what a lovely rom-com! I love the century and place it takes place in, and the way the book touches on gender stereotypes and inequality of society. And who doesn't love a cute romance where two people decide on an agreement only to fall in love with each other? Definitely a wonderful feel-good novel :)

I don't read much historical romance but the description of this one just sounded like it would be a cute enemies to lovers story set during a two week house party in Regency England. Diana (Lady Templeton) is a 23 year old widow, uninterested in remarrying and giving up the freedom and financial stability she has as a widow. Jeremy (Marquess of Willingham) is a bit older, known to be a rake, and has a long-standing bickering banter going with Diana that serves as a cover for their attraction to each other. After breaking up with one of his paramours, who responds by giving him some harsh critique of his sexual prowess, Jeremy goes to Diana to propose an affair - during which she can give him honest feedback because neither of them is looking for marriage and they won't get too attached. But of course, this is a romance novel, so they definitely DO get too attached, but the journey is cute and a bit silly. There's a thread of feminism throughout this as Diana articulates the many challenges of being a woman - even an upper class, wealthy woman - in the England of the time. There could certainly be more exploration of that, but at least it comes up as part of the narrative, as do other social issues. I haven't read Waters' first book (To Have and to Hoax), but I definitely want to now - I know how it turns out since those characters are in this one, but I'm definitely down for another quick and fun Regency romance.

I really loved the first novel, To Have and to Hoax, but I love this one even more. To Love and to Loathe was much faster paced and I love the banter between Diana and Jeremy. Diana’s independence is so admirable and I related to her a lot throughout the novel. This is also the first regency-era novel I have ever read that discussed a same sex couple, so that was nice to see. While they were not the main focus of the novel, it was nice to see some more representation.

After reading To Love and to Loathe, I really hope that there is a third novel in this series centered on Emily’s story. Emily is the best friend of Violet and Diana and I really hope to see how her story unfolds. We got to see more of her personality come out in this book. After reading the first two books, I’m now a Martha Waters fan! I love her comedic writing style. I did not expect to love historical romances as much as I do! If you love regency-era romances like Bridgerton or even contemporary romance novels, I think you are going to love this one!

3.5 Stars

After just reading the first four books in the Bridgerton series, I was more than ready to read another Historical romance set in the Regency period. To Love and to Loathe is a fun romance about Diana, Lady Templeton and Jeremy, Marquess of Willingham. The two are well-known among the ton for their years of bickering and witty banter with each other but now their relationship takes a turn when Jeremy makes a rather shocking proposal that the widowed Diana become his lover; he's recently had his skills in the bedroom questioned and wants Diana to assure him otherwise while doing her the favor of being just her lover without the ties of marriage since she very much enjoys the freedom widowhood has granted her.

But what happens when the two engage in their affair? Can they remain frenemies or will pesky feelings get in the way?

I really enjoyed this one because it was entertaining, witty, and just plain fun. If you're looking for pure escapism, then Waters has provided the perfect book! I just need to go back and read the first book in the series, To Have and To Hoax and I'm definitely hoping that there's a third book about Emily!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the DRC. All opinions are my own.

This could definitely be a fun book. Unfortunately, it wasn’t totally in my wheelhouse. This is a book you have to be in the mood for and a genre that you have to be into. It wasn’t bad, just maybe not for me! The banter was cute and witty, and if you are missing Bridgerton, I think you’ll enjoy this one!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book!

I was having a serious brigerton hangover and wanted something to satisfy the itch of loss.. this was cute.. I think it was set up to be this hot steamy whirlwind enermies to lovers which I was all for.. but it was a bit bleh when it came to it. I loved the bantering before the main bits but it just didn't hold my attention

This was really charming. Diana is a great schemer who has found a way to live life on her own terms (thanks to the death of her husband leaving her a widow with some money and status), and it's fun to watch what that means to her and her thoughts on ever remarrying and how all of that evolves. She and Jeremy have great banter and chemistry, and I loved Jeremy's meddling grandmother. A fun follow up to To Have and To Hoax, and I think this is a great entry level series for people interested in reading historical romance!

