REVIEW: Never Rescue a Rogue by Virginia Heath

Never Rescue a Rogue (The Merriwell Sisters #2) by Virginia Heath

Genre: Historical fiction, Regency romance, Regency Rom-com

Read: 3rd November 2022

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Published: 8th November 2022

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

The second book in the Merriwell Sisters series - another hilarious, sparkling historical romantic comedy from Virginia Heath, filled with whip-smart banter, swoony romance, hilarious mishaps, and twisty reveals that will make you gasp and laugh in delight.

A hilarious, sparkling historical romantic comedy, with an irresistible family at its heart, perfect for fans of Julia Quinn's Bridgerton and Martha Waters.

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Why on earth would she want to kiss him when he vexed her so?

Diana Merriwell and Giles Sinclair only tolerate one another for the sake of their nearest and dearest. Everyone believes that they are meant to be together, but Diana and Giles know that it is animosity, not attraction, that fuels their barbed exchanges. Anyway, Diana loves her freedom too much to give it up for marriage, and Giles is happily wedded to his bachelor lifestyle.

After Giles' curmudgeonly father, the Duke of Harpenden, unexpectedly turns up his toes, it's only a matter of time before the circumstances of his only son's birth are revealed. With the threat of blackmail hanging over him, Giles must uncover the truth, or he and all those who depend on him will be ruined.

As Giles and Diana dive into his family's past, the attraction that they insisted wasn't there proves impossible to ignore. It seems that the future of the Sinclair estate isn't the only thing on the line . . .

EXCERPT:

Throughout it all, Diana remained rigid with mortification. Her entire head, and as much of her body as she could squeeze under it, were now covered by her shawl in the forlorn hope it might, miraculously, render her invisible if she wished for it hard enough.

It didn't work.

"So..." Giles nudged her with his elbow, the same second the coast was clear. "If we ignore the glaring fact that we would have been spared the abhorrent ordeal if you had listened to me in the first place, and that I told you so at least three times and was ignore, the obvious question that now begs to be asked, Diana, is - did you at least manage to hear anything useful?"

In the absence of the prayed-for thunderbolt, she whacked him over his irritating head with her reticule.

"Insufferable, incorrigible, and irritating in the extreme!"

"But right!" he said, still laughing at her. "You have to concede that."

She snarled, wanting to strangle him until his smug, amused, annoyingly handsome face turned purple but settling for another thwack with her flimsy embroidered silk reticule instead.

"Be in no doubt, Giles Sinclair, as you congratulate yourself for being right for the first time in your entire useless life, that I haven't missed you at all!"

As his hysterical laughter finally let rip, and with as much dignity as she could muster despite her face being on fire and her bodily urges all over the place, she stormed off down the lawn.

MY THOUGHTS:

Oh, what a delight NEVER RESCUE A ROGUE is! I simply HAD to include that excerpt above as it had me peeing myself laughing when read in context with what the two of them had just witnessed. Bearing in mind that women didn't know of such things until after they were married whilst men were privy to all sorts, this truly was one of the most funniest scenes in the entire book! As a rule, rom-coms are not my thing but I do love a good regency romance and with the hilarity thrown in makes for some delightful, as well as amusing, reading. I read the first in the Merriwell Sisters series "Never Fall For Your Fiancee" and was utterly delighted by the hilarity and contretemps that were highly entertaining. At that time, I didn't know it was a series but I'm so glad it is.

While the first book followed the eldest of the Merriwell sisters, Minerva, and her escapades with the equally delightful Hugh, Lord Fareham, NEVER RESCUE A ROGUE tells the tales of the next in line, Diana, and her crusading capers with the charming and terribly scandalous Giles Sinclair, the next Duke of Harpenden. 

However, Diana and Giles only tolerate each other for the sake of others, never missing a chance to snipe and spar with one another with alliteration and all types of grammatical words. Diana has sworn off ever being tied to a man, valuing her independence and freedom, whilst Giles is a scoundrel who lives to rile up his father, the Duke of Harpenden, particularly with what he affectionately calls his "Reprobates Ball" in which everyone but everyone gets entirely sloshed and lets their inhibitions go and somehow finds themselves the subject of the gossip columns in the following days.

