Could not put it down! From the very first page I was hooked. Drawn in by the witty banter and thinly veiled barbs between Gryff & Maddie. Anyone could see the underlying tension in their relationship and it was only a matter of time before the heat got too much for them to handle. I loved that neither one ever let the other get away with the upper hand but consistently gave back. I cannot wait for the next book In this amazing series.

A Reckless Match is the first book in the new series Ruthless Rivals. Ms Bateman has conjured a group of sworn enemies who happen to be neighbors. One family is English and one is Welch. A long ago version of the Hatfields & McCoys. I think the series is off to a nice start. When the first line is "It started with a pig", theres a lot to look forward to. Madeline "Maddie" Montgomery has had a huge attraction for her neighbor/enemy Gryffud"Gryff" Davies since they were children. Now that she's older she realizes how strong it is. Gryff has been in the army for years and now home he tries to stay away from Maddie but he's crushed on her a long time. These issues, problems, obstacles are the centerpiece of the plot. How they feel is a constant tug-of-war. Of course they find an HEA, it's a romance they have to. Here's looking forward to book 2 whoever they are.

#KateBateman #ARecklessMatch #RuthlessRivals #historicalromance #romance #StMartin'sPaperbacks

This book was a full on delight! A centuries old family feud acts as the backdrop for oodles of banter and an unexpected amount of adventure. I think the adventure is what really got me. I was expecting sizzle (which I got), but didn't anticipate the rollicking ride this book would be. I have a soft spot for highly capable heroines, which got me invested in Maddie from the get-go. I can't wait to see where the rest of this series goes!

This is the first time I agave read a book from this author. Five stars just isn’t an adequate rating. It was amazing! The main characters were full of spunk. They were funny and the pull between them romantically was sizzling hot. I was rooting for them from the start. The only thing I didn’t like was that it ended. I will be chomping at the bit until I can read more. Book provided by NetGalley.

5/5 stars

I loved the start to this new historical fiction romance series so much! It has all the classic bits that I've come to expect with this author including an immersive historical fiction story, steam, great chemistry and a bit of action or adventure along the way. Meeting Maddie and Gryff in the first chapter had me hooked! I loved reading their interactions which was filled with banter and a constant battle to one up the other side. Maddie was easy to love with her feisty temper, quick wit and quirky interest in archeology. She never seemed to let Gryff get away with anything. However, Gryff gave it right back. Gryff is an assumed rake about town and newly made earl home from war that has a penchant for ruffling Maddie's feathers any chance he can get. The bantering and bickering in between more quieter moments made this story so good! Gryff had such a mischievous and flirtatious air about him that made you love him as well. This one is a bit of a slow burn with the enemies to lovers trope, but it definitely builds and gets good and steamy! There's also a bit of a mystery, adventure and some treasure hunting that keeps this story flowing. Overall, I absolutely loved this one and can't wait to see which couple will be next in the series!

First in a new series about two warring families who find their members falling in love with each other despite a centuries-long feud which started over a pig (or possibly a woman). One family Welsh, the other English, they’ve never had a problem finding something to fight over. In the current generation, Madeline has been tormented since childhood by Gryff… and I use the word advisedly.

I love Bateman’s writing. I love her banter. But this whole ‘little boys are horrible to the girls they like’ idea plays into a nasty real-life thing where girls are dismissed for complaining about unconscionable treatment because ‘the boys like them really’. Gryff and his brothers were actively cruel to Maddie and her cousin Harriet, who were younger, smaller, and being female presumably less well resourced to fight back - there’s plenty of descriptions of incidents in the book where Gryff and his brothers did something horrible and not one where Maddie and Harriet were actually able to get even the smallest measure of revenge. And apparently there wasn’t a single adult who cared enough to step in and put a stop to the bullying, even if it was just by removing the girls from the situation entirely (what I would have done in order to avoid causing escalation of the feud further).

This would have been perfectly fine if Maddie and Gryff had just been raised to think of each other as the Enemy and not actually met until they were adults. They could have met for the first time on that bridge, knowing each other only by reputation, and this could still have been just as sparkling in the banter and the enemies-to-lovers plotline. But the history between them means this is a bully romance, and I’m afraid I just don’t like bullies and I don’t want to see them get happy endings. This might be a me problem; other people might have no problem with this. Bully romance is a popular genre in contemporary; it’s not shown up much in historical yet, and for my part, I hope it doesn’t because it’s pretty close to being a trigger for me.

