Ruthless Rivals #3
A Wicked Game by Kate Bateman
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 . . .
My review:
I had trouble picking my first book for 2023 because I feel like the first book of the year just has to be perfect. And I am glad I chose A Wicked Game by Kate Bateman. A Daring Pursuit was my first book by her and it got me back into reading historical romance.
A Wicked Game exceeded my expectations. It had all the ingredients for an enemies to lovers romance. There was banter, adventures, fun, scandal, and the moment where the enemies finally realize when they love each other. But in one person’s case, they loved the other since they were a teenager. I didn’t want to give away who here and spoil the fun of that discovery. There were mentions of characters from the other two books, but you can still read this out of order if you’re like me and find series right in the middle.
There are also some steamy chapters, but I liked how it wasn’t just about that it was about the plot too.
This book also instantly sucked me in with the writing pace and I love it when that happens. Kate Bateman is becoming an auto buy or an auto read author for me. I’ve loved everything I’ve read by her so far.
There was a quote that I loved, but it was the ARC version and I didn’t have a final copy to compare it to. It was about how love isn’t about grand gestures, it’s about the little things that add up. I love that message because grand gestures aren’t the key components for relationships at all.
A Wicked Game was a five star rating and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves enemies to lovers, or if they just want to read a historical romance for the first time or if they are getting into it again.
Thank you Netgalley and publishers for allowing me the chance to read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to my readers for reading this post!
Colleen's Conclusions 