Re-Read Challenge: Lord Perfect by Loretta Chase

In keeping with my theme for the re-read challenge, I read another Perfect book this month. I first read this back in 2006. It was my first Chase book, and I’ve been pimping her ever since. I originally reviewed it here.

Everything that I love so much about Chase’s writing is on display in this book: smart, sophisticated characters; witty, snappy banter; deep emotion underlying; and both a fantastic hero and heroine who make the story move forward rather than the other way around.

When I last reviewed Lord Perfect, I took note of the great banter between Bathsheba and Benedict. And I still stand by that. The dialogue fairly sparkles off the page. But what I didn’t mention in my last review was how wonderfully they opened up to each other. Benedict especially, opened up to Bathsheba in a way that he likely had never done with anyone ever before. In earning his moniker, Lord Perfect, he had given up all the things that made him who he was – his joie de vive. He somehow found himself telling her about all the pranks he pulled as a little boy – even as far as his time at Oxford. It wasn’t until he hit 21 that he felt compelled to become the perfect son. It’s noticable immediately the first time he sees Bathsheba and has to repeat rules of proper behavior to himself, something he does repeatedly throughout the book. This says more about his true nature than almost anything else, and the subtlety with which Chase imparts it is masterful.

It was wonderful at the end to see Benedict’s father acknowledge Benedict’s true nature as well, when he tells him that he used to laugh all the time. And how Bathsheba makes him laugh. And that’s how he knows she’s the right woman for Benedict. What a lovely thing for a father to notice – especially a hardass father like Hargate.

So while I focused on absorbing the witty banter and story in my last read, I soaked up the emotion and true nature of the characters with this read. It’s a true testament to Chase’s writing that there are so many facets to focus upon in subsequent readings.

If you haven’t read Lord Perfect, I highly recommend it. Benedict is the eldest of the Carsington siblings. His book follows Rupert and Daphne’s, Mr. Impossible.