The Bachelor Betrayal by Maddison Michaels is the second book of her Secrets, Scandals and Spies Series and...
... OMG! IT WAS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!

Lady Kaitlyn Montrose is not an ordinary lady, who likes to throw dinner parties. No. She's more into hunting the Chameleon.
Marcus Black, the Earl of Westwood is also on a mission. So... wouldn't it be a good idea to work together to find the villain?

WELL I ABSOLUTELY DEVOURED THIS BOOK!
The story of Kat and Marcus was SO EXCITING AND FULL OF SUSPENSE and CHEMISTRY!
WOW!
I just couldn't sit still!
The whole story totally swept me off my feet!
There were so many surprises I absolutely didn't see coming!
Well it was just wonderful to feel with the main characters and to find out WHO the real villain could be!
So the whole chemistry between Kat and Marcus was electrifying and I loved that!
While their whole story was so full of suspense, their affection where like the icing on the cake!! Perfect!
I loooooved The Bachelor Betrayal! I can't tell you everything in detail because then my review would be endless. LOL
It was such a wonderful experience and I'm so happy that I read this story! ❤

Thanks a lot to Maddison Michaels and Entangled Publishing for this ARC via NetGalley.
This is my honest review in my own words.

This is a first time read for me by Ms Michaels and I really enjoyed it. I realized after picking this up, it is the second installment of Secrets, Scandals, and Spies series, but I had no trouble following the story despite not having read the first book. Ms. Michaels does a really nice job of setting the scenes up and creating a clear image of the story and what is happening, I have no trouble picturing it in my mind. She has created an intriguing and engaging story that had me captivated from the very start. I really like the character of Kat, such a spirited, unconventional, and strong lady! Growing up with her uncle, she has learned to look out for herself and is trained in using weapons like daggers and fighting. When her uncle is assassinated, she wants revenge, and that is when she meets Marcus. His wife was murdered and it turns out they are searching for the same person. These two have a wonderful attraction, with strong chemistry, and when the danger increases, so does their desire for each other. This was an exciting story filled with action, danger, suspense, and romance. I was pulled in from the start and engrossed till the end. Great book! I am excited that I now have a new author to follow. Looking forward to the next installment!

I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

The more I read this story the more difficult it got to put down. Lady Kaitlyn Montrose is unlike most young ladies of her day. She has been trained in various forms of fighting since her early years. She is on the hunt for the assassin known as the Chameleon. Also, hunting the Chameleon is Marcus Black, Earl of Westwood. They have known each other since a young age. Both have decided not to marry for varied reasons but they do have an attraction for each other. This was an enthralling read, full of action, danger and passion, a few surprises added to the interest. I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series that tells the story of Etta and Lucas. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Looking for a historical romance with spies, assassins, childhood crushes-turned-lovers, and more plot twists than you can shake a stick at? The Bachelor Betrayal has them all. Marcus is an experienced spy who's tracking master assassin the Chameleon. Kat, raised & trained in hand-to-hand combat by her spymaster uncle, is also after the Chameleon. Marcus & Kat knew each other from before, but they meet again when they both try to steal the same journal containing clues to the Chameleon's identity. They soon decide to work together on their mutual quest, and mayhem ensues.

While they're tracking the Chameleon, mostly thanks to the trail of bodies left in the assassin's wake, they also end up in lots of intimate situations: secluded corners of ballrooms, dark carriage interiors, abandoned woodsmen's cottages... stuff like that. Although we were more interested in the romance than the spy plot, there was plenty of action to keep us involved. 3.5 stars rounded to 4!

Witnessing her uncle's murder at the train station, Lady Kaitlyn Montrose has vowed revenge. The assassin is known as the Chameleon, but no one knows his real identity. As the bodies pile up and more questions arise, Kat realizes she needs the help of the one man more effected by the Chameleon than she is, Marcus Black, Earl of Westwood. The Chameleon murdered his wife and is involved with the smear against his brother as a traitor. Knives, pistols and hand to hand fighting, Kat and Marcus become not only lovers, but partners looking for the assassin and the traitor working in the War Office. Twists and turns lead off to missed opportunities and revelations will leave shock and pain. Very different from the first book. This one is very fast paced, has more bodies piling up right and left and enough time for some hot and steamy interludes.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I thought that this was another enjoyable entry in this entertaining series. Emotion and excitement go hand in hand as the well-crafted story unfolds. I loved the sparks that flew between Marcus and Kat and I, in fact, thought Marcus was quite swoon worthy. However, I can't say that I was a huge fan of Kat. I admired her spunkiness but eventually here shenanigans just became off-putting, at least they did for me. In spite of that fact, I still thought this was a very good read that was a lot of fun to read. I am really looking forward to book three!

