Never Rescue a Rogue by Virginia Heath

Title: Never Rescue a Rogue (Merrill Sisters #2)

Author: Virginia Heath

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin 2022

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 368

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Featuring an Inheritance; Romanceopoly - Library (Free Choice)

Spice Meter: 4

Diana Merriwell and Giles Sinclair only tolerate one another for the sake of their nearest and dearest. Everyone believes that the two of them are meant to be together, but Diana and Giles know that their constant pithy barbs come from a shared disdain—not a hidden attraction. Diana loves the freedom of working at the newspaper too much to give it up for marriage, and Giles is happily married to his bachelor lifestyle. But they do have one thing in common—the secrets they can’t risk escaping.

When Giles’ father, the curmudgeonly Duke of Harpenden unexpectedly turns up his toes, it’s only a matter of time before someone comes crawling out of the woodwork who knows the true circumstances of his only son's birth. As the threat of blackmail becomes real, Giles must uncover the truth of his parentage first, or else he and all those who depend upon him will be ruined—and dogged bloodhound Diana is his best hope at sniffing out the truth. As Giles and Diana dive into his family’s past, the attraction that the two of them insisted wasn’t there proves impossible to ignore. Soon, the future of the Sinclair estate isn’t the only thing on the line…

Another slightly disappointing historical romance. I was looking forward to this one as I loved Diana and Giles in the first book. In fact, their scenes were the best parts of the first book. So, I had hoped that this volume would be an improvement. Unfortunately, I was once again disappointed. Until the end, I couldn’t really put a finger on why I didn’t like it. The best explanation that I could come up was that I was bored. Something about Heath’s writing style bores me. I liked the big plot line and the mystery involved. It was a good plot, but I was still bored.

Merriwell Sisters

• #1 Never Fall for Your Fiancée

• #2 Never Rescue a Rogue

Next up on the TBR pile:

Never Fall for Your Fiancée by Virginia Heath

Title: Never Fall for Your Fiancée (Merrill Sisters #1)

Author: Virginia Heath

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin 2021

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 368

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; Romanceopoly - The Cobbles (Historical romance with a rake)

Spice Rating: 4

The last thing Hugh Standish, Earl of Fareham, ever wants is a wife. Unfortunately for him, his mother is determined to find him one, even from across the other side of the ocean. So Hugh invents a fake fiancée to keep his mother’s matchmaking ways at bay. But when Hugh learns his interfering mother is on a ship bound for England, he realizes his complicated, convoluted but convenient ruse is about to implode. Until he collides with a beautiful woman, who might just be the miracle he needs.

Minerva Merriwell has had to struggle to support herself and her two younger sisters ever since their feckless father abandoned them. Work as a woodcut engraver is few and far between, and the Merriwell sisters are nearly penniless. So when Hugh asks Minerva to pose as his fiancée while his mother is visiting, she knows that while the scheme sounds ludicrous, the offer is too good to pass up.

Once Minerva and her sisters arrive at Hugh's estate, of course nothing goes according to his meticulous plan. As hilarity and miscommunication ensue while everyone tries to keep their tangled stories straight, Hugh and Minerva’s fake engagement starts to turn into a real romance. But can they trust each other when their relationship started with a lie?

A bit of a disappointment. I was hoping for a good historical romp with lots of banter. Instead, I got a book that mostly bored me. The two main characters don’t show enough sparkle or wit early on. (Seriously the best friend and sister steal every scene they are in. Guess I should just read the sequel…) The conversations all the characters had seemed to repeat themselves over and over again. I was just pretty bored overall. The big trope of fake fiancee felt very forced and not fun. I just didn’t really enjoy reading this one.

Merriwell Sisters

• #1 Never Fall for Your Fiancée

• #2 Never Rescue a Rogue

Next up on the TBR pile: