I really love the Regency Vows by Martha Waters. It reads like a regency F.R.I.E.N.D.S. with this group of friends that banter and laugh with each other. I want more books about Penvale and Sophie.
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I read the second book in this series last year and loved it! (And still want to read the first!) but this can be read as a stand alone. There’s a few recaps/comments of what happened in the previous books.
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This book starts at the house party that takes place in book 2. Julian Belfry is a gentleman that owns a theater, he has a loose reputation but wants to make it better before the ton. He sees Emily at the house party and she’s prim and proper - just the sort of lady that would elevate his name. They hastily get married for a marriage of convenience and then set to improving the Belfry theater and name.
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Emily is finally free from her mother’s strict eye but her life is much the same. And Emily adopts a cat - I loved every scene with that cat 😂
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Of course the most inconvenient thing would to fall in love with your spouse. I loved seeing the growth of Emily and Julian and how they grew to love each other.
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Content: some innuendo and open door intimacy
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I reviewed an e-arc copy from the publisher and Net Galley. I can’t wait for this book to come out and to own it and put it next to my other Martha Waters’ books. She’s quickly becoming an auto-read author for me. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the review copy! All opinions are my own.

Emily and Julian’s marriage of convenience was delightful, witty, and lots of fun. I appreciated that each in their own way they had to face their relationship to their families, navigate their families’ impact on their hearts, their openness to intimacy, and their married life. Together these two appreciated each other for who they are while also gently nudging each other to be brave in life and in love. Finally, let me say just how much I loved Cecil Lucifer Beelzebub, for his impeccable comedic timing.

I was sent an ebook by the publisher to read and review, and let me tell you it was great. I really enjoyed seeing a different side of both main characters in this book, there's misunderstandings, but also there is apprehension between them both. Emily and Julian both have a spark even from previous installment. What i loved about this book was although she was trying to free herself from marriage to a bad person, Julian was also trying to make a name for himself to be noticed by his father. In between both characters start to fall for each other but don't know if the other feels the same, so they go on pretending. It was amazing to see how they were able to break from that. They already had great chemistry together so to me it wasn't hard to see that flourish so easily. I think each installment gets more and more steamy and i love that the author is taking that leap with these regency romance books. I cant stop swooning and i cannot wait until the book comes out!

To Marry and To Meddle by Martha Waters
Tags: Historical Romance; Regency Romance; Marriage of Convenience;

I’ve been dabbling a bit more in the Historical Romance pool these days, which is what drew me to this newest book by Martha Waters (okay, the cover art and description also pulled me in!). One thing I have come to realize and appreciate are HR books that somehow are also RomComs of a sort? I’m not explaining it well, but I love a RomCom and I love a HR that brings that same energy, which this one certainly does.

To Marry and To Meddle featured one of my favorite tropes (Marriage of Convenience) and paired it nicely with the former player / rake hero. I really enjoyed both our leads, Emily and Julian, but have to save the show stealer was Mr. Cecil Lucifer Beelzebub the kitten (and wedding night blocker) extraordinaire.

Highlights:
• Banter – I love a book filled with banter and pacing
• Adorable pets who also have impeccable timing 😂
• Strong female friendships, I love that the series is each of the ladies love stories and I’ll definitely be checking out the other two books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an early look at this book release! All thoughts and opinions offered are my own.

A wild story with like a smexy twist. I love Martha’s third book To Marry and to Meddle her writing has gotten immaculate! The talks between the characters are just great and the historical twist inside the story is just so good too. I definitely recommend this book and for the people who are new to historical stuff will like this read. The plot is so easy to understand and the characters are just great.

I love this series - and this one lived up to the hype too! The characters are so intriguing, funny and sexy. I couldn’t put this down!

