This book is so good! The main characters are great, Carys and Tristan - such a spark between them! This is an everything in one book- blackmail, romance, mystery, treason, and a circus comes to town! The book moves fast but misses nothing. A must read!!

Kate Bateman is back with book two in her Ruthless Rivals series and she has delivered another riveting enemies to lovers masterpiece!

Wrth gicio a brathu mae carida yn magu. (While kicking and biting, love develops.)
–Old Welsh proverb

So, if you have read some of my previous reviews you know the enemies-to-lovers trope is one of my absolute favorites, Bateman mixes in some opposite’s attract and a indecent proposal —- and I was in heaven!! This story is dual POV 😄 and the dialogue between the MCs is to die for, it is hands down some of the best witty and sexual banter I have ever read. The MCs are Tristan Montgomery & Carrys Davies — these are siblings to the MCs from book one A Reckless Match, who also appear in this story, including Gryffud “Gryff” & Maddie (Montgomery)Davies (The Couple from book one, Carrys’ other brothers Rhys and Morgan, and Tristan’s two eccentric spinster aunts Constance and Prudence. These reoccurring characters along with new intriguing secondary characters makes for a lot of fun. The setting goes from London to the Country, back to the Davies-Montgomery properties and centuries of feuding betwixt the families. I knew right from the beginning this story would be highly enjoyable and it quickly made its way on to my “Best of 2022 Books” list. I should quickly mention that although this is book two of a series it can be enjoyed as a standalone—-However, you will be missing a great book if you skip book one and a lot of family history.

Stay Tuned for my Full Review— You definitely want to preorder this book now! https://amzn.to/3pvdGFI

I can easily recommend this book! I am new to this author, but will definitely be reading more.

Most regency romances are very predictable, this one more than most (or so I thought). From the first chapter, we understand that the hero (Tristan) and heroine (Carys) are secretly infatuated with each other and have been for years even though their families are enemies. While this made it hard to gain interest initially, I was hooked by chapter 8 (20%).

Carys, an eccentric exotic animal rescuer, is blackmailed by her former beau (Howe). A secret meeting to hand over a sum of cash to keep Howe quiet leads to a troublesome run-in with our Hero in his newly acquired carriage. Tristan believes that Carys was meeting Howe for a rendezvous, setting the stage for conflict, jealousy, and misunderstanding amongst the pair.

This book quickly goes from predictable to something I have rarely seen in a regency romance.

"A Daring Pursuit", by Kate Bateman, is a fun and sizzling romance! This book is the second in Bateman's "Ruthless Rivals" series. Carys Davies and Tristan Montgomery are longtime rivals who have hated each other for years. But do they really hate each other? When Tristan surprisingly agrees to help Carys with something very unconventional, the sparks start to fly. I really enjoy the enemies-to-lovers trope, and this is one of the best examples of that trope. I even enjoyed the side stories and supporting characters as well.

I'll be looking for more books by Kate Bateman! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book! I didn’t even realize that it was the second book.. I’ll need to go back and read the first! I actually heard about this book on NetGalley where the author was allowing the first 500 people to read it for free.

This enemies to lovers was so exciting for me because it was a historical romance and not my typical fantasy book. Tristian and Carys were adorable throughout the whole book while being in love with the other forever and the other not knowing.

The aunts were hilarious and i wish we could have seen more of them throughout the book. I would have loved to hear all of their thoughts on Carys’ outfits before the big ball.

If you come across this review and want a quick and easy read look no further!

I have to say that this is not my favorite book by Kate Bateman but it was a good story and the sex surprisingly was not overdone as it seems to be in so many books of this nature. It had a bit of enemies to lovers vibe but that was more of a surface thing since they had both felt a bit of something for the other since childhood. We have the bad guy who just as I was getting really tired of him was somewhat neutered early in the book so I liked that (more karma to come later) and most of the book was just about their relationship which was a slow burn and a few adventuresome things along the way. All things considered it was missing that "something" that makes a book near impossible to put down but it was a good story and while I thought 3 Stars was too low I almost feel 4 Stars was too high but it may have been my mood so 4 Stars it is and it does have some memorable moments.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Carys has no desire to get married. The only man she likes is Tristan who is at odds with her family. Carys does everything in her power to dissuade any man from getting close to her. The more time she spends with Tristan the more she begins to love him. This was a quick read.

