| Title | : | Stiff Drink (Secret Billionaires #3) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | - |
| Publication | : | First published March 28, 2017 |
Genevieve is a lawyer, not a babysitter, and certainly not a dog trainer. She is just about to become a full barrister, a British litigating attorney, when her law mentor dies unexpectedly. She is shuffled off to another barrister, one who’s nothing at all like her kind and decent former mentor, and then she is assigned the office’s worst case: Arthur.
Arthur is enough to make any woman need a stiff drink.
If you like:
• Enemies to Lovers
• Billionaire Romance
• Secret MI6 Spies
• Danger and Romantic Suspense
• Little dogs causing a ruckus
You’ll love
Stiff Drink (Secret Billionaires #3) Reviews
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What a way to lose your heart so utterly and completely to a story! This is such a brilliant story that will touch you on literally every level imaginable. It will penetrate your heart and run numerous stealth missions to win over every piece of it. When you finally walk away from this book, you will see with new eyes, feel with a greater depth, and hope more intensely then you ever imagined. This book highlights and savors the most fragile and precious parts of what makes life truly sweet and fulfilling.
Gen is living her life the best way she knows how. She is fighting day by day to win respect from her peers and superiors, to win stability for her family, and to achieve expectations thrust upon her. She has no delusions about what she can and can’t accomplish, so when Arthur is gruffly thrown at her, she just digs harder and deeper trying to solve yet another problem in her way. Arthur thinks he knows how to handle a woman like Gen, but he quickly finds himself a challenge like no other. As he watches his life change in response to this strange yet intriguing woman, he finds himself at a difficult and painful stalemate. Can Gen prove to those who matter that she is worthy of a place among them, or will Arthur’s case destroy any hopes of fulfilling the only dreams she ever had?
I love walking blind into a Blair Babylon book because only then can I really appreciate all of the emotions, nuances, and life that you will encounter. Each of her amazing characters are completely and deliciously complex to their very core. There is nothing easy about her storylines either. They make you work, suffer, and sweat right along the characters every step of the way. These books become a part of you. Even if you don’t want to acknowledge that fact, it is still so very true.
Blair Babylon has forged a true masterpiece! She has taken a wonderfully wicked storyline, infused it with some fantastically stunning characters, and then molded it with spectacular twists and turns that gives you a truly extraordinary and wonderfully epic adventure. With this incredible powerhouse of an addition to her fun and quirky new series, I am absolutely on pins and needles to see what she creates next! This is one author that NEVER fails to deliver, and when what she delivers is pure bliss wrapped in utter perfection. -
Book: Stiff Drink: Runaway Billionaires: Arthur Duet #1
Author: Blair Babylon
Publication Date: 3/28/2017
Reviewed by: Tammy Payne- Book Nook Nuts
My Rating:5 Stars
REVIEW
I have really enjoyed every book I have read by this author.
But I do believe this is the best yet.
Genevieve is a lawyer but she is now given the task of let's just say man-sitter. After an unfortunate event she is now tasked with Arthur who is very rich, a playboy, a trouble maker perhaps?
How is this young lawyer going to shape up this sexy, alpha, pain in the rear?
Will Arthur get his way with this beautiful young lawyer?
I enjoyed this couple, nothing was fast and it flowed smoothly. I do believe I have found another fantastic series.
Well grab your copy and find out.
“I was gifted this book for my reading pleasure and I am choosing to write a review for it.”
Blair Babylon -
2.5 stars. What a friggin letdown after Working Stiff, which I really enjoyed. Nothing happens in this book - it’s not even a slow burn, it’s a full on tease that never delivers. I like Arthur, I like Gen, the cast is good but I honestly couldn’t care less after 500+ pages of barely anything happening romance-wise, and no real movement of character or plot. Can’t believe I listened to this whole thing.
