Publication: 24th June 2025 – Headline Eternal
LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP is the second in a new Regency romp of a series from the author of the Merriwell Sisters series! In this hilarious historical rom-com, a single lord is forced to settle down…and when a houseparty brings a happy-go-lucky lady’s companion his way, his grumpy heart is unexpectedly warmed.
Nine years ago, Lord Guy Harrowby was publicly humiliated by a failed romantic gesture. Now, with the clock ticking on a promise he made to his mother to make her a grandmother by his thirtieth birthday, Guy is horrified to see his incorrigible mother taking matters into her own hands: she’s organised a week-long house party at his estate . . . with every debutante she can think of.
Lottie Travers is not a very good lady’s companion. Despite years of trying, she still climbs trees better than she embroiders, and would always rather be riding horses. But now, with her family’s finances relying on her wages, she’s determined to conquer her wildness once and for all.
Overwhelmed with eligible women, there is only one who catches Guy’s eye, no matter how hard he tries to deny it. For Lottie, succeeding in her job proves difficult when the Wennington estate is filled with horses and there is a definite spark between her and the grumpy lord.
Neither of them is quite what the other expected, but could they in fact be the perfect match?
I adore the Miss Prentice’s Protegees series. Each character is unique and I love how their stories develop. Also, I am a huge fan of Virginia Heaths’ writing and she is one of my favourite authors when it comes to historical romance.
Look Before You Leap is the second book in this delightful series whose protagonists are the pupils educated at the prestigious school of Miss Prentice where they can learn to become governesses or lady’s companions. Charlotte “Lottie” Travers grew up on her family farm in Kent with her father and her four brothers, so she was quite surprised when she received the letter inviting her to attend the school. Over the years she may have adapted to city life, but her love for horses hasn’t diminished and she “borrows” a horse to go riding in the park whenever she can even if it gets her in trouble or fired. The hero of the story is Lord Guy Harrowby, Viscount of Wennington, who, after a humiliating and public declaration of love went horribly wrong, has retired to the family estate, refusing any attempts to find a suitable wife by his interfering mother. I love how these two characters clash from their first disastrous meeting riding in Hyde Park to Lottie’s getting involved in organizing his surprise birthday party full of debutantes hoping to become his wife.
Look Before You Leap is such a witty, delightful, and fun read featuring a grumpy vs sunshine romance, an interfering and headstrong mother-aunt duo, lots of banter, and wonderful side characters that made me laugh out loud. A fantastic addiction to this entertaining series that left me already looking forward to the next one!
A huge thank you to Headline Eternal and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of this novel.
When Virginia Heath was a little girl it took her ages to fall asleep, so she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. As she got older, the stories became more complicated, sometimes taking weeks to get to the happy ending. Then one day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Twenty-one books and two Romantic Novel of the Year Award nominations later, and it still takes her forever to fall asleep.
Book After Book 