"Road Trip With a Rogue" is the third book in Kate Bateman's "Her Majesty's Rebels" series. While it features returning characters and references past events, it can be enjoyed as a standalone. Fans of the series will appreciate the familiar dynamics and development of beloved characters in this fun historical romance. Daisy Hamilton, a duke's daughter and investigator for King & Co., is tasked with stopping heiress Violetta Brand from eloping. Her plans go awry when she mistakenly holds up the carriage of Lucien Vaughan, the Duke of Cranford and the man who broke her heart five years ago. Vaughan decides to go with Daisy on her journey through Scotland to track down the runaway couple. Daisy, determined to keep her past feelings for Lucien at bay, faces challenges that threaten her reputation, leading Lucien to make a scandalous claim to protect her. Their shared experiences reveal deep-seated emotions, and as danger lurks, they confront their feelings amidst witty banter and undeniable chemistry. This road trip leads them to unexpected revelations and a journey toward love, making it a compelling tale of second chances.

This book is a delightful blend of humor, tension, spice and heartfelt moments. Daisy and Lucien’s dynamic is electric, filled with sharp banter and simmering chemistry that keeps readers on their toes. The setting of a road trip adds an adventurous flair, allowing for intimate encounters and character development against a backdrop of charming inns and unexpected situations. I love Daisy's personality. She can handle her weapons and protect herself. Bateman’s knack for crafting relatable, multi-dimensional characters makes Daisy and Lucien easy to root for, while the engaging plot ensures a fast-paced, enjoyable reading experience that leaves readers eager for more. This was such a fun read! This book should be added to your pre-release orders. As a side note, the cover is beautiful and sexy. It's a good representation of Daisy and Lucien.

This book will be out July 29, 2025. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of Road Trip with a Rogue.

I really liked this book!

I think this story was a very fun and quick read. I would definitely recommend.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars)

"Road Trip With a Rogue" by Kate Bateman proves to be a fun engaging historical romance, with unrequited MCs Daisy and Lucien forced together on a journey where they are both chasing down a different half of an eloping couple.

The palpable chemistry between them develops wonderfully as they become reacquainted. Daisy is portrayed as a feisty character – sharp and prickly, making her an ideal foil to Lucien, whose roguish exterior belies a surprising depth. Their dynamic is good, and their growing affection during the "road trip" is well written.

The plot flows well, resulting in a swift and enjoyable reading experience. The focus remains primarily on Daisy and Lucien's evolving relationship, underpinning the "road trip" as they uncover how much they've longed for each other over the years.

A minor observation is that some of the secondary plot elements felt somewhat less developed.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy.

England During the Regency

Daisy Hamilton, daughter of a duke, works secretly for King & Co., a highly regarded private investigation business in London. She has agreed to attempt to stop Violetta Brand, an heiress, from eloping. Planning on disguising herself as a highwayman, Daisy rides to intercept the coach with the two love birds, but as she arrives, it seems other highwaymen had the same idea, for a different reason. As she watches what is going on, she realizes that the eloping couple is not in the coach, and she steps in to help the present occupant. It turns out that she also knows who that is!

Several years ago, Daisy's heart was broken by the Duke of Cranford, Lucien Vaughan, and she is stunned to discover that it's his coach being attacked. After the scuffle with the robbers, Lucien, Daisy, and the duke's aide head to a nearby inn, where Daisy plans to find the eloping couple. Alas, they are not there, and Lucien insists that he accompany her to deal with them. He has his own reason for doing so, as he was already following them.

The two agree to travel north to Scotland together. But that means spending several nights at inns along the route. Daisy is bound and determined not to let her past feelings for Lucien get in the way of her goal to stop the marriage. But it's not easy. And Lucien isn't exactly comfortable pretending he isn't interested in Daisy. So the traveling duo must pretend that they're just on a mission, and that doesn't include anything else. However, fate has a way of potentially spoiling those plans.

Book 3 of Her Majesty's Rebels is a non-stop game of two people feigning their dislike for one another, while withholding their strong attraction. Daisy is intent on completing her task, but it's not easy to hide her feelings. Lucien is a little better at hiding his thoughts, but he, too, is struggling. Can they find the young couple in time? And then what?

Loved it! Probably one of the more interesting romance novel road trips I've ever read. Absolutely adored the ending!

Daisy Hamilton, an armed and headstrong investigator, heads off into the night to prevent a young couple from a rushed elopement. Things quickly go awry and she ends up partnering with a man from her past, Lucien Vaughn to chase the couple down. The action packed few days, however, impacts them both more than they ever expect and a hidden secret may change everything.

