This was a cute read.
I hadn't read To Have and to Hoax so the beginning was a little difficult to follow with all of the characters. There were references to that book so I'd highly recommend you read it first.

The premise of the story was great, however I didn't feel like there was a the witty banter I was promised. I wanted to laugh and feel the tension between the two, but it was very muted.
I also felt that many scenes dragged on and I skipped a lot of the characters internally babbling.

While the two characters had known each other for 6 years - the insta-love was a little quick. [The fact that they had sex twice and then realized they loved each other was a little quick.

I loved so much about this book! I loved Diana’s unapologetically strong character. She knows what she wants and goes after it. Even when those wants change, she’s open to making her thoughts and opinions known. I also loved her banter-filled frenemies-to-lovers romance with Jeremy. They clearly fought because they were so much alike, but you could feel the slow burn as they started falling for one another. This was also a fun change from the genre because so many characters fall in insta-love. With these two it felt like more insta-attraction that grew into something more when they truly got to know one another.

Obviously, this is a less traditional historical romance because the perspectives of the characters were decidedly contemporary and progressive, which I was totally fine with. It places this book firmly among similar works by Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypas and Tessa Dare, which we could always use more of. Historical romance with a contemporary feminist bent.

I have not read the first in this series, To Have and To Hoax, but it didn’t impact my reading of this book…although I’m definitely planning to go back and read it now. I will definitely be looking for more from Martha Waters going forward.

Sidenote: I prefer this cover art to what was used for To Have and To Hoax. It feels more fun, while the other feels more staid.

This reminded me somewhat of Jane Austen’s Emma mixed with some Evie Dunmore. It was a sort of enemies/friends to lovers trope with some steam mixed in. It was an easy read but I didn’t quite connect with the main character, Diana, too much. In Emma, I felt like Emma meant well with her matchmaking but in this book, Diana seemed to have a more mean spirited approach. Otherwise, I enjoyed this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. I'll be posting my review on Goodreads and Amazon

This book was well written and extremely witty. Unfortunately, it failed to hold my attention through much of the book. The story focused on a romp over a long weekend and though it was certainly steamy and salacious the pace was rather slow. A dialog heavy novel but with likeable and enjoyable characters. Lady Templeton was a wonderfully precocious and strong female lead who I very much enjoyed paired with the self-proclaimed Bachelor, the Marquess of Willingham. For lovers of the regency era romance, I would recommend.

This book offers a delightful experience to readers that can absolutely be categorized as an escapist read! This funny, sparkling, hilarious, sizzling romantic experience is sure to entertain and intrigue your inner romantic cravings! I found myself giggling aloud, entertained by the hilarious twists, and lightheartedness that this book develops. This book is cleverly written and such a perfect read for fans of a plethora of romantic comedy tropes. The plot of enemies to lovers is always entertaining and this book is no exception. Whether you were introduced to these characters in To Have and To Hoax makes no difference. This can absolutely be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone story. I cannot recommend this enough and want to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with this thoroughly enjoyable reading experience!

What REALLY happened at those fortnight-long house parties of the British nobility in the Georgian era? This seems more like it . . . sneaky acts in corners, late-night bedrooms visits, wagers to make the parties and horseback rides and parlor games more interesting. To Love and to Loathe is Jane Austen at a bachelorette party - all the drama but lots of sexy fun!

To Love and to Loathe is a funny, sparkly, and totally escapist read.

The premise is fresh and clever, the dialogue is sizzling, and there are a few plot twists along the way that I didn't see coming.

I think it would have been nice to read To Have and to Hoax first, but it's also totally enjoyable as a standalone.

Perfect for fans of Downton Abbey. I love forward to reading more by Martha Waters.

This was delightful. I thought it would be a sexy version of Pride & Prejudice, but it had its own charms. I haven’t read To Have and To Hoax, but I look forward to that and other books by Ms. Waters.

I read the first book in this series, so when the publisher sent me this one I figured why not. It was kind of anachronistic and at times boring, but it was pleasant enough and quick reading. I’d give it a shot between reads.

I loved this so much! Simply put: Diana and Jeremy's romance was steamy, well-developed, AND entertaining!

Though this book technically falls under a historical romance header, there's also a contemporary sensibility about it that makes it feel fresh. Fun. Familiar. Hell, even a little risqué. And I cannot get over how well it all works.

Inside, there's a mishmash of period/romcom tropes with a twist. There are situations so ribald I had to clap a hand over my mouth to swallow back my giggles. There's ribbing as well as revelation, expectation as well as surprise. And there's an ensemble of wonderful characters around the main pairing who add to the plot tapestry: like The Dowager Marchioness of Willingham, who is admired and feared almost in equal measure. Like Lady Helen, a desperate husband hunter who may be more than she seems. Like Violet, James, Emily, Penvale, and Belfry, many of whom still have their own stories to tell. (Or so I'm hoping!)

My only complaint is that the story was over too soon. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from Waters in the future.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this book- it's a romance with two similar people who are dealing with their own pain and connect despite previous misconceptions about each other. It's a great read with a quick pace and believable, fun supporting characters. I would recommend it to anyone looking for something distracting and fun, especially fans of snappy dialogue.

I have to admit, I was unfamiliar with Martha Waters’ previous book, nor had I heard of “To Love and to Loathe”. Upon reading the description, I was not sure what to expect, but had my preconceived thoughts set on a boringly long ‘romp in the hay’ (I’ve always wanted to say that). Imagine my surprise, and happiness to claim, that I was totally wrong about this funny, quirky and entertaining book. Diana and Jeremy are a delightful couple-in-waiting, and their antics are fun, funny and a sheer joy to watch unfold. I will now go back and read Ms. Waters first book and anxiously await her third, if we are lucky enough to receive a third. Thank you for the advanced copy, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

A wager on the table is all it takes for this enemies to lovers tale.
Lighthearted, characters well-rounded and plot easy to follow.
It is a follow-up to To Have and To Hoax (which I did not read) , but you can absolutely read this as a stand alone. I was not lost at all.

