A Night Like This [Mass Market Paperback]

Julia Quinn (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 29, 2012

Nora Roberts calls Julia Quinn’s novels, “Delightful.” The #1 New York Times bestselling creator of the irresistible Bridgerton family, Quinn offers historical romance readers new delights with A Night Like This—the second book (following the phenomenal Just Like Heaven) to feature the affairs, romantic and melodic, of the endearing, if painfully untalented, Smythe-Smith musicians. On A Night Like This in Regency England, anything can happen, especially when a beautiful pianist sitting in at the annual Smythe-Smith musicale catches the eye of a haunted, hunted man in desperate need of redemption. There is simply no author in the realm of historical romance fiction hotter than the remarkable Julia Quinn—and anyone who has ever been swept away by the love stories of Amanda Quick, Lisa Kleypas, or Jill Barnett will cherish A Night Like This.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Romantic, funny and heart melting, the second book in Quinn's Smythe-Smith quartet is simply enchanting. Lancashire Evening Post (Preston) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

Anne Wynter might not be who she says she is . . .

But she's managing quite well as a governess to threehighborn young ladies. Her job can be a challenge—in a singleweek she finds herself hiding in a closet full of tubas, playingan evil queen in a play that might be a tragedy (or mightbe a comedy—no one is sure), and tending to the wounds ofthe oh-so-dashing Earl of Winstead. After years of dodgingunwanted advances, he's the first man who has truly temptedher, 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 fallingin love. And when he spies a mysterious woman at his family'sannual musicale, he vows to pursue her, even if that meansspending his days with a ten-year-old who thinks she's aunicorn. But Daniel has an enemy, one who has vowed to seehim dead. And when Anne is thrown into peril,he will stop at nothing to ensuretheir happy ending . . .

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon; FIRST edition (May 29, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9780062072900
• ISBN-13: 978-0062072900
• ASIN: 0062072900
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (143 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #127,375 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Julia Quinn started writing her first book one month after finishing college and has been tapping away at her keyboard ever since.

The New York Times bestselling author of nineteen novels for Avon Books, she is a graduate of Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges and lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#18 in Books > Romance > Historical

#22 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Historical Romance

#18 in Books > Romance > Historical

#22 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Historical Romance

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 57 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars It's a lovely story full of humor and romance May 29, 2012

By Melissa VINE™ VOICE

Format:Kindle Edition

Julia Quinn's latest novel A Night Like This has a wining pair of protagonists both keeping secrets and both with sensitive spirits.

This tale starts out in a rather rousing manner, Daniel Smythe-Smith, a newly minted Earl is accused of cheating and since Daniel is well into his cups he accepts a challenge to a duel from his inebriated companion. Daniel accidentally shoots his opponent and finds himself exiled for years. His opponent's father is determined to kill him for maiming his son. He has been away for three years before he can return to England.

Anne Wynter is a governess and she is a gentle woman who likes her charges. She meets Daniel on his first day back to England, when she is playing in an awful quartet with Daniel's cousins. She admires Daniel from the beginning; he is dashing, protective of his sisters and a gentleman. Daniel finds her beautiful and witty. They are both correct in their assessment of each other.

Anne has kept her past a secret and for good reasons. She has cultivitated a new persona and she works hard at being a good governess to Daniel's cousins. She realizes the differences in their stations but Daniel is rather persistent and he finds ways of "calling" upon Anne albeit his cousins are inevitably their chaperones.

Miss Quinn has done an excellent job of showing the reader how this couple falls in love. The leads have interesting conversations usually about present day situations and rarely about their pasts yet their feelings are sincere. Daniel is patient and he is also thoughtful for the most part, he does not take advantage of his title to harass or coerce Anne into a situation that she does not want. Both leads are insightful.... Anne has been hurt by others and she smartly does not lump all men or aristocrats together. She is intuitive enough to recognize Daniel is a special man, noble and honest.

There are many sweet moments in this book and surprisingly they are not just with the leads. Daniel's cousins are precocious and they also have sunny funny dispositions. They are a tidal wave of femininity, many times they exhaust Daniel but the reader sees his supreme affection for them.

