She’s a blacksmith with a blade. He’s a gambler with a grudge. When flirtation becomes infiltration, sparks fly—and not just from the forge.
To Have and to Hold is the first book in the Wimpole Street Widows Society.
Overview
Mrs. Heloise Marlow has been a part of Wimpole Street Society for two years. The blacksmithing her uncle taught her and the fencing her late husband taught her have served her well. But they can’t help her on this next mission; this time, she needs to use her femininity. The problem is, she doesn’t know how.
Mr. Ethen Sinclaire shares ownership of Dionysis, a gambling hall, with his brother. He prides himself on the good reputation of the hall. So when word gets back to him that there are suspicions that the house is cheating, he takes it hard. Along comes Mrs. Marlow, and he is immediately suspicious of her intentions. He decides to keep his “enemy” closer, but he might be getting too close.
Positives
The women of Wimple Street Widows are bada**! A (late) Regency Era romance where our female lead is a blacksmith and fencing instructor. Didn’t see that coming. Heloise also has a tenderness to her; we see it in how she protects her sister-in-law.
I found it comical that Ethan didn’t realize Heloise was flirting with him. It’s a detail that adds to the complexity of our main characters.
Negatives
There is something about the tone that felt off to me. I couldn’t put my finger on it at first, just that it didn’t feel like a late Regency era. Upon re-reading, I noticed that the author uses some modern language that I think initially confused me. One that sticks out is “glutton for punishment.” I don’t believe that was widely used until the 1900s.
Recommendations
The characters and world-building were great. Even with the tone being off for me, it was still an enjoyable read. I’ll give it four stars. It was a nice, cozy read.
I received a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy(ARC) of the book for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own and reflect my genuine reading experience. Receiving the ARC did not influence my evaluation, and I was not compensated for this review.
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