4.5 stars ( )

So I'm fairly obsessed with this excellent series. I've been plowing through the books and thoroughly enjoying them all.
In Hazard, we have two separate couples. Madeleine and Nicholas have been dancing around each other (metaphorically, because if you've read the series you know Nick doesn't dance) for several books now. Aristide has appeared in several of the books as the owner of the gaming hall Sinclairs, but now is part of the other couple with Genevieve Weston.
After reading the blurb I was concerned. Madeleine has not been a favorite character so far; she's a shrew who's mean to the very nice Nicholas Wystanton. And Aristide has been kind of a cipher, the efficient but bloodless manager of the gaming hall.
I'm happy to report that Genevieve manages to bring out some actual feelings in Aristide- though it takes a while - and he's a charming and attractive man. I still haven't really warmed to Madeleine and I'm not really sure she deserves Nick, but he still seems to want her so far be it from me to disapprove.
Many of the previous characters show up. I like that they have meaningful actions and aren't just cameos. And I can see what they're up to now. There's a charming bit about a horse race Rockliffe arranges.
Another fine entry with only one book left to go in the series - one I'm really looking forward to. ( )

Aristide and Genevieve and (finally!) Nicholas and Madeleine.

This was well-plotted and I appreciated Genevieve's character development. It suffered (from my perspective) from too many mentions of previous couples from earlier books in the series. Although I have read the others, they blur together a little in my mind and I didn't see the need to revisit so many of them. ( )