I am giving this novel four and a half stars. There were a few times the action slowed a little too much and Anne sometimes is a little too rash. However this story is memorable mostly because the characters are genuinely kind to each other, not embittered about their past, and their love story has a real touch of sweetness. Read more ›

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it! July 31, 2012

By L.Marie

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Julia Quinn does it again with this book. She has a certain magic to her writing that just makes her stories so fun to read. I love this time period, and this story had me enraptured from the beginning. I didn't want to put it down. The romance in this story was endearing and affectionate. It never felt sordid or dirty, and I like that. It wrapped you up in the characters and made you feel like you war living it with them. That's a sign of a good book. I think I can safely say, Julia Quinn is perhaps my all time favorite historical romance author. Loved this book! It made me swoon! :)

20 of 26 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Literary Spaghettios July 20, 2012

By Meerkat

Format:Kindle Edition

When I was a kid I thought Spaghettios were the best tasting food ever created. I could devour an entire can on my own and would have them as an after school snack all the time. When I grew up, I went years without having any, until one day, when I was in my late 20s, my toddler niece was having Spaghettios and remembering how much I loved them, I had some too...and proceeded to spit them out of my mouth almost immediately as I discovered they are disgusting beyond words. I am starting to have a similar reaction to Quinn's books.

Even though I have not cared for the last several Quinn titles (pretty much everything after the Bridgerton series), I continue to read each new release in hopes of capturing the delight I experienced when I read her earlier works. I checked A Night Like This out from the library (at least I have learned to stop paying for the privilege of reading books I end up disliking) and hoped for the best.

No such luck. I was not especially drawn in by the prologue, but I soldiered on. I found Daniel Smythe-Smith to be somewhat bland and not the brightest tool in the shed to the point that he reminded me of Nigel Berbrooke from Quinn novels past (not exactly the image I would prefer for the hero of the book). Daniel was a little too emotional for my liking. By the middle of the book, I was skimming. There didn't seem to be much depth to the characters. This story just didn't captivate (for me) and felt rather colorless and bland as though we were all just going through the motions. There were too many coincidences for my liking ("You have a crazy person stalking you? Me too!").... Much of the language came across as though chosen from a Trite Phrase Dictionary, the villian may as well have been a cardboard cutout, and the heroine seemed to ricochet all over the place. And the worst of all...the Smythe-Smith musicales have been ruined for me. The musicales used to provide humorous moments in past books. Now they feel like a cheap tool being used to draw a Bridgerton ready-made audience to a lackluster book that I likely would never have picked up had it not had Julia Quinn's name on it and a reference to stories I used to enjoy. I guess it's time to let go of Quinn titles even as library check outs. Sorry Julia, I just don't like Spaghettios anymore. Read more ›

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars On my keeper shelf August 18, 2012

By The Season

Format:Mass Market Paperback

The second entry into the Smythe-Smith Quartet is a wonderfully romantic story featuring the one male Smythe-Smith, Daniel, and a governess who might not be who she says she is.

Daniel Smythe-Smith has been in Italy for three years following a duel that went horribly wrong. Finally he is told it is safe for him to return to England and he happily does so. His return coincides with the annual Smythe-Smith musical and after being away for so long Daniel is even happy to hear the "music" performed by his sister and cousins. However, he is surprised to see an unknown face at the piano and as soon as their eyes meet something magical happens. He feels something for the stranger that he has never felt before.

Anne Wynter hates being part of the musical evening, but as governess to the Smythe-Smith cousins she really had no choice when the eldest cousin came down with an illness. Although she doesn't really believe the girl is sick, Anne takes her place at the piano. All is going as well as it could be when she feels someone watching her. After the music ends she is surprised to find herself face to face with the most handsome man she has ever seen. She is pulled to him by some invisible cord and knows that after meeting Daniel nothing will ever be exactly the same - no matter how much she hopes it will.

I loved both Daniel and Anne. They are both strong characters who know what they want and how to get it. Even though they have both had bad things happen in the past, they haven't let those things overshadow who they really are deep down.

I adored the banter between the two. There is a scene where Daniel, Anne, and his cousins are putting on a play written by one of the girls.... They joke back and forth with comments that at times go over the children's heads and at times include them in the joke. The dialogue is witty and entertaining.

There are two words I would use to describe A Night Like This - Fun and Romantic. The characters have fun, the reader is entertained through the whole story, and the romance between Daniel and Anne is beautifully written. From the very beginning there is something special about them together.

The question of who is in danger - Daniel or Anne - drives the plot and keeps the reader guessing for about half the book. It isn't a huge mystery once the reader learns more about Anne's past, but enough action to drive the story and to keep the "how" of their happily ever after in question till the end.

I can't wait to read the next entry into this quartet. A Night Like This will definitely have a place on my keeper shelf!

Reviewed by Carrie

This review was originally posted on The Season site (theseasonforromance dot com) Read more ›