West & Sophia finally get their second (or is it third?) chance at romance thanks to a fake engagement plot in this final addition to Waters' "Regency Vows" series. The madcap romantic antics of this group of ton friends and family is capped off by the "will they, won't they" romance that has been teased throughout the series.

West and Sophie have been worth the wait. I've been team West from the beginning of the series. He's just a good man and I love a hero who is just simply kind, patient and devoted to one woman. They are both firstborn kids who feel a lot of responsibility to their family and positions and the guilt to put everyone else's happiness before their own. Can they overcome their complicated past and forge ahead to create a new future together?

I love a good fake engagement to create forced proximity and the long overdue conversations that clear the way to happiness. There are a lot of shenanigans between Sophie and her sisters. I really felt for West as he was awkwardly caught in the middle. He's got the patience of a saint.

You get a lot of updates on the other couples in the series and their blooming families to cap things off. I'm going to give this a five-star rating and hope that Ms. Waters keeps writing such fun characters, witty dialogue and compelling romantic reads!

To Woo and to Wed is the final book in the sometimes silly but usually enjoyable Regency Vows series, and it wraps things up with my most anticipated couple. West and Sophie have been dancing around each other for 4 books now, and it was great to finally get their full story and see them find their happy ending.

Seven years ago, West and Sophie were on the cusp of getting engaged. And then he was injured in a curricle accident and when he had recovered, he found out that Sophie had married someone else. For years, they've avoided each other - mostly - but now there's something simmering under the surface. And they both need to pretend that they're engaged... what could go wrong?

I've been wanting West and Sophie's story since the first book in this series, and by and large, it delivered. I think this book struck a nice balance between the romance and the silliness/slapsticky-ness of the rest of the series. It was honestly the least slapsticky book of the lot, which I appreciated. This is a romance that wanted an inherent angst, with all of the hurts of the past between the two main characters. Still, I laughed plenty, especially during the more performative moments of the fake engagement.

Basically, I enjoyed this book a lot! It wasn't perfect, but it held my interest and delivered a satisfying finale for the series.

4/5

This was a great conclusion to the Regency Vows series. I have read all 5 of them now and have enjoyed each one. I especially loved how much the characters from the other four books frequently show up in To Woo and to Wed. There has been build over over the other 4 books to West and Sophie and it was so fun to finally get to learn more about their back story. This book has a lot of flashbacks in it and I liked getting more history on all the characters.

If you have read the others in the series, you will enjoy this one as well. I recommend reading them in order to get the most out of each book.

Content warnings: 2 open door scenes, death of a friend mentioned

I can’t think of a better way to end this series than with Sophie and West. Throughout the series you wonder what their story is and if they will get their happy ending.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for this ARC!

- I lovee the fake engagement trope, and this one does it so so well!
- At this point, I think I need to stop thinking of second chance as a trope I'm not huge on, because I was loving the tension/angst between Sophie and Wes!
- The way this combined the past with the present was so interesting, and I loved the way it slowly let us understand them as a couple so much more.
- While Sophie and her family's stubbornness was frustrating at times, it was so interesting seeing her family's dynamics!

To Woo and to Wed by Martha Waters

💐 Second Chance Romance
💐 Fake Dating
💐 Regency Era

I absolutely adored reading To Woo and to Wed! I read this all in one sitting, and just couldn’t put it down.
The flashbacks to the characters’ past were interwoven incredibly well, and were very interesting.
I just loved their relationship. I love how determined West was, and how he never gave up on Sophie. It was also fun to see the other characters from the previous books in this series.

I would 100% recommend this to anyone who enjoys romance.

4 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is a fun, flirty and fulfilling finale to a wonderful Regency RomCom series - although, I'm very sad to say goodbye to it. While this is the last book in the series, it can be read as a stand alone.

This book has my favorite romance trope - fake dating - as well as second chance love. West, the Marquess of Weston, and Sophie, Lady Fitzwilliam Bridewell were nearly engaged years ago until West was in a terrible accident leaving his best friend dead and West with an injured leg. Years later, Sophie enlists West in a scheme to pretend to be engaged so that her sisters will feel free to marry. Neither counted on old feelings rising to the surface.

