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One Week As Lovers (Huntington #3)

3.79 of 5 stars 3.79 · rating details · 527 ratings · 47 reviews

Some Pleasures, Once Tasted...

Even after finding his betrothed in the arms of another man, Nicholas, the Viscount Lancaster, knows he must wed. Propriety and the dire state of his finances decrees it. At least a visit to his country estate provides relief from playing the role of loving fiance, as well as a surprising encounter with Cynthia Merrithorpe. Once his childhood...more

ebook, 352 pages

Published August 1st 2009 by Kensington Publishing (first published July 18th 2009)

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Nov 25, 2010 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of Victorian romance and loveable, tortured heroes

Recommended to Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress by: Anne

Shelves: historical-romance, owned-copy, a-to-z-author-challenge-v, read-in-november-2010, tortured-hero, friends-to-lovers, bdsm, abused, deep-dark-secret, hero-i-loved, beta-hero, stubborn-heroine, victorian, non-virginal-historical-heroine, steadfast-hero

One Week as Lovers had the serious tone that I like in historical romance, with a tortured hero, and a heroine with enough depth to make for a satisfying read. My favorite aspect of this book, by far, was the hero. I really loved Nick. He was an incredibly sweet, loving guy, and very emotionally strong. I was impressed that he was able to survive such a horrible event in his past, and to become a relatively functional adult. He didn't turn into a hater or user like some men would have, given his...more One Week as Lovers had the serious tone that I like in historical romance, with a tortured hero, and a heroine with enough depth to make for a satisfying read. My favorite aspect of this book, by far, was the hero. I really loved Nick. He was an incredibly sweet, loving guy, and very emotionally strong. I was impressed that he was able to survive such a horrible event in his past, and to become a relatively functional adult. He didn't turn into a hater or user like some men would have, given his background, nor did he become a perpetual victim.

I thought the contrast between Nick and Cynthia was very interesting. Nick should have been the hard, distant, and emotionally unavailable one, but Cynthia was, although what Nick suffered was much worse than what Cynthia endured. At times, Cynthia skirted the unlikeable heroine abyss, and nearly teetered over the edge. I could understand her fierce desire to be in control of her life, but it seemed almost a little selfish and off-putting at times. What redeemed her from being a heroine I did not like was the way she reached out to Nick and accepted his needs and him for who he was, even though what he had gone through might have disgusted some people, although it was not his fault. I liked her pragmatism, although it did come off as abrasive at times. I respected the fact that she wasn't deluded about her shortcomings. I also liked that she came to realize what she had almost turned her back on, and called herself on her actions. If Nick wasn't the steadfast hero that I loved him for being, she might have let a great love walk out of her life for good. Another aspect I appreciated about their relationship was that Nick loved Cynthia for the sometimes grumpy and abrasive person she was. It spoke to me, because that is huge part of loving someone in the real world, accepting them for who they are, good and bad.

I thought that Ms. Dahl did a great job of showing the growing intimacy between Nick and Cynthia, and how their friendship turned into a passionate love. The love scenes are pretty steamy and have an edge because of Nick's emotional issues, but they completely fit this story, and were very well-written.

I was satisfied with Ms. Dahl's ability to convey the Victorian period and to capture the almost gothic, and darker sensibilities of Victorian-set literature. Despite the fact that the cast of characters is very small, and the locations limited, it felt very authentic in the portrayal of Victorian England, and the mores of the characters were realistic.

I think Ms. Dahl is a good writer. I'm not 100% sold on her heroines, if they are all similar to Cynthia. I don't tend to like prickly, abrasive, reckless, and stubborn heroines that much, unless I can get inside their heads and come to understand them. Fortunately, I was able to gain some understanding of Cynthia, and that went a long way towards liking her for me. But I think Victoria Dahl writes a good, readable, emotional romance, so I'd read more of her books. And Nick is definitely a candidate for my favorite heroes list!(less)

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Apr 08, 2013 Dangermousie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: aaangst, horrible-childhood-of-h-h, hurt-comfort, perfect, period-romance, reunited-lovers, romance

