Synopsis:
The first in a new regency romance series about two feuding families and reunited childhood enemies whose hatred turns to love.
Maddie Montgomery’s family is in debt, and her hope rests on the rival Davies clan missing their yearly “pledge of goodwill,” ceding the land that separates their estates. With Maddie’s teenage nemesis, Gryffud “Gryff” Davies, Earl of Powys, away, hope is in reach.
But then, Gryff shows up and is stunned that the tomboy he once teased is now a woman. When Gryff and Maddie discover contraband on their land, they realize it can benefit both families. But they’ve also uncovered a dangerous plot, and they need to work together to get out alive. Soon, their hatred for each other starts to feel more like attraction.
Kate Bateman brings crackling banter, steamy romance, and a dash of adventure into the first book in the Ruthless Rivals series.
My Review:
I LOVED this. An enemies-to-lovers where they spent their entire childhoods antagonizing and teasing one another and eventually realize that their younger selves had actually been attracted to each other? Heck yeah. Not only that, but it’s clever and witty and extremely well-written.
Maddie was an opinionated, passionate, spitfire delight, and I loved how intelligent she was. Gryff was a perfect match for her, strong and steady and stubborn. I loved the familys’ long standing feud and can’t wait to read about Carys & Tristan and Harriet & Morgan. I forsee plenty of delightful banter and teasing and passion-disguised-as-hate-and-childhood-antagonism in this series and I am here for it.
I read a Kate Bateman book before and was disappointed in it (actually dnfed it) so I was hesitant to read this one, but OMG I loved it so much. Now I need to revisit the previous one. Maybe it was actually me. I will definitely be picking up Kate Bateman’s books in future.
*Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an e-arc for review.
Whimsical Dragonette 