3.5

This was a fun, quick read. Enemies to lovers with kissing lessons. Blackmail, bears, women in breeches! Carys and Tristan were just enjoyable to read. There wasn't a lot to unpack with either of them, even though Tristan fought against Napoleon he doesn't have trauma from it and it doesn't figure heavily into the story.

The true conflict came pretty late and was resolved quickly which was a small letdown at first. However, it was clever and Bateman laid the groundwork throughout the book, certain details about Carys and Tristan that initially felt like character fluff came back around to save them.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a digital review copy of A Daring Pursuit. This was a fun, quick read, much like the first book in the series, which I read last year via NetGalley.

The plot was a little predictable and very focused on how attracted Carys and Tristan, so-called "enemies" (the only reason they're enemies is because their families have supposedly had a long-standing rivalry, but I really didn't get any sense they hated each other at all) are to each other. I did like the banter but I felt like the characters and story were not really fully developed.

This was my first Kate Bateman book, and I really enjoyed it!

It was fun, flirty, and exciting - with lions, tigers and bears, OH MY! Ok, just bears. Really important in the plot but I don't want to get too much into that, so you'll have to read it to find out how central the bears are!

This is a fantastic enemies to lovers storyline, and I really quite loved it. Carys (great name!) and Tristan (another great name that you don't hear anymore) are from neighbouring families in Wales, that have had a rivalry going for many, many years. Her oldest brother, and his older sister, recently wed, which has brought about a change in the dynamic. Carys and Tristan have both sort of had a thing for each other since they were younger, but with the rivalry and enmity between the families, it was something that could never happen and both had to look elsewhere.

Carys never thought she would wed after a scandal happened to her a couple of years before, which luckily never made it beyond the parties involved (with a lot of careful maneuvering). She is still dealing with and reeling from that entire experience, and just figures she'll stay an unwed spinster for her whole life, raising animals on her family land. Tristan is supposed to wed another lady of the Ton at the end of the season, but he has little interest in her. Every time he glimpses lady Carys and hears of her wild actions, he gets stirred up - like he has since he was a teen.

As Carys gets into some hijinks through this story, Tristan happens to be along for the ride and gets involved - a little too deeply for his liking - and the rest, as they say, is history... and a story that I highly recommend everyone reads! I had sort of moved away from historical/regency romance for a number of years and am just getting back into it, and this is definitely one that is worth reading, for everyone, whether you're into the subgenre or not! It doesn't feel very regency as they're not spending the entire time around the Ton.

Her writing was great and it drew me in the entire time. I didn't want to stop reading the whole way through. You know that's the mark of great writing and a great storyline, when you don't want to stop for anything! Characters were very interesting, and the plot was so unusual!

4.5 stars for this one, and I can't wait to go in and read the stories now of the other siblings and find out more about this world.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, and this is my honest feedback - thank you!

I loved this tension-filled enemies-to-lovers romance. Carys is fiery and passionate, Tristan is cool and collected - at least on the outside. Their families have been feuding for hundreds of years, and Maddie and Gryff's marriage in the previous book haven't completely mended things between their families.

I love the 'forbidden love because of feuding families' trope, and here it's used excellently. Carys and Tristan are both loveable, endearing characters as well and their chemistry sizzles from the beginning. Gotta love a 'we're both secretly in love with each other and have been since we were kids but we pretend to hate each other and pine dramatically' dynamic.

The one thing I didn't love was the sheer number of sex scenes. Now, I will grant that these are included for Reasons and so in some ways they really do need to be there. But I still found myself skimming them. Which is not to say that they're badly written - I just don't particularly enjoy reading frequent or prolonged sex scenes. Really, the fact that I read as much of them as I did speaks to the fact that they're actually quite well-written, and I think that people who *do* enjoy reading sex scenes will like them a lot.

