ARC Review: “To Love and to Loathe” (The Regency Vows #2) by Martha Waters

“To Love and to Loathe” (The Regency Vows #2) by Martha Waters

Publishing Date: April 6, 2021

Genre: Romance, Historical Fiction

Synopsis:

The widowed Diana, Lady Templeton and Jeremy, Marquess of Willingham are infamous among English high society as much for their sharp-tongued bickering as their flirtation. One evening, an argument at a ball turns into a serious wager: Jeremy will marry within the year or Diana will forfeit one hundred pounds. So shortly after, just before a fortnight-long house party at Elderwild, Jeremy’s country estate, Diana is shocked when Jeremy appears at her home with a very different kind of proposition.

After his latest mistress unfavorably criticized his skills in the bedroom, Jeremy is looking for reassurance, so he has gone to the only woman he trusts to be totally truthful. He suggests that they embark on a brief affair while at the house party—Jeremy can receive an honest critique of his bedroom skills and widowed Diana can use the gossip to signal to other gentlemen that she is interested in taking a lover.

Diana thinks taking him up on his counter-proposal can only help her win her wager. With her in the bedroom and Jeremy’s marriage-minded grandmother, the formidable Dowager Marchioness of Willingham, helping to find suitable matches among the eligible ladies at Elderwild, Diana is confident her victory is assured. But while they’re focused on winning wagers, they stand to lose their own hearts. (description from Goodreads)

Review:

To read the review of the first novel in the series, click here.

I was so excited to read To Love and To Loathe because I enjoyed Waters’ debut novel To Have and to Hoax so much. I love the Regency setting with a bit of modern language that blends with the novel’s romantic comedy narrative. The witty banter and side quips is what makes it so charming. This sequel focuses on Diana and Jeremy who decide to enter into a romantic engagement. The reader knows it will be quite chaotic but will want to see how it all turns out.

I liked reading Diana’s and Jeremy’s story about their relationship and their individual struggles. Diana’s loud rebellious nature makes her an interesting character. She’s been told that she’s unladylike because she’s outspoken but she doesn’t let it deter her. In fact, it’s one of the qualities that Jeremy finds really endearing about her. Jeremy’s a playful marquess who deals with the heavy weight of his brother’s death and then has all the financial responsibilities thrown on top of him. He uses humor to deflect his true feelings and Diana helps him to cope and finally let himself grieve. Though the two fight like cats and dogs they have a lot in common and are actually quite sweet to one another. They always challenge each other which always makes their relationship exciting.

This book is so much fun to read! I love the characters and their personalities. It’s so entertaining. Especially the friendship between Diana, Emily, and violet. I love how they always take it upon themselves to be nosy in a good way. They truly are for one another and they have such a tight-knit friendship. I liked seeing characters from the previous novel coupled with new characters. There’s something about Waters’ writing that makes her stories so enjoyable. I love how she gives her Regency stories a more modern twist. Her style of writing makes regency even more fun to read since it’s a genre I typically don’t seek out. The modern sensibilities mixed with the humor make it feel like I’m watching a rom-com movie in real-time.

Final Verdict:

FTC Disclaimer: I recieved this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.