Hazard

Rockliffe Series, Book 5

De: Stella Riley

Narrado por: Alex Wyndham

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 as 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.

©2018 Stella Riley (P)2018 Stella Riley

Stellar Stella and Awesome Alex

What a delightful audio diversion! Apart from some minor challenges keeping track of the cumulative cast from prior books, this is another winner.

In Love

There is not a Stella Riley book that I have not thoroughly enjoyed. Her stories are full of wit, cleverness , and the storyline is always interesting and entertaining . The plot is well done and the narrator is fantastic. I recommend any book you wish to read by this author.

One of the Best Georgian Era Romances

Ah ... the Rockcliffe series! If this is the finale —- and I dearly hope it’s not — what a sweet, tender HOS of the last two romantic couples. Riley provides just enough historical context to make this world and its characters believably Georgian. The story has just enough fluff so as not to be overtaken by that context. Some of the phrasing and plot devices are photocopies of the previous books in the series, but that actually works well because Riley is a lovely writer whose imagination populated this community of friendships with hunky, honorable men. Best of all, the women who become their wives are not ‘by-the-book’ romantic heroines. In this male-dominant world, those women are all the more enjoyable because that masculinity isn’t overbearing. The heroes’ vulnerability is believable yet unexpected. And of course, Alex Wyndham is a FANTASTIC narrator. That French accent is DREAMY.

Too stubborn.

Although I enjoyed the story, this is the my least favorite of the series. Madeleine was a little too stubborn for me, and Nick too patient.

Another Great Book in the Rockliffe Series

I'm currently listening to this series for the second time and enjoying it immensely. This has been one of my favorites in the entire series as it covers a breadth of emotions. I laughed, I cried and experienced many other emotions in between. Alex Wyndham's performance of Aristide is swoon worthy. Many bookmarks were utilized.

More Please!!

This book grows on me, every time I've replayed it. I will admit that I originally preferred it in the written form but having only a few Audible books as yet, I find I like it better each time I have listened. As Mr Wyndham's interpretations have grown more familiar, they have settled into place. I still find some of his characters not quite as I imagined them, and he differentiates the individuals to an extent by age and type/position, but his general narration is excellent.
Having read the book first and the rest of the series as well - I've been an avid fan of Ms Riley's works for years and I was very glad when she resumed her writing career - I am pleased to say that she has continued to delight me with her characters and their stories and I hope she carries on with them. They have developed into friends with problems to be solved or assisted by other known people and the romances which are the raison d'etre are carried out with feeling.

A Darker & More Mature Entry

I've been blasting through the Rockliffe series and this title is perhaps my least favorite, though it's not a bad story.

All of the Rockliffe books, save for the first, have a mildly sexual focus to them as the leads struggle to fend off their desires prior to marriage. "Hazard" has even more focus on sex and its importance in marriage as one of our characters suffers from previous sexual trauma; it's also important to know that pedophilia is talked about within regards to a deceased background character. Honestly, I was shocked by Riley's decision to include such things in her book as the majority of the series has been pretty tame within regards to scandals and other similar things. That being said, Riley does her best to discuss the issue of the character's pedophilia without making it anymore sordid than needed and making it known how repugnantly this individual is viewed/remembered.

In terms of the romances at play, I found myself wishing that the book had either been made longer or the two stories focused on separately. The romance of Madeline and Nicholas has been brewing for the last couple of books and I really had hoped that the story would focus more on their relationship than it did. Nicholas has been involved in all of the Rockliffe stories, so it's a little disappointing to see his story minimized in this book - ah well, at least it's a happy ending for him.

Aristide and Genevieve make a sweet pair - being two people who were fond of each other years ago and now brought back together under different circumstances. Aristide is a character that I've enjoyed a good bit since his introduction in "The Player" and it was nice to learn some more about the mysterious businessman. Genevieve herself didn't stand out much to me as a character, as it seemed so much of her was based around her trauma and healing. She's not a bad leading lady, but I definitely preferred Caroline, Cassandra, and Rosalind to her.

While "Hazard" was not as strong of an entry, it's by no means a bad book and I'm looking forward to finishing out the series on "Cadenza".