This book also has possibly the best opening line of any romance, ever. "Lady Carys Davies dressed to meet her blackmailer in the same way she dressed for every other social occasion: scandalously." Tell me that doesn't make you want to read more about Lady Carys Davies.

I look forward to reading more Montgomery - Davies romances in the future and will definitely be continuing the series as soon as the next book is available.

*Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an e-arc for review.

It's been a long time since I read a book so full of elements, love, passion , mystery and action
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At first I couldn't stop reading because of each interaction of the characters and what was going to happen next and then I was in the middle of a complicated plot of which I didn't see coming how it was going to end
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Carys Davies is more than the jewel of society, in her eagerness to wear down the interests of potential husbands, she does everything that is disapproved by society, from the most scandalous outfits to inappropriate comments, but they all have the other effect and place her as the most desired and sought after woman in any meeting, trend influencer and example of charisma, quite the opposite of her greatest weakness and enemy of her family Tristán Montgomery
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Both grew up side by side, aware of the feud between the two families, the serious and correct Montgomerys against the crazy and impulsive Davies. Until the two older brothers get married and their families are intertwined, causing Tristan and Carys to begin to get to know each other better or unravel what they believe of each other while facing a situation with a nefarious character and a misteryous plot whit Napoleon Bonaparte.
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I really enjoyed reading this book very much, Kate Bateman kept me hooked until the end and I managed to love both characters despite my first reservations
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Thanks to Kate Bateman and St Martin Press for give me this great book in exchange for my honest opinion I really enjoyed reading it

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. These are my opinions.
I absolutely adored Tristian and Cary's story. It was funny, steamy, had moments of suspense and thoroughly entertaining. It is the second in the series but can be read as a stand-alone.
Thank you, Ms. Bateman, for another wonderful read!

“Try to stay out of trouble. And if you can’t be good, be careful.”
A Daring Pursuit by Kate Bateman is an absolute must read for all historical romance lovers. Rivals since childhood, Carys Davies and Tristan Montgomery are well-matched in wit, intelligence, and combustible chemistry. With each interaction their resistance to each other crumbles, and I could not have loved this story more!

“He was so strong, so solid. She felt like Odysseus, lashed to a mast in a storm. How tempting it would be to melt against him, to surrender to the siren song of sensation.”
Recently returned from the Continent, Tristan has left the war with France behind him, but he manages to stumble upon some drama in the form of Carys Davies in a compromising situation with one of her former suitors who is very much a married man of the ton. Carys has made a reputation for herself as being most definitely wild, a little reckless, a woman who whole-heartedly embraces scandalous fashion (in a tasteful way, darling), and is the animal rights activist of her times. When I tell you that Carys and Tristan have the gravitational pull of planetary proportions, combined with the inferno of unspoken feelings between them, and I thought I would perish from the Darcy and Elizabeth-esque repartee between these two characters—I am not exaggerating.

“He never did anything without thoroughly weighing the pros and cons, but whenever he was near her logic and reason abandoned him.”
When Carys decides to call Tristan out on all his scandalously wonderful innuendos and propositions him to act on all his promised words, both Tristan and Carys start the gloriously delicious downfall of falling for each other while insisting it’s just an arrangement between friends. My friends, there is truly nothing better here. Tristan exudes all the classic heroic characteristics, and there’s even a “who did this to you?”-type of moment, and yes I absolutely did swoon. Carys’ bravado is applaudable in a time where society could be a cruel mistress, and yet when she reveals her true self to the readers and to Tristan, I couldn’t help loving her even more.

“I don’t need light to see you. I know what you are: a beautiful infuriating force of nature.”
Undoubtedly Carys and Tristan steal the show here, it’s their romance after all. But there is also mystery, blackmail, sibling hijinks, a pair of crows, a circus bear, and a scene featuring Tristan’s Aunts that had me cackling so loudly that I got shushed by my own husband. I adored Kate Bateman’s first in the series, A Reckless Match, but truly A Daring Pursuit is a shining triumph of a romance. If you are a fan of a perfectly balanced rivals to lovers romance, then this is the story for you!

