The Davies and Montgomerys are at it again in this third installment in the fabulous series!

This time it is Captain Morgan, just back from being shipwrecked and Imprisoned. He is totally focused on Harriet Davis, who he has know since they were children. He has a bone to pick with her that just may be overridden by his attraction to her.. If he can just convince her...

Harriet has been swooning over handsome Morgan, but it seems someone has been messing with her map making and Morgan thinks she did it on purpose.

When danger raises it's head, the two have to work together... and find love!

Hell yes, another Morgan-Davies feud! It had been a couple of months, since I encountered these gems of Kate Bateman.

And in A Wicked Game it’s Morgan Davies who bites the dust. He and Harriet Montgomery have been daring each other since kids. Due to the everlasting feud they have been frenemies since childhood. But they always greatly enjoyed their scandalous bets. And then Morgan left for the war.

After years at sea, he has now returned to find the mapmaker responsible for getting captured and being tortured by the enemy.The only thing that kept him sane during his captivation, is the fact that Harriet would be at home. And now that he is home, he knows that she is the one for him. Which brings him in a strange situation, when he realizes that Harriet is the mapmaker he is searching for.

However, Harriet had a reason for altering the maps. And when Morgan realizes the reason, it turns out that Harriet could be in danger. Will she let Morgan help her? or does Morgan need to revert to a scandalous bet to have her cooperate?

True to Kate the story is fast paced, funny and full of action. The banter and bets between Morgan and Harriet are hilarious and endearing. A wonderful story and hopefully not the last in the Ruthless Rivals series! Five out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

I am convinced Kate Bateman is incapable of writing a bad romance, in great part because each volume of the Ruthless Rivals series is even better than the last.

Captain Morgan Davies and Harriet Montgomery have been trying to best each other from the time they were kids and lived out the feud between their families with passion. Then they grew up and that passion turned to something else that neither was willing to admit until Morgan returns from war with a bet to cash in on and a plan to convince Harriet that their clashes are just a sign of their being meant to be together.
Meanwhile, Harriet is convinced that the dashing Morgan will never be interested in anything more than clashing wills and vexing her at every opportunity. And a bet made to ensure the hardheaded Morgan made it back from the war in one piece ends up leading to a whole lot more than she was expecting, leading her to suspect that there might be better things to do with Morgan than banter.

It's a great story that lets the great characters shine from scene to scene. Most of what happens is obvious from pages away, but it's such a pleasure to get there that I honestly don't mind. This is the kind of romance you pick up to cheer yourself up and get a huge dose of romance. It's perfect.

Extremely happy thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Paperbacks for this delightfully wicked read!

Witty banner, passion, blistering-hot kisses placed wherever the hero wants (after all, a bets a bet), and years of flirtatious teasing makes for one hot and wicked historical rom-com. I swear, my fingers were a bit singed just from swiping the pages of this delightful enemies-to-lovers romance.
Well done Ms. Bateman!

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

In this third edition of the feuding Davies and Montgomery, we get Morgan and Harriet. They have been one-upping each other with dare after dare for years. Morgan has been secretly in love with Harriet for years and now that he's back from the war he plans on making her his.

I adored the banter and mutual pining between the main characters. The shared history with the dares and bets was fun and the feisty heroine and sexy and sweet hero were wonderful.

I can't wait for Rhys' book, especially since it looks like we will be meeting a new branch of the Montgomery family.

Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book has everything I ask for in a historical romance. Morgan Davies and Harriet Montgomery have grown up childhood frenemies until Morgan goes off to serve in the Royal Navy. When he returns to London he finds Harriet has taken over her father’s cartography business. When they find out one of Morgan’s enemies seems to be looking for a specific map and cause trouble Harriet and Morgan end up working together. The more time they spend together the more Morgan and Harriet play a tantalizing game testing how far their flirtatious relationship can go. This book has endless banter, infectious characters and a strong female at the forefront. I will definitely be recommending this book!

I waited for this book, I knew it was going to be great but its much more then I thought.
Morgan and Harriet have known each other their whole life. His family, the Davies and her family the Montgomery have been feuding for years. But now with their brother and sister married the lines have been crossed. Both Morgan and Harriet live to tease and one upmanship the other. Neither will let the words " Go On I Dare You" go un touch. Both have had and obsession with the other for a while. Neither wants to admit they might have feelings for the other. She knows he must find a wife but doesn't think he would every look at her that way. After being in prison, Morgan knows the only woman for him is Harriet but to get her to agree will take lots of kisses and bets.
When he went off to war the thought of not seeing him again made Harriet give him a dare. Come back to me and you can have three kisses !!! Never have they use this type of dare. Morgan takes it a step further as she didn't say where the kisses would be. Oh my !!! This is a fast read with lots of witty teases between and lots of sexy language and sly sneaky looks between them. They learn more of each other and as with any good romance we have a villain too hiding in the back ground.
What Morgan will do to win his lady is wonderful, what Harriet will let him do is unbelievable.
With help from his brothers, her sister and cousin this is a great read.
It is great on its own but so much better if you read the books in order. It gives you an insight as to how much Morgan and Harriet have been in each other lives...
I received and ARC from the author and wish to thank her. This is my honest opinion and am freely giving it.

