Jennie's B(ook)log

Title Mr. Impossible
Author Loretta Chase
Published 2005, Berkley
Category Historical Romance
Rating 8/10

This is the first Loretta Chase I've ever read, and I thought it was a really fun romance. The title is completely stupid, so non-descript it could be the title for almost any book in this category. But one of the things that save this from being just another regency romance is its setting, which is Egypt.

The heroine, Daphne Pembroke, a wealthy English widow, is an accomplished scholar of hieroglyphics. However, as intellectual pursuits were not considered "appropriate" for women back then, she has been allowing her brother Miles to take the credit for her work. The action begins when Miles is kidnapped by a loot-hungry Frenchman who wants him to translate a papyrus reported to include the directions to an undisturbed crypt. Daphne enlists the help of Mr. Impossible, the dashing and reckless Rupert Carsington, to provide the brawn to help bring down the scoundrel. The plot goes along at a nice clip and the cast of characters (surprisingly large) is entertaining.

There is a prequel in which Mr. Impossible's brother finds a Miss Wonderful (groan) and a sequel out in March about another brother, Lord Perfect. The Carsingtons are apparently a superlative family.