A Toast to “Hard Liquor” by Blair Babylon

In “Hard Liquor” barrister Genevieve Ward and the notorious playboy Earl of Severn, Arthur Finch-Hatten have jetted off to Paris for another big bash of a party. This second book in the Arthur Duet gives the reader much more than a peek into this unlikely couple. But things are not always as they seem. Is Lord Severn the useless dilettante he so aptly portrays? Or does he have another persona that few are privy to? What started as a sham relationship between Gen and Arthur quickly heats up from a simmer to a full rolling boil. And they not only have to worry about possible sanctions from the bar association’s Ethics Committee because of their relationship. Now rumors and even newspaper headlines are calling into question Arthur’s loyalty to England. These complications give hefty weight to the final book in the duet and is far more satisfying than the first. There’s plenty of bedroom romance, some of which is borderline BDSM. But there’s also political intrigue and suspense aplenty that makes for a most satisfying read for this lover of romantic suspense. Five full stars.