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didn't like it as much as Working Stiff but am curious to see where it goes in the next book... Arthur isn't the wastrel he plays but why does he need to act this way when his earldom (that he needs to remain under cover) is at stake. Gen is smart and is figuring things out... can't wait to see Caisimir and Rox again
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5 star Review Stiff Drink (Runaway Billionaires #2: Arthur Duet #1) by Blair Babylon
AUDIO REVIEW:
Blair Babylon is a relatively new author to me and I am thankful that she was recommended to me. John Lane, the narrator certainly brought Stiff Drink to life for me and had me swooning on numerous occasions. His voice was spot on in my opinion for Arthur Finch-Hatten and I enjoyed the variety of voices he used multiple characters.
We first met Arthur and Maxence in Cash’s story in Working Stiff and I loved them both so I could not wait to dive in to this one.
Stiff Drink is a hot, steamy, at times funny and spicy book which had me totally invested from the first to the last chapter.
Genevieve(Gen) is a lawyer who inherits Arthur’s case. They will test one another’s boundaries as Gen struggles to keep Arthur out of the tabloids and thereby save his earldom and her career; it certainly led to some fun times. This book was well written, witty, romantic, intriguing and all in all a great book to listen to.
This is book one in the duet so you have been warned and I anxiously await it’s conclusion. -
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Genevieve is a lawyer who has had the best mentor ever. When they die suddenly and unexpectedly Genevieve is shuffled off to another barrister which is a British litigating attorney. This barrister however is nothing like her former mentor who was so kind and decent. To make matters worse she is assigned to the offices worst case. Arthur Finch-Hatten who is a English nobleman. All six feet four inches of ripped, hot and extremely rich English nobleman. He is wasting his life and his inherited estate in such crazy ways that his brother is now suing him for control of their family's earldom. There is a chance that Arthur will lose everything. This case is Genevieve's only way to make partner. The only way to do this is to keep Arthur from spending his days hungover in bed and his nights pouring Cristal on drunk, naked women before flying off in his private jumbo jet to the next party. Arthur is enough to make any woman need a stiff drink.
Oh my goodness I so enjoyed this book. It is so well written that you feel like you know these characters as well as you know yourself. Gen who is a lawyer has to fight daily to gain the respect of her peers and the higher ups. She needs to give her family some stability. She is a very smart girl who knows her limitations and is so determined. I loved this about her. She has such spunk. When Arthur enters her life, or is more like thrown into it like a hurricane hitting. As for Arthur he thinks he knows just how to handle a woman like Gen. Little does he know he's about to get handled by her. It was just a fun book to read. It does though have a lot of the British law included which I will be the first to admit I know nothing about. Blair Babylon however explains it in such a way that you will understand it and not feel like your drowning in not knowing what you should.
I can't wait to get the next book in my hands and see what else is in store for Gen and Arthur. Once again Blair Babylon has written a book I didn't want to put down. -
You’ve broken enough hearts in this office.” “Surely you don’t mean yourself.” “I knew what you were, Arthur. I meant Lily, Celestia, Evelynne—” Arthur cringed with each name Octavia Hawkes listed. “—Lacey-Jade, Darcey, Zarah, Summer—” “You forgot Maddison,” he said. Octavia’s dry tone chastised him. “I was going to ask you whether I should go on because I was tiring of listing names.” “Oh. Please don’t.” He stretched. His bruised and battered muscles groaned inside him. “They were all admins, clerks, or weren’t associated with your case. Gen is different. I hate to use the term in this day and age, but you could ruin her.”
Unremarkable. -
What a fantastic slow-burn story.
It's a little hard for me to explain how much and why I like books by Blair Babylon. As a general rule, I hate books with cliffhangers (please don't stop reading yet) but her stories are so compelling I just can't stay away from them and – this is important – she doesn't make you wait more than a few months for the next book. In the case of this story, the next book will also be the conclusion to Arthur and Gen story. Because I appreciate it when other reviewers mention a book has a cliffhanger I feel compelled to do the same but I implore you to give her writing a chance.