When Diana discloses some information she thought Giles ought to know, he is beside himself with anger that his father would go to such lengths as to see him wed when he prefers his bachelor lifestyle. But when Giles storms into his sire's house the following morning, it seems his father has a further surprise for him. And who should Giles wish to confide this new-found information in as soon as it is revealed to him? None other than his sparring partner, Diana.

But it seems his father has yet another surprise in store for Giles by suddenly dying in his sleep, leaving the hapless Giles as his heir, the next Duke of Harpenden. But it seems the circumstances surrounding Giles' birth are in question and the threat of him losing everything hanging over his head, turns the once upon a time scoundrel to pull up his bootstraps and undo every arduous aspect of his father's reign of terror over the Shropshire estate and his tenants. But can he straighten the mess his father left behind before it's too late?

Confiding in Diana, the pair of them team up to dive into Giles' family's past and expose every skeleton rattling around in Harpenden Hall and beyond to uncover the truth before he and all those who depend upon him are ruined. And all the while, Diana and Giles foolishly try to deny their attraction to one another. It seems everyone else knows that they belong together...except them!

I simply adored this fun and entertaining journey into the regency era under the guise of Heath's pen. It is filled with amusing anecdotes, alliteration and barbed exchanges that would make your toes curl. But oh, what a pure delightful read it is! I loved the first one but this one had me laughing out loud at times.

I have to say, without a doubt, Dalton was my favourite character...even if he is a hapless servant, he is nobody's fool. The exchanges between him and Giles, which dripped with sarcasm, were amusing to say the least as he was the one who knew his master best, after all. Second only to those between Giles and Diana...though I have to say, I think even Dalton could come out on top on occasion. And I knew what he was up to with that Gretna Green suggestion...and no one saw it coming! Good one, Dalton! Vee is also a delight and I look forward to her being in the spotlight in the next book because she can give as good as she gets. 

You don't need to read the first book to enjoy this one but it helps. Hugh's family are still front and centre in this tale but not so much as they featured in the first book, because that was Minerva's and his story to tell. However, his mother and stepfather have "adopted" Diana and Vee so try their best to look out for the younger two Merriwell sisters.

Quite honestly, this is a genre I never thought I would venture into but Heath expertly weaves an amusing tale wrought with hilarity and a little bit of romance as well as some scintillating scandal, turning NEVER RESCUE A ROGUE into a delightfully easy and entertaining read from start to finish. And had it not been for real life getting in the way, I would have devoured it much quicker.

And absolute belter of a read. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction, particularly the regency era.

I would like to thank #VirginiaHeath, #Netgalley, #EternalBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #NeverRescueARogue in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

When lifelong insomniac Virginia Heath was a little girl, she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. She did this every night for over forty years until one day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Now, to her absolute delight and utter astonishment, her slightly racy Regency Romcoms are published in many languages across the globe. Amongst them are her critically acclaimed Wild Warriners and King's Elite series for Harlequin Historical.

Unashamedly addicted to happily ever afters and terminally cheerful, Virginia cannot wait to launch NEVER FALL FOR YOUR FIANCEE, the first book in her upcoming Merriwell Sisters trilogy for St Martin's Press loose into the world.

When she isn't furiously writing romance fuelled on far too much English tea, she likes to travel to far flung places, shop for things she doesn't need and drag her long suffering husband and her devoted Labrador Trevor on long walks around her native London. 

And in case you were wondering, two Romantic Novel of the Year Award nominations and twenty-one books later, it still takes Virginia forever to fall asleep.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: Never Fall For Your Fiancee by Virginia Heath

Never Fall For Your Fiancee (The Merriwell Sisters #1) by Virginia Heath

Genre: Historical fiction, Regency romance, Rom-Com, Women's fiction

Read: 26th November 2021

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 9th November 2021

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

The trouble with lies is they have a tendency to catch a man out.

The last thing Hugh Standish, Earl of Fareham, wants is a wife. 

But since the only way to keep his mother’s matchmaking ways at bay is the promise of 

impending nuptials, Hugh takes the most logical action: he invents a fake fiancée.

