This was just okay. It's cute and simple, but it felt like this took me too long to get through.

Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for this ebook.

I tried reading this book and unfortunately the story and romance didn't hold my attention. For me I am more picky when it comes to historical novels, whether they are romances, fantasies, etc., they need to be very engaging to keep me reading. Again for all of the historical romance fans out there I encourage you to give this book a try because the premise sounds amazing!

"To Marry and to Meddle" by Martha Waters is a delightful romp through Regency-era England, brimming with wit, charm, and clever matchmaking schemes. As Lady Theodosia Montague navigates the complexities of love and society, readers are treated to a hilarious and heartwarming tale filled with sparkling dialogue and endearing characters. Waters effortlessly blends humor and romance, making this novel a must-read for fans of historical fiction and romantic comedies alike.

I love Martha Waters' voice and this world! Each book is an immediate download for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Julian and Emily are just two great characters together and apart. I really liked that Julian operated his own theater and that he wanted to change the reputation of it. Even if that means a marriage of convenience to Emily.

I liked that through her marriage to Julian, Emily learned how to stand up for herself and not let the snobs of the ton dictate her behavior. I love how she got Julian's father to actually come to the theater so he could accept his son's chosen profession.

I think this was a great installment to this series!

This book is also all about the slow burn. This book felt a little long and not enough romance - a few swoon worthy scenes but I wanted more between the couple. Emily, the main heroine, seemed to have the most passion for the cat (an insult towards the cat is what made her finally stand up to her mom…what?). I like the idea of a marriage of convenience but this just didn’t do it for me.

This was exactly the adorable read I needed. Julian and Emily are the most beautiful couple, reading and watching their love grow made me so happy. I highly recommend it if you love Austen or any Regency romances. Martha Waters' entire series is the perfect set of historical romances.

I am a huge fan of Waters' sly, winking takes on popular tropes and marriage tropes in particular. Especially marriage of convenience which is what we see here. Indeed, I can sense the twinkle in her eye when she writes these. To Marry and to Meddle is no exception but made more delightful by a fringe of theatre-set content.

I loved that two extremely different people realize how to become the best versions of themselves together.

Also, there is a kitten.

I think I would have enjoyed this more had I read the author's previous books, since there were character stories interwoven into this one. But my bigger issue is that the FMC is quite manipulative and not very likeable--it's kind of hard to see why the MMC is so smitten. And her determination to reconcile with abusive parents is definitely not my cup of tea.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

I owe a very delayed thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a digital arc of this book. I regret not having the time to read it prior to publication. I’ve loved each of the books in this series, and throughout I’ve been fascinated by Julian. Seeing him in a different light throughout this book was enjoyable, but it was even more enjoyable to see Emily truly come into her own. Throughout the rest of the series she was a wallflower slowly chipping away at her shell. She truly broke out of that role with her own determination and the support of this lovely cast of characters. This is a gem. I look forward to reading anything else that Martha Waters writes.

A marriage of convenience and comedy! Emily is tired of always having to be the perfect lady while being arm candy for a man she loathes - Julian is tired of being ostracized for his ownership of a bawdy (but popular!) theater. Maybe they can solve each other's problems by tying the knot - Julian gets a trophy wife to elevate him above society scandal and Emily escapes a life being used as a bargaining chip for her parents. But their contract never included a contingency plan in case they fell in love!
I love the characters and banter in this romantic comedy of the Regency period! Emily's delightfully forward friends and their happily lovesick beaus were delightful to experience!
I just reviewed To Marry and to Meddle by Martha Waters. #NetGalley

To be honest, "To Marry and to Meddle" had some really enjoyable moments that kept me engaged. The setup for the marriage of convenience and the witty banter between the main characters were fantastic. I loved how their relationship evolved, and the slow-burn romance added a delightful touch. Even the hijinks with the cat brought some lighthearted fun to the story.

However, I have to admit that the plot lost its steam once the couple arrived in London and settled into their married life. While I appreciated the exploration of how their parents' influences affected them as adults, it dominated the majority of the novel, and at times, it felt a bit repetitive and sluggish. I wanted to see more external conflicts or parallel plots to keep the story moving forward. Additionally, I would have liked a more detailed exploration of certain events that were glossed over. Nonetheless, if you're already a fan of this author's work, you'll likely enjoy this book as well. While it had its ups and downs, it still had its moments of charm and romance that made it a worthwhile read.

What a delight! Martha Waters always delivers witty romances that'll make you swoon. I always admire how she illuminates different parts of the traditional "historical" romance time periods and plays with tropes in unexpected but delightful ways.

A lot of choices were made by the author and well, they weren't good.

The romance wasn't there and the book was just meh. Overall a waste of time.

This book was just sadly not for me! I was hoping for something different but it turned out to be something I was not expecting, which is okay and I'm sure someone else would love it!

A fun and light historical romance, perfect for readers looking to enter the genre!

This was so much fun and I adored the banter between Emily and Julian! Watching them accidentally fall in love was ADORABLE and the tender moments between them were very cute! Te.

My only issue was that there were some pacing issues and it just felt like at some points not much was happening. I was also getting frustrated at towards the end because of it felt like Julian’s obsession with the theatre and keeping Emily separate from it were just being dragged out too long.

I enjoyed watching the characters grow. Learning to love and accept themselves, and ask for what they wanted. Stepping out of the shadow of everyone else’s expectations and being true to themselves. I really enjoyed the side characters too, and once I found out that this is book 3 I went back to read the others. Fun read.

I did not enjoy this installment nearly as much as the first 2. I think the concept of a daughter being beholden to her parents (particularly in the day and age of the setting of the book) and used for leverage in the marriage market is an enticing plot point, but the parents were both so odious and bland that it was hard to have any real feelings about the situation they were putting our main character in. I also found it difficult to like and root for either main character which meant that I just read the book to get through it. I will continue with the series, but I truly hope the author is able to capture the charm of the first two novels as she continues on.

To Marry and to Meddle was just okay for me. It has a decent level of spice, but I just never started caring about any of the characters. It is the third in a series, so maybe that explains my lack of connection.

Emily is a little too passive for me and Julian felt like he was trying to embody too many tropes. Was he protective, was he progressive with letting Emily be her own person, was he grouchy? He just never felt fleshed out to me.

I also didn’t love how they got together. It felt too convenient and I usually adore marriage of convenience. I kept trying to figure out the point of it all. The relationship’s development didn’t feel genuine or organic to me, either.

It’s a “fine” Regency romance if you’re looking one. Maybe read the first two books in the series first, though! Thank you for the opportunity to read and review To Marry and to Meddle. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me free access to the advanced copy of this book to read.