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Three Nights...
Three nights of passion . . .
With a turn of the cards, her father is ruined -- and innocent Aveline Stoddard is lost. To honor the gambling debt, she agrees to submit for three nights to Lucien DuFeron's every desire, three nights of blistering sensuality and unparalleled ecstasy in the arms of the dashing, dark rogue they call "Lucifer." But the time passes all too quickly…and when the debt is paid, the handsome devil vanishes.An eternity of desire
Treachery delivered Lucien into the hands of evil brigands. Now five years after his abduction and imprisonment he has returned to London, searching for the enemy responsible -- and finding instead the beauty who still haunts his dreams. Aveline has grown more alluring since those unforgettable nights when she melted beneath his touch. Yet Lucien's need for vengeance must be satisfied. If the trail leads to someone close to Aveline, will it destroy forever the one love powerful enough to free his tormented heart?
Audible Audio
First published February 24, 2004
About the author
Debra Mullins
23 books134 followers(from website)I hate writing bios. They always seem so cut and dried. But you came to my website to learn more about me, so here goes.
I’m the oldest of four sisters, and we are full-blooded Irish on our father’s side. Oh, and our house had one bathroom. If you have any questions about where I got my flair for drama, just imagine that scenario on a Saturday night when four teen-aged girls need to get ready for their dates all at the same time.
‘Nuff said.
So, I am the writer in the family, though I always had a secret dream to be a torch singer. You know, like Michelle Pfeiffer in The Fabulous Baker Boys. My voice is OK, but the only place I feel comfortable singing is in the shower, so that was out. Besides, my sister Kate would kill me. She’s the singer in the family. Seriously, she sang at Carnegie Hall once (yeah, as part of a choir and with the orchestra and a bunch of other people, but Carnegie Hall! How many people can say that and be telling the truth?)
Anyway, I settled on writer and left the singing to Kate. My other two sisters are both artists, and no, they don’t have anything in the Louvre, but my sister Christine paints her house constantly, always changing the décor in her kids’ rooms. So you see? Creative impetus will out, and there’s no stopping it. Better to just give in and have the chocolate standing by for those moments of Artistic Frustration.
After giving up my torch singer aspirations (but before I fully accepted that I am A Writer) I gave serious thought to a practical career. The term “starving artist” was not conceived out of whimsy, you know, and I did have a fondness for food and shelter. So, soon after high school, I considered a career as a simultaneous interpreter for the UN.
I heard you giggle. Yes, I did. So let me clarify by adding that I have a gift for languages and had already taken several years of Spanish, French and Italian by the time I graduated high school, AND I had done the exchange thing in France, where I lived for a summer with a family, speaking nothing but French. So there.
Ahem. Anyway, in order to be a simultaneous interpreter, you need to know five languages. I had four under my belt (since I do know grammar and punctuation, I consider English the fourth language). I just had to learn one more language.
But that never happened. I chose True Love over College, then got married and started a family young.
Yes, you can laugh now.
Anyway, years pass. I gave in to my natural tendency to be a storyteller and started working on the one thing I had ever finished—a hand-written, 100 page “novel” about a Spanish pirate that I had completed in junior high. As an adult, I still felt there was a story there. That novel evolved into my first published work, ONCE A MISTRESS (Written in English, though my pirate does say cool Spanish words like mi amor and mi querida. Sigh. Swoon!) In 1996, ONCE A MISTRESS was a finalist in the prestigious Golden Heart competition run by Romance Writers of America. Two years later—OK, on January 26, 1998 at 4:06PM—Avon Books called and offered to publish my opus.
So there you go. I’ve written eight more books since then, often utilizing my knowledge of other languages for flavor. I visited the old West with DONOVAN’S BED and THE LAWMAN’S SURRENDER. (Oh, and DONOVAN’S BED was a finalist for RWA’s RITA Award for Best Short Historical in 2001, which is like an Oscar nomination in the land of romance writing. How cool is that?) Then I visited the Regency era. I won the NJ Romance Writers Golden Leaf Award for Best Historical (2003) with A NECESSARY BRIDE. In 2005, THREE NIGHTS… was nominated for Best Historical Romance in competition for Virginia Romance Writers’ prestigious Holt Medallion.
All of my Regency historicals have been optioned as featured selections by Doubleday Book Club and Rhapsody Book Club. My books have also been translated into Hungarian, Russian, and Portuguese f
I’m the oldest of four sisters, and we are full-blooded Irish on our father’s side. Oh, and our house had one bathroom. If you have any questions about where I got my flair for drama, just imagine that scenario on a Saturday night when four teen-aged girls need to get ready for their dates all at the same time.
‘Nuff said.
So, I am the writer in the family, though I always had a secret dream to be a torch singer. You know, like Michelle Pfeiffer in The Fabulous Baker Boys. My voice is OK, but the only place I feel comfortable singing is in the shower, so that was out. Besides, my sister Kate would kill me. She’s the singer in the family. Seriously, she sang at Carnegie Hall once (yeah, as part of a choir and with the orchestra and a bunch of other people, but Carnegie Hall! How many people can say that and be telling the truth?)