Blair Babylon is a superb storyteller. Her writing is witty, funny, tear-inducing, snarky (at times) and she uses words that challenge my vocabulary. Her Billionaires in Disguise: Rae series (available now as one book that contains the entire story) remains one of my all-time favorite books. I loved it so much I even bought the paperback copy. Never before in my life have I spent $24.99 on a book but that's how much I loved that story and I had to have a copy for my keeper shelf.
Now for something about Stiff Drink. We met Arthur in Working Stiff (Casimir's story) and I have to say he didn't come off too well. (You don't need to read Working Stiff to enjoy Stiff Drink as it stands alone with no problem.) Stiff Drink contains several surprises about Arthur and we learn that not everything is as it seems.
Once I started reading Stiff Drink I couldn't put it down. I fell in love with Gen's character, too. She's trying so hard to be British and give up the Americanisms that hamper her climb up the career ladder. Arthur is helping her with that project and they come to work very well together.
This story made me laugh out loud in several places and shed tears in others. This kind of reaction from me is exactly what I look for in a good book and Blair always delivers just what I need. I nearly forgot to mention that the sexual tension between Arthur and Gen is absolutely delicious!
I received an advanced copy of this story some time ago but I had a hard time making myself start it because I knew I wouldn't want it to end. I know that doesn't make too much sense but it's been a while since Blair's had a new full-length novel released and I just wanted to savor it. I'm so glad I learned about her books three years ago; I hope you will give them a try.
Merged review:
Fantastic audio performance of a great book!
Stiff Drink is the first audiobook I've listened to performed by John Lane and it just blew me away. It's been nearly three years since I've read and reviewed Stiff Drink and I'm having trouble finding the words to say how much I loved hearing the different voices that John did for this story. I'm not British so I have no idea if the accents he uses are accurate but they are panty-melting dreamy in my opinion.
I was so impressed that I immediately went looking for more books read by him to add to my wish list. That really is a huge compliment from me because these days I mostly only listen to MM (male-male) books unless they are ones written by favorite MF authors, like Blair Babylon.
Below is a copy of my original review back in March 2017 with minor changes for the audiobook.
It's a little hard for me to explain how much and why I like books by Blair Babylon. As a general rule, I hate books with cliffhangers (please don't stop reading yet) but her stories are so compelling I just can't stay away from them and – this is important – she doesn't make you wait more than a few months for the next book. In the case of this story, the next book will also be the conclusion to Arthur and Gen story. Because I appreciate it when other reviewers mention a book has a cliffhanger, I feel compelled to do the same but I implore you to give her books a chance.
She is a superb storyteller. Her writing is witty, funny, tear-inducing, snarky (at times) and she uses words that challenge my vocabulary. Her Billionaires in Disguise: Rae series remains one of my all-time favorite books (alas, it's not available as an audiobook).
Now for something about Stiff Drink. We met Arthur in Working Stiff (Casimir's story and also available as an audiobook) and I have to say he didn't come off too well. (You don't need to read Working Stiff to enjoy Stiff Drink as it stands alone with no problem.) Stiff Drink contains several surprises about Arthur and we learn that not everything is as it seems.
Once I started listening to Stiff Drink I couldn't stop and I had so many others things I should have been listening to first (review copies from other authors). I fell in love with Gen's character, too. She's trying so hard to be British and give up the Americanisms that hamper her climb up the career ladder. Arthur is helping her with that project and they come to work very well together.
This story made me laugh out loud in several places and shed tears in others. This kind of reaction from me is exactly what I look for in a good book and Blair always delivers just what I need. I nearly forgot to mention that the sexual tension between Arthur and Gen is absolutely delicious!
A complimentary copy of this audiobook was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author and/or narrator. -
Whew, good book but a slow read. It was a little wordy but I liked it enough to want to read the sequel someday just not today.
