Wowza! An extraordinary start to a new series that will have you waiting breathlessly for the next book! Kate always pulls me into her incredible characters and imaginative storylines!

Feuding families for ions, it only makes sense that eventually, there would be a couple that would become attracted to each other despite from opposite sides!

She had really loved him growing up, but knows he never felt the same. Now grown up, and needing the land between the feuding families, she hopes nobody will show up to claim it.

He is back from London and needs to start taking his responsibilities seriously. First he has to meet up with his enemy, to shake hands and try to keep the peace. But who shows up? The girl who always teased and fought with. But then there is that kiss....

A fun adventure filled with intrigue, angst, smugglers, villains and a love that will break all the barriers!

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!

A breath of fresh air!

An age old feud, and Gryff and Maddie will continue, or end it!

Lots of wonderful dialogue and a plot to take these families either way, ending a long feud or joining forces and….

It will be interesting to see where Ms. Bateman takes this series!

It is always a joy to break away from my normal trope to read a wonderful historical romance, especially by this author!

I’ve loved Kate Bateman’s previous novels so I was very excited for this new series. I loved the idea of fighting families, it gave me a Romeo and Juliet vibe. I loved every second of it and how they both knew they liked each other from the get go. The only downside that went a little slow for me was the deep descriptions of the caves and climbing. I have no knowledge of any of this stuff so my eyes sort of glazed over in these sections especially since they were so lengthy in detail. Otherwise, I loved this book and can’t wait to read the next ones, which I’m assuming are going to involve either her cousin or his sister !

Love this story and Maddie and Gryff. Gryff thought when he went to the country that he would be bored. How could he be bored with Maddie around. Who cares about a family feud that has been going on the hundreds of years. When they discover smugglers and caves, the two of them grow closer and realize that they aren't such bitter enemies. Can they just forget about that old feud? What an adventure.

"Ten years of teasing and flirting—yes, that’s what it had been, she could admit it now—had always been coming to this. This bonfire."

We begin the Ruthless Rivals series with an enemies-to-lovers story. Maddie Montgomery's family had been feuding with Gryffud Davies' family for so long no one remembered what they were fighting about; was it a pig, a woman? Ten miles separated the two estates, but it was the strip of land between the two where "Every year, on the day of the spring equinox, one representative from each family had to present themselves on the dividing bridge and shake hands in a gesture of goodwill."  If either family failed to send a representative, then the other family would receive full ownership of that strip of land.

This year, Madeline and Griff were sent to represent their clans. The two had known and been taught to hate each other their whole lives. Of course, neither let their families down and were present to shake the other's hand. After some contentious encounters, the two found themselves discovering gold, smugglers, and danger. Fighting for their lives and their families force them to work together, and togetherness brings sparks.

"This was no slow stoking of fire. This was an immediate conflagration: heat and desperate urgency"

Every book from this author feels like an adventure. Whether promenading, exploring, fighting, or escaping, her characters are always on a quest. Along with great banter, a sexy rogue, and a feisty heroine, you can guarantee there will always be a slow-burn romance and some steamy scenes.

This is the first book I have read by this author, and it definitely won't be my last! It had everything I could want. Action, Adventure, Romance, and Humor.. Ill definitely be checking out her other books, and keeping an eye out for when the next book in this series is released.. I can't wait to see what couple is up next!
This story was really good! I absolutely loved the history between the two families.. A feud that has lasted hundreds of years, now its become more of a game.. which family can annoy the other the most..
All the interactions between between Madeline and Gryff had me laughing and swooning at the same time. There romance was so cute. and I loved it when they finally realized the feelings they had for each other.. I think this might be one of my favorite tropes.. When childhood frenemies grow up and realize that they were ment for each other..

