Penvale will do just about anything to get his beloved estate back from his uncle, including marrying his uncle’s headstrong and opinionated ward, Jane. Jane agrees to the arrangement so that she can continue living in the only place that has felt like home. In order to get her new husband to leave her alone she hatches a plan to make the house seem haunted. However she starts to realize that she doesn’t mind his company as much as she thought she would.

This was not my favorite in the series but still cute and full of witty banter. Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the egalley in exchange for my honest review.

Jane and Penvale had me grinning many times throughout their book. They ended up being perfect for each other despite thinking they had nothing in common when they first met. They were able to learn and cherish each other's inner thoughts and emotions that they kept guarded from the rest of the world.

There was plenty of humor thanks to the hauntings, Penvale being a bit dense, and appearances from the previous main characters (who inevitably stirred up trouble). I am very much looking forward to Sophie and West's book even more after the glimpses of them during this story!

I enjoyed how guarded Jane was as she put up a valiant effort to not soften to Penvale's charms - she eventually caved, of course. Penvale had to find his new purpose in life after he achieved his goal of getting his childhood home back, and part of that purpose was loving Jane. These two were lovely together.

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

I kept putting To Swoon & To Spar by Martha Waters off because I wasn’t in the “right mood”—I finally read it the other day & it was adorable & funny & heartwarming & naturally I was like why didn’t I read this sooner.

If you haven’t read Martha Waters’ books yet, I would compare them to Tessa Dare or India Holton. Maybe a mash-up of the two actually.

In this book, viscount Peter Bourne agrees to marry Jane Spencer because she’s part of the deal that will get him his ancestral home back.

But Jane is very tired of being at the mercy of men in her life, who have basically been neglectful or dismissive of her (in short: uncaring), & she decides to carry on with a ruse she started with Peter’s deplorable uncle months ago: she & the servants perform a series of tricks designed to make Peter think the house is haunted so he will leave & she can live in solitary bliss.

Only, Peter is different than she thinks. & for Peter, Jane is more than the prickliness that meets the eye.

Marriage of convenience + fake haunting + slowly falling in love with people who are secretly nicer than they seem = happiness to me. The dynamic between Jane & Peter’s sister is amazingly antagonistic (watch two strong, opinionated women clash ), it’s so cute watching Peter insist that he doesn’t need spectacles, & Jane is such a grump but in a great nuanced way that’s appreciated by Peter.

Also Peter is a hero who knows how to apologize & I am here for that .

This book is so much fun & I love how the Martha Waters’ books I’ve read so far (2) merge humor with sensitivity.

4.5⭐️. Out now!

Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs:

[ID: Jess, a white woman, wears a floral dress & pink Chucks & holds the ebook while sitting on a porch.]

To Swoon and To Spar is the latest installment in Waters' series that follows a group of friends and in this particular installment, Penvale finds himself marrying a stranger in order to finally regain the house he grew up in. This brings Jane, an incredibly shy human, in contact with a pretty obnoxious group of close-knit friends. However, the two quickly vacate London and return to the country, only to find out that the home Penvale grew up in is haunted. Or... Is it?

I loved Jane. I thought she was so fascinating. I really appreciated the way she was so reticent to let people in, that she was fiercely protective of herself and the scant bit of independence she had managed to carve out for herself. I loved Penvale's obliviousness to so much in his steadfast and single-focused pursuit of revitalizing his family's country seat. I adored their adventures in town and around the house, exploring the ghostly hauntings. But mostly, I really loved the way the two of them came together. Slowly, but almost inevitably. Even the third act conflict didn't make me want to throw my book across the room because I felt like it made sense, even if I did want to scream at them to have a little more faith. This particular installment is in competition for my favorite of the series with book one, honestly. What an excellent time.

Thank you kindly to the author Martha Waters, NetGalley, & Atria for the eArc copy!
This book was fun. It had many of my preferred checklist points to a good regency reads and I think the author did a good job of making this story entertaining. I loved ...
* the humor
* the guy (Viscount Penvale you are top notch)
* the witty wild woman who can't be pinned down, even in marriage
* the humor (Did I already say that? Oh well its that good!)
* a haunted estate home.

The romance definitely helped check the swoon portion of this read, and the humor definitely the spar portion, and I did have a great time delving into Jane and Penvale's rocky start to a convenient marriage. Doesn't hurt that they were both hot in their own right. I like both character separately, but I am not sure I loved them together. Jane was funny and the way she tried to work the whole ghost angle was hilarious (check for the gothic portion of this tale--vibes of Northanger Abbey). BUT Jane also annoyed me more than once and that was once too many. Penvale was a much better man than she deserved, but somehow the banter, sexual tension, and marked chemistry kept me reading.
I think maybe I've read too many of these stories because I seem to be becoming mildly desensitized by this plotline. Shrugs*

NO REGRETS!!!

I really loved this book! It’s the last book in the series and I’m glad Penvale finally got his story and his happy ending!

It's not often I dive into a historical romance, but I'm glad I did with "To Swoon and to Spar" by Marta Waters! FYI, I didn't realize that this book was a series, so I'm excited to go back and read to learn more about other characters in the book!

Synopsis: Viscount Penvale is allowed to purchase his ancestral estate, Trethwick Abbey, which he's been wanting to move into for years on this condition: buy it from his uncle, but only if he agrees to marry Jane, his uncle's ward. On the other hand, Jane has already lived at the estate for years and doesn't want to leave. So she agrees to marry Penvale, even though she's fed up with being told what to do by men. However, Jane has a plan up her sleeve (one that she's already been practicing successfully on her uncle). She, alongside workers at the estate, tries to haunt Penvale from the house and back to London, so she can live independently in the home as she's always wanted.

Penvale, who's very stoic and practical, doesn't react to the spookiness the way that Jane would like him to. As the newlyweds continue to spend time together, Jane finds that the only spooky thing going on is how comfortable she is sharing a home (and a marriage) with Penvale.

"To Swoon and to Spar" was a great story - the "haunting" taking place borderlines absurd, but that lent a playful nature to the novel. I loved the slow burn between Penvale and Jane. Contrary to what some other readers may have commented, they balance each other nicely, Penvale being a rational, self-confident man to rise to Jane's prickly personality. However, I wish we could have gotten more backstory about why Jane was the way she was in terms of needing independence from men - did something happen to her? And why did she and Diana, Penvale's sister, have SO much animosity toward one another? The protective sister trope went a little too far there, even though we got a little more lightness in their final "scene" together. And finally, the book dragged ever so slightly like there could have been one or two less haunting scenes - I felt like saying, "We get it! They're trying to figure out who's haunting the place!"

But back to the historical romance - I loved it! I could picture the Cornwall setting, with the windy countryside nestled next to the sea, but also with a gothic flare! And all I wanted to do as I read was join Jane in the library for a book or two. People speak so highly about the Regency Vows series, so I will go back and dive more into the other characters (Penvale's friends, who I enjoyed)!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A delightful marriage of convenience historical. The writing was great, and I found parts of this book quite funny. I didn't fully understand Jane's motivations until almost the end of the book, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story at all.

It was an okay book in my opinion. I liked the first two more. This one didn't feel like they had as much chemistry as the first two and ultimately it was a bit hard to get into this book and finish it. It's still well written, but in all honesty, I'm looking forward to the next far more.

I was provided a free advanced copy of this book from @netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Martha Waters does it again with another fun regency romance. This is the fourth book in the Regency Vows series and I have loved all of them! Each story is a different couple in a friend group.
This time it's Viscount Penvale's turn at romance, or at least marriage. When his uncle agrees to sell the ancestral home Penvale has been wanting to buy, he gains a wife as part of the deal. Willing to do anything to gain back the house he agrees. Jane isn't so sure about this arrangement but figures she can do the same thing that caused the uncle to sell, stage a haunting, and scare off Penvale too. Will the haunting work? Will they learn to love each other?
I enjoyed this story. I appreciated the way their relationship developed. While it's not necessarily required to read the others first, it would give you a lot more backstory of the other characters, and they are fun reads as well!
This one was published earlier this month, so if you are interested, you can snatch it up now!
#NetGalley #ToSwoonAndToSpar

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is a cute, flirty historical fiction romance set in Regency England. This is book 4 in the series but can be read as a stand-alone. There is enough back story to give you context regarding the side characters that support the main characters and story.

Viscount Penvale has been working for years to buy back his ancestral home, to the exclusion of almost everything else. Jane Spencer is Penvale's uncle's ward. The uncle agrees to sell Penvale the home if Penvale marries Jane. Penvale agrees, but he gets more than he expected in the deal. Jane, having no choice but to go along with the agreement, is set on pushing Penvale out of the home so she can live there peacefully by herself.

I liked the back and forth between Penvale and Jane. They see a challenge in each other and I liked the way they slowly got to know each other. This is a very slow burn love story, and the story did seem to drag on a bit in the middle. There weren't as many sparks or funny moments in this book as in past books. Those moments mainly came from Penvales friend and families. This book was more about dealing with grief and healing old wounds than a witty, funny rom com. It was a nice change of pace in the series, but I must admit, I did miss having more witty moments.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Atria Books. All opinions are my own.

TO SWOON AND TO SPAR is a fun version of a gothic tale, and a cute romance as well! Martha Waters uses her trademark style to bring us two semi awkward, slightly grumpy characters in a marriage of convenience that turns inconvenient as they navigate living together and ... a haunted estate?
I enjoyed the humor, the antics, and the chemistry between Penvale and Jane, and wow, what a slowburn!!! It was fun to see our previous couples making a return, and I appreciated the differences in how Jane and Penvale's relationship was compared to their friends, and how Jane was brought into the collective group.
Overall a fun, easy read that gives me the comfort I've come to love from Martha!

This book was so good thanks so much for the copy I really enjoyed this so much along with the writing definitely will recommend

Penvale has worked to buy back his family's ancestral home, the last home he shared with his parents before they passed, for a decade. When his uncle finally offers to sell it to him, there's one condition, marry his ward.