Excellent continuation to a delightful series

This book, a continuation of the author's Georgian romance series, features two couples, for once not as a principal and a secondary love story but of equal weight. In fact, it should not be read without knowledge of the prequels. Nicholas and Madeleine's story has begun in Book 3 (The Player), and was present in Book 4 (The Wicked Cousin); and Aristide Delacroix, the other hero and Madeleine's brother, was also introduced in Book 3. This story starts with Aristide's past catching up with him: he is accused with having cheated in cards, years ago, in Paris. Since he is now the owner of a very respectable gaming club proud of the scrupulously fair play they ensure, the accusation could destroy his business. However, the closely knit group of his friends, the characters from previous books, lead by the Duke of Rockliffe, an enigmatic, larger-than-life, omniscient aristocrat, set out to ensure that the Delacroix siblings are supported and accepted, and in general, everyone within their circle of influence is judged based on their own merit and not based on gossip or scandals they may be tainted with through association. As one of the characters says,"birth and title don't make a gentleman [...] Character and manners do that".
This leads to Genevieve, widow of an extremely unsavoury and scandalous Earl, getting introduced in this circle and becoming acquainted with Aristide. Or rather, reacquainted - as it turns out, Aristide holds her responsible for the break in his career and the tragedy of being late from his dying mother's bedside.
So now, two young ladies who feel outcasts of society and hopeless of finding acceptance let alone love, are thrown together with the gentlemen who find them irresistible. Two very unconventional courtships mesh together with dodging attacks from adversaries who have the title and birth, but not the character and intentions of a gentleman. Aristide's reasons for marrying Genevieve may not be quite the right ones, but his protective instincts and natural kindness will lead him to help her come out of her shell and out of the shadows her late husband's abuse cast over her - leading to a heartwarming love between them. And what Nicholas's determined pursuit can't quite accomplish with Madeline, the danger he falls in by protecting her will successfully destroy her self-protecting walls and let her open up to accepting his love and admitting hers in return.
Having read the book first and listened to the audiobook afterwards, I can assert that the audio rendition, narrated by the incomparable Alex Wyndham, enhances the reading experience greatly. As always, the flawless narration, the display of subtle emotional undercurrents and humor, the excellent play with voices of the characters, the complete palette of French accent, suave aristocratic drawl, servants' and cockney dialect draws the listener completely in the scene and allows the listener to experience the romance, the conflicts, the angst and the friendship of these loveable Georgian characters. I highly recommend it!

Author's Writing Style & Production is Awesome!

The publisher's summary of this story just didn't do the story justice. I see the symbolism, but it doesn't hit the mark for me.  Now the story is another matter...!

Author Stella Riley’s writing is as elegant and rich as the time period  she writes in. Her characters flow off the page, with a wide-range of personalities the narrator does an absolutely superb job showing the reader.

The setting, and plotline produces a delightful cast of characters with multi-layered challenges. 

This series has been a wonderful one to following and I look forward to book six which comes out quite soon.

The Duke of Rockcliffe has a presence in each of her stories, some more than others. In this story, the brother of the Duke takes a front seat, Lord Nicholas Wynstanton, as well as a very good friend of his, Aristide Delacroix. Both gentlemen have the same problem, with a twist with a woman they are attracted to.

As with most families, personalities between siblings can be vast.  Nothing is more true than the personality of the Duke of Rockcliffe and his brother Lord Nicholas.  The Duke is quite cold-blooded with a warm heart, and with ennui dripping from every sentence.  While Nicholas is so completely opposite.  One thing is certain.  The two brothers love each other with a fierceness you will discover as the story progresses.

Lord Nicholas knows what he wants – he wants Madeleine Delacroix, Aristide’s sister, but she is definitely not an easy catch! She has a problem with the huge gulf of society between them and knows he could so much better than her.
Nicholas is entirely lovable. I absolutely love his joie de vivre, his bubbly personality keeping family and friends laughing.  All but Madeleine... Narrator Wyndham does a marvelous job portraying his gaiety and seemingly not a serious thought in his head, not until later, that is, and that’s the beauty of how Riley fleshes-out her characters which Wyndham is right in step.

As Lord Nicholas becomes more frustrated with the woman he is attracted to, we really get to know the man, the man who eventually Madeleine cannot help falling in love in love with. Her prickly, acerbic tongue covers her true feelings, helping to keep as far distance as she can from Aristide.

Aristide, Madeleine's brother is attracted to Genevieve, a woman he should avoid, and frankly doesn’t want to remember. She was the catalyst to the pivotal moment in his life, where virtually he hit rock bottom. When they re-meet, she doesn’t remember him at all – another nail to keep Pandora’s box closed. He struggles... She seems so innocent and doesn’t appear to be lying. And yet...?

It takes two to tango. Genevieve Westin hasn’t had an easy life. So when the two part earlier in their lives, her desperate decision to marry to save herself from her brother Rafe, comes to haunt her. Now, after the death of her first husband, she finds herself with little choice. If she is to marry the one of her choice, she must do it quickly. Rafe will make the decision for her, if not.

But love challenges aren’t all that this story is about. It’s about how men and women brought low struggle to gain a place in society. It’s about how men of ill ilk stopping at nothing to get what they want. Madeleine is caught up in a scenario where she not only defends herself, she defends Nicolas. Love that scene -- an eye-opener for stubborn Madeleine!

The captivating Rockliffe series continues!

Beautiful description and detail, whit and charm, complex characters and relationships, personal demons and challenges all beautifully narrated. Who could possibly want more.