A Reckless Match was a nice story. This was a childhood enemies to lovers romance. Maddie's and Gryff's families have been at odds for years and years. So naturally the children had to carry on the tradition. I did wish we got a little of Maddie and Gryff as children. It would have been nice to set that line. Their banter and back and forth was interesting to read as they would try to get under each other's skin. Though there was more to their hatred. It seemed a little bit of love/infatuation had snuck in. Their relationship and the mystery that they seemed to found themselves in kept the story going for me. I was intrigued by how it would all play out. However at the end of the book I did want to see more of Maddie and Gryff as a couple. It just felt like we got a lot of their animosity but not enough of their coupling. Still, this was a pleasing story and I am interested to see what happens with the other two couples hinted at in the epilogue.

Really enjoyed this star crossed lovers, feuding families romance. This had a lot of adventure and was heavy on the plot for a large portion of the middle and that took away just slightly from the romance, but the overall reading experience was very fun. Can't wait to read more in this series!

A hilarious, sexy, banter filled story between a man and woman from warring families— who have been neighbours for centuries.

This book was such a delight! I loved Gryff the moment I met him. He was charismatic, arrogant but in a way that was charming and not annoying and he’s just that irritating type of male character that you immediately fall for. When he asked for a kiss to seal the deal for the yearly traditional handshake between families!

I knew I loved Maddie from the second their chaste kiss ended and she was like… do I slap him for kissing me or slap him for not giving me a proper kiss? She was such an incredible female character to read about. She was determined and fierce, loyal and always knew her own mind.

The chemistry these two characters have from page one— absolute ultimate *chefs kiss*. I couldn’t get enough of them and their witty, sexual innuendo filled banter. This had a ton of my favourite tropes spread out as well— a delight of a book, I tell you.

The mystery element was easy to guess but with everything else that occurs— I think it was honestly a better idea for it to have been so easy to realize!

Overall, I loved every second, every page, every word— just everything about this novel. I can’t wait to see which couple we follow in book 2!

5/5⭐️

TW: sexually explicit scenes, blood, beating, violence, death.

I’m so glad I picked up A Reckless Match, the first book in the Ruthless Rivals series by Kate Bateman. I’ve never read Kate Bateman before, but the blurb for this book just piqued my interest, so I had to give it a try.

The overarching plot of the Ruthless Rivals series is that two families on the English-Welch border have been rivals for centuries. But the current generation of Montgomery’s and Davies’ don’t seem to have quite the same level of antagonism towards the other family as the past generations. A Reckless Match follows Maddie and Gryff.

Maddie and Gryff have always had an odd interest in each other, but a relationship was forbidden, so flirting/teasing was always misunderstood as part of the feud. Years have passed, and now they’re thrown back together with the annual “pledge of goodwill,” as it is their turn to represent their families. This meeting ends up taking them on quite the adventure.

I loved Maddie. She has the interesting hobby of archaeology, she’s quite independent, and she’s not bowing to her father’s pleas that she marry one of the local gentries in order to help with the family finances. She’s craving adventure and longs for a marriage of love.

Gryff is recently back in England from the war on the continent. He’s also recently acquired the title of Earl following his father’s passing. He’s always had a crush on Maddie, and even though he knows it’d be frowned upon, he just can’t stay away or say no to her. The two kept getting thrown together, and it was quite a ride.

I really enjoyed the banter between Maddie and Gryff. And while the smuggling plot isn’t exactly unique, how it unfolded was something I hadn’t read before, and I was furiously turning the pages to see how it all turned out. It ended up being quite the adventure, and I was glad to tag along.

A Reckless Match ended up being a wonderful historical read. The series basis of the family feud was enough to draw me in, but the adventure that Maddie and Gryff went on was what hooked me. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the next in the series.

A Reckless Match by Kate Bateman
Ruthless Rivals #1

Capulets and the Montagues, the Hatfields and the McCoys, and the Montgomerys and the Davies were all in feuds with one another so when Griff Davies returns from war and meets again with Maddie Montgomery…sparks fly, chemistry ignites and love just might be in the air.

