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Sons of Sin #1

Seven Nights in a Rogue's Bed

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Will a week of seduction...

Desperate to save her sister's life, Sidonie Forsythe has agreed to submit herself to a terrible fate: Beyond the foreboding walls of Castle Craven, a notorious, hideously scarred scoundrel will take her virtue over the course of seven sinful nights. Yet instead of a monster, she encounters a man like no other. And during this week, she comes to care for Jonas Merrick in ways that defy all logic—even as a dark secret she carries threatens them both.

...Spark a lifetime of passionate surrender?

Ruthless loner Jonas knows exactly who he is. Should he forget, even for a moment, the curse he bears, a mere glance in the mirror serves as an agonizing reminder. So when the lovely Sidonie turns up on his doorstep, her seduction is an even more delicious prospect than he originally planned. But the hardened outcast is soon moved by her innocent beauty, sharp wit, and surprising courage. Now as dangerous enemies gather at the gate to destroy them, can their new, fragile love survive?

385 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

328 people are currently reading
4179 people want to read

About the author

Anna Campbell

91 books1,572 followers
I've written 53 bestselling historical romances: 11 multi-award winning books for Hachette Grand Central Publishing and Avon HarperCollins, and more than 40 as an independently published author, These include my popular series The Sons of Sin (6 books), The Dashing Widows (7 books), The Lairds Most Likely (10 books), A Scandal in Mayfair (4 books), and Scoundrels of Mayfair (4 books). My new series, Cinderellas of Mayfair, launched with Sir Hugo Seeks a Wife in 2025.

When I'm not touring the world seeking inspiration for my passionate stories, I live on the beautiful east coast of Australia.

I've always been a voracious reader and I delve into many different genres, as you'll see if you check out my books list. Favorite authors include Dorothy Dunnett, Elly Griffiths, K.J. Charles, and Loretta Chase.

My website is http://www.annacampbell.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annacampbell...

Twitter: AnnaCampbellOz

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Anna-Campbell/...

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/anna-...

I love to hear from readers and you can contact me on AnnaCampbellOz@hotmail.com

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 727 reviews
Profile Image for Stacey.
1,446 reviews1,127 followers
August 1, 2015
***4.5 Stars***

Holy Shamoly that was hard work. Bloody brilliant, but seriously full of feelings that I got to nearly the last page before everything was settled.

Seven Nights in a Rogue's Bed is the story of Sidonie and Jonas. Sidonie is the twenty-four year old virgin spinster sent as sacrifice to pay the debt of her beloved (bitch) sister Roberta to Jonas Merrick, bastard by name and bastard by action. I'm not going to go over the full details of this story, but I will say that everything is not as it seems.

This story was brilliantly written with a talent and professionalism that is not always found in modern writing. It was clear and precise and the only time I stumbled was trying to understand the accent of Mrs Bevans, Merrick's housekeeper. The writing flowed and I was never in doubt in regards to the sentiment and feelings of the characters.

I took away half a star because at times I was overwhelmed by the sadness and injustice this couple have faced in their lives. Merrick has been treated badly not just because of his bastardry but also because of a scar across his face that nearly cost him his life when he was young. I just felt that there was little happiness and for a long time, no hope that things will get better or resolved.

There was never a question of cheating or other women or men, but Jonas does talk about how he treated or was treated by women before Sidonie entered his life. All angst revolves around the relationship and the people in their lives.

I did enjoy this story, but it is not a lighthearted read. I would liken it to Beauty and the Beast. I felt a connection to both the characters and could understand some of the motives behind their actions. Saying that, I still wanted to bash them over the heads for their stubbornness. It is well written and I did not find any mistakes. I will definitely be reading more from this author.

This review and more can be found at http://edgyreviews.com/
Profile Image for Alba Turunen.
838 reviews270 followers
October 3, 2018
4 Estrellitas. He acabado muy satisfecha con éste libro, antes de empezarlo no tenía ni idea de qué iba más allá de lo que ponía en la sinopsis, que no revelaba demasiado; sólo sabía que estaba en mi lista de pendientes, y por algo era. Resulta que tenía en mis manos uno de esos libros que tanto suelen gustarme, y por los que siento debilidad, una historia tipo Bella y Bestia, un romance histórico regencil con tintes bastante picantorros.

Éste es el primer libro que leo de Anna Campbell, y no creo que sea el único, su prosa y su historia me ha convencido lo suficiente como para darle la oportunidad a otras obras suyas.

Pero ¿Qué tenemos en “Siete noches juntos”? Una historia de ésas difíciles. Difícil por lo que son los protagonistas. Sidonie es una joven de buena familia que no desea casarse debido a los infortunios que han tenido las mujeres de su familia por culpa de sus cónyuges. Sidonie quiere una vida tranquila y pacífica, cobrar su pequeña herencia cuando cumpla la edad estipulada y retirarse para abrir una escuela para niñas.

El caso de Jonas Merrick es más complicado. Jonas es un hombre que no conoció el amor, y siempre que tuvo un resquicio lo perdía, así que sólo está interesado en satisfacer sus placeres esporádicos y se acabó. Traicionado por quienes más debieron apoyarlo, ahora es solitario y huraño, sobre él pesa el estigma de la ilegitimidad, y su primo, el actual vizconde siempre lo ha atormentado. Jonas siempre se ha vengado de su primo como mejor ha sabido, dándole en lo que más le duele, su dinero; la esposa de su primo ha perdido una gran suma en las mesas contra Jonas, y éste está dispuesto a perdonárselo reteniéndola para él una semana en su casa.

La sorpresa cae sobre Jonas, cuando en su hogar, el castillo Craven, no aparece Roberta, si no su hermana menor, Sidonie, para pagar la deuda. Al principio Jonas no quiere saber nada de ésta atractiva joven, ingenua y mojigata; pero poco a poco irán descubriendo el placer uno en brazos del otro, hasta que llegue lo inevitable.

