WENDY’S AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: DAIR DEVIL BY LUCINDA BRANT AND PERFORMED BY ALEX WYNDHAM

 

(Roxton Family Saga, #3)

Genre: Historical Romance (Georgian – 1777)

Book Blurb:

1770s London and Hampshire.

Alisdair ‘Dair’ Fitzstuart, hero of the American Revolutionary war and heir to an earldom, known by all as a self-centred womanizing rogue. But his dashing and rugged façade hides a vulnerable man with a traumatic past. He will gamble with his life, but never his heart, which remains his own.

Aurora ‘Rory’ Talbot, is a spinster and pineapple fancier who lives on the periphery of Polite Society. An observer but never observed, her fragile beauty hides conviction and a keen intelligence. Ever optimistic, she will not be defined by disability.

One fateful night Dair and Rory collide, and the attraction is immediate, the consequences profound. Both will risk everything for love.

♥♥♥♥♥♥

Alisdair (Dair) Fitzstuart’s reputation for refusing to take life seriously and forever being up for a prank or wager has always preceded him. On top of which, he’s pretty gorgeous so there’s quite often a bevy of young ladies swooning over him. For nine years, he served his country in the American Colonies as an army officer with the Dragoons. His neck-or-nothing-lead-from-the-front attitude inspired unquestioning loyalty in his subordinates and his attitude has earned him the moniker of ‘Dair Devil’, but also censure from some members of society.

In Autumn Duchess, the previous book in the Roxton series, he upsets his cousin Julian, Duke of Roxton, by acting the buffoon (or so it seemed) during a boat race in which Roxton’s young son almost drowned. Dair carried on rowing at break neck speed, apparently only intent on crossing the finishing line in first place. However, appearances can be deceptive and in Dair Devil, the fourth in Lucinda Brant’s addictive Roxton series, we get a more accurate insight into Dair’s serious side and the reasons why he behaves the way he does. It’s an eye opener and my views of Dair changed drastically within the first few chapters as, of course, the author intended. The moral of this story could be… don’t always take someone at face value.

Dair Devil begins with Dair inebriated and in outrageous mode. But, little does he know that he is about to meet his destiny, and in the most unlikely of places. He, and one of his two closest friends, have dressed as American Indians, with faces painted, upper bodies bare and lower bodies covered only by skimpy loin cloths. Their mission is to storm the studio of the renowned portrait painter Signore Romney, who is in the process of immortalising a bevy of beautiful, skimpily clad dancers of dubious morals in a Greek allegory for an aristocratic client. Dair is simply play acting; one of his friends is out to impress the prima ballerina by ‘saving’ her from the marauding interlopers and will arrive later brandishing a sword, while the other ‘Red Indian’ wishes to embarrass his detestable brother-in-law. The whole charade has been carefully planned even down to the arrival of the militia at a pre-ordained time. The dancers are in on the joke too and have been primed to scream and run for maximum effect on the arrival of the miscreants. What Dair and his companions are not aware of is that, as he is climbing through a window into the painter’s studio, unexpected visitors are being admitted via the front door. The prank is doomed to go horribly wrong! As the situation escalates out of control, Dair ends up wrapped in draperies and falling down the back of the stage in the arms of one of the unexpected visitors – a rather attractive young woman whose identity he is unaware of, but whom he initially mistakes for one of the dancers.

Aurora (Rory) Talbot, having been born with a club foot, has been sheltered and protected for her twenty-two years by her grandfather, England’s Spy Master General, Lord Shrewsbury. Obviously unable to dance, Rory spends much of her time at balls on the side-lines in the company of the matrons and wallflowers; as a result, her observational and listening skills are highly honed. So, although Major Lord Fitzstuart may not have noticed her, she has most certainly noticed him. Therefore, to find herself in a situation like this one is a dream come true – for in what possible circumstances could she ever have hoped to find herself in such close proximity to Dair? Protected and cosseted she may be, but Rory is no shrinking violet, so takes full advantage of the situation she finds herself in and thoroughly enjoys the closeness and unexpected passionate kiss Dair shares with her.

