Lindsay Lovise’s Never Spar with a Viscount is the third in her historical romance series, The Secret Society of Governess Spies, however it works just fine as a standalone. The reader does meet the governesses from the previous two books, but those books are still worth picking up. The reader may know who ends up married, but it’s always obvious in these romances anyways. The developing relationships are part of the book.
Ivy Bennett rebelled when her father told her she was going to marry a cruel older man. She found a job as governess at Brackley Estate, teaching the eight younger sisters of Owen, Viscount Brackley. The girls range from 3 to 10. The job gets her out of range of her demanding father, and allows her the money to secretly rent a shop where she teaches self-defense classes to women.
The new Lord Brackley has returned from Prussia where he made a fortune breeding horses. Now, he has the estate on his hands, along with his stepmother and half-sisters. He fears he’ll also have to deal with Ivy’s oldest brother, Barnes, once his best friend, but who attacked and destroyed their friendship when they both left Harrow. He never understood why.
When Ivy reveals to Owen she has a man from the ton that she’d willingly marry, Owen agrees to help her gain his attention. If they pretend to be courting, they’ll solve two problems. It will get marriage-minded mothers off the Viscount’s back, and help Ivy avoid her father’s wishes. They both agree it will be a fake courtship, but when Barnes shows up, they have to admit their deceit to Ivy’s brother.
Lovise’s story isn’t just a fake relationship trope. There’s also a mystery from Owen’s past that hangs over the story. Why did Barnes attack Owen years ago, saying he was a scoundrel? Why are there rumors about Owen being seen before women have to be institutionalized for hysteria? It’s an intriguing puzzle that hangs over his life.
Never Spar with a Viscount is a clever Victorian romance with witty conversation between the protagonists. It’s an intriguing sensual story with a formidable heroine and a brooding hero. It’s an excellent trope for the fake relationship with a troubled hero and a sunny heroine who has more depth than anyone expects.
Lindsay Lovise’s website is https://lindsaylovise.com/
Never Spar with a Viscount by Lindsay Lovise. Forever, 2026. 368p.
FTC Full Disclosure – I received a galley through NetGalley from the publisher, Forever/Grand Central Publishing, with no promise of a positive review.
