To Love and to Loathe by Martha Waters is a romance novel about Diana, the widowed Lady of Templeton, who has squabbled with Jeremy, the Marquess of Willingham in the past. When Diana begins her search for a wealthy husband, her and Jeremy cross paths again, resulting in an arrangement. Diana will help Jeremy work on his bedroom performance, which he has been told needs some help by an ex-lover, and Jeremy will help put Diana on the map with new suitors. Will Jeremy be married within a year so Diana wins her bete, or will there be much more in store for these two?

As many others, I have been interested in regency romance since reading and watching Bridgerton. The banter between the characters is spicy and filled with wit, which is one of my favorite features of the enemies to lover trope. I loved the dialogue between the side characters, especially as Diana tries to set up her friend Helen with Jeremy. I also appreciated that the author had a widow character as it is realistic with this timeframe since widows have greater ability to take lovers. I found the commentary on the difficulties of being a woman during this time and how being widowed can impact your finances and ability to make your own decisions. I thought the ending was wrapped up a bit too quickly and could have been paced a bit more slowly but this was still a fun read though I liked the previous novel a bit more. Overall, I enjoyed this novel and recommend this for regency readers!

Many thanks to the publisher Atria Books and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

The widowed Diana, Lady Templeton, has vowed she will never marry again. Jeremy, Marquess of Willingham, had professed he will never marry at all. Yet, the two are infamous in society for their bickering which borders on flirtation. So it's not too surprising when a typical argument leads to a wager that Jeremy will marry within the year. What is surprising is Jeremy's proposal shortly after that they embark on a no-strings affair: Jeremy for reassurance of his skills in the bedroom and Diana for signaling her availability as a lover. Will both make it out with their hearts intact?

I was pleasantly surprised by this quick, entertaining read. While it is highly predictable, there were several unexpected moments that added to my enjoyment. I appreciated the plot, characters, and writing style. And I'm happy to say that it was enjoyable as a standalone book. I didn't need to read the first in the series to understand this one (but I will certainly be adding it to my lists now). That being said, it does feel similar to a lot I've read before. I will concede that this author had some refreshing takes and interesting additions, making it a sweet romance and the perfect fast read! I do look forward to reading more.

Thank you to Atria Books for providing me with an arc through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

This was such a fun and quick read! I loved the witty banter, humor, and romance in this book

I enjoy reading historical romance, so I was happy to read the second book in The Regency Vows Series. I liked this book even better than the first in the series.

The witty banter between Diana and Jeremy was funny and made their story a joy to read.

One of my critiques from the first book in the series was there was some repetition in places because we were getting the story from two POVs: Lord James and then from Lady Violet. I was happy to find that this book had less rehashing of scenes between Diana and Jeremy. However, there was still some repetition that could have been eliminated to streamline the story.

I also am left wondering, what about Lady Helen? She was a major part of the storyline, her secret was blabbed by all the characters, and then nothing. There was no resolution for her and I hope this is because there will be a book featuring her character in the future.

I really liked the supporting cast of characters and am looking forward to the next book in the series.

To Love and to Loathe by Martha Waters was such a delight to read. If I had to describe the genre I would say it was a perfect marriage of rom com and historical romance. Martha Waters has a way of writing characters who felt like old friend to me.

The smart mouthed and quite blunt widowed Lady Templeton has meet her match in her childhood friend the Marquess of Willingham. Diana takes it upon herself to see that Jeremy is married in one years time after a bet is made between them. However, Jeremy has a request of Diana that she certainly can’t resist.

I really enjoyed this story, lots of chemistry between our love interest. It was a slow burn of hate to love and of course lots of witty banter and fun antics. It has a strong female friendship bond which involves characters from the previous book To Have and to Hoax, and I’m already excited for the next book in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun modern regency! Frenemies to lovers, who grew up together and have fallen into a habit of snark and banter. They make a bet and later an unusual agreement, both of which end up to be more than they bargained for because they break the rules. It is delightful.

The set up of the characters is not unusual - Diana, a heroine who was a ward of her aunt and uncle with a tiny dowry and the need to marry well for stability and money and Jeremy, a hero who was a second son who becomes the marquess, with a reputation as a rake. Diana, however, is also straightforward. She was never a simpering miss, but instead moves with purpose. Her artifice is in appearing more at ease, when she is sharp and on top of everything. Jeremy has been smiling and drinking his way through the ton, skating on his good looks while hiding his intelligence and his grief over the loss of his brother,

The banter between Diana and Jeremy is excellent. Their family and friends even say that they thought the banter hid a real attraction, while it takes Diana and Jeremy longer to understand there is more than a passing fancy. The first scenes of sexy times go from breathless to hilarious and some of the most honest I have ever seen in any romance. Yes for consent, yes for directions, yes for communication! I also appreciate Violet and Diana having frank conversations with their unmarried friend, Emily, including using an anatomy text and discussion of sex toys. Sex positivity that is more than just the main characters banging, yes!