Also, and I’m saying this as someone who actually grew up on the Welsh border close to Chester, there is absolutely no place on the Welsh border - and certainly not in landlocked Powys! - which comes close to matching the geography described in this book. None. I’m being a picky purist but incorrect geography is one of my pet peeves in historical romance. Cross-border politics + coastal smuggling literally doesn’t work here; the author needed to pick one or the other.

There are things I like here - mainly Maddie, who took no nonsense from Gryff despite his despicable behaviour to her in the past, the banter and actually the smuggling subplot which created a threat they had to face together. But the dodgy geography and Gryff being a bully really turned me off. I’ll give this one three stars.

I love Kate Bateman! She is an author I just discovered this year. A Reckless Match was another good one from this author. It drew me in from the very beginning! Romantic, sexy, sweet and two great people finding their HEA!

A Reckless Match is the first book in the new Ruthless Rivals series, and it was a great way for the series to start off. The book was well written and one of those books you don’t want to put down. I enjoyed this light, fun romance and loved seeing Gryff and Maddie slowly realize their true feelings for each other. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

I adored Maddie and Gryff's story!! This enemy to lovers story was so much fun!! This first book in Bateman's newest series has me so excited to see what the rest of the series brings!

"It started with a pig."

The Montgomerys and the Davies clans have had centuries of bad blood. Was it a pig or a woman who started this enmity between the clans? No one really knows how the feud started but both clans now love sparring too much and have too much pride to back off. Tired of the bloodshed between his two most powerful houses, King Henry bound houses by a royal decree. A strip of no-man’s-land was delineated between the two estates as belong to both the clans equally. Every year on the day of the spring equinox, one representative from both the families had to meet on the dividing bridge and shake hands in a gesture of goodwill. If any one of them failed to do this, ownership of the land would go the their rival!

So, not a single meet was missed. And though civil on the outside, over the years both clans had found creative ways to tease and bait each other.

With this tempting and teasing background, the readers are introduced to the current generation of the Montgomerys and the Davies. Madeline Montgomery and Gryffud Davies have been baiting, teasing and playing the part of enemies since childhood. But secretly both like each other. The sizzle of attraction has always been there. I sighed in pure delight as followed their bantering, their inner thoughts, and rooted for their happy ending!

Kate Bateman’s narration is crisp, fluid and so vivid that I could visualise everything so easily.

Madeline’s family is facing ruin and they are desperate. If they don’t find way to payoff the debtors, they will lose everything. The only other way is for Madeline to marry a man who repulses her and is as old as her grandfather. Hoping against hope that for once no one from the Davies family comes and they get the land, all her hopes are dashed when Gryffud arrives.

Right from the start the author hooks the readers’ attention by bringing out the family history, the current plight of the Montgomerys and the secret yearnings of our protagonists. Then there is a treasure hunt, the smuggling ring, a villain to add a dose of danger, and a heartfelt coming together of two people meant for each other.

As the story progresses, the readers are introduced to Madeline’s elder brother and cousin, and Gryff’s younger brothers. We get an inkling of the future couples and it is exciting. I am so looking forward to see how Kate Bateman brings these rivals together. It is going to be a treat for all an enemies-to-lovers romance readers!

I enjoyed this book and sat entranced throughout. A book I finished in one sitting, Njkinny recommends A Reckless Match by Kate Bateman to all historical romance/ regency romance lovers above the age of eighteen looking for a fun, breezy, sexy and adventurous enemies-to-lovers love story. So, perfect for a leisure afternoon reading coupled with a cup of tea, I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars. I also look forward to reading the other books in “Ruthless Rivals” series.


I received an ARC for review from the publishers and I am very thankful to them. The above is my honest and unbiased review that is no influenced in any way.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆
A RECKLESS MATCH is the first installment in the Ruthless Rivals series.

At the start, I was hooked on the long-standing, bad blood history between the neighboring families. Intrigued, I had to learn more. The Montgomerys versus the Davies. The English versus the Welsh, even their lands bordering one another had to rub each other raw. A never-ending feud fueling each generation to loathe one another over the centuries, even if the true reason behind the feud was lost in translation as time crept forward.

Bringing unexpected levity, Madeline Montgomery and Gryff Davies hold to tradition, pranking and teasing, and just generally annoying one another to the point of frustration. This is most certainly a situation where Gryff pulls Madeline's pigtails because he secretly likes her. Nothing like irritating your crush to garner attention.

If the pattern holds true, then the Montomerys and the Davies throughout the generations probably enjoyed each other’s company, enough to focus on it so heavily, similarly to how our hero and heroine's fathers had a secret friendship over the course of their lives.