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I think this is perhaps my favorite Blair Babylon book after Hard Liquor. I tend to NEED to read all of her books at least twice. They are that terrific. On to the story line:
Genevieve Ward although born in Britain was raised in Texas. After her father died, her mother wanted to return to England. They live in a 800 sq ft. flat in a long row of similar tiny flats. She borrowed 30,000 pounds from her mother to attend Trinity College at Oxford and then attended Law school. She obtained a first from Oxford and was number one of those taking the Bar Exam. She was hired for her pupillage (internship) by Serle's Court Barristers, a prestigious litigation firm. Clients have solicitors, but when they need to go before a judge or try a case, they need the services of barristers. The pupils work under a senior barrister. Gen had a wonderful barrister who taught her a great deal and was kind to her. He died suddenly. Now she works under the eye of Octavia Hawkes whose favorite books are Machiavelli's The Prince and Sun Tsu's The Art of War. She has both memorized and quotes them frequently. The offices are filled with back-stabbing pupils who will do anything to make sure that they are the one to get the prized tenancy at the end of the pupillage. After Horace died, his cases were divided up amongst the staff. The last folder is the one that no one wants, that of His Lordship, the Right Honorable Arthur Finch-Hatton, 25th Earl of Severn. His younger brother, Christopher is suing him for his titles and all of his property and monies. Normally this would be considered a frivolous suit, but His Lordship appears to all as a wastrel, a drunkard, a womanizer, and one who wastes the resources of his inheritance. His picture is frequently in the papers doing all manner of unbecoming things. Lucky Gen. She needs a Stiff Drink.
After meetings with him, it is decided that Gen will act as his girlfriend in the evening and keep him out of trouble, and with a 'normal' girlfriend, perhaps the press will find something else to focus upon. Several weeks later, it appears that after Lord Severn drops her off for the evening, he's once again seen drinking champagne off the naked belly of a stripper and other outrageous things. She decides to move in with him and act as a babysitter 24/7. There is a lot more going on than this behind the scenes. It's just too delicious to spoil with my remarks. The long complex story is broken up into two books. Blair uses a delightful device to lead us to the next book. As others have said, it would be best to start with Working Stiff. It will give you the background of his best friends and other tidbits that fit in so well. Please do yourself the greatest pleasure and get this book. If I could give it 25 stars, I would! -
I'm a lucky, lucky girl and I full aware of it. I'm lucky for the chance to read amazing book after amazing book and I can't get tired of it, on the contrary I want more and more.
Blair Babylon managed to put herself under my skin and I'm so glad for it.
After the first chapter of the first book I was a goner.
Stiff Drink is the second book from the Runaway Billionaires and dayum woman..
I just need to tell you something, in order to understand this book, I totally advise you to read Working Stiff first, because despite the books are standalones it will let you know the characters way better.
Stiff Drink explores the lifes of Genevieve and Arthur.
Genevieve is a lawyer that needs to struggle every day to prove to everyone that she's the best she can be. Sometimes isn't easy but she is stubborn as hell so there is no way for failure. She had the best mentor that a girl could have and because of that she will succeed and achieve exelence. But one day she's given the most stubborn and cocky client that someone could have. But her task won't be easy. Or can it be?
Arthur is the total player. The obnoxious cocky guy only had one thing in mind, party all day long without remorse or something else. He's a manslutt. Lol. He's used to have any woman at his feet but when he meets the stunning Genevieve he only thinks of one thing. And that thing is... I'm shutting myself now. Lol. No more about the story. Lol
First of all I'm angry as hell. Wanna know why? Because when I thought that things would come all together, bamm it ended with a cliffhanger and everybody knows that I hate those... But in this case I know it will totally worth it since I love both characters.
I just love a story that progresses in a way so smoothly, so intense that could make me get into the story without problems. I love the interaction between the characters, loves the ups and downs, the sad part and the happy ones. In conclusion I loved everything. And girls... The hot scenes... Just get your hands occupied getting this series and starting to read asap.