A delightful, witty romp! I am enraptured with Martha Waters’ ability to write female characters that are deep, hilarious, and decidedly feminist while still speaking truth to the era. She writes with wit and playfulness, but also with a vulnerability and empathy that creates recognition between the reader and the characters. We may not live in the exact times as Emily Turner does, but we all have felt small, stuck, and unheard. This is a must read for anyone who loves a good romance. The only downside to finishing To Marry and To Meddle is that I have to wait for Waters’ next book!

Wild and wacky, with a smart and sexy spin
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One of the things I really love about this author's stories is her creativity with the characters. The women are not cast as floundering airheads, but as smart and capable women that can take control and be awesome.

To Marry and to Meddle is a fun, crafty book that brings out the best in these characters. This story is slow to burn but hot and sexy too. I love the premise and these two balance off of each other perfectly. They work, live, and love beautifully together. The wit and bit of wildness is on point and this story is just a delight to read, especially regarding Cecil, that dang cat! Funny

For those that swear they would never read a Regency romance, this is the way Regency is written today. Waters is growing in her craft and having fun with writing which comes across perfectly. She loves her stories and we love to read them. Hopefully there are more to come! Waters is definitely an author to watch!

The third book in Martha Waters Regency Vows series brings the same zany characters and historical whimsy but with a new twist: a marriage of convenience between respectful and quiet Emily Turner and the unreformed rake and theater owner Julian Belfry. After watching these two flirt and blush in books 1 and 2, I was so excited to start this story and thrilled when I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for my honest review. After a rushed wedding while on holiday with friends, Emily and Julian go back to the Belfry estate to make the theater more respectable and to inform their families of the nuptials. I just adore the characters in this series, they all bring such humor to the story! This book can be read as a standalone but I recommend reading the books in order because the stories interconnect a bit and it is fun to read the friends' stories in order. If you enjoy marriage-of-convenience historical romance between a reformed rake and sweet but witty virgin featuring hilarious best friends and a cat named after the devil, look no further… Martha Waters has you covered. Perfect for fans of Evie Dunmore!

Martha Waters does it again in this 3rd installment of her regency romcom series centered around a marriage of convenience.

This was an extremely entertaining, witty, and overall sweet romantic comedy about two polar opposites that enter a marriage with a purpose in hand. Will they be able to hold up to their end of their bargain? Who would imagine that they would gain SO much more than what they originally had in mind!

I enjoyed being a witness to how Julian and Emily's relationship blossomed throughout this novel in a way that was not only sweet and lighthearted but also navigated difficult family relationships and a fight against society's parameters.

Thanks to NetGalley for my gifted copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
To Marry and To Meddle is the cute 3rd installment in the Regency Vows series. This story is about Emily and Julian. A marriage of convenience. She’s withstood scandal and he’s trying to avoid more. Fun banter, silly antics, an overall fun popcorn read!
3.75 stars rounded up to 4.

“Busy ladies had no time to dwell on kisses.” — To Love and to Loathe
To Love and to Loathe by Martha Waters is beguiling in the best of ways. Completely charming from the first page, I immediately got lost in the pages and found it hard to say goodbye.

Diana is a woman who not only knows what she wants, but will stop at nothing to achieve her goals. Jeremy is the friend of Diana’s older brother. He is also an impossible rake and determined to win every verbal sparring contest he and Diana enter into. To Love and to Loathe reads like a combination of the matchmaking schemes of Jane Austen’s Emma, with the banter and obliviousness of feelings of Pride and Prejudice.

What surprised me the most is that even though Jeremy and Diana have always been at odds with each other, they both hold a great deal of respect for the other. Simple banter turns into a wager as to when Jeremy will find himself a wife. Diana becomes determined, and Jeremy equally so. When Jeremy finds himself in need of some reassurance of his bedroom skills, he takes it upon himself to solicit Diana to help him. They both agree to terms that guard their hearts and reputations, but when Jeremy’s Grandmother starts to scheme in order to help Diana win her bet, both Jeremy and Diana begin to realize that their feelings run deeper than what they had thought.

