Okay but I didn't really care for the she's an authority on governessing difficult children in conjunction with the element in which they are old lovers. So it didn't really get off the ground for me. Also the bad guy was apparent from his first words on stage which takes the suspense out of any of the mystery plot. I might try another of this author to give her a proper try. ( )

Sincerely, genuinely, one of the most laughably awful books I've read in a while.

If I never have to read a comparison to a shattered heart and a shattered "maidenhead" again, it'll be too soon. ( )

This story is a little different from most of the historical romances I have read. The main plot of the story is a little girl that has been traumatized to the point that she will not speak. It is common today for there to be counselors and therapists that will help the child to deal with the trauma but that is a fairly new development. During the Regency era there was little understanding of the mind and little patience with those that weren't normal. So we find ourselves with a governess that deals with children that are different, probably death, mute and traumatized. I find this a refreshing change of pace and very enlightening. I also must respect a woman for finding her calling and following it even though women were discouraged from anything that had to do with the field of medicine. The secondary plot is the romance of the main characters and of course, the interaction of the secondary characters.

The hero of the story is a man that has shouldered the responsibility for his family from a very young age. His father squandered the family fortunate and reputations with little care or regret. He has also repressed his emotions and passions for fear of becoming his father. He endured a loveless marriage, in order to replenish the family coffers, to a faithless and miserable woman that he had nothing in common with. Camden Rutledge comes to realize that being the savior isn't all that it is cracked up to be. When his aunt tries to force another loveless marriage on him Cam knows he has to take a stand. For most of the story Cam is more than a little confused and restless. Helene de Sever is his greatest pleasure and she can drive to distraction in no time at all. It takes a while but Cam does come to see that a little recklessness and spontaneity can be a good thing.

Helen de Sever has worked all her adult life to overcome her mother’s reputation. Helen is intelligent, quick witted and very compassionate. She is the perfect candidate to work with troubled children. She is perceptive and observant. She is one of those people that seem to know what a person is feeling at any given moment. She is also strong willed and not afraid to knee an overzealous male in the balls if necessary. I am sure she has put up with more than her fair share of men that seem to think no really means yes. It was very easy to like this woman and I think that some authors today need to read her story. She is never a bitch or overly rude but she does make herself understood.

There are a few other characters that stand out in this story and I am glad that they are going to get their own stories. I cheated and checked Ms. Carlyle’s website to determine what other stories are out there. This is a wonderful story and a quick read and there are some truly amusing spots in it. I look forward to reading future books by this author. ( )

Beauty Like the Night is a beautifully written love story with the added bonus of a mystery. I believe that most, if not all, of Liz Carlyle's books combine these two elements, and she does a wonderful job with both. I really enjoy romances in which the hero and heroine either begin as friends or develop a friendship before marrying. In my opinion, Ms. Carlyle is masterful at writing these friendships and bringing to the story a sense of warmth and deep intimacy that goes far beyond the physical realm. She also writes a good mystery. If I spend most of the story trying to solve the mystery and figure out who the villain is, while suspecting characters who end up being innocent, then I know the author did a good job. Such was the case with Beauty Like the Night. The romance was truly romantic, because Cam and Helene had been the best of friends and had experienced the beauty of young love before being cruelly torn apart. They then had a second chance to rekindle both their friendship and their love. The mystery was truly mysterious, because I did suspect other characters besides the real villain. Also, though different scenarios came to mind, I never fully figured out what Ariane had seen that caused her to stop talking until it was revealed in the story. Cam's brother, Bentley's psychological complexities added additional intrigue to the story as I tried to figure out what drives him to do some of the things that he does.