Dair is captivated by the delicate beauty in his arms; he calls her ‘Delight’, knowing immediately that she is different, although he doesn’t have the time or inclination to wonder why he should think so. The militia arrives and pandemonium ensues with events rapidly escalating out of control. Dair gives Rory one last quick kiss, tells her to go to a certain house where he will later find and make provision for her. He then leaves Rory behind the stage and joins in the ensuing fight with gusto.

Rory does not see Dair again until the following morning, by which time her grandfather has been apprised of the facts, although he is not aware to what extent his granddaughter was involved – only that she was there. Mindful of Rory’s reputation, Shrewsbury orders Dair to ‘forget’ the whole incident. Rory unwittingly interrupts the two in conversation and is bewildered when Dair shows no sign of recognition. For his part, Dair is distressed to learn of Rory’s identity and even more distressed that he must now pretend not to remember her.

Of course, much must be resolved before the would-be lovers can be re-united. Suffice to say that we are not to be disappointed. If Lucinda Brant has a ‘most romantic’ book in this series then Dair Devil has to be high in the running order as rarely have I enjoyed such a heart-warming and chivalrous story. The couple were immediately attracted to one another once they were given the opportunity to meet, albeit under such unorthodox circumstances. But this story is so much more than a romance. Rory is disabled and Dair couldn’t care less about her affliction once he is made aware of it. He sees only her, although there are some who prefer to misinterpret his actions and feelings. Stunningly handsome, heir to an earldom and with a lineage that can be traced back to royalty, Dair is highly eligible husband material. But he has never shown any interest in, nor seemed to want love or marriage until he meets Rory who , although ethereally pretty, is otherwise quite unremarkable – until one actually gets to know her – and I loved that he recognised his soul mate almost immediately.

Dair is a far more complex character than we were initially led to believe; plus he is the product of a broken marriage which has affected him far more deeply than most of his family and peers realise. Rory helps him to see that not all marriages are unhappy. She is the perfect mate for him, wise and non-judgemental, and the unadulterated love of this sweet, intelligent and unaffected young woman finally reveals the man he is beneath the superficial face he prefers to show the world.

However, to begin with, the course of true love does not run smoothly, although the love Dair and Rory feel for each other never wavers. But there are obstacles to overcome which neither could possibly have anticipated. In fact, they never learn the truth, but we, the readers are privy to Antonia’s timely intervention and the secrets she reveals. The scene where this feisty, beautiful, magnificent little duchess sweeps in and dramatically puts one of the most powerful men in the land firmly in his place is simply spectacular and one of my favourite scenes in any book I have read… ever.

Alex Wyndham, as usual, treats us to a superstar performance, and during the scene I’ve just mentioned, it is his consummate acting skills, coupled with Lucinda Brant’s clever mind and artful prose, which kept me completely riveted and on the edge of my seat until I learned the shocking truth. It’s very satisfying to see someone who is arrogantly confident and sure they can’t be bested knocked down to size. The scene is long and troubling, emotions are high and one of the protagonists is an older male with a huskier, sarcastic tone to his voice, which has to be maintained over a long period. The other, an extremely outraged (at times) female with a strong accent. Alex Wyndham has this highly emotional duologue to perform and I can honestly say that, so lost was I in his magnificent performance, that I was no longer listening to an audio book but enjoying a play… or even witnessing the interaction taking place. Take a bow Ms. Brant and Mr. Wyndham because your combined talents are masterful.

MY VERDICT: DAIR DEVIL is full of fascinating detail and intriguing facts that the author has meticulously researched. Lucinda Brant doesn’t just stick a date on the first page – she literally transports us into her Georgian world. A wonderfully romantic, superbly researched story with an added twist I would never have guessed in a million years. Highly recommended.

