A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

What a whirlwind! I absolutely LOVED Daisy’s Fire. She was a force to be reckoned with and honestly I want to be like her one day - stubbornly independent, strong, kind, loyal, funny, and beautiful!

The banter between her and Lucian made my toes curl and the butterflies in my stomach go crazy! Their chemistry was off the charts from the word go and I am obsessed! Not to mention the wonderfully dashing rogue of a man - Lucian - could just about make any woman swoon with a flash of his smile!

I don’t want to give spoilers, so I’ll just say this - they are an enemies to lovers that everyone will fall in love with! There’s one bed. Multiple days in a coach together. Secret pining. Who hurt you. Forced proximity. And the absolute best side characters you could ask for.

AND THAT ENDING 😍

Just. Obsessed. Thank you Net Galley for this ARC!!

I really enjoy Ms. Bateman's novel and this one was no exception. The tension between Daisy and Vaughn was a constant throughout the book until they finally realized maybe, just maybe, they may get along better than they think. There was no villain in the story. It was more about two people finally being honest with their feelings and what they want. The plot moved along at a good pace. When they finally got their HEA, I was thrilled for them both. This was a well-written and entertaining book.

Road Trip with a Rogue had the usual banter and sexual tension that Bateman is so good at portraying. I loved how the main characters met again by trying to stop highwaymen and the TENSION they had. When we were finally told why Daisy didn’t like Lucien and the interaction they had in the past, my jaw was on the floor. This was Bateman’s best scene yet!

I’m so sad that this series is over with, but can’t wait to see what Bateman has in store for us next!

An addictively sexy romp of a road trip! Kate Bateman outdoes herself again! I loved every book in this series, but this one was by far my favorite. I devoured it in a day. The chemistry just bubbled off the page.

Daisy is the third member of the female detective agency and a duke's daughter. Lucien Vaughn is a scarred war hero, a duke (of course) and the Rogue mentioned in the title. Most of all, they are both incredibly kind people and easy to cheer for. After secretly pining for each other for five years, they meet again when highwaymen attack Vaughn's coach. Daisy intervenes thinking the coach belongs to an eloping couple she is meant to stop and instead finds the smoldering Vaughn. Oh, the banter! Oh, the sexual tension! No one writes it like Bateman.

They decide to team up to track the couple. She's after the reward money and he's got a secret agenda of his own and also wants to keep her safe. That leads to a road trip of many one-room inns and one-horse rides, a dramatic rescue, and of course help from the other couples in the series to achieve a HEA. This just hit the spot for me. It was compelling, entertaining and wickedly spicy. If someone wanted to make millions of dollars they would adapt these books into a miniseries. There is woefully not enough spicy or sweet historical romance to watch in the world.

DNF at 51% because I couldn't stand Lucien as a hero

I really enjoyed Kate Bateman's previous book in this series, and I was so excited for this one but...Lucien needs to go to horny jail and stay there.

Evidence:

- "They would ruin you. And it would feel so fucking good"

- "Being wicked, he hadn't bothered to deny himself the temptation of touching her while she slept."

- "I was still a virgin," "Only in body. In spirit, you were a shameless wanton."

- "I wanted to kill every man who looked at you."

Lucien's one (1) personality trait was how much he wanted Daisy while also keeping his true intentions for the road trip a secret - lying to her - and refusing to call her by her preferred name. There was nothing redeeming about him, nothing making me want to stick around to see if he and Daisy could work out a HEA (she DESERVES BETTER) and once they had sex and it was clear that couldn't even save the couple for me, I was done.

There was a distinct lack of female friendship in this installment as well - due to the road trip plot - which is something I feel Bateman excels at. And I also found the chapter breaks to be very sudden, which lent to the pacing being off.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC! I really wish I could have enjoyed this.

This book was deliciously messy in all the right ways. I live for a second-chance romance where the yearning practically crackles off the page, and Daisy and Lucien? They had it in spades. She’s sharp, stubborn, and armed with a knife, and he’s broody and infuriating in that very specific historical-romance-duke way that makes you want to scream into a pillow. Their banter was razor-edged, the tension was mouthwatering, and the slow-burn payoff was everything. The road trip setup added such a fun, chaotic energy, and I loved how it balanced the swoony moments with real emotional grit. I could read ten more books just about these two circling each other forever.