This was my first Martha Waters and the first “The Regency Vows” book I’ve read. I really enjoyed Waters writing style. The chapters are fairly short and I liked that she didn’t spend a more than the prologue building up to the plot. With this book you’ll know by Chapter 2 whether your into it or not.

I also liked that Waters combines more modern ideals with the regency style. None of the main female characters are simpering idiots but headstrong and bold. I love Regency romance novels but the damsel in distress trope gets old after awhile

This is a great beach/summer read and I’m definitely going back to read Book 1 now. Hoping that Emily and Belfry will get their own love story in Book 3 (Hint, hint!)

3.5 stars! This is cute. I really love this trope and Martha's writing style is very readable. I enjoyed the setting and the whole group of friends. This was definitely a fun and quick read. I think I would have enjoyed it a bit more if I hadn't already read "A Rogue of One's Own". They had a similar vibe between the main characters. But this one was extremely pleasant and was a nice easy going read.

While it is the second in the series it can be read as a standalone and I actually enjoyed this book better than the first - To Have and to Hoax. Special thanks to NetGalley for sending me the arc of this lovely book in exchange my honest opinions.

Enemies to lovers with a bit of a role reversal!

Diana and Jermey have a spark that everyone can see but that they dismiss as agitation, annoyance, and the desire to best one another...until they decide to actually give into the spark (except okay they still want to best one another)!

This was a delightful enemies to lovers romp with Diana being the don’t catch feelings, only in it to win mindset and Jeremy knowing he’s risking his heart since he’s kind of had a thing for her for awhile. But there’s also some bigger issues explored in a really honest and open way that elevated the story.

Now comes the wait for Emily’s story, hopefully with the completely besotted Julian!

I finally read my first five star book of April! I adored To Love and to Loathe! This darling regency romance features two saucy, spicy characters who are intent on not falling in love.

What I enjoyed:
- Both Diana and Jeremy are fun characters with a prickly exterior. Of course, they slowly reveal themselves to complicated characters with a lot of depth.
- I loved their nonstop bickering and chemistry. Hilarious!
- Speaking of chemistry- this book was SPICY!

Now I’m going to need to go back and read To Have and to Hoax- the first book in this series! Five stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for sending me this review copy of this lovely book in exchange my honest opinions. To Love and to Loath is out now!

I had liked book 1 but To Love and To Loathe stole my heart. A fun story between two enemies who have been involved with each other since they were kids and since kids have a crush that they don't want to admit, Diana because she is very practical and rational and does not see Jeremy's advances as real and Jeremy for suffering from an inferiority complex, in addition to having become one of the biggest libertines in London.

Only after having his skills in bed questioned, Jeremy launches a tempting proposal to Diana who ends up not resisting and accepting the challenge. At each meeting of them what was just a little spark grows and turns into a beautiful love even though they take a long time to notice.

The sensual encounters between them are wonderful, very hot and breathtaking. I fell in love more and more until I was totally seduced. Not to mention the sharp and fun dialogues and the more than special participation of Diana's friends, her brother and Jeremy's hilarious grandmother.

I really must mention that I rate books essentially solely based on my own personal enjoyment because, if I'm honest, there are several things that irked me about this book and yet I really enjoyed reading it.

I really enjoyed Waters' debut, To Have and To Hoax because it was highly amusing and I anticipated this book would bring a similar energy, with the twist of having a pact and a wager. Honestly, because of the sex pact baked into the premise (Jeremy has had his bedroom skills insulted and, tbh, rather inexplicably, asks Diana to be his lover), I anticipated this book being much spicier. I enjoyed the steam level just fine, but it seems worth noting that despite the premise, this book isn't really outside the usual for a traditionally published romance novel. Anyway, all that to say, I did think this book kept Waters' humor and the characters were still intriguing. We'd better be getting a book about Emily, honestly. But there were a few concrete things that irked me.

Check my Goodreads review for my spoiler-y thoughts.

So all that to say, I still really like Waters' writing style and I'm looking forward to whatever is next. Thanks to Netgalley and Atria for the review copy. I did, however, read a finished copy I purchased for myself because of course I did.

I enjoyed To Love and to Loathe, but I didn't love it. I've seen other reviewers who loved it so it might just be me.

I really liked the banter between Diana and Jeremy, but I had to keep making myself return to read it (this could also be because I was obsessively listening to From Blood and Ash while I was reading it.)

