This Rec League is from Jordan. Thanks, Jordan!
The Mummy (1999) is one of my favorite movies, and I would love to find more books that match its Action-Adventure-Romance vibes. I’ve read and loved Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase and As You Desire by Connie Brockway. Both of these take place in Egypt, but that is not necessarily a requirement. Settings like the Amazon and Africa could be fun, too! Fantasy/horror twists are also welcome.
Sarah: Mr. Impossible ( A | BN | K | G | AB ) is what comes to find first, followed immediately by Scoundrel, by Zoe Archer ( A | BN | K | AB ). The whole Blades of the Rose series would probably work for this reader.
The first Blades of the Rose is Warrior. ( A | BN | K | G | AB )
Destroyer by Meg Smitherman was inspired by The Mummy, I believe.
For a more contemporary setting: Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura ( A | BN | K ), and Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe ( A | BN | K | AB )
I’m chasing my tail as to which Ilona Andrews series might work most ideally, and I’m hoping someone in the comments will set my straight.
Claudia: My Beautiful Enemy by Sherry Thomas might fit?
Sarah: OH YES.
Maybe Burn for Me? Someone will tell me what’s what.
And Whiteout by Adriana Anders!
Amanda, do you think Something Wilder by Christina Lauren would work?
And for YA – The Princess Will Save You by Sarah Henning
Amanda: I think so!
Sarah: OH – The Parasol Protectorate – Gail Carriger ( A | BN | K | G | AB )
What books would you recommend? Let is know in the comments!
I also love The Mummy! Only movie I’ve ever watched twice in a row, lol.
Maybe The Jewel of the Isle by Kerry Rea would do?Contemporary romance with a mysterious jewel and baddies; both hero and heroine are fish out of water but are smart and competent in different ways. It takes place in a remote USA national park.
Also Isabel Ibañez’s duo, What the River Knows and Where the Library Hides. Set in the 1880s, mostly in Egypt but a little bit in Argentina too. On the edge between YA and adult, with lots of adventure and mystery and a strong romantic thread (though I wouldn’t exactly call them romances, the books wouldn’t work without the romance plot).
Would also add that My Beautiful Enemy has a prequel, The Hidden Blade, that’s like part 1 of a continuous story that finishes in MBE. It’s so good!
Looking forward to more recs! 🙂
Jacquelyn Benson’s Empire of Shadows is the Mummy almost exactly, and I loved it so much! It’s the start of an adventure romance series set in the same time period as the Mummy; each book is set in a different location. It’s the closest thing I’ve ever read to the Mummy, with just as much swagger and swoon!
Empire of Shadows by Jacqueline Benson, is very much inspired by The Mummy and quite delightful, and I think very much what Jordan might be looking for. (I think I originally found out about through Intisar Khanani or Stephanie Burgis’ Patreon). The first in a series, and I’m eagerly awaiting the second in my library holds. The first book takes place largely in South America, and the second book takes place in Egypt. The first book is a complete story by itself, but I look forward to reading more of Ellie and Adam’s adventures.
The Amelia Peabody mystery series by Elizabeth Peters might fit. I remember thinking it had The Mummy vibes, though they might feel dated now, as the first book, Crocodile on the Sandbank, was published in the 1970s.
I think quite a lot of Ilona Andrews’s Innkeeper Chronicles will fot this memo!
ugh. fit*
Ooh also Intisar Khanani’s Theft of Sunlight and A Darkness at the Door. Technically they are book 2 & 3 of Dauntless Path trilogy but a) don’t think book 1 will fit the memo EXACTLY though it does have adventure in it b) I read book 1 back in 2015/2016? and then book 2 & 3 in the last year or so, and you don’t NEED to read book 1 for book 2-3. the latter two books are their own stories.
I really enjoyed Anna Hackett’s Treasure Hunter Security series. We have ex-military security type people that protect archeologists on digs or rescue them. There’s a little bit of mysticism too. The first book is in Egypt but the series takes place all over the world. I binged most (saving the last book for a rainy day) in 2024!
@C I’ve only read the first Amelia Peabody book, but it held up pretty well for being written in the 70s IMO (some imperialist/colonialist attitudes, some period-typical racism, but nothing really awful, and I was pleasantly surprised that the main characters called out and questioned those attitudes as much as they did), and was a lot of fun and VERY Mummy-ish. It’s more mystery than romance, but there is a fun rivalry-to-romance subplot.
Also, this is purely vibes-based, but maybe Lauren Willig’s Pink Carnation series? It’s inspired by The Scarlet Pimpernel and set in the French Revolution so mostly lacks the exotic setting/archaeology theme (though a few take place in colonial India) but has similar swashbuckling action/adventure romance vibes.