I. Loved. This. Book! Set in the Victorian era, Nick, our hero, is a charming, titled fortune-hunter (I'd have loved the book for that already - how often do we have a fortune hunter hero?) who discovers that the heiress he is engaged to hates him and is sleeping with another, but he cannot afford to cancel the wedding. Instead, to clear his head, he travels to his remote Yorkshire estate, one he hasn't been to since he was 15. It is there he runs into our heroine, Cynthia, his childhood friend....more I. Loved. This. Book! Set in the Victorian era, Nick, our hero, is a charming, titled fortune-hunter (I'd have loved the book for that already - how often do we have a fortune hunter hero?) who discovers that the heiress he is engaged to hates him and is sleeping with another, but he cannot afford to cancel the wedding. Instead, to clear his head, he travels to his remote Yorkshire estate, one he hasn't been to since he was 15. It is there he runs into our heroine, Cynthia, his childhood friend. Cynthia has faked suicide and hid in his empty house, in order to avoid marriage to a monster her family is trying to sell her to.

So, why did I love this book enough for it to get a separate post? It's an atmospheric Victorian that managed to keep my attention despite the stark setting and a very small cast of characters, but ultimately it's because I ended up borderline obsessed with Cynthia and Nick. Cynthia is a rare instanse of 'strong-willed and unconventional' done right - she is neither a raving lunatic nor a total bitch, the way too many romance authors tend to err, when they try to do strong willed and unconventional. She is the narrative driver of a lot of the story - it is her escape, her search for treasure, her wishes to be with Nick sexually - that drive the story. Not that Nick is a meek, put-upon hero. He is actually the main reason I love this book so. Dahl does something with a hero that I have rarely seen done in romances - under Nick's genuine charm and likeability lies a deeply broken person. But Dahl does the incredibly novel thing of giving her hero a horrific past and NOT turning him into the typical bitter/cold alpha that romance novels think goes with it. No, despite (or regardless) of his past, Nick is a genuinely nice, kind person who cares. People refer to him as 'easy' (as in easy-going and easy to please) and he views that easiness as a weakness and blames it for what happened in the past, but he never does suppress it.

In some ways, it's a gender roles reversal story - Cynthia the defiant and tough as nails, and Nick as a nice person capable of so much love.

It's just such a lovely lovely story. And it has the trope of slow healing through love (and sex) that I so adore in books, however little it might work in real life.

Plus, for once, a hero in debt in a period romance does something someone should have done 5000 books ago - he gets a job!!!! Bloody freaking finally.(less)

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Mar 24, 2013 Elis Madison rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: a-bit-of-mystery, adventure-and-danger, bad-guys-galore, character-development, distorted-self-image, era-victorian, fresh-quirks, hero-damaged, mean-people

Nick Lancaster, the impoverished viscount who helps the H/h in ARGTP, has finally found himself a fortune to marry. Unfortunately, the lady doesn’t like him—and he discovers that she does like her father’s man of business. Rather a lot.

And the worst of it is, he's going to have to put up with it. Without that money, his family is going to do a rather rapid swirl down the proverbial crapper. Nick’s having a tough time keeping up his trademark cheerful façade. When a letter arrives from the house...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I finished this book last Monday, and I think I've decided that I liked it, but I had to overcome some reservations in order to reach that conclusion. I do recommend it as an interesting and somewhat edgy romance novel (that's an unusual word combination right there... when was the last time 'edgy' was associated with the romance genre?), but it's fairly intense and probably wouldn't suit everyone. I enjoy it when romance authors push the envelope with their characters and give them real problem...more

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May 26, 2011 chanceofbooks rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-keepers, 2011-read

Originally shared at Cloudy with a Chance of Books-- http://www.chanceofbooks.com

This book purchase was brought to you by social media. Victoria Dahl tweeted a link to Daisy Harris's blog where she discussed common tropes used to up the sexy factor. This book was mentioned as an excellent example of the "kink as therapy" trope. Ding! My finger was on the "buy" button on my nook before I even finished reading the blog. And, as an added bonus, I now have a name for one of my most favorite tropes....more Originally shared at Cloudy with a Chance of Books-- http://www.chanceofbooks.com

This book purchase was brought to you by social media. Victoria Dahl tweeted a link to Daisy Harris's blog where she discussed common tropes used to up the sexy factor. This book was mentioned as an excellent example of the "kink as therapy" trope. Ding! My finger was on the "buy" button on my nook before I even finished reading the blog. And, as an added bonus, I now have a name for one of my most favorite tropes. Because I absolutely love dark and tortured characters, especially heroes, and dark and tortured characters who have to work it out in the bedroom? When done right, it's a ticket straight to my keeper shelf. When done poorly, it's so disappointing--like watching a good team fail to make the playoffs. Here, thankfully, it's done really, really well, in combination with several other tropes I love, including childhood friends-to-lovers.