Quizás lo que me ha parecido un poquito que sobrara eran escenas de sexo. No puedo decir que el libro sea erótico, pero sí es bastante picantorro, y hay bastantes escenas de cama, en algunos casos necesarias, pero en otros se me ha hecho un pelín pesadete. El romance en general no sufre altibajos, crece de manera natural y bastante creíble. El libro puede que se haga en algunos casos monótono, pues dos tercios de él ocurren íntegramente en el castillo Craven con sólo Sidonie y Jonas como únicos personajes, pero finalmente el libro dará un giro bastante acertado hasta que culmine con un final muy, muy bonito.

No es el mejor libro que he leído del género, pero no me ha dejado indiferente, en el fondo me ha gustado mucho, y me ha dejado con ganas de seguir leyendo esta serie, sobre todo los libros de los dos amigos de Jonas, Richard y Cam.
Profile Image for emtee .
230 reviews122 followers
June 8, 2024
This was a really good book… well-written, atmospheric, angsty, sexy and intense. The story began with an almost gothic tone and a very atmospheric setting which I loved. It was also much darker than I expected. Which was ok, because I like dark in a historical romance. I did have to adjust my expectations for the story though, because of the darkness. This was a much different, much more intense book than was described in the book blurb.

The darkness was manifested in the lifetime of pain carried by the H, Jonas. This was definitely his story, and I loved his character. A complicated guy. He was so very damaged and traumatized that my heart ached for him. Understandably bitter and untrusting. The depth of his loneliness was heartbreaking. He was truly scarred inside and out, and I just wanted to put my arms around him and love him. The author did an amazing job with the depth of his character, and also made him so very very sexy. Even though he believed he was unloveable, you could see over and over by the way he treated the h early in the story that this just wasn’t true. I fell hard for Jonas. And he fucking broke my heart. That’s a talented author.

His initial seduction attempts with Sidonie had me fanning myself. I would have been a goner, for sure. Pure seduction. Slow, intense, deliciously wicked.

His laugh curled around her resistance like ivy clinging to a crumbling stone tower.

“You’re so irresistible and I find myself unable to… resist.” “Command your willpower, Mr. Merrick. Defeat this weakness.” “I try, dear lady. I try.” “I’ll bite you,” she said savagely, although she didn’t move. “I’ll bite you too before I’m done.” His gaze sharpened upon her lips, making her heart hammer a panicked warning. “Eat you like a ripe peach, all juice and sweetness. And lick my lips afterward.”

She hadn’t considered him handsome at first, even disregarding the scars. With every hour, his physical allure grew. Right now, she’d scorn a handsome man as banal. Idiot that she was, she’d discovered a taste for dark and dangerous and damaged.


During the first part of the book, I really disliked Sidonie. She irritated me. I didn’t agree with the decisions she made. As I got further into the story, though, she redeemed herself and by the end of the book I had respect and admiration for how fiercely she fought for their happily ever after.

Their physical relationship was intense and delicious, passionate, and healing.

He stopped moving, just filled her so completely that he touched her heart. The connection was perfect, soul and body. Slowly—everything about this astonishing union was slow, as if they stretched every second to eternity and beyond—she arched to press her breasts against his chest. She felt no need for speech. Nor apparently did he. There was just the smooth slide of bodies … She stroked his back, feeling the muscles flex. Her hands curved over firm buttocks, digging into the flesh, pushing him deeper inside. He groaned. His next thrust was more emphatic, although radiant tenderness lingered like sunset on the horizon.

But… secrets. One so profound that if it came to light, the knowledge that the information had been withheld had the potential to destroy a beautiful love and utterly devastate a man who found a love he didn’t believe he deserved and never imagined he’d experience. Another secret… a painful betrayal.

Their relationship was deep, complex and beautifully written. Though there were times they frustrated the hell out of me and I did occasionally want to knock their heads together.

The way they hurt each other near the end of the story was such a visceral pain I was beside myself. Twenty pages left in the book and I couldn’t see a path through their despair to a happily ever after. Ten pages left and I was so devastated I was sobbing…

She staggered back and curled an unsteady hand around the edge of the mantelpiece to stay upright. Every time she thought she’d plumbed the full pain of this love, she discovered yet another layer of agony.

Anna Campbell pulled it off, though, in a beautiful, believable way and love prevailed ❤️ And I cried a little bit more.
Profile Image for Mo.
1,404 reviews2 followers
June 24, 2015
3.5 Stars.

The second half of the book really picked up for me. Halfway through, I just wanted to skim. It was all starting to be a tad repetitive.




The ending and the epilogue were sweet.
Profile Image for Grecia Robles.
1,696 reviews466 followers
October 8, 2018
MADRE DEL AMOR HERMOSO
Este libro me ha ENCANTADO…❤💕💖💝💕

Este es un retelling de la bella y la bestia y es un romance histórico de regencia OH YEAH!!😆
Me gustaron mucho todos los guiños que tiene esta historia con el cuento de la bella y la bestia tooodos, empezando con el protagonista.

Esta historia tenemos a Sidonie una chica de buena familia que va a pagar la deuda de su hermana que tiene con el famoso y desfigurado libertino Jonas Merrick, pasando siete noches en su cama. Jonas quiere vengarse de su primo el Vizconde de Hillbrook, por lo cual se aprovecha de la esposa de este que es adicta al juego prestándole dinero endeudándola y para saldar su deuda la quiere en su cama, pero Oh surprise que la que llega en su lugar es la virginal hermana de ésta.

Sidonie es una protagonista fuerte decidida, valiente que no se deja intimidar por este oscuro hombre, no se queda callada y siempre le hace frente. Tiene sus miedos e inseguridades como toda persona, ella está decidida a no casarse porque no quiere que ningún hombre la controle como lo han hecho los hombres que le han tocado a su hermana y madre, pero llega Jonas y la va hacer desear otras cosas.