 

 REVIEW RATING: STELLAR 5 STARS

SENSUALITY RATING: SUBTLE

 

Roxton Family Saga series (for further details click on the book covers):

       

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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WENDY’S AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: THE PARFIT KNIGHT BY STELLA RILEY, PERFORMED BY ALEX WYNDHAM

(Rockliffe, #1)

Genre: Historical Romance (Georgian – 1762 and 1774)

Cover Blurb:

When the Marquis of Amberley’s coach is waylaid by highwaymen and his coachman shot, he is forced to take shelter at the first house he finds and is subsequently trapped there for a week by a severe snow storm.

Oakleigh Manor is the home of Rosalind Vernon who lives alone but for her devoted servants and an ill-natured parrot, cut off from the outside world by the tragic result of a childhood accident. But Rosalind is brave and bright and totally devoid of self-pity – and it is these qualities which, as the days pass and the snow continues to fall, touch Amberley’s heart.

On his return to London, the Marquis persuades Rosalind’s brother, Philip, to bring her to town for a taste of society, despite her handicap. But the course of Amberley’s courtship is far from smooth. Philip Vernon actively dislikes him; Rosalind appears to be falling under the spell of the suavely elegant Duke of Rockliffe; and worse still, Amberley is haunted by a dark and terrible secret that, if revealed, may cause him to lose Rosalind forever.

♥♥♥♥♥♥

Dominic Ballantine, Marquis of Amberley, is everything a girl could ask for in a husband. Still unattached at 34, he is tall, handsome and wealthy but most importantly honourable. He is universally liked by most of society, envied by a few, and extremely popular with his own set of peers, most notably the Duke of Rockliffe with whom he has a long-standing friendship. If Dominic, aka Nic to his friends, has one fault, and this is debatable depending on the company, he is given to a levity which is occasionally misconstrued as arrogance. It is this inability or reluctance to take life too seriously that has landed him in a hornets’ nest. Artifice not being in his nature, this ‘arrogance’ is merely an indicator that he sees no reason to explain his actions to friend or foe. With oodles of integrity and perhaps naively, he judges others by his own standards, occasionally leaving his actions open to misinterpretation.

Dominic really is well named as The Parfit Knight (Chaucer) – which roughly translates to The Perfect Knight. Early in the story, he sets out to ‘educate’ a young, inebriated buck who persistently inveigles himself into Dominic’s company against the advice of his companion. It is how Dominic handles this situation that leads to a series of misunderstandings of monumental proportions, culminating in apparently irreversible consequences which gather speed and spiral out of control. Worse still, he is unaware of what he has set in motion and how it will affect his own future.

Backtrack twelve years to the beginning of the story (prologue) and Dominic’s chaise is involved in a collision with a ten-year-old girl, the outcome of which he could not possibly foresee, being unaware of the devastation he has unwittingly left in his wake. Half way through chapter two, Dominic is again racing to reach his destination in an attempt to beat the rapidly deteriorating weather. When his chaise is held up by highwaymen and his coachman seriously injured, he must needs seek medical help. He requests help at the nearest house and is given shelter and medical assistance by the occupants, the mistress of which is breathtakingly beautiful…and blind.

As the weather deteriorates further, it becomes clear that Dominic must remain in the home of Rosalind Vernon and he is enchanted by her; she has had no experience of society and yet is gracious, welcoming and beautiful, both inside and out. He spends time in her company over the course of the next week and inevitably falls rather heavily for this courageous and unassuming young woman, who lives in a gilded cage surrounded by loyal servants and only a foul-mouthed parrot for company. And then, to his horror, he discovers exactly how she came to be blind.

After Dominic’s initial shock and his immediate knee-jerk reaction – which is to run back to town – he sets out to coerce Rosalind’s elder brother, Philip Vernon, into introducing his beautiful and charming sister to society. He feels she is more than able, with assistance, to leave her cotton wool prison. And of course, in town he will ensure that he meets her on an equal footing and, after finding a way to tell her of his folly, will hopefully be allowed to court her properly.