Anyway, I settled on writer and left the singing to Kate. My other two sisters are both artists, and no, they don’t have anything in the Louvre, but my sister Christine paints her house constantly, always changing the décor in her kids’ rooms. So you see? Creative impetus will out, and there’s no stopping it. Better to just give in and have the chocolate standing by for those moments of Artistic Frustration.
After giving up my torch singer aspirations (but before I fully accepted that I am A Writer) I gave serious thought to a practical career. The term “starving artist” was not conceived out of whimsy, you know, and I did have a fondness for food and shelter. So, soon after high school, I considered a career as a simultaneous interpreter for the UN.
I heard you giggle. Yes, I did. So let me clarify by adding that I have a gift for languages and had already taken several years of Spanish, French and Italian by the time I graduated high school, AND I had done the exchange thing in France, where I lived for a summer with a family, speaking nothing but French. So there.
Ahem. Anyway, in order to be a simultaneous interpreter, you need to know five languages. I had four under my belt (since I do know grammar and punctuation, I consider English the fourth language). I just had to learn one more language.
But that never happened. I chose True Love over College, then got married and started a family young.
Yes, you can laugh now.
Anyway, years pass. I gave in to my natural tendency to be a storyteller and started working on the one thing I had ever finished—a hand-written, 100 page “novel” about a Spanish pirate that I had completed in junior high. As an adult, I still felt there was a story there. That novel evolved into my first published work, ONCE A MISTRESS (Written in English, though my pirate does say cool Spanish words like mi amor and mi querida. Sigh. Swoon!) In 1996, ONCE A MISTRESS was a finalist in the prestigious Golden Heart competition run by Romance Writers of America. Two years later—OK, on January 26, 1998 at 4:06PM—Avon Books called and offered to publish my opus.
So there you go. I’ve written eight more books since then, often utilizing my knowledge of other languages for flavor. I visited the old West with DONOVAN’S BED and THE LAWMAN’S SURRENDER. (Oh, and DONOVAN’S BED was a finalist for RWA’s RITA Award for Best Short Historical in 2001, which is like an Oscar nomination in the land of romance writing. How cool is that?) Then I visited the Regency era. I won the NJ Romance Writers Golden Leaf Award for Best Historical (2003) with A NECESSARY BRIDE. In 2005, THREE NIGHTS… was nominated for Best Historical Romance in competition for Virginia Romance Writers’ prestigious Holt Medallion.
All of my Regency historicals have been optioned as featured selections by Doubleday Book Club and Rhapsody Book Club. My books have also been translated into Hungarian, Russian, and Portuguese f
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
June 9, 2021
I finished this book within just 1 DAY! I literally devoured it! This is my new book reading record. This book has everything I ask and yearn for in a historical romance. Right after the moment I held the book in my hands, I knew I needed to read it right away. And ever since the first page, I couldn’t put the book down.
“Three Nights” started off with a common motif: a girl having to fulfill the request of a rake – usually a sexual request – to pay off the debts that her father created due to gambling (which, I must admit, is my guilty pleasure). But if this book had only relied on this common motif, then the story would have had no originality. What happened between the hero and the heroine at first was just a sensual beginning for what would come later.
“Three Nights” was not only about lust and sex between two strangers whose paths crossed during three nights. It was all about gathering all the feelings, the passion, the emotions, and the agony Aveline and Lucien once felt to build up something beautiful – something they called love. It was also about the sacred meaning of marriage – the meaning of being faithful to your lawfully wedded spouse. It was also about what it meant for Lucien to have a family, to be a good father to his daughter, and to be a good husband to the woman that he shared his whole body, passion, love, and life with.
I loved Lucien’s emotional growth, from a boy who never felt love at a young age to a fully grown man who finally learned what love was, who now could enjoy the warmth and joy of having a family, a circle of people who love him dearly, and who knew to step up and protect that precious circle with everything he had in him. This is one of the things that I loved about this novel, because from just a common motif with lots of sensual moments, the author elevated it into something beautiful and rich in emotions. This elevation proved that those three nights that Lucian and Aveline shared together those years ago were not purely about lust. It was also the start of a love story that was still going on five years later, and lasted for the rest of their lives.
I loved how the two main characters were built, with a lot of strength in them. Aveline was a trembling virginal flower who melted under the touches of Lucien five years ago. Then she grew into a young mother with the inner struggle between the passionate love for her husband and the dutiful love for her father when Lucien came back and married her. However, throughout the process, she always maintained the strength and determination of a woman who was not afraid to start a conversation or to do anything that could save her loved ones. This journey brought about the change inside Aveline. She learned to finally come to terms with her husband, to finally acknowledge that he deserved her love - the love that they shared five years ago, and will share for the rest of their lives.
Lucien – the notorious rake with a knack for making money, growing up without knowing what love or having a true family was – also had his own transformation thanks to the one and only woman he met five years ago, and who was always on his mind during the darkest time of his life. He was always that Lucien – Lucien who against all odds and all the challenges bad people threw at him, still survived and came out stronger. But now, he was not a rake anymore, now that he knew what the touch of love felt like, what it meant to have a family, and what being a father and a husband meant. This change was brought about through the love of Aveline – the woman who always stood there beside him and accepted his past as well as who he was.
I loved the fact that there were many parts in the book in which the agony and conflicting emotions between Lucien and Aveline were pushed to the climax. This stripped Lucien down to his inner core, revealing the sensitive, emotional man inside, which meant there was still hope for the marriage that was first built on misunderstandings and a lack of trust. To be honest, these moments really brought tears to my eyes.
