Private investigator Daisy and her ex-lover, the Duke of Cranford, are forced into a reluctant road trip together to stop a runaway heiress. Their journey reignites old passions and leads to unexpected seduction.

Fun and fast-paced, this book has unique characters and a clever plot. Daisy and Cranford have strong chemistry, and their banter is delightful. It’s a steamy, heartwarming read.

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

The final book in Bateman's trilogy about King & Co., an elite agency staffed by three women, is, in a word, delightful. Daisy is the most self-assured of the heroines, and her story similarly follows a more adventurous route, sending her on a mission to stop two ninnies from getting married at Gretna Green on behalf of the woman's father. Unfortunately for her, her long-time crush/foe Lucien is <i>also</i> on the lovers' trail, albeit with completely opposite motives.

If there's one element that stands to bother readers, it's the fact that Lucien isn't honest with Daisy for the entire first half of the book. His reasons for pursuing Peregrine and Violet are contrary to Daisy's, and he's not above hiding that fact from her while sabotaging her efforts. It's all very low-key and in service of the romance plot, but it also doesn't sit well with me, and frankly makes parts of their relationship feel a bit unsavory.

Still, it's hard to deny their chemistry, and the road trip aspects of the story are a lot of fun. It's a treat of a novel despite those issues, and fans of Bateman's work shouldn't be disappointed.

Daisy is undercover on a case for King & Co, trying to stop an elopement, when she runs into Lucien, who's secretly assisting his nephew elope to Gretna Green. The two travel together, Daisy in the dark about Lucien's motives. The story ends up being more of a caper than the plot outlines it to be, but I won't spoil anything! I think I enjoyed this the most in the series. I enjoyed the tension between Daisy and Lucien as they try to resist each other after many years apart. I feel like the third act dragged a tiny bit, but the payoff of the ending was worth it! Not sure if there will be any more in the series, but would definitely read more from this author!

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed the romp that was this book, and I’m now immediately going back to read the others in this series! The characters were so fun and funny, including the side characters. Plot kept us moving pretty quickly, my only complaint was I wish there was more of this book to read!

Daisy works as a private investigator and her latest mission has her tracking down an eloping heiress, but theres a snag in her mission in the form of the cynical war hero and rake, Lucien Vaughan who firmly rejected her years ago. Lucien can't let Daisy's mission go through because the person eloping with Violet is none other than his lovestruck nephew and he's determined to make sure the marriage goes through... yet he can't seem to stop himself from being attracted to Daisy. Daisy and Lucien can't stand each other, he's rude, he's arrogant, and he gets under her skin. Lucien has done everything in his powers to keep himself far away from Daisy, he's so attracted to her she lives constantly on his mind, but he's determined to not let her know... thus he acts rudely to her and tries to get under her skin. Yet while they are on the roadtrip together and end up staying in the same room, they get seen and Lucien proposes they say that they get married so Daisy's reputation is ruined but Daisy refuses to marry anyone for any reason unless its a love match and Lucien is beginning to realize that he wants a real marriage with her, if only he could convince her that he's in love with her. Daisy would rather have just a one night stand with Lucien and go her away because after he rejected her and treated her the way he has, she knows he doesn't love her... yet maybe she's wrong? I will say this, I adore Kate Bateman's writing and enjoy her couples but I just didn't didn't like Lucien and Daisy together. Rather I adored Daisy but I got the ick from Lucien. He never really went out of his way to prove to Daisy he really loved her and I just felt like he didn't deserve her and she folded so easily. After everything he did, I honestly wanted more groveling from him. So while this one wasn't my favorite from the series, it wasn't bad it just wasn't for me. I will be reading the rest of the series and can't wait to read whatever Kate writes back.

Release Date: July 29, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Paperbacks for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Delightful!!!!! Daisy Hamilton has been hired to stop an elopement. When she tries to stop their carriage, she finds instead it is the carriage of Lucien Vaughan, Duke of Cranford. He is her brother’s best friend and she crushed on him years before, going so far as to sneak into one of his party’s. Lucien offers Daisy his carriage and his protection as they ride further north towards Gretna Green. During the rush north this book has some of the best tropes and does them very well. They are in close proximity giving them time to catch up on their lives and discuss their past, of course there is going to be only one room at an inn and only one bed.

