NEVER BLOW A KISS

Two escapees from the Victorian underclass find each other across a crowded ballroom.

Emily Leverton is a terrible governess—understandably, since she was “raised a dirt-poor thief”—but she’s learned enough to escape her criminal family and make a quiet, respectable living among the gentry. Or so she thought; when she gets a mysterious invitation, she realizes that at least one person knows the truth about her past. A woman calling herself The Dove asks Emily to become a spy for her organization, whose mission is to keep an eye on the misdoings of the ton from within their own homes, taking advantage of the fact that no one pays attention to governesses. Zachariah Denholm, on the other hand, can’t avoid attracting attention. Though he’s new money, thanks to railroad investments, and a detective constable to boot, by 1838, high society literally can no longer afford to ignore any bachelor with a fortune. When Zach catches sight of Emily in the background at a ball, he immediately knows she’s not like the other women in his life, but despite being intrigued, he can’t be distracted, as he’s tracking down an active serial killer known as the Evangelist. His detective work keeps overlapping with Emily’s spycraft, though, and the more their paths cross, the more they are attracted to each other. But Emily has more than one big secret in her past, and both are in real danger as other secrets are unearthed. Lovise’s debut deftly combines equal parts romance and mystery, and though many of its twists and turns won’t surprise readers, it’s an engaging story from the darker side of Victorian society. Some minor historical anachronisms stand out because the rest of Lovise’s writing is so strong, but they’re easily overlooked thanks to the banter and steamy chemistry between Emily and Zach. Readers will look forward to meeting the next member of the Secret Society of Governess Spies.

A strong historical romance debut, for fans of Sarah MacLean and Erica Ridley.