Can't wait for the next book. Please Blair Babylon hurry up, will you? -
Blair Babylon has a way of writing Billionaire romances that sound totally believable, there are many authors out there who write this type of romance trope, but I rank Blair in my top 5 Goto Authors when wanting to escape reality in a contemporary way.
From the witty titled chapters to the hilarious misunderstandings of British and Texan english... a nod to the companion Billionaire books and characters also had me smiling... laughing so much that I got weird looks on the bus to work!
Gen - AKA Genevieve is a pupil at a prestigious law firm in London training to become a full barrister(attorney in the US). British born, but brought up in Texas, she has a hard time fitting in, when when her law mentor dies unexpectedly. Her new mentor hands her the office’s worst case: Arthur Finch-Hatten, six-feet and four-inches of ripped, loaded, hot English nobleman.
Gen needs to win Arthur’s case, and with the other Pupils backstabbing each other, and the only way to win his case and save his earldom is to keep him from spending his days hungover in bed and his nights pouring Cristal on naked, drunk women before flying off in his private jumbo jet to the next party it to pose as his girlfriend...
Gen thinks that it will be a hard task, but she soon realises there is more to Arthur than he lets on.
Arthur wears a mask, a persona that not only the elite of London, but his brother and uncle firmly believe... We see this mask slip as Gen and Arthur grow closer.
BUT we are going to have to wait for the 2nd book to find out more
I can't wait to find out what it is Arthur is really up to when he gets those mysterious phone calls!
*** I voluntarily reviewed this book, I gained no monetary incentives nor was I specifically requested to review the book, these are my honest ramblings and I hope you enjoy reading them - kat*** -
Any time a book has Blair Babylon’s name, I'm going to read it. And, more often than not, I'm going to love it. This is no exception. The problem, and I can’t blame anyone but myself, is that I failed to notice the part of the title that said Arthur Duet, Part I. Argh!
As I drew towards the end of the book, I realized there was no way the story would be ending. It was at that point I remembered the title. As I read the last sentence, I wanted to scream. Now I'm going to torture myself, wondering what happens next. If the book weren't so good, I wouldn't obsess about it, but that's the trouble with the best authors. You spend your free time wondering when they'll have something else for you to read.
I've met Arthur before, and he never struck me as particularly desirable. He seemed like an alcoholic and a womanizer- been there, done that, no interest. But there's so much more to him than meets the eye, and even Gen begins to suspect that he's hiding something. On a few occasions she jokingly asks him if he's a spy, and when he denies it, she laughs and tells him that's exactly what he would say if he was a spy. By the end of the book, we're still not sure, although it's clear he's involved in some kind of covert activities. It's also clear that the two of them are falling in love. I can't blame Gen; I think I've fallen in love with Arthur too! I will be anxiously awaiting part two. -
Simply Smashing! Blair Babylon has outdone herself once again, with this fast paced, intrigue filled tale, that not only keeps you guessing, but has you wanting more...so much more, of Arthur and Genevieve! In a "James Bond" style plot with more than a few twists and turns, this book will leave you drooling and yearning for adventure, as we follow the quaint and humorous antics of Lord Severn and his Barrister, Gen, who is willing to try just about anything to keep him out of trouble and from loosing his title, even if that means that she's more of his babysitter than his barrister. But somewhere along the way, it would appear that neither of them are prepared for the feelings that are sure to form thanks to their forever changing plans. One thing is certain...you won't have time to be bored, and Ms. Babylon has made it extremely difficult to put this book down! A warning though, this is part one of the duet, so be prepared to be left hanging at the end. So excited to read part two!
