my first by this author and it surely won't be my last, if you're new to historical romance or simply love the genre this is a must read.

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

Note: I did not realize this was the second book in a series when I requested to ARC read this. However, I do think it’s able to be read as a stand alone.
This was a cute period piece mystery with a smarty, funny FMC. The story was fun to follow and played out exactly as I expected it would. Would definitely recommend if you like mysteries and period pieces.

Another wonderful installment in the Secret Society of Governess Spies series! If there is a histrom with a governess or a gambling hell, count me in! Lovise weaves tales full of humor, swoon, and intrigue that keep the reader captivated and rooting for the characters from start to finish.

What I appreciate about Lovise’s histroms is how they are the perfect place for readers looking to venture into the dazzling world historical romance. They provide discussions on class, societal expectations and roles, as well as political intrigue. The dialogue is accessible and the writing is very engaging, so newer histrom readers are able to readily connect with the story.

The dual narration was an absolute delight! I was so glad to see Ella and Rupert were back to narrate the second installment in this series as they did such a superb job with the Never Blow a Kiss.

I’m looking forward to Ivy’s book and learning more about The Dove!

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.

Thank you Forever Pub and Hachette Audio for my gifted copies. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely adored Never Blow a Kiss Last year so I was ecstatic to get my hands on Never Gamble Your Heart! I did a mix of audio and ebook and highly recommend both.

I just love the premise of this series- governess spies plus romance! Frankie is relatively new to being a governess. She’s trying to help earn money for her family after a few failed seasons. She takes on a new assignment from the Dove (who I really hope gets her own book!) Frankie becomes the governess to Celia, the niece of London’s most notorious hell owner. They believe Jasper might be connected to heiresses being put into compromising situations and then forced into marriage. Jasper knows immediately that Frankie isn’t a normal governess.

As Frankie attempts to uncover the truth she gets to know Frankie and his niece. This had a little bit of build up, but then I was absolutely hooked and couldn’t put it down! Frankie and Jasper get closer to each other as they attempt to find the ringleader. I loved Frankie and how smart she was. Frankie and Jasper had such a great connection and I really enjoyed how feelings blossomed there. I cannot wait for more books in this series!

I had a lot of fun reading this book. It's a really good, laugh out loud, historical romcom. Frankie was an amazing protagonist and her dynamic with Jasper was funny, delightful and steamy. I had a bit of issues with pacing and plot in the last third of the book. All the plot/mystery stuff got a bit too stressful after the lightheartednesss of the first parts of the book. It was one hell of a house party, though there were some good moments, Overall, perhaps not as good as Never Blow a Kiss but still a new favourite. And, of course, I can't wait for the next book.
The audiobook experience was great, I enjoyed both narrators' performances.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Delightful. This is the second in the Secret Society of Governess Spies series and I love the premise. The Dove, runs an employment agency for Governesses and she trains them as spies. She uses them and her network of servants to help gather information about corrupt or unscrupulous aristocrat’s. Feeding the information to the right authorities. I assume eventually we will get her story.

This book focuses on Frances “Frankie” Turner who goes to work for Jasper Jones. He needs a governess for his 15 year old niece after the death of her father. The Dove is interested in learning if he has any connection to what she calls the dowry thieves. Aristocratic men have been compromising wealthy young women forcing marriage. All of them are members of Jasper’s very prosperous gaming club. Frankie in return wants The Dove’s help to find her missing younger sister.

Frances is brilliant at math and uses her skills in everything from gambling with Jasper to helping solve a murder. She didn’t get the Dove’s training so she does make mistakes as she isn’t a skilled governess. But her bumbling adds to her allure. Jasper goes from being annoyed to being charmed with Frankie. He also goes from hard core businessman to thoughtful uncle and reformed rake. And I love that he falls first.

Frankie seems neurodivergent, although it would not be called that in Victorian England. She has trouble reading social cues, understanding sarcasm, and is unflinchingly honest. And you can’t help but feel for her after being raised to believe she must hide her true self. The niece also adds to the story. She is impulsive and asks blunt questions. But you want her happiness as well.

