This was another great Regency historical romance from Martha Waters. Penvale has spent years attempting to regain his family's estate from his estranged uncle after they had to sell it upon his father's death. His uncle has finally agreed to sell it to him on the condition that he marry his ward, Jane. Penvale agrees so that he can finally achieve his goal of having his ancestral home back. Jane and Penvale decide to have a marriage of convenience, but while working on discovering the house's haunting, they become close and their relationship changes. It was a fun read.

I just really didn’t like the aspect of her trying to get rid of him and not liking him very much. This is one of my favorite authors but unfortunately this just wasn’t my favorite book but def just my own opinion.

Yes , Yes, Yes! This book is a hit. I thoroughly enjoyed every single page. I've read the entire series thus far and each one is a five star read!

Thank you Martha Waters, the publishing company, and Netgalley for the gifted copy!

This was a good story, it was easy for me to read and I liked the comedy that was in it. I also liked how slow the romance was between them. It was a fun romance.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy for review.

1.5/5 stars. Of all the books in this series, this was definitely my least favorite. In the first half of the novel, Jane is so utterly unlikeable it's a wonder that Penvale falls in love with her at all. While I appreciate Waters trying to add a Gothic theme to this novel, I don't think it was done very well. All the fun of the "ghost story" was taken out of the story by letting us know upfront that it was Jane doing all the haunting. This book could have been so much more fun to read had the reader not known it was Jane all along. Both Jane and Penvale seemed dumb for putting on the haunting and somewhat falling for it, respectively. I also deeply despise the miscommunication trope. I understand that Jane hates people and doesn't want to let anyone in, but the whole "I know that she knows that I know" Friends story was played out in the first novel in this series. I hated it then, and I hate that it was brought back for this novel.

Overall, I was very disappointed by this novel. In bringing in someone outside of the core group of friends, Waters could have gone literally anywhere with this novel, and I don't think she took full advantage of this. I still think the earlier books in this series are the strongest.

This book for me is a solid 4 stars; it was more or less what I expected it to be as a regency romance, and it was really easy to read. The idea of Jane trying (and succeeding) to scare away the men in her life by enlisting the household staff to pretend the house was haunted was hilarious. I'm glad we finally found out where the sound of a baby crying was coming from, because that part stumped me, for sure!

The romance between Jane and Penvale felt like it took a little bit to get started, but then hit with a vengenance. It kind of felt like it came out of left field, but it was super sweet once it got started. I appreciated seeing how they both came to realize their love for one another and the things they were willing to sacrifice in the name of that love. Additionally, their friend group was really special - even if I'm not a huge fan on Penvale's sister...

I definitely look forward to reading more books by Martha!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

To Swoon and to Spar is laugh-out-loud regency romance fun. I have not read the previous books in this series but will definitely be checking them out. I found the story and characters charming with the right amount of romance and spice.

I really enjoyed the plot of this novel and how much chaos ensued with the haunting that Jane enacted! Penvale has always been an intriguing character throughout the books in this series and I liked being able to be in his head and see things from his perspective, especially in terms of the mysterious ghost incidents that occurred. I wanted to see more of the slow relationship that are between Jane and Penvale, but I loved how nuanced Jane’s character was and the way that Penvale slowly discovered things about her. Another Martha Waters book that was such a delight to read!

Thank you NetGalley for the early copy. I love all of the previous books in this series. to Swoon and to Spar was just as good. It make me laugh out loud. I couldn’t put it down until I’d finally finished.

This is another delightfully ridiculous addition to the Regency Vows series. It was fun to see Penvale finally achieve his goal and regain the family estate in Cornwall. He really stepped up in a way he’s never had to with his friends. This book is much more removed from the core friend group than the rest of the series, but I felt that was fitting considering the characters and ambitions of both Penvale and Jane. I thought Jane was great! Yes, she’s a little shy and socially inexperienced, but I loved her ingenuity and commitment to her goals, not to mention her love of novels.

I cannot use the word ADORABLE enough when it comes to this books! Every time I sat down to read more I felt like I was checking in on friends I have known for ages. I was so delighted by this book I have recommended it to lots of readers I know!

I have loved all of Martha Waters books and this one was one of her best! If you enjoy smart women trying to outwit clever men, you will enjoy any of her books. The storyline of "To Swoon and to Spar" was hilarious in the best way. Another winner!

To Swoon and to Spar is the 4th book in The Regency Vows series by Martha Waters - and I have really enjoyed each and every one of the books in this series. If you are a fan of Bridgerton - or the the Regency Period - this book (and series) is for you.

I love this diverse and witty cast of characters. Each book in The Regency Vows series can be read as a stand alone; but I believe they are more thoroughly enjoyed when read in order. To Swoon and to Spar is Penvale's story. Penvale's one desire has been to recoup his family's home from his uncle and one of the conditions to finally obtaining it is to marry a young woman that he has just met - Jane (his uncle's ward). Penvale's uncle is eager to get rid of Trethwick Abbey because he believes it is haunted. Waters skillfully plays with the Gothic novel theme throughout the book.
Waters shines with her witty repartee and well developed cast of characters. I am hopeful that there are a few more books in this series. Since I listened to the previous books in the series on audiobook, I wondered how well this novel would translate to actually reading the book. I can happily say that the change was absolutely seamless. Thank you to Martha Waters, Atria Books, and NegGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. To Swoon and to Spar was published on 4/11/2023 and is now available.

This was a cute romance! All the happy feelings. I think it’ll be popular for this who liked Red, White, and Royal Blue.

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!