If you are looking for a delightful regency rom-com full of banter and clever energy, I have just the book for you. Out on the frigid moors of Cornwall, Jane and Penvale will, in fact, steal your heart, as they will just as well steal the hearts of each other. To Swoon and to Spar by Martha Waters was a delightful romp full of (fake?) estate hauntings, a man in serious need of spectacles, a clever heroine with a love for our favorite, the one and only Miss Jane Austen, and much, much more. This book was clever and sharp, with a very atmospheric gothic surrounding and characters you just can't help but love.
To Swoon and to Spar is the next novel within Waters' Regency Vows series about none other than Penvale. For readers of her past novels, Penvale is the older brother to the beloved Diana and a cherished friend to the other cast of characters Waters has brought us to love through her delightfully written romances. This book introduces a new character Jane, whom I promise you will love equally as much as everyone else in the story! When Penvale is given the opportunity to buy back his father's estate from his uncle, he jumps at the chance. Yet, there is a catch. (Isn't there always?) To do so, he must marry his uncle's ward, Jane. Jane, a clever and strong-willed young woman, has no use for the men who always have a hand in controlling her life, as she so rightfully should. While she has no use for marriage to Penvale, she loves the estate, which is soon to be his, so she devises a plan. She will "haunt" the house and, in turn, drive Penvale away, leaving her to spend her days in the house which she loves so much.
As an avid romance reader, as I am sure many people who may be reading this are, we all know this plan will not go as expected. This is, after all, a romance. So spoilers ahead for those who wish to go in with none other than a description, but for those who want to share with me in the delight of this novel, read on to see what I loved so much about this book!
Something that I really like about Waters' romances is that she gives the characters time to develop and the readers to watch as we get to know them. So often in a historical romance, I feel things move at lightning speed, often leaving readers to wonder what the two even really know about each other. This book gives the readers time; we actually get to see why these two want to be with each other, and I appreciate that. Jane is a rather shy woman, and so rightfully, for a woman in her position, it takes time for her to warm up to Penvale. Penvale, on the other hand, is not used to forming relationships outside of his small circle, and it is nice to watch him grow on Jane as she grows on him. This is a meaningful relationship; we understand why they love each other and what they see in each other.
Well, maybe not Penvale, for the man simply cannot see. He desperately needs some "spectacles," as Jane often teases him about. Which, yes, dear readers, is very often. As the title suggests, these two tend to spar very often, and it is highly entertaining. There is nothing better than watching two characters jest with each other, each trying to hide a slight smirk or pretend they are not totally falling in love.
Now, as for the "haunting," which makes up a significant part of the gothic atmospheric vibes that are going on in this novel, it was a very clever and entertaining thing to watch play out. Jane is, as you may imagine by now, whip-smart and clever. Her haunting skills are top-notch, and they can put on quite a show with the help of many household staff. It is highly entertaining watching Penvale scamper around with Jane trying to find the ghost and watching him let it scare him the slightest bit. There is something so admirable about a man who is rightfully scared of the household ghoul.
Some of my honorable mentions of this book were when Penvale is caught in the library, crying while reading Persuasion (I mean, we have all been there, so I get it, my dude, I get it) as well as when Jane creates a library for the town out of her own books. Watching Diana and Jane interact was a bit painful and very entertaining, and we can't forget about the moment when at the end of the novel, Jane makes a grand dinner party entrance. Oh, how I love a grand entrance.
Overall this book was simply delightful. It had the perfect mix of romantic comedy and gothic vibes. The scenery was perfect for the plot, and Penvale and Jane were simply too adorable. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a clever, feminist, and rewarding regency romance! Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review; this book was highly enjoyable!

Martha Waters has done it again - I swear every book gets better!! I will read anything she writes at this points.

Here’s what to expect:
💖 regency romance perfect for Bridgerton fans
💖 marriage of convenience
💖 a “haunted” estate
💖 bookish FMC
💖 stubborn MMC
💖 slowwwwww burn

The uniqueness of this book was just such a fun escape - the amount of times I laughed out loud with the attempted hauntings and also swooned from the sweetness of their relationship development was 🤌🤌

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC!

I am finding that I enjoy each Martha Waters book more than the last. This one was such a delight. The author is at her best in creating truly flawed characters that are not particularly loveable from the outset and the helping the reader love them, flaws and all. In all ways, I felt like the author really understood the characters and presented them with care.

The book was also cleverly funny throughout. And if the conditions of the ARC program didn’t restrict it, I would provide quotes to prove it!

My only frustration was that there were several frustrating time jumps between chapters near the end of the novel that came after moments where it felt like we were missing out on some of the well-deserved happy moments between Penvale and Jane.

I am not usually a fan of the grand gesture but found the ending here to be so tender and authentic. And I’m booking forward to book 5 which was very subtly foreshadowed in this book.

I was elated to receive this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

To Swoon and to Spar is the fourth book by Martha Waters in her Regency Vows series. You don’t need to have read the first three books to read this one, as they are not direct sequels but rather companion novels. I only read this fourth book and didn’t feel lost (though I’m probably missing some context in the way of the other relationships that were formed).

The seventh Viscount of Penvale, Peter Bourne, seeks only one thing: to reclaim his childhood home, Trethwick Abbey. His uncle is willing to sell it to him on the condition that Penvale marry his ward, Jane Spencer. Penvale finds this to be an acceptable condition as he is not looking for a love match. Jane is attached to the house herself, having grown up in it as a ward. She is shy and reclusive, yet sassy and abrasive… and has concocted plans to drive out controlling men in her life—staring w Penvale’s uncle and the Penvale himself. How does she do this? By making the house seem haunted with wailing ghosts and things that go bump in the night. Penvale and Jane are married very early on in the book, but will Jane succeed in scaring Penvale away or can they learn to love one another?

If you’re a fan of the Bridgerton novels, you’ll probably like this book. It’s a romance novel set in the regency era with gentlemen and ladies of the ton seeking their perfect match during the Season, but with an added twist of a haunted house. I’d say the spice level is on the lower side, but it’s still a sweet, funny, entertaining read.

Personally, I don’t think I’ll go back at read books 1-3, but I did enjoy this one and I’m glad I got to read this ARC. I will be recommending this book to my friends/followers!

This historical romance novel is the fourth in the Regency Vows series, set around the same group of young aristocrats and upper class people living in the early 19th century. This book is the first that I've read in the series, and I was struck by the witty tone of the novel. It had me smiling often, and occasionally laughing aloud.
The book opens with a tense scene with the two main characters looking for the source of a suspiciously ghost-like series of noises and then jumps back to a few months earlier.
This book's male lead is Penvale, a viscount who has dreamed of regaining his family's ancestral home in Cornwall, Trethwick Abbey, ever since it was sold at his father's death. Penvale's paternal uncle bought it at the time, but the brothers were estranged and Penvale and his younger sister Diana were farmed out to family on their mother's side until they came of age.
Penvale became a viscount as a child at the age of ten, and had grown up at Trethwick Abbey, and thus the dream of regaining the home had become a driving force for him. Since he'd moved to London to take his seat as a Lord after finishing at Oxford, Penvale has been investing the money he has won at the gaming table to rebuild his finances, hoping to convince his uncle to sell Trethwick Abbey back to him. As we discover, his uncle has approached him unexpectedly to sell the home to him, on one condition. That condition is that he marry his uncle's ward, Jane Spencer, a refined but untitled young woman of twenty-one. Penvale insists on meeting her first to ascertain that she isn't being coerced into this arrangement, but as we see from the prologue, wastes no time in going through with the marriage.
Part of this story is told from Jane's point of view as we see how she has had a hand in bringing the opening circumstances about. Jane is not interested in a husband, but she loves the home, and enjoys the extensive library there. She sets in motion a plan to drive Penvale away through various happenings that indicate the house is haunted. But Penvale isn't that easy to scare away, and he instead tries to determine the cause of these odd events.
As the two main characters spend time together at Trethwick Abbey as newlyweds, they begin to get to know each other slowly. Penvale spends a great deal of time getting to know the details of the estate, its finances, and his tenants and servants. Jane gradually ventures beyond the grounds of the Abbey and gets to know the wider community. I enjoyed watching them getting to know each other's secrets and quirks, and find themselves increasingly drawn to each other's company. I also appreciated Jane's enjoyment and curiosity when it came to reading.
This is not your typical Regency romance, and I liked seeing how they defied the stereotypes and revealed some surprising pastimes. The writing is unexpected yet somehow perfect. The romance has underlying sexual tension and several surprising moments. If you like historical romance with believable characters and a bit of spice this series is for you.