I thought this book was delightful. Cute, funny, and romantic is seamlessly blended with tension, drama and thrills to create a story that does not disappoint. Harriet and Morgan are really one of those couples that are just simply everything! Be prepared to have your heart melt and to be left swooning.

It was Harriet that drew the map that caused him to be imprisoned. Morgan and Harriet can't possibly resist a bet.
If there’s one thing impossible for a Davies to resist, it’s a challenge from a Montgomery. . .
A teasing bet.
Shipwrecked and imprisoned thanks to an incorrect map, Captain Morgan Davies has returned to London to exact sweet revenge on the cartographer responsible for his suffering. He’s also vowed to claim the winner’s prize—three kisses—in the bet he made with his long-time nemesis, the prickly, smart-mouthed Harriet Montgomery. His incarceration has clarified his feelings for her, but convincing the infuriating woman he wants to marry her is going to be his greatest challenge yet. When Harriet’s revealed to be the very mapmaker he seeks, Morgan decides to combine revenge and seduction into one delightful package. . .
A dangerous enemy.
Harriet’s always wanted witty scoundrel Morgan, and now he’s back; as handsome and as taunting as ever. She has enough on her plate dealing with her father’s failing eyesight and a rival mapmaker copying her work to play wicked games with a dastardly Davies—however tempting he might be. But when a threat from Morgan’s past puts them both in danger, Harry discovers that she and Morgan might not be enemies at all.
This is a witty and poignant story.
Kate Bateman is a favorite author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

⭐️4.5
🌶 Open Door-Mild Details

🗺️ Regency Romance
🗺️ Friends to Lovers
🗺️ Enemies to Lovers
🗺️ Opposites Attract
🗺️ Secret Pining

I really enjoyed this Historical Romance by Kate Bateman. The banter between Harriet and Morgan was excellent! There was so much tension, and their love-hate relationship had me in stitches sometimes. It was so interesting to read a romance featuring childhood friends but also an enemies-to-lovers story.

The secret pining also had me in my feels. It was so obvious to everyone else that Harriet and Morgan were perfect for one another. I thought this story had great characters, perfect banter, and just the right amount of spice! Even though this is the third book in the series, it can definitely be read as a standalone. I look forward to reading the rest of the series soon though.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Paperbacks for an ARC of A Wicked Game!

I received an advanced reader’s copy of a Wicked Game by Kate Bateman.

I’ve enjoyed every book I’ve read in The Ruthless Rivals series so far, This book was a great read. The interactions between Harriet and Morgan were witty and there was much tension as they each pined for the other but were unsure of whether their feelings would be reciprocated. The grand gesture was fitting for the story and the characters. I love the interactions between the family members in the series and this was present in this story as well.

I look forward to the next book in this series.
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A Wicked Game by Kate Bateman is the third book in the Ruthless Rivals series.

Harriet Montgomery and Morgan Davies are sworn enemies. Well, at least they're supposed to be with the fued lasting 500 years, but truly with all the recent marriages that's mostly crumbling to dust and better for them. They have spent most of their lives challenging each other in the case of one of one upmanship and dares that the lines have become inexplicably blurred. What's more exciting than playing a game with someone you can trust and taking things to an entirely different level. Where Harriet finds that she wants nothing more than what Morgan is challenging her with.
Be prepared for some witty repartee, some steamy times, and a few harrowing experiences to keep things lively.

Secrets can cause trouble!

Captain Morgan Davies is hell bent on finding the map maker whose map sent his ship aground and left him at the mercy of the French.
Harriet Montgomery has drawn her father’s maps as his eye sight has deteriorated. Not only that, but on orders from the government they had produced false maps with a slight degree of difference in the latitudes and longitudes to confuse the French spies who would seek to attain them.
Harriet had no idea one of the altered maps would wreak havoc with Morgan’s ship.
And then there’s the unrequited tension between the two!
Morgan and Harriet have known each other since childhood and a shared kiss was a distant yet startling memory.
Neither is aware that the sadistic Frenchman, General Jean-Luc De Caen, is tracking the cartographer who holds the key to his lost treasure.
A very different regency historical novel—chaos, murder and a fortune in gold lead the way to the heart’s desire.
Thoroughly enjoyable!

A St. Martin's Press invite via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.

A Wicked Game is wickedly fun!!

I loved it!! The third installment in the Ruthless Rivals series is a fun, smoldering, enemy-to-lovers classic. I was immediately drawn into Harriet and Morgan’s relationship, finding myself laughing aloud at their teasing, flirtatious, sarcastic banter. If Kate Bateman isn’t on your must-read list, she should be!