As previously mentioned, Dominic has already made enemies, albeit unwittingly, and one of these is Rosalind’s brother, through his dealings with Philip’s friend. Matters go from bad to worse as he blunders along, unaware that his so-called crimes are only multiplying. Once Rosalind arrives in town, Dominic’s courtship runs anything but smoothly, but falling more deeply under her spell, he is determined to court and marry her.

I am always in awe of how Stella Riley develops her characters and relationships. This was more tricky than usual – Rosalind is blind and has been for most of her life. Ms. Riley shows us the obstacles she faces realistically and with great sensitivity. At one point in the story, Rosalind’s worst nightmare is realised and she becomes lost. Her fear is palpable as she thrashes around trying desperately to find her way, whilst also attempting to escape the faceless person who placed her in the situation in the first place. This is so cleverly and astutely achieved that I could literally feel Rosalind’s terror.

There is no doubt that these two people care for each other and are meant to be together and this comes over fairly early in the story. I particularly like how the author has made it perfectly clear that neither Rosalind’s blindness nor Dominic’s guilt plays any part in his attraction to her. Yes, he is appalled by the truth, but he knows he cared for her deeply before he discovers that he is the one responsible for her disability. Rosalind, too, quickly realises that she loves this man who doesn’t appear to allow her disability to affect his attitude towards her, and who makes her feel womanly and attractive. However, Dominic has got himself into quite a tangle which takes some unravelling, but of course Ms. Riley achieves it in an entirely plausible way, that will both please and delight, leaving the reader with a silly grin on their face.

This is simply a beautiful love story with two wonderful protagonists – an excellent start to a stupendous series. Stella Riley begins to introduce her complex and fascinating cast of ‘friends’ who each have their own stories as main or secondary characters in the rest of the Rockliffe series. Fans of the series will know what I’m talking about when I say that those new to the series will soon come to view these people as friends. Not least of whom is Rockliffe himself, after whom the series is named. And for very good reason – he is an outstanding character and one whom I have no doubt you will come to love as much as I do. Rockliffe’s story, The Mésalliance, is the next book in the series and my advice is – don’t miss it.

The author’s legendary wit and humour is very much in evidence too, as we meet Broody, the temperamental parrot, with an ‘interesting’ vocabulary and an ability to spit seeds as well as profanities at his enemies with great precision Even Broody’s obvious love for Rosalind is moving and his jealousy towards her suitors, hilarious. In fact, Broody is one of the most successful ‘animal/bird’ additions to any historical romance I have read, and I defy anyone reading this beautiful story not to be touched by his obvious affection for Rosalind.

Actor, Alex Wyndham, performs the whole of the series and he is just perfect, with his dreamy voice which seems to wrap around one like a luxurious velvet blanket. His range and variety of voices is phenomenal and I cannot praise him highly enough. He is one voice actor who is capable of capturing both male and female alike, adopting the subtle nuances which make them individual and recognisable. He achieves this so effectively throughout the rest of the series that, for instance, I never have any difficulty recognising Rosalind, Amberley or Rock, some three or four books down the line (and I’ve read/listened to the entire series three times). How he does this is an enigma. Call me awestruck or starry-eyed – whatever you wish – but he has the perfect voice for the very real and fascinating people Stella Riley has created.

MY VERDICT: A brilliant start to a memorable series and one which I highly recommend. 

