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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
One of the Best in the Company of Rogues Series, May 1, 2004
This review is from: Hazard (Paperback)
If the reader has been following the Company of Rogues since the first book ("An Arranged Marriage") was published in 1991, you are familiar with the name Anne Peckworth. Anne has the "honor" of having been jilted twice in the same series. Anne has always taken her disappointments in love with a placid, calm exterior, but this last jilting is the last straw for the intelligent, sensitive young woman. Although from a wealthy family, and very beautiful, Anne has a club foot which causes her to walk with a slight limp; she is becoming more and more convinced that she will never marry. When she meets Race de Vere, former secretary to the last man who jilted her, the sparks fly, as Anne figures she has nothing to lose by assuming a new, more daring, persona. The title of the book takes it's name from the dice game hazard, which was the forerunner of the modern game of craps. de Vere teaches Anne how to play the game and she takes to it like the proverbial duck to water, all apart of her desire to transform to life. de Vere is struck by her beauty, her intelligence, and her fire, but feels that he has little to offer her since he is not a wealthy man. This book is well written, has very appealing major and secondary characters, and gives a well researched view of life in Regency England. There is a bit of a mystery as well, although mysteries are not Beverley's long suit, so the suspense there is minimal. There was some criticism that there were not enough scenes of lovemaking in "Hazard", but in this book Ms Beverley goes more with the historical reality of life for a single woman of good reputation rather than with the romance novel conventions. In my opinion, the Company of Rogues series continues to improve with each book, as Ms Beverley's writing becomes more skilled: in the first book of the series, most of the important action took place offstage, where now the author seems to realize that the reader must experience the action in order to feel a part of the story. I am looking forward to the next offerings in this series.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another great Beverly title!, May 10, 2002
This review is from: Hazard (Paperback)
I've been a fan of Jo Beverly's books for years, but I'd been a little disappointed with the last few I'd read. However, "Hazard" was a stay-up-until-I-finish-it book, a definite keeper. This is much more a character study than an intricately plotted thriller, but the relationship between Anne and Race was touching and believable, and that's really all I ask here. And after seeing Anne jilted by the hero in both "Forbidden" and "The Dragon's Bride," it was nice to see her as our heroine, significantly more fleshed out than in either of the other books. Hooray!
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
a wonderful read, May 9, 2002
This review is from: Hazard (Paperback)
If you're looking for a romance novel that is rather racy and that is a bit heavy on the X-rating, than "Hazard" by Jo Beverly, will NOT be the romance novel for you. On the other hand if you're looking for a rather romantic novel about how a somewhat sheltered and reserved young lady learns to spread her wings and fly because of a specific set of circumstances, than this is definitely one romance novel that you will enjoy. Lady Anne Peckworth has been rejected twice in the marriage stakes. And although there never was any real legal understanding between Anne and the two gentlemen concerned, Anne did feel the sting of rejection when they both married other ladies more outwardly beautiful and outgoing than she. Now however Lady Anne finds that she must marry and soon, for her younger sister, Marianne, has fallen in love with a neighbour (who happens to be a younger son and so has very little material expectations), and their mother (the Duchess of Aaran) has decreed that Marianne will be allowed to marry only after Anne has. And so Anne, while dreading the whole venture, has more or less girded herself to face another London Season, when her elder brother, Uffham, brings home that well known scapegrace Race De Vere to Lea Park. Race, while ostensibly acting as Uffham's secretary, manages to tease, beguile and tantalize Anne to the extent that she begins to wonder if he may the man for her afterall. But Race is a well known flirt, and after having been burnt twice, Anne is a little dubious about her ability to attract such a man. And than there is also the fact that Race's pedigree is murky at best and not at all what her mother would accept in a suitor for her daughter's hand. Determined to find the an 'acceptable' husband, Anne begins to make the usual foray into London society and with some success. But she cannot quite ignore the effect Race has on her, or how all other men seem to pale beside him. Will Anne decide to chance everything for love? Or will she choose the safety of deciding on one of the many men who are pursuing her for her fortune and family connections? I liked this novel very much. It is more character driven than anything else -- there is no murder or espionage subplot, and "Hazard" is definitely not a tale about angst-filled star-crossed love. Rather it is a tale of how a rather reserved young woman learns to spread her wings and to become the capable and charming individual she was always meant to be. "Hazard" is also not a Rogue novel, so don't expect the Rogues to feature very much in this novel at all. And while some aspects of Race's story -- his background, etc -- remain mysterious and unaccessible (I still cannot comprehend his father's actions), I think that Jo Beverly did a really good job in showing us why Race and Anne were meant to be. The story unfolded smoothly and seamlessly, and the manner in which Anne & Race's romance unfolded was a joy to read. The one thing I have always liked about Jo Beverly is that her novels are not always formulas: each is a unique variation of its own. And I thought that "Hazard" was definitely in a class of its own. So here's my advice: brew some tea and make some cucumber sandwiches. This is a novel, in my opinion anyway, to be savored.
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