Road Trip With a Rogue is a delightful, spicy adventure! The chemistry and banter between Daisy and Lucien are fantastic. Knowing Daisy from the previous books, I was looking forward to her story the most and was not disappointed, as it’s now my favorite of the series. She is hilarious, strong, and feisty in the best way possible and Lucien is my kind of hero. I thought the story was perfectly paced and had me smiling and laughing out loud, but also so endeared to the couple. I really enjoy Kate Bateman books but this might be her best work!

I enjoy a road trip historical romance and this one was perfect to me!

I don’t read nearly as much historical romance as I used to, but I will always make time for a new offering from Kate Bateman, and Road Trip with a Rogue does not disappoint. In all fairness, I’ve been waiting for Daisy’s story since Bateman kicked off this trilogy and it feels like she saved the best for last. Daisy is the outspoken, outgoing and outlandish one in her trio of friends, and let’s just face it, that could only mean a man that’s her equal. Which means a book full of trading barbs, matching wits, and trying to outdo one another. One of Bateman’s strengths is her ability to create phenomenal chemistry between her romantic leads, and I went back and forth between laughing at the pair and being more than a little jealous of how perfect they are for each other. Their personalities and characters are elevated and contrasted by the simpering and saccharine sweet pair they’re trying to reach before they elope. Topped off by one of my favorite marriage proposals I’ve read in a book this was a fun and fulfilling romance from beginning to end. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Third in the trilogy of three women running an investigative firm name King & company.
Daisy is on an assignment from the brides father to stop an elopement to Gretna Green.
She encounters Lucien the Duke along the way due to troubles.
He helps her but little does she know that he has encouraged the couple because he is the grooms uncle.
Daisy and Lucien have a past history and spend an inordinate amount of time coming to terms with their emotions.
Romantic with engaging banter and lots of action.
Highly recommend and author never fails to deliver.

I have mixed feelings about this one. I usually love Bateman’s historical romances, but Road Trip With a Rogue fell a bit flat for me. I didn’t connect with the main characters, and parts of their romance didn’t work for me.

Lately, enemies-to-lovers has been hit or miss for me. Unfortunately, the love story between Daisy and Vaughn was a miss. The pair has a ton of chemistry, and they love verbally sparring with each other, which is great, but there’s a fine line between snarky banter and bullying, malicious behavior. Personally, I didn’t like how domineering Vaughn could be. He insults her in a way that sounds like he’s looking down on her, and I hated the condescension in his tone during some of their confrontations. They both act immaturely at various points in the story, and it just ended up frustrating me.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Paperbacks for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

This was a really fun and sweet story. I admit I haven’t been reading many historicals this year, but I’m glad I read this one!

I really enjoyed reading Road Trip with a Rogue. Kate Bateman continues to deliver banter, action and amazing chemistry between her characters. I’m sad the series has come to an end but I look forward to reading anything the author publishes in the future. She will always be an auto-buy author for me.

I liked the idea of the plot, but found the execution to be anacronistic. A young woman in the early 19th century who had a business, with expertise in weapons and sexual freedom without concern about her reputation, was impossible to buy into. It was essentially the story of a 21st century woman but set in the 19th. It also didn't have any of the romantic aspects of the period, which makes a Regency story so appealing. Not my cup of tea.

As one-third of the private investigating firm King & Co, Daisy Hamilton is used to going on dangerous missions, but her latest should be simple enough: stop a young heiress from eloping. Daisy's plan is foolproof. She'll pretend to be a highwayman, hold up the coach, and bring back the wayward lovers before the night is through. But when she mistakenly holds up the wrong coach, Daisy comes face-to-face with the one man she never wanted to lay eyes on again.

Not only is Lucien Vaughan a Duke, war hero, and one of the most eligible bachelors of the ton, he's also the man who broke Daisy's heart five years ago when he kissed her and promptly dismissed her. Lucien is hellbent on seeing his love-struck nephew marry the woman of his dreams and is determined to foil Daisy's plan as they follow the couple. He's not above a bit of seduction if that's what it takes, but Lucien has carried a secret torch for Daisy for years, and when it seems she may feel the same, Lucien realizes it'll take more than pretty words to win her over.

I say this after every Bateman book, but she really can't miss. This series has been very fun, and I loved getting to know our characters more. Daisy is my kind of FMC. She's feisty, scrappy, and a smidge stubborn. She's the type who's more likely to stab you than kiss you, and it made for such a fun dynamic between her and Lucien. The banter between them was so entertaining. I loved watching them push each other's buttons and rile each other up. I liked how protective Lucien was of Daisy, but knew when to step back because she could take care of herself. The plot turns into a marriage of convenience, which I wasn't expecting, but I'll never say no to. Daisy's refusal to see what was right in front of her when it came to Lucien's feelings got a little frustrating, but I enjoyed how it all worked out.