Cynthia and Nick grew up in the same small village (yay! We're not in London!) But, now Nick is a charming Viscount on the verge of marrying a heiress who wants nothing to do with him. And Cynthia's family has also fallen on very hard times, and she's had to come up with her own creative solution to her troubles. Nick and Cynthia reminded me a lot of the dynamic in Loretta Chase's Last Night's Scandal. I liked that book tremendously, but I like this one even more as Nick has this dark edge that Lisle just doesn't. But, there's great banter between two contemporaries, and there's the hero being dragged along on reckless adventures, including treasure hunting.

Cynthia is far more free-spirited than the times probably allowed, including being way more blase about sex than a proper, single regency heroine usually is. If you want strict historical accuracy in your regencies, this book might not be for you. Which would be a darn shame because it's just so much fun. I want to believe that there were women with Cynthia's pluck and spirit roaming about the British countryside. For everything good and light that Cynthia brings, Nick has a dark cloud chasing him due to an incident that happened in his early teens.

Nick is a DARK hero in a charming disguise-- his backstory is somewhat similar to that in Liz Carlyle's Never Deceive a Duke and Kresley Cole's Demon After Dark. I love dark and tortured heroes, but these heroes are all literally tortured--terrible things happened to them against their will. And for some readers, I think that level of darkness is a bit much or simply not something they wish to think about. For me, I love watching this type of hero triumph over his demons and find a way to true happiness. Because this book is otherwise so light and fun, Nick's darkness is greatly muted, but he's still the driving force of the book.

He's what made this a five star read for me--dark and tortured, blonde, genuinely nice person with strong moral code, outside the box thinker, and not afraid to let his heroine lead. Without revealing too much, I loved how the treasure hunt ultimately worked out and the decisions Nick made. I didn't neccessarily agree with one action he took towards the end of the book, but I certainly understood where he was coming from, and it let him truly let go of the past and protect his woman in a single action. Oh and the whole "kink as therapy" thing? Totally worked too. (It's a mild kink--if you read Elizabeth Hoyt, Jennifer Haymore, Liz Carlyle etc, you won't be too shocked and should enjoy the wicked little edge it gives this otherwise sweet tale). (less)

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Aug 07, 2009 Jocelyn Zombie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, regency-era

Dahl is fantastic, and though I love all her books, I love her historicals best because while they have a sense of humor, they take themselves seriously and don't shy away from darker emotions, vivid emotional and sexual scenes, and societal truths, and she does not take the easy way out re: plot resolution. This one is no exception. I'll be rereading repeatedly.

The best thing about Dahl's books is always her characterization. Her prose is lovely and stripped-down, no wasted words. Her plot stru...more Dahl is fantastic, and though I love all her books, I love her historicals best because while they have a sense of humor, they take themselves seriously and don't shy away from darker emotions, vivid emotional and sexual scenes, and societal truths, and she does not take the easy way out re: plot resolution. This one is no exception. I'll be rereading repeatedly.

The best thing about Dahl's books is always her characterization. Her prose is lovely and stripped-down, no wasted words. Her plot structures and themes are a little flimsy sometimes (not a big problem for me). But the characters are so well drawn and she lets you into their heads and hearts so slowly over time that by the end of this novel, your heart will be breaking over Lancaster because you identify and because you adore him. You'll be cheering for and railing against Cynthia for her strength and her ability to stand on her own. It's clear as day why these characters are vital to each other's happiness.

The plot: Right before his wedding, right after finding out his fiancee doesn't want or like him, the charming and good-natured fortune-hunter Viscount Lancaster learns that his childhood best friend has killed herself. Lancaster returns to his childhood home, partly to mourn, mostly to get away from his fiancee and from society, which expects him to always be accommodating and smooth, especially right before his wedding. Keeping up his charm is wearing, especially in the face of what promises to be a disaster of a marriage. Cynthia, our heroine, is not pleased that he's returned: she faked her own death to avoid a disastrous marriage of her own and is hiding in his house.