The mystery was well thought out and I love that it didn’t interfere with the romance. This can easily be read as a stand alone adventure but I am going to seek out the previous book, Never Blow a Kiss (Jan 2024). I was fortunate to receive both a digital copy and an audiobook, swiitching easily between formats. Thank you to Hachette Audio and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the copies via NetGalley and I am leaving an honest review. (4.5 Stars)

This is such a delight! A romantic, swoon-worthy, cheeky and witty romp of a book. It's my first but certainly not the last from this writer. And if you're what would've once Upon a time been called a bluestocking, this gem is for you and the rakey gentlemen who were born to cherish you!

Thank you Netgalley for this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book 2 in the Secret Society of Governess Spies. Could be read as a stand alone, though there are characters that appear from Book 1. The Dove is the only character with a significant role in both books.

Frankie's sister has run away. In an effort to find her, Frankie makes a deal with The Dove. The Dove will hire detectives to find her if Frankie in turns helps figure out who is behind the chain of dowry thieves. She is placed as a governess for Jasper Jones's niece. Jasper is the only connection to the recently wed grooms. He owns a gambling hell and all the men are members. Upon meeting Jasper, Frankie thinks he is innocent- she just has to prove it.

I've enjoyed this series as it isn't your typical regency era romance. The characters are all ton-adjacent. Not members per se, but closely connected. This series also features strong, unique women and men who support them. It is a refreshing take and makes it more interesting.

Ella Lynch and Rupert Channing narrate. My only criticism is that lines of Rupert Channing's narration were rerecorded and dubbed in. It was very noticeable because it was only a random sentence here or there.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED the premise of this series not only is it female spies working as governesses but it gave me major Bridgerton feels, actually I think Victorian era element as a whole has grown on me which makes me enjoy such books, on that note I requested this book without realising it was part of a series so I'll definitely go back to the first one -- They can be read as standalones as each book follows different characters.

Plot follows: Frankie Turner, a fiercely intelligent governess who's also a mathematics genius. Her life gets turned upside down when her sister goes missing forcing her to enter the glamorous yet dangerous world of London's high society.
Then we have Jasper Jones; the owner of a high-stakes gambling den—and someone Frankie never expected to need. When the two are forced to work together to uncover a shady scheme ... oh my God guys the tension? Their chemistry? Ugh made me fall in love even more and there's a certain scene between them that once again brought Bridgerton feels to me. I couldn't get enough!

Now moving onto the narration, let's just say beautiful voices also play a part in enjoying a book as well as being fast paced of course everything was 😍🤌🏻
I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for the third read.

Desperate to find her missing younger sister, Frankie finds herself working as an agent for the Dove: in exchange for help to find her sister, she ends up posing as a governess for the 15-year-old niece of gaming hell owner Jasper Jones, with the job to find out if he's involved in a scheme which sees impoverished gentlemen trapping wealthy women into marriage.

Just like Never Blow A Kiss, this was such a charming, fun read! I really liked the characters; Frankie was a terrific main character, and I absolutely adored her. The relationship between her and Jasper was definitely tension filled and very well crafted, and it was fun to watch unravel. I did find the pacing to be a bit weird at times, but it wasn't anything excessively off-putting, even though the ending did feel somewhat rushed, and a little anticlimactic. I listened to this one, and I absolutely loved the narration. It was really engaging, and it helped keeping me engaged even in the slowest bits. I love the dual narration, and both narrators did an incredible job.

This is the second book in the series, but it can be definitely read as a standalone, even though I would highly recommend the first one too!

Many thanks to Hachette Audio & NetGalley for the ALC.

Frankie Turner is a mathematical genius, a spinster who doesn't think she'll amount to much in the world because of her unmarriageability. She's an agent for the Dove, posing as a governess for the 15-year-old niece of gaming hell owner Jasper Jones. Her mission: to find who is behind the string of marriages of men living beyond their debts to women with large dowries, or essentially a bride brokering business.

This ends up in the DNF pile at 35% unfortunately. I think the book may be excellent for readers newer to the historical romance genre - there is a lot of explanation of social norms (usually about how Frankie is in opposition to them). I find this style is likely very helpful for readers who dabble, but much more difficult for those of us who are immersed in the genre. What I'm hopeful for is that this style of book - with a fun tone, a balance of mystery and romance, and sweeping ballgowns - can help draw more readers in.