Watching Diana and Jeremy’s chess match of a relationship play out was wrought with romantic tension. The chemistry together was full of combustible energy, which made the culmination of their story really and truly a Happily Ever After. The one point of To Love and to Loathe that I felt was slightly off for me, was when one of the characters entrusts another with keeping a secret that would be in the height of scandal for the time. Unfortunately, that secret is not kept, and while that particular plot device was never resolved, it struck a weird chord for me.

Overall, I truly enjoyed To Love and to Loathe. I loved the setting, the vibrancy of the surrounding characters, and every interaction between Jeremy and Diana. If you love historical romance, specifically Regency Romance, then do not miss out on this one!

I've loved the authors first two books and this one was no different. I have found an other beside Jane Austen that has me enjoying something set in the regency. I don't think it means I've fully embraced the genre, I think it's because I have found an author who writes similar to Jane Austen.

Great continuation to a fun series!

I've been meaning to pick up a historical romance for a while now since bookstagram is filled with them! I was excited to continue this series and it instantly soothed my cravings for the genre! Who doesn't love a good marriage of convenience trope??

Julian and Emily agree to a marriage so that Julian can "fix" his imagine in society and Emily wants freedom. Both receive what they desire and more as their relationship blossoms! Emily's friends have to be my favourite part of this book, their no filter comments made for some great conversations among the girls!

If you're a historical romance lover, this is for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the earc in return for an honest review.

As delightful as the first two entries in the series! To Marry and To Meddle turns its spotlight to Lady Emily Turner, who may not be the perfect debutante she appears to be. When the dashing and scandalous Lord Julian Belfry proposes—a marriage of convenience—they both get more than they bargain for in the matter. She a place to truly be herself. And he, a true partner in life. Waters approaches strained family dynamics and scandal with a light touch and sharp wit, making room for romance, and for the authentic friendship between Emily, Diana, and Violet to shine.

To Marry and To Meddle had a plot and romance that exceeded my expectations. Readers who dislike the common lack of communication trope will LOVE this book. Our main characters communicate and do it well, which is equally important. A fun and enjoyable read for everyone who loves a Happily Ever After. I particularly enjoyed Emily standing up to her parents and Julien giving her space and freedom to be herself.

Martha has done it again. She has crafted an enjoyable and witty story. I loved everything about this one. It was well written and contained some humor.

Martha Waters wrote in her author's note that this was the most difficult book of the trilogy to write. As a reader, this surprised me as it felt effortless, as if the author knew the characters so well that the dialogue and internal feelings magically appeared on the page and felt so real and right. This was my favorite of the trilogy, and I loved all three books, but this one was particularly hilarious. Emily and Julian were utterly adorable, and their chemistry and affection was off-the-charts. It was so fun to revisit the other two couples, who added even more comic relief. I felt like a guest at the ton eavesdropping on the conversations of the coolest people in residence. And while there was only one spicy scene, it was perfectly delicious. And Cecil the cat was a hoot. I'm not sure if a fourth book is in the works, but I hope so.

Martha Waters does it again in her historical Regency rom-com. Witty banter, compelling characters, and thoughtful storylines come together for this delightful read.

As the third installment of The Regency Vows series, I think Emily's story is my favorite. Surprisingly, this romance novel begins with a marriage, which is often what the reader works up to in a love story. However, Emily and Julian's marriage is one born out of convenience. From this point, the story's trajectory takes on not only a note of love slowly building under the surface, but also one of self-acceptance. I was drawn to Emily's story because she seems to be caught in the never-ending cycle of people-pleasing, and suddenly breaks free from the chains of society once she is married. Although we do not live in times when marriage is the only goal of "society ladies", I feel that people of today constantly look for the approval of others, whether it be via social media, what they are wearing, and even where they go on vacation. All needs to be recorded, and in a fashionable way, or else it never happened (or never mattered). Emily's story reminded me that the need to please others can leave one's self deeply neglected, and when we take care to project our true selves, true love and friendship will prevail because they will accept us for who we truly are and not who we pretend to be. I would recommend not only this book, but the entire series to anyone!