I always get super excited when I am approved for historical romance arcs because historical romance books are my catnip. I love every aspect of them. A Daring Pursuit was the epitome of all my favorite trope.

The plot kicks off with our heroine Carys as she readies herself to once again shock society with her latest outfit, a clear way she shields herself and keeps her feelings and true self hidden, and she's excited for this one because she knows her long-time rival Tristan will be there. Tristan is indeed at the same costume party and he's as visibly outraged as she's hoped. They both harbor deep, passionate feelings for one another but what we all know is love is to them disguised as rivalry and contempt. Tristan doesn't believe Carys is appropriate and she thinks Tristan is a stick-in-the-mud. I loved their little jabs and banter. They feed off of each other. It's a classic case of "everyone can see it but us" and I was hollering in glee whenever they were on the page together.

Carys isn't as carefree as is shown and is dealing with her own fair share of terror: someone's blackmailing her but due to some misunderstanding, Tristan gets involved. Hence begins Tristan's heightened interest in Carys as she reveals to him that she is considering marriage to a gay man, and enduring a sex-live marriage because to her, sex wasn't important. Tristan sees it as his duty to prove her wrong, and so, they endeavor on a "sex pact" for the duration of a week in which Tristan and Carys will...explore sex and each other's bodies. This sounded delicious and the book delivered precisely as much food as I needed.

There's so much charm in this book. So many instances where I shook my head, grinning at their antics. My e-arc copy is full of highlights and I can't wait to grab a physical copy when I'm financially able and filling it with highlights and annotations.

I have other Bateman works in my kindle, and this arc made me push them to the top of my tbr list. Thank you to the publisher for the delightful days I had with Carys and Tristan. I need to read every book in this series so please keep me on your mailing list. I wouldn't even mind a physical arc next time so I can fill it with hearts and sighs.

4.5 Stars
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. 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.
The second book in this series about two families who’ve been enemies for generations, they are neighbours in Wales but this generation is bucking the long established trend. I loved both Tristan & Carys who had been attracted to each other for years & both grabbed the opportunity to be together. The banter was wonderful & this book epitomised why enemies to lovers is my favourite trope. I also loved the humour especially the two ravens. A very well written book with wonderful characters, which I devoured in an afternoon & I loved it. I had one quibble as I felt the villain didn’t get his just punishment, my heart went out to Victoria who was left in an unenviable & ruinous situation
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Tristan and Carys say they are enemies, but I don't think either of them ever felt like that. I like how they interacted with eachother. Carys is a great characters and I especially like her love for animals. I loved the scenes in which she interacts with her animals. The romance was nice, though for Tristan I'm not sure if it was just attraction. This was an enjoyable and quick read.

This is the 2nd book in Bateman’s Ruthless Rivals series. I liked it even more than the first. It’s well-written with no weird euphemisms, an adventurous storyline, and a thoroughly entertaining couple. Bateman excels at writing sleazy, smarmy villains who make my skin crawl. Like in all good romance novels, good triumphs over evil and we get our HEA. It also has a baby-free epilogue, which is rare.

If you enjoy the love, hate in a story between the characters, this is your book. Actually your series. The feud between the Davies and Montgomery has slack some since the marriage of Gryff and Maddie. Although their siblings still aren’t sure if the feud has ended. Tristan Montgomery doesn’t know what to do with the outrageous Carys Davies, Carys is definitely an original and doesn’t quite conforms to polite society rules, Tristan is a bit of a stick in the mud, but a handsome one that has Carys fantasizing of what ifs? Do opposite attract? Well yes it seems they do, FYI there is some steamy scene.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #ADaringPursuit #StMartinPress

Architect Tristan is seeking a respectable wife. Yet he can't rid himself of his passion for Carys, the brazen daughter of a rival family. When he learns the secret behind her audacious behavior, he's outraged on her behalf. They embark on an affair that's only meant to last the duration of a house party. Targeted by a dangerous plot, they must work together to save their lives. Will their attraction turn to love?

This book is so much fun. It's lively and witty with compelling characters and an engaging plot. Don't miss it!

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

Carys Davis is a beautiful, charming woman who inspires chaos along the way. She rescues animals that are kept up in Wales. The Season has started and her brothers are thinking it is time for her to get married. Only there is no one she wants. Enter Triston Montgomery, who is back from the war. He is an architect who likes cleans lines and order. They are like oil and water, they shouldn't mix well. Yet they balance each other out. The only problem is the Davis/Montgomery feud. That plus a bargain and a little blackmail, what could go wrong. A fun and charming book to read!