I think this may be a case of "It's me, not you" when reading this book, but nevertheless, I just couldn't get into it. The first book was really good, I felt connected to the characters and read through it in a matter of days. This book took me over a week to finish, and it was just...meh. It was boring. I didn't feel the chemistry between the leads, and the hero got on my nerves. He came across misogynistic several times, despite seeing how capable the heroine was. Threatened to spank her twice (and not in a fun way but in a "you're a woman not listening to me and need to be taught a lesson" way). The heroine was great, there were some comedic moments I enjoyed, but overall couldn't give more than 3 stars.

Can a story that begins with murder end with happily ever after?

Lady Kaitlyn Montrose and Marcus Black, Earl of Westwood are searching for the same nefarious person. The Chameleon, an assassin, murdered Kaitlyn’s uncle and was responsible for the death of Marcus’s brother. They seek vengeance. Each has the ability to solve the riddle and capture the Chameleon. That is, if they’d stay out of each other’s way. Working together might not be a bad idea.

What a ride! This one will keep you turning pages from start to finish. The story has action, murder, espionage, treachery, and a sizzling romance. Surprises and secrets pop up throughout the story. The identity of the villains is a doozie. Marcus and Kaitlyn are great together, when they aren’t bumping heads. What man wouldn’t want a woman who is smart, beautiful, and trained to use weapons by a master? Both are intelligent, independent and persistent (stubborn). A well-written story with awesome characters; I enjoyed it, and I loved the epilogue.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Oh, what a web we weave when we try to deceive. This is a marvelous novel, thrilling, mysterious, murder, assassins, and a love story. That is the premise of this tale. The characters are exciting. The book is engaging. I loved all the interactions between everything that went on. It is beautifully written and full of relevant facts of the time. Like the fasteners on her skirts. No corsets but bones built into her bodice. The difference in men's suits
and no cravats but ties instead. The author has put a lot of thought into this. She made it very entertaining and kept your attention.

Marcus Black, Earl of Westwood, the wife he thought he adored betrayed him and was murdered. He was a spy for England as was his best friend, Lucas Devereux, Marquis of Cantfield. Even Kat was a spy and an excellent fighter.

Lady Kaitlyn Montrose was the niece of Victor Montrose and watched him murdered in front of her. He was also a spy and friend of Marcus.

I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.

This has exactly what I've been searching for in my historical romances lately.
It has mystery, danger, action, dynamic characters and a fantastically written story all in one.
The story is filled with enough twists that it never slows down or gets boring.
Kat and Marcus are a dynamic (unintentional) duo and their romance builds perfectly. Although Marcus may come off as a bit stiff, I think he acted as a great foil to Kat's character. Kat was great in book one and continues to be in book two.
I think it's fair to say that you can read this as a standalone but book one, The Bachelor Bargain, was a great read as well.
Thank you so much to Entangled Publishing & NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lady Kat is more than capable of handling herself when it comes to being a spy and an overall kick-ass woman but Marcus thinks she's nothing more than a distraction. Too bad she keeps besting him at everything. But now to solve a mystery, they'll need to work together or else kill each other in the process.
What I absolutely loved about this novel was the witty banter between the two characters. Lady Kat is formidable to be sure and no one wants to cross her. She has a sharp tongue and a sharp knife. But Marcus just thinks she is overly stubborn until he slowly learns to accept her character and work with her. I liked that it took Marcus a while to figure things out with Kat, it made for some great tension in the story.
Maddison Michaels pens a great novel here of steamy romance and mystery as the duo tries to track down the elusive Chameleon.
I do recommend that readers take their time on this one, it is not a book to be rushed through, there is a lot of information within the pages. It is a rather lengthy book but well worth it.
Critique wise I found no glaring errors, no lulls, the mystery is written well, the romance is there in bursts but could have been more (in my opinion). Overall a fantastic read that will not disappoint.
I received an advanced copy in exchange for my review.