I think one of the reasons I love this book is because of the gender switch of many of the personality characteristics found in traditional romances. The happy-go-lucky easy and relaxed one is the man, the stubborn sexual aggressor is the woman, she always drives the plot forward, he's generally reacting, and it always feels natural. I love that one of the themes is the danger of being too agreeable (another subject rarely touched on in romancelandia).

This one hasn't edged out "A Rake's Guide" as my favorite Dahl romance, but it runs a close second.(less)

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May 04, 2011 Sarah Eiseman rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was the continuation of the story of Nicholas, the Viscount Lancaster. When we meet up with him in this novel he’s just found out that his fiance is having an affair with another man (not the same social level as Nick, but obviously someone she’s more attracted to that him). So when he receives word that a childhood friend has died, he packs it in and heads back to his hometown to pay his respects. Little does he know that Miss Cynthia Merrithorpe has turned into quite something in the...more

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Aug 23, 2012 Joy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Cynthia Merrithorpe has loved Nicholas, the Viscount Lancaster since they were children.

(view spoiler)...more

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Jul 12, 2010 Anne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: trashy-romance-novel, read-in-2010

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. One Week as Lovers really managed to surprise me. First of all, I hatehatehate tortured heroes. I'm probably in the minority, but I don't care. Horror stories about damaged men don't get my juices flowing...sue me. Anyway, I'm pretty sure that Nick (Viscount Lancaster) would be considered a tortured hero. He has certain issues about being touched during sex, because when he was a young man he was raped by this awful monster, Richmond.We are led to believe he tried to commit suicide because of it...more One Week as Lovers really managed to surprise me. First of all, I hatehatehate tortured heroes. I'm probably in the minority, but I don't care. Horror stories about damaged men don't get my juices flowing...sue me. Anyway, I'm pretty sure that Nick (Viscount Lancaster) would be considered a tortured hero. He has certain issues about being touched during sex, because when he was a young man he was raped by this awful monster, Richmond.We are led to believe he tried to commit suicide because of it. This is where the first surprise came in. I really enjoyed the story. Normally, I don't want to read about this stuff in my romance novel. Not because I'm a truly heartless person, but because I read these silly things to escape, not to be reminded that there are horrible people out there just waiting to pounce on my children. However, Dahl managed to write about this subject in a way that kept me interested without totally turning my stomach sour. Maybe it was because so many of the romance writers depict male victims of rape as abusive, distant, and cold (not to say that isn't what happens in some cases), whereas Dahl made Nick a kind and generous person. At any rate, whatever she did worked for me.
I also loved Cynthia. She was spunky, funny, sexy, and she had been in love with Nick since they were children together. Her bastard step-father tried to force her to marry Richmond (yes, the same asshole who raped Nick) just to pay off his gambling debts. Here was the second surprise for me. Cyn doesn't just lay down and take it. She can tell that something is veryveryvery wrong with this guy, and she knows she will end up dead if she marries him. So what does she do? She fakes her own death. I immediately liked this girl.
Cyn and Nick are thrown back together when hears of her 'death' and decides to return to his boyhood home to pay his respects to her family. Also, he recently walked in on his fiancee doing the nasty with some other guy, so now seems like a good time to take a vacation. Poor guy, even though he doesn't love his fiancee, he still has to marry her because she is an heiress, and his family is in desperate need of the funds.
Unfortunately, Cyn has been using his home as her hideout...stay with me here...while she searches for this lost treasure that she read about in one of her old relative's diary. Ok. Yeah, that part was kinda cheesy. But I was still rooting for those two crazy kids to find it! If they just had the treasure then all of their problems would be solved, right? Cyn could pay off her step-father's debt, and Nick could afford to marry her and not the skanky heiress! Yay!
Alas, it was not to be. Oh, they found the treasure all right. But it wasn't nearly enough to help either one of them. Awwwww. So sad.
And here was where I was in for my final surprise. I feel I'm getting fairly well-versed in romance novels at this point, so I've heard the we-can't-marry-for-financial-reasons story line before. Usually, at the end of the book, the money falls out of the sky like manna from heaven. An old (but wealthy) uncle croaks and leaves his fortune to the impoverished (but titled) hero. Thereby affording him the chance to marry his true love. Or something of that nature. Like I said, Dahl surprised me. Viscount Lancaster did something that I have never seen before in a historical romance...he got a job! Alright, it wasn't like he decided to be a street sweeper, but I was still shocked. He called in a favor from the Duke of Somerhart (who some of you may remember from A Rake's Guide To Pleasure), and went to work for the duke's company.
See? Now, that was a happy ending. Why? 'Cause ya gotta love a man who can hold down a job.(less)

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May 22, 2012 Brenda Margriet rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another enjoyable read from VD. Thought Nicholas (or Lancaster) was very complex character, with plenty of reason to be so. Cynthia is more of a loon, but very likable.

