The gang is back and now it's Penvale's turn to fall in love.

This book had a lot of my favorite things: fun banter, marriage of convenience, a great group of friends, hidden passageways, and Jane Austen references. Penvale's journey was fun. Jane's was good, except I felt like I never really got to know Jane. It felt like there were things about her that would be explained later and it never really was.

Still an enjoyable romp if you liked the other books in the series (definitely read the other ones first as it's a joy to see other characters we've come to love coming back--especially when they start giving advice that would have been helpful to themselves not too long ago). And I really hope Sophie's next!

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the advanced readers copy.

I don’t want to give anything away with this review, but I will say that this book is unhinged in the best way. I read a lot of historical romance and this is refreshingly unlike any others I’ve ever read. It’s funny and witty and original. I did feel like I wanted a little bit more when it came to Emily and Penvales romance though.
Overall a very fun and satisfying addition to the series!

Clever and witty.

Penvale has tried to buy back his childhood estate in Cornwall for years, however, his uncle has refused. Until he shows up one January with an offer to Penvale. Marry his ward and increase the purchase price by ten percent. Vicount Penvale marries Jane Spencer. Jane is intelligent, strong willed, clever and deteremined not to be in London and to remain in Cornwall. If she has to marry Penvale to do that, she will. Jane also has a clever plan to scare Penvale off, pretend that the estate is haunted by ghosts.

This was a witty journey for Penvale and Jane, who both have minor issues and the strength of the book is their banter and dialog, Props for a strong female lead and an engaging male lead.
Recommend.

I really like the protagonists in this one, especially Jane. The premise was fun although I do wish there had been a bit less time spent on the fake haunting and a bit more on the romance. The “ghost” overshadowed their relationship for a good portion of the book. Overall, though I really enjoyed it.

Thanks #NetGalley for the advanced copy of #ToSwoonandtoSpar by Martha Waters in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 3rd book by Martha Waters and in this series that I've read (somehow I missed book 3). There were things I liked about this book but also things I didn't like. One thing was that Penvale realized that Jane was shy and then when his friends came for a small house party, he didn't tell his sister to back off because she was shy. Instead he let Diana be rude to her throughout the house party because that's just her character and at this point he was already getting along with his wife and they were getting closer - it wasn't at the beginning when he didn't like her much. I also didn't think the haunting made sense. A ghost doesn't just show up one day - something had to happen at the house for a haunting to occur so why would the uncle or Penvale just think this house that they had both lived in before just suddenly was haunted?

4.5 stars rounded up

Pub date: 4/11

Ooops I read this book in one day - and I’m not mad about it.

This fourth book in the series was delightful and had an absolutely fun twist: a marriage of convenience but she stages a haunting to get him out of the house so she can have some god damn peace and quiet. Penvale and Jane were such a great couple to root for - I loved the fact that they didn’t know each other before their wedding (unlike the heroes of the previous 3 books) which increased the tension, pining, and gazing shamelessly at certain muscles and cleavage. The haunting aspect was very fun as well! It made me giggle how quickly Penvale caught onto it and how it managed to bring them together when Jane was using it to keep them apart.

Other fun things to look forward to:
-ghostly wails
-Jane’s dislike if sunny weather (I’m with you there girl)
-Penvale’s love of cinnamon rolls
-the use of a perfectly “sturdy” wall
-swimming lessons 😉

I did wish this book had a tad more spicy scenes but I really enjoyed it and now maybe it’ll finally get around to reading the first three. This book can totally be read as a standalone though!!

OMG, I loved Penvale and Jane.

Awesome take for Pride and Prejudice premise with a touch of ghosts! Yeah you read that right!

They're perfect together from the beginning. I liked how Penvale just feels incline to open himself to Jane even when a part of him doesn't want to! On the other hand Jane's grow is by herself, of course she has feelings for Penvale but she become who she wants to is more of personal growth than changing because of him and I loved that!

I totally cannot wait for Wes and Sophie's story!

The regency vows series is amazing, characters easy to love and engage with. Totally recomend.

