Mistress by Midnight by Nicola Cornick

Title/Author: Mistress by Midnight by Nicola Cornick
Publisher/Date published: Harlequin UK, August 19th 2011
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "Merryn Fenner is on a mission to ruin the Duke of Farne. A beautiful bluestocking with a penchant for justice, Merryn has waited ten years to satisfy her revenge against sensual, mysterious Garrick Northesk. Her family name had been tarnished at his hands, her life destroyed. And now she intends to return the favor — by finding the true heir to the duke's title and disinheriting Garrick.
Yet when a disaster traps Merryn and Garrick together, white-hot desire stirs between the two sworn enemies. Her reputation utterly compromised, Merryn is forced to do the one thing she cannot bear: accept the scandalous marriage proposal of the man she has vowed to ruin."

I liked that in this romance novel there was actually a real reason for the two main characters to have problems. Because, really, if you believed a man killed your brother, you wouldn't be all over him either.

And Merryn isn't, she just can't seem to help herself, though if this were the real world I'd imagine it would give her many a worry-wrinkle ;) And I just loved Garrick. He was so noble and manly and just swoonworthy. I love when the men are swoonworthy.

I'd guessed what the secret Garrick was working so hard to protect was pretty early on, but it's a genuine secret and I loved him all the more for his being so loyal and trustworthy in this. But if I'd been Merryn, I would have made a MUCH bigger scene about it when I found out, I mean, hello! Not cool to hide that from her and her sisters! But I'd have forgiven him in the end, cause he's too handsome to stay mad at.

There was some wonderful tension between them, but I don't remember actually crying, but especially Merryn struggling with her feelings was wonderful and real and I really, really enjoyed this book!

My rating: 4 stars