Sweet, taunting, and surprisingly entertaining, Madeline and Gryff poke one another in various ways over the course of the novel, drawing in angst and drama and lighthearted romance, all surrounding a not-too complicated mystery.

The future pairings of the series draw a bit too much attention for my taste, feeling as if the focus was diverted from the main couple of this novel. While this laid the groundwork for future installments, establishing a connection for future antagonizing couplings, this overshadowed the current romance happening on the pages. If the reader becomes more intrigued with what could happen in the future, taking the experience from our narrators, the story we're reading in the now loses its luster.

A quick afternoon read, the pages flying by in a few short hours. I was entertained, left looking forward to the next installment. I recommend to historical romance fans of the author.

A Reckless Match series Ruthless Rivals #1
Kate Bateman
St. Martin’s Press, Sep 28, 2021
330 Pages, Historical Romance
Provided by Pub’s Rep via Netgalley for review
⭐⭐⭐⭐


The cover is attractive and definitely matches parts of the story. That’s something that you don’t always get, especially in historical romance. But this time, the story and the cover walk hand in hand, or arm in arm as the case may be. Lip to lip? Even the foggy part of the picture is appropriate this time, since it is something that happens in the area where the story takes place, in Wales.

I’m a Kate Bateman fan, having read many of her books over time. She is a very good writer of this genre and this is another good one. The story is quite interesting, though I found I wanted it to go into more depth in some areas and last longer. The characters are well-developed and interact naturally for long-term feuding families. Neither one ever misses the chance for a snipe at the other. The enemies to lovers is always a good trope and in this one it’s used to its best. A centuries-long family feud stands between these two who’ve known each other since childhood and tormented each other with childhood pranks the whole time. But somehow the feelings behind it all have changed over time and it’s gone from torture to titillate. A life-threatening crisis brings it all into focus and makes it all too real for them both.

There were some editing issues I came across which I hope were worked out before the book went into its final form. Otherwise, my only issue with the book was the way the author set up the next couples so obviously towards the end of this book. Hinting is one thing, but this finger pointing went way overboard. I would have liked it to be more subtle. Still…Recommended.

Charming, delightful, witty, and suspenseful, I absolutely adored A Reckless Match by Kate Bateman.

Sworn enemies due to an ancient feud, Madeline Montgomery and Gryffud Davies discover something amiss on their shared land during their annual handshake to keep the peace.

As the mystery unfolds so do their feelings for each other. But will love be enough to overcome their bitter rivalry.

Maddie is probably one of my favorite heroines ever. Not like most women in society, she's smart, quirky, and has a deep love of archaeology. As feisty as she is beautiful, she's not afraid to go after what she wants.

And Gryff, I love him. He's smart, loyal, and has a wild streak that keeps the Ton on its toes. But what I love the most about him is how fiercely protective he is of Maddie.

These two were perfect together. You could feel the sparks striking off them. I love this book and cannot wait for the next one.

Thanks to SMP and NetGalley for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love historical romances and this was fun! Family rivalries, enemies to lovers, fun banter, and some sexiness thrown in. And let’s not forget some excitement and adventure. A bit of everything. I look forward to more in the series!

The fierce verbal battles between Maddie and Gryff were so much fun. No matter how Maddie tried to get one over on him, he just seemed to get the upper hand. She does score a few points here and there but not really that many.
The feud between the two families does make for some interesting times. As did the required meeting of a representative of both families at the bridge. And oh, the trouble that Maddie and Gryff get into. Some innocently and some not so innocently. There is fire and heat between the two of them for sure. Gryff finally realizes how much that he has been looking forward to their "skirmishes". In fact, remembering had kept him going in the difficult times of war. I really enjoyed that fact. And his sense of humor as he baited her to lose her temper.
Maddie's best friend (and cousin) Harriet is her co-conspirator when it comes to so many parts of her life. A much quieter one but still a faithful one. Almost like having a "silent partner." She has also been quietly mooning over Morgan who is Gryff's brother. Oh, she would never let anyone ever know but it feels like there is another story there.
There is plenty of action and danger because remember I did say the main characters do find themselves in some trouble. It's all very well done too.
I like how everything ended and included a good Epilogue.
I also feel that there will be more stories in this series because of the siblings on both sides. In fact there was a hint or two about at least 2 possible couples. That should be interesting.

"I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

I had read and loved Kate's previous series, so there was no way I was going to miss this one.

