Three Nights with a Scoundrel
2 Stars

Tessa Dare's writing is usually very engaging and I did enjoy the first book in this series. Nevertheless, the 2nd and 3rd installments are very disappointing.

Despite having all of the ingredients for a wonderful romance - a tortured hero concealing his true identity, a disabled heroine with a backbone of steel, and an intriguing mystery none of these elements manage to coalesce into a coherent and appealing story.

Lily and Julian's relationship is a total mess. To begin with, Julian is not portrayed in a good light as his original goal was to seduce Lily as he does with the other women of the ton out of a misplaced desire for revenge on his father. Lily is far too sweet and loving for my tastes and verges on "Mary Sue-ness". Moreover, they have absolutely no chemistry whatsoever. In fact, their interactions are shudderingly awkward and painful to read. The inclusion of a loquacious parrot during some of the scenes only adds insult to injury.

The mystery surrounding the death of Lily's twin, Leo, completely fizzles. Dare ignores the foundation established in books #1 and #2 and takes the case in a completely new direction that ignores all previous plot threads. The ultimate explanation is disappointing, unsatisfying, and
the underlying political message falls flat on its face.

In sum, this book and the series as a whole are not good examples of Dare's work. I recommend giving it a pass and reading the Spindle Cove books instead.

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I adored this book. Loved Julian's double life, love how he loved Lucy, loved Lucy as a character, just really got caught up in their story. One of my favourite Tessa Dare books. ( )

Not a favorite for me. I just didn't connect with Lady Lily or Julian Bellamy. This book resolves the lingering issues from the murder of Leo Chatwick. His best friend was Julian Bellamy, his devoted twin sister was Lady Lily. After his death, their relationship has to change, but which way? To intimacy and marriage? Or to separate lives?

Lady Lily, deaf due to illness, had relied on her brother for social assistance, now she turns to Julian to fill the gap. But Julian has other goals and motives and Lily's needs get in the way.

Spoiler alert:









The plot picks up dramatically when Julian is shown to be living a double life, literally, one side he's Julian Bellamy who goes to ton parties and lives the life of a gentleman, the other side he's James Bell, apparently a clerk in change of Aegis Investments. Even later, we learn more about Leo and his mysterious lover. ( )

I deduced the murder motive early on, but it didn't ruin the rest of the story at all. This was my least favorite of the three, but definitely worth reading for all the loose ends it tied up ( )

Like all Tessa Dare series novels, this 3rd installment can be read as a standalone. It was my favorite of the Stud Club series. The heroine is deaf and the romantic relationship is equally respectful and steamy. I highly recommended this one to lovers of historical romance or readers looking for diverse characters. ( )