Side characters run the range from Jeremy's grandmother - I love the necessary, loving yet sarcastic and manipulating Dowager - to Diana's friends, the grasping debutante who is not what she seems, the various brothers and their friends that round out the friend group. It's a full world, enough that I had to keep track of them and assume at least one or two other couples will appear in subsequent books. They are also the conscience and the support of the main characters. The debutante plays mostly to plot device but has her own voice as well. They all worked for me.

I think the character arcs are done well, with a little bit of a flip of traditional roles. Jeremy is a little bit of that bluestocking who pretends to not be intelligent (while still definitely being the standard rake). Diana remains straightforward but is finally open to having feelings, reminiscent of an alpha without being an alphahole. When love makes you willing to expect things from each other and allows you to be vulnerable - that's the happy ever after.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. Fans of historical romance should check this one out. Those who enjoyed To Have and To Hoax will also enjoy this one. I also think contemporary romance readers who want to try historical romance but not be buried in duke this, duke that, will enjoy this. The relationship growth of these two frenemies could be in any time period.

I loved book two just as much as I loved book one. Waters has a level of banter that I absolutely adore, and she keeps me on my toes with character wit and excellent tension. I liked the change of trope in this one and the fact you can just about read these novels in any order. I do highly recommend starting with book one though, it will give you an excellent introduction into Templeton and Jeremy. The widow ready to mingle and the rake who refuses to let his ex slander his bed skill had me absolutely rolling.

I did go back and forth with the representation in this book and how it was handled. Mind you I recommend reading a few own voice reviews to better understand the perception in this case. Outside of that I have no qualms. Waters has a beautiful writing style that whisks you off into the dynamic of not only the main characters but of the side characters as well. It is easy to connect with each individual persona and watch your frustrations ease away as the banter and steam takes hold.

There is an excellent representation of women in this era and with Templeton. I appreciated her strength as a widowed woman in a time ruled by men. I feel the author didn’t breeze over this topic and actually took time to bring this struggle to light in an excellent manner that tied in really well with the plot.

I know when it comes to my romcoms that I want to laugh and fall in love with the people I am reading about. I don’t want to be boggled down with information or too much internal dialogue and hands down Waters delivers. She is a favorite author for me and I cannot wait for more! Absofreakinglutely recommend to all of my romcom lovers if you haven’t read her already!

Special thanks to Atria Books not only for the ability to read and review this gifted DRC but also for getting me hooked on this author last year!

Regency romances have for sure been more popular than usual since Bridgerton and I am all for them. To Love and to Loathe was a quick read for me that I was easily able to get through in one sitting. Though it started out a bit slow for me, it quickly picked up and the back and forth jabs between both main characters was quite entertaining.

This book truly cements the idea that a man and a woman can’t simply have any sort of friends with benefits situationship going without feelings developing at some point in time. Not only was this book humorous but the relationship between Jeremy and Diana was endearing all the way through the end.

Unfortunately this book didn’t work for me. I didn’t find Diana likable at all, so it was hard to root for her. Also outing an LGBTQ character for “humor” is never okay - there should’ve been repercussions for this.

3.5 stars

To Love and to Loathe is the second book in The Regency Vows series but worked very well as a stand-alone book for me.

The widowed Diana Templeton and Jeremy, Marquess of Willingham, members of the English High Society are both notorious for their bickering and flirting. One evening, at a ball, they enter a wager that Jeremy will marry within the year or Diana will give him 100 pounds. What is a little wager between frenemies? So, Diana is naturally shocked with Jeremy visits her at her home and proposes an altogether different wager - a mutually beneficial one. Jeremy recently had his manhood questioned by a recent lover who had criticism about his prowess in the bedroom. Jeremy wants Diana to help him soothe his ego, test his skills in the bedroom and Diana gets well, a lover with no strings attached. But what happens when feelings get in the way? What happens if Jeremy's marriage-minded grandmother, the formidable Dowager Marchioness of Willingham, finds a future wife for him?

This is a fun book with both characters engaging in witty repartee. They are the perfect frenemies - they bicker, have chemistry and are likeable. There is also a few twists and drama along the way. Both characters are engaging and there is more to both Diana and Jeremy than meets the eye. Will you be rooting for them to connect? Will you be hearing Marvin Gaye singing” Let’s Get it on” while reading this book as I did? Will their arrangement work? Will feelings get in the way? You will need to read and find out!

Another enjoyable fast read which is a perfect choice you want to escape the world and be entertained. I will admit I had some doubt going forward - a Romcom set in the past.... will it work for me???? Yes, yes it did! Quite nicely in fact. I will be on the lookout for book three in the series. I just hope it is as amusing, witty, and fun as this one.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com

Diana, a widow whose flirtatiousness has earned her a bit of reputation that isn’t true, has long been annoyed by her brother’s rascally rake of a friend, Jeremy. She laughingly wagers that she can get him married off within a year, and, surprisingly, he takes her up on it. So when Jeremy propositions that she tutor him in the boudoir after his recent paramour tells him he’s not that good, Diana may find herself in a very interesting position indeed.

The thing I love most about this book, and the previous book in the series, is the mix of banter and deep conversations. I love how cheeky Diana and Jeremy can get with each other, but it’s also so satisfying to see them drop their walls and have deeper, more emotional conversations. Diana can be a bit sarcastic and cynical, while Jeremy is more life of the party. I really enjoyed the way their relationship developed.

It was also really fun watching Emily’s possible relationship start on the side. The next book is hers and I appreciate how her story has been building in the background of these other two books.

I have just one critique of the book and it is a bit serious. Diana is told a secret, one that could cause a lot of problems for someone, and then immediately goes and tells her friends. Which, sure they would never say a word, but it was never Diana’s secret to tell. There were other ways to get the same point across, and I do wish the situation had been different.

Overall, I really loved the book. I can’t wait to read more in the series! 4.5 stars!

To Love and to Loathe is full of fun. It's an easy read: the banter is witty, the chemistry is fantastic, the cast has quirky and appealing characters. It's brother's-best-friend meets second-chance meets enemies-to-lovers and can be read as a stand-alone.
Diana and Jeremy are forever at odds. They don't really know why they get on each other's last nerve but their verbal sparring is something they look forward to and also can't stand. They come to a "gentleman's agreement" over a wager that Jeremy will marry within a year.
This is the first book I've read where the heroine is a scandalous widow, or so her reputation would suggest. I love this twist on a character who is typically the barely mentioned side piece of a wealthy member of the nobility.
I've read several books in this time period. There's something magical about the proper setting and rules of etiquette, the adjustment from arranged marriages to love matches, the Austen-esque ideas of romance. I adore those themes merged with a stereotypical romcom that allows for smirks and laughter. This historical romance and romcom mashup is delightful. I think this could be a gateway series for historical romance fans to love romcoms and romcom fans to enjoy historical romance.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

Happy #PubDay, To Love and to Loathe! If you like regency romances then this one is for you. I definitely felt some P&P vibes and thought if you're a fan of Downton, Bridgerton and Evie Dunmore's series then you will want to read Martha Waters. I'm looking forward to reading more by the author in the future. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Happy #PubDay and REVIEW for To Love and to Loathe by Martha Waters! After watching Bridgerton on Netflix I discovered something about myself that I didn’t know before: I absolutely adore Regency Era romance novels. I had stayed away in the past because I believed the female characters would be restricted by the boundaries of their class and social norms and therefore I would be annoyed more than anything by any potential love story, but I was wrong. Waters has shown that strong, independent, witty women are ideal characters in any romance book no matter the time period in which it takes place. The main characters here are sweet, smart, entertaining, and swoon-worthy. This book is the second of a series in which I have not read the first but will definitely go back and read.

This does feel similar to A Rogue of One’s Own by Evie Dunmore but I still appreciated the writing and story nonetheless.


Thank you to @netgalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is just an excellent enemies-to-lovers, ill-conceived "we won't catch feelings, it's just physical" arrangement story set as a Regency novel. It was really a lot of fun, I love getting lost in the full-skirts and formal language of the time. I loved watching Jeremy and Diana discover each other's deeper emotional layers and come to understand the other's motivations and make-ups; it was a wonderful love story. The support cast and characters were colorful (can I have Jeremy's grandmother as my own, please?) and delightful. There were a few moments towards the beginning of this one that I thought "am I really only x% through this one?", but the pay-off and destination of the story is worth it (there were some things I did NOT see coming!) and I would absolutely recommend.

I give this one 4 stars and a moderate steam rating.

It started as a friendship. They'd known each other for a long time and they loved sniping back at each other with words. But now she's a widow and he's become the Marquess of Willingham after his older brother's death. They make a bet that he will be married in a year. He prefers having sex with no commitments, but he takes her bet sure he will win.

Atria Books and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It is being published today.

Diana has agreed to give him sex lessons. It seems the last lady he bedded shot him down as a lover. They are just going to enjoy their time together and will move on after it's over.

As they get to know each other now that they are older, they find their feelings changing. She was just a fun pest before but now Jeremy thinks she's a beautiful woman with more depth to her than he saw before. She finds he has further depth than she anticipated also.

The longer they are together, the more they are attracted to each other. They were never going to get married but things can change.

They have family and friends around them and they are observing their behavior. The only alone time they is late at night.

Will they admit what has happened or go on their separate ways?

Thank you to @atriabooks and @netgalley for my #gifted ARC.

So this was my very first ARC on Net Galley and I’m happy to report that I thoroughly enjoyed it!! Just so you are aware, this is the second in a series, but I wasn’t lost having not read To Have and To Hoax.

In this Regency romance, Diana is a young widow who finally has the freedoms that most men are born with: money, time, and independence. So when her brother’s best friend, Jeremy, suggests a little *arrangement*, Diana finds herself considering the offer, even though she’s pretty certain that the two of them are enemies.

This story was delightful and very enemies to lovers sass with a lil sexual healing on the side. I laughed a lot and swooned a bit too. It’s maybe 2 on the 🔥 scale, but a delicious slow burn at that. To Love and To Loathe is out TODAY!

CW: death, homophobia

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This is the second book in the Regency Vows series, though it can be read as a stand alone novel, however, I think you miss out on some of their character development that way.

I was looking forward to reading this one because Diana and Jeremy were my favorite characters from To Have and to Hoax. The banter between the two was funny, as well as between Diana and her best friends Violet and Emily.

This was an enjoyable, light, fast paced read, great for fans of Bringing Down the Duke or regency romances in general. If you don’t like steamy novels, don’t let the synopsis put you off, there were only a couple steamy scenes.

I hope we get Emily’s story next!

Thank you @netgalley and @atriabooks for the advanced w-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Happy Publication Day! To say this was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020 would be an understatement. When Martha announced this title was on NetGalley I immediately requested it minutes later, when she announced giveaways I entered every single one (I NEVER enter giveaways), I even went so far as to enter a Goodreads giveaway (does anyone actually win those?!).I had come to terms with the fact I wasn’t getting an ARC before release day and then low and behold a few days ago my request was approved and I proceeded to squeal like a pig (thankfully there were no witnesses).

This book is the second book in the Regency Vows series and I think I liked it more than the first. Lady Diana Templeton is a widow and her experience is limited to that one-time with her husband to consummate the marriage. The idea of marrying again and forfeiting the freedoms her widowhood has awarded her is horrifying so she does what any respectable society lady would do and contemplates taking a lover. The Marquess of Willingham, her brother’s friend and thorn in her side, finds the idea of marriage equally as horrifying but requires some reassurances in the bedroom after receiving some harsh criticism. It doesn’t take long before the two come to an agreement and then have said arrangement falls apart.

I honestly think I would be besties with Diana. Actually on second thought probably not because I’m pretty sure we’re the same person. That’s probably why I rooted harder for her than I ever have for a character in a romance novel.

If this book resulted in one thing it is that I will never look at a game of hide and seek quite the same ever again.

I enjoy this series more than the Bridgerton books I have read. It’s fun, it’s light, and full of fun banter and sexual tension. If this particular book’s description doesn’t sound like something you’d enjoy I still encourage you to follow the author on Instagram. She’s a librarian and posts weekly recommendations. It was through her that I discovered the Bridgerton series (long before Netflix), Sarah Hogle and many other books I adore.

My thanks to #NetGalley and #AtriaBooks for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was hooked from the first sentence. Diana, our protagonist, is frosty, which is so appreciated.
The writing can be a bit stilted and forced, attempting to sound of the period but coming across as not fitting the characters.
Initially, the plot comes across as being very similar to other popular romance novels of the last few years.
Some of the character names were distracting/ pulled me out of the story a bit (one named Toogood, for example). The plot is very similar to several popular recent books, so I was a bit disappointed.
I wished this book had gone with a friends-with-benefits plot instead of the usual friends to lovers trope. It could have been far more original. The middle of the book did get a bit stagnant with little in the way of development but finally picked up again around the 75% mark. I was not particularly fond of the MC’s interest in gossip but I’m sure many readers will enjoy that part of her personality. One instance that bothered me was how quickly the MC shared an extremely personal secret that was told to her in confidence. She quite literally shared it with two other people within moments of being told.
An enjoyable read but not a stand out for the genre.

While I don't read much historical or regency stories lately, I really enjoyed the push and pull of this enemies to lovers story. Diana set out to marry well, and she did. However, that didn't last forever. Now she is widowed and making her way through each season without the need to land a husband. Does she find a companion? Does she take a lover? Jeremy on the other hand, is quite the rake. He has no desire to marry although he knows he must at some point. These two seem to truly dislike each other, the banter between them is amazingly smart. What will happen when Jeremy makes a proposal unlike one Diana was expecting? Will she take him up on it? Or will Diana do what she must to win her wager?