The ending was so sweet, when after everything was over, Lucien not only had a wife and a child beside him, but also gained respect and love from an unlikely person – his stepbrother. Lucien had traveled a long way to come to this happy ending. But this long and arduous journey proved that it was all worth it for both him and Aveline, because they finally all got what they deserved after all these years – love, and a true family.
“Three Nights” started off with a common motif: a girl having to fulfill the request of a rake – usually a sexual request – to pay off the debts that her father created due to gambling (which, I must admit, is my guilty pleasure). But if this book had only relied on this common motif, then the story would have had no originality. What happened between the hero and the heroine at first was just a sensual beginning for what would come later.
“Three Nights” was not only about lust and sex between two strangers whose paths crossed during three nights. It was all about gathering all the feelings, the passion, the emotions, and the agony Aveline and Lucien once felt to build up something beautiful – something they called love. It was also about the sacred meaning of marriage – the meaning of being faithful to your lawfully wedded spouse. It was also about what it meant for Lucien to have a family, to be a good father to his daughter, and to be a good husband to the woman that he shared his whole body, passion, love, and life with.
I loved Lucien’s emotional growth, from a boy who never felt love at a young age to a fully grown man who finally learned what love was, who now could enjoy the warmth and joy of having a family, a circle of people who love him dearly, and who knew to step up and protect that precious circle with everything he had in him. This is one of the things that I loved about this novel, because from just a common motif with lots of sensual moments, the author elevated it into something beautiful and rich in emotions. This elevation proved that those three nights that Lucian and Aveline shared together those years ago were not purely about lust. It was also the start of a love story that was still going on five years later, and lasted for the rest of their lives.
I loved how the two main characters were built, with a lot of strength in them. Aveline was a trembling virginal flower who melted under the touches of Lucien five years ago. Then she grew into a young mother with the inner struggle between the passionate love for her husband and the dutiful love for her father when Lucien came back and married her. However, throughout the process, she always maintained the strength and determination of a woman who was not afraid to start a conversation or to do anything that could save her loved ones. This journey brought about the change inside Aveline. She learned to finally come to terms with her husband, to finally acknowledge that he deserved her love - the love that they shared five years ago, and will share for the rest of their lives.
Lucien – the notorious rake with a knack for making money, growing up without knowing what love or having a true family was – also had his own transformation thanks to the one and only woman he met five years ago, and who was always on his mind during the darkest time of his life. He was always that Lucien – Lucien who against all odds and all the challenges bad people threw at him, still survived and came out stronger. But now, he was not a rake anymore, now that he knew what the touch of love felt like, what it meant to have a family, and what being a father and a husband meant. This change was brought about through the love of Aveline – the woman who always stood there beside him and accepted his past as well as who he was.
I loved the fact that there were many parts in the book in which the agony and conflicting emotions between Lucien and Aveline were pushed to the climax. This stripped Lucien down to his inner core, revealing the sensitive, emotional man inside, which meant there was still hope for the marriage that was first built on misunderstandings and a lack of trust. To be honest, these moments really brought tears to my eyes.
The ending was so sweet, when after everything was over, Lucien not only had a wife and a child beside him, but also gained respect and love from an unlikely person – his stepbrother. Lucien had traveled a long way to come to this happy ending. But this long and arduous journey proved that it was all worth it for both him and Aveline, because they finally all got what they deserved after all these years – love, and a true family.
December 4, 2019
Aveline has a father that can't stay away from the gaming tables. Running them right into the poor house, he loses a massive 3,000 pound sum to Lucien, illegitimate son on a duke. Aveline goes to Lucien begging him to void the debt. Lucien demands three nights with Aveline as payment.
I really disliked this book. Pure personal reasons here. I don't like when sexual encounters happen too soon in the book, but sometimes it can work (Lisa Kleypas' Suddenly You comes to mind). In this book so much was spent right off the get go of them together but I didn't know who they were. I didn't care if they were together. There as no build up, no tension. Ok well, that can be fine, let's see what happens in the rest of the book, I thought to myself.
They come together again 5 years later. As the book progresses it just made me angry. Literally every character in the book made me angry. I have never wanted to rip out pages of a book with my teeth, but somehow me doing that to this book came to mind. I just couldn't stand the animosity between the two main characters. I get WHY it was there, but how they each handled it had me so mad. The lack of trust, just going on and on. How they handled basically every situation. I just could not like it.
I also felt like there was so much going on in this book. The couple had so many issues and really needed some time together to just build that relationship, get to know each other, let ME get to know them, build some tension, but I didn't feel it. It just seemed to jump from one thing to the next, never really giving me the solid resolution I wanted for each scenario. They just seemed to love each other one day and I didn't really feel how they got there. I was just happy to be done with this.
I can't say I don't recommend this book. You never know what you will like, and this might be it for you. If you like plenty of plot devices, enemies to lovers, a bit of mystery (though not overwhelming) then perhaps give it a try. I would consider trying Debra Mullins again, but definitely look for a different synopsis.