REVIEW RATING: STELLAR 5 STARS

SENSUALITY RATING: KISSES

 

Rockliffe series (click on the book covers for more details):

      – to be published 22nd  November 2018

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WENDY’S AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: FOREVER REMAIN: ROXTON LETTERS VOLUME TWO BY LUCINDA BRANT AND PERFORMED BY ALEX WYNDHAM

(Roxton Family Saga#, 5.5)

Genre: Historical Romance (Georgian)

Cover Blurb:

This second volume of previously unpublished letters from the private correspondence of the Roxton family spans a twenty-year period, from the 1760s to the late 1780s, and includes extracts from the diaries of Antonia, Duchess of Kinross, and her younger son Lord Henri-Antoine Hesham. Also included are letters by the 5th Duke of Roxton, written in the final stages of his illness, and addressed to his youngest son Lord Henri-Antoine. The volume concludes with a letter by the latter’s wife, Lady Henri-Antoine Hesham, to her mother-in-law, the Duchess of Kinross, while abroad on her bridal trip. These letters complement the later chronology of the award-winning Roxton Family Saga: Dair Devil, Proud Mary, and Satyr’s Son. With a foreword by a late-Victorian descendant, Alice-Victoria, 10th Duchess of Roxton.

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FOREVER REMAIN is a companion to Lucinda Brant’s Dair Devil, Proud Mary and Satyr’s Son and therefore it is necessary to have read these books first. However, I cannot recommend this series highly enough and would urge anyone who loves an ongoing family saga with compelling characters, spine tingling romance and superbly researched history to read (or listen to) all the books, preferably in order.

Many historical romance writers try to please a modern market and consequently their books do not ring true. Lucinda Brant, however, transports us back into the time, the hearts and the minds of her characters – this is Georgian England and she refuses to compromise on the detail. We may not agree with the opulent way the privileged lived 300 years ago, but Ms. Brant deals in meticulous research and therefore her writing is based on fact and we are treated to unadulterated accuracy. Her characters are so real that I find myself believing in them to the point that I think about them as if they are people I actually know. Their homes, belongings, clothing, shoes, hair, even the lace and embroidery on their clothes are researched down to the finest detail. To appreciate the author’s attention to detail, visit her Pinterest boards and be prepared to be astounded by the extent of the work and research that goes into each and every story. She is not only a superb writer but also a perfectionist and unable to deliver anything but her best interpretation of how life was for the people in her Georgian world – rich and poor – behaved and lived.

As readers of this series know, Ms. Brant took a chance when she wrote very sensitively about one of our favourite characters dying. This is life – I myself have suffered this devastating loss and can speak with experience on what she has achieved here. In an ideal world we all live happily ever after, but of course this is not an ideal world. Nevertheless, because of Ms. Brant’s sensitive approach, we are not left unhappy with the loss of this character – rather she has dwelt on the positives whilst showing us that the world does keep turning and life does go on. The grieving process is handled with great empathy, and astutely she hasn’t written off this fascinating character; instead he is still very much in the background and talked of (and to) with love. Again, I agree with the way she has achieved this because when we have children our loved ones are never truly gone from this world and of course our memories can never be erased. Ms. Brant is a realist. Yes, she writes Historical Romance, but throughout the series she has constantly mirrored life – people die, they behave badly, they fall in love, often with ‘unsuitable’ people, and they sometimes have illnesses or long-term conditions which cannot be cured.

She has thought of everything and, when this volume of letters is ‘published’ by Alice-Victoria, 10th Duchess of Roxton, the time has obviously moved on and the family inhabits Victorian England where people and their values have changed, becoming more prudish and judgemental. So, when the letters are ‘released’, the translators have doctored and suppressed certain words and phrases in case they offend the reader of the time. For instance, in a letter sent from Mr Martin Ellicott (the fifth duke’s valet and trusted friend) to his godson Julian, he talks of his classic and rare, but risqué art collection. In another, from Theo Fitzstuart to his son Dair, he tries to explain why his marriage to Charlotte, Dair’s mother, went so horribly wrong. I must admit to wishing I could take a peek at the author’s notes to see exactly what had been ‘suppressed’!

