The Affair/ Amanda Quick / 340 pgs

After almost a solid month of reading suspense, I turned to a twenty-year-old book by Amanda Quick to give me a break from the intense stuff. The Affair is a historical romance with a nerdy chemist hero and an independent heroine who is not afraid to make her own way.

Baxter is a scientist, a bastard (in the literal sense), and a man who just wants to be left alone in his lab. Or so he thinks. His aunt asks him to investigate a woman named Charlotte who just might have murdered his aunt's best friend. Charlotte also plans to investigate this woman's death and decides she needs a bodyguard and man-of-affairs while going about her business. Baxter and Charlotte realize early on that they are working toward the same goal so they band together to find the murderer. They also realize early on that are attracted to each other. In fact, their mutual attraction/affection/love came about all too quickly for my taste. The villain is a man coincidentally linked to both Baxter and Charlotte. I wouldn't say this is one of Quick's best books, but it is a nice solid read.