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 . . .

Harriet Mongomery really didn’t know what she was getting into with her last dare to Morgan Davies. She dared him to come back to her safe and sound and he does just that. His prize, three kisses the choice of place and time is Morgan’s. Harriet just didn’t realize Morgan wasn’t exactly speaking of geography with regard to where.

These two are crazy about each other, and in denial about that as well. The verbal sparring is quite amusing as is all the subterfuge in order to get the kisses.

I loved being transported back in time for this tale. Harriet’s intelligence and skills at cartography is delightful. Add in some intrigue from the government and a touch of suspense with their dares and you have this book I couldn’t put down.

I can’t wait for more of this series. There appears to be another branch of the family heading to town.

5 Contented Purrs for Kate!

Kate Bateman

Kate Bateman (also writing as K. C. Bateman) wrote her first historical romance in response to a $1 bet with her husband who rashly claimed she’d ‘never finish the thing.’ She gleefully proved him wrong. Her Regency and Renaissance-era romances all feature her trademark feisty, intelligent heroines, wickedly inappropriate banter, and heroes you want to both strangle and kiss.

When not traveling to exotic locations ‘for research,’ Kate leads a double life as a fine art appraiser and on-screen antiques expert for several TV shows in the UK, each of which has up to 2.5 million viewers. She splits her time between Illinois and her native England and writes despite three inexhaustible children and a number-loving husband who still owes her that dollar.

The Davies and Montgomery families
have been locked in an ancient feud.
But it’s a thin line
between love and hate.

TWO ENEMIES

Carys Davies is doing everything in her power to avoid marriage. Staying single is the only way to hide the secret that could ruin her—and her family—if it was revealed. For the past two seasons she’s scandalized the ton with her outrageous outfits and brazen ways in a futile bid to deter potential suitors. Outwardly confident and carefree, inside she’s disillusioned with both men and love. There’s only one person who’s never bought her act—the only man who makes her heart race: Tristan Montgomery, one of her family’s greatest rivals.

ONE SCANDALOUS BARGAIN

Wickedly proper architect Tristan needs a respectable woman to wed, but he’s never stopped wanting bold, red-headed Carys. When she mockingly challenges him to show her what she’s missing by not getting married, Tristan shocks them both by accepting her indecent proposal: one week of clandestine meetings, after which they’ll go their separate ways. But kissing each other is almost as much fun as arguing, and their affair burns hotter than either of them expects. When they find themselves embroiled in a treasonous plot, can they trust each other with their hearts, their secrets…and their lives?

Carys Davies love to shock society with her wardrobe choices and carefree attitude. As this book opens, she is wearing her most scandalous outfit yet and many notice. One in particular is Tristan Montgomery, while he’s her enemy because of a feud that spans generations, the attraction is still there.

Tristan is hoping to find a wife this season, but Carys isn’t on his radar. She’s not the wife he needs, he needs someone who is not on the borderline of scandal at every turn.

Carys has always had a bit of a crush on Tristan, and she doesn’t know what to do about it. Unfortunately, she’s being blackmailed for something that she can’t change. She was to meet Howe at his carriage at midnight, however he loses that carriage to Tristan gambling. It’s Tristan who enters the carriage and assumes she’s having an affair with the man. While she admits she’s been ‘ruined’ she doesn’t spill about the blackmail.

As these two are thrown together for family events thanks to her brother Gryff and Tristan’s sister Maddie, some interesting things occur. First, he says he’s helping her screen potential husbands, then he finds out about the blackmail.

A family gathering has been planned and both Carys and Tristan are thrown together again, but this time there’s a twist. Carys agrees that she needs to discover if a marriage without anything other than intellectual compatibility is the right way to go. Tristan while a bit shocked at her agreement is more than willing to show her what she’s missing. He doesn’t anticipate falling for her though.

At her home in Wales there’s a famous menagerie that she cares for. She is quite knowledgeable of animals and is ahead of her time with regard to fighting animal cruelty.

All of these things intwine into a delightful tale of enemies to lovers. With suspense, intrigue and sizzling heat.

