📚 Read if you like: regency romance, second chance romance, fake engagement, historical romance, a little spice, dual pov

It’s been ages since I read a regency romance and I thought this was really good! It was witty, charming, clever, and laugh out loud funny at times. Also, never before have I cared enough to look up the definition of a curricle vs a phaeton and now I know so there’s that! haha The fake engagement premise was good and caused for lots of funny moments, but their very real love from seven years ago clouds everything and so it’s also very much a second chance romance story.

I really enjoyed both West and Sophie. I thought they fit together well and thought they had a really believable love match. Watching their mutual pining over the course of this book definitely helped the build the story and anticipation. And while there’s not a lot of spice, I do think they’re well suited.

This is the fifth and final book in Martha Water’s Regency Vows series, but it’s the first one I’ve read - and definitely not the last! I never like jumping into a series without reading the books before it but this interconnected standalone series was great to drop into. You get plenty of time with the characters from the previous books without overly telling their stories so I’m excited to read the other books in the series now!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion. This book was released on February 6, 2023 and I definitely recommend it to my fellow historical romance readers.

I was hoping since the first books in this series that we would get West and Sophie's love story, and, finally, we got it! West and Sophie were courting nearly 7 years ago and circumstances pulled them apart. In the current timeline, we see them coming together to pretend to be engaged for a couple of reasons, Sophie to convince her sister to try marriage again and Wes mostly to mess with his dad. Shenanigans happen, as is typical in a Martha Waters book. But we also get to see multiple points of view of what happened between Sophie and West throughout the years, which I appreciated in this second chance romance. This book was really fun to read for the most part. There are a couple of scenes that are more serious, but nothing all that heavy. I also appreciated the way that West's disability was handled. He has used a cane for many years since his carriage accident and we get to see him speak up about his needs in relation to that. I also liked Sophie's candor about her feelings on having children. West and Sophie's relationship is pretty sweet overall and they typically take the time to discuss with each other. I think it was a good end to the series. We got a good wrap up of the other couples from the series. The one thing I wish we could have seen just because it was mentioned a couple of times was a conversation between Sophie and her sister Maria about what had happened. That would have been a really nice way to close out that thread. Overall, I would say if you are looking for a relatively light historical romance series, this is a good choice. I still think Violet and James are my favorite couple. Their story was so fun.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an e-ARC of To Woo and to Wed, available everywhere in February 2024. I thought the final installment in the Regency Vows series was fine. I was more interested in stories about Sophie's widowhood rather than her time with West, past or present. I was puzzled when she approached him with her plan for a fake engagement because they'd both avoided each other for ages; it was so left field, couldn't there have been more build-up to it? One of the few things I liked about the novel, though, was the author's approach to the potential of a baby. The ending felt so nice. There was no hey, we're going to rush to give them a child.

Second chance romance but make it ✨ regency era ✨

This stand alone novel follows Sophie and West’s journey and is a part of the Regency Vows series, which I have not read. I do not think it’s entirely necessary to read the others prior, but could see how other readers may prefer it.

The novel takes place after Sophie and her sister are both widowed. Her sister has taken interest in a potential suitor but Sophie is worried that her sister is unlikely to remarry unless she does as well.

The story starts with Sophie approaching Wes to fake an engagement which is very confusing since it is set up like they have been avoiding each other for years. However, despite their many obstacles to overcome, I was really rooting for them the entire time and found their love story very charming. I also enjoyed the duel timeline as the story alternates from present and past. Lastly, I know that the miscommunication trope has differing opinions and in this story’s case I find that it does take away from the story instead of add to it.

** thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC and chance to read and review **

This was a really sweet conclusion to this series! I loved the pining and flashbacks to earlier parts of their relationship, although the conflict of why they couldn't be together (and the resolution) was a bit...silly.

Definitely a fun historical romance series to check out if you're a fan of Bridgerton and/or want something lighthearted and fun!

Thanks to Atria Books for an early copy of this book through Netgalley as well!

This was very sweet and enjoyable to read during a busy time. Nothing terribly unique about this regency romance but the predictability was comforting. I liked that the male character’s disability was not a problem for the romance.