I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily giving my honest opinion. -
Lousy follow up to Casimir's story
My Rating System
5 stars--WOW
4 stars--would read again
3 stars--was good, won't read again
2 stars--read it, but didn't enjoy it
1 star--didn't finish, it was so awful
Do I need to read books before this one: no
Cliffhanger: yes
Summary
Gen has 9 months to secure the full-time barrister position at her firm, and is competing against 5 others. She gets handed Lord Severn's case. Arthur's younger brother is suing to be the Earl because Arthur is a spendthrift and an embarrassment. Unknown to all but one other character, that's Arthur's cover for his MI6 assignments. Soon Gen is volunteering to act as Arthur's girlfriend so he doesn't get any more racy photos in the tabloids and further ruin his case. However, she's uncomfortable near men and beds because she is still dealing with being raped.
Evaluation
This is a long book without much story. Suspense is mediocre (being tailed, Arthur talks with other spies). There's no development on his case, except when Octavia kept threatening to drop it and Gen kept upping what she'll do to keep Arthur out of trouble. Romance is almost non-existent. I so loved Casimir's story (book 1, gave it a 5), and loved this author's Dragon Den series, so I was very excited to buy this book and continue reading more about Arthur and Maxence. Oh, well. Arthur's tee shirts were cool.
Recommendation
I honestly don't recommend this to anyone.
Favorite Quotes
[Arthur asks about the games barristers play] “One judge plays online poker all day while hearing cases, so we find him online and take his money while we’re arguing the cases. If you win the case and the money from him, then the losing barrister has to buy a round for the pub that night. [Another game is] we give each other a list of words that we have to work in during arguments. Last time, the words were encumbered, rectitude, and nabob.”
[Walking through Harrods] So many sphinxes crouched throughout the store—those Egyptian statues with their lion’s paws and women’s heads, gilded flesh or faux stone finish and striped headpieces—that Gen wasn’t impressed so much as thinking that someone had a thing for sphinxes. A really serious thing. There had to be a word for that. Sphinxophilia? Sphinxosexual? Sphinxy-kinky?
“And then I would pick her up in my arms, kiss her hard, and take her over to that chair by the fireplace,” Gen glanced over at the white chair that had looked so respectable until just then.
Possible Triggers (spoilers)
Sex: oral and digital, talk of Dom/sub
Language: 43 F words, 57 Lord's name in vain, 11 S words
Violence: car accident -
(audiobook) This book is a rollercoaster. You often laugh; sometimes you’re sad; the rest of the time, your heart beat faster, either because of the romance or the action. And all the time, you swoon because…ah, Arthur…
The characters are complex and extremely interesting, shaped out by a past that you spend two books discovering. Gen is the lead female character. Insecure, loyal and hard-working, she ends up in a fake relationship with Lord Arthur, a bad boy from nobility who’s hiding a big secret. But it’s for work: she’s a barrister, and he’s facing a lawsuit because his brother wants to take his earldom.
Between the legal shennanigans, the seduction between Arthur and Genevieve, and the thrilling suspense, I was never bored, and I couldn’t stop listening to it.
The narrator does an amazing job with the various accents and voices. I really enjoyed his work here.
The only real flaw I’ve seen is the repetition. Some details are given more than once, and since I have a good memory, I felt that I was seen as too stupid to remember what was said before.
But it was a very good audiobook, and I can’t wait to read or listen to the second part of the duet.
Quickie
Series: Runaway billionaires #2, Arthur duet #1 (ends on a cliffhanger)
Hashtags: #billionaire romance #bad boy #curvy girl #romantic suspense #fake relationship
Trigger: depiction of someone in a hospital, mention of rape
Main couple: Genevieve Ward & Lord Arthur Finch-Hatten, Earl of Severn
Hotness: 4/5
Romance: 5/5
+ the various english accents the narrator uses, lovely
- when you learn who Arthur really is, and what he does, you’ll think it’s a bit too much (but hey, it’s fiction!) -
Worthy of only one star because boy am I pissed! WTF? First of all the writer writes like this is a serial story for T.V. or the radio. Then there's the bashing of Gen's Texas accent. Then all the info on the British legal system (some of it needed, but not all of it.) Then we're left dangling in the middle of the story with no resolutions to anything! And that's going to happen three more times!