Carys Davies is a woman trying to hide a secret that could ruin her and her family’s reputation. On the outside, she’s confident and carefree, but inside she’s cynical about men and love. There’s only one man who can see through her act, and change her mind about love: Tristan Montgomery. Architect Tristan needs a respectable woman to wed, but he’s never stopped wanting Carys. When she challenges him to show her what she’s missing by not getting married, he shocks them both by accepting her indecent proposal. When they find themselves embroiled in a treasonous plot, can they trust each other with their hearts, their secrets and their lives?
Honestly, I love Kate Bateman’s work, and this historical romance is no different. Here are some reasons why: the first is characters. Her characters are well-created and individualistic. There are no cookie-cutter images, but fully formed personalities that you can envision. The second is setting. While reading, I visualized how the characters lived, even though the story took place in the 1800s. And finally, the romance. The two main characters are pulled together through circumstances that build a connection and make their love blossom. I can’t wait for the next romance by this great author. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced reader’s copy of this novel. This review is my unbiased opinion.

He Was the Wind to Her Fire:
I have not read any of Ms. Batemans books before and I was thrilled to be blown away by the exciting characters, the plot, subplot with the animals.
I was totally in awe as to her in-depth writing skills especially with the intimate scenes that
were so expertly delivered.
I loved every exciting and passionate emotion between Carys and Tristan.
The enemy to love banter was witty, along with humor and heartfelt caring.
There is a villain, a protective family, a menagerie of animals, a daring escape.
This is an enjoyable story to read with a happy and satisfying ending.
I would delight in reading more of this authors stories.
Adult Advisory:
Descriptive Intimacy Level: Very High
I received this ARC copy for my honest opinion.

This is the second entry in The Ruthless Rivals regency romance series, featuring the long-feuding Davies and Montgomery families, with Carys Davies and Tristan Montgomery taking center stage. Good characterization and plot make for a journey well worth taking, and I am looking forward to what comes next.

The Montgomerys and Davies families have long been at each other's throats, even after the recent marriage between a Davies man and a Montgomery woman. Carys Davies and Tristan Montgomery are no exception to that rule--despite the fact that, for all her baiting of uptight architect Tristan, the free-spirited Carys has had a massive crush on him for most of her life. She irritates him with her freewheeling ways and scandalous costumes (though, let's be real here, what really gets him about the costumes is how much they turn him on).

Nonetheless, Tristan sees Carys as a lady like any other, which is why he's shocked to hear about one-time tryst with a man she thought would marry her... only to leave her deflowered and leaving with a secret. Thoroughly unimpressed with her one sexual experience, Carys throws off the idea of marriage (or at least a marriage with sex) entirely--something Tristan protests. She doesn't expect him to take up her challenge to show her what she'd be missing by eschewing romance entirely... But take her up he does, and they agree to a week of clandestine meetings. Just for fun! Not for serious! No feelings here! None at all.

The plot of A Daring Pursuit is not super complex, and there are no real twists and turns to this one that you won't see coming. But it's just... satisfying. The chemistry between Carys and Tristan is immediately evident. It's a classic uptight loves wild scenario, with Carys cavorting at masquerade balls in seemingly-transparent dresses and Tristan sitting there CONSUMED WITH LUST for THE REST OF THE EVENING. It scratches an itch, for me at least, that will never really let up. We love to see a clench-jawed man lose his shit over a girl who pretends that she's totally unaffected by how hot he looks in a toga, for sure, yes, nothing to see here.