Daisy and Lucian are wonderful characters. Both are strong and independent. I love how he calls her by her last name. I love that he doesn’t insist she can’t wear breaches or has to conform to society. And I love that the author bends a lot of society rules with a strong heroine but knows that ultimately to be a good historical romance there are some rules that must be followed. It is a delicious balance. And the cover is the icing on the cake for its beauty.

This is the third book of Her Majesty’s Rebel series. The previous two “Second Duke’s the Charm” and “How to Fall for a Scoundrel” both earned five star ratings from me as well. They had romances for her two best friends who also run an investigative agency with her. They both make brief appearances in the story getting the latest gossip and offering advice.

I am assuming this series is at an end and I will be waiting with anticipation for Kate Bateman’s next novel.

This book was fun, witty, romantic, exciting, and thoroughly entertaining from the first page to the last. I always enjoy this author’s writing style and the way she develops her characters. So it’s no surprise that I absolutely loved Daisy and Lucien—they’re perfect for each other.

It was also a pleasure to revisit Tess and Justin from the first book, and Harry and Ellie from the second. I’m assuming this is the final book in the series, as Daisy is the last of the three original characters to find her happily-ever-after.

In this story, Daisy Hamilton’s latest assignment for the King & Company agency turns out to be far more complicated than expected. The mission seems simple: intercept the coach carrying Violet Brand to prevent her from eloping to Gretna Green. All Daisy knows is that the coach bears a golden lion on the door. So when she stumbles upon such a coach being attacked by highwaymen, she leaps in to save the day—only to realize she’s stopped the wrong one. And to make matters worse (or better?), the man inside is the one person in the world who could steal her heart.

Lucien Vaughn, Duke of Cranford, is exasperated by his romantic, overly dramatic nephew, Peregrine (Perry) Hughes. Nineteen-year-old Perry is head over heels for Violet Brand, whose father disapproves of the match. In a desperate attempt to end the drama, Lucien encourages them to elope to Gretna Green—and promises to do everything he can to ensure the marriage happens.

Lucien and Daisy share a bit of a past. He’s a friend of all her brothers, and the bold, curious Daisy has been known to sneak around to spy on their gatherings. Lucien has always taken her breath away—and nothing has changed when he steps out of the coach she’s just "rescued." Being the clever rogue he is, Lucien convinces Daisy to let him help chase down the eloping couple.

The emotional push and pull between Lucien and Daisy was a delight to watch. Their constant scheming and counter-scheming to outwit one another made for some truly enjoyable reading. While Lucien’s grand gesture was touching, I personally didn’t find it quite as memorable as Justin’s from the first book. Still, this was a charming, thoroughly satisfying romance, and I highly recommend it.

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

📖 Road Trip with a Rogue-Her Majesty's Rebels #3

✍🏾 Author: Kate Bateman-I've read Second Duke's the Charm and How to Fall for a Scoundrel both 4⭐reads

📅Publication date: 7/29/25 | Read 7/23/25

📃 Format: eBook 304 pgs.

Genre:
*Historical Fic
*Romance

Tropes:
*2nd chance romance
*road trip
*enemies to lovers
*slow burn
*witty banter
*forced proximity

👆🏾POV: 3rd person, dual

⚠️TW: robbery-h, threat of S/A-h, parental abandonment-h, kidnapping

🌎 Setting: London to Scotland

Summary: Daisy is hired by her PI firm-Kings and Company-to stop Violet and Perry from getting married because Violet's father disapproves. When Daisy mistakes Lucien's carriage for them and highwaymen attempt a robbery, she is surprised to see Lucien. They shared a kiss at a masked party and neither can forget it. They agree to travel together to find the eloping couple if they don't kill each other first.

👩🏾 Heroine: Dorothea "Daisy" Hamilton-23

👨🏾 Hero: Lucien Vaughan-Duke of Cranford-29

🎭 Other Characters:

* Violet Brand-18, escapes her home to marry Perry
*Peregrine "Perry" Hughes-19, Lucien's nephew
*Tess/Justin-Daisy's BFF
*Ellie/Harry-Daisy's BFF
*Daisy's brothers-David, Dominic, Devlin
*Dalkeith-Daisy's father

🤔 My Thoughts: I loved the playfulness of their relationship. Daisy was strong-willed and Lucien met his match. Their adventures were funny and a great way for them to fall in love. This was a great HEA!

