Two Weeks With a Stranger

by Debra Mullins

Wedded and bedded, Lucy is devastated when she's abandoned by her new husband the very next day. Though it was a marriage of convenience, their heated wedding night gave her hope that it would turn into something more. But she refuses to be the demure bride left behind on a country estate while the stranger she married goes gallivanting about London—even if she has to create a scandal of her own. Simon, the Earl of Devingham, would prefer his exquisite young bride remain at home where he left her. Instead, she follows him to London . . . seducing him with her fiery kisses, enchanting him with her scorching touches, and awakening in him an insatiable hunger. His duty to the Crown demands that he remain in town, but Lucy has entered a most perilous game—and she will not forfeit without Simon's total surrender.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Regency, Audiobook, Espionage, Fiction

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 30, 2007

About the author

(from website)I hate writing bios. They always seem so cut and dried. But you came to my website to learn more about me, so here goes.

I’m the oldest of four sisters, and we are full-blooded Irish on our father’s side. Oh, and our house had one bathroom. If you have any questions about where I got my flair for drama, just imagine that scenario on a Saturday night when four teen-aged girls need to get ready for their dates all at the same time.

‘Nuff said.

So, I am the writer in the family, though I always had a secret dream to be a torch singer. You know, like Michelle Pfeiffer in The Fabulous Baker Boys. My voice is OK, but the only place I feel comfortable singing is in the shower, so that was out. Besides, my sister Kate would kill me. She’s the singer in the family. Seriously, she sang at Carnegie Hall once (yeah, as part of a choir and with the orchestra and a bunch of other people, but Carnegie Hall! How many people can say that and be telling the truth?)

Anyway, I settled on writer and left the singing to Kate. My other two sisters are both artists, and no, they don’t have anything in the Louvre, but my sister Christine paints her house constantly, always changing the décor in her kids’ rooms. So you see? Creative impetus will out, and there’s no stopping it. Better to just give in and have the chocolate standing by for those moments of Artistic Frustration.

After giving up my torch singer aspirations (but before I fully accepted that I am A Writer) I gave serious thought to a practical career. The term “starving artist” was not conceived out of whimsy, you know, and I did have a fondness for food and shelter. So, soon after high school, I considered a career as a simultaneous interpreter for the UN.

I heard you giggle. Yes, I did. So let me clarify by adding that I have a gift for languages and had already taken several years of Spanish, French and Italian by the time I graduated high school, AND I had done the exchange thing in France, where I lived for a summer with a family, speaking nothing but French. So there.

Ahem. Anyway, in order to be a simultaneous interpreter, you need to know five languages. I had four under my belt (since I do know grammar and punctuation, I consider English the fourth language). I just had to learn one more language.

But that never happened. I chose True Love over College, then got married and started a family young.

Yes, you can laugh now.

Anyway, years pass. I gave in to my natural tendency to be a storyteller and started working on the one thing I had ever finished—a hand-written, 100 page “novel” about a Spanish pirate that I had completed in junior high. As an adult, I still felt there was a story there. That novel evolved into my first published work, ONCE A MISTRESS (Written in English, though my pirate does say cool Spanish words like mi amor and mi querida. Sigh. Swoon!) In 1996, ONCE A MISTRESS was a finalist in the prestigious Golden Heart competition run by Romance Writers of America. Two years later—OK, on January 26, 1998 at 4:06PM—Avon Books called and offered to publish my opus.

So there you go. I’ve written eight more books since then, often utilizing my knowledge of other languages for flavor. I visited the old West with DONOVAN’S BED and THE LAWMAN’S SURRENDER. (Oh, and DONOVAN’S BED was a finalist for RWA’s RITA Award for Best Short Historical in 2001, which is like an Oscar nomination in the land of romance writing. How cool is that?) Then I visited the Regency era. I won the NJ Romance Writers Golden Leaf Award for Best Historical (2003) with A NECESSARY BRIDE. In 2005, THREE NIGHTS… was nominated for Best Historical Romance in competition for Virginia Romance Writers’ prestigious Holt Medallion.

All of my Regency historicals have been optioned as featured selections by Doubleday Book Club and Rhapsody Book Club. My books have also been translated into Hungarian, Russian, and Portuguese f

Reviews

[Debbie DiFiore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book but.