Jane is sick of being passed between men with no control of her life so she concocts a plan to scare them off so she can be all alone, all she's known and what she's determined to have.

Despite a short, yet too-be-desired, meeting, they wed, giving Penvale his family's home and Jane the title of mistress of the beloved estate. When they arrive, Jane doesn't expect her husband to be nothing like the London nobs she's read about, and Penvale doesn't expect ghosts.

As they get to know each other, Penvale learning that Jane hides her shyness with coldness and lashing out, and Jane learning that Penvale may be more like her than she thought, they become closer and learn to trust each other with their emotions. While Penvale has not allowed himself to feel deeply since his parents' deaths, and Jane has kept herself away from others lest they hurt her, they both can't help how their feelings deepen and opening up to another person, despite the complicateness, is worth it.

A cute romance where they learn they've just been exisiting until the other comes into their life. Together, they find happiness.

Feat: strangers to married, one bed trope, independent heroine

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 stars
1.5 spice

This book was fun! It had the humor I've come to expect and enjoy from the author. Although I found the actual romance between the two leads a little hard to buy, I appreciated the connection between them as two lonely people who found each other through an arranged marriage/marriage of convenience.

The haunting elements were over the top and fun, and I loved the character of Jane, who is tired of being told what to do by men and stages a haunting to drive away her new husband. The relationship between the characters and the villagers/house staff was enjoyable, and the slow burn of the romance kept me invested.

Additionally, I appreciated getting updates on characters from previous books, making this light and enjoyable read a fun bit of escapism that I blasted through in just a few sittings.

⚠️TW: death of parent, sexual content

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to Atria Books for providing me this arc via Netgalley!
The concept of faking a haunting was the reason that drove me to request this book. It sounded so fun and innovative, but in reality, I don't think it was done as well as it could have been. The characters weren't very lovable as well, so all that together didn't make this an enjoyable reading experience. In general, I don't recommend this book, but if the concept is appealing to you, check it out and make your own mind about it!!

A marriage of convenience meets a haunted house. Penvale has worked for years trying to buy his ancestral home. An opportunity presents itself when his uncle announces he’s ready to sell. The catch? Penvale needs to marry his ward, Jane. Jane adores the estate and the home she’s built there. She’s determined to remain there. Alone. With the help of her staff, they “haunt” the estate in an effort to drive Penvale away. But Penvale isn’t the man she thought he was. Con this marriage of convenience find love?

This was such a fun read! Penvale and Jane were witty and full of banter. Their chemistry jumped off the page and it was so obvious how well matched they were. I really liked that they became friends first and enjoyed each other’s company before falling in love. They both moved past their initial first impression of each other. Penvale saw beyond Jane’s prickly demeanor a girl who’s shy and has been hurt before. Jane realized that Penvale is not like the many of the men from society, with much more substance and nuance than she originally thought.

Penvale learns to appreciate Jane’s character and become particularly protective with Jane and her struggle with shyness. And Jane learns to cope and to appreciate Penvale’s friends, a daunting task at first, that soon include her in the fold. I loved Jane’s character and I understood her struggle with shyness. Penvale’s protectiveness over her was swoon worthy! The haunted house pranks were very funny and played a good role in bringing the two together.

This was a fun and romantic read. You don’t have to read the first books in the series to follow along with this one. This is a mostly closed door romance, with some open door scenes. There is some language and some graphic descriptions.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

This was almost a DNF for me. I have read all of the author's books and enjoyed them, so I'm not sure what was missing in this one. Maybe not enough chemistry between the two main character?

I was looking for a fun, witty historical romance book for a fun read, and I was not disappointed.

As a lover of gothic novels (Mexican Gothic, Daughter of Doctor Moreau being my most recent), and a historical romance aficionado, the synopsis immediately had me hooked.

The strength of this book lies in the author's ability to write witty dialogue, realistic and self-aware characters, and a fun plot that balances the historical elements while keeping it light and modern for a quick and fun read. This book was light on sex scenes with really only one somewhat detailed account of their first tupping. This is definitely a great series to start if you're new to the romance genre and don't want to dive into smut right away.

**Spoilers**
Reading Penvale and Jane fall in love was fun. Even though you could tell from the minute they met that there was an attraction and compatibility that would come to fruition quickly, the author still kept us on our toes with the "haunting" and their initial incompatibility. She speaks to deeper issues for these characters - how family trauma (death of one's parents) can affect us even as adults and manifests in many ways throughout our lives, Waters still manages to show that with love, empathy, and compassion that time can heal wounds.

This was a cute and quirky regency romance! I did think that the haunting went on for a little longer and it started to drag. I wish there had been a more angsty, butterfly moments. I liked that Jane was your different type of female lead that others in this genre but I did struggle liking her at times. I enjoyed this but it wasn't my absolute favorite. But still a sweet, fun read! I can see how some may enjoy it even more than I did.