Tristan and Carys are caught between attraction and a feud that has plagued their families for generations. When Tristan finds out that Carys has been dealing with a situation he offers her something more than either of them could have dreamed of.
These two burn up the pages with their interactions. I can’t wait for more from the Montgomery/Davies families! 5 stars!!

I loved this book! It takes a lot for me to give a book a 5 star rating. I need to actually laugh out loud, cry, not want to stop reading, etc. This book was all that and more! There's intrigue, romance, steamy sex, enemies to lovers, and just plain fun! Carys and Tristan have always been enemies, but by the end of the book it's all changed. I'd love for this book to just keep going, I didn't want it to end. Highly recommend!

This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The storyline is really good ,it highlights how you never know what is going on in anybody’s life. On surface it is a enemies to lover troupe but turns out to be he is pulling your hair because he likes you.
I loved the sibling relationship and the their interactions.

In A Daring Pursuit, we rejoin the Montgomery and Davies families as they navigate the world in the resolving feud. This time we get to spend time with the fiery Carys and controlled Tristan.

I loved these two together! They were interesting characters on their own and even better together. The history between these two created excellent chemistry and it was truly fun to see it explored.

Not only were the characters here interesting, but the plot around them was truly fun too. We see glimpses of Napoleonic era English society and the double standard women dealt with. Seeing how Carys (and Tristan) flaunted and functioned with these challenges made me like them more.

A smallish secondary cast added elements and entertainment as well. Now that two of the Davies siblings have found their Montgomery match, I am curious to see what may happen next for these two families.

A Daring Pursuit is the second book in the Ruthless Rivals series and I have to tell you, I absolutely love this series. The enemies to lovers trope is always a favorite and Bateman does a great job reflecting the rivalry and conflict between Carys and Tristan.

The characters are well developed, the story is engaging, and the romance was perfectly done. If you haven't read this book and / or started this series yet, you're missing out and should pick them up now.

Bateman is at her best here.
This has enemies with benefits, forbidden love, mutual pining, teach me lessons and protective hero! All things I can’t resist in a romance!
The characters are so wonderful, even the animal ones. I loved the banter between Carys and Tristan, especially when it led to sizzling chemistry!
Truly an awesome story and couldn’t put it down. Can’t wait for the next one!

*Thank you to the publisher and author for an advanced copy for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own*

I love most books my Kate and this one is no different. The Davies and Montgomery's have been in a feud for years.
When Maddie Montgomery married Gryff Davies things had to change.
Carys is the one girl in the Davies family with three brothers. They let her do and say thing no young unmarried woman should. She hids her true feeling and hurts from her brothers and the ton by dressing scandalously. She does all she can to keep any of the man from asking for her hand, as she plans to never marry. After being left the nasty man, she thought was going to marry her she has turned now many offers. There is only one-man who can get her temper up and make her do and say things she knows better. The very proper Tristan Montgomery. They have been baiting each other for years. He hoping to get a raise out of the other while both have secret feeling when around the other.
When one of their witty sparring matches gets out of hand, Carys challenges Tristan to show her what she will miss
if she never marries. Both are shocked when he agrees. Oh, my what have they done. Tristan has one week during a county party to show or teach her how man and women should interact...
What with both keeping secrets from the other, feeling getting lost or found this is a very interesting story.
Just as each is wondering about the other, they accidentally come across an evil plot that will hurt many.
Can they put away their feeling and work together ? What will her brothers due if they find out what they have been
doing? With help from Tristan's crazy, fun-loving aunts, and another great characters this is a story not to be missed.
It has intrigue, mystery the evil, underhanded person we love to hate and hope they get theirs in the end.
This is a wonderful story of feelings, secrets, and love untold being found or loss. You will have to get the book to see how it all ends. I know I will be reading this series again. I can't wait to see which brother the next book is going to be about...
I received and ARC from the author and wish to thank her. This is my honest opinion and am freely giving it.

