Review by Ronny

Series Name: Secret Society of Governess Spies, # 2

Never Gamble Your Heart is chef kiss perfection.

 Favourite Quote:

When he returned to stand in front of her, Frankie’s breath caught. His gaze was dark with barely repressed emotion. No man had ever looked at her the way he was in that moment, as if he burned to kiss her until she was breathless and hot and needy.

Book Synopsis: 

When the genteelly born, impoverished Frankie Turner’s impulsive younger sister goes missing, Frankie has no idea where to begin the search to find her. But when she discovers hasty marriages materializing between “troublemaking” women and men who don’t deserve them, she knows her sister is somehow involved. The only thread connecting the groomsmen is a membership to Rockford’s, an exclusive gambling hell owned by the devilish Jasper Jones. And it just so happens that Jasper has recently become the guardian of a sullen fifteen-year-old.

Jasper suspects his new governess has an ulterior motive for being in his household, but he can hardly find the time to uncover it when his life is in a constant uproar. First, Frankie teaches his niece how to count cards and then she tries to break into his study. When he finally learns Frankie’s true reason for being there, he agrees to help the brilliant mathematician find her missing sister, even if it means giving her a fake dowry and watching men trip over themselves in her presence. As he and Frankie work together to dismantle a nefarious scheme, Jasper realizes that for the first time in his life, he’s gambled his heart—and possibly lost it.

Review: 

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series and thought there was no way that Lindsay could top it, but I was wrong. This book was everything I had hoped it would be and so much more. There is just something about Lindsay’s books that hits every single one of my buttons perfectly. You will love this book if you like your Regency romances to have a bit of action, mystery, and fun, chaotic energy. This series has similar vibes to Sarah MacLean’s Bombshell series. This is the second book in the Secret Society of Governess Spies series, but it can be read as a stand-alone. The main overarching plot that connects the books in this series is this governess spy network run by the mystery Dove. This group of women work to solve crimes and bring to justice those individuals who often get away with murder because of their titles. 

In this book, we follow Frankie, who is new to being a governess and is on her first assignment as a governess spy. The Dove has sent Frankie to investigate Jasper and the men who visit his gaming den. The Dove believes that Jasper could be involved or have information about a blackmailing scheme that certain titled men have been orchestrating against women who have money. I adored Frankie. She is a genius when it comes to math and has no filter. She lacks that social awareness that many people have and often says what is on her mind. Think Shelden Cooper from Big Bang Theory or Bones from the Bones TV series. What I love about her character is her quirkiness and the chaos that seems to follow her. You never know what she is going to say, which is highly entertaining. Frankie’s quirkiness also often left Jasper befuddled and bemused, and after their exchanges, Jasper was left standing there in a daze. It was delicious to watch. 

The overall story is fun and entertaining. There was just a little bit of everything in this book. The mystery portion of the story is well thought out and had me guessing right until the very end. You had the high society drama that goes with balls and match-making mamas. You have this interesting and highly entertaining family dynamic between Jasper and his niece, who he is a new guardian for. Then, of course, there is romantic tension between Jasper and Frankie. Everything works beautifully together, and I really enjoyed every moment of this book. 

The romance was perfection. The chemistry between Jasper and Frankie was oh-so delicious. There is a moment at the beginning of the book when he tells Frankie that she can’t fall in love with him. And all I can think is that poor fool, you are going to be the one who is going to fall faster and harder, which he did. There is something so glorious about watching a man grappling with this big emotion that he has never felt before and realizing that this woman has completely changed his world. I adored their exchanges; they were fun, witty, and at times very steamy. If you are a fan of forbidden love, falling for the nanny/governess, force proximity, he falls first and harder, and a slightly broken alpha male hero then you are going to love this book. 

Never Gamble Your Heart is a delightful swoony Regency romance.    

Thank you, Forever Publishing, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.