A Wicked Game by Kate Bateman - 5 Stars!

  

Shipwrecked and imprisoned thanks to an incorrect map, Captain Morgan Davies has returned to London to exact revenge on the cartographer responsible for his suffering. He’s also vowed to claim the winner’s prize, three kisses, in a bet he made with his longtime nemesis, Harriet Montgomery. His incarceration has clarified his feelings for her, but convincing the infuriating woman he wants to marry her is going to be his greatest challenge yet. When Harriet’s revealed to be the very mapmaker he seeks, Morgan decides to combine revenge and seduction into one delightful package. Harriet’s always wanted Morgan, and now he’s back; as handsome and as taunting as ever. She has enough on her plate dealing with her father’s failing eyesight and a rival mapmaker copying her work to play wicked games with a dastardly Davies, however tempting he might be. But when a threat from Morgan’s past puts them both in danger, Harry discovers that she and Morgan might not be enemies at all.
This is the third story in the Ruthless Rivals series by Kate Bateman. But this story can be read as a standalone. I love both of the main characters. They were well developed with flaws and idiosyncrasies that made them likable characters that I want to know more about. Their chemistry jumped off the page and seemed real. This made all of the sensual scenes a comfortable read. The plot was full of intrigue and suspense, and maybe wonder when the bad guy was going to show up. There was never any point where this story dragged. This story ends happily, and hopeful for another Ruthless Rivals story. I am looking forward to reading it. This review is my unbiased opinion. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced reader's copy.