One of my favorite parts of this series is the friendship between Violet, Diana, and Emily. Diana and Jeremy had great chemistry, but some of the antics of Diana just seemed silly (but not as bad as Violet pretending to have TB.)

Overall it was an enjoyable story and I will still look forward to Emily's story when it's released.

This book was a very cute romance. A perfect read for when your craving some extra Bridgeton or Jane Austen. The only problem i had was it felt a little insta lovey. But other than that it was a great book!

this was a very very average regency romance. there was decent character development and a good bit of banter between the to main characters. that being said there was no real plot, the story lagged at time and the author used the witty dialogue to pull the story along a little too much for my taste.

If you’re bummed because you’re done with all of Bridgerton, I might have a new book (or two) for you!

To Love and to Loathe is the story of Diana, Lady Templeton and Jeremy, Marquess of Willingham. The two have known each other for ages, but neither make any bones about their feelings for the other. In short, they’ve never seen eye to eye. However, that’s never stopped them from going toe to toe.

So when Diana becomes a young widow, high society wonders if she will ever remarry. Meanwhile Jeremy has no desire to marry, fully content to be the consummate bachelor for the rest of his life. For some reason this doesn’t bode well with Diana, so she bets Jeremy she can find him the perfect wife within a year. If she doesn’t? She has to shell out one hundred pounds.

But Jeremy has a proposition of his own.

Acknowledging there has always been an attraction between the two, Jeremy offers they pair up in the meantime- in the bedroom. This allows Jeremy to get honest feedback and lets Diana add fuel to the rumors she is a modern woman open to “new experiences”.

But this arrangement begs the question, can two people who are attracted to each other truly keep sex and love separate?

Technically this is the second book in The Regency Vows series. Normally I am a bit of a stickler about reading books like these in order, but it’s my understanding this is the type of series that the books, more or less, standalone.

What I found most interesting about To Love and to Loathe was its marriage of historical romance with a contemporary feel. Besides the setting itself, I didn’t really feel this story was all that historical. Depending on the type of reader you are you might view this as an asset or you might see it as a deterrent. Also, despite its risqué proposition, To Love and to Loathe is a rather clean romance. Once again, the lack of true heat can go either way with potential readers. Personally, I enjoyed the banter between Diana and Jeremy, but I would have loved it if they had danced around their feelings a bit more.

Thanks to @netgalley and @atriabooks for this fun romantic twist which is out now!

I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley. Secret crush to enemies to lovers is one of my very favorite tropes, and To Love and to Loathe is one of the most fun examples of this that I've read in ages. Diana and Jeremy have known each other for most of their lives, and had been always bickered, but things came to a head when they wagered that she could find him a wife within a year. However, within two weeks of this wager, Jeremy came up with a new plan: his most recent mistress had some complaints about his abilities in the bedroom, and he knew that only Diana would be honest enough to tell him whether or not the complaints had merit. He proposed that they form a brief liaison, and he'd get some feedback, and she'd get a little more experience. Of course, the question always comes: can one have an instructional liaison without catching feelings?
For the most part, this book was a delight to read. I adored Diana. She was sharp, intelligent, a talented painter, and a woman who knew exactly what she wanted out of life and how to get it. Jeremy was charming, funny, and a little more complex than he presented to the world, and watching the two of them figure this out together was fun. I had not read the first book, which I assume is Violet and Audley's story, but I don't feel like I missed out too much by skipping it. While the plot was a tiny bit slow in places, overall, it was an enjoyable read.

I did not rate this book publicly, as I was not a fan of the premise of the story line or of the open door romance. I think the cover is super cute, and I did showcase this book in my Bookstagram stories on IG.

Thank you to Atria Books for a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Fans of Bridgerton novels should definitely pick this one up! This is a good enemies to lovers historical romance filled with witty banter and shenanigans, plus a decent level of steam. I liked the chemistry between Jeremy and Diana and of course, I adored the friendship between Diana, Violet and Emily. I did think it was a bit wrong for Diana to gossip about another character's sexual identity given the sensitivity during that time period but other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this storyline!

I can't wait to go back and read To Have and to Hoax!