I liked Sophie and West. Their banter and flirting was fun to read. West is filled with survivor's guilt about the accident and deeply grieves the lost of this friend. He is all-in on the relationship with Sophie, but she holds him at arms length believing she is protecting him from his conniving, unfeeling father. West's father was instrumental in breaking the couple up before, and is intent on keeping them apart now.

The supporting cast of family and friends from previous books add humor, as well as fun shenanigans, that only best friends can. West and Sophie believe they are so slick in their ruse, but the jokes on them. The book has the typical HEA, and I'm all for it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Atria Books. All opinions are my own.

I’ve been aware of this series for some time, but I hadn’t actually read any of the books. Maybe the fifth and final (?) book wasn’t the best starting point, but it worked ok as a standalone. The other couples are very present though, and sometimes I was a little confused about events from previous books. It was great to see so many happy couples though, including Sophie’s sister, who hadn’t really been part of the other books (I think).

This book has lots of elements of traditional histroms, but it felt modern and fresh. I liked reading about a widowed main character and the heir to a Duke who was nothing like a rake. It is a second chance romance which was completely believable, especially because of the short flashbacks that showed some insight in their interactions during the previous seven years. I was a little less keen on the shenanigans involving their fake betrothal. The conflict is mostly external, and while Sophie grows throughout the book, West seems pretty much same from start to finish. He does stand up to his father, but he had done so in the past as well.

Overall I enjoyed this book and I’m going to keep an eye out for the other books.

It was lovely to return back to the absurd and fun relationships in this final book. I love that they found each other again, and that it felt like wrongs were righted.

It did feel like Sophie’s character portrayal was different than previous books. Not necessarily in a bad way, just enough to note the inconsistency. Either way, I’m excited to recommend that others read it, too!

I have been fortunate to get arcs of this series since To Love and Loathe and it has captured my heart. These books have been a gift and I don’t feel like I have the words to adequately express what they mean to me. These are my friends, these are their stories. I come back to Waters over and over again. As a writer, she inspires me. As a reader, she delights me. This series graces my bookshelf like a security blanket, always there to comfort me and provide a sweet escape. I loved West and Sophie’s story just as much as every other book- it is sweet and funny and sexy and ever so emotional. It is perhaps more satisfying than the other books in this series if only from the waiting for these two characters to reunite. I am glad that Waters chose to keep this story for last, it felt like the great big bow on a fantastic series. I can’t wait to see what’s next from Martha Waters!

I am in denial that this is the final book in Martha Waters’ Regency Vows series. But I suppose all good things must end and this was a banger of a finale for this very fun and comedic regency romance series. It’s a second chance romance that sees the two main characters going up against a controlling Duke in the quest to lead their own lives. Plus it features hilarious sisterly shenanigans and all the friends from the previous books in the series. Absolutely would recommend and I can’t wait to see what Martha Waters writes next!

I was very excited to read To Woo and To Wed after having enjoyed the rest of the series but unfortunately this was the weakest of the series for me. I loved the glimpse of Sophie and West we’d gotten in the past books and it was nice to finally know their history, but their story felt very slow. It seemed they basically kept going in circles around each other and took too long to finally discuss things. It didn’t have the usual humor I’d come to really enjoy from series either, except for when all the friends gathered. Overall it was cute, but not the conclusion to the series that I had hoped for.

Duke’s heir West and widow Sophie, once almost engaged, reunite to help her sister. Sophie proposes a fake engagement with a time limit. But as they grow closer, she struggles to keep her promise not to fall for him again.

This book is hilarious and so fun. The chemistry between West and Sophie is palpable. As with some of the other books in the series, there were times I wanted to shake the characters and tell them to stop being so dumb. But the fact is, real-life people do dumb things all the time, and Sophie’s character arc made sense. West and Sophie made some harrowing choices when they were young and scared, and they’ve been left scarred as a result. Their hearts are in the right place, so I’m willing to give them a lot of grace. Sometimes life is messy, and the walls we put up to protect ourselves keep us from following our hearts. Fortunately, these characters learn from their mistakes, and it’s a beautiful thing.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
This is the fifth book in The Regency Vows series, and while it’s not necessary to read them in order, it does help to understand the characters a little more. Each book focuses on one couple in the group of friends, and we get to continue to see how their relationships develop in each subsequent book.
We’ve seen Sophie and West’s push and pull throughout the series and I was really excited to read their entire story. Theirs is a second-chance romance. They were in love and nearly engaged seven years ago, until West was badly injured and Sophie married another man! Fast forward seven years, Sophie is now a widow and her sister, also a widow is hesitant to find love again without making sure that Sophie is settled as well. Sophie approaches West with the idea of a fake-engagement so that her sister will marry the man that she loves.
West was an amazing hero. He loved Sophie and never doubted it for a moment. Sophie was highly annoying to me. She did not trust West to know his own wishes and desires. I not a fan of a hero or heroine falling on a blade as a martyr without both parties being informed. In this instance, we have West who was badly injured, lost his best friend, and by the time he heals the love of his love has arrived another man. Even in the present, Sophie continues to offer him less that he wants and doesn’t trust West to “know his own mind.” They eventually get everything straightened out and the epilogue was the perfect ending to the series for me.
*Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for an advanced copy of this ebook*