Viscount Penvale is thrilled when his estranged uncle finally decides to sell their ancestral home, However, there is a huge catch: Viscount must marry the uncle’s ward, Jane. The two are not impressed with the each other, yet agree to marry regardless so they may return to the estate. Upon arrival, Jane and the housekeeper create a plan to get rid of Penvale by making him believe the ancestral home is haunted. Penvale is not so easily spooked, and as the two spend more time together, Jane realizes he isn’t so bad. I thoroughly enjoyed To Marry and to Meddle and Martha Waters continues to delight in this latest release. Highly recommend!

This book was SO fun. I've been looking forward to Penvale's story for awhile, especially once I heard there would be a fake haunting involved! It was everything I could have hoped for and more. It was full of everything we've grown to expect from Waters' historical romcoms, and it was a delight to read. I loved Jane and Penvale and how their relationship changed and grew, along with their own individual character arcs. I enjoyed this book so much, and now I cannot wait for the next installment in the series!

*thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

To Swoon and To Spar is a fun romantic comedy that hit so many of my favorite things...
A marriage of convenience story
A heroine who loves to read
Lots of Jane Austen mentions
A Gothic flair with a haunted country estate
Slow burn romance
So many atmospheric scenes I loved with snow, wind, rain, and cozying up with a pot of tea and a book.

Martha Waters has written another swoony story and it was great to have all the couples from the previous books in this series back again for more of their friendly sparring and antics!

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Included as a top pick in bimonthly April New Releases post, which highlights and promotes upcoming releases of the month (link attached)

In To Swoon and To Spar, we are introduced to Jane, a gentleman’s daughter with a not so gentlewomanly persona. After years of living outside of London, she wants nothing to do with pointless society conversations or the hustle and bustle of conversation. She just wants to be left alone.

Like Jane, Penvale has one thing on his mind: purchasing his childhood home, and being the Viscount he’s meant to be. When his estranged uncle is finally willing to sell, Penvale jumps at the chance, even if it means marrying a woman he’s only met once before.

This is a marriage of convenience story with two great characters. Jane is tough on the outside, but a little nervous wreck all throughout. She’s a perfect opposite to Penvale, the thoughtful, single minded (though not for long!), viscount who just wants to do things right. Throughout the story, he’s so kind and sweet, and just the right amount of saucy. He’s one of my favorite MMCs in a while.

I also really enjoyed how the romance in this story progressed. It didn’t feel super rushed, just a tad bit slow burn and it was done well. While I felt the ending tied up okay, I was so sad to not see an epilogue. I felt like Jane and Penvale were gone too soon!

I am loving this series! To Swoon and To Spar was a great addition to the previous books, and even though I just finished, I’m (im)patiently waiting for the next! This series is a great intro into historical romance. It’s not intimidating; it’s not overly confusing, and it’s a lot of fun!

4.5 rounded to 5

Viscount Penvale has been trying to get his ancestral home back into his possession and now the only person standing between him and his goal is his uncle. His uncle agrees to sell Penvale thee house if Penvale will marry his ward, Jane, and he agrees. The two enter a marriage of convenience and begin living together in the house that may or may not be haunted… by Jane.

This series just isn’t my favorite. It’s regency romance for people who don’t read regency romance. There was no heat, tension, or chemistry between Penvale and Jane. The author was trying to write a rom-com but it just wasn’t funny… at all. I think the humor was supposed to be Jane pretending to haunt the house, but it just came off as immature. I think this is a series I need to stop reading because the books always leave me frustrated.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Martha Waters adds a fourth book to her Regency Vows series. In a twist she adds a little gothic haunting into the mix. Viscount Penvale thinks his dream has come true when his uncle offers to sale him the ancestral home of his childhood. The catch is he must also marry his uncles ward. Jane Spencer meets briefly with Penvale, long enough to know that she is willing and not being forced and a match is made. Jane is the daughter of a Navy man and has been left on her own much of her life. She has no interest in London of society but loves the home in Cornwall. She is smart but can be blunt not use to the polite niceties of society. Within a few weeks time they are wedded and settling into the country.

(3.5 Stars) This is a basic arranged marriage, forced proximity romance but the author adds humor. (Although I found his less funny than the previous book.) There are mis-steps and hurt feelings as Penvale and Jane say things without thinking. But there is more to Penvale than Jane expects. She likes his concern for the village and for those on his estate. The haunted happenings at the house also aren’t driving him away like she hopes. But maybe she’s changed her mind.

These two are really both a little brusk and blunt. This isn’t a swooning romance where they are each the most handsome/pretty or the most charming. This is shy people who are a little unsure. And both could use a lot of education about communication. This is mild spicy with but enough to see a connection. It is low angst as well. The characters from previous books make appearances too for a house party. It is enjoyable but didn’t wow me. I do love the covers that have made the series unique and easy to spot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC and I’m leaving a voluntary review.

To Swoon and to Spar by Martha Waters
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon&Shuster for the ARC

I absolutely loved this funny and charming historical romance.

I love a good marriage of convenience, with some enemies-to-friends-to-lovers. Viscount Penvale’s uncle has ownership of the family estate, and agrees to sell it to Penvale if he also agrees to marry Jane - the uncle’s ward.

Penvale has been trying to regain ownership of this estate his whole life, and all Jane wants is to live in peace in the estate and be left alone. To that end, she and the servants had been staging a haunting of the estate to scare away the uncle, and now they are applying the same strategy on Penvale.

The premise is mildly bonkers and very well executed. The dialogue between Penvale and Jane crackles and made me laugh out loud on several occasions. Neither is exactly as they seem to each other initially, and I liked the way the slowly built trust.

I especially loved Jane. She has a hard time in social situations, frequently says things that fall outside social norms, and has a lot of internal struggles that gave me the sense that she may be neurodiverse. Whether or not that was the intent, I appreciated the ways she grew somewhat more comfortable, while maintaining those key character traits. I loved that Penvale loved her and accepted her as she is.

A great addition to this series of books, looking forward to the next one!

This series continues to be so much fun! This Regency-era romance features an arranged marriage, a fake haunting, and a shy girl who just wants to be left alone with her library -- what's not to love?

To Swoon and to Spar by Martha Waters was a fun read! I’ve read a couple of the other books in this series and they’re all really cute. I loved Jane and Penvale! Watching both of them come out of their shells for each other in a way they found difficult with others was so lovely. This is a romance of convenience with forced proximity set in a bit of a gothic setting. Seeing the setting and the female protagonist gave me Jane Eyre vibes but the ghost premise is significantly funnier in this one. I will say if you’re not a fan of miscommunication in your romance this one might be difficult for you, but the whole point of the main characters is that they have difficulty communicating with people. It’s a major part of their character development so I didn’t mind it in this case. Excited to read the next book in the series!

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the provided ARC for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving this ARC, and this doesn’t influence my review. This was a great read, I didn’t like the dual POV though. I love historical regency romances, especially ones that have enemies/rivals to lovers.

I have loved every title in this series. They are witty and funny, but also the "scandalous" historical fiction in which you love to escape. I have to assume West's and Sophie's story is next, and I can't wait!

This is the fourth book of this series and by this author and I have thoroughly enjoyed every one, although this was a bit easier than the first three. It is a Regency era historical romance where the main characters each agree to marry in order to have possession of an estate in Cornwall. “Penvale” wants it because it is was his family’s home prior to the death of his parents, and Jane because it is the first place she has fallen in love with the house while living there as the ward of its’ owner. These two strangers marry after a meeting of less than an hour and then return to Cornwall together. Jane is determined to scare her new husband into returning to town so that she has the house to herself. Penvale is just as determined to remain in his childhood home and live up to the responsibilities of its’ owner. What follows is a funny story of two people who begin to know and like each other during he craziness of Jane’s plan. Add in the whacky cast of friends from the previous books in this series, and I did laugh out loud, just less than in this author’s previous work. She has a witty sense of humor and I look forward to her next work of fiction as well. I definitely recommend giving this book a whirl. I am voluntarily submitting this review after reading an advanced complementary copy of this book.