I couldn't get over the premise that he was going to sleep with that woman even though he loved his wife. Did he kiss her? Touch her? It never said but he smelled of her perfume so they had to have come into contact with each other. I don't think he did but I really wish it had said so. Other than that big spoiler I enjoyed the book very much. I liked the other characters as well and I couldn't go to sleep until I finished it. I took one star away because of the other woman and even if it was his job as a spy to do it I just couldn't buy into it. His poor wife suffered all the gossip and rumours and it just made me mad. I hated that premise. I will read another of her books though. It kept me intrigued and it was written well in my opinion. I just hope he never touched her or anything. Please.

[Barbara ★ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lord Simon marries a simple country girl (Lucy) and leaves for London the next day intent on his spying duties. Lucy hears rumors of infidelity, rushes off to London to confront Simon and proceeds to seduce Simon back to her bed. The adventure continues from there...use your imagination.

I understand the Englishmen's duty to his country but adultery really is taking your loyalty too far. There is absolutely no reason Simon couldn't tell his wife what was going on, after all, she was not involved in Isabella's hijinx. Of course, I realize that that would have ruined the storyline, but still, men are stupid. Simon's actions are irritating and insulting to all women but as a storyline, I guess it does its job.

I wonder if John Foxworth will have his own book. I really liked him. His tortured past would make a good story.

[nicole! · Rating 4 out of 5]

also for bookclub....so cannot spoil thoughts 👀

[Cam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it in one night! Loved it =) Usually I dislike regency novels where the heroine has to 'win back' her husband because really, he's already her husband and I wouldn't want someone who didn't want me. However, the novel started off hot and boy did it get hotter, for a man who is supposedly more of an intellectual than a charming rake he sure has moves (that greenhouse scene...*fans self*).

I also adored Gin and the secondary romance with John Foxworth. Wonderful read =)

[Leandra Azer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. This was a good story. I liked both the H and h. Neither pissed me off though the H irritated me with his 'bed another woman for ENGLAND!' and I never would have as much patience as the h to keep accepting him every time he publicly 'cheated' on her-when in reality he's on a case.

Despite that, I liked the honesty. Loved the real conversations - the stark contrast they made between love and lust. How Lucy just wanted a real marriage and how the hero early on accepted his (inconveniently timed) feelings without running away. How she was plain and plum but he never thought her anything but beautiful and she overcame her insecurity quickly.

I also liked the side characters, though the spy mystery and dramatic ending was all meh to me.

Overall sweet romance with mains actually falling in love and plenty of spicy scenes.

[Jessica Rosa Melendez · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m binging on Audible and there a few books of Debra Mullins. I wanted to follow along some of the story lines but even though it was under the same series, I couldn’t find how the stories tight together.

Maybe is that not all her books are in Audible, but I wanted to know what happens to Virginia “Jean” and Wolf, some of the secondary characters in Two Weeks with a Stranger.

[May Mostly Romance · Rating 2 out of 5]

ขอถามหน่อยว่า เคยอ่านหนังสือบางเล่มไหม ที่อ่านอ่านไปชักจะรู้สึกเหมือนว่าเคยอ่านมาแล้ว เพราะเจ้าพล็อตเรื่องนี้มันคล้ายคลึงกับหนังสือเล่มอื่นที่คุณเคยอ่านมาก่อน

ซึ่งถ้าคุณเป็นแฟนโรแมนซ์ อาการเดจาวูนี่คงเกิดขึ้นเป็นประจำ เพราะพล็อตในโรแมนซ์ไม่หลากหลายนัก เขียนไปยังไงก็ต้องวกกลับมาซ้ำกับเรื่องใดเรื่องหนึ่งเป็นแน่

"สองอาทิตย์กับคนแปลกหน้า" ของเดบร้า มัลลินน์ หรือ Two weeks with a stranger เปิดเรื่องด้วยฉากที่คล้ายคลึงจนเกือบเหมือนกันกับเรื่อง Upon a wicked time ของคาเรน เรนนี่ หนังสือสุดคลาสิกเล่มหนึ่งที่แม็กซ์แนะนำให้นักอ่านที่ชอบพระเอกใจร้าย กะนางเอกใจแข็งควรอ่าน

การแต่งงานของไซมอนและลูซี่เป็นการแต่งงานเพื่อความสะดวก ฉากเปิดเรื่องเป็นเหตุการณ์ที่เกิดขึ้นในคืนวันแต่งงานของทั้งคู่ซึ่งไซมอนได้รู้สึกถึงความพิเศษของภรรยาคนที่เขาเลือกมาเพื่อให้อยู่เฝ้าบ้านชนบท

