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gorgonine 's review for:
To Have and to Hoax
by Martha Waters
16 June 2021
1. Estranged husband and wife resort to increasingly implausible tactics to wage war (and play chicken) with each other because they are both incapable of having a conversation.
2. Okay so this was surprisingly fun. You'd think two people not communicating with each other would be something I hate in romances, but it's only a problem when the lack of communication affects huge, sweeping emotional stakes. THAT makes me go 'yeaaah I really don't think these two are good for each other.' On the other hand, a years long feud both people regret but still continue with because they are both too stubborn to back down because of sheer pettiness? While also being polite to and caring about each other? That is, in all seriousness, totally okay and I'm entirely on board. I understand pettiness and hard-headed assholery on a deep and personal level.
3. It was also pretty funny. Both characters have a strong supporting case backing them. Said supporting cast becomes increasingly exasperated as the "deceptions" and the "I know you know I know"s pile up and surely that is the pinnacle of friendship.
4. I also appreciate the- how do I put it? Relative scale of problems the hero and heroine have to face? Too often it's things like he is a traumatized war veteran sexually abused by his father and she is a debutante who's shy and that makes her sad. This one has both parties dealing with trauma from overbearing and neglectful parents. And I know that's not earth-shatteringly interesting but it's both valid and proportional.
5. Would have been nice if I could have read this book back when I didn't see all Regency/Victorian England books through the lens of imperialism, colonialism and class. But that's really a me problem.
1. Estranged husband and wife resort to increasingly implausible tactics to wage war (and play chicken) with each other because they are both incapable of having a conversation.
2. Okay so this was surprisingly fun. You'd think two people not communicating with each other would be something I hate in romances, but it's only a problem when the lack of communication affects huge, sweeping emotional stakes. THAT makes me go 'yeaaah I really don't think these two are good for each other.' On the other hand, a years long feud both people regret but still continue with because they are both too stubborn to back down because of sheer pettiness? While also being polite to and caring about each other? That is, in all seriousness, totally okay and I'm entirely on board. I understand pettiness and hard-headed assholery on a deep and personal level.
3. It was also pretty funny. Both characters have a strong supporting case backing them. Said supporting cast becomes increasingly exasperated as the "deceptions" and the "I know you know I know"s pile up and surely that is the pinnacle of friendship.
4. I also appreciate the- how do I put it? Relative scale of problems the hero and heroine have to face? Too often it's things like he is a traumatized war veteran sexually abused by his father and she is a debutante who's shy and that makes her sad. This one has both parties dealing with trauma from overbearing and neglectful parents. And I know that's not earth-shatteringly interesting but it's both valid and proportional.
5. Would have been nice if I could have read this book back when I didn't see all Regency/Victorian England books through the lens of imperialism, colonialism and class. But that's really a me problem.