I love love loved Maddie and Gryff. They're both snarky and sarcastic and smitten. I loved their flirting disguised as banter and how each of them was already half in love with the other. Gryff's family is a delight and I'm really hoping they're going to be the future books.

Plot wise, it was fun. There are a few moving pieces here, but really, the focus is on Maddie and Gryff. There's no angst, loads of open communication, and chemistry galore. The conflict is outside of the relationship and I especially enjoyed the two of them working together.

Overall, this was a quick read with characters who were so easy to root for. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

The Montgomerys and the Davies have always been separate clans fighting over land. But many years ago, a king decreed that they must meet once a year and shake hands. If one member of a clan fails to do so, they forfeit their disputed land to the other clan.

1815

Madeline (Maddie) Montgomery, 22, is hoping that Gryffud (Gryff) Davies, the new Earl of Powys, will not show up for the annual handshake. Just at the last moment, he rides up and he and Maddie shake hands.

Maddie is representing the family this year as they have lost a lot of money. They need Maddie to marry an old and repulsive man to fill their coffers and she does not want to do that. Instead, she likes to search their land for artifacts they can sell.

Gryff and Maddie end up getting into scenarios together trying to trap smugglers that leads to even more dangerous adventures. While the two clans have never agreed with one another, it looks like these two are going to change history.

There is a lot of adventure and scary times they get into and that makes for a good read. I enjoyed the book and the ways the two “modern” descendants found a way to break the old tradition and come together as friends and more.

Copy provided by the NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book is a treat! I smiled the entire time I read it. There's a little bit of unrequited love mixed with a longtime family feud mixed with a bit of adventure and it all adds up to a great time! Maddie and Gryff each come from families that have been sworn enemies for centuries. After not having seen each other for years, the end up as the emissaries for their respective families in a meeting required by a long pact and they find that while they are still on opposing sides, there is definitely something there. These two have mad chemistry and are just so much fun together. Their banter had me laughing multiple times. I loved the bit of danger and intrigue in the book. This isn't a case of ballroom courting but, instead, a couple who learn to work together as a team and that they are better together than apart. In addition, their larger circle had me captivated and salivating for the next books in this series. All in all, this is a firecracker of a start and I would recommend A Reckless Match to anyone looking for a historical rom-com with a side of adventure. You won't be sorry!

I enjoyed Maddie and Gryff’s love story in A Reckless Match by Kate Bateman, book one in her Ruthless Rivals series. This fantastic Regency romance about a boy and a girl from neighboring households on the Welsh/English border, who’s families have been feuding for centuries. Gryff Davies and Maddie Montgomery are lifetime arch enemies owing to a centuries old grudge between their households. Rather than stay apart, they constantly played tricks on each other as children; yet secretly each had a longtime crush on the other. Somehow they didn't figure it out as they each believed they were alone in the attraction. Despite not being interested in marriage, Madeline needed to find someone with money to wed, because of her father’s debts. Gyff was a rake, having no respect for women; believing they were merely beautiful objects, for his pleasure.

Ms. Bateman wrote a wonderful, amazing, and emotional story that is not to be missed. She provided a tale rich with sizzling chemistry, witty banter, endearing character, twists and turns, as well as a swoon worthy romance giving Maddie and Gryff a chance at love, happiness, and a future neither expected. I highly recommend A Reckless Match to other readers and look forward to reading the next book in this series.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

A Reckless Match by Kate Bateman is the first book in the Ruthless Rivals series. According to the hilariously compelling opening line of the book, the longstanding feud between the Montgomery and Davies families started over a pig. Both families share a piece of land on the border of their properties. Every year, a member of each family meets to shake hands and keep the peace for another year.

At the start of the story, budding archeologist Maddie Montgomery will represent her family. She is hoping that no one from the Davies family will show up because her family is nearing bankruptcy and her family could profit off of the shared land. However, at the last minute, her childhood nemesis and new Earl of Powys, Gryffud “Gryff” Davies shows up.

Gryff and Maddie were so much fun to read about. Batemen creates so much witty banter and tension between the two characters. Their childhood enemies to lovers story feels original and I couldn't wait to read what would happen next. Both Gryff and Maddie were really enjoyable characters to read about and I really loved the way they challenged each other.

This book nicely sets up at least two more books for the series. I can not wait to read more about these hilarious families. The supporting characters were so much fun. I really hope the author writes a story about Gryff’s sister.

I was invited to read an ARC of A Reckless Match, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #ARecklassMatch