A spy for her Majesty Marcus Black, Earl of Westwood, is a dangerous man especially when he’s on the mission to discover his wife’s murderer and evidence his brother wasn’t a traitor. I love a lady with spirit and Lady Kaitlyn Montrose aka Kat whose dogging killers’ right from the start on the train she’s riding with her uncle. Kat is looking for her Uncle Victor’s killer, the Chameleon. She soon discovers during her escapades information about the Chameleon when she finds a hidden journal belonging to Marcus Black’s late wife. She soon finds herself trapped by none other than Marcus, a protégé of her uncles. The question is: is he the chameleon or is he chasing the chameleon too? Marcus doesn’t know quite what to think about the Kaitlyn, she seems too fiery and passionate to be dubbed the Ice Maiden by society. A captivating story of murders, assassins, adventure, romance all in the hunt to find the mysterious Chameleon as these two fight their attraction to each other as they search for the killer. I have voluntarily read and reviewed the excellent book.

I loved this book! So many twists and turns for a romance. While I do read romance for the tension and turmoil between the hero and heroine, I was most impressed with this book for it's mystery/adventure qualities. Marcus and Kat are fantastic and their chemistry is hot, but I really enjoyed all the sub-plots and surprises! It was an extremely satisfying read because the surprise ending was not someone brought in at the last moment to wrap things up. And the relationship twist with Marcus' first wife was great, and one that threw me off the scent of the villain. I can't wait for the next book in the series because I really love the enemies to lovers troupe!

This was an entertaining historical romance with a spy, dangerous intrigue plotline.

I liked that the heroine was intelligent and strong; she didn’t need a man to save her. The hero was deliciously grumpy and dangerous. The interaction between the couple was steamy and I especially liked the beginning when they were bantering back-and-forth and challenging each other.

In addition to the romance, there is a mystery in this book where the couple is trying to identify an international assassin. It’s a great mystery which I didn’t figure out until the end.

I am so glad I discovered this new-to-me author and look forward to reading more books in this series!

Kat's upbringing has been anything but conventional. Raised by her uncle, an agent for the crown, she's been taught to fight since she was four years old. When her uncle is murdered, she vows revenge against the killer, an assassin known as the Chameleon.

Marcus has his own vendetta against the Chameleon, who killed his wife and framed his brother for treason. Seeking justice, he agrees to pair up with Kat to achieve their common goal. But what happens when their attraction turns to love?

This story is engrossing from the beginning. If you like romantic suspense with a high body count, this book is for you.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

The Bachelor Betrayal by Maddison Michaels
Secrets, Scandals, and Spies #2

The story starts with an action scene that had me rooting for the female lead character and then…she lost the man that was instrumental in her becoming the lethal being her formed her into. I had hoped to see them out and about on other cases but it was not to be. Next time I saw Kat, she was again being strong, daring, and intriguing as she took on a man who wanted the same thing she was stealing. I had the first twinge that she might become a character more like an action comic book character than one believable and fitting for the time of the story. Anyway…

What I liked:
* The setting and time period
* That Kat was strong and independent
* That Marcus was intelligent, skilled and more than able to keep up with Kat
* The way the plot gradually exposed interesting information about events and people pertinent to the main characters
* That Kat and Marcus both worked for the same entity
* That both characters were after The Chameleon, an assassin that killed people they loved
* A few of the twists that occurred
* That the baddies were unearthed and dealt with
* That not everything was quite as expected.

What I didn’t like:
* The people and events that I was meant not to like
* Having to suspend belief at times

What I would have liked:
* More background on both main characters
* To know how and why Kat’s parents died
* To feel more of a connection between the main characters

Did I enjoy this book? It was okay
Would I read more in this series/by this author? Maybe

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing-Amara for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

A Wonderful Story full of kick-arse characters, mystery, intrigue, passion, and romance. A story that will keep you up all night turning pages as fast as you can!!