Another enjoyable story in Martha Waters Regency Vows series! It might be my favorite! This book has several several romance tropes I enjoy..like slow-burn, and second-chance love. Also did not include a huge unnecessary miscommunication near the end which is always my least favorite part of romance novels.

I loved all the wit, the sarcasm, the banter that I've come to appreciate from this author. Many laugh-out-loud moments for me while reading! And I love that we got to see all the characters from past books in this series.
An entertaining read!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was a charming end to Waters' Regency Vows series, which I've been enjoying since To Have and to Hoax. The inversion of tricking Dovington was a nice note, and while I found the wink wink element of the gay servants to be boring, the open discussion of their affair was a partial fix on this.

This was such a nice ending to the Regency Vows series!

As a whole, it was a really fun series, with lots of fun literary references. The stories overlap each other quite a bit, so each book gives you a slightly different perspective on the events.

To Woo and to Wed is the fifth book, and tells the story of Sophie and West (the older brother of the MMC from To Have and to Hoax). It's a second chance romance, and the backstory had been hinted at in other books, so I was dying to know what happened by the time I got to this book. Despite their history (and maybe because of it...) they agree to a fake engagement when widowed Sophie's also widowed sister hints that she won't remarry until Sophie does.

Read To Woo and to Wed if: Persuasion is your favorite Jane Austen book, you like big happy families like the Bridgertons, and don't mind main characters who can't get out of their own way.

First I would like to thank Atria Books for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the final book of the Regency Vows series and is Sophie and West’s story. When Sophie’s sister and fellow widow Alexandra starts showing feelings for another man but is hesitant to pursue marriage, Sophie devises a plan to convince to fake court her and prove to Alexandra she is moving on. After an interaction with West, she decides he would be the best option due to their history and convinces him of her scheme. As they continue with the farce of the fake courting and eventual engagement, they are forced to spend more time together and figure out what went wrong all those years ago.

What I Loved:
- Sisters, Sophie has a bunch of sisters and has made it her mission to get them married but now that they are married and she is alone the sisters flip the script and hilarity ensues
- Fake Dating, I am such a sucker for the fake dating trope but with it being a historical romance it just took it to the next level since they had to ramp up to engagement so quick and there isn’t a great way out for them
- Sophie and West, this was a book that I loved them together cause they knew what buttons to push but also wanted to hit them both upside the head often cause they were RIDICULOUS about not speaking their feelings
- End of Series, I think this was a great end to the series as we kept hearing about Sophie and West throughout the series and to have it end with them coming together was such a great cherry on top of the already amazing series.

If you like historical romance, with nosy sisters, supportive friends, fake dating and a love story that spans years I would absolutely recommend this book. Even if you haven’t read any of the other Regency Vows books you can pick this one up and not miss anything.

Sad to see this series end! I think this was my favorite as I have been desperate for Sophie and West’s story since their first mention. This is such a fun gateway to the historical romance genre.

I approached "To Woo and to Wed" without prior knowledge of the preceding books in the Regency Vows series, diving into the narrative with no preconceptions. The culmination of this series, it focuses on the anticipated union of West and Sophie, characters who have danced around each other throughout the four preceding books. Their story, marked by a near-engagement seven years prior, disrupted by West's injury and Sophie's subsequent marriage, finally unfolds here.

The tension between West and Sophie, stemming from past hurts and unresolved feelings, forms the core of this romance. Forced to feign engagement, they navigate a landscape fraught with potential complications. While the series has often veered into silliness, this installment strikes a balance, offering a blend of romance and humor without veering too far into slapstick territory. Despite the weight of past grievances, moments of levity punctuate the narrative, particularly during the staged aspects of the faux engagement.

Overall, "To Woo and to Wed" proved to be an enjoyable read. While not flawless, it managed to hold my attention and provided a satisfying conclusion to the series, fulfilling the anticipation built up over multiple installments.

The final chapter of the Regency Vows series is my favorite one of all! Full of longing, and years in the making Sophie and West's romance is sweet and tender and the anticipation will have you flipping through the pages as quickly as you can manage.

