One Sinful Night (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: Jackson Harlow, Miss Montgomery, Vivienne Montgomery (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A talented author...O'Riley's plot twists add...freshness to the genre."

Product Description

Scandals Are Forever

At sixteen, Vivienne Montgomery was utterly unprepared for the scandal that erupted when Aidan Kavanaugh abruptly left Galway for London, abandoning Vivienne to her ruined reputation. Ten years later, Vivienne has a new life, far from those who know of her past--until she and Aidan are both invited to a weeklong house party.

Aidan Kavanaugh never forgot the magical summer he and Vivienne shared, or the betrayal he felt on finding her in another man's arms. Since leaving Ireland, Aidan has embraced his duties as Earl of Whitlock, including impending marriage to a young lady who will be the perfect wife in every way but one: she is not Vivienne....

Days and nights in close quarters quickly erode Vivienne and Aidan's reserve, leading to breathless trysts that are as passionate as they are dangerous. For others are determined to keep them apart. And if one week is not enough to undo ten years of mistrust, Vivienne will lose her reputation--and her heart--all over again...

Praise for Kaitlin O'Riley and Secrets of a Duchess "A well-written, lively romance!" --Kat Martin, New York Times bestselling author

"A talented author...O'Riley's plot twists add...freshness to the genre." --Romantic Times

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Zebra (March 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 082178093X
• ISBN-13: 978-0821780930
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #519,468 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lost love found, July 14, 2008

By	Melissa (USA) - See all my reviews

Victorian house parties are wonderful locales for romance. One Sinful Night opens with a weeklong house party that brings together lost love.

Vivienne Montgomery and Aidan Kavanaugh were deeply in love ten years earlier in Ireland. They were to marry until a terrible misunderstanding thrust them apart. Usually I do not like the big misunderstanding plot but here it works because the two were only teenagers at the time.

The two are stunned to see each other again while both attending the house party. Aidan is now the Earl of Whitlock and he has so much enmity toward Vivienne that he treats her with extreme coldness. Ditto for Vivienne, she can barely be in the same room with Aidan. They both are incredibly hurt and bitter.

Also attending the house party is Aidan's mother who is controlling and manipulative and Aidan's business rival Harlow. These two along with others who wish to keep the two leads apart, scheme throughout the novel.

Circumstances, however, throw the leads together in unusual places and their desire for each other is still as strong (and steamy) as it was when they were teenagers. Furthermore, Vivienne feels like she is still in love with the man who broke her heart all those years ago.

I liked this book immensely. It was well paced and the romance between the leads was very sweet, especially when it was told through flashbacks. I also liked that the heroine and hero make the best of situations. The only fly in the ointment was that Aidan was so blind to his mother's machinations. But this was only a minor point which never kept me from enjoying the story.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The hero is a bit of jerk, but I really like it anyway!, April 13, 2008

By	statengirl (Massachusetts, USA) - See all my reviews

Vivienne Montgomery and Aidan Cavanaugh were young and in love and engaged to be married. It was Galway, Ireland. Aidan was the wealthy son of the local lord, and Vivienne lived in a simple cottage with her grandmother, yet they were true soul mates. Then Aidan discovered Vivienne in the arms of another man and assumed the worst. He departed at once for England, never giving her a chance to explain, and leaving her publicly humiliated, emotionally devastated and firmly marked as damaged goods.

Ten tormented years later, Aidan and Vivienne meet at a weeklong country house party in England. Neither has married...and the anger, hurt, and emotional impact are still remarkably fresh. There is a definite iciness to their reunion. Aidan is now an English earl, pondering marriage to a noblewoman whom he likes but does not love. Vivienne is recently arrived from Ireland, saved from a life of poverty to live with her wealthy and titled English relations. She has grown into a vivacious, elegant and breathtakingly beautiful woman who is primed to enter the marriage mart. But it is impossible to think of finding a spouse when - despite their public indifference - all these two can think about is each other.

I really like this story. Ms. O' Riley is a very good writer and this book packs a lot of punch: an interesting storyline, good pacing, great chemistry, vibrant dialogue, a skillful build-up of sexual tension, and some fine emotion-filled scenes. Although Aidan definitely has his boorish moments, overall this is a couple that sizzles...including a frenzied, wonderful, steamy impromptu encounter in a closet. In fact, most all of their scenes together are pretty electric. Aidan's sometimes callous behavior towards Vivienne does grate a bit, but his true (tender) feelings for her are never really in doubt to the reader. And Vivienne is immensely likable - utterly feminine, yet no easy pushover - splendidly holding her own through thick and thin. I enjoyed this author's previous book (and debut novel), "Secrets of a Duchess," as well. She has a passion in her writing that truly makes her stories special.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars entertaining Victorian romance , March 6, 2008

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

In Galway, Ireland, Aidan Kavanaugh is stunned to see his beloved sixteen year old Vivienne Montgomery being hugged by Nicky Foster. Angry and upset observing the woman he planned to marry in a compromising position, Aidan leaves his hometown; Vivienne's heart is broken and her reputation ruined although she knows she is innocent and cannot understand why Nicky did what he did.

A decade later in 1870, Vivienne lives with relatives in England; hiding her past from them and everyone else. Successful shipping magnate Aidan has had a bad business week topped off when Gregory Cardwell introduces him to his cousin Vivienne. Aidan is engaged to someone else but like her still feels the attraction. Whereas Aidan refuses to act on it, Vivienne decides to take a chance on love even if she fails means her reputation will be destroyed again, but history repeats itself as he sees her compromised again.

The key to this entertaining Victorian romance is the underlying jocularity to the warm second chance at love plot. Aidan and Vivienne are superb lead characters while the villain makes Karl Rove look like a child prankster. This is my first Kaitlin O'Riley historical, but will not be my last.

Harriet Klausner