Such a sweet book! It is the final installment in the series, so you see a lot of the people from previous books.But it isn't required to read previous books in order to enjoy this story. West and Sophie were just delightful. I loved the flashbacks to 7 years ago so we get the full scope of their relationship. We get fake dating, swoony stolen moments, and such a redemptive story of forgiveness and undying love! I thoroughly enjoyed this story!

I was beyond excited to see that we finally got West and Sophie’s book! I have been waiting for this since book one and I wasn’t left disappointed. I am not usually a fan of second chance romances but I loved seeing them come back together! It was also a fun finale for this series as we got to see all the characters multiple times!
I wasn’t overly fond of the flashbacks. I feel like this book didn’t really need them to tell the story but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment!
Overall, I still love West and Sophie and I can’t wait to see what’s next for Waters!

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! This was the fifth and final installment in Martha Waters’ The Regency Vows series and it did not disappoint. West and Sophie have been pining for each other for years, but due to life circumstances, they were never engaged or married. But they are thrown together in order to help Sophie’s sister find love, and a fake engagement ensues. I have read every book in this series and was definitely waiting for West and Sophie’s love story. I think Waters has a great writing style and really is adept at letting the reader see the inner workings of characters, particularly with the issues and drama of regency times. I loved the writing and trauma bonding going on in this book; they’re both recovering from different tragedies or misunderstandings in their past, and Sophie in particular, is having a hard time accepting that she could be loved and happy. I love women like this getting HEAs. My only issues with this book were my own. Second chance romance is my least favorite trope, and the flashbacks were kind of jarring. But overall, this was a great book, as well as a great ending to a great series. I highly recommend this whole series and this book to fans of Waters, regency historical romance, and Bridgerton (very similar vibe).

To Woo and to Wed is book 5 in the phenomenal Regency Vows Series by Martha Waters.
Hands down one of my most favorite historical fiction romance series I’ve ever read!
West and Sophie’s story was endearing, engaging and entertaining.
Clever and quirky and a joy to read! Martha's writing always puts a big smile on my face.
If you haven’t read this funny and charming historical romance yet….. run and do so!
She's developed this series that I look forward to with each release.
I’m sad that this is the final installment in the sweet and funny Regency Vows series.

Thank You NetGalley and Atria Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

The last book in this series was a wonderful sendoff;. I was so ready for West and Sophie's story and this fake engagement combined with a second chance romance was just perfect.

West and Sophie fell in love when they were young but events and people got in the way and they were kept apart for many years. Now Sophie is a widow and they may just have their second chance. If only they can both open their hearts to the opportunity and take the risk. Swooniness at its best.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained are my own.

I adore Martha Water’s books, and this sweet second chance historical romance did not disappoint! Sophie and West were ready to get married until West’s father get’s in their way with threats and ultimatums. The anftermath of West’s curricle accident seals the end of their courtship. Sophie then marries another gentleman and is then widowed. Years later Sophie's sister is ready to get remarried but will not do so until Sophie has found happiness again herself. Out of desperation Sophie asks West to pretend they’re engaged to trick her sister into getting married. Since West has never moved on from Sophie he’s willing to go along with her ploy, especially to send a strong message to his father. Will this be the second chance Sophie and West never thought they would have or will their plans be foiled once again?

I really loved the message of being brave enough to choose your own happiness. As usual, the spunky cast of supporting characters brought humor and gentleness to round out the story. I truly have a fondness for this series!