First off, I adore the setup and I really enjoyed the other book in this series that I read, so I was super hyped for this. A grumpy heroine? ✅ A gothic fake haunted house? ✅ Enemies to lovers after they've said their vows? ✅ Unfortunately, it didn't thrill me quite as I'd hoped and the romance is more tepid than originally promised in the title. I wanted some swooning, damn it!

First kiss is at 58% and their desire for each other never really comes to the forefront until much much later in the book, so this doesn't even feel like a slow burn. Her writing style can be so rewarding, particularly regarding physical desire, which is why it's frustrating that the story isn't centered on the romance with lots of delicious tension building between them. I wanted them sparring and swooning a hell of a lot more is what I'm trying to say.

I love their funny banter back and forth, there's a scene where they're fighting over bedsheets and he calls her his little sausage and I about fell out of my chair laughing. But those points were too few and far between. This book is like a puzzle: you have all the pieces to make a great novel: a fresh and fun voice, a great understanding of how to make characters interact when they are falling in love, the ability to write funny and snappy dialogue, but all of the pieces lay there tangled on the table and never make a completed picture.

Even after they kiss, the story instantly reverts back to the barely hanging in there plot of her trying to scare him as a ghost. Which SHOULD have been hysterical but wasn't. Missed opportunities! The book ran very hot and cold, with no throughline of romance. After a love scene, there is no mention of how it's affecting them physiologically or psychologically, it's instantly a scene in the "real world" just an itinerary of events and it's really odd.

The third act breakup mishap was so bungled I was shaking my head and the fact that a third party is drawn into it as the sacrificial lamb was so out of left field. What?!

All in all I totally got the premise behind this book and was SOLD, I just wanted more romance, more building of tension between them, and more love in general. And if you're going to be a gothic, then I want more ridiculousness, just lay it on really thick.

The HEA was very sweet and tender and I did love it, I mean I'm a sucker for a man in spectacles 🤓 so it ended on a high note but jeez, I wish the ride there had many, many more stolen moments for these two.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this! No review was required and all thoughts are my own

This book was so sweet, oh my goodness!!! I loved Jane and Penvale so much. The stakes were honestly very low and I think this might be the weakest book in the series, but it's still really fun and sweet and I loved it! I ADORED Jane, she reminded me of Jane Eyre, and this book had light-hearted Jane Eyre meets Northanger Abbey vibes :3 Penvale was so sweet and different than the other heroes in this series. I love how pragmatic both Jane and Penvale were, and how their relationship threw them for a loop because it didn't fit into the pragmatic lives

All in all, I really loved this one and can't wait for the next book in the series!

This was a swoon worthy story of two people who had never been in love. I really enjoyed seeing them fall for each other through the story. This is a perfect story for this spring/summer. I could see you on the beach reading this one while catching some rays. I loved the dynamic of the characters and the story at large. It was just a feel good story that I couldn't put down. I hope to pick up a copy in print soon.

A big thank you to Martha Waters, Atria Waters, and NatGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. To Swoon and to Spar comes out April 11, 2023.

To Swoon and to Spar is the fourth in a series of interconnected historical romances, I have loved the other ones in the series and I don’t feel any different about this one. In this one Viscount Penvale has spent most of his adult years saving money to buy his ancestral home. He finally has the chance to buy it back from his uncle, the only catch is he has to marry his uncle’s ward, Jane. Jane has spent years having her life determined by men and she was sick of it, so in a scheme to get ride of her guardian she creates the ruse of the home being haunted. Even when she agrees to marry Penvale she decides that she is going to keep up the haunting in the effort to get her husband to head back to London. But over the course of her scheme and Penvale learning how to run his estate Jane might find out that having a husband might not be the worst thing in the world.

This book was such a delight to read, it was full of humor, heart and a “haunted” house. Jane was a refreshing character to read in the fact that she has pretty bad social anxiety so she come off as being cold. But through the book you she her starting to open up to not only Penvale but also to his friends and the surrounding village. Watching Penvale learn how to be lord of the manor and also learn that the house he spent most of his life obsessed with isn’t actually everything. It was a slow burn type of novel so it takes a while for both of them start warming up to each other but once they do they have a great romance. The only thing I wish was for there to be an epilogue. Otherwise if you are looking for a low stakes “gothic” novel full of love and funny ghost shenanigans To Swoon and to Spar is the book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. I keep reading each book in this series, even though regency isn’t my preferred era (for books, tv, movies, any of it). Each time I start a regency novel, I ask myself “why am I reading this?” But then this series reminds me - it is just delightful. Each book is more fun than the last. This one is my favorite so far! Fake haunting. Falling in love with reading. Recipe for a great time.
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Somewhere between 3.5 stars and 4 stars - This has the trademark humor I've come to expect & enjoy from this author, and I thought this playful take on a 18th/19th century Gothic romance was very smart! The haunting elements were really over the top & fun. I think the actual romance between the two leads was a little hard to buy, but I liked them both as characters and on paper, their connection as 2 lonely people who found each other made sense. Also - love an arranged marriage/marriage of convenience!

In her latest release, the author has outdone herself. As a reader of the first three books in the series, I was thrilled to learn that a Penvale story was in the works. I was even more excited to discover that it was a ghost story, as I've always been fascinated by supernatural tales. I'm grateful to Atria Books for providing me with an advanced copy, as I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.

The premise of the book is intriguing, as it follows Penvale's quest to acquire his family home from his uncle, who agrees to sell it on the condition that Penvale marries his ward. The catch? The house is supposedly haunted. The story is full of suspense, as Penvale tries to rationalize the strange occurrences while Jane attempts to scare him out of the house. It's a nod to the gothic writers of the 19th century and makes for a fun read.
What I enjoyed most about the book was the slow-burn romance between Penvale and Jane. They both enter into the marriage of convenience with the goal of acquiring the house, and neither is interested in the other. However, as they spend more time together, they come to see each other in a new light. Jane is a shy bookworm who learns to trust Penvale, while he discovers what it's like to have someone else in his life who matters to him. The thread about Penvale's refusal to acknowledge his need for glasses is a heartwarming touch.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to fans of historical romance and ghost stories. The author has created a captivating story with well-developed characters and a satisfying conclusion. As a reader who was invested in Penvale's story, I'm now eagerly awaiting a Sophie and West book.

🌸 Forced Proximity
🌸 Marriage of Convenience
🌸 Grumpy/Sunshine
🌸 Dual POV

I absolutely loved the concept of this book! A regency era marriage of convenience where the wife tries to scare away the husband by pretending the house is haunted? Amazing.

My favorite part of To Swoon and to Spar was Jane. As someone who grew up being very shy and quiet, she was so relatable to me. I understand how hard it is to meet and have conversations with new people, and I really connected to her thoughts and emotions. I think the author represented the mindset of her character very well. I also thought Diana and Jane’s interactions were great. 😂

I love regency romances, and this one did not disappoint! The romance is so cute, the characters are hilarious yet relatable, and the plot was so unique. I would totally recommend this to anyone who enjoys romance.

A marriage of convenience between an almost annoyingly practical aristocrat and his uncle’s “country bumpkin” ward. Oh and ghosts, a fake haunting actually.

Penvale has worked his entire life to make enough money to get his family home back from his uncle. But he must marry his uncle’s ward, Jane, to get it. He agrees almost immediately, waiting only to confirm she isn’t being coerced. Their first impressions of each other leave a lot to be desired.

What Penvale doesn’t know is that Jane loves the home just as much as he does, if not more. And, Jane is determined to drive him out (with the aforementioned haunting).

I just recently reread every book in this series and really love them:

- The friend group is excellent.
- Waters has a a real talent for making the completely unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable.
- The shenanigans are top notch (there’s a bit of the he knows, she knows he knows, he knows she knows he knows like Violet’s book and it’s hilarious)

Specific to this book:
- very reasonable marriage of convenience
- the slow way they are fall for each other is 😍
- The banter is, as always, spot on

One of my struggles with historical romance is the infantilism of women. HOWEVER, that is not what Waters does here. Jane is definitely an isolated, naive, virgin but she’s also self protective, poised, well read, and absolutely smart enough to pick up on an innuendo. (There’s a very funny moment with a handkerchief.)

Penvale is very serious but also kind, funny, and really wants to be good to Jane. Also he doesn’t read novels 🙄 🤣 and Jane loves them. She catches him having quite a moment with a very famous novel and it’s awesome.

Like the other books there aren’t many sex scenes but they are great!

To Swoon and To Spar is out April 11th!

Thank you to Waters, Atria, and NetGalley for the ARC.

I adore a regency story and this was no different! The book cover was SO cute and I really loved this romance. As I was adding my review, I saw this was a book 4 so I can't wait to go back and read the other titles. I didn't find that Was lost without that context but I think you'd probably enjoy seeing the characters more if you knew them! The tagline suggests this is for Bridgerton fans and I couldn't agree more!

Beautiful story. Penvale has a dream to regain his childhood home that his uncle now owns. When that uncle appears with a deal he can't refuse Penvale finds himself married and back at the home he has dreamed of since childhood. Jane has enjoyed her solitude for years and hopes nothing will change with her new husband. She could not have been more wrong. Now jane teams up with the housekeeper to scare off Penvale and leave Jane in peace. But will it work? I really liked this book but found some of the language to be unnecessary. I also thought the sexual content was not really needed. I really liked this book! The characters were well-written and the story flowed well. I would recommend this book to anyone!

All (Viscount) Penvale wants is to again own, and live in the home where his parents lived with him and his younger sister, but his uncle has refused to sell to him for years. Seemingly out of the blue, this changes - contingent on Penvale marrying his uncle’s ward, Miss Jane Spencer.

Jane is hardly unhinged - she’s a young woman without influence, seeking to rid herself of troublesome issues in her life - she succeeded with frightening off her guardian, Viscount Penvale’s uncle, and she figures that Penvale himself should scare off easily too, leaving her to ramble alone in Trethwick Abbey, reading books, and not having to be social.

After the marriage the two do spar, but also begin to see one another anew. Getting to know one another, and spending time together, and Jane is no longer quite so sure that she wants to rid herself of her husband.

I really rather enjoy a marriage of convenience / arrangement trope and I was immediately invested in the story and kept at it, finishing it in just a couple of days. I liked Jane and Penvale both as characters - and the two together were perfect.

Utterly charming and enjoyable story ❤️ I have adored this series.




Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the DRC!

Viscount Penvale has been wanting to buy back his ancestral home. His uncle will sell it if Penvale marries his ward Jane Spencer. Neither is impressed. Nevertheless, they agree to a marriage in name only. At the estate, Jane enlists her housekeeper to help stage a haunting so Penvale will return to London, leaving her to do as she pleases at Trethwick Abbey.

I’m not sure why the editor’s note in the beginning likened this to Mansfield Park. Northanger Abbey would be more apt.

This is a new series and a new author for me. I liked the author’s voice, there’s a lot of humor here, but Jane’s antics were not for me. I got bored with her scheme and Jane’s harsh manner made it hard for me to like her. Her severity was her entire personality. She claims to be shy but she comes across as rude. Penvale was more likable and had more depth.

This one wasn’t for me but I’d try another book by this author. But those who want a romp with a blunt heroine, grab this one.

This one was just a good read. I love a good slow moving romance with nice moments with the characters. I had a hard time with the leading ladies attitude but the author does a good job of helping us unravel both of these characters bit by bit until we love them too. I was missing something towards the end. I don't understand why this author didn't include more sweet moments between the couple. Especially as you get to finally see them get together ,all the sudden the swoony moments just ended after they consummated the marriage.....which was odd....can I just say one of the strangest ending of virginity scenes in a romance novel.
So overall a fun story. Good romance. This did have a sex scene in it. I really liked that sex was not the whole focus of this book. It had a fun story a good romance and when they were ready they had sex but it was not the fucus of either character.

This series has single-handedly renewed my love of the regency romance novel. Each novel in the series is so much fun to read and the friendships are almost as charming as the romance. The premise of Penvale and Jane’s story is ridiculous, just like the earlier novels in this series, with a marriage of convenience and a mysterious haunting at Trethwick Abbey. It’s both absurd and delightful.

I could have used a bit more development of their relationship, it seemed to happen quickly, but because the story spans several months, much of the progression from tolerable companion to friend to lover happens behind the scenes.

There is something so charming about these viscounts and gentlemen who are utterly besotted by their unconventional wives. With low steam—mostly implied and closed door—this story is a slow-burn love story that I would recommend as the perfect companion for an afternoon escape.

Thanks you to Atria and NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed the vast majority of this book and definitely enjoyed the writing, but this all falls into my least favorite trope of "this could all be fixed with one conversation." I like the characters and the overall idea of the story, but found myself frustrated with them every couple of chapters because of their inability to talk to the other. Also, while I adore a *spicy* scene, the singular encounter in this book kind of came out of nowhere and didn't really fit either of the main characters. Penvale and Jane are a good pairing, but could definitely benefit from some open conversations.

I have loved every one of the regency romances in this series, but this fourth book may be my favorite. I connected with Jane in every way, and I loved the slow burn of her relationship with Penvale. Pick up this series if you are in the mood for something fun and slightly spicy. While it isn’t necessary to read this series in order, the character relationships build on one another, it makes sense to start from the beginning.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A worthy new addition to Martha Waters' delightful Regency Vows series of spicy cinnamon roll heroes and heroines. I enjoyed how the faux-haunting plot allowed for some atmospheric scene-setting, and the cat cameo. I think the resolution to the “haunting” was a little rushed, but nevertheless enjoyed my time with Penvale and Jane, plus fun cameos by the main characters from the previous novels.

I loved this book! I thought Jane came across a bit over the top, but otherwise this one was so good. The creative way Jane tried to scare off her husband would have had me out of there that first day. This book had the perfect amount of spice and you could feel the attraction between the characters and the bonds between the friends. Add this to your tbr for sure!

Another story in Martha Waters's Regency Vows that did not disappoint. The premise had me hooked from the beginning, pretending to haunt your own house to scare your husband?! Sign me up! The story felt as though it dragged at times with a lot of back and forth internally from Jane. Other than that this was a standard historical rom-com with a gothic twist. Recommend to fans of the series or genre.

Thanks to Atria and NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.