It’s the perfect plan – until Hugh learns that his mother is on a ship bound for England to meet his ‘beloved’. He needs a solution fast, and when he collides with a mysterious beauty, he might just have found the answer to his prayers.

Minerva Merriwell is desperate for money to support her sisters, and although she knows that posing as the Earl’s fiancée might seem nonsensical, it’s just too good an offer to refuse.

As the Merriwells descend upon Hugh’s estate, the household is thrown into turmoil as everyone tries to keep their tangled stories straight. And with Hugh and Minerva’s romantic ruse turning into the real thing, is true love just one complication too many?

‘Filled with fabulously British banter, wit, and heart, 

this delightful book is one of my must-read rom-coms of the year’

MY REVIEW:

When I first read the premise for NEVER FALL FOR YOUR FIANCEE I thought what a fun read it sounded...and I wasn't wrong! While I am not generally a fan of rom-coms, I am an historical fiction and regency romance fan. This book has all that an more. It is hilarious and laugh-out-loud in some places as you watch the main players dig themselves deeper and deeper, leaving you wondering just how it is all going to pan out. While the fake fiancee concept and plot were fairly predictable, the characters in this lighthearted tale are truly delightful! I loved them! Yes, all of them...well, except for one "wastrel" as he is referred to more than once.

Hugh Standish, Earl of Fareham, is a confirmed bachelor and something of a scoundrel-slash-loveable rogue. His mother, now living in Boston in America with her second husband, is as intent on seeing him married off as he is intent on remaining a bachelor. And so, to stop her incessant matchmaking interference, Hugh embarks on a hugely embellished tale that he is engaged to a young woman called Minerva, which he then keeps up for two years. His tale is so elaborate that he has outlined a near fatal bout of consumption and the tragic death of her father in the Cairngorms in Scotland along with her amazing abilities to sing, dance and ride as if she were born to it. All of which is to come undone when his mother announces her intention to visit and meet the young woman who has managed to win her son's heart where others have failed.

Hugh finds himself in such a quandary until he comes to the rescue of a beautiful young woman, though articulate and well-spoken but obviously penniless, whose name happens to be Minerva. And an idea begins to form in his mischievous mind.

At 24 years of age, Minerva Merriwell has been the caretaker of her younger sisters Diana and Vee (short for Venus) since their mother died when Minerva was nine and their sole guardian since their good-for-nothing wastrel of a father abandoned them three sisters when she was barely 19. With the responsibility of caring and providing for herself and her two sisters, Minerva makes a simple living as an engraver but it barely covers the rent let alone food and clothing for them and her worries are never-ending. When she confronts one such employer of her services to politely request payment for which he is four weeks late, he blatantly refuses until Hugh steps in upon witnessing the scene, taking charge and ensuring the debt is settled immediately and escorting Minerva home.

Naturally, Hugh cannot believe his good fortune upon learning that this captivating young woman shares the same name of his fake fiancee and, after a banter of sorts, blurts out an offer that Minerva finds herself unable to resist. For forty pounds, he'll pay Minerva to act as his fiancee for the benefit of his matchmaking mother and then create some sort of falling out that will end their two-year long engagement. Although she has reservations, for she really knows nothing of this man and she's not entirely happy about the idea of such deception, Minerva finds the offer tempting indeed. And although facing destitution, the Merriwells had morals...well, she and her sisters did, unlike their wastrel father. However, forty pounds would feed, clothe and house them for two years and it was only for a couple of weeks. Despite her initial reservations or conferring with her younger siblings, Minerva agreed to act as his fiancee one one condition - her sisters accompanied her to Standish House for the duration where each woman was measured, fitted and provided with an entire wardrobe each. And in turn, Minerva learnt a whole lot more than she ever bargained for!

When Hugh regaled his plans to his friend and co-hort Giles, Lord Bellingham, his friend laughed his idea out of the water and envisioned nothing but problems coming his way. In fact, he looked forward to it all falling apart and delivering a well-deserved "I told you so" after ensuring he witnessed the entire debacle, of course. But desperate times call for desperate measures...and Hugh was a desperate man. He loved his mother dearly and wanted nothing more than to please her with presenting her with his adoring fiancee. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. And the more he came to know Minerva, the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her too.

Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive...

Hugh should have taken heed of Shakespeare's warning because despite his good intentions neither he nor Minerva could foresee the problems that were to encompass them. Although Giles did, except he was quick to disappear early on in the piece when he was to be the engineer of fate that ended Hugh and Minerva's engagement and impending marriage. Leaving the fake nuptials and their extended families dancing around the entire deception that was both entertaining and comical. Hugh's mother Olivia and her husband Jeremiah were rightly suspicious but still delightfully unaware whilst Diana and Vee, assisted by Hugh's loyal butler Payne and an actress Giles acquired to play the girls' mother, reluctantly performed their parts against their better judgements.

As the plot unravelled, so did the lies and deception, with hilarious consequences. And despite their fake engagement, there is an obvious chemistry between Hugh and Minvera that had me wanting to shake the couple into sense. And despite their convoluted conversations, they still seemed to misinterpret one another's intentions that resulted in many a frustrating foray for the couple...as well as the reader! It is this that makes the tale feel a tad overlong in places but it is still a delightfully entertaining read. And Giles, for all his foolhardiness and bonhomie, is a delightfully unrepentant scoundrel that adds a comic banter to the whole charade. But my favourite would have to be the butler, Payne. OMG...his role in the entire debacle is witty and dutifully hilarious! No butler would dare speak to his master as Payne does but it is done so wonderfully wittily and oh so clever...I just adored his character. The scene where he walks in and helps himself to the brandy in front of everyone is brilliant...as is his late-night to-ing and fro-ing between the uncommunicative couple delivering each of their messages until he decides he is leaving Hugh and his predicament to go to bed. The whole scene was hilarious. I just loved it and I loved Payne.

But of course one cannot help but also fall in love with Hugh and Minerva. They are a delightful pair, so opposite to one another they are perfect for each other. And yet, they fail to see it despite the battle of wills and emotions they each fight with themselves and each other. They are as delightful as they are frustrating. 

While NEVER FALL FOR YOUR FIANCEE is a wonderfully funny historical fiction with a touch of regency romance set in 1825 in Hampshire, the locale of the Standish estate, there is a slightly steamy scene for which one might need smelling salts and a hand fan to this otherwise virtuous romantic comedy. The plot is fun and ridiculously over the top in parts but oh so delightfully delicious in others. I use the word "delightful" a lot to describe this tale because it really is. There is no other way to describe it besides hilarious and entertaining. It is like nothing else I've read and so not my usual genre of choice. 

While my usual genre of choice is psychological or domestic thriller or wartime fiction, I absolutely adored this hilarious tale and find myself awaiting more adventures of the Merriwell sisters...in the hope that Hugh and Minerva feature prominently of course as their chemistry is just scintillating.

I cannot rate NEVER FALL FOR YOUR FIANCEE high enough though I do drop half a star for drawing the tale out a little longer than I feel was necessary. But whether that was me who had been trying to steal moments to devour this delight whilst in the midst of moving, I cannot say. I give it 4.5 stars but round it up to 5 anyway because it is well-deserved for the sheer pleasure of hilarity.

I would like to thank #VirginiaHeath, #Netgalley, #EternalBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #NeverFallForYourFiancee in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

When lifelong insomniac Virginia Heath was a little girl, she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. She did this every night for over forty years until one day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Now, to her absolute delight and utter astonishment, her slightly racy Regency Romcoms are published in many languages across the globe. Amongst them are her critically acclaimed Wild Warriners and King's Elite series for Harlequin Historical.

Unashamedly addicted to happily ever afters and terminally cheerful, Virginia cannot wait to launch NEVER FALL FOR YOUR FIANCEE, the first book in her upcoming Merriwell Sisters trilogy for St Martin's Press loose into the world.

When she isn't furiously writing romance fuelled on far too much English tea, she likes to travel to far flung places, shop for things she doesn't need and drag her long suffering husband and her devoted Labrador Trevor on long walks around her native London. 

And in case you were wondering, two Romantic Novel of the Year Award nominations and twenty-one books later, it still takes Virginia forever to fall asleep.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads