This was such a fun read. This is my favorite time period to read historical romance in and this did not disappoint. What I liked was how she much thought she put into the side characters which was as much as the main characters and it just adds so much more depth to the story. For me sometimes the side characters make the story. Then banter between Diane and Jeremy is so much fun to read and how slowly their interactions change as they start falling for each other. Just a really great light, funny regency rom-com that pushed all the buttons for me on what I enjoy to read.

Thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book in e-book form. All opinions in this review are my own.

I was very intrigued by the premise of this story, and I would say I really enjoyed the first half of the book. There was pleasant banter, tension, fun side stories interwoven. However when the sapphic side character was then introduced and subsequently used in a really icky way by the main characters, it unfortunately soured the book for me. I did not like how this character was gossiped about by the hero, heroine and band of friends. Overall I do think the writing was good, the pacing of the story was good, I read the overall story with pleasure but the clumsy way a queer character was introduced and used changed my feelings about the book.

I thoroughly enjoyed Martha Water’s To Have and To Hoax but I believe that To Love and to Loathe is even better, which is saying quite a lot because To Have and To Hoax was pretty freaking delightful. This regency romance was witty, joyful and funny. The writing is superb and kept me invested in the story and the characters. Something that I’ve come to appreciate from Water’s writing is that she puts as much thought into the side characters as she does to the main characters and it just adds so much to the story. Plus, it makes me look forward to reading about their own story when the time comes.

I think this book is the perfect recommendation for those who enjoyed watching Bridgerton and are looking to fill that hole. I also think it’s just a good regency romantic comedy and will be a delight to read.

I love a good enemies to lovers story! The plot and historical setting were perfect and the characters shined. Jeremy's insecurity in the bedroom was a fun twist and overall this book was very entertaining..

I have just finished reading four outstanding, exciting, thrilling, edge-of-your-seat, 5-star historical mysteries and I wanted something light, humorous, entertaining, and romantic to read next. From the description in the book blurb, I decided this would be the perfect book to read next. Unfortunately, for me, it fell far, far, far short of being light, humorous, entertaining, or romantic. I was okay with the male lead, Jeremy – I didn’t love him, but I didn’t dislike him either. The female lead, on the other hand, is one of the most despicable, conniving, and sly mean-girls I’ve ever read – and I’ve been reading a very long time. If you took this same story and made it about bullies in school who were picking on and conniving against someone who couldn’t really fight back because they didn’t know what was happening behind their back – you wouldn’t find it the least bit funny. To me, Diana is that lead bully and she does some very despicable things to Jeremy. I absolutely cannot believe he could come to love her.

I really struggled with how to rate the book. I was confident in my 2.5-star rating, but since I could only go with a 2 or a 3 on Goodreads, my conundrum was whether to round up or down. The only way I could convince myself to round up to 3 was because of the last 15% of the book and I just didn’t feel as if that made up for the first 85%. Diana was one person during the first 85% of the book and a totally different one during the last 15% of the book. The author tries to convince us that the person we met in the first 85% of the book was just a mask that Diana wore in order to ‘protect’ the real person. I could have almost bought some of that if she hadn’t done such hateful things to people who were not harming her in any way at all. It wasn’t only that she did hateful things – it was that she was gleeful and thoroughly enjoyed what she did and gave absolutely no care whatsoever about the life she was trying to sentence two innocent people to. I’m sorry – I couldn’t find even a little bit of liking for her. Her reason for needing to protect herself with a ‘mask’? She and her brother were orphaned and then raised by an aunt and uncle. Diana and her brother had no money, but they were well-clothed, well-fed, warm, and lived in a comfortable home where friends were welcome to visit. However, she felt ‘unwelcome’ though nobody ever actually said so – they did comment, however, on how expensive it was to raise her. She must have been a really insecure individual to have developed such complete trauma over being raised that way.

One of the despicable things she did was to try to trap Jeremy with a vile woman and force a marriage. Why would anybody want to do that to another person? Yet, not only was Diana slyly and gleefully trying to do that, her friends were going along with it – even Jeremy’s friends weren’t calling her on it.

Another despicable thing was that Lady Helen discussed a very, very private and dangerous secret with Diana – because Diana intimated she already knew the secret (she didn’t). This secret was one that could get Lady Helen hanged in that period. So, what does Diana do? Why she heads right in to share it with her friends – after swearing them to secrecy of course. Later, she tells Jeremy – though he already knew.

Another thing I disliked about Diana (and her friends) was their total disrespect and disregard for males. There are many, many, many mentions of how stupid and useless the males of the species are. It just goes against my grain because I think there are very intelligent females and very intelligent males – and I think there are also very unintelligent females and males as well. Why does it always have to be winners and losers rather than respect for each other?

Why did I think Diana was gleeful in the harm she was trying to cause? Here are only a couple of quotes, but keep in mind I had an ARC, so these may not all make it into the final cut of the book. There are LOTS of them, but here is a couple.

“Diana, being a naturally devious person by nature, occasionally took advantage of this fact in her conversations with Emily…”

“Lady Helen seemed to be just as odious as she appeared. Which, in turn, begged the question: how was Diana possibly going to convince Willingham to marry the lady?”

“Diana thought that it was a great shame she had been born female, for she would have made an admirable general. All the people around her were players on a chessboard, moving about the board according to her plans.”

I really, really wanted to love this book because I was in need of a lighthearted, humorous, happy, and romantic read. I just couldn’t get there no matter how hard I tried. I definitely wouldn’t read this book a second time – and even though Emily seems like an interesting character, I won’t be reading her book either.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

First, my gratitude for this ARC provided by Atria Books through NetGalley. It's always a joy to read a new book! To Love and to Loathe is a fun, light, historical romance novel. I had a bit of trouble getting into this novel and I think it is because I recently finished watching Bridgerton and I still had those characters in my mind. Had I read this book first I think I would have enjoyed it more. Here is the main jest of what the novel is about: "a man and woman who never agree on anything—until they agree to a no-strings-attached affair in this Regency-era romp." The writing has a good flow and the novel is easy to read and who doesn't like a happy ending?

To Love and to Loathe started out giving me a lot of Bridgerton vibes. I love a romance set in the Regency era and had super high hopes. I absolutely adored the characters of Diana and Jeremy and their banter. I liked how they pulled out the best in each other. Also, the presence of LGBTQ+ representation was a home run, especially identifying what lengths individuals had to go through to be their true selves. It's a testament to how far we've come, even thought we still have plenty of room for improvement. However, the book felt a little slow to get into, but it felt like it was being set up for more steam than we got. Overall, the story is extremely cute, made me laugh, and made me smile a lot. It's a good book to pick up when you've been reading too many heavy books, which played a role in my liking of it.

Jeremy and Diana have known each other since they were children, and they've been bickering almost as long. She's a young widow, determined never to remarry, and he's as averse to the institution as she is. But they can't deny that, for as much as they loathe each other, there's a powerful attraction between them. For the duration of a house party, they agree to become lovers—yet all the while, she goads him to court an innocent young lady and set up his nursery. But does her ploy work too well? What happens when the feelings between them grow?

This is a witty, exuberant, joyful story. I loved the banter between Diana and Jeremy, and their constant attempts to one-up each other. But of course they're both battling demons from their past and driven to hide their true feelings. It was poignant to see how they were able to finally become vulnerable with each other and provide a soft landing. Their HEA was well-earned and perfect for the story.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

3.5 stars

The first book in this Regency series featured an improbable plot and great chemistry between the two main characters, and this one continues that theme.

Jeremy, a marquess noted for his drinking and womanizing, and Diana, a titled widow with an acerbic tongue, have long enjoyed an adversarial relationship. They make a wager about whether or not Jeremy will be married within a year and the battle is on. Diana schemes to throw likely candidates his way with the connivance of his imperious grandmother.

But somewhere along the line, the situation changes. Two things happen: Jeremy seeks her help in polishing his bedroom skills, which will also send a signal that the widow is ready to branch out. But the two cannot escape the fact that along with their barbed words, they are generating a huge amount of erotic heat.

A humorous romp -- thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This is the second book in The Regency Vows series but can be read as a standalone. This book follows Diana and Jeremy as they agree on a friends with benefits arrangement and all that entails. Add to this fact that they wagered 100 pounds on whether or not Jeremy would be married within the year and it makes for some great banter and tension between the characters.

I was laughing out loud for the majority of the book, I even choked on my coffee at one point because the scene was just so funny, and smiling through the rest of it. The chemistry that these characters have is so evident and present it just had me rooting for them to get together the entire time. Jeremy and Diana are the definition of frenemies to me, they love to get the other to react and love bickering with each other and it makes for some great content. I loved watching these two characters go from a casual relationship to getting to know each other better, and I loved seeing them realize that they’re in love with each other.

This book dragged me out of a reading slump and had me grinning like a crazy person the whole time, I loved it so much, I would highly recommend it, especially if you’re a fan of historical romances.

Another miscommunication-based, hijinks-laden regency romcom from Waters, this time following the seemingly cold-blooded widow and shameless rake.

Waters has a playful and cheeky style of prose that fits well with the overall mood and displays general competence in the genre.

However, the same annoyances I felt in "To Have and to Hoax" were unfortunately present in this installment as well. We've got the contrived and shallow drama. The uninformed traits (am I suppose to just believe that characters are xyz without being shown examples of it?). The irritating/useless side characters. The hypocritical and petty MCs (again same issue with Regency Vows #1). Are they adults or teens? Maybe they were all a little emotionally stunted in the Regency era?

I'm sure this sort of book would appeal to someone devoted to the enemies to lovers trope and wants something light from the regency romance category. There are lots of antics that would either be fun or (if you're like me) eye-rolling without being entirely insipid.

I had no emotional investment until about 60%, which is way too late as I couldn't muster the energy to care despite the strong emotional scenes in the second half. A fitting, if not entirely satisfactory, ending. 3/5

“ The last thing I ever intend to do is something as unutterably foolish as to fall in love.”

To Love and To Loathe is a sweet and steamy historical romance, perfect for fans of the Bridgerton series or Evie Dunmore's League of Extraordinary Women.

”Now that I have the advantage of a widow’s portion and the accompanying freedom, I don’t see why I should ever wish to tie myself to another man again.”

Lady Diana Templeton is young, beautiful, wealthy, and a widow. Her much-older husband passed away just a few years into their marriage, leaving her well-off and free to live according to her own desires, rather than society's expectations. Diana enjoys her freedom and has no desire to fall in love or marry again... but a rather indecent "proposal" from the rakish Lord Jeremy Willingham may lead to more than she bargained for!

”She realized that of course she loved him. Now what on earth was she to do about it?”

This was a perfectly enjoyable read, packed with all the tropes and trappings I expected to see in a historical rom-com: the constant back-and-forth banter of enemies-to-lovers; the bad-boy rogue who is actually a rather tortured soul with daddy issues; the before-her-time feminist who believes that society's construct of marriage isn't for her; and even a Victorian twist on no-strings-attached sex.

”I want to be the person you know you can demand everything of, because you deserve everything.”

I can’t say that I noticed anything particularly novel or unique about this story, compared to other historical romances I’ve read, but I found nothing to complain about either. Overall, it was just a nice, fun, and flirtatious read, with plenty of charm!

——

A huge thank-you to Martha Waters, Atria Books, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

——

Follow @letteredlibrary on Instagram!

This is a cute read which had light-hearted banter, enemies to lovers trope and some angst. In short, exactly what I wanted to read at that moment.

I understand that this is the second book in the series, but I think it works well as a standalone because I really don't think I missed much. There are some references to the previous book but you get the gist because it is explained well.

I did not realize this was the second book in the series. I unfortunately have not read the first one so felt like I couldn't start with the second in a series even if it is new characters.

This is a Regency-era romance with a wonderful twist. Diana, a widow, wants to put the word out that she'd like to have a discreet affair with a gentleman (she's allowed to do that in Regency society because she is a widow). Jeremy, a Marquess, is unmarried, and he is privately worried because one of his lovers recently mentioned that he was lacking in the bedroom. He wants to shore up his confidence, so he propositions Diana -- they will have an affair, and that will allow him to regain his confidence, and it will enable her to quietly signal to the "ton" that she is open to an affair. It's all a lot of fun, because there is great banter and a light hearted relationship between these two characters. Of course, they fall in love, with a little help from Jeremy's aristocratic grandmother, who heartily approves of Diana. I would recommend this wonderful book to Regency readers who aren't sticklers for traditional formula Regencies -- think Evie Dunmore as opposed to Julia Quinn.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of To Love and to Loathe by Martha Waters. I didn't read Waters first book but I didn't have any trouble picking up this book on its own. I really enjoyed the Beatrice and Benedick vibe of the love interests in this book, with fantastic banter while they did everything in their power to avoid admitting having feelings for each other. I felt all the feelings really strongly and enjoyed their character growth and all the obstacles that came between them along the way—mostly self-imposed, as it should be. This was so sexy and fun and I enjoyed every minute of it. Definitely recommend it!

I liked this book but didn't love the heroine (Diana).
She was too mean for me. The banter was suppose to be fun but Diana took it to biting comments about Jeremy's character. It just didn't work for me.
Also, there were so many characters introduced in a short period of time that I got confused and couldn't keep anybody straight.
I enjoyed the discussions about the differences in freedom of men and women of the time. And the ending was totally SWOON WORTHY.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was so excited to read To Love and To Loathe because I enjoyed Waters’ debut novel To Have and to Hoax so much. I love the Regency setting with a bit of modern language that blends with the novel’s romantic comedy narrative. The witty banter and side quips is what makes it so charming. This sequel focuses on Diana and Jeremy who decide to enter into a romantic engagement. The reader knows it will be quite chaotic but will want to see how it all turns out.

I liked reading Diana’s and Jeremy’s story about their relationship and their individual struggles. Diana’s loud rebellious nature makes her an interesting character. She’s been told that she’s unladylike because she’s outspoken but she doesn’t let it deter her. In fact, it’s one of the qualities that Jeremy finds really endearing about her. Jeremy’s a playful marquess who deals with the heavy weight of his brother’s death and then has all the financial responsibilities thrown on top of him. He uses humor to deflect his true feelings and Diana helps him to cope and finally let himself grieve. Though the two fight like cats and dogs they have a lot in common and are actually quite sweet to one another. They always challenge each other which always makes their relationship exciting.

This book is so much fun to read! I love the characters and their personalities. It’s so entertaining. Especially the friendship between Diana, Emily, and violet. I love how they always take it upon themselves to be nosy in a good way. They truly are for one another and they have such a tight-knit friendship. I liked seeing characters from the previous novel coupled with new characters. There’s something about Waters’ writing that makes her stories so enjoyable. I love how she gives her Regency stories a more modern twist. Her style of writing makes regency even more fun to read since it’s a genre I typically don’t seek out. The modern sensibilities mixed with the humor make it feel like I’m watching a rom-com movie in real-time.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I loved all the banter and chemistry between the main characters. Diana has me both cracking up and cringing with her antics. Loved the slow burn between her and Jeremy, I kind of wished there were more scenes with just the two of them. The other characters were amazing too, although the plot twist was a little weird how it was handled, and I’m not sure it was even necessary, but the ending made me swoon. 😍 This is a series I will continue to read for sure, I really hope Emily’s story is next. 🤞🏻

I enjoyed this book! It’s about a widow named Diana and a Marquess named Jeremy who make a deal at a ball which is that Jeremy will marry within the deal or Diana will lose one hundred pounds. But later that day, he arrives at her room with a different deal and needs help with his bedroom skills. Diana decides to help thinking she will win but both realize they can lose their hearts.

This is the second book of The Regency Vow but could be read as a stand-alone novel. I loved the story plotline and it gave me Bridgerton vibes. During this time, I was watching the show and reading the book which was a great combination and totally had me in the mood for courting and balls. The writing was well done but at some parts of the story, I felt that the pacing was off. It was either too fast or too slow. The conflicts in this book keep you hooked into the story that you do not want to miss. This book is also written in two POVs ( Diana and Jeremy) which made the story so much better!

I loved the characters in this book, especially Diana. She is the fierce woman who keeps her chin high and can bring down men. I love her powerful character and sarcasm in this book. I also enjoyed Jeremy though he was one of those men who need a woman in their life. I enjoyed both Diana and Jeremy’s chemistry plus their bedroom experiences *wink*. Both characters had great character developments and I had so much fun with their journey. There were some great side characters too but they don’t play major roles in this book. I think they might show up later in the series and have their own books which I can’t wait for!

The ending was well done and I swooned over it. It was so cute and a must-need ending! I really enjoyed the steaminess and romance in this book which was something I have never read in a contemporary romance. There were some minor problems with this book but this was such a great and fantastic read. I totally recommend this book which is perfect for fans of Bridgerton and Christina Lauren.