Rating: 4/5 ✨
Spice level 3/5 🌶️

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press |St. Martin Paperbacks, and Kate Bateman for this ARC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

"Road Trip With A Rogue" by Kate Bateman is an absolute delight from start to finish. The story is infused with a feisty female lead who commands attention with her wit, courage, and undeniable charm. Her dynamic with the roguish counterpart ignites the pages, delivering a steamy romance that feels both genuine and intoxicating.

Bateman's skill in crafting excellent characters shines brightly in this novel. Each character, from the protagonists to the supporting cast, is richly developed, making their interactions feel authentic and compelling. The engaging plot moves at a perfect pace, intertwining adventure and romance seamlessly, keeping me hooked from the first page to the last.

What I appreciated most was how easy this book was to read without sacrificing depth or emotional resonance. The dialogue sparkles with clever banter, and the narrative flows effortlessly, making it impossible to put down.

For fans of historical romance with strong, spirited heroines and sizzling chemistry, "Road Trip With A Rogue" is a must-read. Kate Bateman has crafted a masterpiece that I can't recommend highly enough.

It is 1817 in London. Daisy was looking forward to stopping Violet's wedding per her father's request. Thinking she was stopping the coach, she was disappointed to find the Duke she lusted after five years ago step out. He agrees to help her reach Violet and her beau before they are married. This book is a lot of fun! Daisy fights off her crush with the Duke, and he tries to ignore his feelings for her. Their trip to catch Violet comes with some uncomfortable situations. I enjoyed the setting and the customs of early London. Great characters and fun events.

A fun read for a lazy hot day. Daisy and Lucian have a second chance, allies to lovers romance as they team up to find his nephew who has run away to elope with his own love. There's a bit of opposites attract that leads to good banter. The pacing is good. as is the humor. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Fans of the genre will like this one.

This series is so fun! The tension between the characters was perfect and I loved how they tried and failed to resist each other the entire book. Having the main characters fully in love with each other from the first page is difficult to pull off but it was excellently done! I can’t wait to read more of Kate Bateman’s backlog! Her romances are top tier!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

On a mission to prevent an heiress from eloping, Daisy Hamilton ends up with the wrong coach and a set of highwaymen in the middle of night. The highwaymen are no problem, the coach happens to contain Lucien Vaughan, Duke of Cranford. Her brothers' best friend and the man who broke her heart five years ago. He's even darker and more handsome than he was back then and she hates him. Too bad he insists on coming along for the adventure and the entertainment.

Lucien has his own reasons for accompanying Daisy, including the fact that he hasn't been able to stop thinking of her for the last five years. Their chemistry is even better now that it was back then and he's determined to protect her and get her out of his system- by any means necessary. But will days of close proximity solve the problem, or make it combust?

Daisy is a delightful, determined, and strong FMC who's fully prepared to use her wits and her knives to get out of any situation she finds herself in. I enjoyed Lucien's bad boy dark exterior and broodiness that rises to every challenge Daisy offers (both knowing and unintentionally). Their clever banter, challenges, and pushing each other made them a good team from the start. Daisy's mission was more of an excuse to get them together than a real seondary plot point, but I enjoyed the two of them together enough not to mind much.

This was the first book in the series I've read and I didn't feel lost not having read the others, so its a decent standalone. A fast paced and fun read.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Road Trip with a Rogue is another fun, swoony, and delicious historical by the talented Kate Bateman.

I adore, devour, and am obsessed with a historical road trip romance. That's because when done right, a road trip romance forces the two MCs together and creates many situations that always have bookworms' hearts racing. I've been looking forward to getting to read Daisy's story, right from the moment I met her back in the first book in the series. She has always been portrayed as the slightly wild one in the group. She always has a knife or knives on her. She grew up with brothers, and she knows how to handle herself in a fight. My thought and hope were that since she is the more adventurous and wild one, her book would be this wild ride, and I am delighted to say that it was.

