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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
3.5/5
For sure didn't love this as much as the previous book in the series. Yes I said book because I read the second one last year and didn't realize it was book #2. I have a gift for that.
For sure didn't love this as much as the previous book in the series. Yes I said book because I read the second one last year and didn't realize it was book #2. I have a gift for that.
To Marry and to Meddle is the third in Martha Waters’ Regency Vows series which centers on a group of friends in Regency Era England. Each book seems to focus on a particular romance trope (e.g. the first book was marriage in trouble, the second was “enemies” to lovers) and the plots are extremely charming and funny—I’ve heard them likened to “Regency rom-com.” To Marry and To Meddle is a marriage of convenience story. Lady Emily Turner has been raised to be the perfect lady and she’s had to be, in order to stay about the scandals caused first by her older brother (who died after winning a duel and fleeing to the Continent) and then her father’s money problems. She has never felt like she has had any control over her life and has only been able to be her true self when in the company of her two closest friends. So when Lord Julian Belfry, the scandalous second son of a powerful duke, approaches her with a marriage bargain she takes agrees. He will have a very proper wife to help salvage his reputation (and that of the theater he owns and manages in London) and she will be able to escape the confines of her parents and the odious gaming hell owner to whom her father owes money and she is afraid she will eventually be forced to wed. Of course this marriage of convenience quickly turns into something more. There is also a scene-stealing mischievous kitten in the mix!
I thought this was a delightful addition to the series. It was great getting a chance to see Emily come into her own and finally be able to be loved and appreciated for her true self. I also enjoyed seeing how Julian progressed from the shallow seeming rake we were initially introduced to in the first book (note: while this can definitely be read as a standalone, I think readers would get more out of the story if they’ve read the previous books which really do set up Emily and Julian’s story more fully). I’m glad to hear that two more books are in the works—the next is focusing on Penvale (the older brother of Book 2 heroine). While he wasn’t in this one all that much I remember being intrigued by him in the earlier books so I can't wait to see what Martha has in store of us next.
I thought this was a delightful addition to the series. It was great getting a chance to see Emily come into her own and finally be able to be loved and appreciated for her true self. I also enjoyed seeing how Julian progressed from the shallow seeming rake we were initially introduced to in the first book (note: while this can definitely be read as a standalone, I think readers would get more out of the story if they’ve read the previous books which really do set up Emily and Julian’s story more fully). I’m glad to hear that two more books are in the works—the next is focusing on Penvale (the older brother of Book 2 heroine). While he wasn’t in this one all that much I remember being intrigued by him in the earlier books so I can't wait to see what Martha has in store of us next.
Waters mentions in the author's note at the end that she struggled to finish this pandemic-written book, and to find the joy in her characters. Maybe I'm just being a little judgy but I felt like this was lacking in joy and development. I didn't enjoy it as much as even the first novel, which wasn't really the type of story that I like.
Honestly this book was bad but it was almost so bad it was funny so that’s why I finished it.
This is the third book in The Regency Vows series following a group of friends in the regency erao. This book finds Lady Emily and Julian, the disowned theater owner, entering a marriage of convenience so she can escape her overbearing family and so he can restore the reputation of his theater. Neither really knows how to communicate well with the other nor have they figured out their roles in the other’s life leading to frustration on both their parts. Of course the marriage becomes less convenient as the pair start to develop real feelings for one another.
This book was pure fluff. Like I listened to most of the audiobook on 2x speed level of fluff. Fluff is fine, but I like my historical romances to have a bit more substance. I found this book reminded me of the YA regency romances I read as a young teen before I found real romance novels. I found myself growing tired of Emily’s friends, who are the heroines of the other books in the series. Usually when characters appear from a past book it makes me really excited, but for some reason that wasn’t the case with this book for me. Overall this book was fine, but I’m not dying for the next book in the series.
This book was pure fluff. Like I listened to most of the audiobook on 2x speed level of fluff. Fluff is fine, but I like my historical romances to have a bit more substance. I found this book reminded me of the YA regency romances I read as a young teen before I found real romance novels. I found myself growing tired of Emily’s friends, who are the heroines of the other books in the series. Usually when characters appear from a past book it makes me really excited, but for some reason that wasn’t the case with this book for me. Overall this book was fine, but I’m not dying for the next book in the series.
Cute & simple read! Felt like Bridgerton but with a bit more substance. Excited to read the other two in the series!
Emily and Julian make delightful lead characters. Their personalities seemed real, and they were well-written characters that were engaging. I enjoyed quite a lot about this book. The kitten was a hilarious touch and I laughed out loud at his antics.
I was surprised, however, that I didn't love this book more. While I loved the main characters, Emily's friends were annoying to me. They were just too over the top. And while the plot was great, there wasn't enough conflict or tension. Instead, certain elements (Emily feeling like she was having to suffer through tea with women she didn't want to be around) were too repetitive. It needed a little more. I did think the way Julian's estrangement with his family ended was absolutely perfect. As was the way Emily gained confidence enough in herself to finally put her mother in her place.
All in all, this was a very fun read and a nice way to spend an afternoon. I will likely read more by this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my complimentary digital copy. All opinions are my own.
I was surprised, however, that I didn't love this book more. While I loved the main characters, Emily's friends were annoying to me. They were just too over the top. And while the plot was great, there wasn't enough conflict or tension. Instead, certain elements (Emily feeling like she was having to suffer through tea with women she didn't want to be around) were too repetitive. It needed a little more. I did think the way Julian's estrangement with his family ended was absolutely perfect. As was the way Emily gained confidence enough in herself to finally put her mother in her place.
All in all, this was a very fun read and a nice way to spend an afternoon. I will likely read more by this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my complimentary digital copy. All opinions are my own.
Another great book in the series. Loved the development of Emily's character. I do kinda feel the book lingered longer than it needed to. Like not much happened. I did enjoy and hoping there will be another in the series!
This is a marriage of convenience regency story… usually that is my kryptonite, but this one kind of fell a little flat for me. I definitely get why people love it, particularly people who don’t read a lot of the genre or a backlog of the genre.
I love that more and more authors are getting some mainstream treatment when it comes to historical romance and that there’s some modernization going on. That said I didn’t really grow an attachment to these characters. I am a mood reader to that could have been my issue. Overall it’s a really good story and I think there’s a huge audience for it. I will continue to check out her books.
Thank you to netgalley for my copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
I love that more and more authors are getting some mainstream treatment when it comes to historical romance and that there’s some modernization going on. That said I didn’t really grow an attachment to these characters. I am a mood reader to that could have been my issue. Overall it’s a really good story and I think there’s a huge audience for it. I will continue to check out her books.
Thank you to netgalley for my copy in exchange for my honest opinion.