Never Fall For Your Fiancee

Never Fall For Your Fiancée caught my eye with its Regency RomCom, Bridgerton-esque vibe. I was eager for a light read with some saucy romance, humour and a couple of my favourite romantic tropes and this sounded like a good fit. 

The story started out strong with good banter, two of my favourite tropes (fake engagement and forced proximity) and strong secondary characters. Hugh and Minerva are thrown together in an attempt to help both their futures and we get to see their romantic connection but don't blink because it went from zero to sassy fast! But that sauciness soon petered out leaving readers with a story that gets bogged down with repetitive, wearisome, and outlandish bits. The obstructions to the couple were frustratingly contrived and heavily relied on the miscommunication trope (my least fav) and Hugh's ridiculous reason for not committing. 

It was the secondary characters who saved the day for me. They are a solid bunch who, for me at least, overshadowed the main couple. Scoundrel Giles, sassy Diana, and snarky Payne the butler give the story some much needed oomph and humour, albeit, in sporadic bits. I wish they had more page time, but I suspect we'll be seeing more of Giles and Diana in future installments of this new series.

In the end, this was a lighthearted, decent RomCom that felt like it was trying a bit too hard. There is a room for improvement, but it could be a good pick for Bridgerton fans who are chomping at the bit for something to keep them busy until the second season starts in March 2022.

My Rating: 3 stars

Author: Virginia Heath

Genre: Romance, RomCom

Type and Source: Trade Paperback from public library

Series: #1 in the Merriwell Sisters

Publisher: St Martin's Griffin

First Published: November 9, 2021

Opening Lines: The trouble with lies is they have a 

tendency, if not well managed, to catch a man out.

Book Description from GoodReads: The first in a new historical rom-com series, a handsome earl hires a fake fiancée to keep his matchmaking mother at bay, but hilarity ensues when love threatens to complicate everything.

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?