To Swoon and to Spar by Martha Waters

 

They will spar, but we will all be swooning!

        If you are looking for a delightful regency rom-com full of banter and clever energy, I have just the book for you. Out on the frigid moors of Cornwall,  Jane and Penvale will, in fact, steal your heart, as they will just as well steal the hearts of each other. To Swoon and to Spar by Martha Waters was a delightful romp full of (fake?) estate hauntings, a man in serious need of spectacles, a clever heroine with a love for our favorite, the one and only Miss Jane Austen, and much, much more. This book was clever and sharp, with a very atmospheric gothic surrounding and characters you just can't help but love. 

   To Swoon and to Spar is the next novel within Waters' Regency Vows series about none other than Penvale. For readers of her past novels, Penvale is the older brother to the beloved Diana and a cherished friend to the other cast of characters Waters has brought us to love through her delightfully written romances. This book introduces a new character Jane, whom I promise you will love equally as much as everyone else in the story! When Penvale is given the opportunity to buy back his father's estate from his uncle, he jumps at the chance. Yet, there is a catch. (Isn't there always?) To do so, he must marry his uncle's ward, Jane. Jane, a clever and strong-willed young woman, has no use for the men who always have a hand in controlling her life, as she so rightfully should. While she has no use for marriage to Penvale, she loves the estate, which is soon to be his, so she devises a plan. She will "haunt" the house and, in turn, drive Penvale away, leaving her to spend her days in the house which she loves so much. 

    As an avid romance reader, as I am sure many people who may be reading this are, we all know this plan will not go as expected. This is, after all, a romance. So spoilers ahead for those who wish to go in with none other than a description, but for those who want to share with me in the delight of this novel, read on to see what I loved so much about this book!

    Something that I really like about Waters' romances is that she gives the characters time to develop and the readers to watch as we get to know them. So often in a historical romance, I feel things move at lightning speed, often leaving readers to wonder what the two even really know about each other. This book gives the readers time; we actually get to see why these two want to be with each other, and I appreciate that. Jane is a rather shy woman, and so rightfully, for a woman in her position, it takes time for her to warm up to Penvale. Penvale, on the other hand, is not used to forming relationships outside of his small circle, and it is nice to watch him grow on Jane as she grows on him. This is a meaningful relationship; we understand why they love each other and what they see in each other. 

    Well, maybe not Penvale, for the man simply cannot see. He desperately needs some "spectacles," as Jane often teases him about. Which, yes, dear readers, is very often. As the title suggests, these two tend to spar very often, and it is highly entertaining. There is nothing better than watching two characters jest with each other, each trying to hide a slight smirk or pretend they are not totally falling in love. 

    Now, as for the "haunting," which makes up a significant part of the gothic atmospheric vibes that are going on in this novel, it was a very clever and entertaining thing to watch play out. Jane is, as you may imagine by now, whip-smart and clever. Her haunting skills are top-notch, and they can put on quite a show with the help of many household staff. It is highly entertaining watching Penvale scamper around with Jane trying to find the ghost and watching him let it scare him the slightest bit. There is something so admirable about a man who is rightfully scared of the household ghoul.

    Some of my honorable mentions of this book were when Penvale is caught in the library, crying while reading Persuasion (I mean, we have all been there, so I get it, my dude, I get it) as well as when Jane creates a library for the town out of her own books. Watching Diana and Jane interact was a bit painful and very entertaining, and we can't forget about the moment when at the end of the novel, Jane makes a grand dinner party entrance. Oh, how I love a grand entrance. 

    Overall this book was simply delightful. It had the perfect mix of romantic comedy and gothic vibes. The scenery was perfect for the plot, and Penvale and Jane were simply too adorable. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a clever, feminist, and rewarding regency romance! Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review; this book was highly enjoyable! 

Until next time dear readers,

XoXo,

Emma