I really disliked this book. Pure personal reasons here. I don't like when sexual encounters happen too soon in the book, but sometimes it can work (Lisa Kleypas' Suddenly You comes to mind). In this book so much was spent right off the get go of them together but I didn't know who they were. I didn't care if they were together. There as no build up, no tension. Ok well, that can be fine, let's see what happens in the rest of the book, I thought to myself.
They come together again 5 years later. As the book progresses it just made me angry. Literally every character in the book made me angry. I have never wanted to rip out pages of a book with my teeth, but somehow me doing that to this book came to mind. I just couldn't stand the animosity between the two main characters. I get WHY it was there, but how they each handled it had me so mad. The lack of trust, just going on and on. How they handled basically every situation. I just could not like it.
I also felt like there was so much going on in this book. The couple had so many issues and really needed some time together to just build that relationship, get to know each other, let ME get to know them, build some tension, but I didn't feel it. It just seemed to jump from one thing to the next, never really giving me the solid resolution I wanted for each scenario. They just seemed to love each other one day and I didn't really feel how they got there. I was just happy to be done with this.
I can't say I don't recommend this book. You never know what you will like, and this might be it for you. If you like plenty of plot devices, enemies to lovers, a bit of mystery (though not overwhelming) then perhaps give it a try. I would consider trying Debra Mullins again, but definitely look for a different synopsis.
May 3, 2020
Not bad. It's been a while since I've rated a book 3 stars. :)
June 13, 2021
This was a really pleasant surprise! An early 2000's historical romance about Aveline our heroine whose father just lost their entire estate gambling to the black guard Lucien. Aveline agrees to spend 3 nights with Lucien to absolve her father's debt but is left forever changed from her time with Lucien. Lucien ends up betrayed and sold into slavery and can't stop thinking about Aveline until they reunite 5 years later.
This had a unique and fun beginning, a protective Rakeish hero and a shrewd and strong heroine. It was a really fun read and I enjoyed it a lot!
This had a unique and fun beginning, a protective Rakeish hero and a shrewd and strong heroine. It was a really fun read and I enjoyed it a lot!
May 29, 2020
I really wanted to give this 5 stars. I saw the premise, saw it tagged under secret baby, and knew I wanted to read it. I bought the book (a rare thing for me). Also, I really wanted to help the author out. She has a main hustle 9-5 and writing is her side gig because she loves to write, and she says in her bio she hopes she can be a fulltime writer one day. I really hope she can.
Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this novel enough to give it 5 stars, which would be rare anyways. I rarely give out 5 stars. That's not to say the book was bad; it wasn't at all. It just didn't capture my imagination, didn't have me turning page after page wondering what was going to happen (maybe only for their first three nights together). There was honestly nothing bad about the book. I couldn't give any feedback to make it better. The sex scenes were really good...probably better than most old historical romance.
I really liked Lucien and I really wish this had been a 5 star read (also for myself). I love when it's a great book.
I was confused because
Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this novel enough to give it 5 stars, which would be rare anyways. I rarely give out 5 stars. That's not to say the book was bad; it wasn't at all. It just didn't capture my imagination, didn't have me turning page after page wondering what was going to happen (maybe only for their first three nights together). There was honestly nothing bad about the book. I couldn't give any feedback to make it better. The sex scenes were really good...probably better than most old historical romance.
I really liked Lucien and I really wish this had been a 5 star read (also for myself). I love when it's a great book.
I was confused because
October 9, 2020
Audiobook: First read/listen from Debra Mullins and narrator Kitty Mule. Story was okay but thought the story moved too fast in the beginning with the bargain and intimacy. However, after listening on to the story it turned out to be an enjoyable story. Narration was not good for me but okay.
April 25, 2014
Right off the description caught my eye and I was interested in what this book might have to offer, what I got? So much better than I had hoped for!
Lucien is the acknowledged base born son of a duke, with natural talent of his own he makes his own fortune and is openly accepted into the ton through his own merits. But all great men must have flaws and his is his penchant for morning duels, and women who often lead the said morning duels. Aveline in a desperate bid to save her father strikes up a bargain with Lucien, three nights in his bed for him to withdraw from the morning duel with her father and then to forgive his debts.
During those three nights however they both unwittingly fall in love with the other. With neither one knowing how to deal with these feelings they end up quarreling and parting on bad terms. Two months later Aveline sends notice that she is pregnant and her note is intercepted by Dante, Lucien's friend, then later that night Lucien is set upon by footpads and abducted. Thought dead the ton is shocked by his appearance five years later, but no one is more shocked than Lucien when he discovers that he has a daughter.
While Lucien does marry Aveline he is still bent on revenge and convinced that her father is the one responsible for his five years of hell. Both Aveline and Lucien struggle to find a common ground in there marriage but with evidence coming to light that Lucien might still be in danger and that his theories on who to blame might be wrong, their road to happiness might be a bit rocky.
5 stars for giving me everything that I love in a romance!
Lucien is the acknowledged base born son of a duke, with natural talent of his own he makes his own fortune and is openly accepted into the ton through his own merits. But all great men must have flaws and his is his penchant for morning duels, and women who often lead the said morning duels. Aveline in a desperate bid to save her father strikes up a bargain with Lucien, three nights in his bed for him to withdraw from the morning duel with her father and then to forgive his debts.