Jonas nomás abrió su bella y sensual boca y yo ya estaba enamorada, es de esos hombres, sarcásticos, huraños, intimidantes con una charla sucia que mamma mia a una le tiemblan las rodillas. Cada vez que decía esas palabras aduladoras en italiano dolcissima, tesoro, bella, amore mio me derretía toda por dentro.😍😍😍



Jonas es tan tan… Jonas es AMOR!!😍💕❤ Además que tenía un corazón de lo más noble. Es un hombre que tiene demonios y no muy fácilmente confía.
Es muy fácil enamorarse de él pero conforme más vas conociéndolo terminas profundamente enamorada. YO NO QUERÍA QUE SE ACABARA EL LIBRO QUERÍA MÁS JONAS.

El final fue de lo que menos me gustó tal vez por eso no le doy las 5 estrellas, para empezar Jonas fue demasiado terco se hizo mucho del rogar y cuando al fin sede se acaba el libro.

Es la primera vez que leo algo de Anna Campbell y no va ser lo único.
Profile Image for Pepa.
1,044 reviews288 followers
January 27, 2016
Pues he disfrutado bastante de la lectura.
Es una novela con el protagonista complejo. Huraño, bruto, pero con un corazón inmenso y cuyo agrio carácter solo esconde una muy mala concepción de sí mismo.
Sidonie irá destapando uno a uno todos sus secretos.
Ambos me han resultado muy creíbles y creo que evolucionan de una forma muy coherente.
La mayor parte es muy minimalista, apenas ellos dos en un castillo. Conversaciones, lucha, seducción. Después desemboca en una novela mucho más al uso, sin que Jonas pierda su atractivo.
Hacia la mitad del libro me ha entrado un poco el miedo porque la historia se estancara, pero la autora le da un nuevo giro a la trama que ha superado mi temor.
Es una novela que se aleja de las lecturas convencionales. No voy a decir que sea única, porque me ha recordado bastante a Los riesgos de perseguir a un príncipe de Julia London.
La trama es un alusión completa a la Bella y la bestia, algo que la autora no creo que intente esconder.
Mi única pega es que todo pasa demasiado rápido y ya sabéis lo que opino de estos amores tan repentinos. Aunque podrían llegar a ser justificados por que ambos arrastran su "maleta"
Profile Image for Duchess Nicole.
1,275 reviews1,579 followers
July 22, 2014
3.5 Stars

"Whatever she saw in his smile, it discomfited her enough to make her try to shift away. He didn't let her go. He began to suffer the alarming fantasy that he'd never let her go."

This was officially my first Anna Campbell book! I have to admit, the first half was a bit slow for me. In Historical romance books, I don't like for the scene to remain in the same house for too long. I want more movement, more action, less introspection and intimate dialogue. I like my character development to come after I get to know everyone involved a little. So it's just personal preference. I know a lot of HR follows this type of gothic, dark and dreary, old crumbling castle trope, and that the scenery always stagnates for me after awhile.

The second half picked up the pace quite a bit and gave me the excitement I was looking for. Not only did the sexuality start to become more romantic, but Anna Campbell can really make it emotional! I love when the act of making love comes across as a profoundly moving thing. Yes, it's great to get that animalistic side of bedroom activities, but I also think it's easier for an author to write about sexuality if that's where you're headed. It's not as often that I read an author that can write a romantic love scene and not have it come across as cheesy or overused. Anna Campbell really nails it. My heart went pitter patter and everything!!

Just a random observation, but I found so many words used in this book that I've actually never seen used before. I utilized my "Dictionary" feature more than I ever have before. Quite a feat! Here are a few words:

- sybaritic
- suborn
- odalisque
- fatuous

**rubbing chin** Now if only I could somehow insert these into regular conversation without seeming like a
total tool.



My favorite quote (and there were a few from Jonas...he's a great character)

"Every moment had a horrible pointlessness. Another moment would follow, then another. All the way to the end. Not one scrap of light or love or laughter in any of it..."

He was a very complex character. At first, he's the reclusive, scarred beast, lascivious enough to deflower a virgin who's sacrificed herself for her family. Then he slowly transforms into a true hero, the best kind simply because he finds his heart during the course of the book, and the entire time, you get to watch it all unfolding. It's magical and wonderful, and why I read romance.
Profile Image for UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish.
1,097 reviews1,760 followers
September 15, 2013

Seven Nights in a Rogue's Bed is the first book in Anna Campbell's Sons of Sin series. It's a gothic-esque romance with a Beauty and the Beast feel, and is a very passionate, very sexy story.
From the Cover:

Will a week of seduction...

Desperate to save her sister's life, Sidonie Forsythe has agreed to submit herself to a terrible fate: Beyond the foreboding walls of Castle Craven, a notorious, hideously scarred scoundrel will take her virtue over the course of seven sinful nights. Yet instead of a monster, she encounters a man like no other. And during this week, she comes to care for Jonas Merrick in ways that defy all logic—even as a dark secret she carries threatens them both.

...Spark a lifetime of passionate surrender?

Ruthless loner Jonas knows exactly who he is. Should he forget, even for a moment, the curse he bears, a mere glance in the mirror serves as an agonizing reminder. So when the lovely Sidonie turns up on his doorstep, her seduction is an even more delicious prospect than he originally planned. But the hardened outcast is soon moved by her innocent beauty, sharp wit, and surprising courage. Now as dangerous enemies gather at the gate to destroy them, can their new, fragile love survive?
Anna Campbell is one of my favorite Historical Romance authors. She writes compelling characters living in complex worlds. They're tortured souls with tragic pasts, people in need of the kind of redemption and salvation that can only be found in the arms of their one true love.

But for some minor issues I had with pacing and flow, there's so much to love about this story! Jonas and Sidonie are wonderful characters and from the start I couldn't help but care for them and want them to be together. And while I do like Sidonie, I fell especially hard for Jonas, the scarred, bitter man. His life, his loss, his seemingly empty future... he's the kind of hero who captures my heart in a big way.

I'm looking forward to reading more in this series!
Profile Image for kris.
1,061 reviews223 followers
February 3, 2017
Sidonie Forsythe agrees to spend a week in a "villain's" bed in order to save her sister from shit. Jonas Merrick is the "villain" in question and spends the week seducing the crap out of Sidonie. Will that week of "passion" be "enough" to "satisfy" them for ALL ETERNITY? Especially after Jonas turns out to be a petulant asshat?

