Loving Historical Rom-Coms Because of To Have and to Hoax
The audiobook of To Have and to Hoax was so well done. I think I especially like when there are dual narrators, which helps differentiate a character’s point of view for me.
To Have to Hoax is the first novel of The Regency Vows series that focuses on the married couple Lady Violet Grey and Lord James Audley who married five years prior. For the past four years, they have barely spoken a word to each other despite living under the same roof all due to a mysterious argument they had. When Lady Violet receives an urgent letter notifying her that Lord James was thrown from a horse and is unconscious, she quickly drops everything to go to him and discovers that he’s just fine. The misunderstanding of his recovery is not cleared up as the couple lacks the ability to communicate, and so Lady Violet goes on to try to teach her husband a lesson by feigning sickness and a whole slew of games and pretending that involves others commences.
This book was hilarious with the mishaps that Violet and James find themselves all while their flirty banter was perfection for an enemies-to-lovers trope. I really like that this is based on a couple who are already married; making it different from most romance novels I’ve been reading as of late. I also liked that they both supported and defended each other from their critical family throughout even though they were at odds.
The couple’s friends were also smartly incorporated in the story and they helped the couple realize their immature and foolish ways, while also steering them towards each other. Although it was frustrating that the couple’s communication skills were horrendous, it made their resolution so much better.
I look forward to reading Diana’s and Jeremy’s story in To Love and to Loathe, which will be coming out next on April 6th!
Book Description
Five years ago, Lady Violet Grey and Lord James Audley met, fell in love, and got married. Four years ago, they had a fight to end all fights, and have barely spoken since.
Their once-passionate love match has been reduced to one of cold, detached politeness. But when Violet receives a letter that James has been thrown from his horse and rendered unconscious at their country estate, she races to be by his side—only to discover him alive and well at a tavern, and completely unaware of her concern. She’s outraged. He’s confused. And the distance between them has never been more apparent.
Wanting to teach her estranged husband a lesson, Violet decides to feign an illness of her own. James quickly sees through it, but he decides to play along in an ever-escalating game of manipulation, featuring actors masquerading as doctors, threats of Swiss sanitariums, faux mistresses—and a lot of flirtation between a husband and wife who might not hate each other as much as they thought. Will the two be able to overcome four years of hurt or will they continue to deny the spark between them?