Miles Redmond is a rational man, an explorer and scientist. So why is he so intrigued by that money-grubber schemer Cynthia Brightly? Cynthia needs to marry a wealthy man--soon--or be out on the street. She has several prospects, so why is she so intrigued by the all-but-engaged Miles Redmond? Two intelligent, practical people are about to find out what love is.

This is a romance novel, so of course they get together in the end, but watching it all work out is very amusing. ( )

Historical Romance; probably Regency Period. This author is quickly becoming a must-read for me. She always starts off a bit slow but then things get cracking. The heroine, Cynthia, caused some mysterious scandal in London, which broke off her advantageous engagement to a Duke and as a result, she flees to a house party in the country held by Miles Redmond and his sister. Cynthia has no one and no money. If she doesn't find a rich man to marry during this party before the scandal spreads, she will have to become a paid companion or starve. Unbeknownst to her, Miles has a grudge against her because she slighted him a few years ago and he knows about the scandal.

Cynthia is pretty, yes, but it's her charm and intelligence that makes her irresistible. She's daring and bold and proud of it. She knows her worth and it's her ambition to leverage these things for money and title. This may seem mercenary... but you become sympathetic to her motives. Would it be better for her to be a sweetly sacrificing “nice” girl and become a penniless spinster servant for the rest of her life? In one of the best quotes she says to Miles,

You – You with your money and your bloody grandeur and your family and history. It’s all very well for you and Violet to play at romance. It will be all right in the end, of course. But I’ve none of that. I’ve no one. And you’ve gone and play dice with my future. Why shouldn’t I have what Violet will have? What you will have so easily? Why shouldn’t I?”

And I thought, “Yeah! Stick it to the rich jerk!”

Miles derides Cynthia for her ambition, but Ms. Long is savvy enough to show that Miles is just as coldly rational about his own martial prospects. He has no moral qualms in marrying solely out of family duty to strategic alliances and protect social position. As an added bonus, his potential fiancee's family will invest in his next scientific expedition - money he cannot get otherwise. So who is mercenary now, hmmm?

The great thing about this book is everyone's actions follow their characters. Miles is a scientist and even though he doesn't like Cynthia at first, he observes her and changes his opinions when the facts do not match with his original hypothesis. He notices... he makes the effort to see underneath Cynthia’s sparkle. Cynthia’s main asset is that she is able to read people and use her charm to make them shine. Therefore, she evaluates each suitor by charming them to be their flirty best. I was also impressed that Miles and Cynthia never mistake the attraction they feel for each other. No cutesy “mixed signals”. With both of them being so observant, they each know with certainty how the other feels even if it’s never said out loud. I like this so much more than the I’ll disguise that I like you, but I want to know if you like me plot. Intelligent characters should never be written like they are stupid, even in romances.

The book has a very modern tone, and I never felt that there were any glaring historical inaccuracies. The dialogue is probably anachronistic, but I tend to like that in “fluff” romances. The author manages to insert a true-to-life drinking game and I ended up cracking up in laughter. The sex is hot, but quantity was low. As you can probably see, I really loved this book and I think Julie Anne Long writes better and better with every book. Drinking games and great writing, what’s not to love?

I’m debating whether I want to bump this up to 5 stars as a “all-time favourite”. I know I’ll re-read this over and over. ( )

Reviewed for queuemyreview.com; book release Nov08

Yippee! Now I have yet another author to add to my ‘watch’ list. I just finished Julie Anne Long’s latest historical “Like No Other Lover” and I’ll be heading to the store shortly looking for her backlist. If you’ve been reading my reviews, then you know I don’t throw out superlatives like confetti, but this book was so very, very good! When I’m ten pages in thinking I’ll never like the heroine and then end up cheering for her, you know the author is a talent. I laughed, I cried, and I finished the book wanting more. ‘Nuff said?

Cynthia is two weeks from being homeless and destitute. In one week she went from being the toast of the ton to a social pariah, from being engaged to a rich, titled ‘catch’ to being ‘cut’ on the street. So the invitation from a friend to spend two weeks at a country estate house party is a godsend. Hopefully, the news from London won’t make it to the party until Cynthia has snagged a husband…a rich husband; because if she doesn’t, her chance at marriage and children will be crushed by a job as companion to a crotchety old lady.

Miles Redmond is a rational scientist who lives to discover the reasons ‘why’. So when his first glimpse, two years ago, of Cynthia stopped his breath and caused his thoughts to become a morass of descriptive poetry, he immediately wanted to understand ‘why’. Unfortunately, he overheard her description of him then, which wasn’t flattering, and it pricked his pride and caused severely uncomfortable feelings in his chest! But now, two years later, she is a guest of his sister’s at their estate house party…and she’s apparently desperate to find a husband. It’s just a good thing his illusions were dashed at that long ago ball because all he needs to do to please his family and finally receive financing for a return scientific expedition to Lacao is marry his father’s choice. Not a problem.

How delicious. The scientist and the social butterfly. Of course, the further you read the more you understand that while those descriptions may be accurate to all appearances; people, including our hero and heroine, are much more than just what appears on the surface. I am truly impressed by how intensely Ms. Long managed to touch my feelings. Slowly, over the course of the story, she drew me deeper and deeper under the surfaces of the hero and heroine. They become real, at times heartbreakingly real; and their efforts to find happiness without hurting each other or disappointing friends and family were, at times, almost painful. These are characters whose story will stay with me for quite a while.

For a historical romance novel, “Like No Other Lover” had it all. Setting, pace, dialogue, and characters were all exquisitely drawn and there were no overused plot devices or ‘too stupid to live’ moments or ‘terrible misunderstandings’ to suffer through. Julie Anne Long wrote a story about two people who faced challenge and change…and found love in the process. Bravo! ( )

Miles Redmond is a rational man, an explorer and scientist. So why is he so intrigued by that money-grubber schemer Cynthia Brightly? Cynthia needs to marry a wealthy man--soon--or be out on the street. She has several prospects, so why is she so intrigued by the all-but-engaged Miles Redmond? Two intelligent, practical people are about to find out what love is.

This is a romance novel, so of course they get together in the end, but watching it all work out is very amusing. ( )