Gen was raised in Texas, what did you expect(?), that after a few years in England she would completely lose the accent!?! Brits never lose their accents, no matter how long they live in other countries. Where you were raised and educated until you entered college is going to be your dominate way of speaking. My husband has lived in the U.S. since he was nineteen, 50yrs!, still has an accent, and reverts when we visit his family.
I enjoyed the story but every time Gen was critical of herself or put down because of her American background it pissed me off. All of her accomplishments are ignored because she's not British enough. She loses clients because she's not British enough! Judges are prejudiced because she's not British enough! Is this the author's prejudice, or is it what Gen would encounter in their country and courts?
I will read the Arthur and Gen series but nothing else by this author. I didn't like being tricked into this situation. I suggest offering each complete series as one group purchase in the future. You might get more sales. -
Despite what some may have imagined, I knew when the title said Arthur Duet #1 that this was going to be a two part set because Arthur begs to have more than one book dedicated to him. He is witty and charming, built and handsome, and he has a major secret that cannot come easily. There has to be a build up and a threat, and this first part holds exactly that. Arthur is a bit stuffy and seems to have decided to allow himself to go a bit wayward, but there's so much more to the story.
Genevieve isn't even a full barrister yet, and this is the case she get saddled with. Raised in the United States, she knows she must become more British to win her tenancy with the law firm. Arthur's is not an easy case, and she is unsure she's ever going to be qualified for it. And the worst part is that she had to keep steering her mind away from the steamy thoughts she has about him on a daily basis. She has her secrets, too, and they are ugly and heartbreaking.
Things between the Gen and Arthur become sizzling as they fight their attraction to each other to save Gen's chance at the tenancy. There's passion and danger and the bit of BDSM we expect to find when it comes to these billionaires. It's a wild, perilous ride that packs heat with the romance. And I can't wait to see what happens in the next book. -
Audio book review
Book 2 in the is series . Blairs story will have hooked till the end . It’s addictive. Blair knows how to write strong hero’s , full of humour and Honor . Arthur is an Earl living in London . Arthur life is full of mystery , covering his tracks , only when he wants to be in the newspaper trying to be scandalous, not for the reason everyone thinks .
Arthur has a court case coming up , his brother is trying to take the earldom away from Arthur. Saying he’s a wasteful man . Gen work is to defend Arthur. Gen purpose to to keep Arthur out of the Rag newspaper showing everyone he likes to do things scandalous.
Gen and her boss thinks that Gen posing as Arthur’s girlfriend will calm things down . Little do they know what Gen is getting herself into . Arthur is slowly changing what Gen sees herself and herself worth as .
Arthur finds a way to hack into his brother’s phone to see what his brother has up his sleeve . What is Arthur’s true purpose, why does he need to keep on being an Earl. Does Gen see herself as a strong attractive women now . Arthur is called away to a secret mission. What is it. You will find out in the next story.
John Lane performance was fantastic. John was perfect as Arthur. His London accent doing all the characters was smooth and strong -
I need to learn not to start Blair Babylon's books when I'm not in a position to give them my undivided attention until I'm done with them.
They're very, very readable and very engrossing. Yes, they probably borrow a bit too much from each other (chubby heroine who can't imagine how a gorgeous guy like that could ever like her, he likes her despite himself, someone's a lawyer, there are bitchy higher-ups who've had too much plastic surgery, and a car crash is the impetus for the couple to have to move in together even though they've yet to sleep together) but there was enough personality in Gen and Arthur that I didn't compare Stiff Drink to
Working Stiff too harshly. This book could have probably used a more thorough edit (some words repeated frequently enough to be jarring, a couple of inconsistent events) but it was still funny and fun, and I had already downloaded the next book in Arthur's series before I finished reading this one.
