A Night Like This

By: Julia Quinn

Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor

Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

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 10-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....

©2012 Julie Cotler Pottinger (P)2012 HarperCollins Publishers

Good start to a new series

Read from April 30 to May 12, 2014

Story: 4 stars
Narrator: 4.5 stars

Why, oh, why, oh, why is Julia Quinn obsessed with the idea that a couple cannot have a happy ending without pregnancy/babies?

I'm getting ahead of myself.

After enjoying Quinn's Bridgerton series, I decided to go ahead and jump right into the Smythe-Smith series.

Lady Honoria Smythe-Smith is the youngest of a large family (and there's the obsession with people having lots and lots and lots of babies again!). Her older brother, Daniel, had a school friend, Marcus, whom he brought home on holidays because Marcus is an only child and he and his father didn't really have much of a relationship. So Marcus has been around pretty much ever since Honoria can remember.

As the story begins, mortified at the idea that she's going to have to play in the infamous Smythe-Smith Musicale again this year, Honoria is determined that she will find someone to marry before the end of the season (which hasn't quite started yet). Honoria decides to set a trap for one of the young men at the houseparty she's at by digging a "mole hole" and pretending to twist her ankle in it. Of course her scheme doesn't unfold as planned.

Quite a bit of the story is focused on this incident and its aftermath. There's even a stolen treacle tart involved. Ah, that's true love---stealing a treacle tart for someone! ;-)

This is where Julia Quinn's writing sparkles---the banter between hero and heroine. I also appreciate the fact that she doesn't go for the instalust type of "romance development." I love that while her characters may think about their attraction---or even desire---for each other, it never devolves into a rapacious, prurient, animalistic, "can't control themselves" sex. I never fail to appreciate this about JQ's stories, and it's here in full-force.

If you've read any of the Bridgerton books, you know what the Smythe-Smith Musicale means, and in this book, we get an insider's perspective of it, which only makes me happier that I didn't actually have to sit through it myself.

I was a bit surprised by how Quinn chose to end this story, though. It was so . . . out of left field that it was quite obviously a setup for Marcus to come in as the knight in shining armor and defend her honor; but by that point, the scene had lost all credulity for me.

Epilogue aside (again, Quinn's obsession with baby-ever-after epilogues really annoys me), I did enjoy this book. While I don't feel it's the best JQ has written, it was far from the worst.

Great love story!

Love the playful nature of Daniel and Anne...beautiful story. and enjoyed the brotherhood at the end of Daniel, Marcus & huge....can't wait to read hugh's story!!!

one of the best books and performance reading!

excellent vook and very enjoyable listening by Julia Quinn and Rosalyn Landor. A must read!

Beautifully read!

I loved this book when I read it so many years ago — what a treat to listen to it after all this time. It was like getting to have it be new all over again. It's the second in the Smythe-Smith series, but while it definitely can be read out of order (you don't *have* to have just read Just Like Heaven), folks who have will have the treat of Julia Quinn's expert weaving of scenes as the beginning of this book is concurrent with the end of Book 1, just from the points of view of different characters.

p.s. When I finished A Night Like This, I backed it up and listened to the last 75m again.

AUDIBLE 20 REVIEW SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY

Love these romances

Once again to the end… Love the story line and characters. Die hard fan of Julia Quinn.

A Night Like This 🌟👏

I enjoyed listening to this story Julia Quinn you are amazing👍 narrated by Rosalyn Landor ( You Rock Girl )👏😊!
I getting ready to get the. second book to this series well done next please!!😄

Excellent Author, amazing narrator; great listen!

Julian Quinn always provides a compelling storyline. What really differentiates her, though, is her keen insight into human nature and her marvelous, often wry, sense of humor! Rosalyn Landor is absolutelyl perfect as a narrator, as she clearly "gets it" and has the capacity to act, as much as read.

I also appreciate Julia Quinn's ability to take the reader to the "highs", and clearly represent the "lows" -- without wallowing in the "lows" chapter after chapter. Bright, witty, compelling romance! Thank you, Julia and Rosalyn!

Loved it!

I loved this one! I read the reviews and was nervous because some of them didn’t like this book, but I thought it was awesome! Kind of reminds me of An Offer from a Gentleman (book 3 of the Bridgerton series) - that one is my fav book from that series so this book was right up my alley! Thank you Julia Quinn for a great story!

WONDERFUL LOVE STORY!

If u need 2 take ur mind of troubles in our world, this helps! Go back 2 early 1800's in England! Love author & narrator!

Great book

Julia Quinn is an amazing writer! Great book!
The book was very entertaining! I have enjoyed reading all the books from that era.