I think T Kingfisher’s Paladin series might have a similar feel with adventure, humor, and romance. Maybe especially Paladin’s Strength which features a fantasy road trip. It’s a completely different setting, though.
Maybe author Cherry Adair’s Stark Brothers Books:
1. Hush
2. Gideon
They spend a lot of time running through jungles.
Some of her T-Flac series books has this vibe as well.
I loved The Mummy movie, so yeah, forever searching out that theme, lol.
The usual ones I rec for this have been listed but these have some of that same flavor:
– The Book of Seven Delights by Betina Krahn
– The Dream Hunter by Laura Kinsale (first half adventure, second half they’re back in England)
– Amazon Lily by Theresa Weir
– The Other Guy’s Bride by Connie Brockway way (didn’t know if you read this one along with As You Desire)
Contemporary romance Mummy vibes:
– Fatal Pursuit by Elisabeth Naughton (has adventure)
I’d suggest Encrypted by Lindsay Buroker; it’s a sci-fi/fantasy adventure with a romance that reminded me of the best of Andre Norton. Buroker doesn’t always work for me, but I enjoyed that one.
How about The Lion’s Daughter by Loretta Chase? This is not set in Egypt and not exactly a caper, but it is historical, set in
Albania and the author is the ineffable Loretta Chase.
Second the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters as well as her Vicky Bliss series. Frankly I gobbled up everything Peters (aka Barbara Michaels) wrote. If you don’t mind “contemporary” settings, The Sea King’s Daughter (Michaels) and Legend in Green Velvet (Peters) were great standalones.’jn
I used to love this type of adventure and one of my absolute favorite authors was Madeleine Brent ( aka Peter O’Donnell). Sadly, Brent is no longer in print and has never been published in ebook form, but they are absolutely worth tracking down used. Stranger at Wildings was a favorite back in the day, but I also enjoyed Moonraker’s Bride, The Golden Urchin, and Merlin’s Keep. I can’t guarantee that there aren’t some colonialist tropes in some of these as it’s been a looong time since I read them, so make sure you read the blurbs.
Adding another vote for the Amelia Peabody series! They aren’t pure romances, more adventure/mystery/comedy/romance, but they’re incredibly fun (and Amelia’s husband is extremely dashing).
What about THE ADVENTURES OF AMINA AL-SIRAFI (Chakraborty)? What a wild ride through the cultures of the 12th century Indian Ocean!
Silk and Secrets and Veils of Silk by Mary Jo Putney are both set in Asia and have plenty of adventure, but they’re older books. It’s been a long time since I read them, so there could be problematic content.
I second The Other Guy’s Bride, it’s hilarious.
And what about Darlene Marshall’s pirate books, Sea Change, What the Parrot Saw, etc?
As a recovering Egyptologist, I was also going to recommend Amelia Peabody, with the same caveats. Barbara Mertz (Elizabeth Peters) was such a character and just really delightful. She often dressed in semi-Victorian garb on site in Egypt.
Stephanie Laurens has a series, the Black Cobra Quartet, that definitely delivers on the action adventure. The romance parts of the stories are meh, and quite frankly I never really understood the whole part about the cult.
Laurens also wrote the Adventurers Quartet. Some of the Cynsters make cameos because she can’t help herself. Definitely action adventure. Romance typical Laurens.
They are entertaining and not the typical balls in the ton kind of romance novels.
Deanna Raybourn has a Veronica Speedwell mystery set in Egypt — not sure if that’s romance-y enough though.
If you don’t mind old skool/closed door, there’s a Victoria Holt called Curse of the Kings.
this would be more caper than ahh, danger-adventure, but I remembered Mary Balogh’s An Unlikely Duchess has lots of roadtrip advneture. The FMC seemed TSTL in the beginning. . . and maybe was throughout but somehow I didn’t mind it because the story was too funny. I read it years ago and then read it again a couple of years ago.
Rachel Grant is a former real-life archaeologist (her spouse still is practicing in the field, has worked everywhere). She writes archaeology romantic suspense as well as political thriller romantic suspense. One thing I find interesting in her books is that the archaeologists often interact with the military b/c they have to make sure that the US military doesn’t inadvertently destroy things when establishing posts overseas. I highly recommend her series if you want more suspense with your artifacts.
Concrete Evidence: “Blackballed from underwater archaeology after accusations of artifact trafficking, Erica Kesling has a new job and a new life on the other side of the country and is working to clear her name. She’s closing in on her goal when she’s distracted by a sexy, charismatic intern who makes her want something other than revenge.”