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Gentlemen of Honor #1
One Wicked Weekend
Catherine Jones never regretted the loss of her innocence. She forged ahead and made a respectable life for herself as a governess. Things turn bleak, however, when she loses her latest position. If spending a few days—and nights—at Lord Bruton’s scandalous house party earns her the money she needs to survive, she intends to enjoy herself while she’s there. Never does she expect to meet an honorable gentleman. Hugh Drake attends the scandalous house party to help a friend, but meeting Catherine Jones pushes his shameful fantasies to the forefront. When passion explodes, he discovers that the governess has a thing or two to teach him.
- GenresHistorical Romance
122 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 9, 2014
24 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
Charlotte Russell
21 books24 followersCharlotte Russell didn’t always know she wanted to be a writer. At one point she had grand plans to be an architect, until she realized she couldn’t draw anything more complicated than a stick figure. So, she enrolled at the University of Notre Dame and studied her first love—history. Now she puts all that historical knowledge to good use by writing romances set in Regency England. When not pounding on the keyboard or tending to one husband, two cats, and three children, she is privileged to serve the people of her community at the local library. She’s resided in numerous locales, including Indiana, Mexico City, Phoenix and Seattle but currently calls the heartland of the USA home.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 21, 2017
“Who would have ever thought that he'd attend a licentious house party and come away with a bride.”
Charlotte Russell's ONE WICKED WEEKEND opens with Hugh Drake, a wholesome and upstanding gentleman, faced with a very unusual predicament - choosing his first sexual conquest from an array of women at an illicit private party. Assembled by the infamous Viscount Bruton for the enjoyment of his male guests, the women are disguised as a housemaid, a milkmaid, a shepherdess and a governess and appear ready to cater to the fantasies of those in attendance.
However, Hugh quickly discerns that one costumed woman is not like the others. Wide-eyed and trembling, the governess seems as out-of-place at the lascivious gathering as he is and he soon chooses her to be his partner.
That said, the rules of this party are clear - each man will experience one day and night of passion with each young woman over the course of four days – no exceptions permitted.
Calling herself Catherine Trent, the governess confesses to Hugh that she is, in fact, a governess. Fired and forced into desperation by her former employer, Lord Sherborne, she responded to an advertisement seeking a new position at Lord Bruton's estate – only to learn too late how she would be expected to earn her salary. Catherine, however, is not the only guest at the party who is there under a false pretense.
Hugh Drake has joined the gathering, not for sexual pleasure, but to retrieve a stolen letter from the party's disreputable host. However, to linger at the party exposes Catherine to the lust of other men as the Viscount's rules require them to change partners - a consequence that his integrity, and his emerging passion, cannot abide.
Sweet, sexy and well-written, Charlotte Russell's ONE WICKED WEEKEND is a pleasure to read and I especially enjoyed Russell's eschewing of some traditional romance themes. Russell creates a dynamic in which our hero and heroine must save each other from the machinations of a corrupt aristocrat and it is ultimately Catherine's courage and ingenuity that makes possible the happy ending.
Furthermore, though Catherine proves to be more virtuous than she had believed herself to be, she is not a virginal girl who is seduced by a charismatic man. On the contrary, she is a woman who is comfortable in her sexuality and whose guidance shows an otherwise straight-laced Hugh Drake a side of himself he never knew.
In fact, it is Drake's sexually-conservative and self-admonishing conscience that provides many of the stories humorous moments, such as his assertion that “If he touched Catherine inappropriately again, he would be forced to challenge himself to a duel.”
However, as Hugh fights to resist his desire for Catherine due to his fear of corrupting her, Catherine fights to resist her growing feelings for Hugh due to her fear that she is not innocent enough for him. It is through their shared purpose to protect others, and one another, from the schemes of Lord Bruton, and through the constancy of Hugh's compassion, that they are finally able to understand each other fully.
Ultimately, ONE WICKED WEEKEND is about appreciating those we love for who they really are and seeing ourselves differently through the eyes of those who love us.
As tender as it is steamy, I recommend ONE WEEKEND WEEKEND to readers who are looking a smartly-written, romantic read with sexy and humorous moments.
Charlotte Russell's ONE WICKED WEEKEND opens with Hugh Drake, a wholesome and upstanding gentleman, faced with a very unusual predicament - choosing his first sexual conquest from an array of women at an illicit private party. Assembled by the infamous Viscount Bruton for the enjoyment of his male guests, the women are disguised as a housemaid, a milkmaid, a shepherdess and a governess and appear ready to cater to the fantasies of those in attendance.
However, Hugh quickly discerns that one costumed woman is not like the others. Wide-eyed and trembling, the governess seems as out-of-place at the lascivious gathering as he is and he soon chooses her to be his partner.
That said, the rules of this party are clear - each man will experience one day and night of passion with each young woman over the course of four days – no exceptions permitted.
Calling herself Catherine Trent, the governess confesses to Hugh that she is, in fact, a governess. Fired and forced into desperation by her former employer, Lord Sherborne, she responded to an advertisement seeking a new position at Lord Bruton's estate – only to learn too late how she would be expected to earn her salary. Catherine, however, is not the only guest at the party who is there under a false pretense.
