TO MARRY AND TO MEDDLE

Published April 5, 2022 by Atria Books (US) / Headline Eternal (UK)

The “sweet, sexy, and utterly fun” (Emily Henry, author of People We Meet on Vacation) Regency Vows series continues with a witty, charming, and joyful novel following a seasoned debutante and a rakish theater owner as they navigate a complicated marriage of convenience.

Lady Emily Turner has been a debutante for six seasons now and should have long settled into a suitable marriage. However, due to her father’s large debts, her only suitor is the persistent and odious owner of her father’s favorite gambling house. Meanwhile, Lord Julian Belfry, the second son of a marquess, has scandalized society as an actor and owner of a theater—the kind of establishment where men take their mistresses, but not their wives. When their lives intersect at a house party, Lord Julian hatches a plan to benefit them both.

With a marriage of convenience, Emily will use her society connections to promote the theater to a more respectable clientele and Julian will take her out from under the shadows of her father’s unsavory associates. But they soon realize they have very different plans for their marriage—Julian wants Emily to remain a society wife, while Emily discovers an interest in the theater. But when a fleeing actress, murderous kitten, and meddlesome friends enter the fray, Emily and Julian will have to confront the fact that their marriage of convenience comes with rather inconvenient feelings.

With “an arch sense of humor and a marvelously witty voice that rivals the best of the Regency authors” (Entertainment Weekly), Martha Waters crafts another fresh romantic comedy that for fans of Julia Quinn and Evie Dunmore.

PRAISE FOR TO MARRY AND TO MEDDLE

Named an April 2022 LibraryReads pick!

“This third installment in The Regency Vow series evokes a charming Regency-era vibe, complete with colorful outfits and countryside walks sure to delight ‘Bridgerton’ fans.”
—USA Today

“Martha Waters is quickly becoming one of our favorite historical romance authors. Her wry sense of humor paired with kind-hearted characters always produces a winning, tender combination… Waters’ words — the abject decency of her characters — are the softest, gentlest hug. Each new title from her is a cozy, twinkling gift to hold dear.”
—Entertainment Weekly, grade: A

“Waters' latest is awash with light, witty banter, unadulterated confessions of love, and plenty of steamy, corset-unraveling sex scenes....A charming London romp perfect for theater nerds, cat lovers, and hopeless romantics.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“[Waters] gracefully infuses her dazzlingly droll sense of humor into another swooningly romantic plot composed of equal measures of hilarious moments and heartfelt emotions and graced with a captivating collection of characters, including possibly the romance world’s most devilishly cute kitten.”
—Booklist (starred review)

“Waters’s third Regency Vows romance (after To Love and to Loathe) is more than the marriage of convenience story line that sets up its plot, meshing the classic Regency theme of defying societal expectations with all the wit and humor of a rom-com...a fun romp full of smiles.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Waters’ prose harkens back to foundational Regency romance author Georgette Heyer, but Emily and Julian’s individual journeys of learning to like their authentic selves are timeless. A witty cast of secondary characters and glimpses of backstage theater life add to the fun.”
—BookPage

“Fans of Waters’s ‘Regency Vows’ series will be thrilled to see oh-so-proper Emily, the third member of a trio of friends, come into her own and attain her much deserved happily-ever-after...Waters stays true to the humor and wit that characterize the series’ first two installments.”
—Library Journal

“We could all use a witty, joyous rom-com sometimes, and that's exactly what Martha Waters delivers with To Marry and to Meddle. . . . It's all set in a world full of delicious banter and fun spins on classic romance tropes that are sure to make you smile every time.”
—PopSugar

“This story is a joyful romp. High jinks abound, along with witty and farcical dialogue. This is simply a fun book to read.”
—Historical Novel Society

“A Martha Waters book is always a treat! To Marry and to Meddle is clever, charming, and swoony AF! A marriage of convenience that delivers heaping dollops of heat and heart all through Martha’s signature playful prose. You won’t be able to put this book down!”
—Rosie Danan, author of The Roommate

“With a voice as sparkling as it is witty, Martha Waters has a permanent spot on my keeper shelf! To Marry and to Meddle is everything I want in a Regency marriage of convenience story, with awkward beginnings, a consummation cut short, and one diabolical (but adorable) kitten. I loved following Emily and Julian on their journey from hasty marriage to happily ever after. At turns funny, sexy, and tender, this book is the literary equivalent of a cup of tea by the fire on a cold, rainy day. Can’t wait to see what Martha has in store for us next. It’s sure to be a treat!”
—Manda Collins, author of A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem

“To Marry and to Meddle is the hilariously steamy Regency romance of my dreams. It’s such a delight to watch Emily and Julian stumble their way toward a happily ever after (with amusingly outlandish obstacles—and a mayhem-causing kitten—along the way). Martha Waters has written her best book yet, one filled with equal parts screwball comedy banter and wistful, yearning romance.”
—Kerry Winfrey, author of Very Sincerely Yours