Look Before You Leap: A Novel

The storm cloud meets his shining Valkyrie Lottie is having trouble finding a good situation as a governess or companion due to her farm-girl sensibilities and overwhelming need to push the envelope, sometimes recklessly too far. Thankfully, Guy is not the typical too-starched blue blood that would be offended by Lottie's unpredictable ways. I really enjoyed the relationship that developed between Guy and her father, as evidenced by this statement when they first met: “Please tell me that you’re not here because Lottie’s driven you mad with her willfulness and you’re hopeful that I can use my fatherly influence to make her less so. Because trust me, I’ve tried for three and twenty years so far and nothing’s worked.” He chuckled with obvious affection. “I know I should’ve beaten her as a child, because lord only knows she gave me plenty of reason to—and still does— but I was brought up never to strike a woman and now the whole world is paying for my saintly restraint.” With a father like that, Lottie could not have turned out any different, and we are all the better for it. Guy is very down-to-earth, but he's also tired of being manipulated by his mother, who is the reason why Lottie is in residence to begin with. The tension between these two stems from misunderstandings and miscommunications, with sometimes hilarious arguments as they pound out the truth and find some common ground. I enjoyed the entire cast of characters, and the story flowed easily along, developing the romance gradually and showcasing the virtues and merits of both Guy and Lottie. It was a fun book to read, and I recommend it for anyone who enjoys historical romances.

I enjoyed this book, and I absolutely adored Lottie and Guy. The overall story was fun, and I liked the tension and sparks that flew every time they clashed (which was often). I thought that there was a really beautiful genuine honesty to these characters that really made it incredibly hard not to root for them. This is the second book in this series, but it can easily as a standalone. I look forward to reading future entries in this series.

Another fun and heartwarming book from Virginia Heath! As usual, this book has a light-hearted and endearing tone, with well-developed characters and a bit of heat. There’s a bit of a grumpy/sunshine vibe, though I’d characterize Guy more as guarded, and Lottie more as impetuous. Either way, the chemistry between them is entertaining and impassioned. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.