To Love and to Loath is such a fun read! Diana and Jeremy have such great banter, which, honestly, is what I look for in any romance, and that banter never lets up. And there was even LGBTQ+ rep! In a Regency Era historical romance! Honestly, my only complaint was that I felt there were occasionally too many references to Violet and Audley and the first book in the series, but I suppose that's to be expected since they were right there at the house party as well. Besides that, I found To Love and to Loath to be an absolute delight!

This book is delightful and just the most comforting read. The enemies-to-lovers trope is one of my favorites and "To Love and to Loathe" is genuinely so enjoyable.

Diana, the widowed Lady Templeton, and Jeremy, the womanizing Marquess of Willingham, are known in their social circle for their constant bickering and flirtation. But after one particularly heated evening, Diana suggests a bet: the always uncommitted Jeremy will be married within the year. They both think they'll win, easy. Meanwhile, Jeremy receives some embarrassing feedback from one of his many hookups and starts to doubt his talents in the bedroom. He soon convinces Diana to participate in a no-strings-attached hookup during an extended party at his family's estate, finding her to be his most trustworthy confidante. With Diana and Jeremy both focused on different things -- Diana scheming to win the bet and Jeremy trying to rebuild his confidence -- they never expect to actually fall in love.

Diana is the perfect main character - a definite standout. She's headstrong and feisty, and Jeremy's equal at every step (even if society didn't view her that way). Their constant banter and antics are so good.

When I read Martha Waters's first book "To Have and to Hoax," I thought it was perfectly fine - no major complaints, but it didn't blow me away despite the really solid description. But with "To Love and to Loathe," Waters takes all the best parts of her first novel and completely nails it here. It's so charming and I found myself grinning throughout. Any doubts I had were immediately eliminated within the first few pages and I was completely sold.

It's such a minor thing, but I loved that 99 percent of the book takes place at Jeremy's estate with all the characters thrown together for an extended period of time. With sassy comments from their friends and the additional meddling from Jeremy's grandmother, it was just fun. It's very self-contained and the characters were free to misbehave a bit since they were away from the rest of society.

"To Love and to Loathe" is a wonderful escape, immediately pulling me into the ton world of Diana and Jeremy. I read it all in one sitting, but even when I left to make a quick coffee, I couldn't stop thinking about this book. A highly recommended romance - it delivers on everything you're looking for.

To Love and to Loathe is an enemies to lovers regency romance filled with witty banter. Martha Waters' characters are complex and clever never leaving a dull moment in the read.

The story centers around Diana, Lady Templeton, and Jeremy, Marquess of Willingham. To say that they don't get along would be an understatement. They have always pushed each other's buttons and enjoy seeing the other squirm. So, no one expected them to ever be cordial let alone enter into a 'friends with benefits' type of relationship.

Diana is a widow who now wants to live a life of independence. She is an intelligent woman and is quick on her feet. She has never seen eye to eye with Jeremy. So, when he asks her to be in a friends with benefits relationship she is both taken aback and intrigued.

Jeremy is confident, cocky, and a playboy. He is known for having many mistresses so when he hears a complaint about his skills in the bedroom he looks for Diana. She is probably the only woman who is immune to his charm and will be honest with him.

Jeremy and Diana agree to have a mutual relationship that is beneficial to them both. Jeremy can sharpen his skills in the bedroom and Diana can finally be in a relationship where she isn't always judged because of her widow status.

Jeremy and Diana have so much sexual tension. It's so fun to see their relationship change and grow as they spend more time together. Their witty banter is one of my favorite parts of the book.

I give To Love and to Loathe 4 stars. It's hilarious, clever, and steamy. I thought this was a good romance will some great banter. If you love the enemies to lovers trope I would highly recommend this story.

DNF @55% I could possibly see myself coming back to this one, but I just did not care about anything going on. This book reminds me of why I thought I did not like historical romance. I did like some of the themes that were going on that subvert the classic HR tropes, but I could not get into the story.

We got a hint of Diana and Jeremy in the previous book by Martha Waters and this is their story.

It gets a mixed review from me - the writing and the at times witty banter are well played and funny. But the plot is quite uneven - the house party that starts all this? Nothing happened there to move the plot along. I overall didn’t mind Diana and Jeremy but neither one really seemed fleshed out beyond their connection to each other.

The biggest reason I have for taking away stars is Diana outing Helen with no consequences. Yes, I get this is set during the Regency era, but that makes it worse considering the punishment during those times.

The standout in this book is the banter - so often in enemy to lover stories the banter is lacking or weird, but it is definitely Waters' niche.
However, the story itself was lacking - the pacing was completely off, the party is so lame, the character's backstories weren't as fleshed out as was hinted they could be (Jeremy inheriting title because of his brother's death, what is Diana doing to further women's independence?), and the Lady Helen plot line which settles over the story like smelly fart. Not entirely because of the LGBTQ plot line (although I don't think it was well handled, with respect to outing Helen relentlessly), but because of how obviously Diana and Jeremy are interested in one another - and Diana keeps pushing Helen on Jeremy in increasingly convoluted and annoying ways - something Helen herself mentions as being an insane thing to participate in.
Overall a flat reading experience and a series I won't be checking for future installments.
Thank you to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with an early copy for review.