During those three nights however they both unwittingly fall in love with the other. With neither one knowing how to deal with these feelings they end up quarreling and parting on bad terms. Two months later Aveline sends notice that she is pregnant and her note is intercepted by Dante, Lucien's friend, then later that night Lucien is set upon by footpads and abducted. Thought dead the ton is shocked by his appearance five years later, but no one is more shocked than Lucien when he discovers that he has a daughter.
While Lucien does marry Aveline he is still bent on revenge and convinced that her father is the one responsible for his five years of hell. Both Aveline and Lucien struggle to find a common ground in there marriage but with evidence coming to light that Lucien might still be in danger and that his theories on who to blame might be wrong, their road to happiness might be a bit rocky.
5 stars for giving me everything that I love in a romance!
January 12, 2021
Entertaining and engrossing story
4 stars
In order to save her gaming father from certain death, innocent Aveline Stoddard offers herself to rakish, rogue Lucien DuFeron. In return for her father's vowels, Aveline will submit to three whole nights to satisfy any of Lucien's deepest, darkest desires and passions. The nights are a revelation for them both but when they are over - Lucien vanishes.
Betrayed by someone close to him, Lucien is handed over to evil brigands and imprisoned by them. Five years later, he manages to escape back to London, determined to find the enemy responsible. Instead he finds the one woman who he has never been able to forget - Aveline. But things have changed a lot in five years and despite passions still running high between the pair, Lucien can't let go of his need for revenge. If his quest leads him to someone close to Aveline, he may destroy a love that is powerful enough to free his tormented heart.
I am a huge fan of Debra Mullins and she doesn't disappoint with this story. Lucien and Aveline are larger than life characters and you are easily drawn in to their story through their interactions. Lucien is a fantastic, tormented hero who has a heart-warming vulnerable side while Aveline is an innocent miss who is also strong and determined. There are no missish, stupid heroes or heroines in this book!
The story is primarily about Lucien and Aveline and their relationship, with the 'mystery' of who betrayed Lucien really only taking a small part. And it's not really a mystery as we are told enough, quite early on in the story to realise who is likely to be the culprit.
The sensuality and deep characterisation in the novel are typical of Debra Mullins and this book is really a page turner. While being by no means her best novel, it's still engrossing and a very good read. If I had to have one complaint, it would be that the conclusion of the mystery/betrayal plot was ever so slightly disappointing as I personally felt that the wrong people got their comeuppance at the end and some people got none at all! But this wasn't enough to ruin what is essentially a delightful, romantic story. 4 stars.
November 8, 2019
Aveline Stoddard is the daughter of a gambler who has lost most everything at the gaming tables. In an effort to keep food on the table, she sells her works of embroidery. But her father got in way over his head in a card game and called Lucien DuFeron a cheater.
Lucien is the bastard son of a duke who was raised in his father's house but wasn't entitled to anything due to the fact that his father later had a legitimate son with his wife. It was up to Lucien to make his own way. He did by making sound investments, making wagers with his best friend, Dante, and winning at the gaming tables. He was financially secure and free to do as he chose with whomever he chose. When Aveline's father called him a cheat, he called for a duel. He was one behind Dante and needed to get caught up. They weren't known as Hell's Brethren for nothing. Both were rakes and spent a lot of time with different women and in the gaming halls.
Aveline knew of Lucien's reputation and had heard of his skill with a pistol. She knew her father didn't stand a chance with a crackshot like Lucien and she made a barter that changed her life forever. It changed both of them.
After three nights together, the bargain was fulfilled, but neither of them was ready for it to end. But as things go, it had to, but maybe not like one might think.
There were some touching moments in this book, especially after Lucien came back five years after his abduction. I liked him from the very beginning, but as the story progressed, I grew to love him. He had to learn so much about love and being accepted for who he was rather than what he was and what he could offer. He really had nothing to go on other than physical satisfaction. Well, he could get that anywhere, but he couldn't get love like that from anyone other than Aveline. He had no one who'd really loved him or showed him any affection while he was growing up. He had the wealth and the education, but not much else. It was sad, but he tried. He gave it his all, even though he didn't have the first idea on how to take care of things like that. *No spoilers*
Aveline was so patient with him. She was torn between Lucien's revenge on her father when Lucien had no evidence that her father had been behind his abduction and being a wife to Lucien. But that was the mystery in the story. Who was behind Lucien's abduction? Who wanted him dead and why? The answer surprised me and it isn't revealed until the very end of the book. She is loyal to a fault to both men and it caused her so much pain and heartache at times, but she was steadfast and stayed true to her convictions. I admired her throughout the entire story.
The end made me cry. It was friendship at its best. Ultimately, this is a story about friendship, love, and devotion. Lucien was pulling at my heartstrings most of the time while Aveline had a tendency to frustrate me. It was so good, though. The plot was tight, the characters were awesome, and there was a lot of tension and steam. This is probably going to be on my list of Top Ten Favorite Books 2019.
Lucien is the bastard son of a duke who was raised in his father's house but wasn't entitled to anything due to the fact that his father later had a legitimate son with his wife. It was up to Lucien to make his own way. He did by making sound investments, making wagers with his best friend, Dante, and winning at the gaming tables. He was financially secure and free to do as he chose with whomever he chose. When Aveline's father called him a cheat, he called for a duel. He was one behind Dante and needed to get caught up. They weren't known as Hell's Brethren for nothing. Both were rakes and spent a lot of time with different women and in the gaming halls.
