To Love and to Loathe
Ratings26
Average rating3.5
The author of To Have and to Hoax returns with an effervescent, charming, and swoon-worthy novel about a man and woman who never agree on anything—until they agree to a no-strings-attached affair in this Regency-era romp.
The widowed Diana, Lady Templeton and Jeremy, Marquess of Willingham are infamous among English high society as much for their sharp-tongued bickering as their flirtation. One evening, an argument at a ball turns into a serious wager: Jeremy will marry within the year or Diana will forfeit one hundred pounds. So shortly after, just before a fortnight-long house party at Elderwild, Jeremy’s country estate, Diana is shocked when Jeremy appears at her home with a very different kind of proposition.
After his latest mistress unfavorably criticized his skills in the bedroom, Jeremy is looking for reassurance, so he has gone to the only woman he trusts to be totally truthful. He suggests that they embark on a brief affair while at the house party—Jeremy can receive an honest critique of his bedroom skills and widowed Diana can use the gossip to signal to other gentlemen that she is interested in taking a lover.
Diana thinks taking him up on his counter-proposal can only help her win her wager. With her in the bedroom and Jeremy’s marriage-minded grandmother, the formidable Dowager Marchioness of Willingham, helping to find suitable matches among the eligible ladies at Elderwild, Diana is confident her victory is assured. But while they’re focused on winning wagers, they stand to lose their own hearts.
With Martha Waters’s signature “cheeky charm and wonderfully wry wit” (Booklist, starred review), To Love and to Loathe is another clever and delightful historical rom-com that is perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Evie Dunmore.
Series
Featured Series
5 primary books#2 in The Regency Vows
The Regency Vows is a 5-book series with 5 released primary works first released in 2020 with contributions by Martha Waters.
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(Won an ARC via Goodreads contest, yay and thanks to the publisher!) This is a super-fun friends-to-lovers Regency with a lot of banter and some amusingly bad sex early on. I love novels that take place at a big country house full of scandal and feelings that people are trying to deny that they have, so this was perfect for that. The plot got a little convoluted in the last third or so of the book, but overall if you like Tessa Dare and Julia Quinn, you will like this series. I'm already excited for the next book (and the one after that, I bet!).
This was a cute read.I hadn't read [b:To Have and to Hoax 52210045 To Have and to Hoax Martha Waters https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1577153989l/52210045.SX50_SY75.jpg 71426931] 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.
