A Night Like This, Julia Quinn (4 stars)

From Amazon: Anne Wynter might not be who she says she is . . . But she's managing quite well as a governess to three highborn young ladies. Her job can be a challenge—in a single week she finds herself hiding in a closet full of tubas, playing an evil queen in a play that might be a tragedy (or might be a comedy—no one is sure), and tending to the wounds of the oh-so-dashing Earl of Winstead. After years of dodging unwanted advances, he's the first man who has truly tempted her, and it's getting harder and harder to remind herself that a governess has no business flirting with a nobleman.

Daniel Smythe-Smith might be in mortal danger . . . But that's not going to stop the young earl from falling in love. And when he spies a mysterious woman at his family's annual musicale, he vows to pursue her, even if that means spending his days with a ten-year-old who thinks she's a unicorn. But Daniel has an enemy, one who has vowed to see him dead. And when Anne is thrown into peril, he will stop at nothing to ensure their happy ending . . .

Life is all about moments. There are moments that define who we are and those that define who we love. A Night Like This is full of such moments.

Anne has made her mistakes, and they've cost her, but she is determined to make a life for herself. When Daniel saunters into her world, she fights the growing attraction. The last thing she needs is to fall for his charms.

Daniel has been on the run from his own mistakes, but now he's come home. Ready to reclaim life, he isn't expecting to fall in love. But temptation calls and he answers.

Soon both find themselves in danger and an intriguing game of cat and mouse, actually several cats, ensues. But unlike most romance books, Anne is no damsel in distress. Daniel is quite capable of being the knight in shining armor, but Anne is strong enough not to wait around whimpering.

"You cannot win against me," he snarled.

"I shall try," Anne said softly. Because she was not giving up without a fight. And if he managed to destroy her, then God as her witness, she was taking him down, too.

The last half of the book speeds by, every page turn offering a new and exciting development. But I did wish for more pages of pure romance and passion, especially since there was no lack of sparks between Anne and Daniel. The best dialogue in the book was the sexual tension filled and witty banter between the two.

If you are looking for a great summer read, pick up a copy of A Night Like This. The story and characters will sweep you away. There's a little bit of everything: humor, action, romance, interesting characters, duels, sexiness, sharp dialogue, and much more.  

Rating: 4 stars

About Julia Quinn
(From the Tour Home Page)

Perennial bestseller Julia Quinn loves to dispel the myth that smart women don’t read (or write) romance, and in 2001 she did so in grand style, competing on the game show The Weakest Link and walking away with the $79,000 jackpot. She displayed a decided lack of knowledge about baseball, country music, and plush toys, but she is proud to say that she aced all things British and literary, answered all of her history and geography questions correctly, and knew that there was a da Vinci long before there was a code.

Her most recent novel, The Lost Duke of Wyndham, reached #2 on the New York Times bestseller list. For more information: Website | Facebook

Thanks to TLC Tours for my review copy.

Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.

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