Aveline knew of Lucien's reputation and had heard of his skill with a pistol. She knew her father didn't stand a chance with a crackshot like Lucien and she made a barter that changed her life forever. It changed both of them.
After three nights together, the bargain was fulfilled, but neither of them was ready for it to end. But as things go, it had to, but maybe not like one might think.
There were some touching moments in this book, especially after Lucien came back five years after his abduction. I liked him from the very beginning, but as the story progressed, I grew to love him. He had to learn so much about love and being accepted for who he was rather than what he was and what he could offer. He really had nothing to go on other than physical satisfaction. Well, he could get that anywhere, but he couldn't get love like that from anyone other than Aveline. He had no one who'd really loved him or showed him any affection while he was growing up. He had the wealth and the education, but not much else. It was sad, but he tried. He gave it his all, even though he didn't have the first idea on how to take care of things like that. *No spoilers*
Aveline was so patient with him. She was torn between Lucien's revenge on her father when Lucien had no evidence that her father had been behind his abduction and being a wife to Lucien. But that was the mystery in the story. Who was behind Lucien's abduction? Who wanted him dead and why? The answer surprised me and it isn't revealed until the very end of the book. She is loyal to a fault to both men and it caused her so much pain and heartache at times, but she was steadfast and stayed true to her convictions. I admired her throughout the entire story.
The end made me cry. It was friendship at its best. Ultimately, this is a story about friendship, love, and devotion. Lucien was pulling at my heartstrings most of the time while Aveline had a tendency to frustrate me. It was so good, though. The plot was tight, the characters were awesome, and there was a lot of tension and steam. This is probably going to be on my list of Top Ten Favorite Books 2019.
Read
March 17, 2016easy to read. wanted to know what happened next. was one of those books where you can't put down
August 23, 2021
Didn't care for any of the characters...
March 16, 2017
This book isn't your typical historical romance. Some might argue that it isn't romantic at all. The hero, Lucien DuFeron, is far from honorable when we first meet him, but by the end of the book, he is a changed man. Because of the growth I saw in his character, I changed my initial opinion of this novel. There's a mystery in this romance novel, and the author doesn't give obvious clues to help you figure out who the evil villain is. In fact, I'd say she intentionally misleads her readers so she can surprise them at the end of the story. That made the ending more dramatic.
When the story begins, Lucien is preparing to duel with Lord Chestwick who accused him of cheating during a card game. Lord Chestwick's daughter, Aveline, comes to beg him to call off the duel. Lucien agrees to concede to Aveline's request and cancel the 3,000 pound debt her father's owes him if she will spend three nights in his bed.
Bribing/threatening a virgin to have sex with you isn't the best way to begin a romance. It was easy to strongly dislike Lucien for the dishonorable way he treated Aveline. However, when he returned to London, we see him marry her immediately and make a honest effort to be a good father to their child. Despite the wall around his heart, Lucien speaks openly with his wife about this lonely childhood and the lack of love shown to him growing up. I found myself sympathizing with this man that I really wanted to dislike. Once their misconceptions were cleared up, Lucien and Aveline were able to move beyond their marriage of convenience and once again enjoy physical intimacy. As I neared the end of the book, I kept hearing Celine Dion in the back of my mind.
My only complaint is the sudden switching back and forth of the lead character's point of view. Usually, if a writer switches point of view in a chapter, asterisks or some type of decorative line is inserted to let the reader know you're about to read from a different character's point of view now. Scenes were also suddenly changed without warning, and I had to stop reading and redirect my thoughts. This interrupted the flow of my reading.
When the story begins, Lucien is preparing to duel with Lord Chestwick who accused him of cheating during a card game. Lord Chestwick's daughter, Aveline, comes to beg him to call off the duel. Lucien agrees to concede to Aveline's request and cancel the 3,000 pound debt her father's owes him if she will spend three nights in his bed.
Bribing/threatening a virgin to have sex with you isn't the best way to begin a romance. It was easy to strongly dislike Lucien for the dishonorable way he treated Aveline. However, when he returned to London, we see him marry her immediately and make a honest effort to be a good father to their child. Despite the wall around his heart, Lucien speaks openly with his wife about this lonely childhood and the lack of love shown to him growing up. I found myself sympathizing with this man that I really wanted to dislike. Once their misconceptions were cleared up, Lucien and Aveline were able to move beyond their marriage of convenience and once again enjoy physical intimacy. As I neared the end of the book, I kept hearing Celine Dion in the back of my mind.
I finished crying in the instant that you left
And I can't remember when nor where no how
And I banished every memory you and I had ever made
But when you touch me like this
And you hold me like that
I just have to admit that it's all coming back to me...
There were nights of endless pleasure
It was more than all your laws allow...
But if I touch you like this
And if you kiss me like that
It was so long ago but it's all coming back to me
My only complaint is the sudden switching back and forth of the lead character's point of view. Usually, if a writer switches point of view in a chapter, asterisks or some type of decorative line is inserted to let the reader know you're about to read from a different character's point of view now. Scenes were also suddenly changed without warning, and I had to stop reading and redirect my thoughts. This interrupted the flow of my reading.
