Review by Ronny

Series Name: Secret Society of Governess Spies, # 3 

Fun, swoony, and addictive, Never Spar with a Viscount is another fabulous installment in the Secret Society of Governess Spies series.

Favourite Quote: 

“What is the second choice?” 

“The second choice is you let me kiss you, my own Athena.” His voice lowered, and he bent his head so that his lips brushed her ear. “One time. You let me put a taste to the vision in my head. You let me command you, you who commands so many of my dreams and waking hours.” 

Book Synopsis:

Ivy Bennett learned early on how to fight—literally—for what she wants, and what she wants is to escape the Marriage Mart. Spending her days as a governess and her nights running a secret self-defense class for women, Ivy is generally content—as long as she can avoid her surly employer. But when several crimes appear to be tied to the new viscount, Ivy is tasked by the spymaster known as the Dove to gather intel on the grumpy, brooding—and handsome—lord.
 
Owen, Viscount Brackley, has his hands full with his unruly half-sisters and the crumbling estate he recently inherited. He doesn’t need the distraction of the cheeky, way too cheerful, and undeniably stunning governess who always seems to be underfoot. But when Ivy finds herself in need of a beau to avoid her conniving father’s attempts to marry her off, Owen surprises the both of them by offering to falsely court her and teach her the finer points of flirting. And as their deception continues, Owen discovers two that perhaps his heart is not quite as numb as he’d come to believe. And that Ivy is keeping secrets from him.

Review: 

I am just loving this series; each book feels so different, which helps keep this series from feeling boring and repetitive. In this book, we are introduced to a new heroine, Ivy, who has chosen to become a governess so she would not have to marry the terrible man her father wants her to marry. Each of Lindsay’s heroines has this unique skill; Frankie (the heroine from the previous book) was a mathematician. Ivy’s skill is her excellent swordsmanship and her very effective self-defence. When she is not governing Owen’s younger sisters, she is teaching self-defence lessons to women in secret. Ivy has also taken on the role of becoming a spy for “The Dove,” who runs a secret organization of governess spies.  

I adored this book and read it in a couple of sittings. The story is interesting, romantic, and has a mystery that took an unexpected twist. The first part of the book really focuses on the growing attraction between Ivy and Owen. They are living at Owen’s country estate, and what follows is that typical sequence of events that often unfold in a historical romance. You know those small, often secret, heated exchanges between the two main characters, those secret glances and touches, and of course, a fake courtship that is bound to blow up into a lusty affair. But what makes this book stand apart from other historical romances is that in the background is this growing mystery and danger unfolding. Women around London are being institutionalized because they are too “hysterical,” and it’s Ivy’s job to see if or what connection Owen has to this outbreak. On top of that, Owen also appears to be in danger from an unknown enemy. In the second half of the book, when the characters are in London, the mystery and this unknown danger take center stage. First, I really enjoyed the mystery element in this story. It went in a direction that I wasn’t expecting. I thought it complemented the romance elements in the book really well, and helped to inject those more high/intense emotions into the plot. 

The romance was everything I wanted it to be. Ivy is so very capable and doesn’t need a man to take care of her. But unfortunately, she lives in a world where her father has complete control over her, so as much as she hates the idea, she does need a man to help her escape her father’s control. Owen is such a broken hero who doesn’t believe he deserves love or his own family. He wants nothing to do with the estate he has inherited, but doesn’t shrug off the heavy burden that has been placed on his shoulders. I love watching him interact with his sisters for the first time. It was so charming to watch those sweet relationships grow. Both characters grow together in such a fabulous way. Ivy learns that it’s ok to open her heart to a man, and Owen learns that he is deserving of love and having his own family. I devoured the chemistry between these two. Their banter was perfection, and my god, when Ivy is the one to rescue Owen, I might have swooned a little.

Never Spar With a Viscount is enjoyable from beginning to end. 

Thank you, Forever Grand Publishing, for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review.