4 stars!
thank you to netgalley and st. martin's press for the digital ARC! :)

i really enjoyed this book. i just couldn't put it down and i finished it in about three hours. it has the addictiveness of most regency romances (seriously, why are they so addictive). but it also has a certain charm that most regency romances don't have.

we follow our two characters carys and tristan. the two are lifelong rivals, with their families having a centuries-old feud. the two stumble into a sort of enemies-with-benefits relationship and along the way, they eventually come to the realization that -gasp- they're in love.

carys and tristan were SO fun to read! i adored carys and found her to be a really interesting heroine. her dynamic with tristan was also nice. you could tell the two had a spark and their banter was fun to read.

this book also wasn't just romance. there was a dash of action towards the end and i think it was a nice change of pace from the earlier chapters. it also helped that the author's writing is super easy to digest.

would recommend this book to those that want a quick read/love regency romances :)

This was the first book in the series that I read but I don't think that created any problems in understanding the connections between the different characters. I liked Carys and her eccentricities, they definitely endeared her to me rather than making her too over-the-top. She's a genuinely kind person and even in her attempts to deter other men from finding her to be an appropriate wife she never really went too far. There were a few times that a chapter would end and I really wanted the next chapter to be from Tristan's POV to see his reaction to what had just happened, but other than that I really liked the way the author split the chapters between Carys and Tristan. Howe was pretty much a horrible person and I, along with Carys, did thoroughly enjoy the situation in which he found himself at the end. I would very much like a short story to tell the love story of Victoria and Prowse and what happens to Victoria after Howe flees to the continent. I also wish Frances had been at the house party, there were times when Gemma needed a woman to talk to and she didn't really have anyone there for her. The big reveal as to who the traitor is didn't have much of an impact because I had only met the character once at the beginning so I didn't really care. That storyline did kind of come out of nowhere but added just the right amount of drama to the story. Gryff's reaction upon learning everything that had happened was funny and added just the right amount of levity to what had been a pretty intense couple of chapters.

This is an entertaining, well-written, steamy, fast paced, historical romance novel. It has likable, engaging characters, a unique, flamboyantly dressed female protagonist, a caring, sensitive, war veteran hero, sizzling chemistry, a heart-warming romance, delightful banter, a touch of humor, an interesting menagerie, intrigue, and a happily ever after ending. This is the second entry in Ms. Bateman's outstanding "Ruthless Rivals" series, and can easily be read and enjoyed as a stand alone, but it is even better when read after reading "A Reckless Match". I am looking forward to reading the next entry in this series with great anticipation.
NetGalley and St. Martin's Press kindly provided me with an ARC of this novel, and this is my honest opinion.

This book was an absolute pleasure. I loved the characters, the setting, and the spice level. I think that the best part was the chemistry between the two main characters. My only small criticism is the naïveté of Carys was somewhat unbelievable. Otherwise, great story overall!

I really enjoyed this book. Reading through some of the reviews, I was a little skeptical and put off reading it. However, I was pleasantly surprised.

The inspired writing, each banter, every playful dialogue, all the touching interactions, and meaningful love scenes splendidly do the rest.

Their love story is sweet and tender. Truly, a love story from start to finish. I could be more detailed, but I believe you should read it yourself. It won't disappoint. Believe me.

A Davies-Montgomery feud fueled with wit, loyalty, and chemistry. Tristan and Carys have a relationship filled with admiration and passion and it was an entertaining story overall. Two meddling aunts made it funnier than I expected and I look forward to seeing how they help Morgan capture Harriet’s attention in the next book.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins for the arc.

TW: Sexual Assult

I received an eARC of this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own.