Hugh Drake has joined the gathering, not for sexual pleasure, but to retrieve a stolen letter from the party's disreputable host. However, to linger at the party exposes Catherine to the lust of other men as the Viscount's rules require them to change partners - a consequence that his integrity, and his emerging passion, cannot abide.
Sweet, sexy and well-written, Charlotte Russell's ONE WICKED WEEKEND is a pleasure to read and I especially enjoyed Russell's eschewing of some traditional romance themes. Russell creates a dynamic in which our hero and heroine must save each other from the machinations of a corrupt aristocrat and it is ultimately Catherine's courage and ingenuity that makes possible the happy ending.
Furthermore, though Catherine proves to be more virtuous than she had believed herself to be, she is not a virginal girl who is seduced by a charismatic man. On the contrary, she is a woman who is comfortable in her sexuality and whose guidance shows an otherwise straight-laced Hugh Drake a side of himself he never knew.
In fact, it is Drake's sexually-conservative and self-admonishing conscience that provides many of the stories humorous moments, such as his assertion that “If he touched Catherine inappropriately again, he would be forced to challenge himself to a duel.”
However, as Hugh fights to resist his desire for Catherine due to his fear of corrupting her, Catherine fights to resist her growing feelings for Hugh due to her fear that she is not innocent enough for him. It is through their shared purpose to protect others, and one another, from the schemes of Lord Bruton, and through the constancy of Hugh's compassion, that they are finally able to understand each other fully.
Ultimately, ONE WICKED WEEKEND is about appreciating those we love for who they really are and seeing ourselves differently through the eyes of those who love us.
As tender as it is steamy, I recommend ONE WEEKEND WEEKEND to readers who are looking a smartly-written, romantic read with sexy and humorous moments.
April 12, 2020
Standard Quick Read Romance
Reading this book on the kindle was exactly what I expected it to be. It was a quick romance read with little in the way of unexpected surprises. The actions of both of the main characters were predictable. The antagonist was equally predictable. If you are looking for your standard romance novel as just something to read through quickly with few challenges or surprises, then this book meets your needs. If you are looking for something unique with interesting plot twists and strongly developed characters, then this probably isn’t the book for you.
Reading this book on the kindle was exactly what I expected it to be. It was a quick romance read with little in the way of unexpected surprises. The actions of both of the main characters were predictable. The antagonist was equally predictable. If you are looking for your standard romance novel as just something to read through quickly with few challenges or surprises, then this book meets your needs. If you are looking for something unique with interesting plot twists and strongly developed characters, then this probably isn’t the book for you.
May 25, 2019
What a fun weekend get-away!
Posh posh to the notion that “weekends” weren’t a thing in the Regency. This was a fun and flirty read that was s perfect escape on a holiday weekend. The characters were delightful and well-matched and their romantic journey covered a lot of ground in a short but satisfying time. Russell always delivers a great story!
Posh posh to the notion that “weekends” weren’t a thing in the Regency. This was a fun and flirty read that was s perfect escape on a holiday weekend. The characters were delightful and well-matched and their romantic journey covered a lot of ground in a short but satisfying time. Russell always delivers a great story!
July 16, 2019
An abused governess in desperation, an almost too honorable gentleman as knight errant to save a friend's happiness, and a debauched house party combined to a well written and entertaining story.
April 16, 2015
Ever since I read my first F. Scott Fitzgerald story in college several years ago, I have enjoyed and appreciated the brief format of short stories and novellas. It’s a skilled writer who can weave a tight and engaging story, with characters the reader cares about, in a small amount of pages, and to reach a satisfying and happy resolution. Charlotte Russell, whose first book, A Spy’s Honor, I glowingly reviewed here a few months ago, has achieved that in this delightful house party romance.
Hugh Drake is a handsome and honorable gentleman, who resists his natural youthful and lustful sexual urges with a conscience drilled into him by his beloved grandmother. He is a kind and likable fellow with a solid sense of honor and duty.
For my full review on my historical romance and history blog: http://bit.ly/1zjZpsh
Hugh Drake is a handsome and honorable gentleman, who resists his natural youthful and lustful sexual urges with a conscience drilled into him by his beloved grandmother. He is a kind and likable fellow with a solid sense of honor and duty.
For my full review on my historical romance and history blog: http://bit.ly/1zjZpsh
December 22, 2014
…the sizzling story of a Regency-style liberated woman and a man who needs to be liberated
In so many of these stories, a heroine with a past seems to feel the need to live like a nun and forego a normal life, even when she was the victim. This story is the antithesis of that. Although Catherine has been victimized, she refuses to behave as a victim.This unusually strong female first intrigues Hugh and then makes him realize that he needs some liberating of his own.
I loved it!
In so many of these stories, a heroine with a past seems to feel the need to live like a nun and forego a normal life, even when she was the victim. This story is the antithesis of that. Although Catherine has been victimized, she refuses to behave as a victim.This unusually strong female first intrigues Hugh and then makes him realize that he needs some liberating of his own.
I loved it!
February 10, 2015
I originally picked this up because I saw an ad and the cover snagged me. I was in the mood for a nice, light historical novella and this delivered. I enjoyed the author's writing style and the plot engaged me. My favorite character was the grandmother (dowager countess?) She reminded me of Downton Abbey, although she was quite a bit less straitlaced.
The premise struck me as original too - recommended for a quick, pleasurable read.
The premise struck me as original too - recommended for a quick, pleasurable read.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews