Book Review: Never Rescue a Rogue (The Merriwell Sisters #2) (ARC)

Author: Virginia Heath

Virginia Heath’s Never Rescue a Rogue, the next book in the Merriwell Sisters series, is filled with whip-smart banter, swoony romance, hilarious mishaps, and twisty reveals that will make you gasp and laugh in delight.

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…

After enjoying Never Fall for Your Fiancée, I was excited to begin the second Merriwell Sisters novel, Never Rescue a Rogue. After Hugh Standish, Earl of Fareham and Minerva Merriwell have found love with each other, it is time for the middle sister, Diana, to find her match. Her story follows her growing relationship with Hugh’s best friend, Giles Sinclair, Lord Bellingham, and Heir to the Duke of Harpenden. The two of them were introduced in the first novel with hints of their budding relationship in the background, so I was very excited to read their story.

As a writer for the newspaper, Diana writes pieces about the Ton and other subjects, however, her family is under the impression that she is only a proofreader. As Giles is on the search for the truth about his history, Diana makes the perfect ally. There is drama surrounding Giles and his title along with heavier tones from his traumatic past. Between Diana’s investigative skills and Giles using her assistance, the two of them spend more time together where they continue to discover their feelings for each other. The two of them share great banter and chemistry, so it was just a matter of time before they became a couple. Since some of their history with each other is established in the first novel, some readers may miss this part between them if they only read this as a standalone. While it still read well, this would be a factor for other readers to consider.

The two main characters are great as it was nice to get to know them further, although I always wish for more as there is a lot more to them than can fit on a page. The writing of this novel is easy enough to follow while being interesting. There is a Martha Waters-vibe to the novel while still holding its own as a unique tale. The side characters are all enjoyable. Giles has a butler named Dalton, who definitely stole the show in some scenes. I love how the three sisters all connect to keep the series cohesive while being distinct enough to have each of their stories stand on their own. While it is still taking me a little bit to warm up to the youngest sister, Venus (Vee), I am still looking forward to reader her story next!

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**