December 10, 2025
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. After several dnf's, I felt like I was in a slump. But this book immediately got my attention and kept me interested all the way to the end!
The book instantly starts out with the heroine, Aveline, arriving one dark night on the Hero, Lucien's, doorstep to barter on saving her dissolute father from a duel with Lucien after losing to him while gambling, then insulting Lucien. Lucien, who is very much a rake, wants 3 nights with Aveline in order to save her father and also pay off her father's gambling debts to him. Aveline reluctantly accepts and what follows are 3 sultry, sensual nights.
Afterwards, Lucien pushes Aveline away, breaking her heart as she has already fallen in love with him. But Lucien can't forget Aveline and wants to go to her. Before he can, however, he is abducted and pressed into service for 5 years aboard a ship of mean sailors. When Lucien finally returns 5 years later for revenge against Aveline's father, whom he thinks ordered the abduction, he realizes that Aveline has something to share with him. Lucien decides to marry Aveline, but it is a rocky marriage as he still wants revenge on Aveline's father. Plus, there is the ongoing mystery of who ordered Lucien to be abducted and now wants him gone permanently.
What I enjoyed the most about this story is that the Hero and heroine were both likeable and had good chemistry. Aveline was sweet, but also very smart and knew how to act around Lucien. Lucien started out as a rake, but came back 5 years later, more mature and, though stubborn with wanting revenge, family oriented.
At first, I was concerned Three Nights... would be an enemies to lovers book, with constant miscommunication between Aveline and Lucien. But after Lucien comes back, Aveline tells him everything, not hiding anything from Lucien and he, in turn, tells her what happened to him. Aveline is very hurt that Lucien thinks her father had him abducted and continues to want revenge on him, but instead of them being awful to one another, they are civil to one another with Aveline trying to make Lucien see someone else was trying to harm him.
There was absolutely no OM or OW drama. Unfortunately, after 3 steamy nights, there wasn't much more steam until the last 70 pages or so. However, the plot was quite engaging and the characters were a delight, including the side characters; Dante, Chloe, and even Robert. I was very impressed by this book and recommend it very much!
The book instantly starts out with the heroine, Aveline, arriving one dark night on the Hero, Lucien's, doorstep to barter on saving her dissolute father from a duel with Lucien after losing to him while gambling, then insulting Lucien. Lucien, who is very much a rake, wants 3 nights with Aveline in order to save her father and also pay off her father's gambling debts to him. Aveline reluctantly accepts and what follows are 3 sultry, sensual nights.
Afterwards, Lucien pushes Aveline away, breaking her heart as she has already fallen in love with him. But Lucien can't forget Aveline and wants to go to her. Before he can, however, he is abducted and pressed into service for 5 years aboard a ship of mean sailors. When Lucien finally returns 5 years later for revenge against Aveline's father, whom he thinks ordered the abduction, he realizes that Aveline has something to share with him. Lucien decides to marry Aveline, but it is a rocky marriage as he still wants revenge on Aveline's father. Plus, there is the ongoing mystery of who ordered Lucien to be abducted and now wants him gone permanently.
What I enjoyed the most about this story is that the Hero and heroine were both likeable and had good chemistry. Aveline was sweet, but also very smart and knew how to act around Lucien. Lucien started out as a rake, but came back 5 years later, more mature and, though stubborn with wanting revenge, family oriented.
At first, I was concerned Three Nights... would be an enemies to lovers book, with constant miscommunication between Aveline and Lucien. But after Lucien comes back, Aveline tells him everything, not hiding anything from Lucien and he, in turn, tells her what happened to him. Aveline is very hurt that Lucien thinks her father had him abducted and continues to want revenge on him, but instead of them being awful to one another, they are civil to one another with Aveline trying to make Lucien see someone else was trying to harm him.
There was absolutely no OM or OW drama. Unfortunately, after 3 steamy nights, there wasn't much more steam until the last 70 pages or so. However, the plot was quite engaging and the characters were a delight, including the side characters; Dante, Chloe, and even Robert. I was very impressed by this book and recommend it very much!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2022
Aveline and Lucien... well, first of all, there's no getting around their beginning. He basically blackmails her into sleeping with him. And she falls in love with him after 3 nights of passion. Do I need a degree in psychology to know that this is messed up? Nope.
Having said that, if you can suspend your disbelief and let go of their initial meeting , this is a fun, easy read. There's a plot against Lucien, resulting in his abduction and immediately upon his return, he does do the honorable thing and marry Aveline and start being a father to their kid. His revenge is a point of contention in their relationship because he thinks her father is the one who had himi abducted.
Having said that, if you can suspend your disbelief and let go of their initial meeting , this is a fun, easy read. There's a plot against Lucien, resulting in his abduction and immediately upon his return, he does do the honorable thing and marry Aveline and start being a father to their kid. His revenge is a point of contention in their relationship because he thinks her father is the one who had himi abducted.
December 13, 2019
This was a lovely story about two people who fall in love despite external problems.
I'd say that Lucien falls in love at first sight. And, like a rake that he is, comes up with a plan to make Aveline his mistress - that comes to bite him in the ass quite quickly. Before things can move forward between them, after the 3 nights of passion they shared, Lucien is kidnapped and almost killed. It will take him 5 years to get back to England and he's hellbent on revenge. He discovers he has a daughter and that his attraction to Aveline is just as strong. Now the two of them will have to learn to trust each other again and move past what happened 5 years ago. I really loved it - their emotions were very palpable and realistically portrayed.