At its core, this book is a lot of fun, whether it's the crazy antics that always happen on a road trip or some spicy fun times. Reading this book was addictive, and I have no shame in admitting that I finished it in one sitting. Kate knows what her readers want, and it shows in her storytelling. Right from the first chapter, we are thrown into this crazy scene where Daisy is watching this carriage being robbed by highwaymen, and as the chaos unfolds, Daisy throws herself into the mix to help ensure no one from the carriage gets hurt. But when the dust settles and she realizes that this isn't the carriage she is meant to be following, but instead the carriage of a man she loathes, it's the beginning of an adventure neither character was expecting. The events and situations that unfold on the pages of this book are perfection. When they get to a small village, of course, there is a horse festival happening, which means there is only one room left with one bed, and the hero can't let the heroine out of his sight either, because then she will run off and try to stop Lucien's nephew from marrying the woman he loves. So, obviously, they will have to share the room and bed. Then there is the fact that these two characters spend countless hours in a small carriage having to fight that lusty attraction they feel for one another.

If you like Sarah MacLean's Hell's Belles series or Lindsay Lovise's Secret Society of Governess Spies, then I think you will enjoy this book and series. In all these series, you find groups of women who are brilliant, brave, and defy the stifling restrictions placed upon women during those times. You also get this sense of community and belonging amongst this group of women. They show up for one another, and they can handle any problems that come their way, usually as the exasperated men in their lives hover nearby, worrying about their safety like a bunch of mother hens. It's great. The case or task that Daisy is hired to complete is stopping an elopement between a young couple, one being Lucien's nephew. What Daisy doesn't know is that Lucien is determined to see his nephew married and lies and sidetracks Daisy to ensure it happens. Any romance bookworm knows that when the hero spends most of the book lying to the heroine, her is going to have to do some major grovelling, and the grand gesture better be memorable. Which, in this case, it was. I actually really adored the grand gesture at the end of this book.

The romance was great. There is this loathing-to-lovers vibe going on for about half of the book. Daisy does not like Lucien, who is a friend of her brothers. There was this whole incident between them that left Daisy feeling bitter towards Lucien. For Lucien's part, he knows that Daisy is this forbidden fruit that he cannot have because she is the little sister of some of his closest friends. Daisy's dislike of Lucien and Lucien's need to push Daisy away creates some amazing sparky and feisty banter between the two characters. It's great. They poke and push each other in the most delightful ways. The chemistry between these two just felt right. They complemented each other in the best possible ways, even if they won't admit it. They have some stuff to work through. Daisy doesn't want to get married. She saw what a loveless marriage looks like and doesn't want that in her life. She also doesn't want to have a husband who is going to control her actions and stop her from doing the work she does. Lucien also has no interest in getting married, which is connected to past trauma. He has sworn to never feel another romantic feeling again, silly man. The way their relationship unfolded was incredibly enjoyable, and there was just the right amount of spice to get your heart racing.

Road Trip with a Rogue is a swoonastic Regency romance that will leave you feeling so satisfied.

I’ll be honest, as much as I love this series, I really struggled with the first 40-50% of this book. The premise is so much fun - Daisy needs to stop an elopement, Lucien wants to make sure it happens, and they’re racing against the clock together. But I found Lucien unbearably arrogant and frustrating in the first half. I know he was trying to push Daisy away, but he was obnoxious and crude and mean to cover up his feelings in a way that was too extreme for me.

But the second half??? It was everything I’d been hoping for from this book. They banter and argue, but in a fun, clever way. Their chemistry finally makes sense to me. I started to love them together, which honestly shocked me based on my initial reaction to Lucien. Where first I’d thought Daisy could do much better, I finally saw them on equal footing. So it’s really a tale of two stories for me, and thank god the second half was the half I loved

This book was so much fun. The banter between the FMC and MMC was perfection, the tropes were stacked, and the spice was mouth watering. Kate Bateman used the A- team of tropes; including enemies to lovers, only one bed, touch her and die, and the MMC falls hard. I love the dynamic between the independent and fiery Daisy and the roguish and charming Lucian. The ending of the story had me giggling like a school girl. I highly recommend this book to any historical romance readers.

This was great! Probably my favorite Kate Bateman book so far.

Daisy is on her way to Gretna Green to stop the wedding of two young people. It doesn’t matter that these young people are in “love”, the father of the young woman wants her back unmarried. However, Daisy doesn’t get far before she mistakes one coach for another and who should step out of that coach but a man she has tried to avoid for years.

