“nobody who loves you would judge you for deciding that you do not have to completely be the person that you chose to be at sixteen.”
virginia heath
Series: Miss Prentice’s Protegees #3
Release Date: July 28th 2026
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Adult Fiction | Historical Fiction | Regency | Romance
Page Count: 336
Source: I received an advance reader’s copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Thank you!
Goodreads Summary: In the third installment of this witty Regency romcom series, a headstrong chaperone is torn between following her rigid principles or her heart
Despite his many responsibilities, there is nothing Leopold Sloane, the 11th Duke of Debden, takes more seriously than the safety of those he loves. When one of his sisters is injured at a protest rally, he drags his family to Bath for the summer to keep his reckless and rebellious siblings out of harm’s way. The only flaw in his plan is his overwhelming but inexplicable attraction to the new chaperone he has hired to watch out for them. An outspoken conundrum of a woman who soon causes him more trouble than both his sisters combined…but who calls to his soul regardless.
From the moment Portia Kendall read her first revolutionary pamphlet beneath her bedcovers at Miss Prentice’s School for Girls, she realized that her true calling was to make the world a fairer place for the masses downtrodden by the aristocracy. A calling that led her to Equitas, a radical newspaper that champions reform. But as Portia discovers, writing doesn’t pay the bills. To make a living, she must push aside her principles and serve the very people she criticizes weekly in her column. A temporary position as a chaperone in the home of a pompous duke seems like the perfect way to earn enough to follow her heart. Unfortunately, the duke who hires her seems to be more dashing and noble than pompous and soon begins to call to her heart too—as much as she tries to deny it. But dare she risk her principles for love or will her pride always come before a fall?
Thoughts:
This delivered everything I’m used to reading from Heath: a quirky plot, lovable characters, and a romance to root for. With its backdrop of politics and social reform, this book was a refreshing journey through a Regency romance. Both the FMC and LI are passionate characters who hold to their beliefs quite stubbornly when we meet them. But as the plot unwinds, I loved seeing the way the LI grew and learned to let go of some of his controlling tendencies born out of trauma. A highlight of the book for me was the FMC’s determination to make the world a better place, and I enjoyed reading about her work with the seditious reform newspaper she helped to author. The romance that grows between the FMC and LI had me smiling a lot, especially at their banter with each other. There is definitely a touch of humor throughout the first half of the book that brought it a lot of charm. However, the latter half of the book lost some steam for me, and the FMC and LI’s arguments started to feel repetitive. The ending felt abrupt and left some loose ends regarding side characters that I was curious about, but perhaps we will see them in the next installment. Overall, this was a solid addition to the series.
Rating:
wings and fables 