This final title in the Regency Vows series finally tells the story of Sophie and West, who have been sighing in the background of all the previous novels. Unfortunately, their story, which hinted at deep passion, is a slow burn that ultimately fizzles. Neither character is interesting enough to hold the reader's attention, with both of them more concerned with duty and external pressures than their own happiness or self-fulfillment. A fine though not particularly compelling read for fans of the series.

I love a second-chance romance and this one really hit the spot! Martha Waters is quickly becoming my favorite historical romance author. I can't wait to see what she does with her next series.

Thank you to Atria Books/Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for allowing me to review the 5th and final in the Regency Vows series. I do recommend reading the series in order, although they can be stand alone titles; I fell in love with ever character and its like a trip home within every book. To Woo and to Wed had me laughing out loud and curling my toes; this one was a true slowburn, and well worth it.

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

This was a first book to me by this author and omg I loved it.I have no idea why I waited this long.I loved the writing and the characters and I wish j have read the previous books before to have better insight so I would recommend doing so if you are planning on reading this.I will definitely read the rest in the series.10/10 recommend!

love finally getting to read west and sophie’s story! there are parts where the conflict seems so cyclical…like they have the same argument over and over again. tbh that’s the issue I had with the first book as well. however! the yearning is done well and I enjoyed seeing sophie come into her own

I absolutely adored this read! It's right up there in quality with A Lady's Guide to Scandal! I loved that it wasn't a shy maid scared of the world, it is a smart older sister and widow who is figuring out the world as an adult making rational decisions. Every step of the way I was proud of the heroine and hero for learning and growing in a mature manner, both apart and together. I think this second chance romance is the most lovely way to close out the series. It was beautiful, hopeful, and I think I'm going to go back and read the whole series-especially Emily's book!
My only gripes are it did that sex scene trope of the clit being an orgasm button you can poke as many times as you want and it works like a vending machine, as well as women's orgasms being "shattered" ";broken" "in pieces" and other such language suggesting female pleasure is a romantic breaking of what was once whole while men's language around sex remains whole and encouraging. THAT however is a problem of the genre of romance at large instead of a complaint about this writer or book, as we all read books that refer to women's orgasms as "breaking" them and then in our minds repeat that language. It doesn't indicate any ill will or misogyny on behalf of the writer, so much as what we as readers and writers are conditioned to associate with female pleasure.

TLDR; if you like regency romance and mature characters that act like adults, read it :)

I am so excited to finally have West’s and Sophie’s story in my hands!!

West and Sophie seemed to be on the path of wooing and eventually marriage. But West’s father was dead set against it and was not secret about it, going so far as to even warn off Sophie. Then West’s curricle accident happened; killing his best friend, injuring himself, and woke up to find out that Sophie had married… to another man.

Now that she is widowed, their friends and family seem determined to get them together. Whenever their paths do cross there is underlying hurt and really the sense of not knowing why. But deep down underneath it all is the longing and desire to be together.

Can they hash out their past and put it behind them or will they forever remain acquaintances? You’ll have to one-click to find out.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria for the ARC in exchnge for an honest review

The fifth book in this series but it can be enjoyed entirely as a standalone

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)
-m/f historical romance
-second chance romance
-disability rep
-dual timeline
-soft only for you
-mutual pining
-fake engagement

I adore this series so much, this group of friends and just the shennanigans as they each fall in love. with all of the hints about West and Sophie's romance that ended with her married to someone else I was so hyped for this one and gosh did it deliver. The dual timelines as we saw them fall in love and how their lives remained intertwined. West is starchy and stern and yet so soft and gone on Sophie. They both loved each other including what they saw as flaws. Amazing chemistry and just will they or won't they vibes.

Sophie was just so independent and stubborn, and I adored her push and pull with West, and her sisters, it just had me giggling and kicking my feet as these two tried to pretend that their feeligns hadn't disapeared and that they weren't meant to be. It was so great to see the other characters HEA, just a great friend group. I'm sad to see this series over but West and Sophie's story was worth the wait. Cannot wait to see what Martha will have for us next.

