I’m so pleased to be on the TLC Book Tours blog tour for The Bachelor Betrayal by Maddison Michaels. This is the second book in The Secrets, Scandals, and Spies Series, which is a fantastic historical romance series that I highly recommend! Let’s check it out!
About the Book:
Title: The Bachelor Betrayal
Author: Maddison Michaels
Series: The Secrets, Scandals, and Spies Series #2
Page Length: 397
Publication Date: Feb. 14, 2022
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Synopsis: He wants justice
Underestimating Marcus Black is the last thing his enemies ever do. After all, the respected Earl of Westwood is a deadly threat… when her Majesty needs him to be. And his only goal is to avenge his brother’s murder. Which would be much easier if the viciously-skilled Lady Kaitlyn Montrose wouldn’t swoop in, knee him in the bollocks, and then run off with his only lead…
She wants revenge
Kat is determined to avenge her beloved uncle’s murder and nothing will stop her. Especially not the devastatingly handsome, and equally lethal Marcus Black. The fact that he’s after the same target is a complication she hadn’t planned on. And as much as she enjoys taunting him, she has a job to do—one that doesn’t include sparring with the infuriating man at every turn. Except Kat has a new plan… one that Marcus will just hate.
Now they’ll have to work together… if they don’t kill each other first
Individually, Marcus and Kat are deadly. If they worked together, they could be unstoppable. But when attraction gets in the way of vengeance, it’s more than hearts on the line. And only one person can win..
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, including Amazon, and I may earn a small commission, at no cost to you, if you purchase through my links.
My Review:
The Bachelor Betrayal is the exciting second book in The Secrets, Scandals, and Spies series and follows two people bent on revenge. When her beloved uncle is murdered by the Chameleon, Kat vows to get revenge, and she is relentless in her pursuit of the assassin. During her investigation, Kay comes face-to-face with Marcus, a man who, like Kat, trained under her uncle and is as deadly as she is. Marcus also wants to find the Chameleon and avenge the deaths of his brother and wife. Kat and Marcus agree to work together in their search, and they unravel a plot even bigger and more deadly than expected. It’s an intriguing read, as the pair finds out more than they ever expected, put their lives in even greater danger, and begin to fall for each other.
Kat is a walking contradiction. By day, she’s a lady, by night a deadly spy. She’s unbelievably courageous in many regards and yet fearful of being vulnerable. She loves deeply, yet she often pushes people away. I found her character really interesting, layered, and richly developed. Marcus is equally intriguing, and he is much like Kat. He too is respected in polite society, yet he works undercover for the government. He is a gentleman, and he’s lethal. He is kind, but he hates to be vulnerable. It’s easy to see why the chemistry between these two is so fiery!
Throughout the story, Kat is so conflicted. She never expected to find love and never looked for it or wanted it. She closed herself off to do her job and do it well. I suspect that part of the reason revolves around her feelings for Marcus, which she’d had for a lot longer than she even realizes. She’s known Marcus since she was a kid, and she has a soft spot for him, as he does for her. I love how they come to see that they are stronger together than apart. They make a fierce team, and they forge a great partnership. Plus, their banter and interactions are so tense with sexual chemistry. From their first meeting, where they fight each other, their chemistry is explosive!
Throughout the story, Kat constantly has to prove her skill and experience. She is so underestimated, and though it often works in her favor, it also sheds light on the inequities between genders. Female spies and assassins are not the norm and are not widely accepted, and the men in her profession and circle make that abundantly clear. Even Marcus feels this base need to protect her, although he knows she does not need protecting. There are some thought-provoking insights about gender stereotypes and defying societal expectations that I really enjoyed.
I also love that the story has tons of action, intrigue, and suspense, and several twists and surprising revelations. There’s never a dull moment for Kat and Marcus as they slowly unravel the mystery of a deadly assassin, and murders, secrets, lies, and betrayal abound. You never know who is loyal, who could be a traitor, and where Marcus and Kat’s journey will take them.
With a ton of action, mystery, and romance, The Bachelor Betrayal is a great addition to The Secrets, Scandals, and Spies series. Though it’s the second book in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone. That being said, The Bachelor Bargain, the first book in the series, is outstanding, and I highly recommend it! Special thanks to NetGalley, Entangled Publishing, and the author for providing a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Rating:
Favorite Parts:
- The romance!!
- The intrigue!
- The action.
Favorite Lines:
I choose my own path.
If you’re expecting me to do something unexpected, then it won’t really be a surprise at all when I do it, will it?
You men and your honor. You happily brandish it about when it suits you, and when it doesn’t, you pretend not to notice it.
You can never fully return to the living if you constantly surround yourself with memories of the dead.
About Maddison Michaels:
RUBY award-winning author MADDISON MICHAELS writes sexy history with a dash of mystery! Indoctrinated into a world of dashing rogues and feisty heroines when she was a teenager, Maddison loves reading and writing historical romance.
Maddison’s historical novels are her way of time traveling back to Victorian London to experience a cornucopia of intrigue, romance and debauchery all from the comfort of her living room! Oh and she always starts her day with a cup of liquid gold… coffee (just quietly, she’s addicted to the stuff)!
She absolutely loves to hear from her readers and you can find her on Facebook at MaddisonMichaelsAuthor or FOLLOW her on BookBub.
Recommendations:
Want to learn more about the series? Check out my review of the first book!
Okay but I did not expect this to have a female spy/assassin and I’m 100% here for this! Also, the chemistry between Marcus and Kat sounds amazing and I can’t wait to experience their fire 😍 Great review, Julie!
Thanks, Dini! I’m loving this series, and the female spy protagonist is awesome!! I think you’ll enjoy this one.
This sounds divine! I think I’ll be reading book 1 this spring so then hopefully get to book 2 in the same year.
The first book is soooo good!! I hope you enjoy it!