What fun! I so much enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading the rest of the series. A five century old Family Feud, romance, dangerous adventure and lively banter made this a very entertaining read.

Like many family feuds, no one knows what really started it, but at one point it got so bad that King Henry VII had to make a no man's land between the two properties and demand that on the spring equinox of every year a rep from each family would meet on the dividing bridge and shake hands. The book starts on the Spring Equinox of 1815. The old Earl of Powys had died the previous summer and his oldest son, Gryff Llewellyn Davies, had been fighting on the continent against Napoleon, until he was called home as he was the new Earl. He had yet to return to Wales and Madeline Montgomery, waiting on the bridge was hoping he wouldn't. Their family was in deep financial straits due to a bad investment by her father and he was pushing her to marry an old goat of a man who had offered for her. She needs to find a way to save their family home without sacrificing herself and has hopes as an amateur archeologist to find some treasure. Gryff, who had always fancied Maddie, follows her after their handshake and the two of them literally fall into a dangerous adventure and a heated romance.

I read an ARC provided by the publisher and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

A Reckless Match is the first book in the Ruthless Rivals series. I really enjoyed reading this book. It is an enemies to lovers story. Maddie and Gryff’s families have been feuding for many years. Yet there was always “something” between them, even as children. I love stories with strong heroines and heroes who don’t try to “tame” them. This book captured my attention from the very beginning. There are secrets, snarky banter, romance, sexual chemistry and intrigue. Maddie and Gryff are likeable, too. I received an ARC of this book for my honest opinion ---buy it! I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!

This was super good! I haven't read much by Kate Bateman but this was really good and I really enjoyed myself! I loved the enemies to lovers aspect in this book, and I was blown away by how much fun I really had with this book! It felt like there was something everyone in this book! This book also had a really great mystery element to it as well as suspenseful moments as they were both trying to figure out how was doing what and everything! I enjoyed the fast paced feel of the book and the mystery really kept you on your toes and kept you wanting to know more in the book! It really kept the book going as well, and felt that there were no slow moments in this book! Overall this was super fun! I loved the banter, the romance was great, the plot was really interesting and the writing was fast paced and kept the story going! I cant wait to read the next book in this series! I highly recommend checking this book, along with Kate Bateman's other work out!

This book was so much fun to read! From the wit and humor of the main characters, to the madcap storyline I was glued to it from the very start. Readers who love a good historical romance, will love this one.

Maddie Montgomery's father is pressuring her to marry. He's been offered money for her hand that will help keep the family from falling into bankruptcy. Unfortunately, the man who offered holds NO attraction for her, and in fact kind of gives her the creeps. The only man who has ever attracted her in any way is Gryff Davies, a member of the family that has been her family's sworn enemy for 150 years (Hatfield, meet McCoy!) When they discover evidence of smuggling on land that they share (at the King's command), they also discover a way out of poverty for Maddie and her family. Can two sworn enemies discover that the hate they've always expressed, was really desire and deep down liking for the other?

Gryff has never wanted more than to live in London, serve in Parliament, and attend the social whirl of the city. When an illegal duel sees him banished back to his home, one of the first people he sees is Maddie. The girl he loved to torment has grown into one of the most beautiful women he's ever seen. Can he get her to see that his teasing as a boy happened because he liked her - a lot?

The sparring back and forth between Maddie and Gryff was one of the most fun things about this book. When Maddie lists all of the ways that Gryff tormented her as a child, and he then lists all the ways she tormented him back, I laughed out loud. She is a strong woman, who believes she can do whatever Gryff can, so when he doesn't take her with him, she just follows.

Readers who love historical romance set in Scotland, will love this one. It is book 1 in the Ruthless Rivals series. Book 2, A Daring Pursuit, is set to publish in May of 2022. After reading this one, I can't wait to start that one!

Such a delightful read! Maddie Montgomery and Gryff Davis were born of clans whose rivalry went as far back as the 1600's.

Although in a more civilized manner, the rivalry continued in 1815. There was "shared" property between the two clans that stayed that way under certain rules and if the rules were not adhered to by either party the land would revert completely to the other clan.

That is where the fun and excitement surrounding Maddie and Gryff's relationship begins and ends.

Grabbed my interest almost from the very beginning. Wonderful characters and an engaging plotline with no added fluff. Definitely recommend this this.
Thank you Kate Bateman, St. Martin Press and NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy for my honest feedback.

The Montgomery and Davies families have been rivals for centuries. Their lands border each other and a representative of each family needs to meet once a year. If a representative fails to appear all the land goes to one family. This year Gryff and Maddie show up. Gryff Davies is the new Earl. Maddie's family is on the brink of financial ruin. They find a cave and decide to investigate what's going on which sends them on an adventure. They're childhood enemies to lovers. There's forced proximity, mutual pining, great banter, and amazing chemistry. I highly recommend this book if you love historical romance or if you're new to the genre because it's got a bit of everything. It's action-packed and there are amazing characters.

I adore Kate Bateman and I will read anything she writes.

3.5 stars

What a fun read! The banter between Gryff and Maddie was wonderful :) The little mystery and adventure in here was a perfect backdrop for their banter and developing relationship.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I've been on a funk lately, struggling to get captived by any book and this one did the trick. I was reminded how much I enjoy the author's style and narrative. The characters are interesting, full fleshed and incredibly witty. I'm a sucker for enemies to relunctant partners to lovers to OMG FEELINGS so this was (and for what it seems, the rest of the series) is perfect for me!
I really enjoyed the fun, lighthearded, not-to-heavy on the drama/conflict plot. Sometimes all you want is a simple (and I mean this word in the best way possible) love story where characters are genuinely good and kind and care and deserve each other.
And this one was exactly that.
I'm off now to read the second one!

