Three Nights... [Mass Market Paperback]

Aveline Stoddard is desperate to keep her father from a dual in which he will surely die. Taking it upon herself she approaches Lucien DuFeron who just so happens to hold her fathers vowels. Hoping to talk this well-known rake from the dueling field Aveline takes the only options she has and accepts this rakes compromise. Three nights in his bed and he will overlook the gambling debt of her father. Aveline agrees albeit reluctantly as she knows that she will face utter ruin if anyone should find out what she has done. But she loves her clueless father and will do what she can to keep him alive. After all it's only three nights...not a lifetime. Or so she thinks.

Lucien can't believe how attracted he is to the prim Ms. Stoddard. She is a fiery lady and awakens feeling in him that he would rather forget he has. After the end of their agreement they separate with angry words between them. Lucien can't get her out of his mind. Going to London seems to be the only answer to escaping the memories he created with Aveline at his country home. When he is set upon by brigands he has no idea who wants to cause him harm and when he awakes on board a ship he knows that he must survive in order to gain his revenge. Thoughts of Aveline help him do this. But, when he returns to Cornwall he finds out that he left a little bit more behind. Those three nights produced his daughter Chloe. Now he finds Aveline even more beautiful and attractive than he had five years earlier and although his gut burns for revenge he can't and won't walk away from the one person that has haunted his dreams. But, will he be able to seek his revenge even though it might cost him more than he ever dreamed?

The problem with this read was predictability. Otherwise Ms. Mullins has really created some fine characters (saving grace of the read really) that the reader will find totally captivating. Lucien is really a larger than life hero and to be fair one that will stick in the readers mind long after the book is over. The attraction between Lucien and Aveline is potent and they read well together. Sadly there are really no surprises with this read, hence the predictability issue. Ms. Mullins is a very talented author and one that I would not overlook but instead would highly recommend. This read should not be avoided but the reader should be aware that what you see is basically what you get.