Ms. Brant uses this volume of letters and diary entries to fill in some gaps in her stories. One such gap that always puzzled me, which I briefly mentioned above, began in Noble Satyr. Charlotte and Theo, soon to become the Earl and Countess of Strathsay and later the parents of Dair, Charles and Mary, were a young, innocent, courting couple in that book. By the time we reach Dair Devil, book 3 in the series, matters had obviously gone badly wrong. Charlotte is by now a spiteful, unloving mother and embittered woman, while Theo is living on a Caribbean island running a sugar plantation. He has not seen his legitimate family for many years and talks openly of his new love and illegitimate children. This couple were secondary characters and, quite obviously, their story would not have pleased readers, but it was important to know what had gone wrong and the letter from Theo to Dair explains all. Again, the author is reflecting life with its ups and downs – not all marriages are happy ones, not then and not today.

The letters are a wonderful addition to the books and are so exquisitely written that I cannot read (or listen) to some of them without a box of tissues handy. The most memorable for me are those written by Renard to his youngest son; oh, my goodness, these letters are beyond exquisite. The few examples I have used are only a small snapshot of this compelling volume and the letters have the effect of confusing my brain further into thinking…these people actually lived. I’m pretty sure Ms, Brant felt the same when she was writing them, because it is quite obvious she has poured her heart and soul into every word she has written.

I can only imagine how Alex Wyndham felt whilst reading the letters, but then he is a consummate performer and reads each letter from the heart. In each one, he adopts the same voice, tone and nuances for the characters (now the letter/diary writer) that he used when narrating the audio books and each one is easily recognisable. I wonder if he needed his tissues, too? With the depth of feeling imbued I would imagine so. I particularly appreciated his portrayal of the sick and dying Renard, 5th Duke of Roxton. In fact, I sniffed constantly! The reformed rake has, since his marriage, become a loving family man. He feels his children’s pain, especially his younger son who suffers with the debilitating ‘falling sickness’ (or epilepsy as we now know it). The duke is anxious to help his beloved Henri-Antoine manoeuvre his way through the obstacles he knows are inevitable with his affliction and is also all too aware that his own time is running out. He therefore sets out to lovingly guide Harry from beyond the grave with a series of letters to be opened at certain points in his life. Alex Wyndham adopts a slower paced, slightly gravelly voice for the sickly Renard whilst still retaining recognisable remnants of the younger Renard we first heard in Noble Satyr. I found the reading of these letters/diary entries profoundly moving and one of this actor’s finest performances of my experience.

MY VERDICT: The second volume of letters is the perfect companion to Dair Devil, Proud Mary and Satyr’s Son and one I can highly recommend.

REVIEW RATING: STELLAR 5 STARS

 

Roxton Family Saga (for more details click on the book covers):

       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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WENDY’S AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: HAZARD BY STELLA RILEY (NARRATED BY ALEX WYNDHAM)

(Rockliffe, #5)

Genre: Historical Romance (Paris, 1770 and London, 1777)

Cover Blurb:

Hazard: a game of Chance and Luck, made riskier when Fate is rolling the dice.

For Aristide Delacroix, the first throw summons shades from his past. A man he had met, just once, over a card-table … and the lovely girl indirectly responsible for plunging his life into catastrophe.

For Lord Nicholas Wynstanton, tired of waiting for Madeleine Delacroix to make up her mind, it slyly suggests he begin a whole new game with loaded dice; while for Madeleine, it devises a terrifying lesson in missed opportunities and the uncertainty of second chances.

And for Genevieve Westin, hoping widowhood will be happier than marriage, it brings a rude awakening – leaving a single, wild gamble her only option.
A cardsharp turned businessman, a duke’s charming brother, a stubborn, razor-edged beauty and a desperate widow.

Four players in a game of Hazard … all playing for very high stakes.

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Stella Riley has kept my interest from the first page of the first book in her Rockliffe series (The Parfit Knight), which was originally written in her earlier life as a traditionally published author. Three years ago, she took up her pen again as an Indie author and I have not only discovered her (how did I miss her the first time around?) but now eagerly await each new release – three so far, and counting (plus of course, an addition to her superb English Civil War series). Both of her two earlier books are now available in e-format, as well as in paperback AND audio, and all the books in this series have been treated to stunning new covers. The Rockliffe series is rapidly becoming a reader’s favourite; a considerable success considering there are some thirty plus years between the first book and the last, and she has seamlessly continued the series as if that large gap never existed.

Hazard (book five), as the name suggests, is set in part against the backdrop of a gaming club. There are four players (as in the game); two equally spine-tingling romances playing out in parallel, and, as always, the enigmatic, all-seeing, all-knowing and utterly delicious, Duke of Rockliffe (aka Rock) is central to the story and its outcome. Each of Ms. Riley’s fabulous cast of characters introduced over the course of the series (some with books of their own), are in evidence, and as I always say, these men and women feel like old friends after five books.

Two of the main protagonists, brother and sister, Madeleine and Aristide Delacroix, get their HEA, and so too does Nicholas Wynstanton, Rock’s younger brother, who has long been smitten with the prickly Madeleine. By the time we reached the end of The Wicked Cousin, Nicholas was becoming more and more frustrated and Madeleine more difficult. However, fans of the series probably knew that Stella Riley would find a way for this unlikely pair to overcome their difficulties. Aristide’s love interest comes from a totally unexpected quarter and ties in nicely with his earlier life and his connection to Adrian Deveraux, Earl of Sarre (The

One of Stella Riley’s greatest strengths lies in her characterisation. The people she ‘creates’ take on a living, breathing persona and, in Hazard, Nicholas Wynstanton, who has been around as a secondary character since the first book, is fully developed into a larger than life, loveable and honourable man. No longer just the happy-go-lucky, younger brother of a duke, he is now a man not to be trifled with as he sets his sights on demolishing the walls Madeleine Delacroix has erected around her heart. Madeleine’s arguments against the match stem from her own insecurities – her earlier life in Paris where she had lived a hand-to-mouth existence with her brother and mother, and the unrequited, girlish infatuation she had briefly felt for her brother’s friend, Adrian Deveraux (The Player). Being the proud young woman, she is, Adrian’s rebuttal was all the more devastating and she has never fully recovered her composure or confidence with the opposite sex resulting in her unfortunate standoffishness.

Her brother, Aristide, is a cool and quiet man and, with a few well-chosen words the author conjures up a man I can see in my mind’s eye…

long blonde hair, eyes the blue of a cloudless winter sky and neatly tailored bones.

He says little but, through his inner musings, we get a great deal of insight into the man he is – suspicious, frustrated and angry – emotions he keeps carefully locked away. Aristide, on the face of it, seems to be calmly and emotionlessly going about his business, but he too has a bruised heart from which he has never fully recovered. His carefully locked away hurt at the way he believes he was treated by his ‘almost love’ comes back to haunt him. Seven years on he is no longer the tender-hearted, kindly young man working hard to care for his teenage sister and ailing mother, but an affluent, respected partner in one of London’s premier gaming/gentleman’s clubs. We see the cool, carefully cultivated aloofness slowly disintegrate before the onslaught of the attraction he discovers he still feels after the intervening years.

Stella Riley has the sibling relationship between Aristide and Madeline just right. Their character traits suggest a familial relationship; both are reserved as a result of brushes with young, unrequited love and both are over sensitive about their humble beginnings. As a result, they are both wary of allowing anyone to scale the walls of their self-erected defences. An intriguing pair and so the final capitulation to their respective loves is all the more satisfying.

Beautiful and sweet Genevieve has erupted back into Aristide’s well-ordered life after seven years. She has suffered much at the hands of her brothers and her now deceased, dissipated husband. She is aware that society views her with distaste by association and, as a result, she is extremely vulnerable and lacking in confidence and self-esteem. In fact, her very vulnerability and suffering is just what the calmly controlled Aristide needs as a salve to the perceived injustices he believes her responsible for in his past life. He is still the kind of man who needs to be needed, and Genevieve Westin certainly fits that bill and so we watch him crumble. It puts me in mind a little of The Mésalliance (although nothing quite compares to the final chapters of that magnificent story) in which we see Rock lose his legendary ‘cool’. I love these hard to read, mysterious men.