What I liked:
* Maddie: strong, independent, interested in archaeology, nonconformist, curious, intrepid, modern thinking, loves her family.
* Gryff: strong, wise, lethal, survivor, soldier, capable, caring, has a sense of humor, intrigued by Maddie, problem solver.
* The legend of the feud
* That the two families seem to have spent time together or at least time observing one another
* The frenemy feel to the feud
* The spelunking portions of the story
* That the bad guys were dealt with handily
* The teamwork between Gryff and Maddie
* Wondering which of the frenemies will be paired up next as already Carys and Tristan and/or Morgan and Hattie have been indicated as potential soul mates…but then again…what about Rhys?
* That I felt Maddie and Gryff were well suited to one another

What I didn’t like:
* The smugglers and what they were willing to do to achieve their aims
* Exactly what I was meant not to like.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? I think so

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Paperbacks for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

I stayed up too late finishing A Reckless Match and have mostly positive feelings toward it. There’s something to be said for an enemies to lovers romance where you can really tell that the enemies is more because they’re supposed to be rather than any actual animosity. And there are a lot of really great sexual tension moments in the book that just really appealed to me.

Essentially, A Reckless Match is about a Montgomery and a Davies falling in love. The Montgomery/Davies rivalry is akin to the Hatfields and McCoys where the actual cause of the rivalry is somewhat lost to time. But for Maddie and Gryff, this rivalry is something they play into but also have always been… overly interested in one another. So there’s a little bit of a mutual pining/forbidden love with we’re enemies so I hate you type situation going on here. Then there’s a smugglers plot situation that takes the adventure levels up to a 10 and lots of good stuff comes from all of that.

I loved the set up for the next books in this series because, yes, please. The set up isn’t exactly subtle but I’m curious which specific pairing will come next since two were set up quite nicely. I loved the family vibes and the adventure. Where this book fell short for me is that toward the end when there’s a survivor type element, I just… I mean, danger banging is a thing for some people and then there’s me wondering how other people’s brains work because I just don’t think that could be me at all. But all in all a book that I would recommend if you like historical romance!

A Reckless Match is the first book of the well names series Ruthless Rivals , which is a romantic spin on a family rivalry akin to Romeo and Juliet or the Hatfield's and McCoys. Maddie and Gryff's family's have been at it for generations since someone stole a pig or possibly a woman, it has been so long it is hard to say. Once a year they have to meet on a bridge on a parcel of land between their estates and shake hands. If one of the families does not send a representative, the shared land is forfeited to the other family.

Gryff and Maddie were rivals as children. Running around playing tricks on the other and tormenting them. Gryff has just made it back from the Napoleonic war after the death of his father. The girl he used to pester has grown into a beautiful woman, full of whit and cunning. He thought about her a lot during the war but seeing her now has reminded him just how much he enjoyed getting under her skin, since she is definitely under his.

Maddie's family has lost a fortune and could lose everything if they don't come up with a solution. The easiest is for Maddie to marry someone rich, even though that is outside her moral compass. She wanted to marry for love if possible. Still there is a little time and a small sliver of hope if she can find something of value in some tunnels she stumbled across while verbally sparring with Gryff.

Spending time together in some tunnels might not have been wise as the closed in space and dark make it so much easier to feel some intimacies with that blustering man. If Maddie isn't careful she will give away all of her secrets to the new Earl.

I had a lot of fun with Maddie and Gryff. He can be a bit pompous at times but most of it seemed like an act to rile Maddie. She, on the other hand, was so easy to love. She is trying to save her family but also wants to remain her own woman. If she marries the horrible man who has offered for her, she knows she will never be happy. He won't let her work on her Archeology and definitely isn't going to like a wife who is his intellectual equal. The feud is also funny. It is amazing that between their fathers it had turned into somewhat of a game between them trying to bet the other.

Overall this is a fun slight enemies to lovers story. You could see with Maddie and Gryff belonged together from the beginning, so it was so easy to root for them.

This book is a hoot with it's Hatfield and McCoy vibe. It had me laughing out loud so many times. Maddie and Gryff are opposits that really belong together. Their chemistry is palpable. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

Many thanks to the publisher, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

This was my first book by this author and it was so FUN! I loved it.