5 Contented Purrs for Kate!

Kate Bateman

Kate Bateman (also writing as K. C. Bateman) wrote her first historical romance in response to a $1 bet with her husband who rashly claimed she’d ‘never finish the thing.’ She gleefully proved him wrong. Her Regency and Renaissance-era romances all feature her trademark feisty, intelligent heroines, wickedly inappropriate banter, and heroes you want to both strangle and kiss.

When not traveling to exotic locations ‘for research,’ Kate leads a double life as a fine art appraiser and on-screen antiques expert for several TV shows in the UK, each of which has up to 2.5 million viewers. She splits her time between Illinois and her native England and writes despite three inexhaustible children and a number-loving husband who still owes her that dollar.

A Reckless Match is the first in a new regency romance series about two feuding families, and reunited childhood enemies whose hatred turns to love.

Meet the Davies and the Montgomerys –
two families locked in an ancient feud,
destined to be on opposing sides forever.
Until…

CAN LIFELONG HATE

Madeline Montgomery grew up despising—and secretly loving—the roguish Gryffud “Gryff” Davies. Their families have been bitter rivals for hundreds of years, but even if her feelings once crossed the line between love and hate, she’s certain Gryff never felt the same. Now she’s too busy saving her family from ruin to think about Gryff and the other “devilish” Davies. Since he’s off being scandalous in London, it’s not like she’ll ever see him again. . .

TURN TO TRUE LOVE?

As the new Earl of Powys, Gryff Davies planned on spending his post-war life enjoying the pleasures of London. But when an illegal duel forces him to retreat to his family’s Welsh castle, he realizes the only exciting thing in the dull countryside will be the fiery Maddie Montgomery. Thoughts of his nemesis sustained Gryff throughout the war; but the girl he loved to tease has grown into a gorgeous, headstrong woman – who loathes him just as much as she ever did. Will secret tunnels, dangerous smugglers, and meddling from their feuding families be enough to make Maddie and Gryff realize that their animosity is really attraction…and maybe even love?

Madeline Montgomery is really hoping Gryffud “Gryff” Davies or one of his siblings doesn’t show for this required handshake. If they don’t the property becomes her family’s and they won’t fall to total ruin. Unfortunately for her Gryff does remember to show and it leads an interesting development. Instead of just a handshake, he kisses her and when she doesn’t head for home he follows her. A wishing well gone dry becomes the focal point of the story as Madeline determined to find the cause falls into a network of tunnels.

Gryff isn’t going to let her explore what is a joint owned property alone. She may be an amateur archeologist but she’s still a woman. Madeline needs to find something anything so she doesn’t have to marry Sir Mostyn. Of course she’ll never mention her family’s problems to Gryff, they are ‘enemies’ after all.

These two have an attraction that won’t let up even as they investigate some interesting findings from the cave network.

An enthralling read, with suspense, romance and intrigue!

5 Contented Purrs for Kate!

Kate Bateman

Kate Bateman (also writing as K. C. Bateman) wrote her first historical romance in response to a $1 bet with her husband who rashly claimed she’d ‘never finish the thing.’ She gleefully proved him wrong. Her Regency and Renaissance-era romances all feature her trademark feisty, intelligent heroines, wickedly inappropriate banter, and heroes you want to both strangle and kiss.

When not traveling to exotic locations ‘for research,’ Kate leads a double life as a fine art appraiser and on-screen antiques expert for several TV shows in the UK, each of which has up to 2.5 million viewers. She splits her time between Illinois and her native England and writes despite three inexhaustible children and a number-loving husband who still owes her that dollar.

A princess in disguise is forced to live with a rogue in order to protect her from danger in this fun, sexy regency romance.

Bow Street agent Sebastien Wolff, Earl of Mowbray, doesn’t believe in love―until a passionate kiss with a beautiful stranger in a brothel forces him to reconsider. When the mysterious woman is linked to an intrigue involving a missing Russian princess, however, Seb realizes her air of innocence was too good to be true.

Princess Anastasia Denisova has been hiding in London as plain ‘Anna Brown’. With a dangerous traitor hot on her trail, her best option is to accept Wolff’s offer of protection―and accommodation―at his gambling hell. But living in such close quarters, and aiding Wolff in his Bow Street cases, fans the flames of their mutual attraction. If Anya’s true identity is revealed, does their romance stand a chance? Could a princess ever marry a rogue?

