What a fun twist on a traditional historical romance. All the typical tropes and elements are there, but the element of deception (that isn't really deception) gave the whole thing a fun turn.

Great title. Fun plot setup. I wish it had leaned harder into having its characters rise to the silliness of this premise. James and Violet do try to one-up and aggravate each another, but part of me wanted it to be bawdier and kookier all around.

The biggest problem I have with historical romances is that the characters have to be human anachronisms. No Victorian sense of religion, ethics or morals, or class attitudes are allowed to creep in, because modern audiences would hate everything about that. Usually the only one allowed to be psychologically Victorian is the bad guy.

So it's better to think of historical romances as fantasies instead. From that point of view, James and Violet are cute, their romance charming, but their war STILL really needed to up the ante. What about a nice laudanum prescription or some leeches? Cod liver oil? Laxatives? Victorian medicine such amazing quackery, so it's a huge loss that Waters didn't go all the way down that rabbit hole. (Though neither of her characters ever bother looking up consumption's symptoms, either.) Rumor has it that some doctors treated female patients diagnosed with "hysteria" by, uh, handily providing <i>la petite mort</i>, if you know what I'm saying.* Total missed opportunity!

*So lots of articles say that's an urban legend, but this is a fantasy we can do what we want.

A funny rom-com of husband and wife trying to outwit each other while standing stubborn on a years-old argument. Sweet and worthwhile read!