I'm enjoying the way that more and more historical romance authors are exploring heroines who've had sexual encounters of some kind in the past. Carys might as well be a virgin, to be real--her one attempt at sex was fleeting, uncomfortable, and disappointing. But she's not a complete babe in the woods, and though Tristan (mostly out of jealousy) does give her some shit about it when he initially believes that something a lot seedier is going on... He quickly realizes what actually happened, and nothing he says really feels like shaming. Rather, he's on her side. Defending her honor!!!! A big point is made about Carys's right to enjoy sex, and the importance of her partner taking care of her on that level. That's honestly really nice to see, especially in a subgenre that is often known for heroines like, magically coming during penetrative sex without any foreplay or... digital interference.

And like, the stakes are low here. There is a villain, yes, and there is a subplot involving Carys's tendency to rescue wild animals (she does have a bear named Buttercup, and it is delightful) which leads to hijinks late in the book. But mostly, we are here to kind of cozily read about two people who obviously need to be together bicker and fall in love. While having some really good sex. I'm always like "I don't know, a cozy low stakes romance may not be able to keep my attention". But as always, if the sexual tension and heat is there, I SOMEHOW PULL THROUGH.

There is a particularly good "oh my god I can't handle this shit I must take you here and now on your knees in the forest" moment. And frankly, we as a society deserve more of those.

The ending is a little rushed, which would be my main complaint. But it's not a big deal, and I had a lot of fun with this one. There is a lot to mine with the Montgomery vs. Davies angle--plenty of couples, maybe some more dramatic and some more romcom-ish. It was my first Kate Bateman, and truly--I like this drink, another!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lady Carys Davies dressed scandalously. Plus, she was part of the Davies and Montgomery feud that had been going on for years. She had red hair and green eyes, three brothers, and was being blackmailed by Christopher Howe.

Tristan Montgomery and his family had been in a feud for about five hundred years with the Davies.
He was tall, with broad shoulders, blue eyes, powerful, harsh, and bored. He fought Bonaparte for several years and had come home. Carys had been infatuated for years but she was in love with him.

It was interesting how she pined for him, but she thought they did not like each other. When they were together, they liked to tease each other and banter back and forth. The amount of camaraderie was wonderful between them. They respected each other. The other characters gave you the impression that they knew how much they did not like each other. It was a great romp of fun and laughter as well as the seriousness that befell them. It is an easy read the rhetoric is amazing. I read it in one sitting and very highly recommend it. It is steamy.

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

I was honored to be invited to receive an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. Book 1 in the series was my first book by the author. I liked it very much. Enemies to Lovers is not my favorite trope, and that is what this entire series is about. I was pleasantly surpised that Kate Bateman did it again. She pulled off an enjoyable story.

Carys Davies was a firecracker. She was desired by men and flaunted her beauty. However, at heart, she felt alone in her problems. She wore fashion as armor and flirted to cover her pain. I felt bad for her but appreciated her drive to keep moving forward.

Tristan Montgomery was her opposite in personality and style. He was serious, aloof, and chose his actions based on his planned goals and long-term dreams. He followed his head, not his heart. This is the type of hero I am drawn to. However, he also lied to himself and tried to convince some decisions were for reasons other than his true motivations. My only complaint in this book is the same as with the first - the hero - but for different reasons. It seemed out of character to me that this low profile man who would marry based on a list of qualifications rather than for love or even lust would be such an experienced master at sex. I would have preferred him to have been less experienced.

That being said, the scenes were hot. These two definitely had chemistry. There was also a mystery and an adventure in addition to their secret meetings - a fun read. I look forward to book 3. I'm sure she can pull off enemies to lovers another time.

I thought this was a fantastic historical romance, and I would definitely recommend it! Also, how pretty is this cover?? I love it!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Kate Bateman makes enemies with benefits a thing. A successful thing. Admittedly, A Daring Pursuit didn't start off a razor sharp as some of her other books for me, but Bateman's willingness to write a story for both protagonists' perspectives quickly draws the reader in to the story of Carys Davies and Tristan Montgomery and the years they've spent circling each other. Tristan mistakenly believes Carys is having an affair, when she's actually being blackmailed, and when he finds out the reason why she's being blackmailed, she challenges him to convince her that a physical relationship can be better than the single experience she's had. Since he's been crazy about her for years, he willingly takes on the opportunity to give her lessons and the two proceed posthaste while their brother and sister celebrate their own recent nuptials (see first book in series). As always, there's plenty of steamy romance, funny and heartfelt moments, and an element of danger that helps the book avoid feeling too one dimensional. Readers looking for a more adventuresome leading lady will love Carys, who thrives on pushing the boundaries of propriety in the ton, while catering to a menagerie of various animals at the family home - including a pair of mischievous ravens that are very good (and timely) at mimicking the sound of a gun being cocked. Tristan might come off as quite a bit straitlaced, but shows the dash and adventure lurking beneath the surface of Bateman's heroes. Always fun and enjoyable, and already looking forward to reading the next chapter in the Ruthless Rivals series. A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I liked this. Not “loved” like book 1 in the series. Still I’d read whatever else author Kate Bateman writes.

Kate Bateman knows how to write a good enemies to lovers romance and she doesn't disappoint with this one! Carys is hiding a secret that could ruin her and her family. Now, she tries to act like she doesn't care at all about her reputation in society and will wear lavish outfits and refuse any proposal that comes her way. Tristan, who is part of the family that is rivals with her family, can see through her facade and knows that she's hiding something. At a ball, Tristan ends up finding out Carys's secret and the two strike up a scandalous bargain, finding themselves in an enemies with benefits situation. I loved the chemistry between Carys and Tristan and how they had a history of being adversaries but they can't stay away from each other. Tristan is actually very jealous and protective over Carys and I just loved that so much. There were a lot of fun moments in this book involving Carys's pet bear and birds, which I enjoyed! A little bit of intrigue was thrown in at the end and the second half of the plot revolved around a house party, which is one of my favorite settings in historicals. Definitely pick this book up when it comes out! I couldn't recommend Kate Bateman's historical romances enough!!

Loved this book, flawlessly written, with engaging characters and a well-paced story. The thing that annoyed me terribly was the premise <spoiler>that the almighty hero could not possibly marry someone who didn't conform to his requirements for a wife but of course, he had no qualms (or not many anyway) about taking her to bed. And what was more annoying was that she totally agreed with him.</spoiler>. I'm not one to take stars off a book because I don't agree with the characters, it's fiction for goodness' sake and it was a good story. Even what I didn't like made sense in the scheme of things and it was an enjoyable read and (thank you, Mrs. Bateman!) quite spicy. So I highly recommend this and can't wait for the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's for the chance to read an early copy of this book!

I adore Kate Bateman's books, but this plot just did not work for me. The heroine is dealing with an awful antagonist for the whole book, and fears that she'll be ruined if he reveals her secret, and I know this is a historical but the gender politics just felt so regressive to me. I really couldn't stand this villain, which I suppose is a good thing, but I don't enjoy books with one major antagonist and I wish there was some other element driving the plot forward. Our heroine is also a crusader for animal rights and it's admirable, with some cute animal moments, but there are some stressful moments and references as well. However, there is a climactic moment that no one can convince me ISN'T based on Bringing Up Baby!

The hero and heroine have good hate-love chemistry together, but I didn't fall in love with them the way I did the first couple in this series. And compared to the adventure and archaeology of the first book, the plot here is almost quiet and very much zoomed in on the interpersonal conflicts between the hero, heroine, and antagonist. Overall, the story wasn't my cup of tea but Kate Bateman is still a delightful writer and I look forward to reading more!

This has been a really fun series by Kate Bateman so far! I do, however, find it a tad strange that each relationship in the series is between the same two families. When I just focus on the individual book I'm reading, I love the story and relationship, but when you zoom out a bit, it feels a bit weird.

There were some great tropes in this one, as well as setting up the next book a bit. I love that we get a dual POV, but I do wish there was a bit more balance between the two POVs.

Thanks to the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.