Customer Reviews

Three Nights with a Scoundrel (The Stud Club Triliogy)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I read the first book in Stub Club series and enjoyed the characters and thought the mystery surrounding the founding stud club member's death to be interesting and a good beginning to this series. Three Nights with a Scoundrel is the conclusion to this trilogy and I have to say I was fully prepared to give this book a very high rating based on the romance between the leads but when I got to the final chapters dealing with the whodunit of this series I was very disappointed.

Firstly I truly did enjoy the main characters of this story, Lily and Julian; they were both unique and passionate people. Lily's brother, Leo, was the founding member of the stud club comprised of a group of men who had ownership in a spectacular racing horse. Leo was beaten to death and his best friend Julian is devastated by the news, he carries a ton of guilt as he believes if he had been with Leo the night he died he might have prevented the beating and he also believes Leo was not the murderer's intended target by Julian, himself.

Lily is a kind gentle woman who happens to be deaf. I had forgotten about her hearing loss at first because she reads lips so well and the author does not put her into situations initially where her lip reading is difficult due to darkness etc. Lily discovers that Julian is constantly out all night at blood sport venues trying to find Leo's killers, putting himself in all kinds of dangerous situations. She is genuinely concerned for him, so much so that she agrees to look for a husband if he accompanies her to at least three nightly events, hence the title of the book.

Julian agrees to this plan but it is difficult for him, he truly wants to find Leo's killers and wonders if he will be the next victim and also he has been in love with Lily since the moment he met her years ago. Julian is complex and his past and present lives are full of secrets, which Lily could not even guess. Julian is dazzling; a favorite of the ton which is a surprise as he has no title but to say he comes from humble beginnings is putting it mildly.

These two have a lovely, lovely romance. Lily is certain of her feelings and unlike so many romance heroines she does not lie to herself or Julian about her desires and her emotions. This was so refreshing and what's more Julian is a romantic and this comes across in so many ways, he remembers everything about their first meeting, he is passionate and protective, perhaps a little too protective as he feels he is a target and Lily is endangered just being around him.

Much of this couple's angst comes from Julian's wounded soul, he feels he will never be good enough for Lily and he is driven to find Leo's killers. Lily has set the past behind her and is frustrated that Leo is unable to do so, especially when it comes to Leo's murder.

*Spoilers* Let me transition here to the end of this novel; Leo's murder was anticlimactic and the circumstances surrounding his death had characters acting, well out of character. Firstly a man, Faraday who I did not have a lot of background on,(I have not read book 2 of this series) has such a small part of the story that it is shocking the huge role he plays at the end regarding Leo's death. So basically Julian had just been wasting his time and money searching for the killers. Also I have a really really hard time believing that Leo, who hid his sexual orientation from almost everyone (even his best friend)would risk exposure to the ton and Faraday's enemies by openly trysting with Faraday on a public street. I could not imagine Faraday, a successful trained operative, would jeopardize his cover or risk blackmail by being open in his affections for Leo publicly. Finally I was surprised that Lily who was so worried about Julian's safety did not tell him about her brother's sexual orientation. Lily felt like this was not relevant but in fact it was totally relevant in Leo's death.

Overall this book has a charming couple, they have very romantic dialogue and sweet gestures. Their story was intense and Lily was a brave heroine but the final act of the murder mystery which started off this entire series was as deflated as a fallen soufflé.

The final installment of the Stud Club trilogy where Julian Bellamy may finally catch the murderer of his best friend - or better yet admit to his true feelings for his best friend's sister Lily. When the case threatens to shine light upon the ugly past of Julian Bellamy, he tries hard to deny his feelings for Lily and instead urge her to consider better men who are worthy of her hand. Will Lily heed his advice for once - or will she instead make a choice that may bring ruin to them both?

Three Nights did not tickle my fancy as its 2 predecessors. I could not really connect with the starring couple - and I don't know if my initial impression of Julian (negative) might have influenced my feelings toward him in Book 3. Lily seemed far too sweet and not feisty enough to garner much interest from me. Definitely read Three Nights if you are curious to find out the whodunit, but I would stop at Twice Tempted if it's the romance that has you hooked.