I find that I prefer Lovise's writing in a contemporary setting over her historical, so look forward to her next paranormal romcom.

Thank you to Forever & Hachette Audio for the review copies!

Never Gamble Your Heart centers around the mystery of the “Dowry Thieves” - conservative men of the ton are marrying young, radical, rich debutantes after being found in a compromising position. The one thing all the men have in common? They are all members of Jasper Jones’ exclusive gambling den. Frankie Turner is part of an elite group of governess who have been secretly trained by The Dove to spy on the ton - and she is tasked with infiltrating Jasper’s house and discovering who is behind these marriages.

I was hooked by their meet cute - everyone is afraid of Jasper, who maintains a sinister aura, except for brash, bespeckled Frankie. He immediately tells her one of the rules of working for him is not to fall in love with him, which she laughs at, but we all know how a romance plot goes, right? I loved how they were seemingly opposites, but also kind of not? Jasper grew up outside of the ton, but his wealth has brought him into society. Frankie grew up as part of the ton, but their impoverished status has made her an outsider. But both are incredibly brilliant, and I just loved how they played against each other.

Besides the romance, the star of the show for me was Jasper’s niece, Cecilia, who Frankie is hired to instruct. Cecilia is obsessed with finding Jasper a wife, and like honestly gives Andarna from Fourth Wing vibes? She added some much needed humor to keep this plot from going completely dark.

The mystery itself seemed to really give our lovers something to do to bring them together, and while it was central to the plot, I would say this leans more romance than mystery. If you like cozy mysteries with a heavy romance plot, I think you’ll really like this!

🎧 I read the whole book with my eyes and then was given the ALC, so I reread parts of it to see what the narrators were like. I love that it has dual narration, and both narrators are equally engaging. Since I read the whole book before listening, I felt that I wanted Jasper to be a little less “upper crust” (since I pictured him as an adult Kaz Brekker), and I wanted a little more gravel to his voice. I doubt I would have noticed this if I had just listened to the audiobook though, and I would still recommend this as an audio!

This is the second book in the series, and can be read as a standalone as it has it’s own mystery that is not connected to the first book. You do see a cameo of the Book 1 characters, and Frankie showed up a bit in the first book as well.

I am LOVING this series and cannot wait for book 3, the little glimpse we got in the epilogue wasn’t enough!

I looked over the book blurb for content and didn’t see anything to allude to it being an open door book.
But it was:
Closed-door activities in Chapter 28
Open-door activities in Chapters 41, 44, 45
Alluded to the intimate relationship between two females in the epilogue.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I love this author and her writing. Her books are light, but have intense characters. And they are in the periphery of the ton.

Freddie almost seemed like she was on the spectrum. She's brilliant and so lovable.. Jasper was amazing, also very smart he crawled his way up to become a very successful business man.

Their love story was well written, there were some secrets, but it's all released when it needs to and the FMC asks for help, which is so refreshing.

The female narrator in this book was really really good. Fantastic male and female voice. The male narrator was okay but did not throw me off feom listening the book. Cannot wait for book 3.

#netgalley #NeverGambleyourHeart

Frankie’s little sister goes missing and she has no idea where to start looking, but thankfully the “Dove” does. Frankie starts to realizes that a lot of marriages have been happening between women who are considered to be troublemakers and men who don’t deserve them and who need an infusion of cash. These marriages are all connected to the membership at Rockford’s which is a gambling place owned by Jasper Jones. Frankie becomes Jasper’s nieces governess and Jasper starts to suspect Frankie is involved in something fishy when she starts snooping around his house. Jasper eventually learns of Frankies secretive doings and wants to help her and throughout that he slowly starts to fall in love with her.

I loved everything about this story! The tension between Jasper and Frankie was so fun to keep up with and their slow-ish burn romance was so sweet. I also loved Jasper’s niece, Cecelia and how rebellious she was. She also wanted to be the matchmaker. The overall discovery of who was behind the marriages that made no sense was fun and of course, Frankie was right about her sister being involved. Overall, this was a great read!