Reviewed by Jen

I am such a fan of Julia Quinn, at this point I will read anything with her name on it. Even a book with my least favorite trope: the Big Secret. And the Big Secret in this book is a pretty big one.

Cecelia jumps on a ship and sails for the colonies when she finds out her brother has been wounded in battle. Her father is dead and her odious cousin is sniffing around her, trying to force her into marriage. She really has nothing to lose. Unfortunately, when she arrives, there’s no sign of her brother at all. There is, however, the man who had become his best friend in service, Edward Rokesby. [Read more…]

Reviewed by Jen

I completely adored this book. It is an enemies to lovers story done right. These two characters are just so much fun in their sniping and snarking, I was completely entertained from the first page until the end. It feels so effortless; there is nothing forced in their dynamic, nothing contrived. I believed it, as the attraction –and later, affection– grew. And I didn’t want to put it down.

If you’re a fan of Julia Quinn, you’ll likely recognize the Bridgerton name. This new series is a prequel to that one.  Billie is the Miss Bridgerton in question. She is a bold and frank hoyden, who grew up bosom friends with her neighbors, the Rokesbys. Mary was always her best friend, but she was just as close with brothers Edward and Andrew. Only George, the oldest, was different; a little older, a little stodgier, an heir through and through, he got on her nerves every bit as much as she grated on his. [Read more…]

Reviewed by Jen

Another great read from Julia Quinn.  I love physically flawed heroes! Not only is Hugh disabled, he questions his worth as a man.  He questions whether he is good enough for his heroine.  All of these things are more reasons for me to love him.  And love him, I did, despite the stupid mistake that got him into this position in the first place.

Hugh has an affinity for numbers. He is brilliant with them, so much so that when he lost a card game one drunken night years ago, he was sure his friend Daniel had to be cheating in order to win.  He promptly challenged his (also drunk) buddy to a duel, bringing about two life changing events.  One, he got shot in the leg, damaging the bone and muscle for life.  And two, his father blamed Daniel, running him out of town with threats to his life. [Read more…]

Reviewed by Jen

This was my first Julia Quinn book.  I found it delightful and fantastic and I can’t wait for a chance to jump into her backlist to catch up on all that I have been missing.

The heroine of our story is Anne.  She was born a gentlewoman, but a horrible event in her past cast her out from her family.  Now she makes her way as a governess.  It’s been years since she’s even entertained the idea of love.  After all, her romantic notions are what got her into trouble in the first place.  But from the moment she catches Daniel’s eye across a crowded room, her fate is sealed.

A relationship between Daniel and Anne is wholly inappropriate.  He is an earl and she is governess to his young cousins.  But he, too, has been cut off from his family.   A bungled duel put him under a death threat that forced him from the country for years. He has only just returned to the fold.  And Anne has made his homecoming even sweeter.

Anne knows they can never have a real future, so she fights her feelings. But Daniel is relentless in his pursuit. He is so charming and determined to win her.  The evolution of their relationship is sweet and believable.  And when someone starts making attempts on their lives, it ups the stakes.  Is it someone from Daniel’s past or is Anne’s old life coming back to haunt her?

The pacing is so good, the book felt like it just flew by.  It had a steady rhythm of romance and action and light-hearted fun. The love story sets the main stage, but the book is made richer with a developed cast of secondary characters, from the trio of girls Anne cares for, to Hugh –the man Daniel shot all those years ago.  I was engaged from the first page to the last.

It wasn’t even until I was finished that I realized this is the second book in the Smith-Smyth Quartet series.  This works completely as a standalone –though I am happy to know there are more books to come.

Rating: A-

*ARC Provided by Avon

 A Night Like This

by Julia Quinn

Release Date: May 29, 2012

Publisher: Avon