Also, there was a chapter entitled "Drunk-Dialing the Earl of Severn," for crying out loud. I mean, I don't know how you couldn't enjoy a book with that kind of sense of humor. -
Stiff Drink, the second book in the Runaway Billionaires series, is a riveting contemporary romance. Blair Babylon is an exceptional author; she captivates you with her fantastic plot and characters; you'll never know what comes next. The storyline is fun, romantic, and utterly engaging; it captured my attention from the start to the end. I'm completely charmed by the characters, Arthur and Genevieve (Gen). Arthur is an extravagant, handsome playboy, English Earl with a devil-may-care attitude and secrets. Gen, an intelligent American lawyer with trust issues, retained to fight the suit against Arthur's earldom. Gen has the burden of expectation and duty to family, Arthur, is on opposite ends of the spectrum. The dynamics between them are intriguing; the battle of wills between these two headstrong characters is wholly enthralling. Can they find balance, passion, and love amidst a legal battle that can take everything from them?
The narration by John Lane is excellent. He captured the nuances of the characters' personalities and emotions perfectly, bringing them to life. I can't wait to dive into the third book in the series, Hard Liquor. I strongly recommend this audiobook. I received a free copy of this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. -
This book did not end up as the book it started out to be... in a good way. This audiobook narrated by John Lane was a joy to listen to. His accents and narration was very smooth on the ears. Arthur is a complicated secretive character, and the slow burn quality of this book carefully starts to unpack his secrets. Gen is his barrister (lawyer for us US peeps) and a good portion of the story involves the structure of her law office and the UK legal system. There was a lot of time spent on the intricacies of the legal system, which resulted in me doing some googling about terms. I am giving the author benefit of the doubt that some of the details are important to the overall plot, but in the moment they didn't seem to add much to the story. Overall this book hooked me after a few chapters, and some of the twists and turns were very unexpected and kept me on my toes. I definitely recommend the audio version of this book!
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This was a little hard to read because of all the legal things involved. This tended to get a little boring. I understood some was needed to understand things going on. Arthur's story is a little more involved than some of Blair Babylon's other characters. He has secrets that seem really serious, I'm not sure what they are. I love Gen she is very complex, intelligent, insecure and loyal. With everything going on and as nasty as her mother could be, she is trying to the best for her mother. Arthur is not as he seems, what you see is not what you get. Arthur and Gen together are fun and a battle of wills. Blair Babylon does a good job of keeping things hid so you can't figure out what's going on. It kept me turning the pages. This book does end in a cliffhanger so be prepared. Can't wait to start Hard Liquor to see where this goes.
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Hot sexy and twisty
This book is by far one of my favorites of Blair Babylon. She is an amazing writer and does research into all her characters. Arthur is a hot sexy rich royal who had a great chance at loosing his royal title due to his bad boy ways. Gwen is a lawyer and is attempting to defend Arthur against his brothers claims to the earldom. This books is the first in a two part series and lucky for you, both books are already out so there’s no waiting for the conclusion. Gwen is assigned Arthur’s case and quickly decides he needs a babysitter if he has any hope of winning. She “pretends” to be dating him so he can appear as if he’s “settled down” but there’s more to Arthur then meets the eye and Gwen has only scratched the surface. Pick up this book and be entranced with their story. You won’t be able to put it down! -
This is part one of two books and leaves you hanging!
I love the story. It was very engaging and I could barely put it down. But if I paid for this book, I would be pissed! The book is over but the story is not complete. I have read other books by this author and the stories are engaging, but she’s doing some voodoo to make us get the next book to know how the story ends. Manipulative in my opinion… frustrating at best. The first in this series was good (my copy seemed to be first two books combined) but readers complained about buying a second book they already read, so reader beware. There was another series about Max and the books were like 33% the same book each time. And the first was free just to get you hooked! But I am rushing off to get the next book to see how it ends! So the voodoo worked, lol!