Nicholas must wed rich to improve his family's fortunes. Cynthia was being forced to marry a psycho, so she fakes her own death. They were childhood friends, so when Nicholas finds out about her death he comes home to offer his sympathies. They are misplaced, however, as her stepfather is simply angry she killed herself instead of...more

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Aug 19, 2011 Kelli rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: alpha-hero, evil-villain, friend-to-lover, hero-abused, hero-revenge, hero-with-secret, heroine-abused-mistreated, for-the-good-of-the-family, back-from-the-dead, treasure-hunt, hold-me-down-tie-me-up, duel-or-challenge, perverted-or-twisted-suitor, made-my-heart-ache

I brought this book on a whim as it was selling cheaply on Amazon, I didn't expect too much from it, and just picked out out of my to read pile at random, but I am soooo pleased I did, I loved this book, I don't know if it's because I was expecting so little, or if I was in a particularly good frame of mind when I was reading it, but oh How I loved this book!!!

It wasn't until I've come to review the book I even realised it was part of a series - me being me of course ive started at number 3, but...more I brought this book on a whim as it was selling cheaply on Amazon, I didn't expect too much from it, and just picked out out of my to read pile at random, but I am soooo pleased I did, I loved this book, I don't know if it's because I was expecting so little, or if I was in a particularly good frame of mind when I was reading it, but oh How I loved this book!!!

It wasn't until I've come to review the book I even realised it was part of a series - me being me of course ive started at number 3, but it made no difference to the book.

The story was beautiful - childhood best friends seperated as children by a horrific act that the heroine knows nothing about, leaving her broken hearted that the love of her younmg life has deserted her and leaving the Hero to start afresh in London with his family, never quite the same as he was when he left. -The pasts of the hero and the heroine come back to haunt them in so many different ways, both desperate to move on but neither sure just how to do that, until they are reunited as adults, brought back together by a series of events that no one would guess.

Their reunion finally leads to them both opening up, just a little at first, making the other fully aware that although they are now all grown up - the children they once were are still inside them, as is the friendship they had so many years before, when things were so simple. The adults they have grown into have anything but simple lives!

Im saying no more and im not going into the plot fully - Yes it is ( As almost all romance novels are ) written to a well known formula... but this books goes beyond the normal formula and makes itself much more!

This book gave me cold shivers and I only wish it could have been twice as long as it was, I didn't want the story to end, I wanted to know more and more about this couple and how they carried on through life, with the possibility of the past finally no longer taunting them I was left so sure that they would be happy together and that things given more time will only get better between them.

(less)

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Aug 11, 2009 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2009

This one is definitely going into my Top 10 So Far list.

I admit, it's my first foray into historical romance in at least a decade. I was inspired to pick it up by a review from the Book Smugglers blog, and I am so grateful.

(MINOR SPOILERS)

It was beautifully written, and had a sweet and satisfying love story that, while ending with the promise of an HEA, didn't tie it up in a neat little bow. They had to work for it.

I'll also admit to a weakness for damaged heroes (as my best friend, who's rea...more

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Sep 18, 2010 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, romance, period

My first historical by Dahl and I definitely enjoyed it. This is not a straight-up bodice ripper. There are serious themes above and beyond the usual impoverished nobility or headstrong young noble girl (though that is also included). It also deals with abuse and the long-standing psychological trauma that results from it, not something commonly found in historical romances. But it was well-done. I appreciate that in many of Dahl's books, her characters are well-rounded and have considerable dep...more

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Oct 09, 2009 TheBookSmugglers rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Full Review Link

One Week as Lovers is the love story between two childhood friends, Nicholas, Viscount Lancaster and Cynthia, the girl next door. Cynthia has loved Nicholas forever but once the boy turned 15 his family moved to London and they haven’t seen each other in ages. Until Lancaster receives the news that Cynthia has died and he travels back. Cynthia of course, is not dead. She faked her suicide so that she could avoid getting married to the most awful man in existence (Richmond is his...more Full Review Link