I liked the series didn't love it. I just think I am burnt out on this historical timeframe, 1800's. It is not exciting enough and the men are not manly enough for me. That all being said the 3rd book in the series does have my favorite and most likable couple of the trilogy, Julian and Lily, and I was looking forward to their romance. I think because of that romance, very sweet and genuine, I ended up enjoying this book. The mystery which started in the first book never really was that intriguing. The climax all came out of left field in the end. Sure the loose ends were tied up, but I wish they would have solved some of it through out the first 2 books instead of leaving it all until the last 50 pages. Very good Epilogue though, I like when the author comes back many years later to give a glimpse all the characters lives; how many kids they have, etc.

I've read a lot of romance novels. In fact, I've been reading them since I was 13 and didn't even know what half the stuff being described was. Regardless, I've come across a great plethora of plots, characters, schemes, and themes, and I've got to say, this has been one of the most delightful and captivating books I've ever read. I simply love, love, love the hero, Julian Bellamy. His secrets, his ethics, his heart, his love and devotion to his heroine - all so sigh-worthy. But most of all, the scenes between Lily and Julian are just wonderful. Julian is definitely the star of the book and his treatment and care for Lily along with his back-story is what cinches it for me. He's not your typical hero and she's not the typical heroine either and together, they make for a refreshing book.

I do have one quibble - the resolution to the murder of Leo Chatwick was less than satisfying. I won't spoil it as it's a major plot motivator, however, I was a little pissed at its resolution. It does not, however, detract from the romance and the relationship itself.

This is the final book of three and it is definitely, infinitely the best. Dare is definitely an author I would happily buy from in future. Her other series is also very good, especially the first two stories, GODDESS OF THE HUNT and SURRENDER A SIREN.

Well, I've just finished this book, and it really didn't turn out to be anything like I was expecting at all. In some ways it was better, but in a lot of ways it was a disappointment.

I really liked getting to know Lily better. I liked seeing her deafness while trying to live a regular life. At times it felt a little too easy for her, but enough authentic moments of confusion and fear and embarrassment were mentioned, that it didn't bother me too much. In some ways her characterization felt very thin, though. She seemed extremely well adjusted and at peace, except for a few occasions. It seemed like she was just there to be a foil to Julian. This was very much his story. He had to grow and adjust while Lily was already where she needed to be. She had no real character growth, and the lack of it was a little frustrating.

Julian was interesting and likable, but when I learned more about him I felt rather let down. I really felt that he blew his issues way out of proportion. Maybe if he was with any other girl it might have seemed more logical, but with Lily there was no doubt of their love for each other or their friendship. Really, the only conflict in their relationship was Julian himself. He had to get over himself enough to stop worshiping her and start seeing her as a partner.

I found the book pretty engaging for the first 200 pages, but after that it started to bore me a bit. I jut felt that I was reading something pointless. There was no real issue, it was just a matter of waiting for Julian to figure it out and stop lying to Lily. I really started to dislike their relationship when I figured out he would never tell her if he had a choice. The fact that Lily was so sweetly patient about most everything was disappointing too. I wanted her to push him and make him grow a pair. It was so frustrating!

The reveal about Leo was pretty obvious from the time we first saw the contents of one of the letters. The reason for his death surprised me though. I was just like Julian, I was expecting something more. I found the whole thing a bit of a let down to be honest. Maybe if certain details had been handled better? It's just hard not to feel disappointed when all you get is a surprised, "you didn't know?" from Lily. We spent three books building this up, can't we make this a bigger deal?

But even with those issues, I was all set to give it four stars until the end. I'm referring to the scene beginning when Julian and Lily are in the carriage and he makes a false assumption about their destination. When Lily corrects him it leads him to finally reveal all. I was glad that Lily blasted him for his opinion of her and her love for him, but I was pretty ticked off that she rolled over so easily. I was not nearly so forgiving as she was. I really wanted more of a reckoning there. It was just one more example of how frustrating Lily's perfect and forgiving attitude could be.

This is the first book that I have read by this Author - and I LOVED it! The emotionally handicapped hero who rose from poverty and now leads a double life, the physically handicapped heroine (deaf), the mysterious death of her brother Leo, and most of all - the smoking hot chemistry between the H/H. The ending was such a surprise and so unusual for a historical romance. I would highly recommend this book.