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#AWickedGame #KateBateman #NetGalley

The feud started with a pig, or maybe a woman, and went on for centuries. To the younger generations of Davies and Montgomery, the feud has become a way for them to pester each other relentlessly. When Captain Morgan Davies returns to London after the war, he has two goals. He wants revenge on the mapmaker he feels responsible for his capture, and he has a prize to claim from a bet made with Harriet Montgomery – three kisses if he returns from the war. These two have been attracted to each other for a long time, but have not revealed their feelings to each other. Morgan and Harriet’s story is a wicked game filled with bickering, snarky, flirty banter, and sizzling chemistry. How long will it take them to realize they belong together? Along with the fun comes action, intrigue, and danger in the form of a French officer looking for a particular map. Morgan and Harriet are great together and totally entertaining. Their friends and family are fun and likeable. I thoroughly enjoyed this latest addition to the series.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

I really loved this book and though I had not originally read the first two books in this series, I have now added them to my TBR.
The main premise of the series is that there are two families, the Montgomeries and the Davies, who have been at odds with each other, and enemies for a while. Each book features a pair, one from each. In A Wicked Game, we got Harriet and Morgan. I really liked both of their characters along with their relationship. The way they pined for each other was probably my favorite thing about the book.

Another feuding Davies and Montgomery, these two have been at each other for years with dare after dare. Morgan has been in love with her for years as well but makes a bet with Harriet before he goes off to war, that if he comes back he gets three kisses. The banter with these two is top notice of how to poke but not hurt. We know them from the previous books and the family history, but love that we also get flashbacks so you can see just the care and love with the dares.
Harry aka Harriet is a cartographer so a woman after my heart and love that we get a fun side of her with the maps. Morgan falls first and is trying to prove how much he loves her. What he does is just perfect!

I can’t wait for more of this series and would recommend it to any new HR reader as well!

4 steam

A Wicked Game by Kate Bateman, is a reminder of why historical romances will always be number one in my heart.

Bateman had me falling fast for this book. In this book we get family feuds, childhood nemesis/rival, and all the steam one could desire. I absolutely adored every second of this book and it was an absolutely wonderful journey. In fact as soon as I finished this book k ran and bought the whole series so far.

I loved the chemistry and banter between Morgan and Harriet. I always think I’ll hold a soft spot in my heart for the childhood enemies turned lovers. I mean the way they both know how to get under each others skin, because they’ve known each other for most their life is a perfect recipe for some hot chemistry. And in this case I was not disappointed. Plus add in a feud between their families and all the pieces fall into place for a perfect romance.

And of course there is commentary on women empowerment! It was truly wonderful seeing Harriet in a strong position for her job. And there was still points where she makes it clear being a woman at this time and in this society had its set backs.

Oh and all the other characters were an amazing ensemble, hence why I had to buy the other books in the series. I truly don’t want to leave this world and can’t wait to refine.

I truly don’t even know how to describe this book other than absolutely perfect. I mean even talking about it I find myself smiling because I enjoyed it that much. Plus like all historical romances there is something special about the way the steam between the couple builds.

Harriet and Captain Morgan Davies have always had a love/hate relationship growing up and when Morgan leaves for the Navy, he bets Harriet three kisses that he will be back. When Morgan is captured and tortured by the French, the entire time he keeps thinking of those three kisses so when he finally does get free, he goes straight to the source of all those fun and wicked dreams.....Harriet! Except Morgan dares Harriet to let him pick where those kisses will be and of course she agrees because she cannot refuse a dare. While Morgan is determine to win Harriet as his wife, there is also a little mystery about the maps that the Navy used. When Morgan realizes that Harriet was the person who made the map, the real fun begins. These two play a cat and mouse game until they finally give in to their passions and finally realize that they were made for each other!

I just adored this enemies to lovers historical romance. Morgan was the perfect alpha male. Once he made up his mind that he was making Harriet his wife, nothing could stand in his way and he would do anything for her. Harriet was the perfect heroine too. She was smart and sassy...my two favorite qualities in a female. I loved how she enjoyed teasing Morgan. Together these two were sizzling with their chemistry. This was a great addition to this wonderful series.

5 Swoon Worthy Stars
* * * * * Spoiler Free
Kate Bateman has taken the idea of feuding families and matching the children from each one fall hard for each other. Ms. Bateman has made this series so enchanting, it made me feel as if I was the one being pursued, not the one reading.

I was the one who was in the lifelong dance of hating but caring about one of the Davis boys...
I was the one who worried when the boy who teased and challenged me became the man who went off to war...

This story has everything I love in a story; it has strong feelings for the main couple and humor, teasing, and sexy swoony times. It has past characters from the other books that interact, bringing all the sense of family, yet does not make you feel as if you have missed out.

What I am saying is this is a Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner read, and you will not be disappointed!