This was so good. I really enjoyed the first of this series by Kate Bateman and I was so happy to get to read this early, it was so much fun. I have always loved the enemies to lovers trope and Bateman did it perfectly throughout the first part, the tension between Tristan and Carys was palpable and their chemistry felt so real. This has another one of my favorite tropes done perfectly, the enemies with benefits/teaching her trope. Carys had previously had a bad experience with a man and so she baits Tristan into teaching her which was so fun to watch. The internal dialogue that Tristan had with himself was so funny as well. Bateman does a great job of creating a history between the characters that is filled with chemistry to make their romance feel real. The crazy plots that Bateman has in her historical romance were ever present as well creating a more intriguing subplot. I really enjoyed this book, as well as the first, and I, cannot wait to read more in this series.

Carys Davies is doing everything in her power to deter anyone from wanting to marry her, even though she’s attracted to Tristan Montgomery. Staying single is the only way to hide the secret that could ruin her―and her family―if it was revealed. Architect Tristan needs a respectable woman to marry, but he’s never stopped wanting Carys even though their families have been feuding for years. 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.

I found the premise of why Carys believes she can’t marry to be a little ridiculous. And Tristan’s attitude that Carys is good enough for sex but not to marry was tough to swallow. This story relies heavily on a not communicating trope rather than the forbidden relationship or enemies to lovers trope I was expecting. I struggled to connect with both MCs. Not for me

I received an arc from NetGalley

A Daring Pursuit is the second book in The Ruthless Rivals series by Kate Bateman. This book focuses on Carys Davies and Tristan Montgomery, siblings of Gryff and Maddie from A Reckless Match. In book one, we got a tease of a potential attraction between the daring and bold Carys and the cautious and controlled Tristan. I was really excited to read more about the pair in this book.

Carys is known for her ostentatious and scandalous fashion choices. She is scandalous and refuses to settle down and choose a husband despite having received numerous marriage proposals. However, behind her confident and carefree exterior is a smart and kind girl, who ended up in a very bad situation. Now, she is being blackmailed for a secret that could ruin her reputation. Tristan is a sensible and proper gentleman, who has returned from war and has decided it is time to settle down. He is looking for a prim and proper wife, who will be a lovely hostess and nice mother to his future children.

Like Gryff and Maddie, our hero and heroine have had a relationship their whole lives. What they thought was hate and animosity as children quickly turned into fire and passion as adults. They are polar opposites, but eventually realize that they are exactly what the other needs. They have fantastic chemistry and great banter. I loved Tristan’s reaction to Carys’s blackmail. His outrage was swoonworthy. I also really enjoyed Carys’s animal activism and her unusual pets.

This was a such a fun and sweet love story. I really enjoyed reading it.

Fun, sparkling, beautiful story! Loved it! No great surprises or turn of events, but a smoothly, passionately and inspired classic romance story. Enemies to lovers, with a great chemistry between the two leading characters and sexy scenes, A Daring Pursuit will be one of the books that I’ll turn when need a good and comforting read. I finish it about half an hour ago and already I want to reread some scenes. Such a great feeling! I had a best time reading it.

Let me just say the FMC, Carys, is my hero! She has a "no holds barred, take no prisoners," attitude to the world that I gravitate to. This is a good frenemies to lovers story.
Carys Davies and Tristan Montgomery were enemies from birth, their families locked in an ancient feud. Carys is a fiery redhead with a firm middle finger up to the proper society that surrounds them and is committed to her vibrant personality, no matter what it says about her. She has no desire to marry, not that anyone would want her with the terrible secret she's being blackmailed for. While she has no time for the rigidity of proper English society, she'll do whatever it takes to protect her family, including keeping her secret under wraps.

Tristan is a terribly proper, reserved architect with no time or inclination for flights of fancy and no one strokes his ire more than Carys. Her scandalous nature drives him insane and he makes sure she's aware of his disapproval at every opportunity. Unbeknownst to each other, Tristan and Carys have always harbored a secret crush on the other but due to their warring families, some lines just were never crossed...until they had to be.

Carys and Tristan's story is filled with humor, drama, steamy sexual tension and suspense. I read it in one sitting and really enjoyed the banter between Carys and Tristan.

This is a standalone novel, with no cliff-hanger, and no other book needs to be read prior to this one. Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Bateman, and St. Martin for the ARC.