This was a really fun book. Sometimes I find that books where the couple gets married early in the story can get a little boring, but that definitely wasn’t the case here. The “haunting” and all of the effort that went into it made for a funny story, and I really liked the romance between the characters.

I also appreciate Jane’s struggles. “Shy” heroines in HRs aren’t uncommon, but they’re usually just quiet and sweet and bookish with one or two very close friends. Whereas Jane’s crippling shyness that makes her horribly anxious in crowds and makes it really hard to make friends isn’t something that’s portrayed very often, and as someone who can relate it was nice to see.

That being said, I do think Jane went too far sometimes. It makes sense, to an extent, that she lashes out when she feels uncomfortable and self-conscious. But there were definitely times where she was way meaner than was reasonable, which is the only reason I knocked off a star.

And lastly… ALL HAIL THE LINE “It’s all a bit…sticky.” So many books completely ignore that part, especially when gravity gets involved. And I get it, it’s not “romantic” or whatever, but it is nice to see a realistic portrayal of this….logistical difficulty

I was so happy to read an early copy of Martha Waters' latest book! I really liked the characters and especially Jane, who is different from your typical heroine. I recommend it and am looking forward to purchasing a copy!

The marriage of convenience trope is a favorite of mine and I was very excited to see Martha take it on! Penvale and Jane reluctantly marry for their own reasons and move to their residence in remote Cornwall. Prickly Jane would much prefer to be alone in her home and conspires to get Penvale to decamp back to London by pretending a ghost haunts the house. Penvale proves to be made of sterner stuff and Jane becomes less and less convinced that she wants him to go. Before any happily ever after can be achieved there are plenty of assumptions, miscommunication, and one ghost that must be overcome. Thank you Martha for this swoony romance!

I can't remember the last time I had so much fun while reading a historical romance story!
It is an unusual premise - Jane stages hauntings to drive away her husband, but they end up falling for each other. I went in with low expectations and didn't expect to like it as much as I did!
I love characters such as Jane. She's frank, waspish, easily irritated towards all the high-society brouhaha, does not stand on ceremony, and is not hesitant to blurt out her thoughts. All of these hide a vulnerability that she's reluctant to show the world.
Penvale is not the lazy, indolent man she thought he would be. He actually cares about the estate, it's people and the village nearby. I love how he needed glasses but pretended that he did not 🤣
Their love story is a slow-burn (my favorites). I loved that they built some kind of friendship before it slowly developed into more.
I really enjoyed seeing characters from the previous books, and hope to read Sophie and West's story next!
Martha Waters is a refreshing voice in the histrom world. She keeps getting better - To Swoon and to Spar is definitely her best work.

Thank you to the publisher and author for the ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

This book is just what any Bridgerton fans need to get through this drought between seasons. The characters are hilarious and fun and I really enjoyed their little journey together. Love this series.

To start - I am a big Martha Waters. If you’ve read her others you already know this, but her books are full of banter, smart and likable characters, and fresh plots. This book is no different. On its face I didn’t think I’d enjoy the lying regarding the staged “hauntings”, but Waters’ writing has a way about it that keeps the story fun, genuine, and believable.

My only quibbles were that I wished we had more screen time with Penvale and Jane together and I wish the book was altogether longer. Their affection felt like it developed off the page, and I wish we’d had more banter between them in the interim, and maybe less interaction with the outside characters from the previous books on the series.

3.5 Stars To Swoon and to Spar is the fourth book in Martha Waters' Regency Vows series. Like the previous books, there is plenty of romance, banter, hijinks, conspiring, and matchmaking.

Ever since Viscount Penvale inherited his title and lost his ancestral home at the age of ten, he's been determined to buy back Trethwick Abbey from his estranged uncle. Finally, his uncle agrees to sell Trethwick to Penvale, on the condition that Penvale marry his uncle's ward, Miss Jane Spencer. A surly woman who despises polite society and would rather be tucked up in Trethwick's library with a book rather than be in London, she agrees to the match with her own plan in mind. After they marry and return to Trethwick, Penvale and Jane begin to hear strange moaning, shrieking, and thumps in the night--all part of Jane's plot (along with the servants) to drive Penvale back to London so she can live alone in peace, without another man controlling her. Penvale is not so easily scared by the supposed haunting and his actions while they live together cause Jane to rethink her initial impression of Penvale. Namely, that he's more caring and thoughtful than most men of his status are believed to be.

This was a quick and delightful read. The banter between Jane and Penvale was hilarious, and Jane could really hold her own when he was being rude without thinking. Both grew to reconsider the hopes and dreams they had carried for so long, rethinking what it is that they truly wanted from life in the long term. If you are a fan of Bridgerton and witty rom coms, you'll like this one!

Such a unique book, I loved the plot and oh my god the characters we're so amazing!! I definitely will be recommending it!!

This was predictable and formulaic but honestly, that's what I needed. This series is always fun and it was exciting to see some familiar characters from a new perspective.

I've been a longtime fan of Martha Waters and this series holds a special place in my heart, so I was very excited to read this next installment, and boy did it not disappoint! This book follows Penvale as he returns to his ancestral home, which he will finally be able to repurchase, but only on the condition that he marry his uncle's ward Jane. Penvale and Jane fell at best lukewarm towards one another, but regardless they enter a marriage of convinence. Jane longs to return to the bliss of living on the country estate alone and hatches a plan to get rid of Penvale for good. And how does one get rid of their husband? By pretending to be a ghost of course.

At first I was a little skeptical with the premise, because honestly a woman pretending to be a ghost to scare her husband can only be described as kooky (in the best way possible). But I was quickly won over by this novel's charm. In the snippet's I've seen of Penvale in the previous books he came across a tad dramatic and overbearing, but he is given a very compelling inner world in this novel which made me a big fan of his character. Jane is truly a delight, her wit and schemes makes this book a blast. Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun time, though the premise is definetly outlandish. This book doesn't take itself too seriously and neither should you! Have some fun and pick this up!

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for kindly sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review (all opinions are my own).

I have loved every single book in this series so I truly hope it is not the end. Penvale and Jane’s story has become my favorite of the 4. Hopefully - we get to find out if West gets his story. I just reviewed To Swoon and to Spar by Martha Waters. #NetGalley

Oh dear. To Swoon and to Spar is my absolute least favorite installment of this series by far.

The plot is quite thin. The conflict never came across as high stakes. I know this is a romance novel--love will prevail in the end--but it is clear immediately that Penvale is neither a bore or a monster.

The ghost aspect promised in the premise was not used to what I thought could have been the full effect. The plot is already fairly ridiculous. Might as well go all out. It would have made the story drag less.

The humor in this book felt toned down to the story's detriment. The title promises (verbal) sparring, but the witty dialouge and silly arguments I've come to expect from previous installments are missing. I don't believe there was any swooning either.

Jane as a character felt entirely surface level. She's bookish and hides her shyness behind an aloof exterior. I have read so many books with such a character. There is nothing that makes her spark on the page. As an Austen lover and a reader, I thought I'd feel more of a connection to her, but I never did.

I did enjoy getting to know Penvale more in this installment. He shows himself to be more thoughtful and patient than previous books lead me to believe. I preferred him over Jane as a main character.

A disappointing read, but I'm not giving up on Waters. Afterall, I genuinely enjoyed the other books in The Regency Vows series. Hopefully, Sophie and West's book will he back up to the author's previous standard.