1. I kept reading "Sidonie" as "Siodin" WHICH ISN'T EVEN A REAL NAME, but I think is an accurate representation to how I proceeded through this book.

2. Putting aside for a moment that Jonas sexually assaults Sidonie within their first 24 hours together (WHAT A "HERO"), their relationship goes from 0 to 900 AWFULLY FAST. Which doesn't actually bother me that much because Sidonie seems to realize that, and her subsequent actions (and/or """"betrayal"""" according to Jonah the asshat) follow the course of "well, I like this guy I've known for A WEEK but my loyalties lie with my sister who I have known for MY WHOLE LIFE so yeah."

It still got kind of old reading about their "special connection" however. The sex was allegedly mind-blowing (perhaps explaining the idiocy???) and you think each other pretty neat: good for you!!

3. So Sidonie has some Relevant Information and chooses to disclose it very late in the book. Jonah reacts to this by flipping his emotional shit and telling her he never wants to see her again. Very Adult, Much Hero. Sidonie, feeling low and devestated, leaves! Never to be seen again!

Until Jonah finds out that their 7 Nights of Bliss have led to a 9 Month Wonder. (BABY. I AM TALKING ABOUT A BABY.) So this is BETRAYAL #2, according to him! HOW DARE SHE! HOW DARE SHE ALLOW HIS SECOND COMMAND ("I never want to see you again") TO SUPERSEDE HIS FIRST ("If there's a baby, tell me so I can begrudgingly marry you.")???

Now: I'm not necessarily coming down firmly in Sidonie's side of the fence here. Withholding information from your partner (romantic / platonic / crime-committing / or otherwise) is not something I condone. I've capitalized it before, and I will capitalize it again: COMMUNICATION IS KEY. That said: as mentioned above, the relationship between hero and heroine goes from "Who are you?" to "You're my soul partner and when you're inside me, I can feel it touch my heart" in a matter of 7 days. FAST.

So the fact that Sidonie isn't like "BY THE WAY, ~SOUL PARTNER, HERE IS A LIST OF SECRETS I AM CURRENTLY KEEPING AND YES! SOME OF THEM HAVE TO DO WITH YOU!" makes sense to me. What DOESN'T make sense to me is the utter shitfit Jonas throws when he finds out. He even admits to himself mid-tantrum that he's jealous! Of Sidonie's sister! Because she'll protect her and not him! If my ~Soul Partner was like "omfg you don't really love me it's been 7 days how did you not confess this LIFE-CHANGING secret even though I have expressed 0 concern for anyone but mySELF SO NOW LEAVE ME FOREVER"... I would GTFO. Door slam. Car ties squealing. Time bending. OUT.

Basically, everything that happens once the hero is arrested proved that a week of passions is not enough and that the dude is an asshat.

4. THE WRITING. OH. MY. GOD.

In the matter of like 3 pages, Sidonie's heart "crashed against her chest", then [a gesture] "blasted a chasm in her heart", it "broke for him" and a few pages later, Jonas gets his dick out and goes "Deeper than before. So deep he touched her heart."

First: I did not know that the wiener bone was connected to the heart bone. That is some seriously freaky anatomy. Second: I'm surprised Sidonie is still alive, what with all the violence going on in her chest. It's a bit disconcerting.

Overall, things were just ... overwritten. Everything is atmospheric or metaphorical or intense. It's All Emotion All the Time. There's no space to breath, to settle. And there were some turns of phrase that threw me right out of the story and left me on the sidewalk. Weeping. Wondering if my heart bone will ever get poked by a good looking wiener bone.

5. I think,, ultimately, this just wasn't a good fit for me. An intrigue followed by a longterm chase could have been interesting: Sidonie goes to her Doom and meets a man ("the Beast") who catches her interest. Nothing physical happens--she spends 7 days on the brink, half-convinced she was to be ruined at any moment--but there is an emotional shift as she connects with Jonas over books, horses, a sense of humor. Then she is released and she goes, almost unwillingly. BUT THEN, Jonas emerges from his self-involved exile in order to approach and woo his Beauty in civilized company!!! FEELINGS PREVAIL! SEX HAPPENS! EVERYONE LIVES HAPPILY EVER AFTER!!
Profile Image for María Ángeles.
471 reviews89 followers
December 8, 2018
Pues me encanta el principio porque los protagonistas tienen una quimicaza enorme. Los días es que aún no ha habido sexo me han encantado!! Sobre todo por los diálogos entre ellos: "atrévete...".
Y la segunda parte, tampoco me ha decepcionado. Me ha sorprendido que Jonas fuera tan tajante en su decisión y a la vez consecuente. Arrastra tanto este hombre que lo entiendo. Y me ha encantado que Sidonie insista, a veces perdemos cosas importantes por orgullo o por no actuar, y Sidonie no es una de esas personas.
Profile Image for Lori ◡̈.
1,155 reviews
February 28, 2025
This was a huge disappointment and a total de ja vu from her other book My Reckless Surrender.

Starts off with a Beauty and the Beast theme. The heroine approaches the scarred, grumpy hero’s gothic castle to offer herself in her sister’s place to serve out a seven night deal to erase her sister’s gambling debt. The hero finally decides to accept her instead of her sister. As soon as he agrees to the deal, she transforms into a raging bitch.

They had a deal, she SHOWED UP WILLINGLY to spend seven nights with him to erase her sisters gambling debt... and then the first 3 nights are spent with him trying to woo her and this PMS tornado brat constantly complains 'stop touching me' or 'step away' or if she finally relents and kisses him back and feels guilty about it, she then runs off into the pitch black night during a rain storm.

Too bad she didn't run right off the cliffs... It was horrible. I didn't even want to skim ahead to see what happened, I despised the characters that much. The exact same thing happened in the book My Reckless Surrender by this same author. 😒
Profile Image for Mandi.
2,352 reviews733 followers
September 24, 2012
This is a joint review with my review partner May.