I loved reading this next installment in the Ruthless Rivals series. The Davies and Montgomerys are so entertaining. I like how the dynamic of enemies-turned-lovers is handled in this series. This one in particular has a very Beatrice-and-Benedick vibe. Carys was a very intriguing heroine - I think I enjoyed her story more than Madeline's. Overall, a very fun blend of mischief, rivalry, intrigue, steaminess, and love.

Summary
Carys Davies has been keeping a secret for 2 years. The only person who knows is a man she had once thought she was in love with, who is now blackmailing her in exchange for his silence. Determined to keep her secret hidden, she vows to never marry and begins dressing scandalously hoping that if people are busy talking about what she’s wearing, they won’t question her about marriage. And her plan works, on everyone except her long-time adversary, Tristan Montgomery. Tristan and Carys have been upholding a centuries long feud between their families for their entire lives, and while both are quick to verbally and intellectually spare, they've also been hiding their desire for one another. He’s the only one who can see through her facade, and after discovering her averse attitude towards marriage he attempts to change her mind by telling her of the pleasures she'll miss. Carys uses this as an opportunity to proposition him, asking Tristan to tutor her so that she can see what she’s missing out and whether a life of celibacy will be worth it. For one week, away from London’s prying eyes, they engage in an affair. But old feelings come into play when they realize how their agreement to keep their emotions at bay is quite impossible.

Thoughts
This is my first Kate Bateman novel, and I'm pleasantly surprised. Based on the blurb I had predicted what Carys's secret would be, and I was a bit concerned about how other characters would react to it, expecting that we would see a lot of misogyny and pearl clutching. I really enjoyed how Batemen dealt with the secret though, and how Carys was the only one holding herself back, although she isn't wallowing in self-pity. In particular, I loved how, although disappointed, her brothers tell her that she has a choice and that they won't force her to marry or do anything she doesn't want for the sake of reputation. I really like Carys's brother, while protective, they aren't overly so; they don't police her clothing, pressure her to wed, tell her to be more ladylike or attempt to fit her into the mold of the ideal woman that society expects her to be. There's also a lot more action and running around in the woods for reasons that you’ll have to suspend your disbelief for, but I found it to be really exciting and a great change of pace from all the parties and balls.

Carys is easily one of my favourite heroine's. She is incredibly intelligent, as shown through her conversations with Tristan - where she show's off her knowledge of the arts, literature, history, philosophy, etc. - and her pursuit of a formal education, which was uncommon for girls at the time. She's adventurous, bold, daring, fashionable, as well as an animal lover and advocate. Most of all she has a kind heart; she protects others at whatever cost to her, and is unrelenting in her support for other women. A woman after my own heart.

Tristan is her perfect counterpart. He’s cool, aloof, just as intelligent, and is making his own way in the world as an architect, rather than relying on his inheritance and eventual title. I love how much he admires Carys, not for her beauty and sexuality, but for her intelligence, humour, and dauntlessness. Despite being her “enemy” he greatly respects her, viewing her as a worthy adversary, and is fiercely protective of her even before they’re on friendlier terms. Tristan is looking for a wife this season, one who’s connections will further his career, but he cannot resist Carys’s offer as she is the only woman who’s ever caught his eye. He agrees to tutor her hoping that he can get her out of his system and move on, but it’s a tale as old as time and we all know how it ends.

My two critiques are that 1) I didn’t love the way it was wrapped up, I wish it had been longer. Specifically, I would have liked to see other character’s reactions to Tristan and Carys getting engaged. I was also really looking forward to their wedding night, hearing them talk more about their feelings and how it’s finally settling in that they’re going to be together forever. And 2) I felt like the spicy scenes were a bit lacklustre and I wish they were more detailed, in terms of emotions and sensations.

Overall though, this book was well written, had good pacing as well as good character and plot progression. I’m excited to read more from this author.

Rating: 4.25/5
Spice: 2/5

Characteristics
- Duel pov
- Historical romance
- Regency era
- Rival families
- Enemies to lovers
- Enemies/friends with benefits
- Mutual pining
- Forbidden romance

*Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. A Daring Pursuit will be available for purchase May 24, 2022.