[Skye’s Review]: To Love and to Loathe (The Regency Vows #2) by Martha Waters

To Love and to Loathe
by Martha Waters
Series: The Regency Vows #2
Pages: 384
Published by Atria Books
Release Date: April 6th 2021
Genres: Adult, Romance
Source: Publisher
Format Read: ARC

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.

With Martha Waters’s signature “cheeky charm and wonderfully wry wit” (Booklist, starred review), To Love and to Loathe is another clever and delightful historical rom-com that is perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Evie Dunmore

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

To Love and to Loathe is the first book I’ve read by this author. To Love and to Loathe is full of witty banter which I love. Witty banter is my kryptonite. However, it wasn’t enough to sway me to give this book a higher rating.

To Love and to Loathe has all of the necessary ingredients to be a 5 star read, but, for me, it fell a bit flat. There wasn’t enough depth to the main characters and their romance. Don’t get me wrong, I found the characters to be entertaining and likable. I just needed more. I wanted more from them and the story. 

Diana is an independent, headstrong widow who never plans to remarry since she now has true freedom for the first time in her life. Meanwhile, Jeremy is a rake and playboy who claims he will never marry.  These two have always had a spark between them. A spark that causes them to snark at each other nonstop. They live for baiting each other and provoking the other to lose their temper–which is great for us readers, you’ll always be entertained when they’re on the page together.  

If you’re looking for a book full of banter, rivals to lovers, headstrong heroines, and historical romance then you should definitely check out this book. I’ll definitely be checking out To Have and to Hoax, the predecessor to this book.