One Week as Lovers is the love story between two childhood friends, Nicholas, Viscount Lancaster and Cynthia, the girl next door. Cynthia has loved Nicholas forever but once the boy turned 15 his family moved to London and they haven’t seen each other in ages. Until Lancaster receives the news that Cynthia has died and he travels back. Cynthia of course, is not dead. She faked her suicide so that she could avoid getting married to the most awful man in existence (Richmond is his name , one that we do not want to repeat in this review.) – because her family is in serious debt and she is basically being sold to “that man”. Cynthia plans to hide (in Lancaster’s estate with the help of his housekeeper) until she finds her ancestor’s buried treasure (no, really) to buy her ticket to America.

When Lancaster comes back she hides in the attic and tries to send him away by pretending to be a ghost (which was hugely amusing) but he soon finds out the truth and his joy at her being alive is unbelievable. They quickly become friends again and of course, you know what happens next: they fall in love. Easily and smoothly.

But there is a catch: Lancaster is also poor. He needs to marry money and quick. His family depends on him and he already has a fiancée waiting for him to get married in a few weeks. This is cause for angst for the lovers and it is a real predicament with no easy way out.
On top of that, and the most important thing of all: Lancaster is damaged. Like, REALLY damaged. Traumatised by an event that took place when he was merely 15 (and why he went away and never came back) and caused a scar around his neck. I am not talking about a hero with say, “daddy issues” or a rake bored with life. Lancaster is severely injured down to the soul and once I learnt why and how he got the scars (the physical one and the emotional one), later in the book, I cried. It is serious stuff , dark and horrible, and it makes it even harder because Nick is just an amazing, adorable hero. Beta to the bone , easygoing; there is an early sequence when Cynthia muses about something Nick’s mother told her that everybody loved Nick because he was born with a gift to put people at ease and fill a room with joy. A joy that unfortunately, he is unable to feel. He must keep up the charade of being easygoing as to not let anyone discover what is really inside of him. And with Cyn, there is the beginning of healing.

She is a worthy heroine for Nick, who understand his problems and is able and willing to help. Her heart is as huge as his and you know, for once a cover manages to capture the essence of a couple – the embrace of the couple above is completely accurate – this is Nick and Cyn and please note, her smile: it’s like being at home. And you know, sometimes, it is easy to forget to root for a couple to the together when it comes to romance because we all know that the HEA is always going to be there in the end anyways but in One Week as Lovers, I was completely engrossed by this couple and I wanted them to be together so every much.

But even if their love is easy, their lives aren’t – and I was also appreciative of that fact that there is no miraculous ending for these two. The money problem is a real one and not easily fixed. And Nick is not entirely healed by the end of the book. Both problems will take time and that’s one of the reasons why One Week as Lovers is so good. But don’t get me wrong – this is not a doom and gloom book. It has serious issues and a dark streak but also light and humorous moments and dear lord, the sex scenes are both excellent and meaningful.

This is the book I have always known Victoria Dahl could write. I am a fan, a huge fan of both her historical and contemporary novels but in most of them, if not all there was a secondary plot that detracted from the romance. There is nothing like this in One Week as Lovers, as the attention is wholly invested in the two main characters and for that I am greatly grateful: because Lancaster is a character, a hero that deserves attention, your attention and anything you can give him.

He has captured my eye when he first appeared in A Rake’s Guide to Pleasure and he had a scar around his neck and I waited with anxiety for his story. And now, after One Week as Lovers, he has captured my heart.(less)

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Nov 26, 2009 Tam Herra rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am not a fan of period romances so that accounts for my rating being so low. I do like Victoria Dahl though, which is why I read this book while eager awaiting January and the release of "Lead me on".

I do like Dahl's characters and she doesn't disappoint, even if this was a historical romance. The characters are complex and likable. But other than that I have no insight on whether this is a good book or not because I have little to compare it to in this genre.

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Jun 17, 2010 Samantha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, ebook-own

Second book I've read by Dahl and she has yet to disappoint. I love, love, loved Cynthia's sense of humor and practicality with Nick's golden-boy charm mixed with a genuine heart of gold, excuse the expression. And while I liked this one more than A Rake's Guide to Pleasure, each was brought something different to the table. Definitely recommended for those who like well-written historical romances. ;)

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Sep 16, 2009 Amanda Westmont rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another good Dahl historical. Dahl tends to favor sex scenes with light bondage in them and that only bothered me because of the back story - the idea that previous sexual abuse caused/forgave that particular fetish. I guess in my mind, it wasn't nearly kinky enough to need to be explained. Some dudes just dig that.