แน่ล่ะเรื่องนี้คงไม่ใช่โรแมนซ์ถ้านางเอกนั่งรอพระเอกอยู่ในชนบท เธอต้องเดินทางเข้ามาในลอนดอน หลังจากโดนทิ้งร้างไว้ตามลำพังหลังจากคืนวันแต่งงาน สิ่งที่แตกต่างจากเรื่อง UAWT ก็คือ ไซมอนไม่ใช่เพลย์บอยเสเพล เขาเป็นสายลับให้กับราชการอังกฤษทำหน้าที่สืบหาบัญชีรายชื่อสายลับคนสำคัญที่อยู่ในมือของนางบำเรอสาวสวยของสายลับชาวฝรั่งเศส

ฟังดูมันชักจะไปคล้ายกับเรื่อง An Arranged Marriage ของโจ เบฟเวอรี่อีกแล้วนะ และมันก็คล้ายค่ะ พระเอกของเราจำใจต้องเสแสร้งไปสนใจนังตัวร้าย ปล่อยนางเอกนอนช้ำอยู่บ้าน คิดว่าสามีไม่ใส่ใจ

แม็กซ์ผู้ชอบความแปลกใหม่ คงไม่ชอบเรื่องนี้ใช่ไหม

ผิดค่ะ เพราะแม็กซ์

นั่นเพราะความเหมือนที่แตกต่าง หนังสือเรื่องนี้ทำให้แม็กซ์นึกถึงนิยายหลายเรื่องในอดีตที่เคยได้อ่านไป แต่ความต่างเพียงเล็กน้อยก็ช่วยเสริมแต่งจนทำให้หนังสือเรื่องนี้พิเศษขึ้น

ไซมอนพระเอกที่ไม่ใช่เป็นเพลย์บอย เขาพูดถึงตัวเองหลายครั้งว่าเหมาะจะอยู่ในเงามืด เป็นนักปรัชญา ชอบใช้เวลาปลูกต้นไม้ เขาเป็นคนสุดท้ายที่ควรมารับบทบาทสายลัยเจ้าเสน่ห์ เราชอบพระเอกที่ไม่คิดว่าตัวเองเป็นคนพิเศษ เขาสร้างความแตกต่างด้วยการแหกคอกพระเอกหัวแข็งทั้งหลายด้วยการบอกรักนางเอกก่อน เขียนกลอนให้นางเอกอ่าน รวมทั้งเอาไดอารี่ของตัวเองที่เขียนขึ้นมาตั้งนานให้กับเธอเพื่อที่จะทำให้เธอเข้าใจตัวตนของเขามากขึ้น

ส่วนลูซี่ล่ะ เธอไม่ใช่นางเอกไร้เดียงสา หรือใจน้อย เธอไม่ใช่พวกกินน้ำตาต่างข้าวเวลาเห็นสามีไปจีบผู้หญิงอื่น เธอสู้เพื่อดึงเขากลับมา และเมื่อสุดหนทางเธอก็ฉลาดพอจะรู้ว่า ไซมอนที่เธอรู้จักไม่มีวันสนใจสตรีคนอื่นได้ มันต้องมีเหตุผลบางอย่าง เหตุผลที่เธออาจจะคิดผิด แต่อย่างน้อยก็มีความแปลกใหม่ทำให้เธอแตกต่างจากนางเอกโรแมนซ์หลายร้อยคนที่มีอยู่ในเวลานี้

สิ่งที่แม็กซ์ชอบมากที่สุดกับเรื่องนี้ก็คือ ความแตกต่างเล็กน้อยเหล่านี้ที่ทำให้ตัวละครมีความต่างออกไป มีความสดใหม่ในเนื้อเรื่องท่ามกลางความซ้ำซากของพล็อตเรื่องเดิม ๆ อ่านงานของเดบร้ามาหลายเล่ม ก็เพิ่มมาปิ๊งเอาเล่มนี้ล่ะค่ะ อาจไม่ใช่งานที่ดีที่สุดที่แม็กซ์ได้อ่านในปีนี้ แต่ก็น่าจดจำ

[Jo Reads Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful historical romance
5 stars

Lucy is distraught when her new husband weds her, beds her and then leaves her the very next day.

Even though a marriage of convenience, Lucy was sure that their shared passion on their one night together could turn into something more. And when word reaches her of her husband's exploits, she decides to follow him to London where she vows to fight for her marriage.

Unbeknownst to his new wife, Simon, the Earl of Devingham, is an agent of the crown and must do what he can to protect England even if that means abandoning his new bride. But now she has followed him to London, seducing him with her kisses and Simon realises that both his heart and his life are in danger.