I had no idea this was part of a series when I dived in, so let me start by saying I did not read the other books, but this works as a standalone, as I didn't really feel like I was missing any context. I also plan on buying the others, since I enjoyed this one so much.

This story gets you right from the start, straight to the point, jumping into the action. It's just the right amount of story telling to get you involved without going off topic. It's a romance focused solely around Lucien and Daisy so you don't get scenes really without them or side plots, and I liked that. It was a nice quick romantic read. Just what I needed.

The banter was great. I love how he fell first and so hard. Calling each other by thier last names was great. There's something about that in enemies to lovers that just hits right. I loved the feminine undertones and the strong female lead, and how he wouldn't have her any other way.

My only negative about this was that the ending felt a little anticlimactic, but it was still good.

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

This book was a fun, lighthearted read with plenty of witty banter and a few laugh-out-loud moments. Kate Bateman has a knack for crafting humorous situations, and the road trip setup provided some entertaining antics. However, while I enjoyed the humor, I found it a bit difficult to fully connect with the characters or feel invested in their romance. The chemistry felt a little forced at times, and I didn’t quite fall in love with the story the way I’d hoped.

If you’re looking for a quick, amusing read with a hint of adventure, this one might hit the spot. It’s enjoyable but didn’t quite leave a lasting impression for me.

This one releases July 29th! Thanks NetGalley for the early copy!

A good old fashioned historical romance with all the tropes you know and love. Road Trip With a Rogue is charming, sexy and comforting like a strawberry and vanilla cupcake! Historical romance readers will fall in love with Daisy and Lucien.

Daisy is your typical hellion spinster thumbing her nose at convention by working at King and Co. Her latest assignment is to stop an elopement of two crazy young lovers. When the carriage she is chasing is accosted by highwaymen she intervenes to help and discovers she is actually following the wrong carriage. Enter Lucien, a dark and brooding scarred war hero, Duke, her brothers best friend….and the star of Daisy’s most lascivious fantasies after a sensual kiss five years earlier. When he volunteers to help her catch the elopers we get the gold standard of historical romance content. Witty banter, an inn with only one bed, kidnappers, a heroic rescue, being caught by a ton gossip, a lavish soirée and a perfect grand gesture.

I devoured this book and absolutely recommend it!

At this point I’m starting every review of a Kate Bateman book with “wow that was a book written by Kate Bateman!” which sounds so incredibly obvious but it’s its own genre in my brain at this point.

The hero will always fall first in such a way that the heroine will never believe it if he comes out and says it straight so he’ll spend the entire book trying to convince her ~slowly (but surely) so she doesn’t bolt. There’s a perfect scene where Daisy wants to know what it’s like to bed a man who’s in love with her and Lucien’s kinda like 🤨

The grand gesture paled a bit in comparison to book one’s, so I finished this book completely ~whelmed. It was good, but not my favorite and was perhaps just a bit too sweet or nice for my current tastes. Lucien was thankfully a bit grittier than most heroes I’ve been reading lately, but he still didn’t necessarily surprise me.

I’m craving Big Emotions at the moment and unfortunately this didn’t quite do it for me, but it was still rather wonderful. If you’re looking for a low-angst road trip moment, this will be perfect for you.

Also I really love the clinch on the cover. A+

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5 🌶️🌶️.75*/5

*Probs closer to 3/5 pepper I was just a tad unaffected by the end.


I received an eARC from the publishers. All opinions are honest and my own.

An intriguing story. Not enemies to lovers but star crossed lovers from afar who have to find there way to each other and trust in love.

A delightful read.

This installment kept me entertained all day, finished in 1 setting. Daisy and Lucien brought a lot of baggage with them to get to their HEA, neither grew up in loving homes and had no idea what love looked like or what it entailed to actually love someone. It was a journey of discovery for both of them. Only part missing was an epilogue, those are my favorite parts.

5 Stars! Loved this book! I read it in one day, I just could not put it down! This is the 3rd and, sadly, final book in ‘Her Majesty’s Rebels’ series and can be read as a standalone but I loved this entire series and recommend reading in order. The main characters are Daisy/Dorothea Hamilton & Lucien Vaughan, the Duke of Cranford. I loved both of them so much. The witty banter and love/hate relationship had me smiling throughout. Highwaymen, chasing an eloping couple, kidnapping, hot flash inducing sexy times & an HEA ending plus so much more! This is just skimming the surface. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book and this entire series! I’m always up for a Kate Bateman book and you really can’t go wrong with her work!
*I received this book at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*