There is a plausible plot running throughout the story which involves most of the main characters but has its roots in Paris and Aristide’s earlier life. Rock always strolls in and takes centre stage at just the right moments – urbane and cool-as-cucumber, he steals every scene he is involved in. With just a few carefully selected words designed to defuse, he delivers a set-down, often without the recipient being aware he or she has been insulted. His character is one of Stella Riley’s triumphs, and this series is well named because Rock’s unfailing omniscience and his ability to always be in the right place at the right time is something I have come to look forward to with much anticipation in every book, and I’m never disappointed.

Hazard follows on within weeks of the end of The Wicked Cousin. Cassie and Sebastian are welcomed back into ‘the gang’ after their recent honeymoon and are evidently very-much-in-love newlyweds. They run the gauntlet of the banter and risqué comments of their close friends. Sebastian’s wicked and naughty sense of humour is very much in evidence, another area in which the author excels; her wit and humour are always lurking in the background, adding another dimension to her intriguing characters and expertly researched Georgian world. As we near the end of the series, it is going to be sad to say goodbye…but not yet. Ms. Riley is busy writing another/final book in the series and I am eagerly looking forward to a further intriguing addition to the Rockliffe series, and maybe Ms. Riley will tie off a few loose ends, such as, will Rock get his heir and let Nicholas off the hook?

I’ve read the book and now I’ve listened to the audio version performed by the talented actor Ms. Riley always employs to perform the books in this series (and two of her English Civil War/Restoration books). I’m always struck anew by Alex Wyndham’s versatility – it’s no easy job, after the many books he’s recorded for Ms. Riley and the large cast of characters he has had to keep track of. Yet, he does. Each person is easily identifiable and one excellent example is the Duke of Rockliffe whose smooth, rich voice is quite unique. When Rock appears in any scene he doesn’t need to be announced and Alex Wyndham has him to perfection using a voice and tone like warm treacle trickling down the spine – soft and loving – soft and menacing or simply in conversation with his peers – there’s no mistaking Rock for any other character. During one particular scene in which Madeleine is a guest of the Rockliffe ‘gang’, the ever, all knowing, all seeing Rock immediately recognises her vulnerability, as a result of her actions, and reacts in the most bone melting way. Reading the words had me sniffing but hearing them, well…have your tissues ready is my advice. As I previously remarked, much of Aristide’s thoughts and feelings are revealed to us through his inner musings. To the outside world, he is the proverbial ‘swan’, calm and unruffled, but paddling away furiously out of sight. Alex Wyndham is taxed with making this work and he does so spectacularly. I suspect that some readers may well have missed the ‘real’ Aristide in the written word – so my advice is to listen to this performer’s delectable French accent and fall in love with Stella Riley’s dreamy Aristide.

A new reader/listener to Stella Riley’s books may be a little overwhelmed by the number of characters in Hazard, but this is book five and therefore many have been introduced throughout the previous books. The writing, research and characterisation is, as always, superb and the book could be enjoyed as a stand-alone, but I recommend beginning with The Parfit Knight or, at the very least, it’s important to read/listen to The Wicked Cousin because Hazard follows on immediately from that book, although Cassie and Sebastian’s story is not left hanging.

MY VERDICT: Another stellar five stars read/listen for me. I might have my favourites in this series, but each book is as well written as the last and I can’t penalise the author for making me prefer one character or storyline over another, and besides which, I love them all.

REVIEW RATING: STELLAR 5 STARS

SENSUALITY RATING: SUBTLE

Rockliffe series so far (click on the book covers for more details):
    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REVIEW RATING: STELLAR 5 STARS

 

SENSUALITY RATING: SUBTLE

 

 

Rockcliffe series so far (click on the book cover for more details):

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