May: When Mandi told me she heard of a book coming out that just screamed “This is a May kind of book” I was intrigued and picked it up as soon as I could. Seven Nights in a Rogue’s Bed plays on the Beauty and the Beast trope, but is at the same time its own unique and memorable story.

Merrick wants revenge upon his cousin more than anything else. Luckily, revenge is easy for him to find not only by being incredibly wealthy and successful (while his cousin is struggling), but now he also holds his cousin’s wife in a great amount of gambling debt. Indeed, the lady owes him a great debt which she can’t afford – or a week in his bed. He finds the prospect of bedding his cousin’s wife and cuckolding him to be a great revenge.

So Merrick is surprised when instead of the lady in question appears in his home one stormy night, her sister comes in her place. Indeed, the virgin spinster sister is quite literally sacrificing her body to this unknown man. As her sister has two children and a hideously abusive husband, she can think of no alternatives but to offer herself and hope that she can survive the week.

I thank Mandi for bringing this book to my attention because I absolutely loved it. It was so emotional and tender, harsh and intense, and just everything that is good about both the beast trope and romance in general. Mandi – did you love it as much as I did?

Mandi: Well…no. LOL. The set-up sounds wonderful. A hero who is scarred, a recluse, and scary beyond belief. A virgin heroine set to pay her sister’s debt. But it didn’t work for me. My very first problem is the hero. He sets up the heroine’s sister, Roberta to fail, and to sell her body to him just to get revenge. Yet, we never see that beastly side of him. He acts like a gentleman to Sidonie from the start. Now would he have treated Roberta with respect if she had shown up? We can only assume no. Not that I wanted him to ravage a virgin and force himself on Sidonie. But I wanted him to scare her more. To be ruthless! I wanted to slowly watch him turn into a romantic hero. But she accepts his scars and his ‘scary’ nature pretty easily. And he shows his good virtues too soon.

May: You wanted more of a dangerous or villainous edge. Yep, I could see that. I felt like he was seen as a villain, but that wasn’t the truth at all. He was like a wounded beast – he really was sensitive and so alone and wanted someone to be on his side, but he’d never dreamed it could be so. I really think the author did a great job with his history and showing us how he really is a good man, but one who has never had a truly trustworthy friend in his corner and is deeply emotionally injured. I also felt like the fact that Sidonie would give herself this way to honor her sister’s debt threw him really hard and made him question what it would be like to have someone with such spirit root for him.

Speaking of the sisters,I really liked the progression of the sisters relationship and how she comes to see that perhaps her darling sister doesn’t quite deserve her unending loyalty. I also really liked the heroine (at least, until the end which I’ll get to later) and how she finds herself drawn to the man that Merrick is, how she sees him for who he is. What did you think of our heroine?

Mandi: I didn’t dislike Sidonie. I did think it was an odd moment when Merrick finally decides to absolve Roberta’s debts, Sidnoie immediately thinks, “For once she intended to follow her heart rather than her head. She meant to become Jonas Merrick’s mistress with a wholehearted joy that would have astonished the girl who arrived at Castle Craven.”

Hmmmm. Really? After what..three days, from literally never having been kissed, to staying at a man’s house, she wants this? From a man who set out to ruin her beloved sister? I don’t buy it. She was going to sell her morals to this guy, and that statement above is a very close statement to love. And I don’t think it fits with the seriousness of how this story starts.

I like that the sister isn’t necessarily a saint, and I think her husband makes a worthy foe for Merrick. I do wonder why Sidonie doesn’t see her sister for what she really is before this. Maybe she does, but just felt because of Roberta’s abusive husband, this was her only choice.

May: I do have to agree about the oddity of Sidonie deciding to stay and be with him after a matter of a few days. I get why the author handled it that way, but to me it wasn’t the way to play it. I couldn’t quite buy that Merrick would free her in a snap like that either. As for seeing the true nature – yes I think you’re right (about the abusive husband) and that Sidonie was too close to see it at first.

I had one big complaint about this book, and that is how it all ended. I won’t give away spoilers, but I will say that I was deeply disappointed that we were not in the hero’s head at all. I also felt that it could have been better put to HEA rest before it was, and without our heroine having to grovel as much as she did. How did you feel about the resolution/ending?

Mandi: I completely agree on everything you said. I wanted to be in the hero’s head, I felt like the heroine had to grovel way too much, and I wanted more happiness with them before the book ended. We basically don’t get resolution until the epilogue. The conflict dragged on for too long and felt too forced at the end.

May: Well, at least we agree that the ending was badly done! I have to wonder – did you find yourself highlighting quotes like crazy? Because I was lighting up my kindle like mad and resisting the urge to send you quotes like every 30seconds. Here are two that I highlighted:

Jonas stretched on an excruciating rack of desire and shame. Stoically he stared into the mirror above, but the view offered no reassurance. A big ugly man lay naked and spread-eagled on a wide bed. His cock stood at attention and his eyes glittered with panic. He was hers to do with as she willed. The thought was loathsome, even as his rational mind reminded him this was Sidonie who had never treated him as less than a man. But old wounds of mockery and disgust barely healed. He just had to look at his scars to know that some old wounds didn’t heal at all.

And another favorite quote…

“I don’t make a habit of associating with unprincipled rakes. Why are you making so much of this? You know I’m a virgin.”
“Oh, yes.” Something flared in his deep-set silver eyes before he lowered his eyelids and studied her mouth. “But you’re even more… virgin than I’d guessed.”
“You can’t be more virgin than a virgin,” she snapped.


Mandi: I think I spent too much time frowning and grumbling to highlight favorite quotes in this one.

May: Well then, here’s one more of my favorites:

She didn’t just want Jonas Merrick. She idn’t just find him fascinating. She liked the reprobate. She liked him more than she’d liked anyone. When she left, longing or the lover would burn like acid. But the true tragedy was she’d miss Jonas himself.