I absolutely adored Daisy and Lucien. This was a fun read and I enjoyed every minute of it. The back and forth between these two and that bad boy charm of Lucien made this a fun historical romance. It felt modern in some ways which I liked. I loved getting to see Tessa, Ellie, Harry, and Justin. I’m sad the series is over but it definitely went out with a bang! I can’t wait to see what Kate Bateman puts out next!

4.25 stars. A fun conclusion to a fun series. Daisy and Lucien had fire chemistry and were a great fit for each other. Daisy was just a bit too obtuse towards the end, which hampered my enjoyment. Great banter, great spice, a fun road trip. It was a good time. Can’t wait for Bateman’s next series!

Thank you to St. Martin’s and NetGalley for the ARC!!

What a fun adventure! We start with our main character, Daisy, about her work for King and Company, trying to stop a young eloping couple from making their trek to Gretna Green, which is famously just across the border into Scotland and all it takes to be married is to visit a blacksmith (yes, this is true!)

Unfortunately, highwaymen stop the carriage she's waiting for, and she gets involved ... only to find out that the passenger in the carriage was none other than the Duke who crushed her heart years ago!

Hijinks ensue, with Daisy and Lucien racing to get to Gretna in time ... or are they both working towards the same goal??

I really love Kate Bateman's writing and stories, particularly her knowledge that enhances the historical romance genre. Her characters evolve over the course of the novel - in this case, it was Daisy dragging her feet to get married for pretty legitimate reasons, and Lucien did some self-discovery to realize he loved Daisy, and had for a long time. Once he comes to this realization, he doesn't really hold back or try to talk himself out of it (which I find is all too common in historical romances.) I only wish he'd done a bit more grovelling after his perfidy is discovered ...

I'm sad to see the end of this series and the delightful doyennes of King & Co.! It was a unique premise that allowed for interesting storytelling.

4.5 stars! Woooo, who needs a cold shower after that?! The chemistry in this book was off the charts good from the first page.

Read if you’re a puddle of mess for:
***Historical romance
***Brothers’ best friend
***Fierce longing
***Only one bed
***Steam, steam, steam!

Daisy and Lucien’s story had me from page 1. I love the backstory of this, and loved how everything played out. This is the 3rd in a series, but absolutely can be read as a standalone.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

* 3.5 stars

This was a good conclusion to the trilogy. Daisy is a feisty woman who likes to carry knives. I loved the beginning of the story with a run in with highwayman. Lucian is a dark brooding man who has loved Daisy for years, but has held himself back from being with her. Of course, Daisy has wanted him since they shared a passionate kiss from years before. Exciting times happened with n this road trip, which I enjoyed. I just don’t like some of the language that Bateman uses in her writing. It just seems jarring to the times. I loved the proposal also.

Daisy's mission is to stop heiress Violetta from eloping. But she ends up in the carriage of the Duke of Cranford who wants to help his nephew married to Violetta. The duke of cranford has never forgotten Daisy from years ago....

Love the romance. The fun and the joy in this book. Terrific chemistry. The banter has me laughing... Swooning romance.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

”It was me who succumbed to your wicked charms. You’ve compromised me shamelessly.”


✨The Vibe:
Enemies-to-lovers road trip + historical romance + a dash of criminal mischief = a wickedly fun escape.

📖The Plot:
Daisy Hamilton (don’t call her Dorothea) is on a mission to stop a scandalous elopement. Lucien, the twelfth Duke of Cranford, is determined to make sure it happens. Naturally, they end up on the road together. Cue the banter, the tension, the sizzling slow-burn. They clash, they connect, and they end up somewhere neither of them expected: in love.

✔️What I Loved:
Kate Bateman’s writing pulls you in from page one—no dragging intros, no wasted words.
Vivid but not flowery descriptions. The balance is just right.
This book moves. I finished it in under 24h—that’s always a sign.
Romance + a hint of crime.
Daisy is fiery and determined. Lucien is sarcastic, indulgent, and a little too charming. Together? Magic.
Characters feel human—flawed, relatable, and lowkey obsessed with crème brûlée (same, Daisy).
Loved the subtle nods to real-life struggles—like migraines—woven into the story.
Feminist undertones in a historical romance? Yes, please! Strong women, strong voices, strong story.