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Sep 20, 2012 Mindy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Great story and continuation of characters from other books in the series. Victoria Dahl is becoming a favorite author of mine. Story line is divergent and unpredictable, romance is sigh worthy, Ending is perfect for the characters, author deals with abuse in positive and realistic way. Hopeful story.

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Jul 23, 2012 Nancy Herkness rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another fabulous book by Victoria Dahl. I love her characters with their dark pasts that they find ways to transcend. Both Cyn and Nick are strong people who have a great deal to overcome. The love scenes are intense, but even better are their conversations. Ms. Dahl is an amazing writer.

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Jan 25, 2011 Cheryl Tollestrup rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed this book very much! The characters were very passionate, complex, sensual, and likable! I could not put it down. The plot was interesting with all its twists and turns. It is the kind of historical romance novel I thrive on! Thank you Victoria Dahl for writing a wonderful story!

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Jan 05, 2013 Spanglemaker9 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: period-romance

I liked this more than I thought I would. The characterizations were quite good. Cynthia was a well-written and fun heroine. Nick's past trauma and subsequent hang-ups felt a bit tacked on and unnecessary. There was plenty going on in the story without it. But it didn't kill the book.

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Mar 28, 2010 Cherise rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

Had some seriously dark and disturning moments and I was not expecting that. Overall I enjoyed both the hero and the heroine and there were some very sexy and very funny scenes with the two of them. Not sure why I didn't LOVE it... I think mostly it seemed all over the map to me.

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Oct 29, 2011 Suzie Quint rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance-historical

I like Victoria Dahl's contemporary romances, so I thought I'd try one of her historicals. Most everyone seems really keen on this, but for me, it was just okay. I think I never really caught the sparks between these two characters.

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Aug 05, 2010 Ruth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: series, historical-romance, regency-victorian, bad-boy-badass-s-o-b-rake-hero, butt-kickin-spitfire-heroine, all-time-favorites, steamy-dirty-smut

I LOVED this one. The heroine is straightforward, independent and earthy (some of her quips are priceless) and shows a whimsical confidence in herself and her plans. I also love that the hero's tragic past - I don't want to write a spoiler review and explain - is a central part of both the plot and also the romance, but is really well-handled. It's not dismissed in a chapter, nor overwhelming in an icky way (this IS a romance after all), but handled with courage and respect. Great story, well-wr...more

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Oct 10, 2010 Jess rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: z_10, romance

Bit of a bummer. I like my romance heroes with less baggage, which possibly makes me a crappy person, but come on, romances shouldn't be downers.

Yep. Feel bit evil right now.

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Mar 23, 2012 Vicki rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Great book, I hated to see the series end and I hope there will be more books continuing on with the lives of all the characters.

After reading each book I would think that was my favorite but Nick & Cyn's story was my favorite. I was so pulled in by Nick's story. Would love a follow up to see where their lives have gone.

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Sep 28, 2009 Wicked Incognito Now rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I love that this story wasn't solved the easy (predictable) way that most romance novels favor.

Dahl continues to be fresh with prose that just trot along beautifully.

1 like · like · see review

Sep 16, 2010 Portia Costa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A fantastic read, sexy but also poignant, with a slightly different type of storyline and an unusual hero. He's strong and tormented but not an alpha jerk. Bravo!

He's also blond, which I'm into at the moment. :)

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Dec 18, 2011 Karen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Usually, I have no complaint about the covers or titles of romances. Ever. But the title made no connection with the story to me.

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Feb 04, 2010 Kindaangelic rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I felt sorry for Nick and wanted to hurry thru the book to the happy ending....aww...lol Great series for the historical lover *very hot* lol

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About Victoria Dahl

I have my mother to thank for my passion for writing. My mom is an avid reader of popular fiction, and I began reading highly inappropriate books around the age of eleven, I think. (Thanks, Mom, for always leaving those delicious books strewn about!)

To Tempt a Scotsman, a Golden Heart winning historical, was my first published book. Here I am signing the cover! A Rake's Guide to Pleasure (which w...more

More about Victoria Dahl...

Books by Victoria Dahl

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