Alright Mandi, I think I already know but to wrap this up let me ask- what is your final verdict? Any last thoughts on Seven Nights?

Mandi: I love a beauty and the beast trope, but this one did not work for me. I felt the beast side of the hero lacked, and I never understood the heroine’s desire for him and I didn’t like the end. My Rating: D

May: I would encourage anyone interested to look at it, read an excerpt, and judge for yourself. I found the book so emotional, so captivating, and it just held me from page one. I really loved that the ‘beast’ in this story is a man filled with goodness but so alone and so damaged he can’t show vulnerability or even kindness to anyone. My grade for this book is definitely an A
Profile Image for Océano de libros.
857 reviews97 followers
August 13, 2017
Jonas Merrick tiene la oportunidad de vengarse de su enemigo a través de su esposa y nada más y nada menos que ésta debe saldar la deuda pasando una semana con él, más concretamente en su cama. Pero cuál es su sorpresa cuando se presenta la hermana de ésta para cumplir su parte del trato.
Tengo que decir que este libro me ha encantado y también su autora, a la que no conocía, me ha sorprendido su manera de narrar y ambientar la historia de modo que no hay lugar al aburrimiento. Los personajes que ha creado no se quedan atrás, tenemos por un lado a Jonas Merrick, un hombre que siempre está a la defensiva y no le faltan razones pero que a la vez tiene un corazón que no le cabe en el pecho, también tengo que decir que me fascina y sobre todo me gusta ese carácter irónico, tiene un humor peculiar que me ha gustado mucho, me ha sacado más de una sonrisa. Luego tenemos a Sidonie Forsythe, ella es todo un caso, a veces fuerte a veces débil y lo mejor es que ellos dos conectaban a la perfección y me ha gustado como se ha desarrollado su historia de amor, esos momentos donde hay de todo un poco: pasión, diversión, intriga, y otros que nos sacarán lagrimillas inevitablemente.
La historia está también llevada que se devora en un momento, los personajes principales tienen química y una buena historia de amor con sus más y sus menos y sus momentos de tensión que oye me han ganado. Así que no me queda más que darle la máxima puntuación porque ha logrado mi atención y eso que al final me las ha hecho pasar canutas (ay Merrick), jajaja.
Pd: otra versión de La Bella y La Bestia.
Profile Image for Viri.
1,307 reviews460 followers
April 16, 2016
¡Pero qué clase de libro! Me sorprendió... Muchísimo, los personajes estuvieron fenomenales. Ella fue todo lo que podría desear en una protagonista, fuerte, luchadora, una mujer con todas sus letras. Jonas por otro lado fue... Diossssss ni siquiera sé cómo expresar lo irremediablemente enamorada que estoy de el, ese que a pesar de sus cicatrices es el príncipe encantado que todas deseamos. Es tan sarcástico y encantador, tan noble, tan oscuro... Es demasiado Jonas. Amo los protagonistas que se dejan ir descubriendo poco a poco, dejándonos la impresión de estar eliminando sus capas una por una y eso fue Jonas para mi.
Lo único malo es el final que está un poco apresurado y por supuesto hubiera querido más pues no quería soltar el libro pero tuvo que tener un final y decir que estoy impresionada con los amigos es poco. Ya espero el siguiente de la serie hahha
Por cierto una cosa que no me gustó fue la narración en exceso al principio, quizás es porque este libro es el primero que leo bien de la autora ya otro lo había dejado por lo mismo pero esta historia con sabor a la Bella y la Bestia me encandiló.
Profile Image for Coco.
1,137 reviews583 followers
September 12, 2018
Por joyas así me reafirmo en que la romántica histórica es de mis géneros favoritos.
Una retelling ideal de La Bella y La Bestia, con originalidad y toques picantes que conducen a una trama interesante y que engancha. Y con unos personajes que casan a la perfección.
Profile Image for Becky (romantic_pursuing_feels).
1,283 reviews1,709 followers
May 23, 2021
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5 rounded to 5 stars
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖 4 of 5 books
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋 5 of 5 butterflies
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔 4 of 5 broken hearts
Sexual Tension: ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️ 4 of 5 lightnings
Romance: 💞💞💞💞 4 of 5 hearts
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋 4 of 5 kisses
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑 4 peaches
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Hero Jerk Scale: 😡😡😡😡 4 of 5 angry faces
Heroine Jerk Scale: 😠😠😠😠 4 of 5 angry faces
Humor: 😁 a small amount – the hero was quite charming and silly to the heroine in the beginning

Jonas wants revenge on William and will do whatever he can to make his life miserable. When he collects an astronomical sum at the gambling tables from his wife, Roberta, he collects by demanding a week of her in his bed to erase the debts. However, it is Roberta’s sister Sidonie that shows up at his Castle Craven.

Give this book a try if you want:
- a late Regency time period – 1826
- a gothic feel – this takes place at a musty, mostly unfurnished castle and includes dark hallways and running along cliffs at night
- high steam – see end of review for exact locations
- a touch of age gap – hero is 32 and heroine is 24 (though not unusual for historical)
- classic beauty and the beast trope – scarred hero living in a gloomy castle in the middle of nowhere where the heroine is almost his prisoner
- this is marked under “captive, stolen, kidnapped” but it’s more just….coerced
- enemies to lovers/forbidden love/ rival families – the hero wants revenge on the heroine’s family

I adored Jonas. He has been withdrawn from society and any friends he had due to being labeled a bastard and his horrible scars. But when he meets Sidonie, he is just still so caring and charming. He is sweet and funny and tries to ease her fears and is falling for her all at the same time. I was pretty much in love with him after the first meeting. He had so much pain and hurt inside him but it didn’t taint his entire world.

Sidonie was a bit harder for me to like but I still did overall. She came from a hard life and after seeing her parent’s marriage and then being under her sister and her husband as her guardian, she decided she would never marry. She associated marriage with basically being little more than a slave and wasn’t about to allow someone that amount of control over her life. So she definitely fights quite a bit against Jonas and giving in to him.

