"fine Regency romance"

In 1821 having been exiled by his aristocratic father to Cairo, Rupert Carrington intervenes between a Pasha's soldier armed to the teeth and a cripple. Several other soldiers surround Rupert before incarcerating him. Widowed scholar Daphne Pembroke awaits in the European sector for the return of her brother Miles while concentrating on Egyptian hieroglyphics; her late spouse banned such activity as beneath his wife and believed that Egyptian civilization was inferior to that of the English. However, Rupert's ninth law breaking incident in six weeks caused unrest and led to an innocent Miles being abducted.

English Consul General Salt is beside himself over the latest altercation caused by Rupert. The Pasha demands a small fortune as a penalty. As he ponders his options, Daphne asks for his help in rescuing her brother. Salt assigns Rupert to assist her; she insists she provides the brains and he the brawn at her command. As the dependable scholar and the out of control son of an earl work as a team, they fall in love, but can these opposites find a middle ground near the Pyramids?

MR. IMPOSSIBLE is a terrific brisk tale that uses early nineteenth century Egypt as a fabulous backdrop. The story line centers on the relationship between the lead couple as they fall in love while trying to rescue Miles. Although Daphne is an interesting lead female, the audience will value Rupert not because of his gallant efforts to save her brother. Instead he encourages her that she was "too much woman" for her fiftyish late husband instead of not feminine enough or too like a man as her spouse insisted. Rupert's enlightened take on women makes him a hero not his exploits.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted January 31, 2005

Summary

Blame it on the Egyptian sun or the desert heat, but as tensions flare between a reckless rogue and beautiful scholar en route to foil a kidnapping, so does love, in the most uninhibited and impossibly delightful ways.