An opposites attract AND an enemies to lovers romance.
We have a wild, reckless and impetuous heroine and an ice cool, logical and considered hero. Except when Tristan Montgomery is in close contact with Carys Davies all his iron-clad control tends to slip. He believes she is chaos, disorder, ruinously expensive, not to mention disobedient and likely to cause a scandal on a weekly basis but also such a beautiful, infuriating force of nature that he cannot help but look for her at every Ton event. However Carys has a secret, one that if it got out would see her ruined and keeps her trapped in it’s coils. Will she choose marriage with Lord Ellington, spinsterhood or will she allow Tristan to show her what she is giving up?
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The second book in Kate Bateman’s Ruthless Rivals series once again finds members of the Davies and Montgomery families at odds. Carys and Tristan have enjoyed nothing more than arguing, disagreeing, and altogether needling each other since they were children. Neither seems to realize that it’s less about disliking each other and more about wanting the other person’s attention, no matter what the reason. But when Tristan offers to prove to Carys that just because she has no interest in marriage, it doesn’t mean she wants a life without passion, they’re forced to confront their preconceived notions about each other.

This is one of my favorite tropes, two people who think they know all there is to know about each other and the shock and pleasant surprise when they realize just how wrong they really were. Carys thinks Tristan is overly serious and not passionate about anything, while he thinks she’s all wild behavior and rash decisions – but there’s so much more to both of them, and the idea that they can spend a week seducing each other and then move on with their lives once they’ve uncovered what the other is really like is laughable. They complement each other so perfectly, whether they’re arguing or flirting or having a suddenly heartfelt conversation.

The main characters’ banter and chemistry carry the novel for sure, but there are fantastic side characters from both their families, the history of their family feud, blackmail, and the uncovering of a treasonous plot creating a well-rounded overall story. Oh, and a pet bear. Not often I get to mention a bear named Buttercup in a review. And I have to admit that it’s refreshing to find a male character in an historical novel who not only doesn’t shame a woman for having a romantic past, but defends her to those who do. It’s not a major focus of the book, but it’s there, and I appreciate it.

So far, each book in the series gets a little bit stronger, and I can’t wait to see what Bateman creates next!

Another fabulous addition to the Ruthless Rivals series. I cannot express enough words to say how much I enjoyed this book. The passion and fire between Cary’s Davies and Tristan Montgomery is electric. I am a true fan of the enemies to lovers trope, and Kate Bateman writes the rivalry of these two families with expert skill. The chemistry is palpable! The constant banter between these two is both hilarious and telling, The fact that they have loved each other for so long is truly blind only to them. The saying “keep your friends close, but your enemies closer”, comes to mind to describe them perfectly. There are so many scenes that stand out as the best moment, but truly the entire story was the best scene. With so many laugh out loud moments, you can never grow bored. The final scene with Gryff had me rolling on the floor. The family dynamic in the Davies clan is so beautifully written, you can feel the love they have for each other. I could go on and on, but that would give away too many spoilers. Read this book! An epic portrayal of enemies to lovers bliss!

A Daring Pursuit is the second book in The Reckless Rivals series. This is the first book I've read by Kate Bateman and I was pleasantly surprised. The author is witty and draws you in with well written characters.
Carys Davies is the only sister of the Davies clan and makes her own rules. She's fought to earn her reputation and to be educated as her brothers were. She's wildly unique and boldly colorful in the pastel flavors of the Ton. She's dealing with an unsavory experience from her past and is desperate to put it behind her. When her frenemy figures out the quandary he supports her in an unexpected way. Is she willing to trust him with more than her secret?

Tristan Montgomery is the epitome of the English Lord. He is utterly poised with never a hair out of place and unflappable even when pressed. His one weakness, Carys. Although he's able to present a calm exterior she has always lit a spark inside him and when faced with a challenge of replacing a dismal experience with a truly amazing one he's completly on board. One week in the country to tuck away the passion for someone he ultimately thinks would not be a good match but lights him up nonetheless. As they navigate their tryst they stumble upon danger and realize they work well as a team and ultimately may balance each other in ways they didn't expect.

I recieved a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I truly loved this book.
The Montgomery and Davies families have been feuding for centuries.
While Carys brother and Tristian's sister have married the feud continues.
When Trisitan finds out why Carys refuses to marry, he is determined to show her what she would be missing out on for the rest of her life.
I love the enemies to lover trope in this book, especially since they both already are attracted to each other.
The slow seduction and lessons were perfect
I really liked everything about this book and am excited for book 3.

Kate Bateman has become one of my go-to authors, because I know she's going to deliver. A Daring Pursuit was another excellent story.

With some enemies to lovers as well as opposites attract vibes, Tristan and Carys's romance brought the heat. I loved their banter, their chemistry, their connection. They had it all.

Throw in a little intrigue and the entertainment that was Carys's brothers, and it was pure enjoyment.

I can't wait for the next installment of this series.

***I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley.***