A wicked game

The third entry in Bateman's Reckless Rivals series, following A Reckless Match (2021) and A Daring Pursuit (2022), features mapmaker Harriet Montgomery and naval captain Morgan Davies, members of two legendary feuding families. Morgan was imprisoned and tortured by the French in a Martinique prison after sailing into trouble due to the misdirection of a nautical map. Following Napoleon's defeat, Morgan visits the Admiralty to find the mapmaker with punishment in mind. He discovers that his childhood playmate and rival in daring exploits, Harriet, had purposefully made misleading maps as part of the war effort. Because he won a bet made before he left for war, Harriet now owes him three kisses. He can pick the time and location (not necessarily geographic), which leads to some delightfully erotic interludes. While the focus is on the intense attraction between Morgan and Harriet, Bateman's illumination of mapmaking and use of maps in war is an added delight in this spicy historical tale. Readers looking for more sexy romances with Regency trappings may enjoy books by Sophie Jordan and Sarah MacLean.

A childhood rivalry evolves into a passionate attraction in Bateman's effervescent third Ruthless Rivals Regency (after A Daring Pursuit). Harriet Montgomery and Morgan Davies spent their childhood in Wales trying to best one another in a series of escalating bets. Their highest-stakes wager comes in young adulthood: with Morgan off to fight against Napoleon in the Royal Navy, Harriet challenges him to come back alive--if he does, she'll grant him three kisses. Morgan returns from his harrowing experience two years later and heads to London determined to track down R. Crusoe, the mapmaker whose incorrect map led to his shipwreck and imprisonment. He's shocked to learn that R. Crusoe is none other than Harriet herself, who's been working with British intelligence to put false maps into French hands. Morgan is dismayed at Harriet's involvement in this dangerous endeavor, which has made her the target of a Frenchman seeking buried treasure. He's determined to protect her--while also cashing in on his promised kisses. The duo's barbed banter and constant competition proves a delicious prelude to seduction and love. Regency fans will be drawn in by this fast-paced romance and its strong-willed heroine. (Dec.)