This is the first book I've read by Debra Mullins but it won't be my last as I really loved this story. Lucy is an absolutely charming heroine and it was so refreshing to see someone who was intelligent and didn't jump to conclusions just to create tension in the novel. Simon too was a great character - not written as an alpha male but still coming across as someone strong and also intelligent. The story was interesting, intriguing and captivating enough to keep the pages turning. While not focusing on the mystery, it is an important part of the plot but I was glad it never overshadowed the romance.

As I said I really enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to those who enjoy sophisticated, exciting historical novels similar in style to those by Sabrina Jeffries. Highly recommended.

[LadyAileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una piacevole novità il libro di quest’autrice e sono davvero felice per averla scoperta.
Sono soddisfatta perché oltre ad essere un romanzo breve è pieno di brio, divertente e coinvolgente. Perfetto per passare bei momenti.
La caratterizzazione dei personaggi è una delle cose interessanti almeno per me. Alla storia dei due protagonista si contrappone una storia davvero singolare quella tra Fox (amico e capo di Simon, un vero orso) e Gin (un vero peperino).
Anche se i protagonisti tendono molto a frequentare camere da letto stranamente non ha reso la lettura noiosa.
Spassosi i battibecchi tra i due co-protagonisti.
E in più non manca quella componente di mistero che non guasta. Un romanzo godibilissimo dove non manca qualche colpo di scena impensabile.

[June Karen Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have read a few books from this author and enjoyed each one. I enjoyed this one too. Country girl marries an earl but feels betrayed when she finds out he is a spy. Exciting with steamy love scenes and a twist at the end which really is no surprise.

[Mary Vilarino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast paced book with secondary characters that were sometimes more interesting than the central characters. It was a fun romp into spies in Napoleonic times.

[SLW · Rating 3 out of 5]

5

[T'Shura Sinclair · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good book .

[Joann · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok

[Kbee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audible Catalogue

AUDIOBOOK: Read 5 & 6 November 2020
9hrs 2min

Narrator: Tanya Hyde does a good enough job
It was good maybe not great but still good

[Jilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't remember why I put this on my PBS wish list but it came so I read it. It was pretty good. I liked that they were married and she was trying to woo him away what she perceived to be a mistress, though you come to find out it isn't that simple. Mullins really makes the intensity between Lucy and Simon jump from the pages. I don't plan on keeping it as it is doubtful I will actually read it again.

Something I really loved about these characters was the personalities that Mullins gave them. Lucy is a country girl born and raised but when she marries an Earl and is promptly left behind, she seems to deal with it until rumors of his adultry. She goes after Simon and uses everything at her disposal to woo him back to her. It is great how strong and intelligent Lucy is when it tends to be rare in books such as these.

Simon is not the big dramatic hero. He is an Earl with a secret. He's rather boring except in the bedroom and while he's handsome he's not really the rakish type. He is a hero in his own regard but he honestly only wants Lucy but spying for England makes him keep secrets and to his credit, he choses to tell Lucy all rather than have any secrets or lies in their marriage.

If you like romances at all. This is a good one.

[penelopewanders]

I read one other book by this author some ten years ago, and enjoyed it. Although this was pegged as a standalone, I couldn't help feeling that a bit of a back story was missing. I just checked fantasticfiction again and it is still listed as a novel, not part of a series. I suppose I could look further, on Mullin's site, but I won't take the time now. I enjoyed the cleverness of the female protagonists in this and I appreciated that the hero had decided to come clean to Lucy, even though her departure nipped that intention in the bud, so to speak. He's a good hero, she's a fun heroine, but somehow this one doesn't soar. A nice read, entertaining and fun, but not a great one perhaps. I'll see if I come across others by this author.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you ever read a book and wonder if it's familiar because you've read it before or if the plot line has just been done so often? I was wondering the same thing about this book and yet I'm convinced that it has a companion book that goes through all these event's but through Gin and Fox's POV. Not certain if it's by this author or not but somewhere out there it exists. All that aside, LOVED this book! Spies, murder, romance, surly English men, and an outspoken American Debutant! Whats not to love? 4 stars!

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm giving this book 4 stars because I think it was well written I just didn't care for it. It just wasn't a story I particularly enjoyed because the H/h were already married. I prefer more of the courtship process. However, if you want a story where the H/h are already married I would definitely recommend this book.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just not well thought-out or interesting. Kinda dull

[Krissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book!

[Theresa Contreras · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5, haven't read a Mullins in a while and this one was pretty good. The start had me hooked but she kinda lost it on the second half of the book.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars

[Modesty_b · Rating 3 out of 5]

flowing story but kinda boring :(