Waiting in Paris for her brother to return from war, Anastasia Denisova is notified of his death. She is then accosted by Vasili Petrov who wants to marry her for the prestige of having a princess for a wife and also to buy her silence. Vasili believes her brother sent her proof he was a traitor and a wife couldn’t testify against her husband.

In a desparate act, Anya destroys a family tiara to fund the way to England for herself and her best friend Elizaveta. There they could start a new life away from those who could recognize her.

Unfortunately Vasili turns up in London, and once again Anya is in danger. Her benefactor and employer the Dowager Duchess of Winwick is quick to aid her. Sending her to stay with her great-nephew Sebastien Wolff, one of the owners of a prestigious gaming hall The Tricorn. Sebastien is the Earl of Mowbray having been granted the title following the war, and after meeting Anya under dubious conditions is more than a little curious.

It’s when she aids him in spying on some Russian visitors to the Tricorn that things get even more interesting. Although Petrov doesn’t recognize her at that time, she is more than a little spooked by his attention. Sebastien finds a way to distract her in a most intimate manor. Of course he still has no idea who she really is.

I love the way this tale twists and turns, the intrigue ramping up as does the attraction between Anya and Sebastien.

5 Contented Purrs for Kate!

Kate Bateman

Kate Bateman (also writing as K. C. Bateman) wrote her first historical romance in response to a $1 bet with her husband who rashly claimed she’d ‘never finish the thing.’ She gleefully proved him wrong. Her Regency and Renaissance-era romances all feature her trademark feisty, intelligent heroines, wickedly inappropriate banter, and heroes you want to both strangle and kiss.

When not traveling to exotic locations ‘for research,’ Kate leads a double life as a fine art appraiser and on-screen antiques expert for several TV shows in the UK, each of which has up to 2.5 million viewers. She splits her time between Illinois and her native England and writes despite three inexhaustible children and a number-loving husband who still owes her that dollar.

A case of secret identities finds reunited lovers on opposite sides of the law in this fun, flirty Regency romance.

There’s only one case Bow Street agent Alex Harland, Earl of Melton, hasn’t cracked: the identity of the mysterious woman who stole a kiss from him before he left for war. He’s neither forgotten–nor forgiven–her for leaving him wanting. When he starts investigating the Nightjar, an elusive London jewel thief, he keeps running into the alluring Emmy Danvers, who stirs feelings he hasn’t felt in years.

Even though Emmy’s loved Alex for years, she can’t risk revealing her heart, or her identity as the Nightjar. With Alex on her case, Emmy knows that her secrets are in danger of being discovered. Their cat and mouse game heats up with every interaction, but when Emmy’s reputation–and life–is at risk, will Alex realize that some rules are made to be broken for love?

This book opens as Emmy manages to steal a kiss from Alex Harland before he heads off to war. Little does she know that kiss has stuck in his memory as much as it has hers.

With the war over, Alex and his best friends are reunited and have opened a gentleman’s club, each of them have new titles courtesy of the Prince Regent. They also do some work for Bow Street and are noted for never leaving a case unsolved.

When a very large diamond is stolen from the Royal Jewelers, the stakes become high. The Prince Regent wants it back and the thief punished to the fullest extent of the law. The telltale black feather says it’s no doubt the Nightjar who perpetuated the crime.

The Nightjar hasn’t been heard from in a long time and not only hasn’t he been captured, the jewels stolen have never surfaced either. Emmy is the Nightjar and when she realizes Alex is assigned to the case she knows her days of thieving are nearing the end. The jewels she is being made to steal would complete the collection and also land her in jail and hanged for the offense.

I love the way this story unfolds, I can see the London of the time, the gentleman’s club in all it’s splendor and the balls in all their pomp and glory. The family loyalty and the race against time add tension to the game.

Cat and mouse is an accurate description of the taunts and teases of the investigation. The romance between Alex and Emmy inevitable and the ending superb.

I can’t wait to read the next book in this series. I hope it’s soon.

5 Contented Purrs for Kate!

Kate Bateman

Kate Bateman (also writing as K. C. Bateman) wrote her first historical romance in response to a $1 bet with her husband who rashly claimed she’d ‘never finish the thing.’ She gleefully proved him wrong. Her Regency and Renaissance-era romances all feature her trademark feisty, intelligent heroines, wickedly inappropriate banter, and heroes you want to both strangle and kiss.