I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've been waiting for this book since we were first introduced to Sophie and West! And Martha absolutely DELIVERED.

The yearning, the pining, the sexual tension -- it's drool-worthy! I couldn't get enough of the conniving family members, the layers and layers of deception, the hesitancy and fear. West and Sophie were so real and human. I loved the depth and just everything about their story.

And I love that there was space for their grief, too. It wouldn't be their story if that wasn't addressed.

I'm so sad this series is over but I could not have imagined a better conclusion. I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone who likes historical romances with a more modern mentality.

I really liked this conclusion to the Regency Vows series. For the entirety of the first four books, we have just been waiting for Sophie and West to get together. It was so fun to see that finally culminate in this book. I don't think any of the books will ever top the first one for me. But this was a really fun conclusion. I really enjoyed the epilogue.

It's hard to think this is the end of this absolutely lovely series. Writing this review feels bittersweet--I loved this book, but I am sad it is all over and we have to say goodbye to these characters and their world!

To Woo and To Wed is Waters's 5th book and final book in her Regency romance series, and it's not an exaggeration to say I have been waiting for Sophie and West's book since book one. Their second-chance romance did NOT disappoint. Their story was so lovely and layered and their happily ever after was the perfect and most fitting end. All of our favorites from the previous books are here, and I definitely teared up at the end.

If you love Regency romantic comedies, this is the series for you! While I believe these are classified as interconnected standalones, I always recommend reading books in order.

I was grateful to read an ARC of Martha Water's latest book. I recommend it and enjoyed the character development and was rooting for them! Pick it up soon!

To say i was excited for West and Sophie's story was an understatement - and I was not disappointed. This was the first 2024 release I picked up and it was everything I'd hoped for. I loved getting to know West and Sophie more after seeing glimpses of them and their longing in the previous Regency Vows novels. Their chemistry was undeniable and I loved seeing how they ended up coming back together after their difficult history. This was the perfect end to a wonderful series by Martha Waters and I"m so excited to see what she writes next.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an eRC in exchange for an honest review.

West & Sophia finally get their second (or is it third?) chance at romance thanks to a fake engagement plot in this final addition to Waters' "Regency Vows" series. The madcap romantic antics of this group of ton friends and family is capped off by the "will they, won't they" romance that has been teased throughout the series.

West and Sophie have been worth the wait. I've been team West from the beginning of the series. He's just a good man and I love a hero who is just simply kind, patient and devoted to one woman. They are both firstborn kids who feel a lot of responsibility to their family and positions and the guilt to put everyone else's happiness before their own. Can they overcome their complicated past and forge ahead to create a new future together?

I love a good fake engagement to create forced proximity and the long overdue conversations that clear the way to happiness. There are a lot of shenanigans between Sophie and her sisters. I really felt for West as he was awkwardly caught in the middle. He's got the patience of a saint.

You get a lot of updates on the other couples in the series and their blooming families to cap things off. I'm going to give this a five-star rating and hope that Ms. Waters keeps writing such fun characters, witty dialogue and compelling romantic reads!

To Woo and to Wed is the final book in the sometimes silly but usually enjoyable Regency Vows series, and it wraps things up with my most anticipated couple. West and Sophie have been dancing around each other for 4 books now, and it was great to finally get their full story and see them find their happy ending.

Seven years ago, West and Sophie were on the cusp of getting engaged. And then he was injured in a curricle accident and when he had recovered, he found out that Sophie had married someone else. For years, they've avoided each other - mostly - but now there's something simmering under the surface. And they both need to pretend that they're engaged... what could go wrong?

I've been wanting West and Sophie's story since the first book in this series, and by and large, it delivered. I think this book struck a nice balance between the romance and the silliness/slapsticky-ness of the rest of the series. It was honestly the least slapsticky book of the lot, which I appreciated. This is a romance that wanted an inherent angst, with all of the hurts of the past between the two main characters. Still, I laughed plenty, especially during the more performative moments of the fake engagement.

Basically, I enjoyed this book a lot! It wasn't perfect, but it held my interest and delivered a satisfying finale for the series.

4/5