Madeline Montgomery grew up in the thick of the longstanding feud between her family, and the neighboring family, the Davies. She and the eldest son, Gryff Davies, were constantly at odds, and always trying to get one over on the other. Maddie grew up interested in archaeology, and she loves looking for buried treasures. But digs cost money, and Maddie's father made some bad investments. They're about to lose everything if she can't come up with a way to fix it. Fast. The last thing she needs is Gryff, the new Earl of Powys, back in town and interfering with her plans.

Gryffud Davies was away at war, and then he was living it up in town, much to the scandal sheets' delight. But, he had some trouble in London and so he had to slink home to Wales, to his family's homestead. He expects to lie low for a few weeks, but something unexpected happens that puts Maddie Montgomery back into his orbit again. He's always loved teasing her, but what if he actually just... loves her?

Gryff and Maddie's banter was A+, and I loved the whole Hatfields & McCoys vibe between their families. They bicker so much but their chemistry came through clearly from the start. There was some intrigue, and mystery, and adventure, and Gryff and Maddie made a great team! Their dynamic was super fun and I adored their reluctant connection. I appreciated them both realizing and acknowledging their feelings to themselves, and the different ways they chose to handle those feelings. They were really perfect for each other.

The author has definitely set up the next couple books in the series by showing the attraction/antagonism between Maddie's cousin Harriet and Gryff's brother Morgan, and between Gryff's youngest sister Carys and Maddie's brother Tristan! I'm excited to see those stories come about, and to continue watching these feuding families making undeniable love connections. Can't wait!

Thank you to NetGalley and SMP for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f historical romance
-childhood rivals to lovers
-a piney hero with a childhood crush
-a heroine with a fondness for archeology
-long standing family rivalry
-sex education

I loved the adventure aspect of this book. It jumped right into the action and didn't let up. Gyff was just wanting Maddie the whole time and I loved his perspective. The banter between the two of them, the immediate sexual tension. Maddie was so independent trying to figure out a way to save herself and her family. This was just a fun read.

Steam: 3

Oh this was fun!
Featuring rival families, a Recklass Match introduces us to a new series and new set of characters starting with Maddie and Gryff.

I truly enjoyed this spin on the historical romance. Maddie is shown to be a strong personality, but that is supported by the family and people around her. Both Maddie and Gryff were characters that were easy to like and easy to root for - especially as the reader can start to guess about what might be brewing before they do.

The action/intrigue element to story was unique and I appreciated how it brought some of the emotional elements to the forefront.

For the most part, Reckless Match did a very balanced job of world building for the Montgomery/Davies families while also telling Maddie and Gryff’s tale. There is one blip that seems a bit out of place, but it may have been needed for future works. I have to confess to be very curious as to who the next book will be about!

What a great start to a new series. I enjoyed Kate Bateman’s Bow Street Runners trilogy and was excited to start this one. 4 stars and can’t wait to see where the series goes.

A Reckless match brings two feuding families.it’s together. Maddy and Gryf have known each other since birth. Their families go back hundreds of years and have a feud that rivals any great feud you can think of. They’ve circled around each other as they were growing up and now that Gryf is the new Earl he must meet Maddy at the bridge that is part of a neutral patch of land between their family homes during the solstice.

Maddy needs to save her family from bankruptcy and hopes that no one will show. She doesn’t get her wish and an adventure shortly ensues that brings these two closer than ever before.

Enjoyable characters and the whole family is a source of enjoy,ent. Can’t wait for more!

It started with a pig. According to the Montgomerys, the pig was stolen. According to the Davies clan, it got lost.

I smiled, and laughed through this tale of a family feud between the Davies, and Montgomerys. The condescending, but funny one liners between Gryff, and Madeline never get's old. The two 'enemies' work together to uncover a smuggling ring using their joint land to hide the stolen goods. Gryff, and Maddy slowly become friends, partners in crime, but Gruff's cautious as he views Maddie as the 'quintessential forbidden fruit'. As both of their lives are threatened by the smugglers, Maddy's shot, and to protect her reputation, Gryff tells the doctor that they're engaged. What will the feuding families think of this as the smugglers close in and plan to kill all who know about their criminal activities?