Aside from history, one of my main interests is psychology. I was fascinated to find a historical novel that made use of psychology. Until reading this book, I hadn't even realized that psychological treatments similar to what we use in modern times were even practiced in that era. Ms. Carlyle even made mention of a real historical figure in this fledgling field, Philippe Pinel, along with some factual information on his practice. I was very impressed with her use of such an unusual topic in a historical romance, and the care that she seems to have taken in researching it. Ms. Carlyle has a truly intelligent writing style that is borne out by the fact that I was able to learn something new from reading her work. I have seen a few reviewers who were critical of the psychology element as being anachronistic, but my own research bears out it's accuracy.

The characters in Beauty Like the Night are incredibly well written from the hero and heroine to the secondary characters. Camden Rutledge just made my all-time favorite romantic heroes list. On the outside he may be quiet and serious, but on the inside he has the heart of a poet and burns with passion. He is thoroughly masculine without being arrogant or self-centered. Cam is loyal and faithful even when those around him are not, and he is a hard worker who takes his responsibilities very seriously. His undying devotion to his daughter and his belief that the so-called experts are wrong about her condition only make him more appealing. Even his cat, Boadicea, adores him, and he talks to her often. I think that Ms. Carlyle's use of children and pets always brings great warmth to her characters and stories. Helene was a wonderful heroine, the perfect foil for Cam's reserved nature. As a teenager she was a nearly reckless free-spirit, but even in her more mature adult form she still exhibits that lightheartedness accompanied by a newfound strength of character. I loved that she is strong and worldly enough to so deftly handle men who make unwanted advances, and later showed her spunk and spirit against the villain. She also impressed me as a woman who had made a career for herself in a society where there were few options for women. I really appreciate Ms. Carlyle writing slightly older heroines who have been able to find a niche for themselves outside of marriage or the usual historically limited professions for women.

Some key secondary characters were surprisingly well fleshed out. Among them was Cam's daughter Ariane, who was an incredibly intelligent and brave little girl. The author does a wonderful job of letting the reader inside her thoughts and feelings even when she cannot speak, and keeping her insights and actions on an age-appropriate level. Reader's are given an introduction to Cam's sister, Catherine, who is light, breezy and full of life, while obviously being strong and capable. She also seems to go against the female stereotype of her time, being more comfortable on horseback or handling estate duties than doing interior decorating. In my opinion though, the most intriguing and well written of the secondary characters is Cam's brother, Bentley. Underneath his alternating facades of the seductive charmer and the rebellious, indifferent rakehell is a young man full of fascinating complexities. I was truly impressed that the author was able to write a supporting male character with such depth who didn't overshadow Cam. It is obvious that Bentley's story is far from over, and readers are given a glimpse of the hero he will eventually become.

Liz Carlyle's books contain many interconnected characters, but she considers her stories to be more of a “community of characters” than a series. That said, there are two characters from Beauty Like the Night who continue on to future books. Catherine Rutledge Wodeway becomes the heroine of her own story in No True Gentleman. Likewise, Bentley Rutledge becomes the hero of his own story in The Devil You Know, but prior to that is also seen in A Woman of Virtue and No True Gentleman, both of which will likely add more layers to his already complex character. Beauty Like the Night was a wonderful book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I would highly recommend it, and it has definitely earned a place on my keeper shelf. Ms. Carlyle is a very talented author, and I am looking forward to reading more of her books in the future.

Note: While none of Ms. Carlyle's earlier books seem to be officially considered a series and each seems to stand reasonably well on it's own story-wise, I would caution that reading her later books first may give away spoilers to her earlier books. Such was the case when I skipped one book and was left wishing that I had read it first. My suggestion for readers like myself who don't like any spoilers would be to begin with Ms. Carlyle's first book, My False Heart, and continue reading them in the chronological order in which she wrote them. It is also my opinion that the reading experience would be greatly enhanced by doing this, because Ms. Carlyle's character web is so complex. The entire backlist, in order, can be found on her website. For readers who aren't as particular about spoilers and prefer to read in smaller sets, Ms. Carlyle's books can also be grouped by families. Beauty Like the Night would be the first book in the Rutledge Family group. ( )