Would highly recommend. As a huge fan of Kate Bateman, this was another great work. Love the character development and the setting, and can't wait to read more of this series.

This was a brilliant enemies to lovers story. One of the absolute best I’ve read in awhile. I could feel the chemistry between Maddie and Gryff and their banter was so much fun. I love that their families are sworn enemies that have been fighting for centuries. It made their backstory and their “fighting” seem so real.

I loved this story. I loved the characters and I’m looking forward to the next one.

The chemistry between Gryff and Maddie is brilliant. Kate Bateman writes fantastic enemies-lovers-stories. My only complaint is that I read books faster than she can produce them. Sigh. Do yourself a favor and one-click this one. SO GOOD!

I finally got around to cracking this one open after realizing I was in the mood for enemies-to-lovers histrom, and boy, did this one deliver. The setup was perfect (ancient family feud? YES please) and the tension between Maddie and Gryff was flawless from their first interaction on-page, but the relationship became even richer once it was clear they’d known each other since childhood too. I really appreciate it when a romance can be light and diverting, and this one was a very low angst adventure with barely a dark moment to be found between the main couple (maybe a light gray moment, if that?). Kate Bateman is up there for me with other HR authors like Tessa Dare — where you know you’re just in for a fun romp that won’t go too heavy when you’re not prepared for it. I’m already looking forward to the next Davies/Montgomery pairing based on the sequel tease we got, too.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Reckless Match was a fantastic read featuring a romance between two people on opposite sides of a feud.

The Davies and Montgomery families have been feuding for centuries. Despite the feud Madeline Montgomery has always had a soft spot for Gryffud Davies even if he did torment her in their youth. With her family on the verge of financial ruin, Maddie needs a miracle to save them. After returning to his family home after a duel gone wrong, Gryff runs into Maddie and is instantly charmed by the woman she's grown into. When the pair discover a series of underground tunnels and evidence of a smuggling ring on their shared land, the pair decide to set aside the feud and work together to bring down the criminals. With danger lurking and an attraction blossoming between them, Gryff and Maddie will realize there's a fine line between hate and love.

The premise of this story immediately drew me in, I mean what's not to like about an adventure between sworn enemies through secret underground tunnels while thwarting a dangerous smuggling ring in the process. The book opens with the pair attending the annual meeting on their shared land to continue the truce for another year. The chemistry between Maddie and Gryff was fantastic and there's some great banter. Both Maddie and Gryff had feelings for each other when they were younger but never expressed them as it was forbidden to fall for someone on the opposite side of the feud. I liked how quickly they came to trust one another despite the fact they're supposed to be enemies and that they never tried to trick one another. There were a few steamy scenes throughout the book that were very well done. Thankfully there wasn't a ton of drama surrounding them getting together although there is some hesitation on both sides. I was happy with the way the pair worked things out and overall really enjoyed their romance.

Overall A Reckless Match was an excellent read a great start to the series and I would recommend it to readers looking for some adventure in their historical romance. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, A Daring Pursuit, when it releases later this year.

If you enjoy romances with enemies to lovers and daring adventures then you'll love this one. I love the Davies brothers and can't wait to see what happens next.

Surprisingly fresh and a little different, this novel is a pretty good start to a new historical romance series. Interesting characters, a fun adventure, and sweet romance. Look forward to the next one in the series. For historical romance fans.

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Maddie and Gryff were the perfect childhood nemesis turned adulthood love interest couple. Their families were enemies, they had a history, but when it comes to matters of the heart, all bets are off. Can't wait for more in this series!

Missed my chance to check this one out, once I borrow this from my library will come back and finish reviewing.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity.

I loved the intensity of the rivalry between the two main characters. Kate Batemen has yet to disappoint me, and I enjoy knowing that the book is a safe one!

Loved it! If you know/follow me; then you know that I don't often give out 5-star reviews. For this reader, this story hit all the marks. It has an enemy to friends to lovers theme, smuggling, an explosion, a decrepit old man conniving to get a young woman to wed him, feuding families, war, adventure, and of course, romance. There are two feuding families: the Montgomery's and the Davies'. The feud has been going on for generations. Finally King Henry the Seventh made a decree that the two families had to stop the bloodshed and feuding and have a "truce" of sorts; one member from each family was to meet at a bridge (on non-family owned land) on the Vernal equinox to shake hands each year.

The author introduces the reader to Madeline "Maddie" Montgomery and Gryffud "Gryff" Davies as the two representatives of the feuding families. These two have always had a tense relationship; since they were children young enough to go off on their own to play and have adventures. When Gryff sees Maddie on the bridge waiting for a Davies' to show up; he is captivated by the young woman she has become. He's always taken great pleasure in irking her in order to parry with her at any given time. He finds himself intrigued by her. Maddie has always found Gryff to irksome and doesn't know why he is always able to "raise her hackles". She's made the assumption that it's just the way it is between their two feuding families.

The story has Gryff and Maddie going on an adventure; stumbling upon caves and smugglers and a man being beaten by the smugglers. It spirals from there to a point where they don't know who they can trust besides each other.

This was a very well written story with believable characters and situations that could have happened. The story flowed well and kept this reader entertained right through the Epilogue.