Look Before You Leap

Virginia Heath‘s books are always a ton of fun, and that’s certainly true of her latest: Look Before You Leap, the second in her Miss Prentice’s Protégées series. This one follows Lottie after she’s been fired (again) and gets a new job for the famously cranky Lady Frinton. Together they go to Kent for Lady Frinton’s nephew’s 30th birthday celebration. The nephew, Guy, just happens to be the same man Lottie galloped into the week prior. While Guy is forced to entertain 15 debutantes hoping to win his hand in marriage, he has eyes only for his aunt’s lady’s companion…

What I Liked:

• Guy and Lottie! These two are such opposites: a grumpy, heart-broken man and a reckless ray of sunshine. They butt heads a lot and argue about the silliest things, and yet they’re well matched, too. They have excellent chemistry and just jump off the page from the beginning.
• Lady Frinton! Bill! I also enjoyed the many side characters, especially Lady Frinton (always scheming and cackling about something!) and Bill (the head groom who teases his employer, Guy, relentlessly).
• Horses! Both Lottie and Guy have a special love for horses and are good around them. In particular Guy has three Arabians, one of whom still needs training. Lottie and Guy spend much of the book riding horses, training them, and talking about them. As a lifelong horse lover myself, I enjoyed this aspect of the book.
• Farming! Lottie’s family—her father and four older brothers—are farmers in Kent (surprisingly close to where Guy lives). I liked seeing how Lottie wants to help them through hard times and how Guy steps up, too.
• Fun, humorous story-telling. This book is perfect escapism that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It flies by from start to finish, and I like that the narrative here is so distinct from most historical romances I read.

Final Thoughts

Look Before You Leap is so much fun with characters who leap off the pages (pun intended). This one is tied with Never Rescue a Rogue for my favorite Virginia Heath books. I’m so excited to continue the Miss Prentice’s Protégées series with Pride Comes Before a Fall (Portia’s story) and Practice Makes Perfect (Kitty’s).

Special thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Get the Book

You can buy Look Before You Leap here – it’s available as a paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

Look Before You Leap by Virginia Heath
Series	Miss Prentice’s Protégées (#2)
Audience	Adult
Genre	Historical Romance
Setting	England
Number of Pages	320
Format I Read	Ebook (NetGalley ARC)
Original Publication Date	June 24, 2025
Publisher	St. Martin’s Griffin

Official Summary

In this hilarious second installment of a Regency romance series, 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, 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?