I'd say that Lucien falls in love at first sight. And, like a rake that he is, comes up with a plan to make Aveline his mistress - that comes to bite him in the ass quite quickly. Before things can move forward between them, after the 3 nights of passion they shared, Lucien is kidnapped and almost killed. It will take him 5 years to get back to England and he's hellbent on revenge. He discovers he has a daughter and that his attraction to Aveline is just as strong. Now the two of them will have to learn to trust each other again and move past what happened 5 years ago. I really loved it - their emotions were very palpable and realistically portrayed.
August 5, 2022
Oh, the drama
This is my first book from the author, and I am not sure what to think of it, to be honest. On the one hand, the plot was ordinary, like it is the kind you see or read in an 80s drama or something. On another, the narration felt like listening to an old radio drama; it did not even give me a nostalgic feeling. The male voices in the narration sounded weird and funny (although I would have to commend her for the impeccable lady voices and Chloe! The cuteness surprised me!). To be fair, this author's storytelling flow is compact and smooth-sailing. No bumpy roads while listening. It just lacks the punch for me, though.
This is my first book from the author, and I am not sure what to think of it, to be honest. On the one hand, the plot was ordinary, like it is the kind you see or read in an 80s drama or something. On another, the narration felt like listening to an old radio drama; it did not even give me a nostalgic feeling. The male voices in the narration sounded weird and funny (although I would have to commend her for the impeccable lady voices and Chloe! The cuteness surprised me!). To be fair, this author's storytelling flow is compact and smooth-sailing. No bumpy roads while listening. It just lacks the punch for me, though.
May 22, 2023
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Would probably read again. He's a rake of the worst kind and she is the loving daughter of a Baron. Her father has done nothing but gamble their money away and is now in debt to others. He accused the rake of being a cheat which leads to the three nights she agreed to so she can stop a duel from happening and pay the debts owed by her father. One thing leads to another, lives are in danger and eventually all comes to light.
November 4, 2019
Very rushed initially but good in the last 2/3
I thought the romance and love was very rushed in the beginning with the whole three days of pleasure for thier bargain. However I was resentful the hero had plants of time to reform before abducted. However I loved the last 2/3 of the book and it's mystery was a side bonus. I wished for more tension is all but good read. 3.5 stars
I thought the romance and love was very rushed in the beginning with the whole three days of pleasure for thier bargain. However I was resentful the hero had plants of time to reform before abducted. However I loved the last 2/3 of the book and it's mystery was a side bonus. I wished for more tension is all but good read. 3.5 stars
January 28, 2022
A fast and easy read which had by chance all of my favourite tropes squeezed together:
- baseborn H
- secret child
- return from the death
- impoverished h struggling because of the child and the H’s abandonment
- wounded H
How could I not love it , it was my a’ la carte angst of the day!
The characters could have been better developed this is why one star fell down.
- baseborn H
- secret child
- return from the death
- impoverished h struggling because of the child and the H’s abandonment
- wounded H
How could I not love it , it was my a’ la carte angst of the day!
The characters could have been better developed this is why one star fell down.
May 25, 2021
I thought I was going to read a story that was so so. The story turned out to be adventurous romantic tiny tanks, who done it with a surprising twist. the three stars I gave it with a strong 3 stars. It had me at the beginning second guessing if I should continue or not.
February 4, 2019
Three Wishes held up well. Charming, nice pace and a lovely HEA
November 5, 2020
Enjoyable and entertaining mystery/romance.
April 26, 2021
Solid 3.5 stars. The story is good but man it takes forever to get to the villain and then it was just...over.
December 26, 2021
Good read
September 27, 2022
lol chile idek what that was but the first part was cute i admit
September 28, 2022
I really enjoyed this historic romance. Strong female characters are always the best!
October 16, 2022
Lots of arguing, sex and misunderstanding between the hero and heroine.
February 5, 2024
What a lovely adventure in historical romance! I read it from cover to cover in one sitting. Great plot, fast paced and interesting characters! Highly recommend for a great escape from life in 2024.
October 21, 2024
2.5
Loses steam about halfway through (maybe earlier) almost DNF.
Loses steam about halfway through (maybe earlier) almost DNF.
September 24, 2016
This has long been a favourite book of mine, and my favourite book by this author, although she does have some other great reads. After finishing an appalling romance previous to this one, I was in the mood for something familiar and comforting, that I knew was going to be good, and Three Nights was my pick.
What I like about this book is how darkly passionate it is, and the strength of the heroine in the face of a very strong, alpha hero bent on revenge.
There is a really good story to go along with the developing romance and emotion between Aveline and Lucien, and I just sunk into it quite happily and lost myself in a well developed, interesting romance that hits all the right spots.
A great read.
What I like about this book is how darkly passionate it is, and the strength of the heroine in the face of a very strong, alpha hero bent on revenge.
There is a really good story to go along with the developing romance and emotion between Aveline and Lucien, and I just sunk into it quite happily and lost myself in a well developed, interesting romance that hits all the right spots.
A great read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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