➖Minor Gripes:
The ending dragged a tiny bit—her inner debate went on longer than needed.
Three books in this series? Not enough.

❓Should You Read It?
Absolutely—especially if you’re into:
-witty banter,
-historical spice,
-rebellious women,
-brooding dukes,
-and just the right amount of drama.

📚It reads fine as a standalone, but trust me—reading the first two will make this even juicier.

📍Final Thoughts:
Kate Bateman nailed it again. Road Trip with a Rogue is fun, fast-paced, and full of heart. A perfect mix of romance, humor, and action. Fans of Her Majesty’s Rebels or Ruthless Rivals will feel right at home.

📗Thanks to St. Martin’s Press & NetGalley for the ARC!
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be over here craving crème brûlée and re-reading their best arguments.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Would travel with this rogue again.

This book felt like it had been written with every aching, longing part of me in mind. The slow burn between Daisy and Lucien isn’t just delicious, it’s devastating in the best way. Every page pulses with tension, and the emotional undercurrent runs so deep it’s impossible not to drown in it. I loved Daisy’s sharp edges and I adored Lucien. The writing is rich and evocative, filled with yearning and bite, and it never rushes what needs to breathe. It lets the silences speak, lets the glances linger. The romance is messy and tender, tangled in regret and hope and old wounds that never really healed. It was about rediscovery and relearning how to trust someone with the parts of yourself you’ve kept hidden. And I felt every bit of it. I loved this with my whole heart..

Lady Dorothea “Daisy” Hamilton is the third co-founder of an investigation firm called King & Co. She agrees to take on the case of thwarting an heiress from eloping. However, Daisy’s mission goes horribly awry when she encounters the wrong carriage. Instead of the runaway pair, she finds the rogue who broke her heart five years ago. Daisy has no other choice but to tolerate the man as she continues with her mission. Will Lucien distract Daisy from her mission? Or will she gain another success for King & Co?

Lucien Vaughan, The Duke of Cranford, decides to help his nephew elope with his beloved. He never imagined he would encounter Daisy Hamilton, a woman who is off limits to him, along the way. Lucien is not about to let the hoyden thwart his nephew’s upcoming nuptials. He uses every tactic in his arsenal, including seduction, to delay her from finding the lovestruck pair. When Daisy’s reputation is compromised, Lucien steps forward to do what is right. Can he convince the headstrong miss to marry him?

Daisy did annoy me near the end of the book. Yeah, I understand her requisites for marriage, especially after seeing what her mother endured. However, Daisy knows how cruel the ton can be towards women whose reputations are tarnished. Yet, she is still willing to face their wrath. A wise person knows when to concede and when to fight or make the best of their situation.

Lucien is positively swoon-worthy! I simply adore the man’s sardonic, hedonistic personality! It made his interactions (and dialogue) with Daisy entertaining and fun. What I like the most about Lucien is how he is not put off by Daisy’s blades. It impressed him, especially since she knows how to wield them. Other men of his station would have been either repulsed or intimidated by them.

SERIES: Yes, this book is the third and final book in Kate Bateman’s historical romance series, HER MAJESTY’S REBELS. It is more enjoyable to read this delightful series in proper order, starting with SECOND DUKE’S THE CHARM. The first book reveals the reason why the three ladies decide to set up an investigation firm. The couples from the prior two books (Tess and Justin and Harry and Ellie) do make frequent appearances throughout the story.

I really enjoyed this book! It is the third in a series - I do not think it was the strongest book in the series but nevertheless I enjoyed it. Lucien and Daisy are an excellent match and I enjoyed their banter quite a bit.

title: Road Trip with a Rogue

author: Kate Bateman

publisher: St. Martin's Paperback

publication date: July 29, 2025

pages: 336

peppers: 3 (on this scale)

warnings: shootings, stabbings

summary: Daisy has been hired to stop a couple from eloping in Gretna Green; unfortunately, they have a head start and she gets delayed by Lucien Vaughan, Duke of Cranford, the one man who has been driving her batty for the past five years since their one kiss.

tropes:

road trip
enemies to lovers
one bed
one horse
eloping
she's been ruined

what I liked: 

sense of humor
witty banter
backstories

what I didn’t like: none of it

overall rating: 5 (of 5 stars)