Maddison Michaels has created a fascinating story that includes a plot so full of twists that you just can’t help becoming captivated. A lot of times I worry that follow-up stories in a series will be less satisfying than book one, I can happily state The Bachelor Betrayal is every bit as good as book one The Bachelor Bargain, in-fact I enjoyed this story more!! This story is a historical romance plus so much more, almost resembles a James Bond movie, it’s a complex story including spies, family secrets, traitors, murderers, and assassins —- all embroiled with a passionate clandestine affair between the two MCs who are both afraid of love.

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The MCs are Marcus Black, the Earl of Westwood, and Lady Kaitlyn Montrose, daughter of an Earl. These two have known each other for several years and both of them were trained in weapons, spying, and fighting by Kaitlyn’s uncle Victor Montrose. So, I absolutely loved Marcus - he is the perfect dominant, gentleman, badass - he is also on the heels of a horrible previous marriage that ended when his unfaithful wife was murdered by the notorious assassin, the chameleon. As far as Kaitlyn her character annoyed me at times but by the middle of the book I got used to her and came to see her as the perfect partner for Marcus. I loved watching Kat and Marcus fight their true feelings for each other while seeking answers and justice while simultaneously enjoying each other in a carnal nature.

The chemistry between these two was intense yet at the same time neither of them would admit the development of feelings for the other, the only time they were truly honest with each other was when they were between the sheets. So, although this story was not a slow burn with a huge amount of UST, the romance was a slow simmer. However it’s clear to everyone else in the story (and the reader) that these two are falling in love.

I can’t say much more about the story without potentially spoiling areas and I really don’t want to give any of the plot twists away 😉 it’s a book that is fast paced, highly entertaining, and I highly recommend it! I didn’t see the twists coming and the final reveal was a surprise.

I will say that Maddison Michaels knows how to write amazing, multifaceted, witty, and of course very sexy historical romances. She is an auto-read author for me! If you haven’t read her other books I encourage you to do so!

I can’t wait for the next story which will feature Lucas Devereux, the Marquis of Cantfield, and Henrietta (Etta) Merriweather— those two need a hazard label of combustible attached to them — I think their story will be highly entertaining. As for the rest of the series it looks like there are at least two more stories in this series from what I found on the authors website — I know I will be eagerly awaiting them!

5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 5 Flames 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

The first chapter of this book had me immediately hooked. I loved Kat's loyalty to her uncle, and her drive to find his murderer, The Chameleon. Marcus has his own reasons for wanting to bring the Chameleon down, and he is determined to fight his attraction for Kat in order to accomplish his goal. These two pair so well together both mentally and physically. Historical romance isn't usually something I gravitate to, but Maddison Michaels pulled me into this one. I loved everything about this book.

London 1884

Wowza! The name is Kat, Kat Bond and I am a lethal weapon! An exhilarating, daring, nonstop adventure, filled with murder, a major miscreant, spies, secrets and amazing characters that you cannot help but adore! Of course this author is one of my favorites that weaves a tale like no other!

Revenge.. of yes, Kat is after the man who murdered her uncle, right in front of her eyes and she is fearless in her pursuit. (It really made me sad about her uncle dying) She will not stop until she kills him.

Revenge is also on his mind, but Marcus was determined to bring the Chameleon to justice.
When these two meet up, both with the same objective of stealing a journal, can I just say it was painful? At least for him?

Get ready to sit back and hold on, because you are in for a wonderful ride! Loved it!

4.5
Thank you to Entangled Publishing and Netgalley for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Wow I expected a historical romance going in and got that plus so much more. Kaitlyn and Marcus were such enjoyable characters and I loved that Kaitlyn knew how to fight and was so fiercely independent. The murder mystery plot was exceptional and truly kept me on my toes from beginning to end. I kept wondering what was going to happen and was definitely thrown off course. I also enjoyed the Victorian setting and the book felt modern and exciting given the 1800's time period. The characters were unique, it was delightfully steamy and the way the events came to light was expressive and fun. I really loved this book and it was so exciting to read a different type of historical romance! Highly recommend this one.