I've been begging Martha for West and Sophie's book since the beginning of this series when their chemistry first crackled on page and a whisper of their tragic falling out promised angst galore, looong-term pining, and a swoony, hard-earned happily ever after. Wow, did their story deliver. I loved them so much.

(Thank you Atria and NetGalley for the review copy; all opinions are my own!)

I have to say that West was one of my favorite characters and I was anxiously waiting for his story! I also have to say I have a little bit of love/hate feelings happening with this book too! Gasp…

One of the awesome things about Waters stories is that she humanizes the characters so well that you can be personally affronted by quirks and issues that arise.

In other books where Sophie and West appeared, I liked Sophie… In this book, I found myself becoming frustrated with some of her backward ideas and how hard she made it for West and their relationship to blossom. She was breaking his heart again and I hated it.

To ease my pain was plenty of humor and banter. The friend’s circle is tight and fun. Her family, sister’s mainly, tended to be a bit frustrating, but that is mainly stemming from Sophie’s inability to communicate throughout the book.

West is a sweetheart and all in with anything that entails Sophie’s happiness. His character is fabulous as he grows to overcome his pain and guilt. Together they truly are a delight. The steam is delicious and fits perfectly into the narrative of this saucy second-chance romance.

Overall, To Woo and To Wed is a humorous and electric story full of spark and energy that will beg for re-reads of this entire series over and over.

I did enjoy this book and was looking forward to reading it after having read the rest of the series.

I always like seeing the other characters from the pervious books. It’s fun to see where they’re all at and meddling in people’s lives. That being said, I was slightly disappointed? The flashbacks were nice to know the backstory and what went on but interrupted the flow of the book for me. I wanted to know what was happening next in present time but then the next chapter would be a flashback. I think that’s also what had me kind of stopping reading and then coming back a few times.
I thought Sophie and West could have been a little bit more rounded out? Both of them fell a little flat to me. Both were a little too stuck in their ways and there wasn’t very much romance going on sadly. It was cute and admirable to see what they were each willing to endure so the other would be happy. Everything worked out in the end, but I was hoping for more out of the overall story.


I received a eArc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This emotional and epic love story is the conclusion to the amazing Regency Vows series. This novel was everything I hoped for as reader and lover of all Martha Waters' books! West and Sophie's second chance romance was a sweet, tender, fun read with lots of heart and steam. I loved the flashbacks that told their story as well as the cameos from the other characters. Thank you Atria and Netgalley for my copy.

A lovely conclusion to a lovely series! The Regency Vows series was one of my first loves of the historical romance genre and remains one of my favorite series to this day. I loved Sophie as a main character and I found her character to be so rich. On one hand, Sophie is completely selfless, sacrificing her happiness for her younger sisters and West; on the other hand, she allows her fear to control her which leads to hurt. West was a great romantic hero; he was devoted and steadfast, but I would have liked a bit more depth to his character. A lot of his story revolved around his toxic relationship with his manipulative and controlling father but the interactions read as a bit shallow and I would have liked to see West dive deeper to defy his father.. I felt a bit unsatisfied not getting to see the Duke <spoiler> eat crow </spoiler> though I understand the appeal of the alternative. I appreciated the time we got to spend with all of the series couples, getting to see them living their lives beyond their initial love stories.

This may have been my favorite book in the series. I read this so quickly. I couldn’t put it down. I’ll be sad to leave these characters. What an enjoyable series.

Martha Waters’ Regency Vows books have been a series of smart, sexy, and over-the-top escapades, and her final installment is no exception. To Woo and to Wed throws the Marquess of Weston and Lady Fitzwilliam Bridewell back together – once young fiancés, then long-time frenemies, West and Sophie dream up a harebrained scheme to feign a renewed engagement for the sake of both of their families. In their effort to convince the ton of their sincerity, stunts and capers abound.