I won't review the book because there are some good reviews already here, but I would definitely recommend reading at least the first book in this series (One dance with a duke) before reading this one. There were things that I think would have been a bit confusing if I hadn't read it first (i.e. the backstory of the Stud Club, the death of Leo, Lily's deafness). It's definitely a page turner and the conclusion of the murder mystery isn't at all what I had thought it would be!

The back story of ther series is - four men are in a club where they own a part of horse and when one of the men die - it pushs the three unlikely men to become friends (sort-of). This is the final book of the series - Julian and Lily's story. Julian has always loved Lily but he doesn't feel worthly of her and always kept his distance. Lily loves Julian and when she finds him injured in front her home she decides to she can't loose him too. The romance and unveiling of the layers of mystery makes this my favorite of the series.

If you enjoy this genre I would suggest a few of my recent favories;

Desires of a Perfect Lady , Married by Morning (Hathaways, Book 4) and Sex and the Single Earl.

Three Nights with a Scoundrel

Reviewed by Suz (Under the Covers Book Blog)

The final installment of the Stud Club series is about the remaining bachelor of the Stud Club, Julian Belllamy and the Lady Lily. Right from the first book you can see that Julian is madly in love with his murdered friend's deaf twin sister, the only person who doesn't seem to realize is Lily herself. But, as Julian gets more obsessed with finding Leo's murderers believing that they were really after him because of his very shady past, Lily gets worried for his health and makes him promise her three nights with him where he can help her in society to find a husband.

I have enjoyed this series greatly, each book has given a great couple with completely different characters, I don't think this will ever be my favourite series but I definately liked it. And, I am glad that at last I have read Julian and Liliy's book! You know from the other two books that Julian loves Lily, and so I was pleased to see them get their HEA.

Julian, I think, would go under the tortured hero catergory, after living his childhood in the gutter and then his adulthood trying to wreak revenge on the aristocracy he doesn't feel worthy of Lily. I have to say that annoyed me a little, the whole unworthy thing, I am glad that Lily was having none of it. In fact I believe Julian was my least favourite hero in this series, for some reason he didn't capture me like Spencer and Rhys did. However, Lily, I did like she adventurous and wasn't afraid to go after Julian when she realized she loved him.

What I liked most about this book was the final discovery over who the Leo's murderer was and why he was killed! This part of the story has kept me guessing all the way through! And I didn't know the answer right up until it was revealed, which was fantastic, I love that it kept me guessing. I also liked the whys of his killing, I don't want to spoil it if you haven't read it, but I thought what happened was the best explanation.

I enjoyed this book and this trilogy and I will definitely be looking out for more books by Tessa Dare.

The third and last book in The Stud Club trilogy by bestselling author Tessa Dare is truly a breathtaking read. Tessa really knows how to shape and mold her characters so readers are entranced from the very first page. I really wish I had read the first two books in this series One Dance with a Duke and Twice Tempted by a Rogue to fully emerge myself into the story. But just the same, it was wonderful as a standalone.

Julian Bellamy is a member in the stud club which was founded by his best friend Leo Chatwick who is killed by ruffians in a most tragic way, leaving behind his sister Lily Chatwick to the whim of a cousin who will inherit since Leo never married. That is unless Julian can marry her off before said cousin arrives. What started out as a simple pledge to see his best friend's sister married turns into a disaster when he finds himself falling for her himself!

Julian has secrets that he could never divulge to Lily, a past that could ruin her if they ever took their friendship to another level and so he tries to flee town for among other reasons to give Lily a chance to find love without him hanging around, but ever since her brother's death, Julian has become her shadow, protecting her from the vicious tongues of the Ton making it impossible for Lily to survive on her own.

Lady Lily Chatwick can't remember life before having Julian Bellamy in it, it seems he has been by her brother's side through thick and thin, but now that her dear twin brother has been killed she is left floundering and the only one that can save her is Julian. But it seems Julian will need a little help in convincing himself that he is good enough for her and Lily is up for the challenge.

What follows is an intriguing read, full of twists and turns but most of all a once in a lifetime kind of passion. I adored not just the story but the characters populating the pages. Tessa Dare did a wonderful job giving Lily and Julian their quirks and kinks.