I just love this series. I'm impressed with Martha Waters' ability to play with tropes, and To Swoon and to Spar is a fun twist on the marriage of convenience trope. Viscount Penvale (brother to Diana from To Love and To Loathe) has had one goal since he was ten years old - to buy back his ancestral estate in Cornwall from a crappy uncle. Said uncle is finally ready to sell, but there's a catch - in addition to overpaying for Trethwick Abbey, Penvale must also agree to marry Jane, his uncle's ward. Penvale agrees, and he and his new awkward, socially anxious. and plain-speaking bride head back to the Abbey. Soon after his arrival, Penvale starts to see and hear signs that seem to indicate that the house is haunted, just as his uncle had warned him (after the sale of course). Jane, a big fan of novels and tired of having her fate determined by men, is behind the haunting, but as she and Penvale get to know each other, things get complicated. The haunting storyline was very funny to me and I appreciated Jane's acid wit and her banter with Penvale. I hope Sophie and West are getting their story next!

Thank you Atria for my Gifted copy

CW: death of parents (past), grief, family tensions

The fourth book in the series it can be read as a standalone, with slight spoilers for the series

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f historical romance
-marriage of convenience
-idiots to lovers
-threatening to maim you is my love language
-spectacular banter
-found family
-a maybe haunted house
-sloooow burn

I adore this series and honestly never want it to end. This was just what I needed. It was light, frothy, and set two people who were two sides of the same lonely coin together.

This has the best premise. Two people who marry out of convenience, and in order to be left alone Jane decides to spook her new husband to believe the estate is haunted. It is ridiculous bonkers and just hilarious as she and the staff set up scenarios and fake wailing throughout the house while straight shooter Penvale tries to figure out what the heck is going on.

These two are idiots to lovers in the best way. They accidentally fall in love with each other without even realizing it through banter, a bit of softness, a lot of teasing, some threats to maim, and just forced proximity goodness. I loved how these two slowly saw the inner parts of the other and fell in love with the estate and each other. They both fought the attraction and was just the most delicious slow burn that had me laughing and swooning in the best way.

I never want this series to end. I love reciting the past couples, the hints at future couples. this series just always delivers.

Steam: 3

Review:
To Swoon and to Spar is the fourth book in Martha Waters The Regency Vows series that I am obsessed with. I love the women and their friendships and I love the guys and their abaility to have a conversation with themselves and others about their feelings without getting mired too much in the rules of their society.
In this book, we see Penvale getting the chance to take back his ancestral home but the price is marrying the current owner's ward. Jane is used to being passed around from on man to another from father to guardian and now to husband, but all she wants is the chance to make a life for herself and to make her own choices. Penvale isn't the immediate stupid socialite she thinks he is, but he's all the things she hates. He like people and and wants to hole up in Cornwall far away from town, but sometimes through hunting for a ghost they might find some common ground.
Like the other books in the series, you don't have to read the previous works to get the plot of this companion book and the characters and story are engaging enough on their own. The setting of Cornwall was a nice change of London society and is full of references for any Poldark fan. This book is light on the spice, so this is the perfect place to start for anyone who isn't sure about reading a historical romance.

Synopsis:
The Regency Vows series returns with this story about a viscount and his irascible new wife who hopes to chase her husband from their shared home so that she can finally get some peace and quiet—only to find that his company is not as onerous as she thought.
Viscount Penvale has been working for years to buy back his ancestral home, Trethwick Abbey, from his estranged uncle. And so he’s thrilled when his uncle announces that he is ready to sell but with one major caveat—Penvale must marry his uncle’s ward, Jane Spencer.
When the two meet in London, neither is terribly impressed. Penvale finds Jane headstrong and sharp-tongued. Jane finds him cold and aloof. Nevertheless, they agree to a marriage in name only and return to the estate. There, Jane enlists her housekeeper for a scheme: to stage a haunting so that Penvale will return to London, leaving her to do as she pleases at Trethwick Abbey. But Penvale is not as easily scared as his uncle and as their time together increases, Jane realizes that she might not mind her husband’s company all that much.