When not traveling to exotic locations ‘for research,’ Kate leads a double life as a fine art appraiser and on-screen antiques expert for several TV shows in the UK, each of which has up to 2.5 million viewers. She splits her time between Illinois and her native England and writes despite three inexhaustible children and a number-loving husband who still owes her that dollar.

WILL A FALSE MARRIAGE
LEAD TO TRUE AND LASTING LOVE?

Shipping heiress Georgiana Caversteed is done with men who covet her purse more than her person. Even worse than the ton’s lecherous fortune hunters, however, is the cruel cousin determined to force Georgie into marriage. If only she could find a way to be . . . widowed? Georgie hatches a madcap scheme to wed a condemned criminal before he’s set to be executed. All she has to do is find an eligible bachelor in prison to marry her, and she’ll be free. What could possibly go wrong?

Benedict William Henry Wylde, scapegrace second son of the late Earl of Morcott and well-known rake, is in Newgate prison undercover, working for Bow Street. Georgie doesn’t realize who he is when she marries him—and she most certainly never expects to bump into her very-much-alive, and very handsome, husband of convenience at a society gathering weeks later. Soon Wylde finds himself courting his own wife, hoping to win her heart since he already has her hand. But how can this seductive rogue convince brazen, beautiful Georgie that he wants to be together…until actual death do they part?

I love strong women and Georgiana Caversteed is definitely one of them. For the times she is an anomaly, as she is inheriting the company she ran with her father as soon as she turns twenty-five. Her wealth is an attraction the men around her can’t resist and mostly that’s what they want, not the woman attached to it. As a stipulation to marriage she has designed a contract, one that so far none will sign.

With her birthday fast approaching, her cousin, Josiah is determined to marry her, he needs the funds as he has gambled his own away. Not having any of that she finds a way to marry a convict, one who would be hanged the next day, leaving her a widow. Unfortunately he dies before the event and she is given a replacement. A man scheduled to be sent to Australia.

Benedict Wylde is undercover at Newgate prison to get leads on a conspiracy to release Napoleon from his island prison. He’s the one the bribed guard has selected for Georgie to marry. Only he isn’t leaving England at all but he can’t tell her that surrounded as they were.

Attending one of the many Balls thrown in London during ‘the season’, imagine Georgie’s surprise to see the man she married in the prison chapel.

This is a favorite scene as they dance.

He shook his head. “Ben Wylde is on his way to Australia, alone and unlamented.” A dimple creased his left cheek. “Benedict Wylde, on the other hand, brother of the Earl of Morcott, is very much present and correct. And delighted to renew his acquaintance with you.” He passed an idle glance around the room and lowered his head to her ear. “I do believe we’re setting tongues wagging, Miss Caversteed.”

Georgie shot him a cynical look. “I doubt anyone here will think it odd that a man known to be permanently in need of funds should be dancing with the richest single woman in the room.”
Bateman, Kate. This Earl of Mine. St. Martin’s Paperbacks. Kindle Locations (683-687). Kindle Edition.

With her husband very much in her present she needs to find a way not to cause a scandal that would limit her sister’s chances of finding a husband within the ton.

Ben and Georgie reach an agreement to wed publicly at the end of the season, in the meantime he would court her.

A unique relationship develops between these two as they get to know one another. Of course Josiah rears his ugly head a couple of times but that just adds to the fray.

A suspenseful, fun and romantic read with just enough heat. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

5 Contented Purrs for Kate!

Kate Bateman

Kate Bateman (also writing as K. C. Bateman) wrote her first historical romance in response to a $1 bet with her husband who rashly claimed she’d ‘never finish the thing.’ She gleefully proved him wrong. Her Regency and Renaissance-era romances all feature her trademark feisty, intelligent heroines, wickedly inappropriate banter, and heroes you want to both strangle and kiss.

When not traveling to exotic locations ‘for research,’ Kate leads a double life as a fine art appraiser and on-screen antiques expert for several TV shows in the UK, each of which has up to 2.5 million viewers. She splits her time between Illinois and her native England and writes despite three inexhaustible children and a number-loving husband who still owes her that dollar.