To Woo and Too Wed by Martha Waters- A Recently Released Historical Romance — Unlike Any Other!

A Book Review by Jeneane Vanderhoof

Martha Waters with her new book recently released, To Woo and To Wed, takes us back to a time when all women had to look forward to- seemed to be making a good match- when it came to a husband, especially when you have a title and money. And though Lady Sophie Fitzwilliam Bridewell has both, the fact that the title is “new” (only bestowed on her father’s father) and the money comes from “trade” (perish the thought, right)- does not make her the right kind of match for West, the Marquess of Weston. Well, at least, when it comes to what some people think……

Because the two have fallen in love. At least they did seven years ago, as To Woo and Too Wed switches between that past time and readers learn of how this happened, how their love was waylaid, and how Sophie married another man. Now seven years past- despite this marriage to another man, Sophie had been quickly widowed, along with her sister, Alexandra. And when Alexandra falls in love again with the Earl of Blackford, not wanting to leave Sophie widowed by herself, she is determined to not marry the man- no matter what her sister says.

But what if Sophie was to herself, marry again? And- to the love of her life, the man who Alexandra saw court her big sister, as she was preparing to herself become a woman and be presented to the court? That is why Sophie needs the Marquess of Weston again, that man who once courted her and who all thought she would marry. Because, if everyone, especially Alexandra thought they were to marry now- with Sophie occupied- she would be free to marry the Earl of Blackford.

However, that means Sophie must approach the Marquess of Weston and get him to agree to this ruse. And that means the two must get over the way they felt about one another and the way they feel about one another seven years later- to be able to pull off this plan. Because, while they must look and act like they are in love- that they want to marry- in fact, this will all never happen. The pair will have to walk a fine line over the way they feel about one another- so as not to mess their lives up once again.

Martha Waters embeds a slight, elegant humor into the book- which was adored by me- a particular scene in fact that stands out- when Sophie tells the Marquess of her plan. “Did people now speak perfectly reasonable sentences to him, only for him to interpret them as bits of utter lunacy?” Because Sophie is a character very unlike any other woman- any other person of that time- bold, utterly unique, and opens up the world for others- as she does the Marquess when they meet (as he admits to readers). This very question, Sophie’s plan- outrageous, out of place and time here- is exactly why all those who love her do so- and why the Marquess finds himself agreeing to it. And why this is such a divinely entertaining read.

But things aren’t so cut and dry between the pair as one would want them in this waylaid love story- Sophie had married his best friend those seven years ago, when he was in an accident- and betrayed the love West thought they had- the Marquess of Weston, never knew the real reason why all this happened. However, when Sophie makes her proposal, West’s father had previously made one of his own- marry or lose the estate that West loves.

As the pages turn and the stories unfold, both in two different timelines for readers- those seven years in the past and those seven years, West and Sophie in the future- we learn why Sophie married West’s friend and what will happen between West and Sophie seven years later- and their debacle marriage- in the future. As the past is laid for readers to see, so shall the past come forth for West to understand and the real victim may not be him- but, in fact, the woman he loves. Or, is it something or someone else- all together- that may have caused this great love story its great misery…..

Let the mystery of what happened in the past unfold, as the future “fake” marriage of West and Sophie does- will they both be able to overcome their past and all that happened there- put it behind them- to see that true love was always there- and turn their fake marriage into a real one?

Find out in Sophie Water’s To Woo and To Wed- which you can read — right now!

Happy Reading!