I loved most of this story. Their push and pull and eventual fall together was perfect for me and had many plot points I just gobble up in romance. Dark castles with dark scarred men chasing the heroine? Yes please. But towards the end they were BOTH jerks. They both did super jerky things and I’m rather mad at both of them. But, it all worked out, and I really enjoyed the ride through it.


Locations/amounts of kisses/intimate scenes


Content warnings for:
Profile Image for Laura.
Author 15 books613 followers
October 3, 2012
Review posted at Demon Lover's Books & More

This is a tortured hero story at its best. He is scarred, both inside and out, and Sidonie proves to both of him that he’s not quite the beast he thinks he is. This was a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and I found it to be just wonderful.

Sidonie arrives at Castle Craven in her sister’s place, to honor a bargain made with a man with no honor. From all her sister has told her, she will be facing the devil himself. From all her sister’s husband has ranted and raved, he looks like the devil as well.

Jonas was born to privilege, and he was titled, until someone dragged his mother’s name through the gutters and proved that his Spanish mother was never wed to his father. His bastard status lost the entailment, going to his cousin, who lorded it over him at every chance he got. But Jonas got to keep the money, only the title went to his cousin. Jonas made it his mission in life to become richer than anyone. But his scarred face didn’t cover a heart of gold. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Sidonie’s sister gambles well above her means, and she owes Jonas a huge amount of money. In exchange for not telling her abusive husband (his cousin), she agrees to 7 nights in his bed-The ultimate revenge in Jonas’ book. Sidonie and Roberta realize her husband will literally kill her if he finds out, so Sidonie goes in Roberta’s place. Her virginity to excuse Roberta’s gambling debts.

The gothic feel and crumbling castle mirror the hero’s black heart and yet...is he really such a beast? Oh he plays it well, but he isn’t the devil he was painted. Don't get me wrong Jonas is no saint, but he and Sidonie strike a new bargain. He plans to seduce her in those 7 days, and if he fails she leaves, virtue intact.

The romance was lovely, and the writing was beautiful. But Sidonie is hiding something. Something big. Jonas asks her to stay with him, to marry him, but she says she needs time. Everything changes once she returns home and Jonas is arrested for murder. Sidonie has proof to free him, but it means the fragile trust he had in her will be broken.

The last quarter of the book is heartbreaking. I was so frustrated with the characters, but they needed to work it out in their own time. And I loved how Beauty took her future with both hands and wouldn’t let go, no matter how beastly her Beast was.

***ARC courtesy of Netgalley and Forever Romance
Profile Image for Tammy Walton Grant.
417 reviews300 followers
Read
April 23, 2013
So bummed. I LOVE Beauty and the Beast stories, and Anna Campbell is usually a sure thing for me.

I don't know what happened here, but I felt like I'd been hit by a swinging heavy bag with the plot, the characters and the writing itself. And all by about 20% into the book.




Gonna call this "Judith McNaught-itis" or "Lisa Kleypas-itis". Over-wrought, over the top. Not that I usually object to that, but in this instance it really isn't working for me.
Profile Image for Julie.
962 reviews29 followers
September 9, 2015
Defies all logic is exactly the way I'd describe this book as well! I could barely finish this annoying romance between two distinctly unlikeable people. Sidonie, the heroine who's name I had the worst time pronouncing inside my head, was holier than thou at first. But oh how she crumbles completely in the arms of the dastardly hero, Jonas Merrick, whose scars and tortured past make him hard and cruel. Then they have a few blissful days of non stop sex - yet she will not marry him when he asks her! What a nit! Of course she has this big secret that he will not forgive her for when he finds out about it. Then her sister and this murder! All were beyond me, I was fed up 1/2 way through but persevered and finished this romance! I'm not sure if I will read more by this author since it's my first book by her, but this had all the elements of what I dislike in a romance, I'm afraid.

2.5/5

Profile Image for Luana ☆.
727 reviews157 followers
May 19, 2021
Oh my, I started reading this book with low expectations because quite a lot of my friends gave it a not so good review, but I am pleasantly surprised to say that I quite enjoyed this book.

The scarred hero has suffered most of his life. His parents marriage was considered illegal and he became a bastard from the age of 8. Life was very black after that... But the worst part of all was his mean cousin, who was his worst enemy.

Due to the title of this book, I thought the story would be completely different than what it actually was. This was about trust, about not believing that you could be loved, about not trusting in love, about making decisions that would change the lives of a lot of people, about honor, domestic violence, desperation. About the lengths a person would go to help her sister. 

There were things that made me want to hit the hero and others the heroine. But I enjoyed seeing their lives and hoping for a HEA. 

3.5⭐
Profile Image for Iradai.
272 reviews29 followers
October 8, 2018
Me ha encantado esta versión/adaptación/ retelling de la Bella y la Bestia, una buena trama, que me atrapo rápidamente.
Profile Image for Floripiquita.
1,479 reviews169 followers
July 19, 2025
Me gustó mucho y la pareja protagonista es una maravilla
Profile Image for Lisa.
328 reviews83 followers
September 20, 2012
Sidonie Forsythe has agreed to help her sister pay off her gambling debts by taking her place as the woman promised to the holder of her debts, Jonas Merrick. All that is known of the recluse is that it is sister's husbands cousin and that there is extremely bad blood between the two and it has cast a shadowed opinion of Jonas. He was scarred on his face as a boy and also stripped off his title for being illegitimate and it has shaped him into the reserved man he is today. He knows immediately that Sidonie is not the woman that was promised to him--after all, what better way to spite your cousin than to sleep with his wife for a week?--but he can not help but be drawn to the strong woman. He makes it clear to Sidonie that he will not take her by force but it will be by her choice alone. Sidonie believes she can outwit this man in the game of seduction and return home just as she left. But her feelings quickly shift and she wonders if she can hold off on Jonas' seduction but Sidonie also has a bigger secret that she is hiding that she knows will destroy this happiness she is finding. When the full truth comes to light, will Jonas be able to forgive and trust Sidonie again or is their fate sealed in unhappiness?