Yes, the heart of West and Sophie’s problem rests on a misunderstanding. But I was able to get past this often used plot-device, given how sweet and fun this romance was to read. I felt Waters did a good job of presenting West’s physical disability and I appreciated that Sophie wasn’t hellbent on getting hitched and pregnant.

All in all, an extremely satisfying conclusion to a delightful historical romance series! Thanks so much to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy!

"The final installment in the "hilarious and steamy" (PopSugar) Regency Vows series follows the heir to a dukedom and a young widow, once very much in love, as they reunite years later to fake an engagement for the benefit of her sister.

West, the Marquess of Weston, and Sophie, Lady Fitzwilliam Bridewell, have lately been spending a considerable amount of time together. But West and Sophie are not new acquaintances. In fact, years ago, they had once been nearly engaged until West's almost fatal curricle accident and his meddling father threw them off course.

Now recently widowed, Sophie has put aside all thoughts of romance. But when her widowed sister, Alexandra, mentions a fondness for an earl, Sophie realizes that she may be holding her sister back. Alexandra won't move forward with an engagement until Sophie, too, settles down again, and so Sophie approaches West with a plan. They will announce their engagement and break things off once Alexandra is happily married. It'll be simple. After all, it's not like she is going to fall for West a second time, not when Sophie has sworn not to risk her heart again."

Sigh, Regency Romance!

This is a fun and entertaining conclusion to the series. I’ve been looking forward to reading West and Sophie’s story for a while now, and I can see why Waters waited until the last book to tell it. They have a swoon-worthy second chance romance, and there’s so much pining and angst and sexual tension that it was almost tangible.

West is a wonderful cinnamon roll MMC who will do anything to prove that he and Sophie are meant to be. I adored him. He is so sweet and kind and always in control except when with Sophie. She affects him in so many ways, and the way he fights for her… swoon! 

I found Sophie a bit more difficult to like. She’s bossy and stubborn, and she makes decisions for everyone without asking for their input. She could have saved everyone a lot of time and headaches by talking things out before making life-altering decisions. And some of the things that kept these two apart frustrated me – the miscommunication and false assumptions tropes are not my faves. Nevertheless, their chemistry is great, and I enjoyed the dual POV and flashbacks to their past. It definitely adds to the character development and shows how deep and unending their love for each other is.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

This whole series is very well written with cute story lines and great character development. The fake engagement scenario made me question if this would be another boring storyline but in true Martha Waters fashion I was quickly invested in West & Sophie’s story.

📣 historical second chance with a big ole pining hero

📖 what’s your current read? I’m finishing up Jackie Lau’s Love, Lies, & Cherry Pie today.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

To Woo & To Wed is the third Martha Waters book I’ve read & I really love the humor, heart, & mild absurdity of them.

The last one—where the heroine tries to stage a haunted house—is particularly inventive. This one is a bit more conventional, hinging around a fake engagement between two people who were close to being engaged seven years earlier.

Sophie & West have had quite the journey to a HEA. First derailed by his tyrannical duke father & a horrible curricle accident, Sophie and West are additionally hindered by Sophie’s feelings regarding the obstacles they face.

But the attraction between them holds steady, as does West himself, who has pined hard for our girl Sophie.

You know how I am about second chance & the execution of this one doesn’t quite win me over. The flashbacks feel kind of inserted into the narrative without the glue to bring it all together for me seamlessly. I felt like I was missing some of the emotional nuance necessary to really fall for the second chance arc.

But the characters are entertaining, & I love Martha Waters’ writing style, which is shiny & bright & witty. To Woo & To Wed isn’t my fave of this series but I rec this author in general & really look forward to reading more of her books. They’re adorable.

3.5 ⭐️. 02/06.

Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs.

[ID: Jess, a white woman wearing a yellow floral dress, holds the ebook while standing in a greenhouse.]

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

I've read all the others in this series, and thought that they were okay. This was the same. There was nothing in there that really wowed me, but nothing I hated, either. It was a fine book to read while dealing with Christmas stress.