Title: Never Gamble Your HeartAuthor: Lindsay Lovise
Series: Secret Society of Governess Spies #2
Pages: 384
Publication Date: Feb. 4, 2025
Publisher: Forever
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Historical
Synopsis:
To find her missing sister, an unconventional governess must infiltrate an infamous gambling den owned by a devilishly handsome rake.
Frankie Turner should be the perfect she’s genteelly born, impoverished, and owns a pair of ugly oversized spectacles. Now if only she didn’t have an alarming tendency to forget her charges while contemplating mathematics principles…
When Frankie’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.
This blog uses affiliate links for some book recommendations, and if you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission. Thanks for supporting this little bookish corner of the internet!
Never Gamble Your Heart is an entertaining and swoon-worthy historical romance that follows Frankie as she works as a governess/spy after her younger sister ran away. In exchange for spying on Jasper Jones to investigate his involvement in a nefarious plot among the ton to marry young women with large dowries to older, cruel men who want to squelch their opinions and passions, the person who tasked Frankie will help locate her wayward sister. The wealthy owner of a popular gaming hell, Jasper has a scandalous reputation, but Frankie quickly learns there’s more to the man than meets the eye.
Jasper and Frankie have such a swoon-worthy romance. Hired as a governess for his ward, Frankie is a breath of fresh air with her honesty, boldness, and genius in mathematics. In Jasper, Frankie finds a partner who respects her and treats her like an equal. He has very progressive beliefs, much like Frankie, and they complement each other well. But things don’t start off with rainbows and sunshine. They antagonize and challenge each other, which both end up really enjoying. The banter between them is fantastic, as are their growing feelings for each other.
The mystery is also really interesting, and I like how the author weaves themes of equality, empowerment, corruption, friendship, and more throughout the story. And a special shout out to Cecelia, Jasper’s unruly and impulsive but well-meaning ward and niece. She is such a bright addition to the story, and her shenanigans and personality are great. I also like how her relationship with Jasper grows over the course of the story. I don’t think Jasper realized quite how lonely and solitary his life was before Cecelia and Frankie entered it. They definitely all changed each other for the better, and they end up forming a lovely unit with strong found family vibes – my favorite trope!.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
- The romance.
- The characters,
- The mystery.
We are all monsters in our own way; my way just happens to be more visible than theirs.
“Only a stupid man can be made to feel insecure by a woman’s intelligence,” he said, his voice low and hard. “An intelligent man would find you a delightful change of pace rather than a challenge to his masculinity.”
- Marriage of convenience
- Governess spy
- Found family
- Morally grey mmc
- House party
Lindsay writes historical and paranormal romances with brave heroines, along with creepy YA. Although she earned degrees in English and teaching, she always knew she wanted to write stories about love.
When she’s not writing, Lindsay is reading, drinking coffee, and avoiding laundry. She currently lives in New York, but was born and raised in Maine where the winters make for perfect reading weather.
