Anne Wynter, a governess with some dark secrets in her past, is tempted by the dangerously handsome Daniel Smith-Smythe, Earl of Winstead, who relentlessly pursues her despite her social station.
Another grand adventure with the Smythe-Smith family, and this time we get to spend time with Daniel. Long-lost Daniel, who has been traveling on the Continent, has finally returned home.
You get the Smythe-Smith musicale, as you might expect. In this one, the lovely Miss Wynter, governess-extraordinaire, has a dark secret. That's ok, though, because she's lovely and perfect and it's love at first sight...for both of them. They have their obstacles, they have witty banter, they have passion, and then culmination to the HEA I demand from my historical romances.
Julia Quinn is a favorite, and if you read her books this one won't disappoint. Can't wait to read another in the series. 3.5 stars, but rounding up because it was so cute.
A NIGHT LIKE THIS is Julia Quinn's second installment in her Smythe-Smith Quartet. In this story, we get to see Daniel, the lone brother in the Smythe-Smith clan, return to England after having been banished for dueling with-and missing-a fellow peer of the realm. Upon his return, perfectly timed to coincide with the day of the annual Smythe-Smith musicale, Daniel spots a woman playing at the piano who is definitely not one of his sisters or his cousins. Anne Wynter, governess to Daniel's young cousins, has stepped in to pinch hit for the musicale, and Daniel is smitten upon sight. But Anne has some secrets that may give Daniel pause.
While there were many elements that I greatly enjoyed in A NIGHT LIKE THIS, it wasn't my favorite Quinn novel. I really liked the dynamic between Anne, Daniel, and Daniel's young cousins. The youngest cousin wants nothing more than to …
A NIGHT LIKE THIS is Julia Quinn's second installment in her Smythe-Smith Quartet. In this story, we get to see Daniel, the lone brother in the Smythe-Smith clan, return to England after having been banished for dueling with-and missing-a fellow peer of the realm. Upon his return, perfectly timed to coincide with the day of the annual Smythe-Smith musicale, Daniel spots a woman playing at the piano who is definitely not one of his sisters or his cousins. Anne Wynter, governess to Daniel's young cousins, has stepped in to pinch hit for the musicale, and Daniel is smitten upon sight. But Anne has some secrets that may give Daniel pause.
While there were many elements that I greatly enjoyed in A NIGHT LIKE THIS, it wasn't my favorite Quinn novel. I really liked the dynamic between Anne, Daniel, and Daniel's young cousins. The youngest cousin wants nothing more than to be a unicorn, the middle cousin fancies herself a playwright, and Anne and Daniel indulge them like the best of sports. My only complaint is the "mystery" subplot. We know that Daniel has returned to England after being banished, and we learn that Anne has a secret as well. So when mysterious things start happening, it's not clear whether they are directed at Anne or Daniel. I didn't love the villain, who bordered on crazy a little too much for my personal taste. I also thought that the plot was a little slow at points-things that could have been glossed over, or at least dealt with a little more swiftly, were seemingly dragged out. It made the plot move slowly until the villain comes onto the scene, and then everything was resolved quickly.
A NIGHT LIKE THIS is by no means a bad book, and I'm sure fans of Julia Quinn will read this in no time flat; I just have enjoyed previous Quinn books more than this one. I hope the next book will feature Hugh, the man Daniel wounded in the ill-fated duel, as I think he deserves some love!