Oh my goodness...what a book! I have been waiting patiently *ahem* for a new book from Anna Campbell and Seven Nights in a Rogue's Bed did not disappoint! I was a bit nervous about Sidonies secret and how that was all going to play out as it is not a favorite storyline of mine, but it worked so wonderfully with this couple! I adored watching the attraction simmer bright from Jonas and Sidonies first meeting and then the feelings slowly grow as the week went on. Jonas has quite a wall around his emotions and just as Sidonie would break a piece down, it would shift right back into place until it finally all comes crashing down. Sidonie did take a bit of time for be to warm up to with her secret keeping and her refusal to marry based on her sister and mothers lousy marriages. Again, not my favorite troupes but it worked for this story. Jonas...sigh...I loved him. He is stern and gruff on the outside but underneath he is generous, clever and affectionate and Sidonie brings that back for him. When she betrays his trust again, he refuses to let her back in and goes back into his lonely shell but she persists and the ending is definitely a tear jerker. Overall, a delicious treat that was worth the wait! This is a romance filled with love, passion, tenderness, forgiveness and trust all mixed together in a way that will make you forget about the real world and have you cheering for Jonas and Sidonie to find the happiness they so deserve together! And we get just a glimpse of the other two men that will have stories and I know I am back to anxiously awaiting them! 4 1/2 stars

Quote that stuck with me (subject to change in final version):

"Forget what you look like. The total of what you are is so much greater than what you see reflected in all these mirrors."


Review copy provided by Grand Central Publishing via netgalley.com
Profile Image for Nuria Llop.
Author 15 books122 followers
July 17, 2016
Maravillosa. Tiene todo lo que debe tener una novela romántica histórica, además de alma. Excelente ambientación, personajes que atrapan, un conflicto amoroso que se complica a medida que avanza la historia, una ambientación perfecta (cercana a la novela gótica) y buenas dosis de sexo explícito. La autora no necesita apoyarse en otras intrigas para que los personajes evolucionen y se enfrenten a sus propios conflictos personales. Me encanta cuando hay tramas de misterio relacionadas con la romántica, pero si no las hay porque la pareja se basta por sí sola, me fascina. Un protagonista masculino con cicatrices visibles, traumatizado, aparentemente insensible... Parece típico, pero no importa, lo acabas adorando. Ella es la virgen recatada que aborrece a los hombres y no desea relacionarse con ninguno, por lo tanto es reacia al matrimonio. También es común, pero tampoco importa. Su comportamiento es tan coherente y sus principios tan bien fundamentados que no hay nada que objetar a estos clichés, a menudo utilizados sin más razón que la de que suelen funcionar en la romántica histórica. Un equilibrio entre la narración y el diálogo, pulcros y elegantes, sin exceso de descripciones supérfluas y unos secundarios que encajan en todo momento en la acción y en el argumento hacen de esta historia una novela muy recomendable. Un debut de una autora de la que espero leer más.
Profile Image for Andrea.
1,256 reviews159 followers
March 24, 2017
Unpopular opinion alert!

I was really looking forward to this. Honestly! I loved all the novellas I have read by Anna Campbell so far, so I was eager to check out a full-length novel by her. Unfortunately, the premise just didn't do it for me, and it only got worse. But hey. As so often, I'm in the minority in not loving this, and maybe I just wasn't in the right mood for this.

Profile Image for Annie ⚜️.
615 reviews20 followers
March 18, 2019
Let me start by saying I LOVE A SCARRED HERO. (Just discovered there is fanfic out there with The Hound from GOT as the hero!!!) Gah, so yeah, loved it. Actually didn't want this one to end. 🔥🔥🔥
Profile Image for Teresa González.
235 reviews12 followers
March 8, 2019
Casi no leo este género y me encantó el libro.
De ahora en adelante leeré más romance histórico.
Profile Image for Anna Casanovas.
Author 49 books816 followers
January 23, 2016
4 1/2 Estrellas.
"Seven nights in a rogue's bed" (Siete noches juntos) parte de "La Bella y la Bestia" y da un giro a la historia convirtiendo a la supuesta "Bestia" en uno de los mejores personajes masculinos que he leído en mucho tiempo en romántica histórica. Jonas Merrick (incluso me gusta el nombre) es de esos protagonistas complejos que ocultan más de lo que enseñan y cuya autora sabe ir desnudando, física y emocionalmente, a lo largo de la novela con la velocidad justa -aunque a veces te dan ganas de gritarle que se dé prisa porque necesitas saber más sobre él-. Sidonie, "la bella", también es una protagonista sólida, tiene principios y lucha por mantenerlos incluso cuando entiende que se ha enamorado perdidamente de Jonas. No es de esas protagonistas que se "idiotiza por amor" y sabe reconocer su culpa cuando ha herido al hombre que ama.
"Seven nights in a rogue's bed" es original, muy romántica y muy sensual. Me ha sorprendido y me ha enamorado, la tensión entre Jonas y Sidone es...

description

He leído la novela en inglés, pero está traducida al español. Mi única queja es que el final, aunque precioso, debería de ser más largo (o a mí me habría gustado que lo fuera), es un poco precipitado.
Profile Image for Kathleen.
691 reviews89 followers
July 18, 2012
Story Rating 4.5 Stars
Character Rating 4.5 Stars
Romance Rating 4.5 Stars
Heat Level 3.5 Stars
Overall Rating 4.5 Stars

I must say that I really enjoyed this book. The beginning grabbed me right away and I was totally into the story. A bit later it started to drag just a bit and I was thinking that I wish things would start moving along and then WHAM then the story took off and started moving right when it needed too. Things got a bit exciting and then the heart break started and OH MY! The last 1/4 of the book I had tears falling down my face, and my nose was running all over. It was one heart breaking thing after another. No need to worry though because YES, we get a wonderful HEA ending.

If you like your book's with a bit of darkness, tortured hero's and brave but stubborn heroine's with some serious angst then this book is for you.
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