Lucien is a Duke and a devilish one at that. He has had a thing for Daisy for year but she was young and naive and his friends sister so he told her he didn’t like her even though he kissed her 🙄. Now Lucien comes face to face with the woman of his dreams on a dark highway as he is being descended on by highwaymen. Daisy helped fend off the men so Lucien decides to help her with her mission. Spoiler alert: he isn’t helpful in that way but in others he’s very helpful 😏😏😏

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

Road Trip With a Rogue by Kate Bateman is a third person dual-POV spicy Regency romance. Years ago, Daisy snuck into a party held by Lucien and she got a taste of the passion that he holds for her. But instead of igniting a relationship, he pushes her away and claims that he feels nothing for her. When they meet again after Daisy tries to stop two members of the ton from eloping and a highway robbery in progress, the two are going to have to confront what happened that night and the fact that they can’t forget each other.

This is somewhere between a 3.5 and a 4 for me on the spice scale. The sexual tension is prevalent throughout the book and we have a long scene about halfway through that takes several chapters and has some amount of detail. It’s the more obscure details and the lack of kink that make it hard for me to give this a 5 on my own personal scale. The focus is really on the physical attraction and how Lucien and Daisy both view the other as the one that got away because of one very heated kiss five years ago.

What’s getting in the way of Lucien and Daisy’s romance isn’t society’s rules but the fact that Daisy was hired to stop Lucien’s nephew and a young lady from eloping to Gretna Green and Lucien is determined to make sure that they follow through. The good news is that Lucien isn’t fortune hunting and is instead trying to guarantee his nephew’s happiness, but when Daisy learns the real reason why Lucien is there, it does upset her greatly because he was hiding it for days.

One of the things I really liked is that Daisy is sexually experienced and Lucien doesn’t make a fuss about it at all. I know that Regency and Victorian romance have placed a lot of value on virginity and whether or not a woman is ‘ruined’ and I’m glad to see the subgenre moving away from that even if the societal norms that are portrayed still do value those things. Women were definitely engaged in physical intimacy at the time and I love to see it when men aren’t threatened at the idea of women having experience when they have a lot of it themselves.

I would recommend this to fans of Regency romance where the female lead has had partners besides the male lead and readers of romance who like it when the physical relationship happens before the romantic feelings

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

So sad this series is over! I've been a fan of Kate Bateman for years because I love her stories so much. They have adventure, romance, and lots of humor. I love a good road trip book and this one a great one involving many stops at inns, sharing rooms, and all the forced proximity. This one was great because the two main characters have known each other for a while and and even had a moment at a party a few years prior. I still loved this series and it was a great historical new release, but it isn't my favorite from Kate Bateman. Still loved it a lot!

Daisy Hamilton’s new mission for King & Co. is to stop an heiress from eloping. When she sees their carriage besieged by highwaymen, she steps up to protect them. Except it's not the eloping couple, it's Lucien Vaughan, Duke of Cranford, and the man who broke her heart. Vaughan wants the heiress to marry his lovestruck nephew in order to get him out of his house, and he's perfectly willing to use every weapon in his arsenal to keep Daisy from reaching them in time to stop the wedding. It's all fun and games until Daisy's reputation is threatened and she's put in a dangerous situation, making Vaughan realize that it's more than just fun. Now he'll have a hell of a time convincing the cynical Daisy that marrying him is well worth the risk.

Sometimes, you just need some straight-up enemies-to-lovers romance with characters who banter like they really mean it and are obviously in love, but refusing to acknowledge it. Bateman is the queen of banter, and I love how that element in characters' relationships continues even after they've realized their true feelings. Pushing each other's buttons is how they show their love, and it's infinitely entertaining to see them do it.

The characters pull you in and keep you interested in a story that moves at a great pace while still giving the important moments room to breathe and develop. You can feel the tension between Daisy and Vaughan as soon as they share the page, and it only gets hotter the more they spend together and share their pasts. That Bateman takes the time to make sure that they're both fully developed within the story is a big part of why I love her writing. Daisy isn't just the headstrong lady and Vaughan is more than just tall, dark, and brooding; they're both people whose situations you can empathize with and cheer for.

Overall, another most excellent entry by Bateman and a story that's an example of why I keep reading historical romance.

Delighted thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Paperbacks for the deliciously romantic read!